Russian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Journalist Auctions 535 Million Rls Prize for Helping Ukrainian Children – Crescer Magazine | education

The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a Russian journalist who auctioned the prize for US$103.5 million (equivalent to about R$535 million), to raise funds for Ukraine war refugee children. Dmitry Muratov sold the gold medal to an author that has not yet been recognized.

The amount raised exceeded the record set at other Nobel Prize auctions. Prior to Muratov, the highest ever recorded was US$4.79 million (about R$24 million), paid in 2014 for the James Watson Prize, who won the gold medal in 1962 for his discovery, along with Francis Crick, the structure of acid nuclear. Three years later, it was the Crick family’s turn to auction off their prize, raising $2.27 million (about R$11 million).

When he reached $103.5 million, Muratov was surprised: “I expected that there would be a huge amount of solidarity, but I didn’t expect it to be such a huge amount.”

The auction, held in New York and organized by Heritage Auctions, ended last Monday (20), after nearly three weeks, on World Refugee Day. The money will be allocated to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for efforts to help Children made homeless because of the war in Ukraine.

When asked about the choice of UNICEF as the recipient of the funds, Muratov insisted on highlighting the importance of the institution: “It is necessary for us that this organization does not belong to any government. It can operate above the government. There are no limits to this.”

Dmitriy Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. The two received the award in October 2021, with each honored with a gold medal and recognized for their efforts in maintaining freedom of expression in their respective countries.

The Russian journalist helped found the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta In 1993, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2022, it became the only major newspaper to address criticism of Putin’s government and had to be suspended a month after the publication Russian invasion of UkraineBecause of the policies adopted by Moscow, which foresaw severe penalties against critics of the military campaigns led by the Kremlin.

Since 2000, at least six journalists and staff Novaya Gazeta were killed. In April of this year, Muratov claimed that he was attacked while on a plane Training in Russia. He claims that he was sprayed with red acetone paint, which caused his eyes to sting.

I know How to subscribe to Grow To access our exclusive content