Unlike the prize ceremonies of 2016 and 2017, the 2018 event was divided in three parts – a trilogy. The second part was a sunrise ceremony that took place outside Yerevan, as close to Mount Ararat as it’s possible to get, within Armenia’s borders. The timing and the location were both symbolic. Aurora means ‘dawn’ and is dedicated to awakening humanity. The presentation of the 2018 Aurora Laureate was made there, at dawn, in the presence of a relatively small community of invited humanitarians. 
 

On June 10, 2018, the third annual $1.1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded 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. He was selected as the 2018 Aurora Prize Laureate among 750 nominations submitted from 115 countries.