The committee that awards the Nobel Prize has clarified that while the physical items linked to the award the medal and the diploma may be given away, the honour itself always remains with the original winner.
In a statement issued on Friday, the committee stressed that recognition from the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be separated from the person or organisation officially named as the laureate. “The medal and the diploma are the physical symbols confirming that an individual or organisation has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize itself the honour and recognition remains inseparably linked to the person or organisation designated as the laureate by the Norwegian Nobel Committee,” the committee said.
Nobel Medals Often Donated or Displayed in Museums
The committee pointed out that several Nobel Peace Prize medals are currently displayed in museums across the world. Over the years, some winners have chosen to donate or sell their medals for various reasons.
They highlighted seven past laureates who parted with their medals, including former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. After his death in 2024, his widow donated both his Nobel medal and diploma to the UN Office in Geneva.
Despite such actions, the committee emphasised that history remains unchanged. “Regardless of what may happen to the medal, the diploma, or the prize money, it is and remains the original laureate who is recorded in history as the recipient of the prize,” the committee said. “Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else’s possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Statement Follows Machado Giving Medal to Donald Trump
The clarification came just a day after Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House.
Explaining her decision, Machado told reporters, “I presented the president of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize. I told him this: 200 years ago, Gen. [Marquis de] Lafayette gave Simón Bolívar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolívar since then kept the medal for the rest of his life.”
She further added, “Two hundred years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal, in this case the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.”
Trump Responds With Public Thanks
President Trump later thanked Machado for the gesture in a post on his social media platform. “It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump wrote.
“She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.”
He ended the message by saying, “Thank you María!”
Medal Gift Linked to US Role in Venezuela
For weeks before the meeting, Machado had indicated that she planned to give Trump the medal following US intervention in Venezuela, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to face narcoterrorism charges.
Although these comments were not directly referenced, they prompted the Nobel Committee to restate that once awarded, the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be “revoked, shared, or transferred to others.”
Trump’s Longstanding Interest in the Nobel Peace Prize
Trump has openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize in the past, claiming credit for ending multiple conflicts. At the same time, he has repeatedly criticised the committee that selects the winner.
Last year, before Machado was announced as the laureate, the White House said it was well past time
for Trump to receive the award. A former aide from Trump’s first term said the president viewed the Nobel Prize as the ultimate capstone to how history will remember him.
Why Machado Was Awarded the Prize
When the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Machado as the winner last October, it described her asone of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times and praised her role in promoting democracy.
Machado had spent more than a year in hiding before reappearing publicly in Norway last month. She has said she hopes to return to Venezuela as soon as possible to assist with the country’s political transition.
Trump Backs Delcy Rodríguez Instead
Despite his praise for Machado, Trump has backed Delcy Rodríguez, a close ally of Nicolás Maduro and Venezuela’s vice president, as acting president. He has argued that Machado does not have enough political support or public respect to lead the country.
