Russian journalist Dmitri Muratov is today auctioning his gold medal that he won when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Proceeds will go to UNICEF, which helps children displaced by the war in Ukraine. Muratov was awarded the Nobel Prize in October 2021.
It was Muratov’s idea to auction the medal after he had already announced that he would donate the associated cash prize of approximately EUR 500,000 to charity. In an interview with AP news agency, Muratov said he is especially concerned about children orphaned because of the conflict in Ukraine. “We want to give back their future,” he said.
Online bidding started on June 1, International Children’s Day. Live bidding today falls on World Refugee Day. The highest bid is now on 550.000 dollars. The sales price is expected to exceed that amount.
Muratov is the founder and until a few years ago chief editor of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. He shared the Nobel Prize with Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. According to the Nobel Committee, both had championed freedom of speech and freedom of the press in their countries.
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