*NSG Peace Prize* 2013

[Arglorand]

Was gonna nominate the bulldozer that the protesters brought to the Euromaidan in Kyiv, but on second thought I'll back Thafoo's nomination of Malala Yousafzai.

[AiliailiA]

I was going to nominate Hassan Rouhani, for taking Iran in a better direction of talking rather than posturing, but I see Gallup has already nominated him, so I will second his nomination.

The Parliament was also elected this year, and a more moderate coalition have taken "power". Perhaps the Iranian People deserve the award more, for taking Iran in a better direction by their electoral choices in electing a "government" which is really just an advisory committee to the real rulers.

With all the shock quotes, I may seem sarcastic. But actually I see elected parliaments without real power as quite useful to develop real democratic institutions. Voters and representative alike learn the (often disappointing) ways of democracy.

Cuba is a sham democracy: the Party picks one candidate for each seat. That is meaningless. Iran is closer, as indeed Egypt and Syria were under their "Supreme Leaders". If the people are to be the ultimate source of authority for government, and that democratic system will begin on a certain date, it stands a better chance and will work better from that date onward, if the people have practice beforehand.

So many new democracies are interrupted after a year or two by some coup (usually military). Sometimes they're re-instated by the coup leaders, or sometimes there's a genuine popular uprising because the people think they've been deprived of something. The countries that maintain the trappings of democracy but go totally to shit (Indonesia under Soharto, Russia under Yeltsin, Zimbabwe under Mugabe) do so by the 'revolutionary leader' standing for office and getting re-elected so many times the people forget they actually have a choice.

Iran still has a 'revolutionary leader' problem. It's a huge advantage in politics to be a 'veteran' of the 1979 revolution. But those old guys are dropping off the twig ...

[AiliailiA]

Vladmir Putin for his role on preventing the Pro-rebel US/UK intervention and the destruction of Syria's chemical weaponry.

Is there a comma missing there? The destruction of Syria's chemical weaponry (if achieved) would be a good thing, surely?

[AiliailiA]

It's almost sleepytime for the Chair, so
Thank you RD for helping with sorting up some nominations,I'll re-check and update the OP tomorrow (CET morning, folks)

A couple of reminders to everyone:

PLEASE DO NOT CAMPAIGN FOR/AGAINST right now. It just increases the clutter level, and makes fishing out nominations harder.

Well sorry. Campaigning comes naturally on a debate site.

Frankly, posters are already voting for which candidates will make the top 10, by "seconding" nominations or making a nomination they clearly know has already been made. Is it really better to have that round of candidate exclusion happen only according to who trusts whose opinion, without debate?

If fishing out nominations is such a hassle, maybe next time you should offer a nomination form using the Code formatting. Then you can just search the thread for "Nomination:" or whatever it is you put you put in the skeleton form.

[The Alma Mater]

Edward Snowden.
Because he showed the world that the USA does not use its highly invasive intelligence agencies to combat international crime or terrorism - but to make make a profit through industrial espionage.
This means two things:
1. We now no longer need to feel obliged to aid them; meaning more freedoms for all. Yay !
2. Apparantly terrorism is not the big deal the governments and media pretended it was; so we can all feel much safer. Yay !

So Yay Snowden

[Arsur]

I second the nominations for; Pope Francis and Hassan Rouhani

[Angleter]

In supporting a nomination, do I necessarily support the text of the nomination? In the event of that nominee winning, would the text of the nomination gain official recognition?

[Ashmoria]

I would like to nominate JOHN KERRY for his negotiations that kept us out of actual war. its nice to promote social peace but it is a feat to keep us out of war in Syria when the congressional drumbeats are drowning out reason. it is an amazing feat to get any concession from iran, bring them to the negotiating table and have them agree to suspend their nuclear program for any length of time. and to keep the idiots in the senate from imposing extra sanctions on iran but that may not have been his doing.

[Ifreann]

Obviously the only worthy recipient is Miley Cyrus, whose bum-jiggling antics reminded us of the power a single person can have over the course of national and international discourse.

[Czechanada]

Jose Mujica, president of Uruguay.

[Gallup]

Jose Mujica, president of Uruguay.

For the PEACE prize? What did he do, besides wear khakis and legalize weed?

[The Armed Republic of Dutch Coolness]

I support the nomination of Gerard Joling.

[Arglorand]

Jose Mujica, president of Uruguay.

For the PEACE prize? What did he do, besides wear khakis and legalize weed?

He gives most of his salary as President to charity.

No need to be unnecessarily disparaging.

[Phocidaea]

I nominate cheap low-quality manufactured bullshit, for ensuring the American and Chinese economies remain completely interdependent so that they will never start WWIII against each other.

But seriously, I'll second Malala or Francis. Iunno.

[Kelinfort]

Seconding Malala and Francis

[AiliailiA]

Jose Mujica, president of Uruguay.

For the PEACE prize? What did he do, besides wear khakis and legalize weed?

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

I nominate cheap low-quality manufactured bullshit, for ensuring the American and Chinese economies remain completely interdependent so that they will never start WWIII against each other.

But seriously, I'll second Malala or Francis. Iunno.

I like your first suggestion better. Perhaps we could nominate the panamax sea freighter, or the flag of convenience which allows commercial shipping to employ such cheap labor?

Those lack the "particularly happened this year" factor. But trade does promote peace, and cheap shipping is a fundamental of global trade.

[Ifreann]

Seconding Malala and Francis

It's like you didn't even read the rules.

[Benuty]

I am surprised no one has nominated Pussy riot or Joe "shotgun" biden yet.

[Risottia]

UPDATED
up to this point.

See you in some hours with the new updates.

[Conserative Morality]

I would like to nominate JOHN KERRY for his negotiations that kept us out of actual war. its nice to promote social peace but it is a feat to keep us out of war in Syria when the congressional drumbeats are drowning out reason. it is an amazing feat to get any concession from iran, bring them to the negotiating table and have them agree to suspend their nuclear program for any length of time. and to keep the idiots in the senate from imposing extra sanctions on iran but that may not have been his doing.

I'll second this nomination.

[Len Hyet]

I am surprised no one has nominated Pussy riot or Joe "shotgun" biden yet.

Eh. I find Pussy Riot to be... Inneffective at best, counterproductive at worst.

[Ifreann]

I am surprised no one has nominated Pussy riot or Joe "shotgun" biden yet.

Eh. I find Pussy Riot to be... Inneffective at best, counterproductive at worst.

Sure do have a funny name, though. I mean, rioting cats, what a mental image!

[Norstal]

My nomination is better written, I think

But yes

Mine is de facto better written because I wrote it. That's just a rule of life.

No, your submission sucks.

I support Regnum Dominae's nomination of Malala Yousafzai.

[4years]

Mine is de facto better written because I wrote it. That's just a rule of life.

No, your submission sucks.

I support Regnum Dominae's nomination of Malala Yousafzai.

Hey, don't be mean to Thafoo.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Malala Yousafzai

Notable mentions:
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - already won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pope Francis - missed my nomination because while he has been supportive of LGBT rights, he needs to actually entice the Catholic Church to commit to a new policy of inclusion for LGBT people in the long term.
Edward Snowden – narrowly missed my nomination for being similar to Manning, the latter already being honoured by The Guardian this year.