FPWC
Foundation for the Presevation of Wildlife and Culture
Nr. 5, Byron Street
Yerevan
Republic of Armenia
375009
Tel: 00374 10 529340
Fax: 00374 10 564484
December 5, 2014
Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC)
Contact: Syuzanna Petrosyan
[email protected], +374 77 933772
On December 3, British Ambassador to Armenia Katherine Leach, Deputy
Mayor of Yerevan Aram Sukiasyan, and Yerevan Zoo Director Ruben
Khachatryan came together to mark the opening of an inclusive swing for
disabled children, on the International Day of People with Disability.
The swing was donated to the Yerevan Zoo by the Armenian British
Business Chamber and Rotary Club of Yerevan; their representatives also
attended the event.
`The Yerevan Zoo should be accessible to children of all abilities and
this is one of the initiatives towards that goal. I am happy to thank
the British community in Armenia for their support,’ said Mr. Sukiasyan.
The event marked the start of the `Playground for All Children’
crowdfunding campaign, the aim of which is to build Armenia’s first
inclusive playground for thousands of disabled children in the country.
The campaign is initiated by the Foundation for the Preservation of
Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) and the Yerevan Zoo.
`For us, `The Playground for All Children’ is more than just another
improvement of zoo infrastructure. It will be the first inclusive
playground in Armenia, which will also be accessible for children with
special needs. We believe that this is an important step towards
bringing respect and accountability for these `invisible’ children. We
hope that the Yerevan Zoo will turn into a model for social integration
– a space, which will be free of society’s artificial barriers and
stereotypes. And of course, it will be a happy place for all children in
Armenia,’ said Yerevan Zoo director Ruben Khacatryan.
Ambassador Leach encouraged all individuals, businesses, and
organizations to support the initiative however they can. `This is the
beginning of a very important campaign and I would like to urge everyone
to join this campaign to help build the inclusive playground for all
children of Armenia,’ she stated.
The lack of awareness for their special needs has left many disabled
children and their families at the margins of society. A recent study by
UNICEF reveals that the segregation of disabled children in Armenia is
in many ways linked to the problem that the general public still
perceives it as impossible to integrate mentally as well as physically
handicapped persons in normal life. This playground aims to provide a
space for integration. It will promote an inclusive approach on all
levels of the society by dismantling societal barriers that have kept
these children segregated for years.
The `Playground for All Children’ will be a tangible step towards more
respect for the 8000 registered disabled children in the country. The
campaign will be facilitated through the U.S. based Global Giving online
platform through which anyone, anywhere in the world can contribute. To
learn more, please visit
About FPWC
Established in 2002, FPWC is Armenia’s leading foundation for the
protection and conservation of the country’s unique natural heritage.
Working at the crossroads of wildlife protection, environmental
education, as well as community and infrastructure development, the
foundation emphasizes the involvement of rural populations in the
sustainable development of Armenia. In all its projects, FPWC advocates
for mutual respect between human beings, the natural environment, and
cultural heritage, as these are indispensable conditions for the
positive development of Armenia.
From: A. Papazian