Tasks: The UK and the EU

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 is to be awarded to the European Union (EU). The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

In the inter-war years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality. The dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Over a seventy-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.

In the 1980s, Greece, Spain and Portugal joined the EU. The introduction of democracy was a condition for their membership. The fall of the Berlin Wall made EU membership possible for several Central and Eastern European countries, thereby opening a new era in European history. The division between East and West has to a large extent been brought to an end; democracy has been strengthened; many ethnically-based national conflicts have been settled.

The admission of Croatia as a member next year, the opening of membership negotiations with Montenegro, and the granting of candidate status to Serbia all strengthen the process of reconciliation in the Balkans. In the past decade, the possibility of EU membership for Turkey has also advanced democracy and human rights in that country.

The EU is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest. The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the EU’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights. The stabilising role played by the EU has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.

The work of the EU represents 'fraternity between nations', and amounts to a form of the 'peace congresses' to which Alfred Nobel refers as criteria for the Peace Prize in his 1895 will.

Oslo, 12 October 2012

Source:
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2012. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2021. Fri. 12 Nov 2021. Link to the press release on the Nobel Peace Prize Website.

Remember that many different interpretations are possible in an analysis.

The picture is illustrating that the UK is leaving the EU. The British man is putting the EU coat away on a coat rack. The use of the EU flag on the coat, and the British flag on the man's suit makes it clear that the picture is about Brexit.

The main metaphor of the picture is that the EU is a protective coat. There are rain clouds approaching from the right, which suggests that Britain will face difficult times ahead, now that they have left the EU.

The message of the picture is likely too be that the British are foolish to leave the EU, and that they will face difficult times when they stand alone. However, the picture can be interpreted in different ways: the rain clouds may be seen as moving away from the man. This means he is putting away a coat he no longer needs. However, as the man appears to be moving towards the clouds it seems more likely that the picture is a warning that Brexit will cause problems for the UK.