Nobel Prizes 2026: Navi Pillay wins the Peace Prize — here are this year's laureates
The South African jurist was honoured for promoting peace and international law. Canadian poet Anne Carson took literature and IceCube's Francis Halzen won physics.
At a glance
- Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, 85, won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee received 287 nominations: 208 individuals and 79 organisations.
- Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- Francis Halzen won the physics prize for the IceCube hunt for 'ghost particles' in Antarctica.
The 2026 Nobel season has wrapped up, and its most-watched award went to a lifelong champion of international justice. On Friday, October 9, the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navanethem "Navi" Pillay.
Peace: Navi Pillay
Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said the 85-year-old was recognised for her efforts to promote peace and international law, praising the firm moral compass that has guided her long career. Pillay, who is of Indian origin, rose from South Africa under apartheid to become a judge on international tribunals and later UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The UN human rights office welcomed the award.
The committee received nominations for 287 candidates this year — 208 individuals and 79 organisations. The prize marks the 125th anniversary of the Peace Prize, which has gone to 112 individuals and 28 institutions since 1901. Last year's laureate was Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
The other prizes
- Literature: Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson, announced on Thursday, October 8.
- Physics: Francis Halzen, recognised for leading the hunt for neutrinos — the so-called ghost particles — using the IceCube detector buried in Antarctic ice.
- Medicine: Awarded for work decoding brain circuits.
- Economics: The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences was announced on Monday, October 12, closing the season.
Prize money and ceremony
Each Nobel Prize is worth 12 million Swedish kronor, a little over €1 million. The awards are presented on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. Most are handed out in Stockholm, while the Peace Prize ceremony takes place in Oslo.
Questions people are asking
Who won the Nobel Peace Prize 2026?
South African jurist Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, announced in Oslo on October 9, 2026.
How much is the Nobel Prize worth in 2026?
Each prize carries 12 million Swedish kronor, a little over €1 million. The prizes are presented on December 10.
How we verified this story
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