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NORTHERN ARMENIA AND KARABAGH
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Telethon 2014 Renews Push to Connect Northern Armenia and Karabagh
By Contributor on October 28, 2014
NEW YORK-Armenia Fund USA recently announced the start of the
telethon campaign season leading up to the Thanksgiving Day live
broadcast. It’s the time of year when donors worldwide show
their support for vital initiatives aimed at making Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabagh good places to live, work, and raise families.
The new Vardenis-Mardakert Highway on the map
The new Vardenis-Mardakert Highway on the map
Last year’s telethon raised more than $22 million to launch the
construction of the Vardenis-Mardakert Highway, designed to connect
communities on the northern border of both Armenia and Karabagh. Yet,
in a departure from previous years, which saw a different project
highlighted with each new telethon, the All Armenian Fund and
its affiliates will once more make this grand-scale project the
campaign’s centerpiece. Given the troubling twists and turns
with Azerbaijan this year, the border hostilities and geopolitical
complications have put national security back on urgent status. It
was decided that a second aggressive push to complete this massive
infrastructure project was warranted.
Construction crew actively building the road.
Construction crew actively building the road.
Khoren Bandazian, the chairman of the board of Armenia Fund USA, put
it into perspective: “Just as the Goris-Stepanakert Highway and
the North-South Highway were indispensable to the national security
and economic development of both republics in the early years of
independence, the 117-kilometer Vardenis-Mardakert Highway will
create access to a now isolated and vulnerable region. By linking
these communities with a modern roadway, we will strengthen economic
activity in the area and also fortify the defense of the region.
That’s why we are asking our Eastern U.S. region constituents
to think strategically and act generously.”
Since breaking ground last year, the reconstruction and renovation
of this critical route has been well under way. Earthworks are being
performed simultaneously across 12 sections of the highway. This
entails blasting rocks, leveling surfaces, widening roads, and
transposing existing engineering structures. In addition, crews are
installing gutters as well as building embankments and crash barriers.
This phase is expected to be completed before the new year, which
will allow for passenger cars to cross from the Gegharkunik region
in Armenia to the Mardakert region in Karabagh. As a result, travel
time will be significantly reduced and community interaction and
cooperation will be facilitated as never before.
Still to come are the final phases, including paving roadways and
installing traffic signage, painting lane indicators, and building
rest stations, due to be implemented with the funds raised from the
Telethon 2014 campaign.
Prior to the broadcast, Armenia Fund USA will reach out to Eastern
Region communities with a direct mail campaign soliciting “early
bird” donations, which can be contributed by phone, online, or
regular mail. These funds will be combined with those raised during
the broadcast and included in the final tally to be announced at the
end of the telethon broadcast.
To support this effort without delay or to see the telethon
broadcast schedule and participating TV channels in your area, visit
www.armeniafundusa.org or call toll-free 1-866-446-6237.
http://armenianweekly.com/2014/10/28/telethon-2014-renews-push-connect-north
ern-armenia-karabagh/
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Telethon 2014 Renews Push to Connect Northern Armenia and Karabagh
By Contributor on October 28, 2014
NEW YORK-Armenia Fund USA recently announced the start of the
telethon campaign season leading up to the Thanksgiving Day live
broadcast. It’s the time of year when donors worldwide show
their support for vital initiatives aimed at making Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabagh good places to live, work, and raise families.
The new Vardenis-Mardakert Highway on the map
The new Vardenis-Mardakert Highway on the map
Last year’s telethon raised more than $22 million to launch the
construction of the Vardenis-Mardakert Highway, designed to connect
communities on the northern border of both Armenia and Karabagh. Yet,
in a departure from previous years, which saw a different project
highlighted with each new telethon, the All Armenian Fund and
its affiliates will once more make this grand-scale project the
campaign’s centerpiece. Given the troubling twists and turns
with Azerbaijan this year, the border hostilities and geopolitical
complications have put national security back on urgent status. It
was decided that a second aggressive push to complete this massive
infrastructure project was warranted.
Construction crew actively building the road.
Construction crew actively building the road.
Khoren Bandazian, the chairman of the board of Armenia Fund USA, put
it into perspective: “Just as the Goris-Stepanakert Highway and
the North-South Highway were indispensable to the national security
and economic development of both republics in the early years of
independence, the 117-kilometer Vardenis-Mardakert Highway will
create access to a now isolated and vulnerable region. By linking
these communities with a modern roadway, we will strengthen economic
activity in the area and also fortify the defense of the region.
That’s why we are asking our Eastern U.S. region constituents
to think strategically and act generously.”
Since breaking ground last year, the reconstruction and renovation
of this critical route has been well under way. Earthworks are being
performed simultaneously across 12 sections of the highway. This
entails blasting rocks, leveling surfaces, widening roads, and
transposing existing engineering structures. In addition, crews are
installing gutters as well as building embankments and crash barriers.
This phase is expected to be completed before the new year, which
will allow for passenger cars to cross from the Gegharkunik region
in Armenia to the Mardakert region in Karabagh. As a result, travel
time will be significantly reduced and community interaction and
cooperation will be facilitated as never before.
Still to come are the final phases, including paving roadways and
installing traffic signage, painting lane indicators, and building
rest stations, due to be implemented with the funds raised from the
Telethon 2014 campaign.
Prior to the broadcast, Armenia Fund USA will reach out to Eastern
Region communities with a direct mail campaign soliciting “early
bird” donations, which can be contributed by phone, online, or
regular mail. These funds will be combined with those raised during
the broadcast and included in the final tally to be announced at the
end of the telethon broadcast.
To support this effort without delay or to see the telethon
broadcast schedule and participating TV channels in your area, visit
www.armeniafundusa.org or call toll-free 1-866-446-6237.
http://armenianweekly.com/2014/10/28/telethon-2014-renews-push-connect-north
ern-armenia-karabagh/