In the middle of security guards and press came a brown haired little lady on her way to a press conference. This little, but so special lady was Shirin Ebadi, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, 2003.

Shirin was smiling as the sun. The press conference started with The Chairman of the Nobel Committee, Ole Danbolt Mjøs, who held a speech to Shirin Ebadi. He told us about her work for human rights.

Press conference at the Nobel Institute.

Thereafter miss Ebadi held a speech were she thanked for the Nobel peace prize, and said that she would receive the prize on behalf of the Muslim and Iranian women. She told that it was a great thing to give the peace price to a Muslim woman.

Shirin could tell us that in her home country well-educated women, because of the laws in the country, couldn’t get the jobs they deserve. After her speech the journalists could ask her questions.

On the outside of the building was exile-Iranians demonstrating. By the way, Shirin was not wearing the traditional headgear hijab, which is compulsory in her home country.

Shirin answers

The press asked Shirin many questions, but not all of the journalists got the chance to ask their questions.

”The Youth Paper” was among of the lucky once and got the chance to ask their question right in the beginning of the press conference. Just after BBC and NRK (A Norwegian TV channel). Our question was: ”What can the Norwegian youth do for the women and children in Iran and in other countries in the world?”. Shirin's answer were long, but her most important message was: ”Every thing can hurt innocent children and women. Children need a safe place and a family!Take part and involve yourself."

Our reporter from The Youth Paper asks her question

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Many...and long questions

The press conference lasted for 45 minutes, and many different questions were asked. Some of them were about political things. Shirin Ebadi had to remind the press that she was not a political person.

She was reminded of some of her comments she had made earlier. Shirin had said that Islam is an colourful religion, the Islamic press asked if she thought it was colourful even though people still are using stoning and executions. “I’m against violence, but I would like a world were there is different opinions!”, Shirin said.

From the Middle East

A lot of the press came from the Middle East, and they came with some questions that lasted forever. Geir Lundestad (The Secretary to the Committee and Director of the Nobel Institute) had to interrupt some of them because they almost held a whole speech; it was not a political debate but a press conference!