THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF CANADA MAKES A COMMITMENT TO THE RURAL POVERTY ERADICATION PROGRAM OF ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
21.02.2007 09:54

The Armenian Church of Canada announced its commitment to participate
in and actively support the Rural Poverty Eradication Program of
the Republic of Armenia. In the first phase of this Program, the
Government of Armenia has selected fifty villages for reconstruction
and development. Of these, the Diocese has committed to care for
two villages.

This commitment will be achieved through the Hayastan Foundation Canada
(Himnatram), in the same way that the Diocese has provided assistance
to Armenia every year since the establishment of Himnatram.

During the Armenia-Diaspora Conference held in Yerevan in September
2006, His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of Canada, had assured Vartan Oskanyan, Armenia’s
Minister of Foreign Affairs, that the Canadian Diocese would support
the Rural Poverty Eradication Program. On February 16, 2007, at an
important meeting in Paris to which donors for the Program had been
invited by the Minister, the wishes of the Government of Armenia
and all aspects of the implementation of the Program were reviewed
in detail and agreed upon. Arshavir Gundjian attended this meeting
as the representative of the Canadian Diocese and the Congress of
Canadian Armenians.

The strategic objective of this Program is to assist Armenia’s border
villages by improving their infrastructure, training and developing
the skills of its residents, and providing technical and financial
support to eliminate poverty over a five year period. This initiative
will engage the residents of these villages in determining their own
path of development towards becoming sustainable and economically
viable communities, thereby strengthening Armenia’s geo-political
and economic security.

"We are pleased with the commitment made on behalf of the Armenian
community in Canada, and we thank the Canadian Diocese and the Congress
of Canadian Armenians," said Vartan Oskanyan. "Working together,
we will give our rural people hope, dignity, and confidence in their
future. Let’s build Armenia – one village at a time."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress