The foundation justifies its decision by increasing dialogue between parties who disagree.
The Nobel Foundation invites the representatives of all parties in the Swedish parliament to the Nobel gala to be held in December for the first time since 2009, says the Nobel Foundation in its announcement.
In 2010, the foundation decided not to invite a representative of the Swedish Democrats who entered the Swedish Parliament that same year to the gala. The reason has been the party’s anti-immigration.
At the time, the foundation announced that the party program of the Sweden Democrats “completely opposes” the founder of the award Alfred Nobel against values.
Sweden Democrats chairman Jimmie Åkesson said shortly after the news on Facebookthat it is “unfortunately booked” on December 10, when the gala will be held.
The Swedish Democrats is the second largest party in the Swedish Parliament, but it is not in the country’s government.
Thursday in its published announcement, the foundation justifies the reversal of the decision by increasing the dialogue between those who disagree. According to the foundation, the world is more divided than before, and the conversation between dividing lines has decreased.
“In response to this trend, we are now expanding invitations so that we can celebrate and understand the Nobel Prize and the importance of free science, culture and peaceful societies,” says the foundation’s executive director Vidar Helgesen in the bulletin.
Foundation according to the Nobel Prize requires openness, exchange of information and dialogue between people and nations. The foundation also says that the awards represent values that are opposed to polarization, populism and nationalism.
With its decision, the foundation wants to communicate its values also “to those who do not share the values of the Nobel Prize”.
In addition The Nobel Foundation decided that the ambassadors of all countries diplomatically represented in Sweden and Norway are welcome to the gala.
The foundation did not last year invited by Including the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus because of the war of aggression against Ukraine started by Russia.
Last year, the Nobel Committee admitted peace prize for a Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bjaljatskithe Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties human rights organization and the Russian Memorial human rights organization.
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