A new international postage stamp will be issued in May by Haypost, Armenia’s national postal operator, in cooperation with the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. The image of Marguerite Barankitse, the inaugural Aurora Prize laureate, will be featured on the stamp. The release of the stamp underwent the mandated approval process by the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of the Republic of Armenia. The release and First day of issue ceremony will be part of the 2017 Aurora Prize special events.
The Aurora stamp is also a fundraising stamp. Attached to the first class stamp, valued at 350 AMD, is a donation coupon for 150 AMD. Together, the 500 AMD is equal to approximately US $1.00. Haypost will transfer the 150 AMD donation value to the Aurora Humanitarian Initative. This enables anyone to donate easily to the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.
“We founded the Aurora Initiative specifically in appreciation of those who risked offering help to Armenian genocide survivors, and we wanted to express that gratitude by continuing to do good, by empowering modern-day saviors so that they, too, can offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid. That is our way of saying these victims are now saviors. This goes beyond just remembering and actually puts gratitude in action. Each Aurora project, including the Maggy stamp and the accompanying donation opportunity, are ways of broadening the Aurora community, expressing gratitude and continuing the cycle of giving
“Haypost takes seriously its privileged position to transform the use of stamps into an opportunity to share the Armenian culture and history and important messages about the world. Having Aurora’s Maggy on an Armenian postage stamp is a very special way of telling the world that Armenians embrace our common humanity. A stamp takes that message around the globe,” said Juan Pablo Gechidjian, Managing Director of HayPost Trust Management B.V..
Marguerite Barankitse, the founder of Maison Shalom and REMA hospital, received the Aurora Prize for the exceptional impact of her actions on preserving lives during the years of civil war in Burundi. To date, she has saved 30 thousand children and offered them shelter and care.
“It is humbling for me to get such a recognition but it is also a great encouragement that love will always prevail over hate and evil. I believe it will raise awareness of what the Aurora Prize stands for: awakening humanity to recognize women and men who have made an exceptional impact in advancing humanitarian causes,” said Marguerite Barankitse.
The postage stamp will have a 350 AMD denomination value. The illustrator is Alla Mingyalova, a member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative team. It will be issued with circulation of 40 thousand copies.
The First Day ceremony to mark the issue will be held on May, 2017, in the presence of Marguerite Barankitse who will be in Armenia to attend the second annual Aurora Prize events.
The 2017 Aurora Prize finalists will be announced on April 24, 2017, the annual day of remembrance for victims of the Armenian Genocide. One of these finalists will then be named as the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate at a special ceremony on May 28, 2017, in Yerevan, Armenia. During the month between April 24 and May 28, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will organize a program of global activities to profile the inspirational stories of the 2017 finalists, as well as broader humanitarian endeavors.