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The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative today announced that Dr. Eric Esrailian has joined the organization as Co-Founder. Dr. Esrailian is a distinguished physician, Emmy-nominated film producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. As an Aurora Board member and the Co-Chair of the 2024 Aurora Prize events in Los Angeles, Dr. Esrailian will bring his influence and leadership expertise across various domains including academia, industry, philanthropy, and human rights advocacy to this new role, helping to steward the organization toward its 10th anniversary year and beyond.

“When Ruben Vardanyan, the late Vartan Gregorian and I co-founded Aurora in 2015, in honor and deep gratitude for those who risked their lives to save our Armenian ancestors, we envisioned it as an eight-year initiative, marking the centennial of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide,” said Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. “In response to ever-growing and compounding humanitarian crises around the world, and the tangible impact of Aurora, we have now decided to extended Aurora’s work for decades to come.”

Afeyan continued, “Eric has been an active and integral contributor to Aurora, not only as a Board member, but also as Co-Chair of the 2024 Aurora Prize Ceremony. I am delighted he has agreed to expand his role as Co-Founder, to help steward the organization to reach its full potential in this important next chapter. Together, we will embark on a meaningful journey ahead as Aurora continues to put gratitude into action, giving hope and support to millions of people around the world.”

As Aurora approaches its tenth anniversary year in 2025, it has already changed the lives of almost 3.4 million people across 56 countries and territories, deploying funding toward 430 projects that support emergency response, food, water, education, medical care, psychosocial support and more for underserved communities. The Initiative’s next chapter will build on its progress to date to bring the core message of Gratitude in Action to the global community, further elevating the impact of Aurora Humanitarians.

“In the midst of multiple global crises, I am humbled by the selflessness of individual humanitarians working in all corners of the world, and the outsized impact one person can have on humanity,” said Dr. Esrailian. “I am honored to take on this role with Aurora, alongside my dear friend Noubar Afeyan, to shine a spotlight on those risking their lives to help others, and to expand the movement of humanitarians during this time of immense need.”

On September 30, 2024, with Doctors Esrailian and Afeyan in attendance, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will unveil the Memorial to Aurora Mardiganian and the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan, Armenia, near the Komitas Museum-Institute. This monument honors the enduring legacy of Aurora Mardiganian, whose courage and story inspired the founders of the Initiative. In addition, the Memorial pays tribute to the 1.5 million martyrs who perished during the Armenian Genocide. The unveiling will be followed by a special screening of the award-winning animated documentary Aurora's Sunrise, co-produced by Dr. Esrailian, which brings Mardiganian’s extraordinary journey to the screen.