Both events are part of the two-day #AraratChallenge Fest, a festival featuring inspiring public talks, lectures, master classes and charity initiatives to facilitate humanitarian action.

To take place on October 19 at the Freedom Square, Yerevan, the 2019 Aurora Prize Ceremony will be open to the general public. The event will showcase the 2019 Aurora Humanitarians – individuals who have done extraordinary work on the frontlines of their fields and have had exceptional impact on humanity. Additionally, the 2019 Aurora Prize will be awarded, along with a $1 million grant to continue the cycle of giving by supporting the organizations they have chosen. The 2019 Aurora Prize Ceremony will be followed by an open-air performance by Russian-Armenian artist Mariam Merabova and Grammy Award winning American musician Dana Leong.

On October 20, the Mariinsky Theatre Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev will offer a children program featuring Sergei Prokofiev's symphonic fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf.” Access to this event will be free of charge.

In the evening, the Aurora Tribute and Fundraising Concert will feature a special concert program by Mariinsky and Gergiev, including important classical pieces from Armenian, Russian and European composers. Additionally, the 2019 Prize Laureate will be awarded the Aurora Prize Statuette and a special tribute will be paid to Aurora donors and supporters. This fundraising concert will be an invitation-only event.

The embodiment of the energy and passion of its attendees and their cultures, the #AraratChallenge Fest is a celebration of those who are inspired to help the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative address some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

The #AraratChallenge Fest is part of the inaugural Aurora Forum to take place in Armenia on October 14-21, 2019. A first of its kind in the region, the Forum is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan. The Forum brings together the world’s leading authorities on social, scientific-technological, educational, and humanitarian innovation to compare best practices, lessons learned and, in some cases, disruptive thinking around issues ranging from infrastructure challenges to healthcare breakthroughs to women’s empowerment.

For more information, visit: https://auroraforum.com