Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2015 on Friday for 'its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011'.

"After the Arab Spring in Tunisia in 2010-2011, the Quartet paved the way for a peaceful dialogue between the citizens, the political parties and the authorities and helped to find consensus based solutions," the nobel prize committee said. 

"The committee hopes that this prize will contribute towards safeguarding peace and democracy in Tunisia. The prize is intended as encouragement for the Tunisian people". 

The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet comprises four organisations - the Tunisian General Labour Union, the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts, the Tunisian Human Rights League, and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers.

There were 273 candidates for the peace prize this year, including 205 individuals and 68 organisations.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2015 was announced by Kaci Kullmann Five, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Among the individuals and institutions  thought to have been the top contenders for the peace prize were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Pope Francis, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Article 9 Association of Japan, and Dmitry Muratov, editor of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta among others. 

Last year, India's Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai were jointly awarded with the peace prize for their work in children's rights and education.

So far, 95 Nobel Peace Prizes have been given to to 128 Laureates. Among the popularly known Nobel Peace Prize laureates were Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King Jr.

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