YEREVAN. – The second annual ceremony of Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was held in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan on Sunday, the anniversary day of the First Republic of Armenia. 

The host of the ceremony was prominent journalist David Ignatius. 

Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was founded in 2015 by Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of Armenian Genocide survivors and in gratitude to their saviors. An Aurora Prize Laureate is honored each year between 2015 and 2023 (in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) with a US$100,000 grant as well as the unique opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by nominating organizations that inspired their work for a US$1,000,000 award.

Numerous guests, including Marguerite Barankitse, the inaugural 2016 Laureate of the Aurora Prize, addressed at the event

Several musical and dance performance also were presented at the ceremony.

The 2017 Aurora Prize finalists were mother and daughter Fartuun Adan and Ilwad Elman, Founders of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre (Somalia); Dr. Muhammad Darwish, Medical Doctor at the Madaya Field Hospital (Syria); Dr. Denis Mukwege, Gynecological Surgeon and Founder of the Panzi Hospital (The Democratic Republic of the Congo); Dr. Tom Catena (USA), Surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, in Sudan; and Jamila Afghani, Chairperson of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization. (Afghanistan)

The finalists—except for Dr. Muhammad Darwish who could not attend—also delivered remarks at the ceremony.

Armenian national football squad captain and Manchester United (England) midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan also was on hand at the event.

Renowned French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour announced this year’s laureate of the Aurora Prize; and this person was Dr. Tom Catena.