Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is a foundation that seeks to address on-the-ground humanitarian challenges around the world with the focus on helping the most destitute. Its mission is rooted in the Armenian history as the Initiative was founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors and strives to transform this experience into a global movement. The US $1,000,000 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is a global humanitarian award recognizing individuals for humanitarian work. It is awarded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian genocide.
Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | Denis Mukwege | Congo | 2024 | For Awakening Humanity | |
7 | Jamila Afgani | Afghanistan | 2022 | For Awakening Humanity | |
6 | Julienne Lusenge | Congo | 2021 | For Awakening Humanity | |
5 | Ilwad Elman & Fartuun Adan | Somalia | 2020 | For Awakening Humanity | |
4 | Mirza Dinnayi | Iraq | 2019 | For Awakening Humanity | |
3 | Kway Hla Aung | Myanmar | 2018 | For Awakening Humanity | |
2 | Tom Catena | United States | 2017 | For Awakening Humanity | |
1 | Marguerite Barankitse | Burundi | 2016 | For Awakening Humanity |
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity Laureates (2030 ~ 2021)
Denis Mukwege
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2024
Dr. Denis Mukwege is a gynecologist and women’s rights advocate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who has dedicated his life to helping the survivors of sexualized violence in his war-torn country and worldwide. Dr. Mukwege provides physical, psychological, and legal support to its victims while also seeking to bring the perpetrators to justice and ban the use of rape as a weapon of war on a global level. To advance these efforts, he founded the Panzi Hospital and Foundation and co-founded the Global Survivors Fund (GSF). In 2017, Dr. Mukwege was named Aurora Humanitarian, and in 2018, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Jamila Afgani
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2022
The seventh annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded to Jamila Afghani, an educator, human rights defender, and founder of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization (NECDO). Jamila has dedicated over 25 years of her life to giving the women of Afghanistan access to education. She was commemorated during a series of high-level philanthropy-focused events hosted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative in Venice, Italy on October 14–16.
Before August 2021, NECDO had more than 100,000 women enrolled in literacy programs, thanks to the establishment of small centers in many communities led by local women. The organization also provides legal aid and psychosocial support to more than 10,000 women victims of abuse from a family member or a partner. Forced to flee Afghanistan, Jamila is continuing to help others at distance.
Julienne Lusenge
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2021
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has yet again teamed up with HayPost, Armenia’s national postal operator, to issue a postage stamp featuring 2021 Aurora Prize Laureate Julienne Lusenge. A human rights defender and co-founder of Women's Solidarity for Inclusive Peace and Development (SOFEPADI) and Fund for Congolese Women (FFC), her boundless courage and tireless activism have shone a light on the desperate plight of thousands of Congolese women subjected to horrific sexual abuse amidst the civil war in the country. Julienne Lusenge was named the Laureate at the Ceremony that took place in October 2021 on San Lazzaro Island in Venice, Italy.
View More
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity Laureates (2020 ~ 2016)
Ilwad Elman & Fartuun Adan
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2020
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative awarded the fifth annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity to Fartuun Adan and Ilwad Elman, the mother and daughter team who lead the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre in Somalia. As Aurora Prize Laureates, they will receive a US $1,000,000 award and a unique opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by supporting the organizations that have inspired their humanitarian action. Fartuun Adan and Ilwad Elman have selected three organizations – Love Does, Panzi Foundation, and Prajwala – that fight for freedom and human rights, provide healthcare to marginalized populations, and save victims of sex-trafficking to be the beneficiaries of their million dollar prize.
Mirza Dinnayi
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2019
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is happy to announce that Yazidi activist Mirza Dinnayi, 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate and Co-Founder and Director of Luftbrücke Irak (Air Bridge Iraq), has arrived in Yerevan. Mr. Dinnayi plans to attend several events before travelling to Artsakh and will remain in Armenia until December 11, 2020.
Mirza Dinnayi was named the 2019 Aurora Laureate on October 19, 2019, at the ceremony in Yerevan that was held during the Aurora Forum. Driven by his passion to save lives, this Yazidi activist has found a way to overcome numerous bureaucratic and logistic obstacles to help the most vulnerable members of the Yazidi community during numerous conflicts in Syria and Iraq. In the course of his visit to Armenia, Mr. Dinnayi will visit the Erebuni Medical Centre and Heratsi Hospital Complex to pay respect to those wounded during the war against Nagorno-Кarabakh.
Kway Hla Aung
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2018
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative honors the esteemed lawyer for his personal sacrifice fighting injustice and advocating for the Rohingya people in Myanmar
The third annual $1.1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded today to Mr. Kyaw Hla Aung, a lawyer and activist recognized for his dedication to fighting for equality, education and human rights for the Rohingya people in Myanmar, in the face of persecution, harassment and oppression. Kyaw Hla Aung was presented the 2018 Aurora Prize, granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, at a ceremony in Armenia. Kyaw Hla Aung was selected as the 2018 Aurora Prize Laureate among 750 nominations submitted from 115 countries.
View More
Tom Catena
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2017
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative honors esteemed Catholic Missionary physician in war-torn Sudan for rekindling faith in humanity.
The $1 Million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded tonight to Dr. Tom Catena, a Catholic missionary from Amsterdam, New York who has saved thousands of lives as the sole doctor permanently based in Sudan’s war-ravaged Nuba Mountains where humanitarian aid is restricted. The Aurora Prize, granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, was announced at a ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia. He was selected as the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate from more than 550 nominations submitted from 66 countries.
Marguerite Barankitse
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2016
APRIL 24, 2016 – YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Marguerite Barankitse from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi was named as the inaugural Laureate of the $1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. At a ceremony held in Yerevan, Armenia, Barankitse was recognized for the extraordinary impact she has had in saving thousands of lives and caring for orphans and refugees during the years of civil war in Burundi.