The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced that the 2021 Aurora Prize events will take place in Venice, Italy, on October 8-10, 2021. In addition to the Ceremony, during which the 2021 Aurora Prize Laureate will be named and the Aurora Dialogues, there will be ample opportunities for the guests and participants, including members of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Aurora Humanitarians, and other representatives of Aurora’s community, to explore the rich Armenian legacy of this location.

The 2021 Aurora events in Venice will mark the first time the Aurora Prize Ceremony takes place in Europe and will highlight the extensive connection between this universally important cultural site and the spirit of Aurora, with its deeply embedded respect for the human life shared by every Armenian and every member of Aurora global movement alike. It will also be the first offline Aurora Prize Ceremony since the breakout of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

On October 19, 2020, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative marked its 5th anniversary at a  virtual fundraising event in New York City, dedicated to Aurora’s core philosophy of Gratitude in Action. Broadcast live from The New York Public Library, the event featured Aurora Co-Founder and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee Vartan Gregorian, who sadly passed away  in April 2021.

“The 2021 Aurora Prize main events in Venice are intended to give a chance for our guests to come together for the first time since we were forced to bring all our events online. The last year and a half has been hard on everyone, and we’ve suffered many a painful loss. That is why we are very excited about the opportunity to express gratitude to our wonderful community, to bring global humanitarians to Venice and to introduce them to the Armenian legacy of this location and to its rich and fascinating history,” said Noubar Afeyan, Co-Founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

The first Armenian communities were established in the region centuries ago, and the history of their successful development and integration echoes the complex and compound identity defining the modern Armenian people and their global impact. No matter where they were born, from Yerevan to Los Angeles, from Beirut to Moscow, all Armenians possess an acute understanding of the importance of kindness, humanity, and gratitude, strongly reflected in Aurora’s vision.

“The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is transforming the Armenian experience into a global movement based on the philosophy of Gratitude in Action, and we are very happy to have the 2021 Aurora Prize Ceremony in Venice, one of the most important Armenian heritage sites, and to highlight our presence in Europe after the success of last year’s US event. Aurora continues to successfully enhance the humanitarian angle, and we can’t wait to share this special moment of celebrating modern-day heroes and the work they do with members of Aurora’s community,” said Ruben Vardanyan, Co-Founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

In the meantime, nominations are still open for the 2022 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. Until October 31, 2021, any person can submit a nomination for candidates they believe have overcome great personal challenges to help others.