Price of Peace: Russian Nobel Peace Prize Winner Journalist Sells Medal To Support Ukrainian Children

Muratov shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year with journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines. The two journalists, who each received their own medals, were honored for their battles to preserve free speech in their respective countries.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Raghav Aggarwal

Updated: June 20, 2022, 1:05 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/world/price-of-peace-russian-nobel-peace-prize-winner-journalist-dmitry-muratov-sells-medal-to-support-ukrainian-children-5464150/ Copy

Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for over 100 days now (Photo: AP/ Dmitry Muratov)

Russia-Ukraine War | New Delhi: Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, who won Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, auctioned off his medal to support the Ukrainian children who have been displaced due to the ongoing war. The war, which was a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine, has been going on for over 100 days now. Muratov is one of the founders of the Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta. He served as the Editor-in-chief of the newspaper till March 2022. It was then shut down in wake of the war and the government’s clampdown on journalists.

It was Muratov’s idea to auction off his prize, having already announced he was donating the accompanying $500,000 cash award to charity. The idea of the donation, he said, “is to give the children refugees a chance for a future.”

In an interview with The Associated Press, Muratov said he was particularly concerned about children who have been orphaned because of the conflict in Ukraine. “We want to return their future,” he said.

Do not prevent humanitarian aid

He added that it’s important international sanctions levied against Russia do not prevent humanitarian aid, such as medicine for rare diseases and bone marrow transplants, from reaching those in need.

“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, which is handling the sale but not taking any share of the proceeds.

Advocate of free speech

Muratov shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year with journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines. The two journalists, who each received their own medals, were honored for their battles to preserve free speech in their respective countries, despite coming under attack by harassment, their governments, and even death threats.

Muratov has been highly critical of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the war launched in February that has caused nearly 5 million Ukrainians to flee to other countries for safety, creating the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II.

In April, Muratov said he was attacked with red paint while aboard a Russian train. Muratov left Russia for Western Europe on Thursday to begin his trip to New York City, where live bidding will begin Monday afternoon.

Bidding expected to fetch millions

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

As of early Monday morning, the high bid was $550,000. The purchase price is expected to spiral upward, possibly into the millions. Melted down, the 175 grams of 23-karat gold contained in Muratov’s medal would be worth about $10,000. Muratov and Heritage officials said even those out of the bidding can still help by donating directly to UNICEF.

(With agency inputs)