PRESS RELEASE
The Armenia Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: pr@himnadram.org
Web:
07 November 2007
The Armenia Fund Rural Development Program in Lusadzor launched.
Ambassador of Italy Massimo Lavezzo Cassinelli, the Resident Representative
of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Consuelo Vidal and The
Armenia Fund deputy director Ara Vardanyan visited Tavush region’s Lusadzor
community. The aim of the visit was the participation in the opening
ceremony for the community’s gasification project. This project is the first
in the chain of infrastructural amendment initiatives in the framework of
The Armenia Fund Rural Development Program sponsored by the Government of
Italy and implemented by the UNDP.
As a result of the project around 110 households of Lusadzor community will
receive access to natural gas. The upcoming projects include the renovation
of other components of infrastructure including roads, water distribution
network etc.
During a meeting with the regional governor Armen Ghularian Ambassador
Cassinelli underlined the importance of the current endeavor.
"The Government of Italy strongly supports the initiative to eradicate
poverty in Armenia’s border villages. We are truly delighted to be the first
country to participate in the project and are confident it will be a great
success", said the Ambassador.
Mr. Ghularian reinstated his full support of the program stressing that
being the first region to be included in the Rural Development Program is a
great honor but at the same time a serious responsibility both for the
administration and ordinary community members.
"I want to thank the Government of Italy for their support. Helping
Armenia’s border villages is a noble task. This is a task we need to
accomplish together. We are working closely with our partners The Armenia
Fund and the UNDP to ensure the success of this enterprise", said Mr.
Ghulanian.
Ms. Vidal talked about the significance of focusing the resources of
different organizations on Armenia’s border villages.
"Helping the development of border villages is a complex issue. On the one
hand it is important for strategic, economic and security reasons, on the
other hand we have the human dimension of the problem where we want people
in these communities not to feel isolated. We need them to feel included and
cared for", said Ms. Vidal. "The Armenia Fund is our partner is this task.
We have a long history of successful cooperation and hope to continue it
with this project."
During the opening ceremony in Lusadzor, the guests planted trees which are
to mark the launch of the program in Lusadzor community. They also visited
the site of UNDP’s agricultural project whereby part of community’s
previously unused land is being returned to cultivation and is utilized to
sow wheat.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress