The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced the four finalists for the 2025 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, each selected from over 800 nominations for their exceptional work in some of the world’s most dangerous regions. The winner of the $1 million award will be revealed on November 6 during a ceremony in New York City.
The finalists are:
- Sally Becker (UK) – A humanitarian who evacuated hundreds of children during the conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo and later expanded her work to Iraq, Ukraine, and Gaza. She launched a telemedicine program linking local doctors with international pediatric networks.
- Jamal Eltayeb (Sudan) – A physician who has kept Al Nao Hospital in Omdurman operational since April 2023, making it one of the last functioning medical centers in Khartoum, despite shelling, shortages, and collapsing infrastructure.
- Zouhair Lahna (Morocco) – An obstetrician-gynecologist with over two decades of experience working in war and disaster zones, including Afghanistan, DR Congo, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Uganda. Since October 2023, he has made repeated missions to Gaza.
- Jill Seaman (USA/South Sudan) – A doctor and co-founder of South Sudan Medical Relief, she has delivered lifesaving healthcare to remote Fangak for over 30 years, treating around 40,000 patients annually and combating diseases like visceral leishmaniasis and tuberculosis.
“In times of growing hardship and shrinking resources, these individuals remind us that compassion and courage can still lead the way,” said Lord Ara Darzi, Chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee and Co-Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London.
He added: “It is an immense honor to celebrate their extraordinary work and the hope they bring to the world’s most vulnerable.”
The ceremony will also honor philanthropists who embody Aurora’s spirit of Gratitude in Action — Graça Machel, Michael Milken, David Rubenstein, and Henrietta Fore. The evening will be hosted by renowned journalist Judy Woodruff and bestselling author David Ignatius, with performances by Grammy-nominated artists Rufus Wainwright and Aloe Blacc.
The Aurora Initiative was co-founded by philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, currently imprisoned in Baku. It was launched in gratitude on behalf of Armenian Genocide survivors and has supported over 3.5 million people globally by funding frontline responders and organizations, continuing a cycle of giving.
