Russian and Belarus ambassadors again invited to Nobel Prize ceremony

The Nobel Foundation said on Thursday (August 31) that invitations have been sent to the ambassadors from Russia and Belarus for Stockholm's Nobel Prize awards ceremony this year, after they were excluded last year because of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The institution has also invited Iran to the event, scheduled to take place in December in the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The foundation wants to involve even those who do not share the values of the Nobel Prize.

Vidar Helgesen, who is the executive director of the Nobel Foundation, said in a statement on Thursday, "It is clear that the world is increasingly divided into spheres, where dialogue between those with differing views is being reduced".

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"To counter this tendency, we are now broadening our invitations to celebrate and understand the Nobel Prize and the importance of free science, free culture and free, peaceful societies," Helgesen added.

The leader of the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats has also revived an invite to the ceremony and separate banquet for the first time. Previously, the institution has repeatedly snubbed the long-time Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson, including in 2022 when the party came second in parliamentary elections.

This year's laureates will be announced in early October. Meanwhile, the festive awards ceremonies and subsequent banquets are scheduled to take place on December 10 — on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.

On the same date, the Nobel Prizes have been presented to Nobel Prize laureates since 1901. The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway as stipulated in Nobel's will.

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An additional prize has been awarded since 1969 at the ceremony in Stockholm – the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

From music, art, sports and more, Russians and Belarusians have been barred from countless events in the aftermath of Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, which was launched on February 24, 2022.

But according to the foundation, the decision is aimed at preventing further "polarisation". It said in a statement: "The achievements recognised by the Nobel Prize require openness, exchange and dialogue between people and nations. The Nobel Foundation would like to reach out with this message to everyone."

Swedish lawmakers will boycott the Nobel ceremony after Russia received the invitation.

Sweden Democrats leader Akesson swiftly said he would not attend."Unfortunately I'm busy that day," he wrote in a Facebook post commenting on the invitation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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