The goal of the Nobel Peace Prize is to acknowledge the work of peace in the world that has been done by people regardless of faith, nationality, gender, or religion. Quakers, in their religion speak about peace first, and then love, through their ministry. The social action of Friends promotes the work of peace. Friends do not discriminate a person’s message when it is received from a non-Christian. Further, Quakers involve themselves in the work of peace for Christians and non-Christians alike without reference to faith, nationality, or gender.

First, Friends receive, in the light, Peace. Called the peace testimony, as Friends, we first believe in peace as non-violence. The peace testimony is a guide to action. We are guided by our faith in Christ as a lord who directs us to not conduct violent war. We involve ourselves in speech and action that resolves personal and professional conflicts by means of activities that are non-violent, and do not lead to war. Also, Friends believe, in the light, that peace is associated with simplicity and integrity. The conduct of peace, simplicity, and integrity takes place for the sake of community, equality, and stewardship.

The guidance Quakers do not speak about, and do not act with regard to, is love. Love is that in the light the spirit guides us to which remains hidden.

You are encouraged to hold these peace leaders in the light and ask if they or their organization speaks for your conscience. The Meeting has provided information about how to take action on the peace leaders initiatives, or how to volunteer for an organization.

Society of Friends (Quakers)

Quakers view of the Nobel Peace Prize depends upon the reception of this award in 1947. Essentially, arising out of receiving support for their need for refuge in the 17th and 18th centuries, Quakers, in return offered refuge and assistance in great numbers to others.

“The unarmed only can draw on source’s eternal. The spirit alone gives victory.” -Arnulf Överland. The Nobel Peace Prize of 1947 recognizes the Quaker Peace Testimony as instrumental in assisting relief efforts for civilian victims of WWII.

Learn more about Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW)

Click the button below to visit the Quaker Peace and Social Witness website.

What is QPSW?

Non-Nuclear Conflict

Of great concern to advocates for peace, the violence inflicted by nuclear conflict is condemned universally. Non-nuclear conflict is non-violent in action.

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee consistently recognizes efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament and arms control.

Quakers condemn violent conflict and deny all forms of nuclear proliferation.

“No more Hibakusha.” In 2024, awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, or The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. These survivors of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki organized in 1956 to protect the rights of the 650,000 survivors and to publicize the personal testimonies of the remaining survivors.

Read the remaining survivor’s personal testimonies here.

“When I was a 13-year-old girl, trapped in the smoldering rubble, I kept pushing. I kept moving toward the light. And I survived. Our light now is [to] the ban treaty.” -Setsuko Thurlow. 

The wise sayings of the Hibakusha, or survivors, are testimony to the damage done by hate and violent confrontation.

Witness from Hibakusha

ICAN, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, 2017.

“ICAN is the international campaign to stigmatise(sic), prohibit & eliminate nuclear weapons.” (from the ICAN website)

Linus Carl Pauling, 1962. “The goal (of disarmament) is no longer a dream. It is a practical matter of life or death. The risks inherent in disarmament pale in comparison to the risks inherent in an unlimited arms race…”

Visit the ICAN Action Center

The Work of Peace

Acting as a non-violent state is a message from the Quaker testimony of peace. The Nobel Committee has recognized these three persons, among others, for their political activity that means peace in politics.

Maria Corina Machado, 2025. “Venezuela also became a refuge. 
We opened our arms to…families from Colombia, Lebanon and Syria seeking peace… And they became Venezuelans. This is Venezuela.” 

Visit the Nobel Laureate’s Political Party Here

Barak Obama, 2009. “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”

Learn about the Obama Foundation Here

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama, 1989. “I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings.”

Learn about Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, Here

A Minute of Conscience on the Worldwide Crisis Concerning Displaced Persons

Peaceful World Leaders

Refugees

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), 1954, 1981. “Aid to refugees was defined as fundamental work for peace…by the Nobel peace prize committee.

Get Involved with the UNHCR

The World Food Programme, 2020. ” ‘peace and brotherhood’ – let’s feed them all. Food is the pathway to peace.” 

Contribute to the World Food Program Here

Read the Worship Center’s Minute of Conscience on Refugees Here

Click Me!

League of Nations

Léon Bourgeois, 1920. “To assert that it is possible to establish peace between men of different nations is simply to assert that man…whatever…his race, religious beliefs, or philosophy, is capable of reason.”

Read the Nobel Peace Prize Lecture of Leon Bourgeois Here

Thomas Woodrow Wilson, 1919. ” For mankind has not yet been rid of the unspeakable horror of war.”

Read the Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech of U.S. President Wilson Here

Christian Lange and Hjalmar Branting, 1921. “Jesus of Nazareth was a pacifist.” and ” the League of Nations. To create an organization which is in a position to protect peace in this world.”

Read the Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech of Leon Branting Here

Read The Nobel Prize Lecture of Christian Lange Here

Testimonies of Peace

Quakers Speak has produced a video called, “Examining the Peace Testimony.” Offered by Adria Gulizia of Chatham-Summit Friends Meeting, it is worth watching.

Friends hold in the light the Nobel peace prize received by the AFSC of the United States and the FSC of Britain. Compassion, reconciliation, peace. These messages come together in the reception of the Nobel peace prize by the Quakers. The expression- the work these messages call for is the end of violent war. The Meeting has listed organizations and contacts for these organizations to allow Friends to actively work for peace. This Meeting approves the work of peace with limited application to the message No Violent Wars. The meeting encourages Friend’s meetings to provide peaceful activities as services which members and non-members can take part in.

The U.S. policy of ever-increasing amounts of military aid that spans administrations belonging to both political parties is of concern and asks for a Friend’s witness to the Testimony of Peace. In recent years an alarming amount of money specifically meant to buy munitions has been given to Israel and Ukraine. In the same gesture, congressionally mandated ties required of that money to humanitarian aid have been cancelled. It is beholden upon Friends to consider testimony to the violent intentions of the U.S. government.

The testimony of peace is understood by The Meeting as inward faith. The Meeting asks each member and attender to express this testimony according to the guidance of the Spirit. The Meeting’s guidance is that peace concerns peaceful activities rather than opposition to war. The spirit of this Minute is that the concern is about the activity of violence in the light of the testimony of peace.

Quakers have given various messages in testimony against violent actions. These messages have been statements against killing other people. War is the aggressive act of killing people for a government to achieve its goals. The most obvious vehicle of war is the bullet. And missiles and bombs are also bullets, so to speak. The Meeting points out that setting a goal of achieving political success through acts of war without concomitantly conducting humanitarian actions is misguided. The Meeting acts to make the statement humanitarian aid is required to be a part of a military aid package in order to satisfy the demands of peaceful people. Further, The Meeting insists the great amount of aid provided to Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Israel is inconsistent with the demands of the government to guarantee peace in the United States of America. The Meeting affirms that the great volume of military aid provided to these foreign governments serves the domestic needs of those governments in the absence of the needs of the citizens of the United Staes of America. The Meeting stops short of the statement that the bumming of bullets from U.S. citizens is in service of special interests in those countries. In its defense, The Meeting insists when foreign governments ask it for bullets in order to kill their friends and enemies, in other words, to use aggressive violence against innocent civilians in order to achieve political objectives, they have asked the members of The Meeting to go against the Golden Rule, that is, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” (Matt. 7:12) Generally, it is the statement of Quakers that ‘do to you’ refers to Christ’s commandment to love each-other as so he loves. (cf. Jn. 13:34)

The Meeting insists on calling the governments of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Israel bums. The demand, and agreement, that the government of the U.S. purchase bullets, missiles, and bombs for them and for the purpose of killing their political opposition -including innocent men, women, and children goes beyond the requirements U.S. citizens have as a good neighbor, or even an ally. Our government’s lack of temperance to this demand by refusing to require significant humanitarian aid in order to satisfy the requests of foreign governments is objected to by a political party.

The Meeting remains non-partisan. The Meeting asks members, attenders, and interested person to be guided by the spirit to deliver its message in order to act to speak to our government. The Meeting counsel’s peaceful activities in place of any duty to confront or protest any official representative.

This Meeting considers this witness strong enough to establish a record of finagling. The statement of the Meeting is that Friends do not finagle. According to our testimonies for Integrity and Equality the government is expected to act as if a Christian person were conducing business. Therefore we look for evidence that colleagues and associates are seen in the Light, and that each other person has been considered and dealt with according to Christian principles. We assert the principles of Friends’ Meetings to be a satisfactory witness in the conduct of business.

This post written by the

Minutes of Concern Committee

These pictures show the conversion of an Indian into a Christian. The “civilizing” program is controversial, not only because many indigenous nations had converted to Christianity hundreds of years before the boarding school practice, but because Indian boarding schools practiced a “White” and “Other” doctrine. It is to the credit of Friend’s Meetings to review this practice in the Light of Quaker teaching.

We see guidance, both for the early Quakers who took part in supporting, administering, and working at boarding schools, and in later Friends who questioned whether the schools were helpful or harmful to the people for whom they were intended.

Additionally, the committee sees a concern from early Quakers that the denial of their Christian views not be allowed in the treatment of Indians. In later Friends, this sense is extended to embrace Indian views that are non-Christian. This extension may be a recognition of the practice among Indians to believe an Indian religion as well as a Christian religion.

In taking action this committee recommends the following actions,

This Meeting says that action can be taken by it regarding the problem of the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. This Meeting sees the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools intricately ties to the legacy of the Quaker Movement. Just as Quakers were persecuted for their religion, Indians were persecuted for their religion. The difference is that in the work of Quakers towards Indians, Quakers were led to invite Indians to practice the Christian faith. In order to do this Quakers participated in the civilizing mission the United States undertook as the Indian Civilization Fund Act. In modern times Friends have rewritten their understanding of Quaker faith. Friends teach “Spirit” as more than Christian. Today’s Friends say they harmed Indians by encouraging them to deny their belief from their faith in “Spirit.” The ecumenicism from the days of Indian Boarding Schools has changed. Friends now allow “Spirit” to speak from other religions, even non-Christian religions. This Meeting affirms the practice of embracing Spirit while leading people into the religion. This Meeting states the Indian Boarding Schools of Quakers were meant to be a good work. We affirm the need for a correct ecumenicism. We wish to bring Indians into our faith as people already civilized.

This Meeting says that action can be taken by it regarding the problem of the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. This Meeting sees the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools intricately ties to the legacy of the Quaker Movement. Just as Quakers were persecuted for their religion, Indians were persecuted for their religion. The difference is that in the work of Quakers towards Indians, Quakers were led to invite Indians to practice the Christian faith. In order to do this Quakers participated in the civilizing mission the United States undertook as the

A Note on the Saying “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.”

A rallying cry for initiatives and calls for healing commissions, this saying has brought people to concern out of fear for what Americans undertook in the activities of Gen. Pratt and others who “solved” the Indian problem.

In witness, this Meeting has heard this message “in the light” and calls to testimony its true meaning. Indian is no longer considered an indigenous American seen apart from indigenous people of any and every continent. Man is no longer a reference to “White” civilization, a civilization that cannot be entered into, but can only lead. Save, only, remains from this statement and continues to bear the true light of Christ. This Meeting testifies that the salvation of each and every man woman and child is to bear witness to the light of Christ that we are held up to as a revelation of God who is in us, equally.

The Committee on Concerns asks all Friend’s Meetings to hold this statement in the light and bear true witness to its message.

The soul would see no Rainbows if not for the eyes’ tears.

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

There is a question whether any of our testimonies speaks to the current crisis caused by the rise of the worldwide population of displaced persons. Certainly Friends, themselves had been displaced from their homes and families at the beginning of the Friend’s movement, The founder of the Friend’s Society, himself, George Fox, not only persecuted, and imprisoned, but driven out from his home, only to be given sanctuary, or find refuge -due to persecution- by his future wife, Margaret Fell. Also, Friends suffered the greatest need as displaced persons when they were exiled from England and the American colonies to Barbados and surrounding areas where many members of the religious society lived until 1750.

As a matter of fact, the Sanctuary Movement in America was started by among others, a Quaker named Jim Corbett who began to give refuge to Central Americans in 1982. The Sanctuary Movement addressed problems of the exodus of people from Central and South America, primarily considered undocumented in the U.S. They are considered people persecuted by governments-not by churches as was the case for 18th Century Quakers. During our times the number of people seeking refuge has again increased. Where 1,000 Quakers found sanctuary in and near Barbados in the 18th Century, and where 1 million Central Americans sought sanctuary in the U.S. during the 20th Century, more than 7 million Venezuelans sought refuge, primarily in Colombia and Peru in the 21st Century.

The question arises, because Friends sought refuge from religious persecution in the 17th Century, is there a testimony that guides their to act in favor of people seeking refuge from political persecution in the 21st Century? Here, randomly, are a list of Friend’s testimonies and a description of the guidance each provides to worshipers:

There are a number of testimonies from Friends that allow people to act in a manner commensurate with agreeing that migration due to political persecution can result in sanctuary. At each testimony where I have written, “by extension,” that testimony allows Friends to extend refuge as sanctuary. Here is a more detailed description of each action:

How is it that refuge from religious persecution can be translated into a defense of refuge from political persecution? Here are some population groups facing religious and political persecution.

What do we learn from this long list that includes more than 17 countries worldwide and is not complete? The end result of persecution, both religious and political is displacement of large populations. Also, religious and political motives to execute violent policies often overlap. Also, both governments and churches are willing to conduct violence against people due to their chosen religious or political identity. Displacement and loss of valuables take place. Religious and national identify overlaps. Violence is a weapon of choice for both governments and churches. What actions do Friend’s testimonies allow them to take?

What are Quakers doing about the international crisis for people seeking refuge?

Here is one solution, Quakers Aid Refugees and Migrants (QARM), at https://qarn.org.uk

Also, see this article on sanctuary at Friend’s Meetings in the USA, “Lending Their Hands.”

Here is a list of activities that have been conducted worldwide in aid of the various displaced people who face crisis. Use this list for an internet search to educate yourself, and to get involved.