Three Years of the Nobel Peace Prize: Courage and the Quest for Change

The Nobel Peace Prize is often more than an award — it is a message to the world. Between 2023 and 2025, the prizes went to three very different causes, but they shared one theme: courage in standing up to power. The awardees-- Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi (2023), the Japanese survivors’ movement Nihon Hidankyo (2024), and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado (2025)-- were all recognised people who refused to give up, even when facing repression or neglect.

In 2023, the Nobel Committee chose Narges Mohammadi, a journalist and campaigner jailed many times for fighting for women’s rights and freedom of speech in Iran. From her prison cell, she continued to write and inspire others. The award gave global attention to her bravery, reminding the world that even one person’s voice can challenge a powerful state.

The 2024 prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, the organisation representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For decades, its members — mostly elderly now — have shared their painful memories to warn humanity about the horror of nuclear weapons. The prize honoured their lifetime of advocacy and moral witness, even though global disarmament still feels far away.

Then, in 2025, the Nobel Committee made a more political choice. It honoured María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan leader who has faced bans, threats and arrests for leading a non-violent campaign for democracy. Her courage and persistence under a harsh regime have turned her into a symbol of Venezuela’s hope for change.

Machado’s story is one of determination in a country where democratic institutions have been systematically weakened. She began her public life by founding Súmate, an organisation that monitored elections and exposed irregularities. In 2023, she won her party’s primary elections by a huge margin, showing strong public support. But the government banned her from running in the 2024 national election. Even so, she encouraged people to vote for another candidate — a rare show of unity and political maturity.

By giving her the Nobel Peace Prize, the Committee wanted to highlight that peaceful resistance is still possible in places where violence and fear dominate. The award also put the spotlight back on Venezuela, a country whose economic and humanitarian crisis has faded from world headlines.

Yet, awards like this can cut both ways. Some critics see Machado as too close to Western governments and conservative figures, which allows the Venezuelan regime to claim that she represents foreign interests. Others argue that international recognition could make her an even bigger target for repression.

Looking at the three prizes together reveals an interesting pattern. The 2023 prize recognised an individual courage inside an oppressive system. The Award in  2024 honoured survivors who turned their suffering into a call for global conscience. The 2025 Award celebrated political resistance inside a living crisis. In all three cases, the Nobel Committee chose moral courage over immediate peace. Instead of rewarding negotiations or treaties, it chose people who refused to stay silent — those who reminded us that peace begins with truth and moral strength.

However, these prizes also show the limits of symbolic action. Iran continues to imprison activists like Mohammadi. Nuclear powers have not changed their defence policies. And Venezuela’s government still holds power despite international pressure.

The Nobel Peace Prize cannot create change by itself. What it does is keep hope alive, reminding the world that resistance continues and that injustice is not forgotten. It records, for history, that someone had the courage to say “no” when silence seemed safer.

For María Corina Machado, the real challenge starts after the applause fades. Her task now is to turn international recognition into lasting change — by building alliances, encouraging civic participation, and keeping her movement peaceful. For the world, the responsibility is to stand by those who take such risks, not only through sanctions but through sustained diplomacy, dialogue, and humanitarian support.

The Nobel Peace Prize is not a reward for success; it is a vote of faith. By honouring people like Mohammadi, Hidankyo, and Machado, the Nobel Committee has placed that faith in the power of courage and conscience. Whether it leads to lasting peace depends not only on the laureates but on all of us who listen to their message.