JA Worldwide Nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize

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We have wonderful news: JA Worldwide has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize! This is an incredible honor for the entire JA network and the result of your hard work. The 2022 nomination deadline was at the end of January, and we have learned that JA Worldwide is among the nominees.

 

JA Worldwide was nominated by a distinguished Professor of Law and International Affairs. (Names of nominators and nominees are confidential according to Nobel guidelines, but JA Worldwide has shared what they can with us.) Our nominator was impressed by JA’s incredible global reach, our success in delivering economic empowerment to youth at scale, and our ability to find unity in diversity. For centuries, unemployment and poverty have led to political instability, violence, and war. By economically empowering youth on all continents (even during this pandemic), JA serves a conduit for peace.

 

Special thanks to all the board members, volunteers, and staff for their unshakeable belief that we can achieve more when we work together as one JA network. We are so honored to be a member of the JA Worldwide network.

 

Some further details:

  • Nominations may be received only from heads of state and certain elected officials, university professors in selected fields, past Nobel laureates, and a few other notable individuals.
  • The Nobel Committee has selected individuals as winners significantly more often than organizations, but there are some relevant organizations to mention for context. For example, another NGO from the top 10 NGO Advisor list, Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. UNICEF, another youth-serving NGO, was awarded the prize in 1965, after being nominated for several years.
  • Being nominated puts one under consideration for when the time is right, and it is not unusual to be nominated for multiple years before one is selected.

 

This nomination for JA Worldwide is the beginning of a journey for the JA network, especially when many organizations have been nominated multiple times before being shortlisted or selected as a winner. We are honored and humbled to be considered alongside such illustrious nominees.

 

Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide, shared his perspective in response to the nomination: “Peace is only possible when youth in all countries and regions have economic empowerment. JA Worldwide is honored to receive this nomination and will continue our work to enable all young people to have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. Our primary hope for solving the world’s most complex problems rests in the young people of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.”

 

Andreas Papadopoulos, Board Chair of JA Cyprus said: “We are proud that Cyprus is an active member of Junior Achievement Worldwide and has been recognized as a “model nation” for its wide range of programmes and very good results. At the same time, we are optimistic that education is recognized through this candidacy as a means of achieving world peace. Diversity brings unity.”

 

“We create opportunities for young people to take full advantage of their potential in order to succeed personally and professionally. Then and only then will we be able to live in a peaceful world with equal opportunities for all. We have taken a great step towards this with the nomination of JA Worldwide for the Nobel Peace Prize” said Antigoni Komodiki, CEO of JA Cyprus.

 

 

Although all other Nobel prizes are awarded in Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, assisted by the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which acts as its secretariat. Grete Nykkelmo, CEO of JA Norway (Ungt Entreprenørskap) responded to the news in this way: “We are delighted to share in this recognition as a proud member of the JA Worldwide network. Our unique blend of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness enables us to impact individuals, communities, and society. Peace is achieved when young people have economic opportunity, and we are honored that JA has been recognized alongside other nominees that are striving for a more peaceful world.”