JA Worldwide Nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize; JA of North Florida Celebrates this Prestigious Honor

We’re proud to announce that JA Worldwide has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. JA of North Florida, a member of the global JA network, has been serving young people in Northeast Florida for 58 years, equipping them with the skillset and mindset to create sustainable businesses, find meaningful employment, and build thriving communities.

Nominations may be received only from heads of state and certain elected officials, university professors in selected fields, past Nobel laureates, and a few other notable individuals. Although the identity of each nominee officially remains anonymous for 50 years, JA Worldwide received permission to share that JA was nominated by a distinguished Professor of Law and International Affairs who was impressed by our global reach, our success in delivering economic empowerment to youth at scale, and our ability to find unity in diversity. For centuries, unemployment and poverty have led to political instability, violence, and war. By economically empowering youth on all continents, JA serves a conduit for peace.

Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide, shared his perspective in response to the nomination: “Peace is only possible when youth in all countries and regions have economic empowerment. JA Worldwide is honored to receive this nomination and will continue our work to enable all young people to have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. Our primary hope for solving the world’s most complex problems rests in the young people of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.”

“Economic stability is the bedrock of peace,” said Shannon Italia, President of JA of North Florida. “Without economic empowerment, the young people of today will not be the leaders of tomorrow who can create a more peaceful and stable world. Congratulations to the entire JA network on this nomination.”

Although all other Nobel prizes are awarded in Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, assisted by the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which acts as its secretariat. Grete Nykkelmo, CEO of JA Norway (Ungt Entreprenørskap), responded to the news in this way: “We are delighted to share in this recognition as a proud member of the JA Worldwide network. Our unique blend of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness enables us to impact individuals, communities, and society. Peace is achieved when young people have economic opportunity, and we are honored that JA has been recognized alongside other nominees that are striving for a more peaceful world.”

About Junior Achievement of North Florida

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Junior Achievement of North Florida has been operating in Jacksonville since 1963 and includes a satellite office in Tallahassee. Through an innovative partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers, Junior Achievement of North Florida helps young people connect with relevant learning and the importance of staying in school. To learn more about Junior Achievement of North Florida, visit www.janfl.org.

About JA Worldwide

As one of the world’s largest youth-serving NGOs, JA Worldwide prepares young people for employment and entrepreneurship. For over 100 years, JA has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. Each year, our network of over 590,000 volunteers and teachers serves more than 10 million students in over 100 countries. Visit jaworldwide.org.