PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Lusine Mnatsakanyan
Tel: 3741 56 0106
Fax: 3741 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.himnadram. org
21 August, 2007
Charity Concert for Khashtarak School
It was a concert night at the Opera’s Aram Khachatryan big hall. The public
enjoyed the ever memorable performance of the Armenian State Dance Ensemble.
The charity concert was organized by Armenia Fund and German Armenian
Business Association. All the profits from the event will go to renovating
Khashtarak village school in Tavush as part of Armenia Fund’s Rural
Development Program.
Welcoming the guests, Vahe Aghabegians, Armenia Fund executive director,
noted that this was the beginning of an ambitious and essential program,
which is called to improve life in Armenia’s villages.
"We have a very wide gap between the developed cities and the struggling
countryside", said Mr. Aghabegians. "The Government of Armenia addressed
this issue by developing the Poverty Reduction Strategy. The Rural
Development Program was conceived as a supplementary mechanism for
developing infrastructure and economy in Armenia’s villages."
In her speech Ilda Karinian, German Armenian Business Association Executive
Director noted the 10 year history of successful cooperation with Armenia
Fund through the Germany Affiliate which serves as a solid bridge between
German Armenian Community and Armenia. She also expressed her full support
for the Fund’s Rural Development Program.
The initial stage of the Program includes five border villages in Tavush
region. Khashtarak is one of those villages and is the largest in population
and territory.
The renovation and refurbishment of Khashtarak School is funded by German
Armenian Business Association and Swiss Armenian community through the Fund’s
local Affiliates. 251 children currently attend the school. After the
renovation works are complete it will be able to receive up to 600 students.
"We envision an integrated and comprehensive program, which will not only
affect people’s lives today but also secure their future prosperity", said
Mr. Aghabegians.