Contact: Americans for Artsakh
c/o NKR Office
Sarah Ludwig, Executive Director
1140 19th St, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 223-4330

AMERICANS FOR ARTSAKH LAUNCHES EXECUTIVE TRAINING IN STEPANAKERT

Americans for Artsakh (AFA) recently completed its first of a series of
training courses for government employees in Nagorno-Karabakh, Artsakh.
The course was held at the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was titled
"Business English for NKR Diplomats." The Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU) funded the project. Sarah Ludwig, AFA Executive Director and
also a language specialist at the International Center for Language
Studies in Washington, DC, conducted the course.

"I commend the AGBU for appreciating the paramount importance of education
and continued professional training. Artsakh remains excluded from any such
international projects, so, on behalf of my government, I thank the AGBU for
stepping up and sponsoring this pioneer training course," said Vardan
Barseghian, NKR Representative to the United States, who worked with both
organizations on this project.

In completing the course, participating members of the Ministry gained
valuable skills in various aspects of working with foreign counterparts,
including giving presentations, conducting meetings, and social
interaction.

Most of the Diaspora and foreign-sponsored programs that have been carried
out in the region following independence have focused on humanitarian and
developmental needs. As NKR works towards formal recognition of its
independence, AFA considers it imperative that these types of programs be
implemented in order to fill the wide gap left open because few professional
training programs have been offered there.

Irina Beglaryan, Head of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation at the
Ministry, commented that, "The course will be very useful for our future
dealings with foreigners. It will improve our ability to interact with the
international community on many different levels. We hope that AFA will
offer similar courses in other areas, as well".

AFA plans on conducting training courses for NKR government employees to
include disciplines such as international public law, diplomacy, public
administration, economics, and management. In addition, it also envisages
developing a wide range of educational programs at the school and university
levels in order to provide students with knowledge of global,
rapidly-developing subjects to which they would not otherwise have access.
These types of programs will prove to be a crucial part of
Nagorno-Karabakh’s path towards greater development.

Americans For Artsakh is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
established to preserve freedom, strengthen democracy, foster economic
development, protect the cultural identity and promote the heritage of the
people of Artsakh. The founding Board of Directors includes: Zaven Khanjian,
President; Dr. Hratch Abrahamian, Vice President; Savey Tufenkian,
Treasurer; Rita Balian, Secretary; and Edward Chobanian.