Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize "for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons." The Nobel Committee said disarmament figured prominently in Alfred Nobel's will.

The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to European Union as it "for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe." President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz welcomed the award saying: "Reconciliation is what the EU is about. The EU is a unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity."

The Nobel Committee awarded its 2011 Peace Prize to three women for their peaceful advocacy for women's rights. One of them is Tawakkul Karman, a 33-year-old Yemeni activist who has been a loud voice for change in her country's Arab Spring protests. She has been imprisoned several times for her activism, and is the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made history by becoming Africa's first female elected president. The Nobel Committee said that "since her inauguration in 2006, she has contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women."

Labeled Liberia's "peace warrior," 39-year-old Leymah Gbowee likely played a large role in preparing her country for Sirleaf's election. She led a coalition of Liberian Christian and Muslim women to wage a sex strike during the country's bloody civil war, pushing the nation's men to bring the war to an end.

Chinese author Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. The dissident and contributor to the pro-democracy manifesto 'Charta 08' is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for his political beliefs. The Nobel Committee recognized Liu for his "long, peaceful fight for basic human rights in China."

In December 2009, less than a year after taking office, US President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Many critics agreed that Obama received the surprising nod for the award too early, and that it was more in anticipation of what he has yet to accomplish. Obama's vision for a world free of nuclear weapons, for example, remains a work in progress.

The Finish politician who served as the country's president from 1994-2000 is best known internationally for his role as an international diplomat and mediator. The Nobel Committee honored his "efforts on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts."

Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and former US Vice President Al Gore were given the Peace Prize in 2007 for their work in climate protection. Their efforts to call attention to those directly affected by climate change were especially praised. In his acceptance speech, Gore said the US and China were to blame for shortcomings in climate protection.

In 2006, the award went to Bangladeshi "banker of the poor" Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank that he created. Yunus was awarded the prize for the idea of 'social business.' His bank gave loans to millions of poor people in Bangladesh, who were then able to make a living as self-employed workers.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is leader at the time, Egypt's Mohamed ElBaradei received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for " their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way."

Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Kenyan professor and scientist won for her contributions to sustainable development, democracy, and peace that she worked toward through her organization 'Green Belt Movement,' which she founded in 1977 to fight for women's rights and the environment. Maathai died on September 25, 2011.

Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi founded the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. The Noble Committee said it awarded her "for her efforts for democracy and human rights, especially the rights of women and children, in Iran and the Muslim world in general."