Russian Journalist Auctions Off Nobel Peace Prize For The Future Of Ukrainian Children

A Russian journalist will auction off his Nobel Peace Prize medal to raise money to help children displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Dmitry Muratov was awarded the gold medal in Oct. 2021, for his efforts to preserve free speech in his country.

He started the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was the publication's editor-in-chief when it shut down in March in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

“It has to become a beginning of a flash mob as an example to follow so people auction their valuable possessions to help Ukrainians,” Muratov said in a video released by Heritage Auctions.

Muratov said he was particularly concerned about children who have been orphaned because of the Russia-Ukraine war and that he will be selling the award “to give the children refugees a chance for a future.” The proceeds will go directly to UNICEF.

Muratov had already announced he was donating the accompanying $500,000 cash award to charity.

“We want to return their future,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Last Thursday, Muratov left Russia for Western Europe to begin his trip to New York City, where the live bidding will begin Monday, June 20, afternoon.

The online bids began on June 1 to coincide with the International Children’s Day observance and Monday’s live bidding falls on World Refugee Day.

“It’s a very bespoke deal,” said Joshua Benesh, the chief strategy officer for Heritage Auctions, which is handling the sale but not taking any share of the proceeds.

“Not everyone in the world has a Nobel Prize to auction and not every day of the week that there’s a Nobel Prize crossing the auction block.”

The highest bid was $550,000, as of early Monday morning and the selling price is expected to spiral upward, possibly into the millions, the agency said.

“I think there’s certainly going to be some excitement Monday,” Benesh added. “It’s it’s such a unique item being sold under unique circumstances ... a significant act of generosity, and such a significant humanitarian crisis.”