Russia And Iran Are Unable To Attend This Year’s Nobel Prize Ceremony; Invitation Cancelled Due To Backlash

The Nobel Foundation rescinded its offer on Saturday to representatives of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to attend this year’s Nobel Prize award ceremonies after the announcement “provoked strong reactions.”

The private foundation that oversees the prestigious awards changed its stance 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.” As a result, several Swedish lawmakers announced on Friday that they would boycott this year’s Nobel Prize award ceremonies in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.

Some of the MPs cited Iran’s repression of human rights and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as justifications for their boycott. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a member of the Belarusian opposition, urged the Swedish Nobel Foundation and the Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday not to host events where members of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s “illegitimate regime” would be present.

Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish prime minister, stated to media outlets on Friday that he would not have made the choice.

The foundation announced on Saturday that it had chosen not to invite the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, and Iran to the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm because of “the strong reactions in Sweden, which completely overshadowed this message.”

Nevertheless, it declared that it will adhere to tradition and invite each ambassador to the event in Oslo, the capital of Norway, where the Nobel Peace Prize is presented.

Politicians throughout Sweden applauded Saturday’s announcement. Even the Swedish Royal House reacted, with spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren stating that “we see the change in the decision as positive,” as reported by the newspaper Aftonbladet. She continued by saying that King Carl XVI Gustaf intended to present this year’s Nobel Prizes during ceremonies in Stockholm “as before.”

The recipients of the Nobel Prize for this year will be revealed in early October. On December 10, the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel’s passing in 1896, the laureates are then invited to attend glitzy prize ceremonies to receive their honors.