338 nominations have been submitted for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Institute announced today, without revealing the names.
244 individuals and 94 organizations submitted nominations, a large increase from last year's 286 nominations, but still less than the record 376 submissions in 2016.
In accordance with the Nobel Statute, the identity of the nominee remains secret for 50 years.
However, thousands of sponsors, including MPs and ministers, former winners, and university professors, can reveal the identity of their candidate.
US Congressman Darrell Issa said on Monday that he would nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Prize, saying that no one else deserves it as much as he does.
The congressman's office then explained that the appointment was motivated by Trump's peace efforts in the Middle East.
However, this nomination was allegedly submitted after the January 31st deadline.
Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee can add names to the list at a meeting, which the institute said was held on February 28.
According to Ukrainian media, Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko also nominated Trump back in November, in an attempt to attract the attention of the then-US president-elect.
Members of the Norwegian parliament said they had nominated former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Pope Francis for the award.
Last year, the Nobel Peace Prize went to the Japanese group of survivors of the 1945 US atomic bombings, "Nihon Hidankyo," for their fight for a world without nuclear weapons and for their testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.
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