The inaugural ceremony of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity took place on April 24 in Yerevan, which was a significant event not only for Armenia, but for all the Armenians in the world.

In cooperation with the Aurora Prize/100 LIVES initiatives, Mediamax presents photo reports telling about the scenes from the ceremony and other events that remained off-screen. 

All guests of the Aurora Prize were invited to a reception at the National Gallery of Armenia on April 22. That was where co-founder of the Aurora Prize/100 Lives initiatives Vartan Gregorian and Chair of the Board of Governors of UWC Dilijan College Veronika Zonabend met and shared a warm embrace.

Former US presidential candidate, former Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis was also among the reception guests. He regularly voiced the issue of the Armenian Genocide and contributed to the process of recognition.

If a beauty contest were held among guests of the Aurora Prize, Josephine Kulea, making a selfie with trainer and author, Forbes contributor Brian Rash, would have been the definite winner. However, Josephine is not only beautiful, but also a courageous and purposeful woman. She founded Samburu Girls Foundation that saved hundreds of women in Kenya from rape and other violence.

The Aurora Prize Finalists Marguerite Barankitse and Syeda Ghulam Fatima.

Journalist Mark Grigorian hurries to the reception to talk with political and public figures who arrived in Yerevan from different parts of the world.

Who are this romantic couple? The man is Armenian-American rock musician Derek Sherinian. He worked with Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, played keyboard instruments for five years at Dream Theatre and performed in Black Country Communion supergroup. 

French-based actor and director Serge Avedikian.

Razmik Panossian is the Director of the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In January the foundation presented “Armenians in 2115: Strategic Directions for the Twenty-First Century” report, which was prepared by Razmik Panossian and his colleagues. 

This photo was made in the lobby hall of the Sports and Concerts Complex before the launch of the Aurora Prize ceremony. Many people approached Shavarsh Karapetyan and took pictures with the legendary and modest hero, who was flattered but also notable shy from all that attention.

Director of Institute of Oriental Studies of Armenian National Academy of Sciences Ruben Safrastyan is talking to Armenian-Swiss writer and journalist Vicken Cheterian. The subject of their conversation might be Vicken’s latest book “Open Wounds”, which tells about the Armenian Genocide.

Photos by the Aurora Prize/100 LIVES