Author: Badalian Vardan

EUROVISION
Quatre pays renoncent à l’Eurovision, mais l’Arménie revient

STOCKHOLM, 2012 (AFP) – Quatre pays ont renoncé à participer au
concours de l’Eurovision 2013, dont le Portugal qui a invoqué des
raisons budgétaires, tandis que la Grèce sera présente en Suède, ont
annoncé vendredi les organisateurs.
Par rapport aux participants du concours 2012 qui avait eu lieu en
Azerbaïdjan, l’édition 2013, prévue à Malmö du 14 au 18 mai, se fera
sans la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le Portugal, la Slovaquie et la Turquie.
Les trois premiers `ont invoqué des raisons économiques`, tandis que
la Turquie s’est plainte de `modifications du règlement`, a précisé
dans un communiqué l’Union européenne de radio-télévision. En
revanche, l’Arménie revient après avoir renoncé, officiellement pour
raisons de sécurité, à l’édition 2012 organisée par son voisin.
Au total, `39 diffuseurs ont signé`, s’est félicitée l’UER, dont ERT,
chaîne publique grecque. La Grèce, qui vit l’une des plus graves
crises économiques de son histoire, avait laissé plané le doute ces
derniers mois. L’UER, se disant `sensible aux pressions économiques
auxquelles sont confrontés ses membres`, a expliqué qu’elle cherchait
`constamment des moyens de réduire les coûts à la fois pour les
diffuseurs participants et pour l’hôte`.

samedi 22 décembre 2012,
Ara ©armenews.com

L’Yonne Républicaine, France
Jeudi 20 Décembre 2012
Sud Edition

Un Noël vraiment sans frontières

HAUT NIVERNAIS; CLAMECY

Demandeurs d’asile résidant à Clamecy, ils ont des croyances
religieuses et des traditions culturelles diverses. Mais Hier, ils
étaient tous heureux de prendre un repas de fin d’année en commun.

Sur le buffet, les mets appétissants invitent au voyage : beignets,
tartes salées, plats composés, gteaux et ptisseries du Kosovo, du
Sri Lanka, d’Arménie ou d’Égypte. Les participants à la fête sont des
demandeurs d’asile, qui ont fui leur pays où ils étaient en danger.
Pris en charge à Clamecy, par le Centre d’accueil aux demandeurs
d’asile (Cada), ils se sont retrouvés tous ensemble, hier, à la salle
Colas-Breugnon, pour un repas de fin d’année sans frontières, qu’ils
ont eux-mêmes préparé.

D’une famille à l’autre, les confessions religieuses et les traditions
culturelles divergent. Tous n’ont pas l’habitude de fêter Noël. Mais
tous sont heureux de manger à la même table et de faire des
rencontres. Bekim, un père de famille kosovar, affiche un large
sourire en tentant d’exprimer sa satisfaction en français. Sa fille,
Besiana, traduit : « C’est une belle journée. Nous avons pu discuter
avec des gens d’autres pays. Chez nous, au Kosovo, il y a aussi une
fête avec les cadeaux, mais elle a lieu le soir du 31 décembre. »

Idem en Arménie. Ou au Congo. « Dans mon pays, ce n’est pas toujours
facile de manger, mais les gens économisent toute l’année pour
partager un bon repas, avec des cadeaux, à l’occasion du Nouvel An »,
témoigne un Congolais, qui, au bout d’un parcours angoissant, a obtenu
le statut de réfugié politique. Et qui savoure ce moment de fête et
d’échange, en compagnie de son épouse et de ses enfants.

Ces derniers, comme tous les autres bambins, ont attendu le Père Noël.
Il est venu, vers 14 h, déclenchant un joyeux brouhaha dans la salle.
Chaque enfant (une trentaine) a reçu un cadeau. Un jouet pour les plus
petits, un bon d’achat pour les adolescents.

« À chaque fin d’année, nous proposons un rendez-vous en commun »,
détaille Christelle Méoli, directrice adjointe du Cada. « La structure
dispose en effet de neuf places d’hébergement pour les plus fragilisés
mais sinon, les familles sont hébergées dans des appartements. Elles
sont suivies par le Cada en moyenne durant au moins deux ans. Les
procédures administratives pour étudier leur situation sont
compliquées et longues. Durant cette période, elles n’ont pas souvent
l’occasion de rencontrer du monde. » Le repas d’hier a égayé un
quotidien fait d’attente et d’incertitude. Mais aussi d’espoir.

« Je remercie vraiment le Cada », insiste Garib, un Arménien, entouré
de sa femme, Ripsik, et de sa fille, Tatévik.

« Quand je suis arrivé en France, j’avais un problème au coeur. J’ai
été soigné et aidé grce au Cada. Aujourd’hui, nous pouvons faire la
fête tous ensemble, avec les autres familles. C’est un beau moment. »

Jean-Mathias Joly

Aar-Bote (Germany)
Mittwoch 19. Dezember 2012

Im Land der Boxer und Bergseen;
LESUNG Die armenische Autorin Agapi Mkrtchian bringt Fünftklässlern
ihr Heimatland näher

LOKALES AAR
Von Thorsten Stötzer

BAD SCHWALBACH . Armenien steht an diesem Vormittag im Mittelpunkt
einer besonderen Veranstaltung für alle Fünftklässler der NAO-Schule.
Doch die Autorin Agapi Mkrtchian spricht nicht nur über staatstragende
Dinge, sondern beleuchtet auch den Alltag in dem kaukasischen Land.
Die Vorliebe für lange lagerbares Weißbrot aus Tonöfen spielt dabei
etwa eine Rolle.

Neuland für die Kinder

Der Sport bildet ebenso einen Ansatzpunkt: Bilder der Boxer Arthur
Abraham und Susi Kentikian, die beide aus Armenien stammen,
präsentiert Mkrtchian. Sie selbst lebt heute als Lehrerin und
Schriftstellerin in Wiesbaden und unterrichtet die deutsche Sprache.
“An jenem weißen Abend” heißt das Buch, aus dem die Autorin vorliest.
Sie verstehe sich als “Botschafterin” ihres Heimatlandes, betont sie.

Sonst besteht Mkrtchians Publikum meist aus Erwachsenen. “Armenien ist
für die Kinder Neuland”, ist ihr klar, wenngleich es in Bad Schwalbach
einige Schüler gibt, deren Familienbiografien mit dem fernen Land
zusammenhängen. Um einen Eindruck zu geben, hat sich die Referentin
des Tages gegen eine klassische Lesung entschieden und setzt
stattdessen auf Dialog und Arbeitsblätter.

Über den “Literaturclub der Frauen aus aller Welt” entstand der
Kontakt Mkrtchians zum Förderverein der NAO-Schule. Der organisiert
und bezahlt in jedem Jahr eine Veranstaltung zur Leseförderung für die
Fünftklässler, erklärt die Vereinsvorsitzende Barbara Micket, die
zugleich die Schulbücherei leitet. Im nächsten Schuljahr steht dann
ein bundesweiter Lese-Wettbewerb an.

In drei Blöcken erleben diesmal insgesamt sieben Klassen das Programm.
Soziale Komponenten stecken ebenfalls in dem Konzept. “Kontaktangst
abbauen”, nennt Micket als ein Ziel, die Akzeptanz für andere Kulturen
soll wachsen. Einen Eindruck von armenischer Landestracht bietet Agapi
Mkrtchian selbst, denn sie trägt ein Gewand, dessen rote Farbe die
Erde symbolisieren soll und zu dem christliche Insignien gehören.

Fremdes Alphabet

Die NAO-Schüler lernen so einiges dazu. “Wir wussten noch nix über
Armenien”, sagen Till Holzhausen und Joshua Peiter. Am stärksten
beeindruckt hat sie die Schilderung über einen Bergsee am Ararat. “Die
Flagge habe ich gekannt, sonst ist eigentlich alles neu”, meint
Maximilian Bartsch. Das Interesse ist geweckt und vielleicht will
mancher später einmal ein Buch zum Thema lesen.

Die armenischen Schuluniformen werden als markanter Unterschied
wahrgenommen. Allgemein finden aber die deutschen Schüler, dass die
Gegensätze so groß nicht sind. Eines möchten sie allerdings auf keinen
Fall eintauschen: Die 39 Buchstaben des armenischen Alphabets
schrecken ab. Lieber lassen sich die Mädchen und Jungen ihre Vornamen
von Agapi Mkrtchian auf Blätter oder Unterarme schreiben.

Armenia’s Roadway Police Could Save Lives But Prefer Making Money
Daniel Ioannisyan

17:45, December 21, 2012

Armenia traffic police periodically declare that they are paying
special attention to roadway fatality statistics.

Citing their readiness to do their utmost to decrease the number on
traffic deaths, the cops are busily engaged in installing speed
cameras here and there throughout the country. Consequently, the
number of fines handed out to unaware motorists is on the uptick.

We have already spoken about the fact that the installation of speed
camera without proper notification flies in the face of a promise made
by the National Assembly.

But let’s get real for a moment and accept the fact that speeding
isn’t the only factor leading to roadway fatalities.

Primary reasons for fatalities

There are numerous factors leading to roadway fatalities or serious
traffic injuries. International studies have proved that speeding, on
average, accounts for a mere 5-10% of road accidents. For example,
going faster than the posted speed limit only accounted for 1.5% of
all road accidents in Russia in 2011.

Thus, if the police install a speed camera every few meters, the
number of road fatalities will not drop.

International experience shows that seat belts can drastically reduce
the number of fatalities, in addition to well-maintained roadways and
road signs. Annual inspections of the cars being driven is another way
to cut down on accidents.

We all are aware that in Armenia traffic lights, signs and pavement
markings at intersections are ill-planned and often cause violations
and accidents.

As for auto inspections in Armenia, everyone knows that the prime
minister’s initiative in this regard is just another way to collect
taxes and fees.

May licensed drivers aren’t even aware of the `rules of the road’ and
safety measures to be followed. People drive by reflex, as if they
were riding a bicycle, and not according to accepted norms.

Seat belts can save lives

Studies have shown that seat belts can save lives in the following situations

Frontal crash – If seat belts are worn, passengers in the front have a
60% chance of surviving and rear passengers 30%.
Sideways crash – There’s a 45% probability that the driver and all
passengers will live.
Rollovers – There’s an 85% probability that the driver and all
passengers will survive.
In middle impact crashes, seat belts can save the driver and front
seat passenger 65% of the time and rear passengers around 55%

In other words, if one fine day everyone started to wear seatbelts the
number of road fatalities (not counting pedestrians hit by cars) would
drop by some 60%

By law, drivers and passengers (front and rear) have been required to
wear seatbelts as far back as the 1970s in the Soviet Union. The same
law applied after Armenia’s independence. Bit Armenia’s roadway police
only started issuing tickets to violators a few years ago.

Nevertheless, we all know that many drivers merely wrap the black belt
over the chest without buckling it. This sleight of hand seems to
satisfy roadway cops that the driver is `buckled-up’. Inspectors never
seem to pay attention to passengers sitting in the rear, in
contravention to the law.

In summing up, we can safely say that some 80-90% of motorists and
their passengers do not attach their seatbelts. This translates into a
2.5 fold increase that an accident will result in fatalities. This
doesn’t seem to worry road police in Armenia.

Road police are engaged in business

Given such a situation, it is of primary importance to reinstitute the
proper auto inspections. Motorist should be obliged to use snow tires
in the winter. Tests for a driver’s license need to be stricter and
steps need to be taken to ensure that licenses aren’t issued just
because an applicant bribes the instructor. The country’s roads could
be better maintained as well.

If such measures are taken, including the monitoring of obligatory
seatbelt use by all, the number of fatalities and injured could be
decreased by a factor of three. Sadly, roadway police are more
interested in handing out tickets left and right.

The mission of the cops to collect fines has become such a priority
that they are even deceiving the National Assembly and intersections
have been transformed into violation facilitators,

It all goes to prove that the unannounced installation of speed
cameras by the roadway police is more about collecting money from
motorists rather than saving lives.

Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
IWPR Caucasus Reporting #670
Dec 21 2012

Karabakh War Disabled Claim Shabby Treatment in Azerbaijan

Soldiers left permanently disabled by 1990s war say they don’t get the
care they are entitled to.

By Gular Mehdizadeh – Caucasus

Azerbaijan veterans from the Nagorny Karabakh war of the early 1990s
say they are often denied the free medical care and drugs they should
be eligible to claim.

Sumgait resident Ulfat Mammadsalahov, 40, was injured while fighting
in the Kelbajar district, which the Armenians captured in April 1993.
He lost the toes on his left foot, he still has stitches in his head,
and he is losing the cartilage in his leg.

`There are never any places free in the rehabilitation centres when I
contact them,’ he told IWPR. `That means I have to go to other
hospitals, but there are no services for the disabled there.’

There are 11,500 registered Karabakh veterans in Azerbaijan, and they
are entitled to free treatment there are 13 designated centres.

Officials acknowledge that former combatants are sometimes turned away
from treatment centres, but say this is because everyone wants to go
to the capital Baku, while rehabilitation centres in other parts of
the country often have unused places.

Saadat Yunisgizi, head doctor at the national Centre for Disabled
Rehabilitation, confirmed that places were hard to come by in Baku,
but said this was because people from elsewhere insisted on being
treated in the capital.

`Other medical institutions also send us patients. No one cares
whether we have space or not,’ she said. `It’s mostly people from
remoter areas like Astara, Lerik, Shamkir and Nakhichevan who come.
The ministry has opened excellent rehabilitation centres in the
regions, but for some reason everyone comes here. We can’t turn them
away, but that leaves the people who live here complaining about lack
of places.’

Saday Abdullayev, director of welfare at the Labour and Social Support
Ministry, said many people living in Baku were registered as resident
somewhere else, making it hard for the authorities to get a clear
picture of who lived where.

`No one is left in the regions. Everyone is moving to Baku,’ he said.
`The centres in the regions have modern facilities, each designed to
have capacity for 14 people. The problem is the big influx of people
to the capital.’

Firudin Mammadov, head of the Garabag Gazileri veterans’ group,
disputed the argument that all treatment facilities were up to the
same standard.

`In the regional centres, the treatment isn’t done properly, which is
why people come to the capital,’ he said. `Of course it would be
easier if people got treatment in their own areas. The demand exists,
but there isn’t the treatment.’

By law, the labour ministry is obliged to send the war veterans abroad
for treatment if there are no places available in Azerbaijan.

Abullayev said the government sent 85 veterans to the Crimea in
Ukraine and 30 to Bulgaria for treatment this year.

`We have a lot of applicants, so we try to send everyone in turn,’ he said.

Ilham Maharramov is among those who have travelled to Ukraine, but he
remains unhappy with care levels in Azerbaijan.

`I will be disabled for the rest of my whole life. My sole desire is
to live independently,’ he said. `Once a year the state pays for me to
go to a rehabilitation centre in Ukraine. Conditions at the centres
here are poor.

`I buy the medicines I need myself. A week ago I got back from
Ukraine, and received a bill for 120 manats [for medicines]. I had to
buy everything myself, although the state provides money for the
treatment of veterans.’

As he is in the highest category of disabled, Maharramov receives 273
manats a month in welfare and disablement payments. With more than 30
pieces of shrapnel remaining in his body, he spends 250 to 300 manats
on medicine and medical care every month, leaving him with nothing to
live on.

Azerbaijan’s ministries of health and labour declined to give figures
for how much they spend on disabled people, saying only that they
covered the costs of medicines, accommodation and transport for war
veterans.

Rovshan Agayev, an economist with the Society for Assisting Economic
Initiatives, says spending levels need to increase.

`The welfare support given to disabled people doesn’t add up to half
the minimum amount required to survive, as defined by the state
itself,’ he said. `Disabled people have more outgoings than others. So
in view of that, their benefits are too low.’

Mammadsalahov was initially listed as `category two’ disabled, which
includes people with serious but not critical disabilities. He has
since been reclassified as category three, for those whose
disabilities are not so limiting.

`They explained this was because of an improvement in my health. When
I was in the second category, I received 210 manats [260 US dollars]
plus welfare benefits. Now I get 50 manats welfare and 90 manats for
being disabled. That’s 140 manats altogether, which isn’t enough to
feed my family.’

Gular Mehdizadeh is a freelance journalist in Azerbaijan.

AL-Monitor – The Pulse of the Middle East
Dec 21 2012

Hollande Criterion May be Key to Armenian Issue

French President Francois Hollande holds the key of Algiers before a
walk in the street in Algiers December 19, 2012. Part of his trip was
to try to heal wounds left by a bloody war of independence half a
century ago. (photo by REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer)

By: Erdal Safak. Translated from Sabah (Turkey).

You can’t achieve anything by trying to keep it secret, by forgetting,
or even worse, by denying something like the 132-year-long shackling
of Algeria under a system of diabolical injustice and savagery. To
accept the realities and to expose them is an obligation. That is why
archives must be opened to historians.

This was the essence of French President Francois Hollande’s speech to
the Algerian parliament. To summarize in one sentence, Hollande says,
`France acknowledges the massacres it carried out in Algeria but is
not apologizing.’ In other words, `Yes to acknowledgement, no to
apology.’ He ended the subject: `Come, let’s leave it to historians to
determine the facts.’

This Hollande criterion could be a key to solving the issue of of
Armenian deportations, a heavy burden that exhausts Turkey.

What about Turkey saying: `’Turkey, Armenia and other countries that
have documents related to the deportations period should open their
archives. A mixed commission of historians should be set up. This
commission should have full access to all archives…’

But there has been no positive response to this call from Armenia or
friends like Germany, Britain, France, Russia or the US, all of which
have a substantial number of documents related to that period.

Why does Hollande want archives to be opened to historians? Because a
major part of French documents on Algeria’s independence war is under
lock, per French regulation that sensitive documents related to the
security of the state cannot be made public for 50 years.

Similarly, Algeria is not opening its archives to historians. Both
sides were brutal, both sides massacred in that war. Isn’t the lack of
response to Turkey’s call to `let everyone open their archives’ a
result of the fact that everyone had guilt in the Armenian
deportations?

Hollande had been following a consistent attitude to Turkey’s possible
membership in the EU. He always had one condition: `Turkey can’t enter
the EU unless it recognizes the Armenian genocide.’

Fine, let’s agree to his condition with his own formula: `Yes to
acknowledgement, no to apology.’

But to acknowledge, facts must be uncovered first. This requires
opening the archives.

Then, let’s ask all the powers of that era, led by France, `Are you game?’

Experts’ Club, Georgia
Dec 20 2012

Armenian citizen detained for visiting the occupied territory

20/12/2012 11:55

As a result of investigative and operational activities workers of
the main investigation and operational department in the city of Poti
detained citizen of Armenia Avetik Benekovich Chteyan for violation of
the law on the occupied territories. On December 12, 2012 he illegally
crossed the Psou section of the Georgian-Russian border and entered
the territory of Abkhazia.

Investigation is under way regarding this fact.

Los Angeles Times, CA
Dec 20 2012

Latin American nations among the most upbeat, poll finds

Latin American countries are among the most upbeat in the world, while
Singapore, Armenia and Iraq fall at the bottom in `positive emotions,’
according to a Gallup poll released this week.

Researchers who surveyed people in 148 countries found that Panama,
Paraguay, El Salvador and Venezuela landed at the top when people were
asked whether they had smiled, laughed and felt respected, rested and
other positive emotions the previous day. In Panama and Paraguay, 85%
of those surveyed said they felt such emotions the day before; only
46% said the same in Singapore.

Though many wealthy countries ranked high in positive emotions,
including Denmark and Norway, they lagged some poorer nations such as
Guatemala and Ecuador. Affluent Singapore, meanwhile, ranks on the
higher side in other happiness studies, yet Gallup found it to be the
least upbeat. The jumbled results challenge simple maxims about what
makes people feel good.

`This is so different from the way we usually explain the human
condition’ using unemployment and other economic measures, said Jon
Clifton, a partner at Gallup who analyzed the data. `But who are the
best experts on the condition of a country? It’s the people
themselves.’

The Gallup rankings also differ strikingly from other studies on
global happiness, which usually rank wealthy nations such as Denmark
and Norway at the top.

Experts singled out several reasons that the `positive emotions’ poll
might differ from happiness studies. Gallup asked people what they
felt yesterday; other happiness surveys ask them to look at their
lives as a whole. People may delight in moments of joy, yet feel
dissatisfied with their situation.

`Your underlying sense of security, your ability to feed your family
in a reliable way — these are powerful forces that show up in life
satisfaction,’ said Andrew J. Oswald, a University of Warwick
economics professor. `The joys of life may be spread around…. That
doesn’t mean that people are equally happy.’

People may also hit tremendous highs, only to later sink to depressing
lows. Gallup found that people in the Philippines ranked high for
positive emotions but also were likely to feel emotions such as anger,
stress and sadness. Several experts said the scattered results pointed
to cultural differences.

In Latin America, `the cultural values are consistent with a view that
one ought to be optimistic, one should be upbeat and express positive
views,’ said Mitchell Seligson, director of the Latin American Public
Opinion Project at Vanderbilt University.

On top of that, growing economies and a shrinking gap between rich and
poor are fueling even more optimism, despite the fact that Latin
America is less affluent than many other parts of the world, Seligson
said.

`When people in Honduras think about their happiness, they’re not
comparing themselves to someone in Paris or London. They’re thinking
about their fellow Hondurans,’ he said.

Not all Latin American countries surveyed were ranked high in the
Gallup poll: Haiti landed near the bottom in positive emotions, as it
has in studies done by the Latin American Public Opinion Project. The
highest-ranked countries also included several outside Latin America,
including Thailand and Canada.

Happiness studies have become a topic of study among economists
seeking to improve life around the world, as well as governments
hoping to boost their rankings on such charts.

In China, the quest for xingfu has become a government preoccupation,
with cities competing to exceed one another in happiness. It fell on
the upper end of the Gallup poll, tied with the United States, Sweden,
Chile and Swaziland. The U.S. and Britain have also introduced
measures to gauge quality of life, following in the footsteps of
Bhutan, which pioneered the idea of `gross national happiness.’

Stacking countries against one another is one way that researchers
have sought to explore how wealth and happiness are connected. Yet
trying to compare countries on the opposite ends of the world has
raised questions: Even if Russians and Nigerians feel the same way, do
they describe it the same way? Are some people less likely to call
themselves happy — even if they really are?

Simply describing emotions can become complicated from country to
country. `Individualistic cultures like the U.S. really value feeling
excited and energetic, whereas more collectivist states value calmness
and serenity,’ said June Gruber, director of the Yale Positive Emotion
and Psychopathology Lab. That means when Gallup asks people about
enjoyment, for instance, `it’s hard to know what it means.’

Some cultural differences have already surfaced in studies. When asked
to measure their lives on a scale of 1 to 10, Japanese people are less
likely to choose 10 than Americans are, said John Helliwell,
co-director of a program on social interactions, identity and
well-being at the Canadian Institute of Advanced Research. Educated
people also tend to be less likely to choose extremes, he said.

Gruber cautioned, however, that the growing obsession with global
happiness could be misguided. Too much happiness can leave a person
unable to empathize and put them at risk for mood disorders, Gruber
said; the obsession with getting it can actually set people up to be
unhappy.

`All the wonderful benefits we know about can unravel,’ Gruber said.
`Is it really the best thing to be at the top?’

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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 20 2012

Armenian former PM to run for president

20 December 2012 – 3:06pm

Grant Bagratyan, Armenian former Prime Minister and currently a member
of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) said on Facebook that he will
run for president.

The issue will be discussed at the Freedom Party’s assembly on December 24.

If Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the ANC and former President of
Armenia, decides to run for president, Bagratyan will quit the idea.

Armenia will have presidential polls on February 18, 2013.
Introduction of candidates will take place on December 25 – January 4.
Registration of candidates will take place on January 4-14,
campaigning will take place from January 21 to 12 am on February 16.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan of the Republican Party is the
favourite. He has had no major competitors since Gagik Tsarukyan,
leader of Prosperous Armenia, quit the campaign.

International Business Times
Dec 20 2012

Digital Innovation Agency SarkissianMason’s Charitable Foundation
ONEArmenia Launches Second Campaign

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — SarkissianMason, a digital
innovations agency known for their dedication to social good and
charitable causes, has just launched the second fundraising
installment of ONEArmenia, a first-of-its-kind initiative for the
developing nation that bears its name.

After successfully funding their initial effort -a kindergarten in the
Armenian village of Moshatagh, whose construction begins in March- the
organization now turns its attention to bringing clean drinking water
to the nearly 500 people in and around the village of Karotan. By
diverting clean water from a nearby spring into a simple concrete
basin, the risk of water-borne illness will be significantly reduced.
Additionally, the funded project will provide jobs to local residents
during its two-month construction period. Learn more about the Gift of
Water campaign here:

ONEArmenia has its aim set on breaking down the growing cynicism
around donating to charitable causes in Armenia, a nation where nearly
36% of the population lives under the global poverty line. The
non-profit platform takes the many disparate charities looking to
empower and aid the people of Armenia, and funnels them through a
central repository to more efficiently affect change. ONEArmenia also
acts as a voice for a growing population of disaffected youths who’ve
grown frustrated with a corrupt government and socio-economic
disparities.

ONEArmenia also aims to create a new standard in transparent giving: a
key aspect of the foundation – and a key differentiator from other
cause-based startups – is its complete and total transparency, with
each project’s status updated and posted to the site weekly. Each
individual initiative is funded through an Indiegogo campaign.

About SarkissianMason

What differentiates SarkissianMason (SM) is our dedication to digital
innovation. In addition to delivering digital campaigns for Makeup
Forever, Ferragamo, and Zappos, among others, over the past five years
we have dedicated 25% of our profit and time to building digital
products that drive consumer and social engagement.

SM has honed a proprietary method of innovation that creates
technological products that fill unmet consumer needs. Their
innovation process is highly collaborative and has delivered positive
market disruption for brands like Ford, Enterprise, Revlon and others.

Contact:

John DeCicco
E: [email protected]
M: 917 941 8773

SOURCE SarkissianMason

Original Source: