Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet wins surprise Nobel Peace Prize

The surprise decision is seen as a nod of support to the Arab world and encouragement for dialogue int he face of strife.

The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet won the 2015 Nobel Peace prize for "its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011," according to a press release.

When the process of democratization looked like it may fail, the quartet was formed in 2013 in the wake of political assassinations and social unrest.  At the time, the country was thought to be on the verge of civil war.

Through the quartet's work, the country went on instead to form a constitutional government that guaranteed individual rights irrespective of religion, gender or political convictions. While many other regional revolutions have descended into chaos or resulted in little real change, Tunisia stands as en example of success.

The four organizations included in the quartet are the Tunisian General Labour Union, the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts, the Tunisian Human Rights League, and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers. As these organizations represent separate key demographics of society, the quartet as a whole will received the prize and not one individual group.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Pope Francis, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif were all seen as serious contenders for the prize this year. The committee's decision thus comes as a bit of surprise and is seen as a nod of support to the region.

Reactions on Twitter ranged from pride, to congratulations to pleasant surprise at the decision.

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