Aurora Prize Marks Decade with Ceremony on Ellis Island

In her remarks, Fore reflected on a lifetime dedicated to service and collaboration, expressing deep gratitude for those who work tirelessly to improve lives around the world and reminding the audience that true progress is “the work of many hearts and brilliant minds, united by purpose.” Quoting Andrew Carnegie, she added, “The man who dies rich dies disgraced. The Aurora Prize carries that same spirit—that our wealth, our wisdom, our experience mean little unless we serve others.”

Honorees and Guests

Following that, Dr. Eric Esrailian, co-founder of the Next Chapter, board member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, and chief of the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, offered a heartfelt address on the personal and collective meaning of Aurora’s mission and the humanitarian community it sustains. Drawing on his family’s history as survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Dr. Esrailian emphasized how gratitude must become action and remembrance must inspire service. “What I see here tonight is resilience of spirit at scale — a community that refuses to accept cruelty, violence, displacement, and despair as inevitable. Aurora was born from that conviction, and being part of this movement has been an incredible honor for me,” he said.

Esrailian introduced Michael Milken, founder and chairman of the Milken Institute, describing him as a visionary whose leadership in philanthropy and institution-building has transformed countless lives. In his remarks, Milken reflected on his own family’s journey through Ellis Island and spoke of the universal power of dreams and the importance of recognizing those who quietly shape a better world. “This building in Ellis Island is a symbol to the millions of people that came here for a better life — for religious freedom or just freedom itself. One of the most important things that exists inside this center is our unsung heroes, those individuals that no one had ever heard of that did unbelievable things. And that bonds me to the Aurora Prize as it has for the past few years.”

As the first part of the ceremony ended, guests were invited to reflect on Aurora’s remarkable journey through a visual retrospective honoring its origins while anticipating the promise of what lies ahead. Following that intermission, Hrachya Avanesyan and Kento Suzuki took the stage for a stirring duet of Komitas’s Groong (Crane) on violin and duduk. Originally from Japan, Kento Suzuki discovered the Armenian duduk while studying at the United World Colleges school in Dilijan and became so enamored with its sound that he remained in Armenia to master both the instrument and language.

The performance of Groong also evoked memories of the 2020 Aurora Prize Ceremony and of the late Vartan Gregorian, Aurora Co-Founder, visionary scholar, and dear friend and mentor to many in the room. In Gregorian’s honor, the audience was invited to revisit a moment from the 2018 Aurora Prize Ceremony in Yerevan, where Co-Founders and Selection Committee Members paid tribute to him through readings from his memoir, The Road to Home.

Alice Greenwald, co-chair of Aurora’s 10th Anniversary Events and board member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, then took the stage to reflect on Gregorian’s lasting influence. She spoke of his warmth, wisdom, and unwavering belief in humanity, saying, “Vartan gave us faith — in books as reservoirs of hope, in young people as guardians of a better world, and in compassion as the surest path to justice and peace.” Greenwald closed by honoring the Gregorian family, including his son, Aurora Board Member Raffi Gregorian, for carrying forward his legacy of optimism and service.

Following that, the program turned to honor Aurora Co-Founder Ruben Vardanyan — a visionary philanthropist and social entrepreneur who remains unjustly detained in Azerbaijan. A video montage of Ruben’s interviews highlighted his enduring commitment to humanity, followed by reflections from Paul Polman, business leader, climate and equality advocate, and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee.

Speaking on Ruben’s legacy, Polman said, “He created opportunities from scarcity, schools where there was no access, and bridges of trust across the fights most had written off as irreconcilable. Aurora was born from that same vision—that gratitude is not a feeling but a responsibility, and that compassion means nothing unless it moves us into action.” He added that while Ruben’s absence is deeply felt, his spirit continues to inspire Aurora’s work and the global movement for justice and hope.

Armine Afeyan, CEO of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, delivered an engaging and thought-provoking address about Aurora’s next chapter and what it means to build lasting change as a community. Afeyan outlined Aurora’s vision to inspire a new generation of humanitarian-hyphenates (educator-humanitarians, entrepreneur-humanitarians, storyteller-humanitarians, etc.) while expanding and strengthening its global humanitarian network. “Aurora is an expression of gratitude from descendants of survivors of the Armenian Genocide to those who saved our families, enabling us to exist today. If you bear a legacy that nobody wants, whatever it is, you know that every day is a gift, an opportunity for which you’re grateful. We can’t go back and change what happened, but we can charge forward and shape what’s next,” noted Afeyan. “Tonight, we catch a glimpse of the world as it should be. But a glimpse, however powerful, is fleeting. To make it last, Aurora’s next chapter will bring the full power of the Aurora Humanitarian Network to bear.” [read an interview with her special to the Mirror-Spectator here].

The evening continued with a soulful performance by Aloe Blacc, Grammy-nominated artist and philanthropist.

Chelsea Clinton, member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee and Vice Chair of both the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, took the stage to present the first 2025 Aurora Humanitarian. “It’s been an extraordinary experience to have been part of the conversations over the last now weeks and months, and such a deep privilege to learn about the individuals that we will bring to attention this evening,” noted Dr. Clinton. “Thank you to Armine and everyone at Aurora who has brought us together in this space, proving that gratitude, like love, is at its highest purpose when it is both a noun and a verb.” She introduced Sally Becker, recognized for rescuing and protecting children in conflict zones around the world.

Onstage, Becker looked back at what first inspired her life’s work and shared a profoundly touching reunion, acknowledging Selma Handzar, a girl she had once rescued and who was in the audience. Becker spoke to the power of simple, human acts of courage, saying, “I want to thank Aurora for giving people like me such a wonderful platform and enabling us to encourage others in this kind of work—and I don’t mean dashing across frontlines, but just helping, because everyone can make a difference, no matter how small. You just have to want to.”

Mary Robinson, Aurora Prize Selection Committee Member, former president of Ireland, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, came onstage to present the next 2025 Aurora Humanitarian. She noted, “I’ve been with Aurora since its very beginning, and I’ve watched what began as a bold idea growing into a global movement that continues to bring people together — across borders, generations, and perspectives — around a shared belief in humanity and responsibility to act.” Robinson went on to recognize Dr. Jamal Eltaeb, commending his extraordinary courage in keeping Al Nao Hospital in Sudan open amid relentless conflict. Although he was unable to attend due to current United States visa restrictions, Robinson expressed her hope of meeting him in person soon.

Dele Olojede, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, publisher, and member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, introduced the third 2025 Aurora Humanitarian. Drawing on his decades of witnessing both suffering and courage around the world, he said, “My career has taken me to more than 120 countries, and I have seen humanity both at its worst, but sometimes also at its best. We are the sum total of the stories that we make together, and the people that we have found who stand up in the most extraordinary circumstances are the ones that allow us to maintain hope and to get up in the morning.” He honored Dr. Zouhair Lahna, whose two decades of medical service in some of the world’s most devastated regions embody Aurora’s ideals. Although Dr. Lahna was unable to attend the ceremony, his story resonated deeply with the audience.

Leymah Gbowee, Aurora Prize Selection Committee Member, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Liberian peace activist, stepped forward to introduce the final 2025 Aurora Humanitarian. “I’ve had the joy of meeting so many extraordinary people whose courage, dedication, and selflessness remind me of what we can achieve when we look beyond ourselves, especially in a world that is so often focused on “me” and “mine” and forgetting about our collective humanity. Our 2025 Aurora Humanitarians embody everything the Prize stands for — fighting for dignity, sacrificing for others, committing themselves fully to making the world better.” She added that, in all her years on the Committee, few stories have moved her as deeply as that of Dr. Jill Seaman, who has provided critical care in the conflict-affected town of Old Fangak, Sudan, for more than three decades.

Seaman, physician and co-founder of South Sudan Medical Relief, talked about the unexpected paths her work has taken, joking that she found walking through swamps a lot easier than dinner parties. She also shared the motivation that has guided her life of service: “I think that’s the main message — that when we walk and travel through this life, we respond to the situation in front of us, knowing our shared humanity, and we meet fellow travelers, and we do what we can. And I am just so honored to be here in a place that celebrates that view and vision of the world.”

Lord Ara Darzi, chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee and co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, offered his reflections on this milestone year. Speaking about the depth and breadth of the nominations, he said, “For our Committee, the responsibility of reviewing such stories is both humbling and daunting. How does one distinguish between lives defined by such sacrifice? Each one reflects a story of extraordinary conviction — people who chose to act when indifference would have been easier, who risk their own safety so that others might survive.”

Aurora Laureate

As the ceremony reached its most anticipated moment, the announcement of the 2025 Aurora Prize Laureate, members of the Aurora community gathered onstage. The hosts introduced one of the Prize Ceremony’s most cherished traditions: since Aurora means “dawn,” a girl with the same name is invited each year to reveal the Laureate. This year’s “Little Aurora,” nine-year-old Aurora Manukian from Los Angeles (named in honor of Aurora after the first Ceremony), stepped forward and announced the 2025 Aurora Prize Laureate: Dr. Jamal Eltaeb from Sudan.

Although Dr. Eltaeb could not attend the event, his video message moved some to tears. Speaking from Al Nao Hospital, he said, “This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to every nurse, every doctor, every volunteer who walks the corridor of Al Nao Hospital. It belongs to those who have stayed, those who have served, those who have refused to give up.” He went on to underline the impact of the Prize, adding, “This award is not only an honor. It is a lifeline.”

As the ceremony drew toward its close, David Ignatius and Judy Woodruff congratulated the Laureate and honored the Aurora supporters who share a deep belief in our common humanity. To conclude the evening with reflection and uplift, the hosts introduced a special headline performance by renowned singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who performed Agnus Dei, a Latin prayer for peace, followed by Leonard Cohen’s iconic Hallelujah.

The Bounce Marching Band concluded the program by playing a spirited rendition of Charles Aznavour’s Pour toi, Arménie, a beloved tradition that closes each Aurora Prize Ceremony with a joyful tribute to resilience and unity.