A 34-year-old man who works in Sydney’s CBD has been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize after fellow pedestrians saw him consistently moving aside to allow oncoming pedestrians to pass without bumping into them.

“It was incredible – I’ve never seen anything like it, especially from someone wearing a suit,” one witness said of the man, who was spotted on George Street during rush hour. “He was noticing the people around him on the footpath and simply stepping to one side or tucking a shoulder in to avoid any collisions.”

Another onlooker described the man as “a true revolutionary and free-thinker”.

Other finalists included a woman who allowed a driver to change lanes even though it meant slowing down slightly to let him in and a cyclist who stopped at a pedestrian crossing.