Yerevan/Mediamax/. The main events of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative in 2017 will be held from April 24 to May 28.

Aurora Humanitarian Initiative CEO Arman Jilavyan provided this information to the press today.

He stated that the names of Aurora Prize 2017 finalists will be revealed in Yerevan on April 24, and the award ceremony itself will take place in Armenian capital on May 28.

Arman Jilavyan noted that May 28 – the First Republic Day – is the date chosen by the Armenian Genocide survivors, who declared the First Republic of Armenia just three years after the Genocide.

Aurora Initiative CEO stressed that the ceremony and accompanying events will “pay tribute to this journey from death to life, from horror to hope, from tragedy to revival”.

The Selection Committee of the Aurora Prize will determine the Laureate and finalists among 558 candidates.

“We were optimistic after the inaugural Aurora Prize, but we could not imagine that the feedback will be this good as in Armenia, so in Diaspora and the whole world. We received plenty of cooperation offers, and the three days provided for the initiative don’t allow us to hold many events, so we decided that the 2017 Aurora Prize program will take place for one month,” Arman Jilavyan said.

He presented the main elements of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, remarking that young people from Middle East, including Syrian Armenians, will be able to use the Gratitude Scholarship valued USD 7mln.

Aurora Prize project CEO said that around USD 23mln was spent on the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, and nearly 70% of the expenditure were covered by Ruben Vardanyan’s family. The initiative also received donations from Russia-based entrepreneurs Samvel Karapetyan, Vladimir Avetisyan, Gagik Adibekyan and other benefactors.