1947 - The Nobel peace prize

Quakers and the Nobel peace prize

In 1947 the Nobel peace prize was awarded to Quakers worldwide for the work they had done, particularly relief work, between the two World Wars and after World War II. It was accepted by the Quaker service organisations at the time - Friends Service Council (FSC) and American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).

Friends Service Council was the predecessor of Quaker Peace and Service (QPS), which is now Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW). At that time FSC included Irish Friends.

Nobel peace laureates are able to make a nomination to the Oslo based Nobel peace prize committee.

From 2005 QPSW has appointed a Friend to serve on AFSC's Nobel peace prize nominating committee and from 2006 Friends and Meetings in Britain Yearly Meeting have been encouraged to provide nominations following the procedure outlined in ‘Call for Nominations’.

AFSC chooses to publicise its nominee in the belief that being a Quaker nominee for the Nobel peace prize is itself a validation of the work being done by an individual or organisation.

The Library has an online exhibition about the awarding of the Nobel peace prize to Friends Service Council (Britain) and the American Friends Service Committee.