“This is a moment when it all comes to you, your own thoughts and ideas, and contributions and individual actions you will take,” he said.
He reminded the audience about the impact each and every one of us can have when it comes to the world’s most pressing issues and encouraged people not to blame their governments for inaction but to push them in order to galvanize action. He told listeners to fight indifference and inertia, making sure the shared vision of a better world for all will come true, and reflected upon the roles of business and community in creating change.
“Supporting refugees who have the right to work is particularly important when you know that the average number of years a refugee will be in exile is twenty six,” Williams emphasized. And it’s not like these problem always concern somebody else, because we all can be affected at some point.
“We can make a difference but only if we develop the same kind of empathy we’ve seen on the stage and in the individual stories we’ve heard today. Let’s spark a movement by leading by example,” he concluded.
Veronika Zonabend, Chair of the UWC Dilijan Board of Governors and Co-founder of the IDeA Foundation, was then invited onstage. She told the audience a story of “a little boy who got an education and later became an educator himself, giving opportunities to thousands of people”, which turned out to be her way of introducing Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee.
“He epitomizes everything we’re trying to achieve here and in the whole UWC community. I cannot think of any other person who lives truer to this philosophy than Vartan Gregorian,” she said. Veronika Zonabend proceeded to announce that in honor of Gregorian’s life work the UWC Dilijan library will be named after him and known as Vartan Gregorian Learning Center from now on.
Visibly moved by this heartfelt presentation, Vartan Gregorian responded by confessing that he didn’t expect anything like that. “I was asked to say a few words about the competition. That’s the ruse she used to trick me here,” he joked. He then reminded the audience that it was Graduation Day in UWC Dilijan and apologized to the students for hijacking their celebration.
Vartan Gregorian expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Zonabend and praised her for her kind words, hard work and humbleness. “Veronika’s leadership was responsible for launching this school,” he assured every one.
Veronika Zonabend thanked all the guests and participants of the first day of the Aurora Dialogues and invited them to stay and take part in the Graduation ceremony. “It’s been a great day. Thank you for your commitment, your efforts, your professionalism, your passion, your hearts,” said Veronika Zonabend.