Good evening, My name is Francis Sejersted. I’m a Norwegian social and economic history professor. I’ve been on the Nobel Committee since 1982, with this year, 1986, being my fourth year. This year, I have the opportunity to express why Elie Wiesel is deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.
We all know Elie Wiesel as the Holocaust survivor and as the writer of the memorable memoir Night. However, we have yet to recognize him for his other achievements. Elie Wiesel, the Romanian born American-Jewish activist, is more than a commendable individual, worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, but is also a hero for many. Having served on the Nobel Committee for a number of years, I have seen many incredible individuals around the world grace this stage. But …show more content…
Imagine waking up every morning knowing that you’ll be used as a laborer under brutal conditions and a subject of various medical experiments. Imagine feeling isolated, knowing that your family is dead, and you're the only one who remains. Imagine never knowing if today was going to be your last day. Would you be able to survive that? Wiesel was subjected to horrors that no child should ever experience. This exemplifies his strength because at a time when millions perished due to starvation and exhaustion, he survived.
After the Holocaust, many hid, many were afraid, many were deeply traumatized, but Wiesel used his horrific experience to help the rest of the world. He understood that the Holocaust was of great importance and that sharing his experiences were crucial to ensuring that a traumatic event similar to that of the Holocaust would never repeat.
Wiesel’s tragic experiences urged him to write a memoir, documenting his time at Auschwitz with his father, his loss of faith, and his disgust with humanity. Throughout his memoir, he emphasized the importance of people taking action and frowned upon the blind justice in our society. Night was a memoir created to help fully comprehend the cruelty Jews faced during the Holocaust. Over six million copies of his best-selling novel, Night, have been sold and his nonfiction piece of work is one of the top three memoirs of all …show more content…
Wiesel’s work as an activist and the respect he received around the world led him to worldwide recognition. Some of his greatest achievements include being appointed by President Jimmy Carter to be the Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, establishing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and receiving several awards like the French Legion of Honor's Grand-Croix and the U.S. Presidential Medal of
We all know Elie Wiesel as the Holocaust survivor and as the writer of the memorable memoir Night. However, we have yet to recognize him for his other achievements. Elie Wiesel, the Romanian born American-Jewish activist, is more than a commendable individual, worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, but is also a hero for many. Having served on the Nobel Committee for a number of years, I have seen many incredible individuals around the world grace this stage. But …show more content…
Imagine waking up every morning knowing that you’ll be used as a laborer under brutal conditions and a subject of various medical experiments. Imagine feeling isolated, knowing that your family is dead, and you're the only one who remains. Imagine never knowing if today was going to be your last day. Would you be able to survive that? Wiesel was subjected to horrors that no child should ever experience. This exemplifies his strength because at a time when millions perished due to starvation and exhaustion, he survived.
After the Holocaust, many hid, many were afraid, many were deeply traumatized, but Wiesel used his horrific experience to help the rest of the world. He understood that the Holocaust was of great importance and that sharing his experiences were crucial to ensuring that a traumatic event similar to that of the Holocaust would never repeat.
Wiesel’s tragic experiences urged him to write a memoir, documenting his time at Auschwitz with his father, his loss of faith, and his disgust with humanity. Throughout his memoir, he emphasized the importance of people taking action and frowned upon the blind justice in our society. Night was a memoir created to help fully comprehend the cruelty Jews faced during the Holocaust. Over six million copies of his best-selling novel, Night, have been sold and his nonfiction piece of work is one of the top three memoirs of all …show more content…
Wiesel’s work as an activist and the respect he received around the world led him to worldwide recognition. Some of his greatest achievements include being appointed by President Jimmy Carter to be the Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, establishing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and receiving several awards like the French Legion of Honor's Grand-Croix and the U.S. Presidential Medal of