New York, April 12, 2021 —The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) are grateful to Forbes Magazine for donating the proceeds from its first-ever non-fungible token (NFT), “Merchants of the Metaverse,” to our organizations. With a winning bid of $333,333, this sale will result in more than $250,000 of support for women journalists and press freedom, split evenly between both organizations.
“Merchants of the Metaverse” is the first magazine cover to ever be turned into a piece of crypto art, marking a new era in the news media’s participation in blockchain technology. By donating the NFT’s proceeds, Forbes has also opened new doors for cryptocurrency as a means for philanthropic giving.
Forbes, CPJ and the IWMF collaborate on a monthly list of the top ten most urgent cases of journalists under threat, which is published by One Free Press media partners around the world. This donation enables the IWMF and CPJ to continue to shine a spotlight on threats facing journalists around the world and uplift women journalists’ voices to bolster our advocacy for global press freedom. As cryptocurrency becomes more prevalent, we hope others will draw inspiration from Forbes and continue using innovative platforms to support these crucial causes.
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Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit, non-governmental organization, based in New York City, USA with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. – cpj.org
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF): Founded in 1989, the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is the only global non-profit organization that offers emergency support, safety training, grants, reporting opportunities and funding avenues offered specifically for women journalists. We are making more women’s bylines possible and work tirelessly to ensure a greater diversity of voices represented in the news industry worldwide. Follow the IWMF on Twitter at @IWMF, on Facebook at @IWMFPage and Instagram on @TheIWMF.