María de la Caridad Velarde Queipo de Llano, , Professor of the School of Law and of the high school of Human Rights of the University of Navarra.
award to the public
The awarding of the award Nobel Peace Prize to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet is a recognition of the efforts of citizens to find ways of consensus for the modernization and democratization of the Arab world.
It is debatable whether the news regarding the award Nobel Peace Prize is not so much the person to whom it has been awarded as the fact that it has not been given to either the German Chancellor or the Pope. Regardless of the fact that it is more than likely that neither of them felt it, what may be anecdotal is compensated by its symptomatic character. Yesterday a trend was consolidated, that of awarding civilians who presumably would not have had global relevance had their lives not coincided with exceptional circumstances and had they not had a response to match. In fact, according to the official website of the award Nobel, in itsonline survey on whether or not the performance of the group awardee was previously known, as I write these lines the positive response is 17% compared to 82% of the negative. Bearing in mind that the issue of people who will have consulted the page will be relatively few, we can make an approximate (and unscientific) evaluation of the global lack of knowledge that this group of responsible citizens enjoyed until yesterday.
If we analyze at a glance the text read by the representative of the Norwegian committee Kaci Kullman Five, we can draw some interesting consequences. It is a Nobel that relates to one of the most important concerns in the world at the moment: the negative repercussions of the so-called Arab Spring. Undoubtedly, the committee is aware of the influence it has and tries to influence the development of a complex process such as the incorporation of the Arab world into modernity. But at the same time it is aware of the limitation of the institutions. In his words: "The award is understood first and foremost as an encouragement to the Tunisian people, who despite serious challenges have laid the groundwork instructions for a national fraternity that we hope will serve as an example to other countries".
As some critics have pointed out, once again the Nobel Prize does not reward a work in progress, especially since status in Tunisia is not yet consolidated. But if we think about it slowly, it cannot be otherwise, since peace and its manifestations are never definitively guaranteed.
It could also be argued that it is a award that imposes Western values (as could also be said of practically all the prizes awarded). Certainly, the group is rewarded for its decisive role in the construction of a pluralistic society, but it does so on the basis of the non-imposition of one's own ideas and the value of dialogue for the resolution of conflicts, even those that seem most bitter. In fact, it is this plurality that characterizes the group: four associations, three of them professional (the association of the legal profession, the Tunisian confederation of industry, commerce and crafts and the majority trade union in the country) and the fourth, a human rights activist. They all assumed the role that history demanded of them, despite representing different social sectors and values. It was precisely in their unity across differences that their moral authority was rooted. Hence the award was given to the whole, and not to each of the parts.
Finally, one of the determining factors has been support for the legitimately constituted power, whoever it may be and regardless of their own opinions. This is an important challenge : as they were able to make themselves heard at agreement, they demanded that the authorities (mainly the government and civil service examination ) be able to do the same.
But we should not forget that procedures do not work alone. And that behind this abstract quartet there are people with names and surnames who have made possible, yielding and demanding when it was convenient, what otherwise would have been unfeasible.
Mohamed Fadhel Madfoudh, president of association , who has received death threats for himself and his family. Ouided Bouchamaoui, president of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Crafts, mother of two children and wealthy businesswoman, recognized in the Arab world. Abdessattar Ben Moussa, president of the Tunisian League of Human Rights, has fought for years against the dictator's regime and then against fundamentalist pressure. And finally Houcine Abbassi, University Secretary of the majority union since 2011, teacher and former trade unionist; all, but also each of them show a way of solution for the complex reality of the Arab world.