Story and Photography by: Reuters
(Above) A 709-carat diamond, found in Sierra Leone and known as the “Peace Diamond.”
Sierra Leone hopes to raise millions of dollars for development projects by auctioning a huge uncut diamond, believed to be one of the world’s largest, in New York in December.
It will be the government’s second attempt to sell the 709-carat gem, known as the “Peace Diamond,” after it rejected the highest bid of $7.8 million at an initial auction in New York in May.
“There’s a reason God gave these diamonds to the poorest people in the world and made the richest people want them. ”
—Martin Rapaport, Chairman of Rapaport Group
Over half of the proceeds from the sale will be used to fund clean water, electricity, education and health projects in Sierra Leone and particularly in the village of Koryardu, in the Kono region in eastern Sierra Leone, where the diamond was discovered.
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