Virtual Tour » Special Recognition

Nobel Peace Prize

Photograph by Knudsens Fotosenter, Oslo

Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

President Carter's mediation was a vital contribution to the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, in itself a great enough achievement to qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize. At a time when the cold war between East and West was still predominant, he placed renewed emphasis on the place of human rights in international politics.

Through his 20 years of work with the Carter Center, Carter has persevered in resolving conflicts throughout the world. He has shown outstanding commitment to human rights and has served as an observer at elections all over the globe. He has worked hard on many fronts to fight tropical diseases and to bring about growth and progress in developing countries.

On December 10, 2002, in Oslo, Norway, Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize, a gold medallion bearing the image of Swedish scientist and inventor Alfred Nobel on one side and on the other, three men with arms interlocked who stand for peace and brotherhood. After becoming the third U.S. President (Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1920) and the second Georgian (Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1964) to receive the medallion and diploma, he gave a Nobel Laureate Lecture that extolled the work of the United Nations and called the world to peace: "God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make changes - and we must."
 

	Nobel Prize front (enlarge)
	Nobel Prize back (enlarge)
	Nobel Prize exhibit (enlarge)