ARTSAKH WAS AND REMAINS A SANCTITY FOR DIASPORANS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
08 Dec 04

“The November 25 telethon in Los Angeles lasting 12 hours produced
unprecedented results, more than 11 million dollars was donated for
the construction of the ‘North-South’ highway,” said the director of
the all-Armenian foundation ‘Hayastan’ during the press conference
on December 3. The building of the road will be resumed in spring of
2005 and will last for two years. According to the director of the
foundation Naira Melkumian, the geography of participation in the
telethon and the willingness to contribute to the construction of the
road of strategic importance for the motherland is invaluable. “The
results we have today is the eloquent proof of the unity of the
Armenian nation. The active participation of different layers of
the society showed that the results of the telethon would be high,”
mentioned the director of the telethon. NKR president Arkady Ghukassian
had a decisive role in the organization of the telethon during which he
addressed live the Armenians. Naira Melkumian stressed the importance
of the direct participation of president Ghukassian in the telethon.
“This fact encouraged our benefactors even more.” The good results
of the telethon were also determined by the well-organized team work
in which, according to her, the local bodies of the United States
and Europe, especially the local body of the East Coast of the USA
had their contribution. Owing to the director of the latter Gevorg
Toroyan, 5 million 700 thousand dollars were donated by the Armenians
of the East Coast. The same can be said about the West Coast where
the results again exceeded those of the previous year. The West Coast
donated 2 million 222 thousand dollars of which 1 million 320 thousand
will be spent for the construction of the road and the rest for other
programs. Naira Melkumian also mentioned that this year the sum of
donations in Armenia and Artsakh totals 1 million 100 thousand drams
which exceeds the rates of the previous years. According to her,
“This testifies to the fact that RA and NKR are developing and the
foundation still enjoys the confidence of Armenians.” During the
press conference the director of the foundation enumerated the names
of the people who had donated large sums: Louise Simon-Manougian,
Eduardo Ernekian, Hrair Hovnanian, Caroline Mugar, Sarghis Hakobian,
Ara Abrahamian, and others who have lived abroad for a long time
but have not get estranged from their motherland and continue to
assist to the development of their country. “The unity we witnessed
on the day of the telethon was encouraging, indeed,” emphasized Naira
Melkumian. “And, I am sure, through maintaining this powerful feeling
of unity we will be able to overcome all the challenges we are facing
today with dignity. And, of course, the results of the telethon,
more than 11 million, are a signal for everybody that the Armenian
nation is committed to the ideas which helped us win that difficult
war. For the victory in the war was, indeed, the result of the unity
of the Armenian nation.” Sharing his impressions with the journalists,
she said, “During all our meetings we discovered that Artsakh was and
remains a sanctity for the Armenian nation. And everything will be
done for Artsakh to remain free, independent, and for our national
goals to fulfil.”

CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN.

08-12-2004