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ARS RAISES FUNDS FOR ARMENIAN PROGRAMS IN SYRIA AND GEORGIA
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-05-22-ars-raises-funds-for-armenian-programs-in-syria-and-georgia-
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2012
Vache Thomassian and Kareen Sassounian during March fundraiser.
In order to provide financial assistance to Armenian schools in Syria,
the ARS Central Executive Board announced the formation of the "Fund
for Assistance to Syrian-Armenian Schools".
"There is no doubt," declared ARS Central Executive Board Member, Ms.
Zepure E. Reisian, "that the unfortunate incidents unraveling in Syria
have disrupted the community's normal course of life. The ARS Central
Executive Board believes that securing the undisturbed continuity
of school life is the best guarantee of maintaining the normalcy of
daily existence for Armenian youngsters."
As further explanation of the nature of the Fund, Mrs. Vicky
Marashlian, Chairperson of the ARS Central Executive Board, noted
that a while back the Society recognized that, as a consequence of
the events in Syria, the Armenian Community may suffer social and
financial instability. After deliberation, the Central Executive Board
concluded that the best approach for the ARS would be to concentrate on
helping the Syrian-Armenian schools by allotting funds for "tuitions
to needy students", thus alleviating both the financial burden on
needy Syrian-Armenian families, and, at the same time, promoting the
continuity of the educational mission of the schools.
"The decision of the Central Executive Board to come up with such a
Fund is indeed laudable," stated Ms. Anna Der Hagopian, Chairperson of
ARS/Syria. "The economic crisis battering the country has inevitably
affected the Armenian community as well, and the number of families
and scholarship recipients receiving aid from the ARS/Syria social
services has doubled over the past year. We are confident that until
next September, the ARS family will make every possible effort to
assist to the maximum the Syrian-Armenian educational institutions,
thus helping the community itself. We have no doubt, also, that
Armenian communities worldwide, alongside the global ARS entities,
will come to our assistance in other needs as they arise until we
finally come out of this crisis," concluded Ms. Der Hagopian.
Donations may be made to the "Fund for Assistance to Syrian-Armenian
Schools" through all ARS local chapters and Regional offices, as well
as on the ARS, Inc. website (http://www.ars1910.org). All proceeds
will be sent to the ARS/Syria Regional Executive for distribution to
Syrian/Armenian schools, in order to alleviate the financial burden
on the shoulders of the Syrian-Armenian parents.
Javakhk Fund annual gala fundraiser The Armenian Relief Society of
Western USA's (ARS) Javakhk Fund Committee held its eighth annual gala
fundraiser on March 18 aboard the yacht Electra "Crystal/Eternity."
The program highlighted the reasons to stay on course in support of
ARS youth centers and other beneficial programs, particularly for
the Armenian youth in Javakhk.
Following welcoming remarks by promising ARS Javakhk Fund Committee
members Kareen Sassounian and Vache Thomassian, Haigoush Kohler
then introduced the honored guests, including Anahid Stepanian,
representative of the ARF Central Committee, and speakers. Kohler,
the Javakhk Fund Committee Chairperson, detailed the committee's focus
on two projects, the first of which is an illustrated children's
book, Javakhk - A World That Cares, written by Jennifer Salmassian
and recently published in English, with an Armenian version soon
forthcoming. The second is a newly published bilingual brochure
detailing the ARS Javakhk Fund Committee's financially funded programs
and projects benefiting healthcare, education, and youth activities
in Javakhk.
Dr. Nyree Derderian, ARS Regional Executive Board Chairperson, thanked
committee members, representatives of sister organizations, and guests
for their contribution towards the success of this fundraising event.
She reminded of the dismal condition of the Javakhk Armenians in
2001, when the ARS decided to lend a hand. With the help of dedicated
supporters, the ARS was able to establish the youth centers and make
a difference.
Anna Mnatsakanian, coordinator of ARS International Programs in
Yerevan, Armenia, whose responsibilities have included orphans
programs, provided a special perspective regarding the situation
in Javakhk. She noted that orphanages serve different purposes
during different times, but there had not been any need to have any
orphanages, even during the Soviet era in neither Javakhk nor Artsakh.
The extended families took charge of any orphans. In 2005, she
found out that an orphanage had been established by the Georgian
authorities with ethnic Georgian orphans brought in for the purpose
of repopulating the area through orphanages, since settlement of
non-Armenians in the area had not been very successful, as other
ethnicities even buried their dead back in their ethnic enclaves,
instead of Javakhk. Mnatsakanian hoped that the supporters understand
the significance of their contribution in Javakhk.
The keynote speaker was Elizabeth Chouldjian, ANCA Communications
Director in Washington, DC, who had first visited Javakhk in 2003,
and upon subsequent visits, the latest of which was last September,
had witnessed the changes brought by the ARS Youth Centers, as well as
the smoother roads leading to Javakhk funded by U.S. federal foreign
assistance to the Georgian government. Chouldjian provided details of
the challenges faced by Javakhk Armenians in the educational arena,
as well as economic circumstances, which place the unemployed and
underemployed at 40 per cent of the population. She described what she
and Kenneth Hachikian, the ANCA Chairman, accomplished during their
myriad of visits or attempted visits to public and non-governmental
organization (NGO) officials in Tbilisi and Javakhk. They understood
the disconnect between the situation in Javakhk described by the
locals, and the twisted interpretations by officials.
A new approach was initiated to supplement humanitarian assistance,
with the intent to change political realities to better affect
economic development in Javakhk - through better use of U.S. federal
tax dollars, and coupled with private investments.
A video presentation followed the keynote speech, which provided
an overview of ARS programs and comments from leaders in Javakhk,
highlighting the hardships and challenges that affect the day-to-day
life of Armenians in the region, prompting migrations to Russia.
Entertainment was intertwined along with fundraising. Renowned singer
Nersig Isbirian sang Armenian traditional and patriotic favorites and
Jasik Jarahian's up to the minute reporting of the latest donations to
assist the ARS programs in Javakhk were received with great enthusiasm.
At the end of the evening, the yacht for Javakhk sailed smoothly
back to the Newport Bay harbor with dedicated supporters, who remain
steadfast in helping Armenians in Javakhk.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-05-22-ars-raises-funds-for-armenian-programs-in-syria-and-georgia-
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2012
Vache Thomassian and Kareen Sassounian during March fundraiser.
In order to provide financial assistance to Armenian schools in Syria,
the ARS Central Executive Board announced the formation of the "Fund
for Assistance to Syrian-Armenian Schools".
"There is no doubt," declared ARS Central Executive Board Member, Ms.
Zepure E. Reisian, "that the unfortunate incidents unraveling in Syria
have disrupted the community's normal course of life. The ARS Central
Executive Board believes that securing the undisturbed continuity
of school life is the best guarantee of maintaining the normalcy of
daily existence for Armenian youngsters."
As further explanation of the nature of the Fund, Mrs. Vicky
Marashlian, Chairperson of the ARS Central Executive Board, noted
that a while back the Society recognized that, as a consequence of
the events in Syria, the Armenian Community may suffer social and
financial instability. After deliberation, the Central Executive Board
concluded that the best approach for the ARS would be to concentrate on
helping the Syrian-Armenian schools by allotting funds for "tuitions
to needy students", thus alleviating both the financial burden on
needy Syrian-Armenian families, and, at the same time, promoting the
continuity of the educational mission of the schools.
"The decision of the Central Executive Board to come up with such a
Fund is indeed laudable," stated Ms. Anna Der Hagopian, Chairperson of
ARS/Syria. "The economic crisis battering the country has inevitably
affected the Armenian community as well, and the number of families
and scholarship recipients receiving aid from the ARS/Syria social
services has doubled over the past year. We are confident that until
next September, the ARS family will make every possible effort to
assist to the maximum the Syrian-Armenian educational institutions,
thus helping the community itself. We have no doubt, also, that
Armenian communities worldwide, alongside the global ARS entities,
will come to our assistance in other needs as they arise until we
finally come out of this crisis," concluded Ms. Der Hagopian.
Donations may be made to the "Fund for Assistance to Syrian-Armenian
Schools" through all ARS local chapters and Regional offices, as well
as on the ARS, Inc. website (http://www.ars1910.org). All proceeds
will be sent to the ARS/Syria Regional Executive for distribution to
Syrian/Armenian schools, in order to alleviate the financial burden
on the shoulders of the Syrian-Armenian parents.
Javakhk Fund annual gala fundraiser The Armenian Relief Society of
Western USA's (ARS) Javakhk Fund Committee held its eighth annual gala
fundraiser on March 18 aboard the yacht Electra "Crystal/Eternity."
The program highlighted the reasons to stay on course in support of
ARS youth centers and other beneficial programs, particularly for
the Armenian youth in Javakhk.
Following welcoming remarks by promising ARS Javakhk Fund Committee
members Kareen Sassounian and Vache Thomassian, Haigoush Kohler
then introduced the honored guests, including Anahid Stepanian,
representative of the ARF Central Committee, and speakers. Kohler,
the Javakhk Fund Committee Chairperson, detailed the committee's focus
on two projects, the first of which is an illustrated children's
book, Javakhk - A World That Cares, written by Jennifer Salmassian
and recently published in English, with an Armenian version soon
forthcoming. The second is a newly published bilingual brochure
detailing the ARS Javakhk Fund Committee's financially funded programs
and projects benefiting healthcare, education, and youth activities
in Javakhk.
Dr. Nyree Derderian, ARS Regional Executive Board Chairperson, thanked
committee members, representatives of sister organizations, and guests
for their contribution towards the success of this fundraising event.
She reminded of the dismal condition of the Javakhk Armenians in
2001, when the ARS decided to lend a hand. With the help of dedicated
supporters, the ARS was able to establish the youth centers and make
a difference.
Anna Mnatsakanian, coordinator of ARS International Programs in
Yerevan, Armenia, whose responsibilities have included orphans
programs, provided a special perspective regarding the situation
in Javakhk. She noted that orphanages serve different purposes
during different times, but there had not been any need to have any
orphanages, even during the Soviet era in neither Javakhk nor Artsakh.
The extended families took charge of any orphans. In 2005, she
found out that an orphanage had been established by the Georgian
authorities with ethnic Georgian orphans brought in for the purpose
of repopulating the area through orphanages, since settlement of
non-Armenians in the area had not been very successful, as other
ethnicities even buried their dead back in their ethnic enclaves,
instead of Javakhk. Mnatsakanian hoped that the supporters understand
the significance of their contribution in Javakhk.
The keynote speaker was Elizabeth Chouldjian, ANCA Communications
Director in Washington, DC, who had first visited Javakhk in 2003,
and upon subsequent visits, the latest of which was last September,
had witnessed the changes brought by the ARS Youth Centers, as well as
the smoother roads leading to Javakhk funded by U.S. federal foreign
assistance to the Georgian government. Chouldjian provided details of
the challenges faced by Javakhk Armenians in the educational arena,
as well as economic circumstances, which place the unemployed and
underemployed at 40 per cent of the population. She described what she
and Kenneth Hachikian, the ANCA Chairman, accomplished during their
myriad of visits or attempted visits to public and non-governmental
organization (NGO) officials in Tbilisi and Javakhk. They understood
the disconnect between the situation in Javakhk described by the
locals, and the twisted interpretations by officials.
A new approach was initiated to supplement humanitarian assistance,
with the intent to change political realities to better affect
economic development in Javakhk - through better use of U.S. federal
tax dollars, and coupled with private investments.
A video presentation followed the keynote speech, which provided
an overview of ARS programs and comments from leaders in Javakhk,
highlighting the hardships and challenges that affect the day-to-day
life of Armenians in the region, prompting migrations to Russia.
Entertainment was intertwined along with fundraising. Renowned singer
Nersig Isbirian sang Armenian traditional and patriotic favorites and
Jasik Jarahian's up to the minute reporting of the latest donations to
assist the ARS programs in Javakhk were received with great enthusiasm.
At the end of the evening, the yacht for Javakhk sailed smoothly
back to the Newport Bay harbor with dedicated supporters, who remain
steadfast in helping Armenians in Javakhk.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress