Category: 2021

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is glad to announce that prominent Nigerian journalist Dele Olojede, the first African-born person to win a Pulitzer Prize, has joined the Selection Committee of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. As the press service at IDeA Foundation reported, in this new capacity, he will assist Nobel Laureates, former presidents, prominent political figures, highly respected humanitarians and well-known human rights activists dedicated to recognizing modern-day heroes and their exceptional impact. Every year, members of the Selection Committee review a shortlist of candidates and select the Aurora Humanitarians to later name one of them the Aurora Prize Laureate.

60-year-old Dele Olojede is a writer, editor, and publisher whose career in journalism spans nearly four decades and took him to more than 100 countries. He was the founder and publisher of NEXT, a groundbreaking investigative newspaper in Lagos, Nigeria, that circulated in the 2000s.

In 2005, Dele became the first African-born winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. He is also a public speaker, particularly on what constitutes the good society and how we might hope to achieve it, preferably in our lifetimes.

“We are delighted that Dele Olojede has made the decision to join this Committee. For decades, he has been the voice of the underserved and overlooked communities in distress, and we are very pleased to have him onboard and appreciative of his invaluable input and expertise. I’m positive that his contribution to the work of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee will greatly benefit the humanitarian cause we all serve,” said Lord Ara Darzi, Chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee.

Dele Olojede is the founder and host of the annual Africa in the World festival, which brings together provocative thinkers from around the world in the Cape winelands of South Africa to discuss some of the largest challenges and opportunities facing Africa. Besides this, he is a fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and a moderator of Aspen leadership seminars. Dele Olojede serves on the global advisory board of Luminate, the board of EARTH University in Costa Rica and various other organizations and is a Distinguished Alumnus of Columbia University.

“I’m very honored and excited about this new challenge in my career. I think the Aurora Prize is extremely important as it raises awareness of the plight of those who need our immediate help and of the heroic actions of people who put themselves at risk to help them. As a journalist, I believe visibility and representation matter, so I’m honored to have this opportunity to ensure both for those doing the heroic work of preserving and improving human life in our time, and across the globe,” said Dele Olojede.

The 2021 Aurora Prize Ceremony and accompanying events will take place in Venice, Italy, on October 8-10, 2021. There will be ample opportunities for the guests and participants, including members of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Aurora Humanitarians, and other representatives of Aurora’s community, to explore the rich legacy of this location. In the meantime, nominations are still open for the 2022 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. Until October 31, 2021, any person can submit a nomination for the candidates they believe have overcome great personal challenges to help others.

Azerbaijani servicemen have deliberately set fire to the grassy area near Black Lake (Sev Lich) in Armenia’s Syunik Province, Pastinfo reported, citing Telegram channels. The fire is reportedly spreading to the Armenian positions.

It is not the first time that Azerbaijanis have taken such actions. On July 19, Azerbaijani forces opened fire at the Yeraskh border section, causing a fire in the area between the Armenian and Azerbaijani positions.

Yeraskh village head Radik Oghikyan was slightly injured in Azerbaijani gunfire while organizing efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out as a result of the Azerbaijani actions.

In addition, Azerbaijanis deliberately set fire to the grass in the buffer zone late on August.

Then they set fire to an area of about 28 hectares in Agarak and the grassy areas of 4 villages in Gegharkunik Province near the border with Azerbaijan in late August.

In particular, Azeris roll a burning tire down the hayfields and pastures of the villages. As a result, some 270 hectares of pastures and 150 hectares of hayfields have been burnt in the villages of Azat, Kut, Norabak and Sotk of the Geghamasar community in Gegharkunik since August 29. The hay stacked by Armenian villagers for the winter season is being destroyed.

The opposition Armenia alliance issued a statement on the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Artsakh Republic marked on September 2. The full text of the statement is provided below.

“Dear compatriots,

Thirty years ago, the Declaration on Proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was adopted in Stepanakert. This historical document became the birth certificate of the second Armenian state. The will of self-determination of the NKR population on their historical land, the building of an independent statehood and the determination to defend their rights were consolidated.

The potential of all Armenians was focused on the Artsakh liberation struggle. The irreversibility of Artsakh’s independence was confirmed by a referendum on December 10, 1991.

The next thirty years were difficult times of state-building and imposing peace. Artsakh was a symbol of victory and pride that united all Armenians. Unfortunately, the political force that came to power in Armenia in 2018 was unable to strengthen and defend the position of the Republic of Artsakh in the negotiation process.

Moreover, as a result of an unbalanced, anti-national foreign and domestic policy, we found ourselves in international isolation, unable to counter the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression.

The November 9 tripartite statement confirmed the fact of a heavy defeat, making the two Armenian states face serious security threats and an uncertain future and also undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia.

Nevertheless, we have no right to deviate from our political rights and just demands. The Artsakh Republic Independence Day anchored on the principle of self-determination of nations and its message make us reaffirm that the security of Artsakh will remain a priority on our political agenda.

We are obliged to do the impossible to protect the right of the people of Artsakh to a free life and to fix the status of the Artsakh Republic.

Full of optimism, we congratulate Artsakh on the Independence Day, expressing confidence and determination that the Armenian Artsakh will exist forever.”

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on Wednesday visited prominent Armenian doctor Armen Charchyan, an MP from the opposition Armenia alliance, his lawyer Erik Aleksanyan told Yerkir Media.

“The meeting lasted an hour, I was present at the meeting,” the lawyer said.

Charchyan’s health condition significantly deteriorated one day after being arrested again last week and he was moved to a civilian hospital. The professor has suffered a heart attack, has hypertension and diabetes.

Aleksanyan has filed a motion to the Court of General Jurisdiction to release his client on bail.

Charchyan, who headed Yerevan’s Izmirlian Medical Center, has been charged for allegedly pressuring his employees to participate in the June 20 parliamentary elections and vote for the Armenia bloc.

An Armenian boy is set to represent the Netherlands in this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Armenian Ambassador to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan on Wednesday hosted Lyova Khachatryan, who in order to represent the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision is participating in the qualifying competition and reached the final, the Armenian Embassy reported.

Balayan expressed his support and wished good luck to the boy and the members of his group. In the final round, Lyova will perform the song “A million little things” as part of the “SHiNE” band, which will be broadcasted on September 25 at 7:25pm on NPO Zapp TV channel.

“We invite the Armenians of the Netherlands to support Lyova,” the embassy said.