Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights icon Tawakkol Karman urged young people worldwide to take the initiative, embrace optimism, and lead efforts to build a better future, affirming that freedom, democracy, and peace can only be achieved through sustained struggle and civic engagement.
Speaking at Arendalsuka 2025, Norway’s largest political and democratic festival, Karman underscored that the Nobel Peace Prize she received in 2011 was not merely a personal honor but an international recognition of the Arab peoples’ peaceful struggle against dictatorship and tyranny—particularly the resilience of the Yemeni people.
Karman stressed that the award symbolized a message of solidarity to activists and freedom-seekers across the globe: “You are not alone.” She described the Nobel as both a recognition of her role as a symbol of peaceful revolution and a profound responsibility to persist in advancing the cause of liberty despite formidable challenges facing the Arab world today.
Reflecting on her own experience during Yemen’s 2011 uprising, Karman recalled the days spent in her tent in Change Square, surrounded by millions of youth calling for justice, equality, democracy, and the rule of law. She emphasized that while revolutions inevitably encounter setbacks, counter-revolutions, and repression, their apparent failures do not signal the end of the road. Rather, she noted, history demonstrates that the path to democracy is long, arduous, and requires both patience and perseverance.
Karman also highlighted the transformative role of digital media in amplifying youth movements, stressing the importance of leveraging social platforms responsibly to advance causes of justice, expose tyranny, and mobilize global solidarity. She pointed in particular to the pivotal role of youth-led online campaigns in keeping the Palestinian cause at the forefront of international attention and pressuring governments to act.
Turning to her foundation, Karman explained how the Nobel Prize strengthened its mission and reach. Since 2011, the foundation has expanded its work to establish over 40 schools in Yemen, rehabilitate more than 20 hospitals, and train more than 10,000 students at home and abroad. She affirmed that, despite occupation, violations, and relentless attempts to silence the revolution, the spirit of Yemen’s peaceful struggle endures.
Karman concluded her remarks with a resounding message to the new generation: that optimism, courage, and steadfast commitment to the values of freedom and democracy remain the surest guarantees for a better, more just future.
