A voice for peace: The case for Dimash Qudaibergen as a Nobel Prize nominee

The excitement surrounding this year’s Nobel Prize winners has faded. So, shall we now consider nominating Dimash Qudaibergen for the next Nobel Peace Prize?

Though his name is rarely linked to the prize, which often goes to politicians and international organizations, Dimash’s artistry and its harmony with the Nobel’s mission make his nomination worth considering.

The spirit of Nobel’s vision

To illustrate, consider those who continue to believe U.S. President Donald Trump could one day receive the prize for his peace efforts and remark, «There’s always next year.» Yet it is crucial to distinguish between peace achieved through coercion, typically celebrated by the powerful, and genuine peacemaking that reconciles nations without force.

This distinction echoes the criteria set in Alfred Nobel’s will: fostering «fraternity between nations,» striving for the «abolition or reduction of standing armies,» and promoting «peace congresses.» While these aims are usually seen through a political lens, the work of world-renowned Kazakh artist Dimash Qudaibergen shows cultural diplomacy as a modern force advancing these ideals.

Building fraternity through music

Dimash’s career embodies this «fraternity between nations.» He transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, performing in more than a dozen languages, including Chinese, English, Russian, French and Spanish. His international fan base — «Dears» — forms a multicultural, borderless community that unites millions across over 100 countries. Dimash’s concerts serve as vast «peace congresses,» bringing together people from various nations to share a nonpolitical, humanistic experience.

His contributions go further. In 2024, Dimash was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in recognition of his powerful voice, his commitment to making the world a better place and his wide-reaching influence among millions of young followers.

In his role as an IOM Goodwill Ambassador, Dimash advocates for the human rights of migrants and calls on people everywhere to unite in building a world where everyone is protected and has access to opportunity.

Art as a path to peace

Notably, Dimash’s artistic work likewise advances the ideal of peace. His original composition, «War and Peace,» stands as a powerful anti-war anthem — a direct artistic plea to end conflict that depicts both the human cost of violence and the longing for peace. While a singer cannot abolish armies, Dimash’s music helps dismantle the ideology of division sustaining them.

In today’s world of geopolitical tension and digital disinformation, such «soft power» diplomacy lays the cultural and emotional foundations necessary for peace. Although not a politician signing treaties, Qudaibergen is the artist cultivating goodwill and shared humanity that make accords possible.

One of his latest music videos, «The Story of One Sky,» is dedicated to the unity of people around the world. Although humanity is divided by race, nationality and religion, Dimash reminds us that we are all children of one planet, living under one sky. «Life is the highest value,» he calls out in the video’s message.

For his tireless efforts to build global understanding and use art as a direct call for a more peaceful world, Dimash stands as a uniquely fitting nominee for the Nobel Prize.

So, let’s nominate Dimash Qudaibergen for the Nobel Peace Prize!