Author: Lilit Nahapetian

AW: COAF’s Summer Soirée raises $125K for Child & Family Center in Artsakh

Lilit Nahapetian
July 6, 2022 Children of Armenia Fund Nonprofit News 0

12th Annual COAF Summer Soiree

NEW YORK — The 12th Annual Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) Summer Soirée, held last last month in New York City, raised $125,000 for the establishment of a Child & Family Center in Stepanakert, Artsakh, an initiative dedicated to rebuilding and transforming the post-war population of the capital where many have found refuge from regions of Artsakh under Azeri control.

The event’s contributions will build upon the $150K generously donated earlier this year by benefactors Victor Zarougian and Judith Saryan of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Child and Family Center will aim to confront barriers to mental and social care in Artsakh, where notably, early childhood development and social support are generally lacking.

COAF has always emphasized the importance of providing psychosocial support as well as early childhood education as a critical component of its rural development efforts. Over the past 16 years, COAF’s Child & Family Services have offered psychological, social, and speech therapy services and child development programs to over 6,500 children in more than 20 overlooked rural communities across Armenia. Since the opening of its inaugural Child & Family Center in the village of Hatsik (Armavir Province) in 2021, COAF has been providing access to life-changing resources needed to meet the needs of rural populations, thereby improving the quality of their lives. The Hatsik Center has so far served more than 150 individuals in Hatsik and surrounding communities. COAF’s expansion into Artsakh will allow children and families suffering from displacement, PTSD and other war-related afflictions to receive the support necessary to build better, more sustainable futures. 

“By promoting children’s mental and educational development, COAF aims to have a lasting, positive impact on the personal growth and academic trajectory of an entire generation of Armenians,” says COAF managing director Korioun Khatchadourian. “Thanks to generous participation at this year’s soirée, we will be able to replicate the success achieved in Armavir, leveraging our resources and expertise to confront the developmental challenges of 250+ children and adults in Artsakh.”

The Soirée also marked COAF’s return to in-person events, following a pandemic hiatus, and successfully brought together over 225 guests from across the United States. Notably, the fundraiser received support from US-based Armenian businesses and influencers, including Tacori jewelry and the clothing brand WearArmenia, both of whom offered merchandise for sale or for raffle, with all profits donated to COAF. Guests were also able to enjoy a tasting of the fruits of Armenia’s viticulture movement, provided by Storica Wines. The event was centered by an inspiring speech, given by 20-year-old COAF alumna Milena Antonyan, who traveled from the rural village of Arteni to share her story of ambition and success with a New York audience. Milena grew up with COAF from the age of seven and took part in various programs, including English language classes and debate clubs offered by COAF at her local school. She went on to receive a Jack and Zarig Youredjian Scholarship and recently graduated from law school in Yerevan. 

President of COAF Board Diron Jebejian, COAF beneficiary Milena Antonyan from Armenia, COAF Senior Director of Development Haig Boyadjian

COVID-19: Armenia reports 174 new cases within a week

Lilit Nahapetian

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 12:52, 4 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. 174 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one week, the ministry of health said.

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 423,417.

4992 tests were conducted within a week.

No death case has been registered. The death toll stands at 8626.

The number of recoveries rose by 62, bringing the total to 412,817.

The number of active cases is 290.

Sports: Armenian team celebrate confident victory

Lilit Nahapetian
NEWS.am
Armenia – June 29 2022

The Armenian men’s basketball team got off to a winning start at the European Small Countries Championship in Malta.

The Armenian team led by Rex Kalamian in the first match had a confident win over Gibraltar – 100-63.

The American player of French champion ASVEL Lyon Chris Jones made his debut for the Armenian team.

Azerbaijani press: Discovery Channel devotes footage to Azerbaijan’s liberated Aghdam city (VIDEO)

Lilit Nahapetian
Politics Materials 1 July 2022 17:49


BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1. Discovery Channel has devoted footage to Azerbaijan’s liberated Aghdam city, Trend reports.

As the video noted, the once blossoming Aghdam has turned into a desolate ghost town as a result of the 30-year Armenian occupation.

The footage emphasized that no trace remained of the city’s former appearance, where life was once in full swing.

“Arriving in the city, you can see only the ruins today,” the author said.

However, the report outlined that after the victorious 44-day second Karabakh war, has resulted in the liberation of Aghdam after 30 years of Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan keeps contributing to the development and restoration of these territories.

“The city will be completely livened up in the near future,” the footage stated.

Armenpress: ‘We love you Armenia’ – 50 Cent performs in Yerevan

Lilit Nahapetian

‘We love you Armenia’ – 50 Cent performs in Yerevan

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 11:33, 2 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenia hosted American rapper 50 Cent on July 1 at the Hrazdan Stadium within the frames of the Haya Festival.

The rapper performed his best hits such as In Da Club, Candy Shop, P.I.M.P., Ayo Technology, and other songs during the concert. 

Photos by Hayk Badalyan

He reminded that he is in Armenia for the first time, adding that he likes the audience. 

“We love you Armenia”, the rapper said at the end of the concert. 

He was performing with G-Unit band.

Haya Festival was founded in 2022 by Sona Hovhannisyan, the Co-Founder and General Manager of Yerevan Perspectives International Music Festival.

Armenia government replenishes Central Bank capital by providing it interest-free government bills

Lilit Nahapetian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
12:09, 30.06.2022

At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, the government of Armenia made a decision to replace the interest-free on-demand ordinary government bill provided by the government to the Central Bank.

The decision states that taking into account that according to the Central Bank’s consolidated financial statements for 2021, its loss for the reporting year exceeded the amount of reserves by 38,618,777,347 drams, and therefore it is proposed to replace the interest-free on-demand ordinary bill with a face value of 15,776,447,001 drams provided by the government to the Central Bank with a bill of 54,395,224,348 drams.

Yerevan Mayor in France on official visit

Lilit Nahapetian

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 13:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Mayor of Yerevan Hrachya Sargsyan is on an official visit in Marseille, Lyon and Paris at the invitation of the mayors of these cities, the Yerevan City Hall said in a statement.

Hrachya Sargsyan will participate in the events marking the 30th anniversary of Yerevan-Marseille partnership, the 4th Armenian-French decentralized cooperation conference in Lyon, the climate change summit in Abidjan. The Mayor will also have meetings with his counterparts of Marseille, Lyon and Paris.

The Yerevan City Hall’s delegation will also visit a number of city economy management structures.

The visit will end on July 7.

David Babayan: Incident in Parukh is a terrorist act against Russian peacekeepers and Artsakh

Lilit Nahapetian
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 20 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. The fate of Artsakh is under threat. Head of the NKR Foreign Ministry David Babayan stated on June 20 at the presentation of the book “The Karabakh conflict and  the foreign policy of the Republic of Artsakh”, referring to the  invasion of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces into the zone of  responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Parukh.

” Do you love Artsakh? What is Artsakh for you? If you love it, you  must understand what needs to be done that we don’t do any harm. If  we lose Artsakh, there will be no Armenia. Forget it,” he said,  adding that today people walk carelessly around Yerevan, as if  nothing is happening, however, everything can change in a moment, and  on September 26, 2020, people in Stepanakert were also carelessly  going about their daily business.

“You are now saying that the Russian peacekeepers have not fulfilled  their obligations, but do we have the right to reproach, especially  the country on which our security and future depend? This does not  mean at all that nothing depends on us, “But I repeat, Armenians and  Jews can afford to use the Diaspora for the benefit of their country  while maintaining good relations with all countries,” said the NKR  Foreign Minister.

At the same time, he stated that the Armenians have an enemy in the  person of Azerbaijan, where armenophobia is being planted at the  state level. According to him, the Russian peacekeepers also knew  that. “The incident in Parukh is not only a blow to Artsakh, but also  to Russian peacekeepers. And instead of understanding this, we are  also trying to blame. And who benefits from this? Enemy! How can an  Armenian do it in such a way as to hit the same nail like the enemy,”  Babayan was indignant.  At the same time, he stressed that if the  Armenians have good relations with friendly, fraternal Russia, this  does not mean at all that it is necessary to have enmity with other  countries. In this vein, the diplomat once again stressed that the  two Armenian states are obliged to have good relations with all  states where there is a Diaspora.  “The incident in Parukh is a  terrorist act, an attack on Russian peacekeepers and Artsakh. And  this will not go unanswered, and it does not matter when. In general,  terrorism will not go unanswered,” the NKR Foreign Minister said.

Concerning the future fate of the Russian peacekeeping mission,  Babayan expressed his conviction that they would continue their  activities. “And here the question is not Azerbaijan’s desire. If the  issue is not resolved, what will they do? Do peacekeepers pose a  threat to Azerbaijan? Russia bears historical and moral  responsibility for the fate of the region. I think that the mission  will be extended,” Babayan concluded.  

It should be noted that on March 24 the Azerbaijani Armed Forces,  having violated the line of contact, invaded the village of Parukh in  the Askeran region of Artsakh and tried to capture the strategic  height of Karaglukh. These territories are in the zone of  responsibility of Russian peacekeepers. The co-chairing countries of  the OSCE Minsk Group called on Azerbaijan to restore the contact line  of March 23.  However, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces continue to be at  the Karaglukh height, as a result of which more than 400 people  cannot return to their homes.  On June 9, Russian Foreign Minister  Sergei Lavrov, commenting on the situation around the Karabakh  village of Parukh, where the Azerbaijani Armed Forces invaded on  March 24, noted that the Russian military keep this issue as one of  its priorities, which Armenian partners are well aware of.

“There are already certain results in terms of de-escalation of the  situation on the ground. And we have an understanding that within the  framework of substantive work on delimitation that is already  beginning, these issues will be considered and will certainly be  resolved,” the Russian minister said. 

Turkish press: Peace agreement proposal left unanswered by Armenia: Aliyev

Lilit Nahapetian
 ANKARA JUN 24, 2022 – 10:57 AM GMT+3

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is seen with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Baku, Azerbaijan, June 23, 2022 (AA Photo)

Our proposal for a peace agreement has been left unanswered by Armenia, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Thursday, indicating that he is hoping Yerevan will accept it.

During talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan’s position aims to establish long-term peace in the region.

“I am confident that our efforts will be positively received by Armenia and the multi-faceted confrontation will end. Our proposal to start work on a peace agreement remains unanswered, but we still hope that this proposal will be accepted,” he said.

In April, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said that Armenia accepted the five-point proposal. In addition, the two countries’ leaders agreed on a working group to prepare a peace agreement, the establishment of a commission on the delimitation of borders and the activities of a working group on transport issues with the involvement of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia following a meeting with European Council President Charles Michel.

Citing positive aspects, Aliyev said that there is an intensification of the work of the trilateral working group chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“We hope that practical steps will be taken to implement the November 2020 Declaration in the context of opening communications, ensuring the unimpeded delivery of Azerbaijani cargo and citizens to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This is a legal obligation of the Armenian side,” he said.

“Unfortunately, more than a year and a half has passed since the end of the Second Karabakh War, but this paragraph of the Declaration has not yet been implemented. I think that it will be possible to take many practical steps within the framework of our concept to normalize the situation as a whole,” Aliyev underlined.

Lavrov, for his part, said Russia is ready to do everything possible to assist in the implementation of the three documents signed by the three leaders in November 2020, January 2021 and November.

He said Moscow is also ready to provide consulting services on the work of two commissions established for the delimitation and demarcation of borders in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Relations between the two former Soviet countries, Azerbaijan and Armenia, have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military illegally occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, and the 44-day conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that Armenia occupied for almost three decades.

Yerevan has been gripped by anti-government protests since mid-April, with opposition parties demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s resignation over his handling of a territorial dispute with Azerbaijan.

After the conflict ended, Azerbaijan launched a massive reconstruction initiative in the liberated Karabakh region.

Ex-President Kocharyan refuses to join Hayastan All Armenian Fund Board of Trustees

Lilit Nahapetian
NEWS.am
Armenia –

14:12, 24.06.2022

A meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund will be convened Saturday.

Yerevan.Today asked Bagrat Mikoyan, the coordinator of the office of second President Robert Kocharyan, whether the latter will attend this meeting, as he is a member of the aforesaid board.

Mikoyan responded: “President Kocharyan has refused to join the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund—in connection with the loss of financial transparency, reliability, and accountability by the Fund in recent times.”

To note, during the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war in the fall of 2020, $107 million of the money donated to the Hayastan All Armenian Fund from a pan-Armenian fundraiser was transferred to the state budget of Armenia and, as PM Nikol Pashinyan said, it became an ordinary expense—salary, bonuses, etc. This decision was made without the participation of all members of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, including the former presidents of Armenia and Artsakh. Moreover, no invitation was sent to them.