Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet Awarded Nobel Prize

An alliance of organizations in North Africa—an industry group, professional society, union, and human rights advocacy group—were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize today.

Friday morning, the committee announced it had chosen the National Dialogue Quartet  (opens in a new tab) as the recipient of the presitigious prize. The quartet, an alliance of organizations that fought for democracy in Tunisia, will join the ranks of celebrated recipients, including Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela.

Tunisia has been entrenched in political turmoil since high unemployment rates and corruption sparked a wave of protests known as the Jasmine Revolution  (opens in a new tab) in 2011, which helped inspire the Arab Spring.

As chaos spread, the North African nation was subjected to intense power struggles, often involving bloodshed, between political groups. Amid the violence, the Tunisian General Labor Union; the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers formed the National Dialogue Quartet to put an end to the turmoil through discussion.

The coalition received this year’s prize in honor of their “decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011,” according to the committee’s announcement  (opens in a new tab).

While the group helped establish talks that led to an election last year, they said that receiving the Nobel Prize does not mean their work is over.

“It has reminded us of our accomplishments, and places great responsibility on us to maintain peace and our democracy through dialogue,” said Ali Zeddini  (opens in a new tab), vice president of the Tunisian Human Rights League.

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