The auction house Sotheby’s, the search engine giant Google and numerous stars such as Sting (68), Hillary Clinton (72) or Sir Patrick Stewart (79) have come together to support the refugee organization International Rescue Committee (IRC). An unusual fundraiser is designed to help those most affected by Covid-19.
According to the auction house, the online auction offers the possibility of a virtual conversation with prominent personalities from music, politics, science, culture and sport: from coffee with Hillary Clinton to a private conversation with a real space traveler, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart (84). The extraordinary experiences should take place via video call and at the same time prove that isolation is not an obstacle to teaming up for a good cause.
“Sotheby’s has a long tradition of supporting charities in times of need. We are proud to bring in our centuries of experience and the power of our online auctions to combat the effects of Covid-19, ”said Charles F. Stewart, CEO of Sotheby’s. “With the partnership between Google and so many leading individuals who have pledged to support this unique endeavor, we hope to provide meaningful resources for the extraordinary efforts of the International Rescue Committee that are now needed more than ever.”
Online sales for the “MayDay: Covid-19 Charity Auction” will start on May 1st at 20:00 CEST. You can bid until May 8th on Sothebys.com or in the Sotheby’s app.
And this is how it works : First, the offer you want to bid on is selected and then the highest personal bid is placed. This is followed by registration or creation of a new account as well as the review and acceptance of the general terms and conditions. After the first bid has been placed, the platform will gradually bid on behalf of the bidder up to the specified maximum amount.