# South Africa has a new Nobel Peace Prize winner, and she could hardly believe the news herself. Eighty-five-year-old human rights lawyer Navi Pillay reportedly reacted by saying, “I hope this is not a joke,” when she learnt she had won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Born in Durban during apartheid, Pillay went on to defend Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists. She later served as a judge at international courts and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Nobel Committee honoured her lifelong efforts to promote peace and international law.
South Africa’s new Nobel hero hoping it’s not a joke