2025 Aurora Prize Awarded to Sudanese Dr. Jamal Eltaeb
Named after Arshaluys Mardiganian better known as Aurora who lost her entire family in the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and survived despite overwhelming hardship, the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity has, in its 10th year, been awarded to Sudanese doctor Jamal Eltaeb.
The prize, totaling 1 million USD, is given to individuals who risk their own lives to save others. This year, the Aurora Initiative honored Dr. Eltaeb for his extraordinary courage and determination in providing medical care to people trapped in the midst of conflict.
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative stated that despite Sudan’s civil war and the near-total collapse of the country’s healthcare system, Al Nao Hospital under Dr. Eltaeb’s leadership has remained one of the very few facilities still operating in the Greater Khartoum area. The Initiative described this achievement as evidence of the doctor’s resilience and survival under dire conditions.
Selected from 800 nominees
At the awards ceremony held on November 7 at Ellis Island in New York, Dr. Eltaeb said: “Growing up, I saw how fragile life can be and how important a person’s care and knowledge are. I wanted to become a doctor because I wanted to stand beside people at their most difficult and desperate moments.”
He continued: “The Aurora Prize reminds doctors, teachers, humanitarian workers, and ordinary people that their efforts matter. One person’s courage can inspire change; compassion has the power to heal. Even the smallest act of kindness can spark hope.”
Noubar Afeyan Co-Founder and Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Board and also the founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering added: “At a time when indifference spreads and compassion fades, Dr. Eltaeb stands before us as living proof that humanity is not lost. In a world where headlines are shaped by those who disregard human life, Dr. Eltaeb reminds us that human feeling still exists and that we are all responsible for keeping it alive.”
Selected from more than 800 nominees, Dr. Eltaeb will receive a 1 million USD award to expand his work and to support local leaders and organizations helping people in need.
Since the escalation of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, Dr. Eltaeb has continued treating hundreds of patients despite relentless bombardments, collapsed infrastructure, and severe shortages of electricity, anesthesia, and other medical supplies.
The ceremony also recognized the 2025 Aurora Humanitarian Heroes: Sally Becker, Dr. Zouhair Lahna, and Dr. Jill Seaman. In addition, philanthropists Henrietta H. Fore, Graça Machel, Michael Milken, and David Rubenstein were honored for their contributions to the prize.
The Aurora Initiative was founded in gratitude on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and those who saved them. Over the past decade, it has built a global network and provided support to more than 3.5 million people affected by humanitarian crises.
Who is Aurora Mardiganian?
Aurora, whose given name was Arshaluys, was a 14-year-old girl from Çemişgezek in 1915. She witnessed the destruction of her people and lost her family members one by one. Despite the physical and psychological torture she endured, she managed to survive. What distinguishes her story is that the atrocities she lived through were brought to the silver screen with her in the leading role.
After escaping and arriving in the United States two years later, Aurora recounted her experiences to a relief organization. Her story was published by Henry L. Gates and caught the attention of Hollywood producers. Thus, before she even fully understood what had happened to her, Aurora was compelled to reenact her trauma on film, reliving her suffering again and again.
“When the film an enormous box-office success at the time disappeared, only fragments of scenes remained. Turned into a commodity and taken from state to state during its release, Aurora was even replaced by stand-ins when her mental health deteriorated. Eventually, she too slipped into obscurity. When she passed away at an advanced age, she was buried in a potter’s field.” (Aras Publishing)
