A Colombian co-operative provided the gold for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize was the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, which received the award for promoting peace in Tunisia in the wake of the Arab Spring. The organisation received the gold medal featuring the head of Alfred Nobel on 10 December during a ceremony attended by King Harald V of Norway.
The medal is made out of Fairmined-certified gold from the Íquira Cooperative in Colombia. Íquira produces 8.5 kilos of gold and 19 kilos of silver a year. In 2012 it started collaborating with the Alliance for Responsible Mining in order to obtain the Fairmined certification. This shows that miners meet strict requirements for responsible practices.
Íquira is owned by over 30 members who own the land they mine, and also grow coffee, yucca, maize and other crops.
“We made great efforts to achieve Fairmined certification and this has allowed our gold to be chosen for this important medal,” said Jose Ignacio Perez, Legal Representative.
“We are proud that the Peace Prize is made of gold from our co-operative. This is a huge international acknowledgement that allows us to show the world that responsible mining is possible,” said Luis Alfredo Gonzáles, President of the Premium Committee.
“Having the Nobel Peace Prize made in Fairmined gold is an important achievement for the miners as it shows that their dedication to responsible mining is recognised internationally,” said Kenneth Porter from the ARM.
“It also shows the world that you can get traceable gold from artisanal and small-scale mining and make a positive impact in the communities.”
Photo: Nobel Peace Prize medal
