Nobel Day in Stockholm
Every year in Stockholm on December 10th, the Nobel Prizes are awarded in Chemistry, Economics, Literature, Medicine, and Physics. (The Peace Prize is awarded on the same day in Oslo, Norway.) After the ceremony, which traditionally takes place at the Stockholms Konserthuset, there is a big banquet at Stadshuset (City Hall) celebrating their accomplishments.
This afternoon I decided to take a long walk without any particular route in mind, and I happened to walk past Stadshuset as the guests were arriving for the banquet. (Cue totally non-obvious joke about this being the closest yours truly will ever get to a Nobel Prize in 3... 2... 1....) Interestingly, the total police presence at the entryway amounted to half a dozen officers milling around, chatting amiably with each other and with the guests passing by, and trying to stay warm. It was quite a striking contrast to any random entertainment award show in the States, which, as is typically evident from the pre-show broadcast, seems to involve more hulking, threatening-looking security guys in dark suits, shades, and earpieces than an international political summit.
While the Nobel Banquet itself is the hottest (read: impossible) ticket in town, and would probably require my dessing up in something other than jeans and a sweater (not to mention first discovering something, you know, really useful), the works of the Nobelists are fortunately accessible to all. In honor of all the great accomplishments being celebrated tonight, here are links to the Nobel Foundation and a list of all past winners, including their speeches, lectures, photos, and other interesting information. (Here, for example, is the explanation of why Mohatmas Gandhi never received the Peace Prize.) It is a remarkable trove of science, history, philosophy—of human achievement. It takes some patience to do anything more than skim over the list, but a bit of time spent browsing and reading will surely be worthwhile.
For those optimists who are planning on someday attending the big shindig, you will be happy to know that there is even a handy description of the dress code. For those who are optimistic epicures, there is also an archive of every dinner menu ever served at the Banquet.
This afternoon I decided to take a long walk without any particular route in mind, and I happened to walk past Stadshuset as the guests were arriving for the banquet. (Cue totally non-obvious joke about this being the closest yours truly will ever get to a Nobel Prize in 3... 2... 1....) Interestingly, the total police presence at the entryway amounted to half a dozen officers milling around, chatting amiably with each other and with the guests passing by, and trying to stay warm. It was quite a striking contrast to any random entertainment award show in the States, which, as is typically evident from the pre-show broadcast, seems to involve more hulking, threatening-looking security guys in dark suits, shades, and earpieces than an international political summit.
While the Nobel Banquet itself is the hottest (read: impossible) ticket in town, and would probably require my dessing up in something other than jeans and a sweater (not to mention first discovering something, you know, really useful), the works of the Nobelists are fortunately accessible to all. In honor of all the great accomplishments being celebrated tonight, here are links to the Nobel Foundation and a list of all past winners, including their speeches, lectures, photos, and other interesting information. (Here, for example, is the explanation of why Mohatmas Gandhi never received the Peace Prize.) It is a remarkable trove of science, history, philosophy—of human achievement. It takes some patience to do anything more than skim over the list, but a bit of time spent browsing and reading will surely be worthwhile.
For those optimists who are planning on someday attending the big shindig, you will be happy to know that there is even a handy description of the dress code. For those who are optimistic epicures, there is also an archive of every dinner menu ever served at the Banquet.
posted by Biff at 21:20
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