What does the Nobel Prize mean to you?

"Discovery consists of seeing what everyone has seen and thinking what nobody has thought."
~ Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Nobel Laureate in Medicine 1937 ~ 

I chose to use a question as the title of this post to enlist your help in creating more awareness of and appreciation for Alfred Nobel – the man, his legacy and his mission. As stated in his will, his intention was to acknowledge the contribution of individuals around the world who's life work has the greatest benefit on mankind.

This plea for assistance, which I extend to my friends, peers and anyone who happens to find their way to this page was inspired by a moving film I watched this morning. This most interesting documentary celebrates the work of the 13 laureates who were awarded Nobel prizes in 2011.

Alfred Nobel's mission, as stated in his will was to acknowledge the contribution of individuals around the world who's life work has the greatest benefit on mankind.

As I watched the film, I could not help but wonder what the world would be like if we gave as much deference to Nobel laureates as we do to celebrities and professional athletes. It is with that sense of wonder and a sincere desire to make a difference that I ask you to consider these questions:

1. What does the Nobel Prize mean to you?
2. What can you do to create more awareness of and appreciation for the legacy of Alfred Nobel?
3. What can you do to encourage children to learn more about the Nobel Prizes (all six of them) and adopt a lifelong interest in the annual Nobel awards ceremonies, which take place in October?
4. Who do you know that would be interested in joining this effort?
5. What are the benefits of spending some quality time on NobelPrize.org and encouraging your friends, family and professional peers to do the same?

As I watched the film, I could not help but wonder what the world would be like if we gave as much deference to Nobel laureates as we do to celebrities and professional athletes.

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Excerpt from Alfred Nobel's Will...

"The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

The Prize for Economic Studies was added in 1968 in Memory of Alfred Nobel is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. It is awarded according to the same principles as for the Nobel Prizes that have been awarded since 1901.

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Help me spread the word about the Nobel Prize...

SOME THINGS YOU CAN TO RIGHT NOW...

• Share this web page on your social media sites
• Watch the film that inspired this post. It is 57 minutes long so pour yourself a glass of wine or favorite beverage, find a quiet place and make note of their humility as the laureates share their stories. Prepare yourself to be inspired :-)
• Watch this film to learn more about Alfred Nobel – the man, his legacy and his mission
• Check out these educational tools and share them with your kids or anyone who has kids. Heck, for that matter, share them adults who have not lost their sense of wonder and optimism :-)
• Find out what Nobel laureates read when they were young...
• Have a look at this Nobel Media page and see what you can find there in the way of additional inspiration and resources that you can use to spread the word.
• Feel free to copy and paste this content directly into your blog or social media sites and encourage others to do the same.
• Let me know what you think and please share any ideas you have to further this noble cause :-)

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Did you know?

Nobel Prizes have been awarded to women 40 times between 1901 and 2011. Only one woman, Marie Curie, has been honoured twice, with the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics and the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This means that 43 women in total have been awarded the Nobel Prize between 1901 and 2011. 

Click here to view the complete list of women Nobel laureates...