Nobel Week highlights

Nobel Prize monthly, December 2025

Nobel Prize laureates at the award ceremony in Stockholm Concert Hall. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin

A celebration of science, peace and literature

This year’s Nobel Prize laureates participated in a packed programme surrounding the award ceremonies in Oslo and Stockholm.

During the week, the laureates were honoured in many ways, ranging from light installations and exhibitions to school visits, concerts and in-depth conversations. On nobelprize.org, you can watch the Nobel Prize lectures, award ceremonies and other events.

Here are some highlights from Nobel Week.

“Peace is ultimately an act of love”

In the absence of peace laureate Maria Corina Machado, who has been living in hiding in Venezuela, the 2025 peace prize lecture was delivered by her daughter Ana Corina Sosa Machado in Oslo City Hall.

She spoke her mother’s words, honouring “above all, the millions of anonymous Venezuelans who risked their homes, their families, and their lives out of love.”

Ana Corina Sosa Machado and Maria Corina Machado

Maria Corina Machado with her daughter Ana Corina Sosa Machado. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Jo Straube

Later the same day, Maria Corina Machado arrived safely in Oslo to collect her prize, reunite with her family and greet a crowd of Venezuelans in exile. Watch and read the peace prize lecture

Omar M. Yaghi. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Anna Svanberg

“What we need now is courage”

After the Nobel Prize banquet dinner in Stockholm City Hall, one laureate from each prize category delivers a short speech in front of the 1,300 seated guests.

Chemistry laureate Omar M. Yaghi told his remarkable story: growing up under poor conditions in Jordan, where he was tasked with collecting water for his family, sparked his invention of so-called metal–organic frameworks that can harvest water from desert air. He ended his speech by urging us to have courage while tackling the climate challenges we face. Watch and read the speech

László Krasznahorkai visited pupils at Rinkeby library. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Nanaka Adachi

The dessert at the Nobel Prize banquet. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Dan Lepp

Light art from Nobel Week Lights. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Benoît Derrier

“What can I say about hope? You are the hope.”

Following a long tradition, literature laureate László Krasznahorkai visited pupils at Rinkeby library in Stockholm, and was moved by their words.

Find more photos from Nobel Week on nobelprize.org

Economic sciences laureate Philippe Aghion lecturing in Stockholm. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Nanaka Adachi

“What you think is a failure in life can prove to be your saviour”

Before receiving their Nobel Prizes, the laureates are asked to deliver a prize lecture.

In his lecture at Stockholm University, economic sciences laureate Philippe Aghion told the story about how life’s unexpected turns made him meet his co-laureate Peter Howitt – with whom he created the prize-awarded model on creative destruction and economic growth. Watch the lecture

Watch the crash course about quantum tunnelling and the 2025 physics prize.

One-minute crash courses

How much do you know about the achievements awarded the 2025 Nobel Prizes? Take our one-minute crash course on each of the prizes and find out how they have changed our world. See all crash courses

“One of nature’s most elegant balancing mechanisms”

Professor Olle Kämpe at the award ceremony. © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Nanaka Adachi

During the Nobel Prize award ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall, a member of each prize-awarding institution gives a speech before the laureates receive their diplomas and medals.

In his speech to the medicine laureates Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi, professor Olle Kämpe emphasised the potential of their discoveries on peripheral immune tolerance:

“Their work opens up new avenues to treat autoimmune diseases, enhance cancer immunotherapy and promote transplant tolerance.” Read the speech

“We need political will and global responsibility to take action”

This year’s Nobel Week Dialogue took place in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nobel Prize laureates Frances Arnold, Paul Nurse and Jean Tirole joined academics, innovators, students and policymakers to explore one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to deliver equitable, effective, and sustainable healthcare in the 21st century.

Discussions included the future of drug discovery, the rise of antimicrobial resistance, the economics of sustainable and affordable health provision and healthy diets. Watch the dialogue

Monthly quiz

The award ceremony

Every year on 10 December, all Nobel Prize laureates receive their diplomas and medals at the award ceremonies. From whom do the laureates in Stockholm receive their prizes? Make a guess and click to submit your answer.

The Swedish prime minister

A relative of Alfred Nobel's

HM the King of Sweden

Interested in learning more?

Discover more Nobel Prize stories at nobelprize.org.

Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

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