Stockholm in the spotlight during Nobel Prize awarding ceremonies

The annual Nobel Prize award ceremony took place Wednesday in Stockholm.

In Stockholm, laureates accept a total of five Nobel Prizes, recognizing significant contributions to the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and economics. They received the Nobel medal, Nobel diploma and a document confirming the Nobel Prize amount from King XVI Gustaf of Sweden at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

Addressing the laureates, Professor Carl-Henrik Heldin, chairman of the Board of the Nobel Foundation, said: "Dear Nobel Laureates, you are role models and authorities. We hope that you will continue your important work, and also in the future make important scientific discoveries and write excellent books."

"You will find that the Nobel Prizes you have been awarded will open doors for you. People will ask for your advice and will listen to your opinions. You will be able to exert influence. You will have the opportunity to explain to the general public the importance of science as a way of finding solutions to important problems, and you will be able to promote the recruitment of young talents to science by sharing your own experiences with them."

The concert hall awards ceremony is followed by a lavish evening banquet in the Stockholm City Hall.

The Nobel prizes have been presented annually since 1901. The announcement each year is in October. The annual December 10 awards ceremony marks the peak of Nobel Week, where laureates participate in a series of seminars and events in Stockholm.