The Nobel Committee in Norway recently announced that this year's Nobel Peace Prize recipients are three women: Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and pro-democracy campaigner Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.
The Liberian president is Africa's first democratically elected female president and has led her country after 14 years of brutal civil war. She faces a tough re-election bid this week.
Leymah Gbowee has made her own contribution to Liberia, rallying women in 2003 to protest for an end to the violence. And the third honoree, Tawakkul Karman, has been a leader in the protests in Yemen against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. They began in late January, part of the wave of revolts sweeping the Arab world.
The three women will receive their awards at a ceremony in Oslo in December.
Quotes
"I am very, very happy about this prize. I give the prize to the Arab revolutions and to the peaceful youth revolution in Yemen and the Yemeni people. I also dedicate this prize to the martyrs and wounded people from peaceful revolutions." - Tawakkul Karman, Nobel Peace Prize winner
"I have found all the women in the strategic positions that they hold have been so dedicated and committed and honest. I mean, they really go to the task, you know, with all that it takes. They go that extra mile." - llen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberian president and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Warm Up Questions
1. What is the Nobel Peace Prize?
2. Where is Liberia? What do you know about it?
3. What is the Arab Spring movement?
Discussion Questions
1. Some have criticized or questioned the Nobel committee for making political statements with who it chooses to receive the Peace Prize. Do you think that criticism is fair? Why or why not?
2. Why is it significant that three women are sharing the Peace Prize? Do you think the committee was trying to make a statement by choosing three women?
3. What other prizes does the Nobel committee give out?
4. If you could award the Nobel Peace Prize to anyone alive today, who would you award it to? Why?
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