Society 10:58 11/03/2015

International figures unite to announce new humanitarian prize as part of 100 LIVES initiative

The 100 LIVES initiative is launching expressing gratitude to the individuals and institutions whose heroic actions saved Armenian lives during the Genocide 100 years ago. 

The purpose of the 100 LIVES initiative is to address the issues of genocide, human rights violations and the power of positive action through three key elements:

§ Learning from the past by issuing a global call to unearth the untold stories of survivors and saviors from the Armenian Genocide that will be brought to life on 100LIVES.com;
§ Delivering for the present by introducing the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, a new global humanitarian award that will be given to people who put themselves at risk to enable others to survive and thrive;
§ Shaping a better future by administering Gratitude Projects to organizations and in communities that played a prominent role in saving Armenian lives a century ago

The 100 LIVES initiative was founded by international businessmen and philanthropists Ruben Vardanyan and Noubar Afeyan and humanitarian Vartan Gregorian to demonstrate the impact of the Armenian Genocide and how many of the survivors and their families went on to lead successful lives making significant contributions to global culture, the arts, sports, science and business.

An estimated 1.5 million died during the Armenian Genocide between 1915 and 1923. Around 500,000 survived, many through the intervention of individuals and institutions and there are now Armenian Diaspora communities around the world from Argentina to Australia.

“The humanity, generosity, strength and sacrifice shown by those who saved so many Armenians compels us to tell these stories,” said Ruben Vardanyan, co-founder of 100 LIVES. “Now is the time to shine a light on those most extraordinary lives, to build on the lessons they teach us, and to express our gratitude for what they did.”

Along with honoring past survivors and saviors, the program will establish the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity as a means to empower modern-day saviors. The annual grant of $1 million will be awarded to a recipient who will, in turn, present it to the organization identified as the inspiration for their action.

The Aurora Prize brings together leading human rights luminaries from around the world including Academy Award winner George Clooney, Nobel Peace Prize winners Elie Wiesel and Oscar Arias, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, UN Secretary-General Advisor on Genocide, Gareth Evans, globally respected human rights activist Hina Jilani and President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Vartan Gregorian, to serve on its Selection Committee. Mr Clooney will award the inaugural Prize at a ceremony to be held in Yerevan, Armenia on 24 April, 2016.

“I am honored to be associated with 100 LIVES as it shares a common mission with my foundation, Not On Our Watch, to focus global attention on the impact of genocide as well as putting resources towards ending mass atrocities around the world,” said George Clooney. “It should weigh heavily on all of us that genocide still takes place today,” he added. “We have to tackle this head on—as individuals, as communities and as governments.”

Mr Clooney will join renowned human rights advocate and chairman of the American Holocaust Memorial, Elie Wiesel, as co-chairman of the Prize’s Selection Committee. Additional members will be named over the next few months to complete the committee and provide human rights expertise from every geographic region in the world.

“I have personally witnessed the devastation that genocide wreaks, which sadly continues today,” said Elie Wiesel. “But I also recognize the resilience of the human spirit,” he continued. “We must remember and honor the remarkable efforts of those saviors who intervened a century ago to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.”

The Aurora Prize was named after Aurora Mardiganian who, as a child, was forced to witness the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide, including losing her father and brothers. Against the odds she survived and went on to devote her life to providing humanitarian relief and raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide, including starring in a famous film called Ravished Armenia in 1919.

The Prize is also inspired by the thousands of untold stories of courage and survival during these events a century ago.

“Resilience, strength, survival and gratitude are characteristics exhibited by Armenians, though not by us exclusively. They are found in all people,” commented Noubar Afeyan. “We developed the concept of #BeArmenian #BeAlive to encapsulate the strength of the human spirit—not just for Armenians, but for everyone.”

As part of its efforts, 100 LIVES also hopes to digitize the written record of the Armenian Genocide, a substantial undertaking, yet one which the founders believe can help safeguard the historical archive in perpetuity and ensure it can be accessed by anyone.

“There are a small number of survivors of the Armenian Genocide left with us. It is crucial that we ensure that, as we approach the centennial, we take this opportunity to leave a lasting imprint of what happened a century ago onto the world’s collective conscience,” remarked Vartan Gregorian. 



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

16:45
It's been the hardest year of my life, Prince William says
The Prince of Wales has described the past year as the "hardest year" of his life. Speaking to reporters at the end of his visit...
16:36
Armenia inclined towards cooperation with Russia, former PM says
Armenia is inclined towards cooperation with Russia, former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the Valdai Club debates on Friday. When...
16:14
Dozens of French politicians call for boycott of COP29, demand release of Armenian hostages
Around three dozen French politicians have urged the French government to boycott the upcoming COP29 UN climate summit in Baku and demanded the...
15:34
Yerevan court allows cleric to visit Armen Ashotyan
A Yerevan court on Friday allowed Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan to visit opposition politician Armen Ashotyan who is currently under house...
15:12
Serzh Sargsyan trial judge to challenge his dismissal in ECHR
Judge Vahe Misakyan, who acquitted former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan earlier this year, plans to challenge his dismissal in the European...
14:36
Conference League: Chelsea defeats FC Noah 8-0
FC Noah suffered a crushing 0-8 defeat to Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday.  "A tough loss in London....
14:14
Yerevan theater employees stage sit-in
Employees of Yerevan’s Goy Theater on Thursday resumed a sit-in outside the Gabriel Sundukyan State Academic Theater, demanding the...
13:33
Trump's second term will be different, expert says
Donald Trump's second presidency will look nothing like the first, political analyst Suren Sargsyan claims. “Times and realities...
12:46
Israeli football fans attacked in Amsterdam
Assailants attacked Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam on Thursday, with the Dutch prime minister vowing those responsible would be “tracked...
12:34
Armenia's Gyumri heading for snap elections
Snap municipal elections will be held in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri. In a statement on Friday, Knarik Harutyunyan, the...
12:05
Reducing sugar in first 1,000 days of life may protect against chronic diseases, study says
A study published on Friday in the journal Science found that reducing sugar in the first 1,000 days after conception – through...
11:30
Armenian sends 20 players to European Individual Chess Championship
The European Individual Chess Championship 2024 is being held in Petrovac, Montenegro from 7-20 November. The championship is an...
11:15
Iran to develop relations with neighbors regardless of US election results, leader says
Iran plans to expand partnership with neighboring and Islamic countries regardless of whom America elected as its new leader, TASS...
11:00
Pashinyan, Macron meet in Budapest
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Budapest on Thursday. The meeting was held on the...
17:03
Senator Jadot urges French government to boycott COP29 in Baku
French Senator Yannick Jadot has called on the French government to boycott the COP29 UN climate summit in Baku. “COP29...
16:32
Deputy FM: Armenia hopes for full normalization with Turkey
Armenia hopes for full normalization of relations with Turkey, including the opening of their shared border, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan...
16:03
Analyst: Trump and Biden only US presidents who held no meetings with Pashinyan
Donald Trump and Joe Biden have become the only U.S. presidents who have held no meetings or phone calls with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol...
15:31
Temperatures to rise in Armenia next week
Clear weather is expected in all parts of Armenia on Thursday and in the next few days. The capital Yerevan will also see rainless...
15:14
Russia sees preconditions for improvement of South Caucasus situation
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu says that Moscow sees prerequisites for improvement of the situation in the South...
14:36
Armenia to take €236 million loan from EIB for North-South road construction
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €236 million to Armenia to finance the construction of the Sisian-Kajaran road. The...
14:06
Armenia seeks to intensify talks with Azerbaijan, deputy FM says
Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan says that Armenia and Azerbaijan have not yet finally agreed on all terms in the bilateral peace treaty....
13:30
US pushing Armenia to 'suicide', Russian intelligence says
The US is determined to force Armenia down an anti-Russian path and towards “national suicide,” the Russian Foreign Intelligence...
13:00
Turkey's Erdogan visits Budapest for EPC summit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan on Wednesday travelled to Budapest, Hungary, to attend the fifth summit of the...
12:36
Armenian government approves Mesrop Mesropyan's candidacy for PSRC head
The Armenian government on Thursday approved the candidacy of Mesrop Mesropyan as the new head of the Public Services Regulatory Commission...
12:08
Opposition MP: Armenian leadership has illusions about normalization with Turkey
Armenia’s authorities have illusions about building relations with Turkey, a country whose leader called Azerbaijani victory in the 2020...
11:38
15 cutting-edge Apple devices for Byblos Bank Armenia Mastercard Digital cardholders
Byblos Bank Armenia, in partnership with Mastercard, has launched a new campaign featuring a giveaway of 5 iPhone 16 Pros, 5 Apple Watch SE (2nd...
11:33
Lawmakers express grave concerns about U.S. participation in COP29 in Baku
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL),...
11:15
Trump's election victory likely upends all criminal cases against him
Donald Trump's presidential victory is also a win as he seeks to resolve his four criminal indictments. His win may largely free Trump...
11:00
Leopard again caught on camera in Armenia's Zangezur Biosphere Complex
A female leopard, named Misty, has again been caught on camera in Armenia's Zangezur Biosphere Complex, WWF Armenia reported....
17:03
International congress marking Sergei Parajanov's anniversary held in Madrid
Upon the initiative of the Chair of Armenian Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid and with the support of the Armenian Embassy in...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}