The Nobel Peace Prize put up for auction by the Russian journalist Dmitri A. Muratov to help Ukrainian refugees was sold for $103.5 million to an anonymous buyer. Muratov auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal to help children in Ukraine affected by the crisis.
Russian journalist auctions Nobel Peace Prize
Dmitry Muratov, a Russian journalist received the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. He stated that the proceeds from the medal’s auction will go to UNICEF for its efforts in helping children displaced due to the crisis following Russia’s invasion. Muratov founded the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was heavily involved in it before it was shut down due to his criticism of the government. (http://rxreviewz.com/) Muratov was extremely critical of the Russian government after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
He also donated the $500,000 cash award from the Nobel prize to charity. He is aiming “to give the children refugees a chance for a future.”
Last year, the journalist shared the Nobel Prize for peace with Maria Ressa, a journalist from the Philipines. In a recent interview, Muratov said, “we want to return their future,” speaking about the children. “It has to become a beginning of a flash mob as an example to follow so people auction their valuable possessions to help Ukrainians.”
More on the auction
Josh Benesh, the chief strategy officer for Heritage Auctions said he was flabbergasted by the final price. The bidding had been mainly cruising along in increments of $100,000 or $200,000 when it suddenly spiked from $16.6 million to $103.5 million.
“I don’t think the object mattered,” Benesh said. “I think the object is a metaphor, it’s a symbol for something. It’s the opportunity to stand up and say, ‘This is a cause that has meaning and it’s a problem that a donation can begin to fix.”