Ruben Vardanyan: we should know our own history

ArmInfo."We should know our own history", expressed confident opinion founder Aurora humanitarian initiative Ruben Vardanyan on May 28 during Aurora 2017 award ceremony. 

"I'm a little ashamed. I am 49 years old, I am quite a successful  person, but only three years ago, starting this initiative, I began  to learn the history of my own people, and the more I deepen, the  more I learn, this is a completely new world. Therefore, I believe  that we must know our history, know the faces of our heroes.  Today  we have more than 300 stories about people who do great things, but  about which people do not know anything. For example, Kirk Kerkorian  (American businessman, billionaire of Armenian origin - Editor's  notes) - how much he did for Armenia both during his lifetime and  after his death. And what about his charity work in Armenia? Well,  did something and that's all. In honor of him, not even a street was  named, "said the patron. At the same time,he added that when this  initiative was pawned, there were three of them, and now from year to  year their ranks are filled with new people who want to contribute to  the construction of a world without violence. He also expressed hope  that someday the Aurora prize will be canceled, because there will no  longer be a need for a humanitarian award.

Vardanyan also said that he dreams some day to hold Aurora ceremony  in Alep, during peaceful time. He also said that Aurora decided to  create a special fund named after Vardan Gregorian, which will work  on learning Armenian nation's history.  

In his turn, co founder of Aurora prize Noubar  Afeyan noted that  when  the initiative was pawned, it was a small project, but it began  to expand, attracting more and more people. According to him, today  Aurora attracted new participants and began to implement more and  more different projects. "We carry out various initiatives, for  example, the reconstruction of the church in Potsdam began, in  gratitude to the German soldiers who saved the lives of many  Armenians during World War II. A number of other interesting projects  are being implemented. And today we are holding a ceremony on May 28  - the day of the First Republic of Armenia, which three years after  the Genocide proclaimed independence, thereby demonstrating its  firmness, "concluded Afeyan.

The third founder of the Aurora Vardan Gregorian noted that he was  proud that Ruben and Noubar were able to light the fire, which today  is being  spread throughout the world. "I hope that you will all help  us in spreading this humanitarian action. We remember Armenian  Genocide, but we also think about the future of mankind. We must  eradicate violence and hunger. Where I was born - in Tabriz, it was  unacceptable to raise a hand against a woman or a child, "concluded  Gregorian.

The Aurora Award is a global award established by the Aurora  Humanitarian Initiative and awarded in recognition of exceptional  merit in the preservation of human lives and the promotion of humane  ideas.  Laureate of the prize Aurora - 2017 was Dr. Tom Catena, who  received a grant of $ 100,000 to continue his work and the  opportunity to continue the baton of good. Tom Catena chose the  following three organizations to receive a humanitarian award of $ 1  million: the African Medical Mission Foundation (AMHF, USA); Aktion  Canchanabury (Germany); Council of the Catholic Medical Mission (CMMB  USA). The finalists were Fartun Adan and Ilvan Elman, Jamilian  Afghani, doctor Tom Catena, Muhammad Darvish or doctor Denis Mukwege.