OSLO, April 30 - The Norwegian Nobel Committee will consider 287 nominations for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, Kristian Berg Harpviken, the committee's secretary, said on Thursday. Of the submissions, 208 are individuals and 79 are organizations. Harpviken, who has held the post since January 2025, said the list contains many new entrants compared with the prior year.
"Since I am new in the job, one of the things that has to some extent surprised me is how much renewal there is from year to year on the list," Harpviken said in an interview, describing the annual turnover in nominees as notable.
Despite what he described as a global environment of rising conflicts and strains on international cooperation, Harpviken said the prize's relevance remains intact. "The Peace Prize is even more important in a period like the one we’re living in," he said. "There is as much good work, if not more, than ever."
LIKELY NOMINEES AND THE LIMITS OF VERIFICATION
The secretary named the overall submission totals but declined to confirm whether specific individuals had been nominated, noting that nominations are kept secret for 50 years. Several national leaders have publicly said they nominated U.S. President Donald Trump, including the leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan. Those statements, if made, would relate to nominations submitted in the spring and summer of 2025 and are valid under the January 31 deadline.
Harpviken emphasized that a nomination does not amount to an endorsement by the Nobel Committee itself. He reiterated that the committee cannot verify public claims about who has been put forward because of the secrecy rules surrounding nominations.
The nomination process accepts proposals from a wide set of qualified nominators: current and former members of national assemblies and governments, current heads of state, university professors in specific academic fields, and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, among others. Thousands of people worldwide have the right to propose names for consideration.
OTHER NAMES ON WATCH LISTS
The secretary noted the diversity of names that have surfaced in public speculation and on betting platforms, ranging from Russia's Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny, to Pope Leo and Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms, a volunteer aid group. Harpviken did not comment on any of those mentions, reiterating the committee's commitment to the confidentiality of nominations.
Norwegian lawmaker Lars Haltbrekken has said he nominated Lisa Murkowski, the U.S. senator representing Alaska, and Aaja Chemnitz, a member of the Danish parliament elected from Greenland. "Together they have worked relentlessly to build trust and to secure a peaceful development of the Arctic region over many years," Haltbrekken said in support of their nomination. Harpviken noted Greenland has drawn particular attention amid reports of efforts by former U.S. President Trump to acquire the island from Denmark.
CONCERN FOR IMPRISONED LAUREATE
Harpviken expressed deep concern about the health of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, after she suffered a heart attack while in prison. Supporters reported that her life was in imminent danger.
"Her sister was able to visit her in prison yesterday and the reports coming out after that are actually quite alarming as to her health condition," Harpviken said. He described heightened international pressure and urged Iranian authorities to permit proper medical treatment, expressing hope that the attention would prompt action to release her so she could receive adequate care.
TIMELINE AND CONTEXT
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 will be announced on October 9, with the formal ceremony scheduled for December 10. Last year's laureate was Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado.
Harpviken reiterated that in a difficult international environment the prize continues to spotlight efforts toward peace and humanitarian work, and that the volume and variety of nominations reflect ongoing, if sometimes underrecognized, activity in those fields.