SFI External Professor Ole Peters (London Mathematical Laboratory) received the Freedom of the City of London on July 19, 2024. The Freedom is awarded to exemplary individuals whose work has contributed to the vibrancy of the City of London. Peters, a physicist who collaborated with SFI co-founders Murray Gell-Mann and Ken Arrow, was nominated for his contributions to the study of economics.
Peters was awarded the Freedom of the City of London along with 39 other leading figures from science, medicine, business, academia, education, and the arts during a group ceremony hosted by Lord Mayor Professor Michael Mainelli at his official residence, Mansion House. Speaking after the ceremony, Mainelli said, "These people are remarkable individuals who exemplify the City of London’s spirit of innovation and dedication, and have enriched the Square Mile’s diverse tapestry with their impressive achievements and contributions to public life.”
“I was very touched to find myself among such wonderful awardees,” says Peters. “The City of London has long championed both science and commerce. The intersection between what we have learned in the last 150 years in science about non-ergodic systems, and decisions we have to make in daily life has been a fruitful domain for my work. I moved to London in 1998, and I have a deep affection for the city's intellectual and artistic vibrancy and its physical spaces. This recognition by the City of London therefore gives me great joy, and I dedicate it to all who have supported and worked with me over the years.”
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the City’s oldest traditional ceremonies, dating back to 1237. Beginning in the Middle Ages, it granted guild and livery members the right to trade. Today, the Freedom is largely symbolic. While livery members can still apply for it, it can also be obtained by nomination and is offered to individuals to recognize their outstanding contribution to London or public life, or to celebrate a very significant achievement.