21:01, 24 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The names of the candidates of ‘’Aurora-2020’’ are known. ARMENPRESS reports their names were announced during an online discussion organized by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

There are 4 candidates of ‘’Aurora-2020’’. Chairman of the Selection Committee Ara Darzi presented their names. He noted that they received most applications this year and though it was hard to make a choice, they chose 4 candidates.

Fartuun Adan and Ilwad Elman from Somalia, who fought for peace in their country,

Angelique Namaika from Congo, who organized assistance to refugees,

Sophie Beau and Klaus Vogel, who helped 30 thousand refugees in the Mediterranean,

Sakina Yaqubi from Afghanistan, who helped 16 million Afghans and Pakistanis, mostly women, get an education.

The fourth annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded to Mirza Dinnayi, Co-Founder and Director of Luftbrücke Irak (Air Bridge Iraq) in 2019. Driven by his passion to save lives, the 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. He was named the 2019 Aurora Laureate at the Ceremony in Yerevan that was held during the Aurora Forum. The Aurora Prize is granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors.

Tom Catena, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Chair and 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate, praised the 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate Mirza Dinnayi by saying: “What makes Mirza Dinnayi an outstanding human being is the fact he couldn’t live in good conscience knowing that good people are left behind, that the innocent are suffering. Trying to help others while facing an unspeakable evil can be challenging and frustrating, but he never wavered. I am delighted to congratulate Mirza Dinnayi with being awarded with the Prize and welcome him to the Aurora family.”

As the 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate, Mirza Dinnayi will receive a $1,000,000 grant, through which he is given the opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by supporting organizations that have inspired his work. He has chosen to donate the funds to three organizations that provide medical care and rehabilitation to victims of ISIS terror:

• Air Bridge Iraq;
• SEED Foundation;
• Shai Fund.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan