The winners of Aurora Photo and Short Film Competitions are announced.
On May 16 Aurora Humanitarian Initiative opened the photo exhibition “Capturing Humanity” at Dalan Art Gallery in Yerevan, where a selection of the photos submitted for the Aurora Photo Exhibition are displayed. At the opening of the exhibition the Initiative announced the winners of the Aurora Photo and Short Film Competitions.
Areg Balayan from Artsakh wins the photo competition with the photo “Finally, some rest”. Sargis Bulghadaryan (Armenia) took the second place with “Everyday water issue in Tlik village” photo, while Visarut Sankham (Thailand) took the third place with the photo “Behind Tin Walls”. Aurora Humanitarian Initiative granted special awards to Anahit Hayrapetyan (Armenia) for “Refugee father and son in Artsakh” photo and Ana Caroline de Lima (Brazil) for “Rajashtani boy” photo.
“Provoking, compassionate and impassioned, the images submitted for the first Aurora Photo Contest were compelling. Thought provoking. Having judged many contests over the years, the caliber and quality of the photography submitted was stellar for an award that recognizes issues of acute importance to all of us around the world,” said John Stanmeyer, the chairperson of the Aurora Photo Competition jury.
Aurora Humanitarian Initiative awards US$2,500 to the photographer of the best image. Second and third places receive awards of US$1,500 and US$1,000 respectively.
The winner of the Aurora Short Film Competition is the animated film “The desire” by Maria Fernanda Moreno Beltran (Colombia), “The Youngest Girl in the Minefield” by Aza Andreasyan (Armenia) takes the second prize and “Father” by Yevgeni Vasiltsov (Ukraine) took the third place. As per the professional jury’s decision, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative granted special awards to two participants: Hayk Kbeyan for “Christmas Tree” (Armenia) and Santiago Arcos Veintimilla for “The Skin of Palestine” (Ecuador).
“This competitions has broadened the humanitarian movement initiated by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. We are joined by thousands of talented young people from over 50 countries who illustrated their own vision on the ideas of humanity and gratitude,” said Arman Jilavian, a jury member of both competitions and CEO of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. “I thank all participants who helped us to visually reflect our mission and ideas at the eve of the 2017 Aurora Prize Events.”
Aurora Humanitarian Initiative awards US$4000 to the director of the best film. Second and third places will receive US$2000 and US$1500 award respectively. 10 awardees of two competitions get unique opportunity to be present at the 2017 Aurora Prize Award Ceremony on May 28, 2017 in Yerevan, Armenia.
Aurora Photo and Short Film Competitions were launched on December, 2016. 1237 photos from 48 countries and 184 films from 27 countries were submitted for the competitions.
“Capturing Humanity” exhibition presents 28 photos of 23 photographers from 13 countries. It will be open for the visitors until June 6, 2017 at Dalan Art Gallery (Abovyan 12, 2-nd floor, Yerevan, Armenia).
About the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
Founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to empower modern-day saviors to offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid and thus continue the cycle of giving internationally. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is an eight-year commitment (2015 to 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) to support people and promote projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute, and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiative’s various programs: The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES Initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan who have, already in the second year, been joined by several dozen new donors and partners. The Initiative welcomes all who embrace a commitment to our shared humanity.
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is represented by three organizations – Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, Inc. (New York, USA), the 100 Lives Foundation (Geneva, Switzerland) and the IDeA Foundation (Yerevan, Armenia).
