Nobel Foundation withdraws invitation to Russia, Belarus and Iran to attend ceremonies
- The decision was widely praised by Swedish politicians, several of whom said they would boycott the ceremony in Stockholm if those countries were represented
- However, the foundation said it would, as usual, follow invite all ambassadors to the ceremony in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, where the prize is awarded
The Nobel Foundation on Saturday withdrew its invitation for representatives of Russia, Belarus and Iran to attend this year’s Nobel Prize award ceremonies after the decision announced a day earlier “provoked strong reactions.”
Several Swedish lawmakers said on Friday that they would boycott this year’s Nobel Prize award ceremonies in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, after the private foundation that administers the prestigious awards changed its position from a year earlier and invited representatives of the three countries to attend, saying it “promotes opportunities to convey the important messages of the Nobel Prize to everyone.”
Some of the lawmakers cited Russia’s war on Ukraine and the crackdown on human rights in Iran as reasons for their boycott. Belarusian opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Friday called on the Swedish Nobel Foundation and the Norwegian Nobel Committee not to invite representatives of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s “illegitimate regime to any events.”
On Saturday, she welcomed the Nobel Foundation’s decision. She said that it was “a clear sign of solidarity with the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples.”
“This is how you show your commitment to the principles and values of Nobel,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who said on Friday he wouldn’t have allowed the three countries to participate in the award ceremonies, was also happy with the decision. He posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “the many and strong reactions show that the whole of Sweden unambiguously stand on Ukraine’s side against Russia’s appalling war of aggression.”
