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AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, January 20, 2011
AGBU Young Professionals Go Green by Uniting Worldwide to Build a Park
in Khachik, Armenia
Development Initiatives Underway to Transform Khachik Village Into
Income-Generating Tourist Destination
After 18 months of preparation and planning, the AGBU Young
Professionals (YP) Network recently completed the development and
implementation of its first pan-YP project to build a park in the
rural village of Khachik, Armenia. Flexing their global muscle for the
very first time, ten YP Groups and YP Partner organizations from four
continents participated, including YP Buenos Aires, YP Brazil, YP
Greater New York, YP Los Angeles, YP Marseille, YP Northern
California, YP Philadelphia, YP Toronto, YP Yerevan, and HAIK in
Frankfurt, Germany, in cooperation with the Center for Agribusiness
and Rural Development (CARD).
With international cooperation as a main priority, the project was
initiated in July 2009 during the AGBU Young Professionals Biennial
Assembly held in Chicago over AGBU FOCUS weekend. Worldwide YP
representatives concluded that the time had come to pool their
resources as a cohesive whole for Armenia. Breaking new ground, the
AGBU Young Professionals decided to launch an environmental project
which would be conceived, funded, and developed entirely by them. As a
result of this initiative, the new park will now provide a green space
of beauty and relaxation for the 300 families of Khachik to enjoy; the
park is expected to also help attract visitors and tourists, thus
providing a future source of income for residents.
With the funds raised by the YP Groups in the diaspora and project
implementation in Khachik overseen by YP Yerevan, this unified effort
by the YP Network sets an exemplary model that cooperation reaps
results to create a more positive future for the people of
Armenia. Throughout 2010, several groups organized benefit events
dedicated specifically to the project, including YP Northern
California's signature Winter Gala (www.agbusfgala.org), YP Los
Angeles' St. Patrick's Day Mixer, YP Toronto's Noir & Blanche Soirée,
YP Marseille's Bio Fair, and HAIK's Classical Summer Concert.
Imparting the enthusiasm of YP Marseille's role in the project,
Chairwoman Maral Hékimian expressed, "As a member of an international
network, getting involved with the pan-YP project was one of YP
Marseille's main goals. We really wanted to organize a benefit event
which was in the same spirit as the project in Khachik. As such, we
organized our first Bio Fair & Conference in May 2010, which promoted
fair trade and sustainable development. We are very happy to see that,
today, thanks to our joint efforts, we have managed to develop this
park that many families can enjoy and which will allow residents to
stay in their village."
Development of Khachik
Situated on a high plateau on the Azerbaijani border, Khachik is a
rural village of 300 families in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia,
located 20 kilometers from the town of Areni and approximately 2.5
hours from Yerevan. The villagers' principal income is derived from
the sale of their produce to intermediaries, who then resell the goods
in the Yerevan markets at three times the price.
In addition to the new park, there have been other development
initiatives underway in Khachik recently. Providing its residents
much-needed exposure and a connection to the outside world, YP
Yerevan, in cooperation with CARD, built an Information Center in
Khachik's village hall in April 2010, furnishing it with computers and
Internet access. Less than a kilometer outside Khachik, a 9th-century
church is also being renovated by the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO.
In tandem with the other development initiatives, the hope is that the
creation of the park will help improve the village's economic
viability and sustainability, as Khachik is viewed as a future
income-generating tourist destination. The park will serve as a venue
for agricultural festivals, fairs, and events to attract churchgoers,
visitors, and tourists, where the villagers can sell their local
produce without intermediaries, thus providing a direct source of
income. In addition, these initiatives will help contribute towards
ensuring the survival and sovereignty of the village's borders,
improving the overall welfare of its residents, and providing an
incentive for its young people to remain in Khachik rather than move
to Yerevan or emigrate.
Khachik Park
Between the 9th-century church and the village, there existed a large
abandoned area with a water source and sparse trees. YP Yerevan, CARD,
villagers, and workers transformed this desolate area into a green
haven for the young and old by planting trees, installing wooden
tables and benches, and constructing an open-air kitchen. In April
2010, YP Yerevan broke ground for Khachik's new park, planting
seedlings donated by the Republic of Armenia Nature Protection
Ministry. The opening ceremony took place in October 2010.
Thanks to the goodwill and efforts of the AGBU Young Professionals,
the new park provides an environment that its 1,000 residents can be
proud of, where parents can visit with their children for recreational
activities, and where the youth can gather and feel that they have an
area to call their own. "I would like to thank all AGBU YPs and every
person who participated in implementing this project for Khachik,"
said YP Yerevan Vice Chairwoman Anna Karapetyan. "Thanks to your
efforts and fundraising, we together accomplished this great project
for the youth and adults of Khachik village."
The development of the new park will have an important impact on the
way the residents view their village, helping to modify their
attitudes and become more environmentally conscious. The youth of the
village have been tasked with maintaining the park and, to this end,
two workshops have been delivered to the residents on maintenance of
the area and environmental awareness and responsibility. Future
development of the park is also expected. For more information,
pictures, and news coverage about the project, please visit
www.agbu.org/ypsgogreen.
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit www.agbu.org.
From: A. Papazian
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, January 20, 2011
AGBU Young Professionals Go Green by Uniting Worldwide to Build a Park
in Khachik, Armenia
Development Initiatives Underway to Transform Khachik Village Into
Income-Generating Tourist Destination
After 18 months of preparation and planning, the AGBU Young
Professionals (YP) Network recently completed the development and
implementation of its first pan-YP project to build a park in the
rural village of Khachik, Armenia. Flexing their global muscle for the
very first time, ten YP Groups and YP Partner organizations from four
continents participated, including YP Buenos Aires, YP Brazil, YP
Greater New York, YP Los Angeles, YP Marseille, YP Northern
California, YP Philadelphia, YP Toronto, YP Yerevan, and HAIK in
Frankfurt, Germany, in cooperation with the Center for Agribusiness
and Rural Development (CARD).
With international cooperation as a main priority, the project was
initiated in July 2009 during the AGBU Young Professionals Biennial
Assembly held in Chicago over AGBU FOCUS weekend. Worldwide YP
representatives concluded that the time had come to pool their
resources as a cohesive whole for Armenia. Breaking new ground, the
AGBU Young Professionals decided to launch an environmental project
which would be conceived, funded, and developed entirely by them. As a
result of this initiative, the new park will now provide a green space
of beauty and relaxation for the 300 families of Khachik to enjoy; the
park is expected to also help attract visitors and tourists, thus
providing a future source of income for residents.
With the funds raised by the YP Groups in the diaspora and project
implementation in Khachik overseen by YP Yerevan, this unified effort
by the YP Network sets an exemplary model that cooperation reaps
results to create a more positive future for the people of
Armenia. Throughout 2010, several groups organized benefit events
dedicated specifically to the project, including YP Northern
California's signature Winter Gala (www.agbusfgala.org), YP Los
Angeles' St. Patrick's Day Mixer, YP Toronto's Noir & Blanche Soirée,
YP Marseille's Bio Fair, and HAIK's Classical Summer Concert.
Imparting the enthusiasm of YP Marseille's role in the project,
Chairwoman Maral Hékimian expressed, "As a member of an international
network, getting involved with the pan-YP project was one of YP
Marseille's main goals. We really wanted to organize a benefit event
which was in the same spirit as the project in Khachik. As such, we
organized our first Bio Fair & Conference in May 2010, which promoted
fair trade and sustainable development. We are very happy to see that,
today, thanks to our joint efforts, we have managed to develop this
park that many families can enjoy and which will allow residents to
stay in their village."
Development of Khachik
Situated on a high plateau on the Azerbaijani border, Khachik is a
rural village of 300 families in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia,
located 20 kilometers from the town of Areni and approximately 2.5
hours from Yerevan. The villagers' principal income is derived from
the sale of their produce to intermediaries, who then resell the goods
in the Yerevan markets at three times the price.
In addition to the new park, there have been other development
initiatives underway in Khachik recently. Providing its residents
much-needed exposure and a connection to the outside world, YP
Yerevan, in cooperation with CARD, built an Information Center in
Khachik's village hall in April 2010, furnishing it with computers and
Internet access. Less than a kilometer outside Khachik, a 9th-century
church is also being renovated by the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO.
In tandem with the other development initiatives, the hope is that the
creation of the park will help improve the village's economic
viability and sustainability, as Khachik is viewed as a future
income-generating tourist destination. The park will serve as a venue
for agricultural festivals, fairs, and events to attract churchgoers,
visitors, and tourists, where the villagers can sell their local
produce without intermediaries, thus providing a direct source of
income. In addition, these initiatives will help contribute towards
ensuring the survival and sovereignty of the village's borders,
improving the overall welfare of its residents, and providing an
incentive for its young people to remain in Khachik rather than move
to Yerevan or emigrate.
Khachik Park
Between the 9th-century church and the village, there existed a large
abandoned area with a water source and sparse trees. YP Yerevan, CARD,
villagers, and workers transformed this desolate area into a green
haven for the young and old by planting trees, installing wooden
tables and benches, and constructing an open-air kitchen. In April
2010, YP Yerevan broke ground for Khachik's new park, planting
seedlings donated by the Republic of Armenia Nature Protection
Ministry. The opening ceremony took place in October 2010.
Thanks to the goodwill and efforts of the AGBU Young Professionals,
the new park provides an environment that its 1,000 residents can be
proud of, where parents can visit with their children for recreational
activities, and where the youth can gather and feel that they have an
area to call their own. "I would like to thank all AGBU YPs and every
person who participated in implementing this project for Khachik,"
said YP Yerevan Vice Chairwoman Anna Karapetyan. "Thanks to your
efforts and fundraising, we together accomplished this great project
for the youth and adults of Khachik village."
The development of the new park will have an important impact on the
way the residents view their village, helping to modify their
attitudes and become more environmentally conscious. The youth of the
village have been tasked with maintaining the park and, to this end,
two workshops have been delivered to the residents on maintenance of
the area and environmental awareness and responsibility. Future
development of the park is also expected. For more information,
pictures, and news coverage about the project, please visit
www.agbu.org/ypsgogreen.
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit www.agbu.org.
From: A. Papazian