The inaugural Aurora Prize Ceremony took place at the Karen Demirchyan Complex in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 24, 2016. More than 700 prominent humanitarians, academics and guests of honor gathered to celebrate the modern day heroes who put their lives at risk to help others survive. We caught up with some of the attendees after the ceremony and asked for their thoughts on the event they had just witnessed.
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Jon Fielder at the welcome reception for Aurora Prize weekend guests
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Jon Fielder, Executive Director of African Mission Healthcare Foundation
“Africa is a very hard place to work. Although Tom [Catena] is getting married soon, he doesn’t have a family. It is hard to take family there. A lot of us are afraid to go places where there is active fighting. Tom is also very special because he is a doctor who can do everything – surgery, pediatrics, deliveries. With [the Aurora Prize] you can change the world for the people a finalist is helping. For example, last year a U.S. journalist did a series of articles about Tom Catena, and people responded with a lot of interest and generosity.”
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Robert Williams at the welcome reception for Aurora Prize weekend guests
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Robert Wuillamey, Director of International Partnership, Catholic Medical Mission Board
“All finalists equally deserve this award and they do marvelous jobs. We need more of these awards along with organizations that support them. We truly need more people doing this work. There are lots of awards given to organizations large and small that recognize humanitarian work, and they are quite spectacular. But awards that recognize and honor individuals for their sacrifice are few and far between. And this particular group of people, when you think about the work they’ve done in anonymity for many years, is really remarkable.”
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David Ignatius co-hosting the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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David Ignatius, author, columnist at The Washington Post
“What I love about the Aurora Prize is that it takes the Armenian experience and suffering, and rather than looking backward, it encourages the world to share in the strength that’s a part of the Armenian story by identifying people who are suffering and helping those who suffer. It is a wonderful, forward-looking event. I love to see how [Armenia] has finally emerged from the post-Soviet period and is thriving in a difficult neighborhood. I hope that Aurora Prize will be part of the wonderful Armenian future.”
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Joyce Barnathan (center) stands behind ICFJ Integrity in Journalism Award winner Rukmini Callimachi speaking at the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Joyce Barnathan, President, International Center for Journalists
“I was recently with African ICFJ fellows, and one of them, not knowing that we are giving the [Integrity in Journalism] Award, said: ‘Rukmini Callimachi is my favorite reporter.’ By giving awards, we recognize people who stand up, and the world starts paying more attention. When you read her stories about the Yazidi women, the sex trade by ISIS and its ideology, it is just breaking new ground, it is really horrifying. But it is also very enlightening. She is having a huge impact in teaching us, in pressing others with her work and hopefully in helping people who shape policy to make the right decisions.”
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Anna Astvatsurian Turcotte (left) at the foyer during the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Anna Astvatsurian Turcotte, Aurora Prize Ceremony guest, driven from her home during pogroms in Baku, Azerbaijan and living in Maine, United States
“The laureate was just phenomenal, her work for refugees. I'm a refugee and the type of hope that she brings to these kids and building the community in the worst of circumstances was just inspiring to me.”
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Two Suns Ballet performance at the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Rudolf Kharatyan, choreographer, producer of Two Suns Ballet
“I may sound too melodramatic, but this ceremony might become a turning point. Ruben Vardanyan has a very important plan: to put Armenia back on the world map and to introduce our values to it. In this context, today’s event was very important. A hundred years ago some people gave Armenians a helping hand, and now we have demonstrated that we can also help others and share our values. This is humanity’s way.”
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Hasmik Papyan, co-host of the Aurora Prize Ceremony, signs Barsegh Kanachian’s “Lullaby”
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Hasmik Papyan, opera singer
“What happened today was amazing. To me, it was like being re-born on April 24. We were introspective, but this ceremony opened us to the world.”
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Kevork Hagopian performs Charles Aznavour’s “Pour Toi, Armenie” at the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Kevork Hagopian, opera singer
“The world didn’t see this coming: a year after we celebrated the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, we came through not only as a grieving people that remembers the Genocide and demands its recognition, but also as a grateful people that honors those who have saved other nations. It’s a brilliant idea!”
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Father Bernard Kinvi gives an acceptance speech at the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Father Bernard Kinvi, Aurora Prize finalist, monk of the Order of Saint Camillus and leader of a mission in CAR
“I think the ceremony was very beautiful and truly exceptional. I didn’t expect such grandiosity. As Marguerite [Barankitse] and I have already said, it was a big victory. It was a victory of love over hatred. In remembering its martyrs, Armenia wanted to celebrate life. This celebration of life and love is always valuable. I was very happy to be able to attend the ceremony. I didn’t become the laureate – Marguerite was chosen instead – but it was a very good choice, because the prize will be used to help the poorest, the most deprived and the ones who need us to help them to survive. It’s truly marvelous!”
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A sextet entertains guests of to the Aurora Prize Ceremony
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Rachel Najarian, Aurora Prize Ceremony guest from New York
“I'm proud to be Armenian and I think something very significant has happened tonight. So to see a stage filled with that potpourri of humanitarianism and philanthropy was pretty incredible. We have lots to be proud of.”
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The inaugural Aurora Prize Laureate Marguerite Barankitse, from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi, holds the statuette.
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Marguerite Barankitse, Aurora Prize Laureate
“This money is going to be shared between my partners, but I believe that love has no frontiers and would also like to take care of the children in East Congo, mainly paying attention to education. Also, there are 80,000 refugees form Burundi in Rwanda at the moment, so I want look after them and be sure that mothers get micro-loans so they can start they own businesses.”
