AGBU TO REBUILD BARESHEN VILLAGE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
AZG Armenian Daily #088, 18/05/2005
Karabakh diary
Thanks to the donations of Luis-Simon Manukian, chairman of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the construction of the
biggest secondary school in Nagorno Karabakh capital of Stepanakert
is in process. The once ruined town is rising from ashes due to his
ongoing support; the reconstruction of razed hotel finished lately and
it is now an apartment building for the families of perished freedom
fighters, disabled people and servicemen. The cultural life of the
town received new momentum as the AGBU formed a chamber music orchestra
last September. Chairman of the AGBU Armenian office, Ashot Ghazarian,
says that the orchestra’s concerts pull in so many listeners that there
are even standing people during the performance. “The strings came to
replace the arms in Stepanakert. Life there has changed thoroughly”,
he says.
At first, it were individuals and the AGBU branch of France who
initiated projects in Nagorno Karabakh but lately each one of
AGBU’s 60 offshoots in 20 countries lends support. Since 1999,
Levon Qebabjian, member of AGBU Central Administrative Assembly,
has been enthusiastically carrying out the mission of reconstructing
and inhabiting strategically important village of Norashen of Hadrut
region. Reconstruction of 22 houses, a kindergarten and a social and
medical center are already complete. The village was completely ruined
and deserted during the war in 1988-1994.
The AGBU has opened its office in Stepanakert in order to control
realization of divers projects. The fluctuation of US dollar in
Armenia lately caused the most serious problems that the Union has
encountered for the last year. So, a school that was earlier estimated
$54 thousand today will cost $69 thousand.
The London branch of AGBU will launch a project in near future of
rebuilding and inhabiting Bareshen village which is also of strategic
importance for Nagorno Karabakh. “Hopefully we will mange to rebuild
more houses and villages for people to come back and enjoy the
beautiful nature and fertile soil of Artsakh”, Levon Qebabjian says.
By Ruzan Poghosian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress