Frankfurt (Germany), 9 Oct. (LaPresse) – The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African lawyer and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, for her commitment to promoting peace and international law. The announcement was made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which emphasised that the award is intended to highlight how the rule of law, at both national and international levels, forms the foundation of the system designed to guarantee peace and resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. Born in South Africa in 1941, Pillay served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, before heading the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. “Peace requires justice,” stated the Committee, paying tribute to a figure who “with exceptional courage and integrity has paved the way for a more comprehensive global legal order”. According to the Committee, Pillay played a decisive role in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.
2026 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay
Frankfurt (Germany), 9 Oct. (LaPresse) – The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African lawyer and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, for her commitment to promoting peace and international law. The announcement was made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which emphasised that the award is intended to highlight how the rule of law, at both national and international levels, forms the foundation of the system designed to guarantee peace and resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. Born in South Africa in 1941, Pillay served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, before heading the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. “Peace requires justice,” stated the Committee, paying tribute to a figure who “with exceptional courage and integrity has paved the way for a more comprehensive global legal order”. According to the Committee, Pillay played a decisive role in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.