The Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Noubar Afeyan, Vartan Gregorian and Ruben Vardanyan, and the Chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee Lord Ara Darzi have announced that Aurora will donate $200,000 to support citizens of Beirut, Lebanon and will launch an online fundraising campaign for the Armenian Community of Beirut by #AraratChallenge, Aurora’s global humanitarian crowdfunding platform.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic explosion in Beirut and join the global effort to help Lebanon immediately. Just as Lebanon stood in solidarity with Armenians after the Armenian Genocide of 1915, we stand in solidarity with all the Lebanese people today. As the representatives of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, we call on all humanitarian organizations to do their utmost to support Lebanon and urge Armenians across the globe to assist all the people of Lebanon, as well as its Armenian community ,” the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Co-Founders and the Aurora Prize Selection Committee Chair stated.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will urgently direct $100.000 for humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering from the immediate impact of the explosion through the Lebanese Red Cross and the Near East Foundation. In addition, the #AraratChallenge campaign will provide $50.000 to the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia to tend to the needs of Armenian community.

Starting on and continuing for at least two months, #AraratChallenge will also help mobilize donations from the global Armenian community by leading an international fundraising campaign, with all the money received during that period to be directed to help the Armenian community in Beirut. Through this fundraising effort, an additional $50,000 is expected to be contributed to the reconstruction projects that will be selected later.