The exhibition ‘The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing the World’ is inaugurated by Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Manohar Parrikar on 1 February at Kala Academy. It is the beginning of a five-day unique programme to stimulate engagement in science, literature and peace that will take place in Goa, Mumbai and New Delhi. Nobel Laureates will give lectures and take part in roundtable discussions and meetings together with experts and students from several universities. A conference organised exclusively for teachers will take place for the first time in India. A National Session will also be hosted by the Honourable President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
“We are very pleased to be back in India for a new Nobel Prize Series. Last year the interest to participate and learn from Nobel Laureates was enormous, both from broader society, media and particularly from students. We expect and hope to experience the same fantastic response this year”, says Mattias Fyrenius, CEO of Nobel Media.
Four Nobel Laureates will attend Nobel Prize Series together with Professor Carl-Henrik Heldin, Chairman of the Board of the Nobel Foundation. Participating Nobel Laureates are: Serge Haroche, Nobel Laureate in Physics 2012, Tomas Lindahl, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2015, Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1993 and Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1995.
The exhibition ‘The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing the World’ explores the Nobel Prize and how it affects our lives. The exhibition is free of charge and open to the public from 2 February and for a month at Kala Academy. This will be a unique opportunity to learn about the life of Alfred Nobel, view actual objects belonging to Nobel Laureates and see how Nobel Prize‐awarded discoveries may affect the future. The aim is to encourage new generations to invest in education and to engage in science, literature, and peace in the spirit of Alfred Nobel.
The exhibition contains several original artefacts, both from Alfred Nobel himself and from a number of Nobel Laureates. The history of the 20th century can be viewed through the history of the Nobel Prize, how discoveries, conflicts and other important events have influenced the way we live and how a number of brave and imaginative Nobel Laureates changed the course of history at a number of decisive moments.
Dr Olov Amelin, director of the Nobel Museum:
“Humanity today continues to face extremely difficult challenges, be it with regard to global warming, energy, food, health care or conflict resolution. The future Nobel Laureates can be the persons who manage to solve these problems, because there are always solutions – this is what the Nobel Prize history tells us, and that is the message we want to convey to the young generation through our exhibition.”
New meeting for teachers
The knowledge, inspiration and support from teachers has been crucial to many Nobel Laureates. Without great teachers, few of them would have made their life-changing achievements for humanity. During Nobel Prize Series, over a thousand teachers will be invited to a new kind of meeting made especially for teachers –Nobel Education Network – held on 2 February at Kala University in Goa.
“With the Nobel Education Network we connect, support and reach out to teachers all over the world. We want to give them a forum to discuss the challenges that our societies face and give them tools that will enable them to work actively for a better world together with their pupils”, says Annika Hedås Falk, Head of Educational Programmes for the Nobel Center and responsible for the Nobel Education Network.
National Session at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
There will be a National Session at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on 5 February. Nobel Laureates together with deans and professors from the top universities across the world and India will be participating.
“We are honored by the invitation to have parts of the Nobel Prize Series hosted by the Honourable President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The session will consist of panel discussions on subjects such as linking education and science to society”, says Mattias Fyrenius, CEO of Nobel Media.