Save the Children in partnership with the British Embassy in Armenia will organize a photo exhibition on the occasion of the World Refugee Day on June 20, 2015, at 11:00 AM, at Sargis Muradyan Gallery in Yerevan.
The event will be attended by the UK Ambassador in Armenia Katherine Leach, Representatives of the Ministry of Diaspora, Ministry of Emergency Situations and Local Self Government, Members of Armenian Parliament, Yerevan Municipality, other government agencies, Syrian refugees and civil society representatives.
The world we live in today has more people displaced by conflict than any time since the Second World War. According to UNHCR, there are more than 50 million refugees around the world, half of which are women and children. With this event, we aim to build empathy by reminding the public about who refugees are and why they need our help.
The exhibition will tell the story of inclusiveness, humanitarian aid, spirit of volunteerism and tolerance. The photos will share the memories and results of Save the Children’s assistance to refugees in Armenia. The cornerstone of the exhibition will be archive photos of Save the Children support provided to Armenian refugees in Syria (who fled Turkey) after World War I, and the assistance that is currently provided to their fourth generation who has taken refuge from Syria to Armenia.
This historical perspective has become possible with the support of the British Embassy in Armenia and the London-based Centre for Armenian Information & Advice Hayashen, who kindly provided the archive photos.
“In May 1919 Save the Children was set up by two extraordinary British sisters, who felt that they could not stand by while refugee children were left destitute and starving after WW1. Their determination and fundraising efforts saved the lives of thousands of children, including many Armenian children in Syria and the Soviet Union. I’m delighted we can tell this story today – and highlight the vital work Save the Children is still doing in Armenia and across the world as a global champion of children’s rights,” says Kathy Leach, the British Ambassador to Armenia.
“This event is not only about the forced journey of the Armenian nation, but also about the evolution of Save the Children to become a helping hand for children in 120 countries of the world,” says Arsen Stepanyan, Save the Children Armenia Country Director.