Dmitry Muratov, editor of one of Russia’s last independent newspapers, auctioned off his 2021 Nobel Peace Prize medal on Monday, bringing in a record-shattering $103.5 million to benefit children displaced by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Organizer Heritage Auctions did not identify the winning bidder of the auction, which took place on World Refugee Day.
The money is going to UNICEF’s humanitarian response for displaced Ukrainian children.
Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines for their work to preserve free speech in their countries.
The previous record price paid for a Nobel Prize medal was $4.76 million in 2014.
Muratov said after Monday’s auction that he hoped “there was going to be an enormous amount of solidarity, but I was not expecting this to be such a huge amount.”
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
