Tweet
PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) - Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.coafkids.org
Children of Armenia Fund - New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Anna Sargsyan
Tel: 212 - 994 - 8201
Fax: 212 - 994 - 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.coafkids.org
UNICEF's Armenia Office Representative Leads the Grand Opening of
COAF's Psycho-Social Center
Dalarik, Republic of Armenia, September 26, 2006 ¾ Today, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
jointly held the grand opening of the Dalarik Psycho-Social Center. The
Center was initiated in June 2006 through a co-sponsorship between COAF
and UNICEF-Armenia. By making psycho-social services available to the
six communities of COAF's Model Cluster ¾ Argina, Dalarik, Karakert,
Lernagog, Myasnikyan, and Shenik ¾ the partners aim to secure the
integration of children with special needs and their families in the
larger society.
The event host, Dr. Naira Gharakhanyan, COAF Community Development
Program Manager, introduced the guests, including the mayors and deputy
mayors of COAF's Model Cluster villages, the Psycho-Social Center staff,
and other key members of the community. Also present at the event were
the student-journalists of the newly established Cluster Press Club and
a dozen beneficiaries of the Psycho-Social Center.
Mr. Sheldon Yett, the Representative of UNICEF-Armenia, led the
ribbon-cutting ceremony. In his address, Mr. Yett articulated the
significance of the program for children with special needs and
acknowledged the exceptional cooperation demonstrated by the local
municipality in the creation of the Center. Mr. Yett congratulated the
project staff, stressing the importance of teamwork among teachers,
parents, doctors and the community for achieving the shared vision and
project goal.
In turn, Dr. Naira Avetisyan, UNICEF-Armenia Child Protection Officer,
emphasized the positive impact of multi-level cooperation on the success
and sustained functioning of the Center. As an integral part of
UNICEF's larger program in this domain, she highlighted the principal
aim of the Center in defending the rights of children, to give them the
opportunity to live and grow in a safe and supportive environment. Most
importantly, "we must raise public awareness of child's rights," by
training parents and educators on the rights of socially disadvantaged
or disabled children.
Dr. Arpie G. Balian, COAF's Resident Country Director, spoke of the
importance of this partnership between COAF and UNICEF, "organizations
that have children at the center of every project they realize." She
emphasized the importance of this partnership as part of COAF's
Integrated Rural Development program and hoped for continued
cooperation. Dr. Balian also provided an overview of the initial data
gathered in the initial period of four-months since implementation of
the project. "These initial numbers show that such endeavors are
critically important, not only in the capital, but also for rural
Armenia."
# # # # #
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) - Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.coafkids.org
Children of Armenia Fund - New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Anna Sargsyan
Tel: 212 - 994 - 8201
Fax: 212 - 994 - 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.coafkids.org
UNICEF's Armenia Office Representative Leads the Grand Opening of
COAF's Psycho-Social Center
Dalarik, Republic of Armenia, September 26, 2006 ¾ Today, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
jointly held the grand opening of the Dalarik Psycho-Social Center. The
Center was initiated in June 2006 through a co-sponsorship between COAF
and UNICEF-Armenia. By making psycho-social services available to the
six communities of COAF's Model Cluster ¾ Argina, Dalarik, Karakert,
Lernagog, Myasnikyan, and Shenik ¾ the partners aim to secure the
integration of children with special needs and their families in the
larger society.
The event host, Dr. Naira Gharakhanyan, COAF Community Development
Program Manager, introduced the guests, including the mayors and deputy
mayors of COAF's Model Cluster villages, the Psycho-Social Center staff,
and other key members of the community. Also present at the event were
the student-journalists of the newly established Cluster Press Club and
a dozen beneficiaries of the Psycho-Social Center.
Mr. Sheldon Yett, the Representative of UNICEF-Armenia, led the
ribbon-cutting ceremony. In his address, Mr. Yett articulated the
significance of the program for children with special needs and
acknowledged the exceptional cooperation demonstrated by the local
municipality in the creation of the Center. Mr. Yett congratulated the
project staff, stressing the importance of teamwork among teachers,
parents, doctors and the community for achieving the shared vision and
project goal.
In turn, Dr. Naira Avetisyan, UNICEF-Armenia Child Protection Officer,
emphasized the positive impact of multi-level cooperation on the success
and sustained functioning of the Center. As an integral part of
UNICEF's larger program in this domain, she highlighted the principal
aim of the Center in defending the rights of children, to give them the
opportunity to live and grow in a safe and supportive environment. Most
importantly, "we must raise public awareness of child's rights," by
training parents and educators on the rights of socially disadvantaged
or disabled children.
Dr. Arpie G. Balian, COAF's Resident Country Director, spoke of the
importance of this partnership between COAF and UNICEF, "organizations
that have children at the center of every project they realize." She
emphasized the importance of this partnership as part of COAF's
Integrated Rural Development program and hoped for continued
cooperation. Dr. Balian also provided an overview of the initial data
gathered in the initial period of four-months since implementation of
the project. "These initial numbers show that such endeavors are
critically important, not only in the capital, but also for rural
Armenia."
# # # # #