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Kaci Kullmann Five, Head of Nobel Peace Prize Committee, Dies at 65 Kaci Kullmann Five, Head of Nobel Peace Prize Committee, Dies at 65
(35 minutes later)
OSLO — Kaci Kullmann Five, the chairwoman of the committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize, died on Sunday. She was 65.OSLO — Kaci Kullmann Five, the chairwoman of the committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize, died on Sunday. She was 65.
The cause was breast cancer, according to the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which helps the committee select the winners and organizes the annual prize ceremony.The cause was breast cancer, according to the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which helps the committee select the winners and organizes the annual prize ceremony.
Ms. Kullmann Five, a former member of the Norwegian Parliament, which appoints the five-member Nobel committee, joined it in 2003. She became chairwoman in 2015, replacing Thorbjorn Jagland, who had presided over divisive decisions to award the prize to President Barack Obama in 2009 and to the imprisoned Chinese democracy advocate Liu Xiaobo in 2010.Ms. Kullmann Five, a former member of the Norwegian Parliament, which appoints the five-member Nobel committee, joined it in 2003. She became chairwoman in 2015, replacing Thorbjorn Jagland, who had presided over divisive decisions to award the prize to President Barack Obama in 2009 and to the imprisoned Chinese democracy advocate Liu Xiaobo in 2010.
The 2010 choice, which Mr. Jagland vigorously defended, contributed to a six-year chill in relations between Norway and China. Ms. Kullmann Five’s appointment as chairwoman was seen by some as a victory for China, but even she said that “China achieves nothing by me replacing Jagland as chair.” (Mr. Jagland remains on the committee.) The 2010 choice, which Mr. Jagland vigorously defended, contributed to a six-year chill in relations between Norway and China. Ms. Kullmann Five’s appointment as chairwoman was seen by some as a victory for China, but even she said that “China achieves nothing by me replacing Jagland as chair.” (He remains on the committee.)
Under Ms. Kullman Five’s leadership, the committee awarded the prize in 2015 to four organizations for their help defusing a political crisis in Tunisia and providing stability to the nation’s fledgling democracy. In 2016, it selected President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia for brokering a deal to end a 52-year conflict with leftist rebels, the longest-running war in the Americas. Under Ms. Kullman Five’s leadership, the committee awarded the prize in 2015 to four organizations for their help defusing a political crisis in Tunisia and providing stability to the nation’s fledgling democracy. In 2016, it selected President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia for his pursuit of a deal to end a 52-year conflict with leftist rebels, the longest-running war in the Americas.
The committee conducts its deliberations behind closed doors, so it is difficult to ascertain Ms. Kullmann Five’s precise impact on its deliberations, according to John Peder Egenaes, general secretary of Amnesty International Norway. “But Kaci Kullman Five has, in general, been a strong defender of human rights and human rights champions and defenders, something we must assume that she brought with her into the Nobel Committee,” he said, noting the rights activists — Shirin Ebadi of Iran in 2003, Mr. Liu and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014 — recognized during her time on the committee. The committee conducts its deliberations behind closed doors, so it is difficult to ascertain Ms. Kullmann Five’s precise impact on them, according to John Peder Egenaes, general secretary of Amnesty International Norway. “But Kaci Kullman Five has, in general, been a strong defender of human rights and human rights champions and defenders, something we must assume that she brought with her into the Nobel Committee,” he said, noting the rights activists recognized during her time on the committee: Shirin Ebadi of Iran in 2003, Mr. Liu and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014.
Asle Sveen, an author and historian, said that Ms. Kullmann Five “had walked with her back straight” and defended the integrity and independence of the award to Mr. Liu by stating that the committee’s decision had been unanimous — a fact she repeated when Norway normalized relations with China in 2016, while adding that the committee had no regrets.Asle Sveen, an author and historian, said that Ms. Kullmann Five “had walked with her back straight” and defended the integrity and independence of the award to Mr. Liu by stating that the committee’s decision had been unanimous — a fact she repeated when Norway normalized relations with China in 2016, while adding that the committee had no regrets.
(In contrast, Geir Lundestad, the former secretary to the committee, wrote in his 2015 memoir that he regretted the decision to award the prize to Mr. Obama, and that “the committee didn’t achieve what it had hoped for.”)(In contrast, Geir Lundestad, the former secretary to the committee, wrote in his 2015 memoir that he regretted the decision to award the prize to Mr. Obama, and that “the committee didn’t achieve what it had hoped for.”)
Karin Cecilie Kullmann was born in Oslo on April 13, 1951, and grew up in Baerum, an affluent suburb west of the capital. Her father, Kjell Elsner Kullmann, was a dentist; her mother, the former Anne-Lise Heiberg, a dental assistant.Karin Cecilie Kullmann was born in Oslo on April 13, 1951, and grew up in Baerum, an affluent suburb west of the capital. Her father, Kjell Elsner Kullmann, was a dentist; her mother, the former Anne-Lise Heiberg, a dental assistant.
She became politically active as a teenager in the late 1960s, when the Conservative Party was strong in her local community but weak in national government.She became politically active as a teenager in the late 1960s, when the Conservative Party was strong in her local community but weak in national government.
While in her 20s, she took part in a televised debate in 1977 as the leader of the party’s youth wing, appearing at times to outshine the party’s leader, Erling Norvik, with her wit and knowledge.While in her 20s, she took part in a televised debate in 1977 as the leader of the party’s youth wing, appearing at times to outshine the party’s leader, Erling Norvik, with her wit and knowledge.
It was as if she had “swept into our television set, sparks flying,” Guri Hjeltnes, a Norwegian author and journalist, recalled.It was as if she had “swept into our television set, sparks flying,” Guri Hjeltnes, a Norwegian author and journalist, recalled.
Ms. Kullman Five’s interest in human rights activism dated from the 1970s, when dissidents like Andrei D. Sakharov were challenging the Soviet power structure.Ms. Kullman Five’s interest in human rights activism dated from the 1970s, when dissidents like Andrei D. Sakharov were challenging the Soviet power structure.
She served as a member of Parliament from 1981 to 1997 and was minister of trade and shipping from 1989 to 1990. She served as the first female leader of the Conservative Party from 1991 to 1994.She served as a member of Parliament from 1981 to 1997 and was minister of trade and shipping from 1989 to 1990. She served as the first female leader of the Conservative Party from 1991 to 1994.
During her time in politics, she pressed the party to emphasize gender equality and environmental protection. She was a staunch supporter of Norwegian membership in the European Union — a question that dominated the political landscape until 1994, when Norwegians voted in a referendum to reject membership. During her time in politics, she pressed the party to emphasize gender equality and environmental protection. She was a staunch supporter of Norwegian membership in the European Union — a question that dominated the political landscape until 1994, when voters rejected it in a referendum.
After her career in politics, Ms. Kullmann Five worked in private business. Gradually, she also started serving on the board of several companies, including the Norwegian oil company Statoil, and several nongovernmental organizations.After her career in politics, Ms. Kullmann Five worked in private business. Gradually, she also started serving on the board of several companies, including the Norwegian oil company Statoil, and several nongovernmental organizations.
In an interview in November with the newspaper VG, Ms. Kullmann Five recalled that women had come a long way since she started her career in politics. “We were supposed to just spin around,” she said. “Cry a little and not take too much space. Unless we were talking about the hair salon, of course.”In an interview in November with the newspaper VG, Ms. Kullmann Five recalled that women had come a long way since she started her career in politics. “We were supposed to just spin around,” she said. “Cry a little and not take too much space. Unless we were talking about the hair salon, of course.”
Ms. Kullmann Five learned she had cancer in 2014, and the disease recently returned. She was nearly too ill to attend the prize ceremony in October.Ms. Kullmann Five learned she had cancer in 2014, and the disease recently returned. She was nearly too ill to attend the prize ceremony in October.
She is survived by her husband, Carsten O. Five; two children, Christine and Christian; and four grandchildren.She is survived by her husband, Carsten O. Five; two children, Christine and Christian; and four grandchildren.
The Nobel committee will be temporarily led by its deputy chairwoman, Berit Reiss-Andersen, who is also the president of the Norwegian Bar Association, until a replacement is named in May.The Nobel committee will be temporarily led by its deputy chairwoman, Berit Reiss-Andersen, who is also the president of the Norwegian Bar Association, until a replacement is named in May.
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Prime Minister Erna Solberg, a member of the Conservative Party, wrote on Facebook that Norway had “lost a strong and warm person,” and she called Ms. Kullmann Five “a pioneer” for women in politics.Prime Minister Erna Solberg, a member of the Conservative Party, wrote on Facebook that Norway had “lost a strong and warm person,” and she called Ms. Kullmann Five “a pioneer” for women in politics.
Jens Stoltenberg, a former Labor Party prime minister who is now secretary general of NATO, wrote on Facebook that Ms. Kullmann Five was a “role model and pioneer for my generation of politicians.”Jens Stoltenberg, a former Labor Party prime minister who is now secretary general of NATO, wrote on Facebook that Ms. Kullmann Five was a “role model and pioneer for my generation of politicians.”