Google Doodle commemorates the 156th birth anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen

Google has marked the 156th birth anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen today. It was in 1922 that he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Born on 10 October 1861, Fridtjof Nansen was a scientist and explorer who is known for his crucial role in giving prisoners of war and refugees the right to resettle through a special passport. A part of his notable humanitarian contribution involves the invention of the Nansen passport. The passport was issued to give the refugees and homeless rights to resettle and emigrate. It was eventually recognized by 52 governments. He even introduced foundational ideas of custodial care, repatriation, rehabilitation and resettlement, emigration and integration. The Nansen passport is no longer recognised today, and the UN has a new set of protocols for dealing with refugees.

His contribution in solving refugee crisis is synonymous with his professional life. Before becoming the trailblazer of justice for the refugees, he was also known for his explorations. So profound was his love for exploration and skiing that he eventually learned to ski 50 miles (around 84 km) in a day with minimal supplies.

The Google Doodle has a snow-laden background with a skiing Nansen in the centre and a North star depicting the North Pole above him. The doodle includes a Nobel Prize Medal on the left and the Nansen passport on the right side.

Nansen became the first person to lead an expedition to snow-laden Greenland on his sealer Viking. He also attempted to get to the North Pole using the drift of sea ice, but that attempt did not go exactly as planned.

Meanwhile, he pursued zoology at the Royal Frederick University.

Also known to have served as a curator in the Zootomical Institute at University of Oslo, he had published two books, The Fire Crossing of Greenland (1890) and Eskimo Life (1891).

Later on he played an essential role in demanding recognition for smaller states such as Norway in their fight to gain autonomy from Sweden. He had represented Norway by becoming the president of the Norwegian Union for the League of Nations at the Peace Conference in Paris.

His role in repatriation of refugees such as the Greeks and the Armenians was quite crucial. The office for refugees was named after him, called the Nansen International Office for Refugees.

His burial day, which lies on 17 May, is also celebrated as Norway’s Constitution Day.