Hak Ja Han: A Nobel Case for Courage and Peace

Peacebuilding in the face of adversity: Hak Ja Han and the Nobel’s legacy of courage

A Courageous Voice Under Pressure

Why Hak Ja Han Deserves the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Op-ed by PhDr. Juraj Lajda

Prague, 16^th September 2026: In early October, the Norwegian Nobel Committee will decide to whom this year’s Peace Prize will be awarded. Among the 287 nominees is Hak Ja Han, globally recognized as the “Mother of Peace”. Her candidacy is highlighted today by a stark contrast: while her decades-long devotion to global reconciliation earns widespread international praise, she and her movement are currently facing an unprecedented storm of political and legal hostility in her home country of South Korea.

See also Mother Han Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2026

See also Longer Medical Leave Before 1st Appeal Hearing

The Nobel Committee has a long-standing tradition of honoring peacebuilders who labor against severe headwinds. When the Austrian activist Bertha von Suttner – born here in Prague – became the first woman to win the prize in 1905, her award was justified “for her audacity to oppose the horrors of war.” Throughout history, the prize has continually elevated leaders who utilized non-violent transformation in seemingly impossible environments. Martin Luther King Jr. fought entrenched segregation, Desmond Tutu stood firmly against apartheid, and Mother Teresa brought solace to those most rejected by society.

It is within this exact legacy of resilience that Hak Ja Han‘s life’s work must be viewed. Born in what is now North Korea, she was forced to flee the oncoming communist regime as a young child just prior to the Korean War. This definitive personal experience shaped her lifelong dedication to the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula – a vital bridge of dialogue that experts recently warned South Korea must preserve rather than dismantle.

As the leader of a global movement, she has established massive practical initiatives, including the Women’s Federation for World Peace and the worldwide Peace Road project. Her vision remains anchored in the core principle that humanity is one family under God, a philosophy she has shared directly with heads of state, academic networks, and interfaith leaders across the globe.

Yet, what makes Hak Ja Han‘s candidacy most compelling right now is her refusal to abandon her role as a peacemaker while under intense personal persecution. The ongoing legal campaigns against her in South Korea have sparked growing international outcry, with prominent human rights observers pointing out the dangerous weaponization of politics and a glaring lack of objective proof. The fact that an 83-year-old leader faces such heavy state pressure, yet continuously responds by preaching reconciliation, unity, and love instead of hatred, mirrors the profound moral strength of the historic laureates who walked before her.

Selecting a single winner from hundreds of noble candidates is an unenviable task. However, if the Nobel Peace Prize is to remain a beacon that illuminates dark political landscapes, recognizing Hak Ja Han this year would send a powerful signal to the world: that building true peace requires immense courage – especially when the storm hits closest to home.

See also Mother Han Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2026

See also Longer Medical Leave Before 1st Appeal Hearing

PhDr. Juraj Lajda
Doctor of Philosophy, lecturer and publisher, former political prisoner under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.

Prague, 16^th September 2026

Featured image above: Hak Ja Han, Mother Han 14th August 2022 in Gapyeong, South Korea. Photo: Graeme Carmichael

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