IFLAC PAVE PEACE warmly congratulate Shirin Ebadi
for her award of the Nobel Prize for Peace.
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The Nobel Peace Prize 2003 - press release The official press release from
The Norwegian Nobel Committee: "The Norwegian Nobel Committee has
decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2003 to Shirin Ebadi for her
efforts for democracy and human rights. She has focused especially on the
struggle for the rights of women and children. As a lawyer, judge, lecturer, writer and
activist, she has spoken out clearly and strongly in her country, Iran, and
far beyond its borders. She has stood up as a sound professional, a
courageous person, and has never heeded the threats to her own safety. Her principal arena is the struggle for
basic human rights, and no society deserves to be labelled civilized unless
the rights of women and children are respected. In an era of violence, she
has consistently supported non-violence. It is fundamental to her view that
the supreme political power in a community must be built on democratic
elections. She favours enlightenment and dialogue as the best path to
changing attitudes and resolving conflict. Ebadi is a conscious Moslem. She sees no
conflict between Islam and fundamental human rights. It is important to her
that the dialogue between the different cultures and religions of the world
should take as its point of departure their shared values. It is a pleasure
for the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award the Peace Prize to a woman who is
part of the Moslem world, and of whom that world can be proud - along with
all who fight for human rights wherever they live. During recent decades, democracy and
human rights have advanced in various parts of the world. By its awards of
the Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has attempted to speed
up this process. We hope that the people of Iran will feel
joyous that for the first time in history one of their citizens has been
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and we hope the Prize will be an inspiration
for all those who struggle for human rights and democracy in her country, in
the Moslem world, and in all countries where the fight for human rights needs
inspiration and support. " Oslo, 10 October 2003 The Norwegian Nobel Committee |