The Nobel Peace Prize 1979
Mother Teresa
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The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for 1979 to Mother Teresa.
Thirty years ago Mother Teresa left her teaching post at a Roman
Catholic girls' school in Calcutta in order to devote her life to
working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of that
city.
The Roman Catholic order of which she is now the head has in
recent years extended its activities to include a number of other
Indian cities and other parts of the world.
In making the award the Norwegian Nobel Committee has expressed
its recognition of Mother Teresa's work in bringing help to
suffering humanity. This year the world has turned its attention
to the plight of children and refugees, and these are precisely
the categories for whom Mother Teresa has for many years worked
so selflessly.
The Committee has placed special emphasis on the spirit that has
inspired her activities and which is the tangible expression of
her personal attitude and human qualities.
A feature of her work has been respect for the individual human
being, for his or her dignity and innate value. The loneliest,
the most wretched and the dying have, at her hands, received
compassion without condescension, based on reverence for
man.
In Mother Teresa's case, this basic philosophy of life is firmly
rooted in her Christian faith. In Calcutta and elsewhere, she has
enlisted the help of assistants from other religious
denominations. She has also been recognised by the Indian
authorities and by the Asian Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Buddhist U
Thant.
This is not the first time the Norwegian Nobel Committee has
awarded the Peace Prize for work undertaken in the struggle to
overcome poverty and distress in the world, which also constitute
a threat to peace. It has awarded the Peace Prize to champions of
human rights, including those who have fought for racial
equality.
In the eyes of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, constructive
efforts to do away with hunger and poverty, and to ensure for
mankind safer and better world community in which to develop,
should be inspired by the spirit of Mother Teresa, by respect for
the worth and dignity of the individual human being.
Oslo, October 27, 1979
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