Founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to empower modern-day saviors to offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid and thus continue the cycle of giving internationally. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is a commitment to support people and promote projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute, and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiative’s various programs: Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, #AraratChallenge movement, Aurora Dialogues, Aurora Grants, Aurora Community, Aurora Index, and the 100 LIVES Initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan who have been joined by thousands of supporters and partners. The Initiative welcomes all who embrace a commitment to our shared humanity.
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is represented by three organizations – Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, Inc. (USA), the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation (Switzerland) and the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Charitable Foundation (Armenia).
Any and all content that was, is and / or will be available on the website, including without limitation any article, post, publication, photo, video (hereinafter “Content”) is under the copyright of and / or properly licensed for use by Aurora Humanitarian Initiative (hereinafter “Aurora”). Any use of such Content, including without limitation translation, download, dissemination, upload, transfer shall be solely for non-commercial purposes and only by referring to the fact that Aurora is the holder of proper title to the Content, with credit in the form of ©Aurora Humanitarian Initiative: auroraprize.com.
THE AURORA PRIZE FOR AWAKENING HUMANITY (THE “AURORA PRIZE”)
The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity has been established by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, Inc. (US), a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the state of Delaware, United States (hereinafter “Foundation”, which includes the Foundation's constituent groups and service providers), a global initiative expressing gratitude to individuals and institutions whose heroic actions saved Armenian lives during the Genocide more than 100 years ago. The Web address for the Prize is https://auroraprize.com.
The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is a global humanitarian award. Its mission is to recognize and support those who risk their own lives to save the lives of others suffering due to violent conflict or atrocity crimes. The Aurora Prize Laureate is selected based on the nominee’s demonstration of courage, commitment and impact.
The Aurora Prize Selection Committee is chaired by the Co-Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London Lord Ara Darzi and includes Vice Chair of Clinton Foundation and Vice Chair of Clinton Health Access Initiative Chelsea Clinton, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee; President of Carnegie Corporation of New York Dame Louise Richardson; former president of Ireland Mary Robinson; former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo; Pulitzer Prize winner Dele Olojede; former CEO of Unilever and Co-founder and Chair of IMAGINE Paul Polman; human rights activist, Co-founder of The Sentry John Prendergast and Founder of Tent Partnership for Refugees; Founder and CEO of Chobani Hamdi Ulukaya. Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian George Clooney is the Committee’s Honorary Co-Chair.
On behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative grants a US $1,000,000 award to the Laureate who receives a unique opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by using those funds to support grassroots humanitarians who give a second chance to people in need.
Nominations for the Aurora Prize can be submitted by completing the submission form at https://auroraprize.com. Submission form will be available as soon as the next nomination period is announced. The online nomination process is open to nominations worldwide. The eligibility criteria for both the Nominator (an individual or organization submitting a nomination for the Aurora Prize) and Nominee (an individual or a group of people nominated for the Aurora Prize) are presented in the text below. Nominators whose candidates advance to become Aurora Humanitarians (finalists) will be invited to attend the Aurora Prize Ceremony.
In consideration of the Foundation's review of your nomination, these Aurora Prize Nomination Terms and Conditions (hereinafter “Terms”) constitute an agreement between you and the Foundation with regard to the submission and review process. In these Terms, reference to “you” or “your” includes the Nominator in a personal capacity or on behalf of the organization making the nomination through an authorized individual. By submitting a nomination, you represent and warrant that you have read, agreed to and accepted these Terms on your behalf or on behalf of the organization that authorizes you to make the nomination. All nominations become the property of the Foundation and may not be acknowledged or returned.
1. ELIGIBILITY OF THE NOMINATOR
Nominator may be an individual or organization. To maintain the integrity of the selection process and to prevent any possible conflicts of interest:
1. Self-nominations are not permitted.
2. You have provided full name and contact details. Should you be authorized to submit a nomination by an organization, you must provide contact details of such authorizing organization as well. Anonymous nominations are not accepted.
3. Should you be authorized to nominate on behalf of an organization, you must acknowledge this fact and submit a letter of authorization if requested by the Secretariat.
YOU ARE ALSO ASKED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IF:
1. You are an officer or employee or any other individual receiving remuneration for your services from the Nominee.
2. You are a family member of an officer or employee of the Nominee.
3. You are affiliated with the Aurora Prize in any way (e.g. Secretariat, Selection Committee, Independent Observer (EY), Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, etc.) and are a family member of someone affiliated with the Aurora Prize (family member means mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son or spouse, including by marriage, regardless where they live; or persons who reside in the same household, whether related or not).
2. ELIGIBILITY OF THE NOMINEE
The Nominees can be individuals or groups of people as long as they meet the following requirements:
1. They are alive (the Aurora Prize is not given posthumously);
2. They have not been awarded the Aurora Prize before as a Prize Laureate and have not been named Aurora Humanitarians (or finalists) in previous Prize cycle;
3. They, when being a group of people, are not a formally established organization of any legal nature;
4. They have never undertaken or participated in inhumane activities (including acts of war, genocide, any terrorist / extremist activity), do not hold and / or publicly declare any extremist views, have never been found guilty of committing violent crimes;
5. They do not negate crimes committed against humanity through the history of mankind (including the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide and other massacres;
6. They are not officers, employees or family members of any of the Secretariat, Selection Committee, Independent Observer or Foundation members and employees.
3. SUBMISSION OF A NOMINATION
By clicking “Submit” you will submit your nomination and agree that:
- You are nominating in your personal capacity OR if you submit this nomination as a representative of an organization, you are authorized to submit the nomination on behalf of that organization;
- You have read, accepted and agreed to these Terms and Conditions;
- The Terms and Conditions constitute a binding agreement between you and the Foundation;
- You are at least 21 years old and are not restricted by law from making this nomination and agreeing to this agreement.
4. NOMINATIONS REVIEW PROCESS
Nominations received by the Foundation during the Nomination Period are reviewed by the Foundation to assess eligibility of the Nominator and the Nominee based on the nomination submission and other information. After an initial assessment, a shortlist of Nominees is determined by the members of the Aurora Prize Expert Panel. The shortlisted Nominees are contacted by the Foundation for consent to participate and additional support and evidence for their nomination. The Aurora Prize Selection Committee reviews the shortlist and selects 3 Aurora Humanitarians to later name one of them the Aurora Prize Laureate. The Aurora Prize Laureate is announced at the Aurora Prize Ceremony.
The Aurora Prize consists of three components totaling US$1,000,000, payable over no more than three years as follows:
- an aggregate US$300,000 (the “Laureate Direct Award”) is payable to the Aurora Prize laureate (the “Laureate”);
- an aggregate US$600,000, payable in US$25,000 increments at the direction of the Laureate (the “Laureate Indirect Award”) as follows: (a) a minimum of US$300,000 and a maximum of US$600,00 which is payable to individuals chosen from an Aurora-approved pool of vetted grassroots humanitarians (“Luminaries”); and (b) at the option of the Laureate, a maximum of US$300,000 can be payable to grassroots humanitarian organizations of the Laureate’s choosing, that have been vetted by Aurora (“Designates”); and
- an aggregate US$100,000, payable ratably to the remaining Aurora Humanitarians who did not receive the Laureate Direct Award (the “Finalists”), which is typically in the amount of US$50,000 per Finalist (the “Finalists Award”)
The award funds may be paid in installments, in line with the agreements concluded with the Laureate and entities designated by the Laureate and accepted by the Foundation.
5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
You represent and warrant that:
1. All information that you have provided in submitting a nomination for the Aurora Prize, concerning yourself or the organization you represent, and concerning the Nominee, is true, accurate, complete and does not infringe or violate the rights of others, to the best of your knowledge based on your free will, impartial judgment and belief, and you are under no restriction that would prevent you from submitting this nomination or supporting evidence nor that would prevent the Foundation from using the information you provide in the selection process for the Aurora Prize;
2. You consent to be contacted by the Foundation if your Nominee is selected for the shortlist and that to the best of your knowledge you will be available at that time;
3. To the best of your knowledge, all the supporting evidence uploaded by you is accurate and publicly available, and you have accurately identified the sources and dates of such supporting evidence. Should the evidence you submit contain non-English text or other material (video, audio, etc.), the Aurora Prize Secretariat reserves the right to select and translate into English language only such part of non-English evidence that would be sufficient to conclusively confirm the Nominee’s actions. In case you upload both English and non-English evidence, the priority would be given to the English-language materials.
6. USE OF PERSONAL DATA
You agree that the Foundation may use your name, and the name of the organization you represent, if any, and / or likeness, description or biographical information, to contact you concerning your nomination and for advertising and / or publicity purposes in connection with the Aurora Prize including but not limited to publication of your name, and the name of the organization you represent, on its website.
7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Foundation is not responsible, and shall not be liable, for any problems related to any computer online systems or equipment, software failure or any late, lost, incomplete, illegible or misdirected nominations or failure of a nomination to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet or its website, or any combination thereof, or any human error, including but not limited to any injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participation in the nomination process. Proof that a nomination was submitted will not be deemed proof of receipt. No nominations will be accepted in bulk, from agents or third parties. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
8. JURISDICTION
These Terms and all questions of construction, interpretation, validity and performance under these Terms including non-contractual disputes or claims shall be governed by substantive law of the state of Delaware (US) without regard to its conflict of law provisions, except as to matters relating to arbitration, which shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. Any dispute with the Foundation arising out of or related to the Aurora Prize or the nomination or selection process will be decided only by arbitration, individually and not on a class-wide basis. No claim may be brought on a class-action basis or using class action procedures. Any arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association and will take place in the United States. The remedy for any claim concerning the Aurora Prize or nomination or selection process is limited to actual damages. In no event shall any party be entitled to punitive, exemplary, consequential or incidental damages, or attorney’s fees or other costs in any dispute arising out of or related to the Aurora Prize or the nomination or selection process, to the maximum extent such damages, fees or costs may be excluded under applicable law.
Those who choose to access the website at https://auroraprize.com or submit nominations from locations outside the United States are responsible for compliance with local laws if and to the extent applicable. The Foundation reserves the right to limit the availability of the website to any person, geographic area or jurisdiction at any time in its sole discretion. Information collected by the Foundation may be stored and processed in the United States in accordance with the laws of the United States, or in other jurisdictions. By using the website or submitting a nomination, you consent to the storage and processing of your information in the United States in accordance with the laws of the United States, or in other jurisdictions, in the Foundation's sole discretion.
9. NON-COMPLIANCE
The Foundation reserves the right in its absolute discretion to disqualify any nomination which does not comply with these Terms and / or any person making a nomination whose conduct is contrary to the letter or spirit of these Terms. In the event of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, the Foundation reserves the right to withdraw, amend or cancel the Awards and you agree that no liability shall attach to the Foundation as a result thereof.
10. CHANGES AND NOTIFICATION
The Foundation reserves the right to change these Terms from time to time as it sees fit and by accepting these Terms you consent to any and all changes and / or adjustments that may be made in future by the Foundation. In case such changes and / or adjustments are made, the Foundation will upload the changed Terms at https://auroraprize.com, which shall constitute a notice to you of the change of these Terms. These Terms reflect the entire understanding between you and the Foundation concerning the Aurora Prize and the subject matter hereof. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Terms will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions, which will remain in effect and will be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. No modification or waiver of these Terms shall be effective except upon written agreement by the Foundation.
Updated: September 10, 2024