HAYASTAN ALL ARMENIAN FUND TELETHON 2009 RAISED USD 15,875,043

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 13:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hayastan All Armenian Fund concluded its 12th annual
Telethon – a twelve hour non stop live broadcast from Los Angeles, CA.

Summing up the results of a year long effort, which included a
whole range of fundraising activities, the Fund announced a total of
USD 15,875,043 in donations and pledges. The collected funds will
be directed at the realization of a variety of social and economic
infrastructure projects in the town of Shushi. Through building new
roads, schools, rehabilitating water mains and restoring apartment
buildings, the Fund will launch the process of the revival of the
historic Armenian town. Parallel to these projects, the Fund will
continue its rural development effort which reaches out to the villages
of Armenia and Artsakh.

Executive Director of Hayastan All Armenian Fund Ara Vardanyan and
Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan were present
at the Telethon which also featured appearances by Primate of the
Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Pargev Martirosian, NKR President’s press
secretary David Babayan, Permanent Representative of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic to the United States Robert Avetisyan as well as
other distinguished and benefactors.

In an address to all Armenians, the Fund’s executive director said:
"This Telethon is yet another testament of the unity of the Armenian
people. Today, as a rule, we sum up and present the results of
the fundraising activities organized by the Fund’s various local
affiliates throughout the year. These funds are directed at solving
issues of national importance. I would like to express my gratitude
to all the benefactors; without your invaluable support the Fund’s
work would simply not be possible. It is your trust that makes it
possible to move forward, rebuild our Homeland stone by stone and
craft a bright future for our children."

One of the key fundraising events preceding the annual Telethon was
the fundraising gala in Moscow where Russian Armenian businessmen
made their contributions – USD 5,290,000 – which were reflected in
the final results of this year’s all Armenian fundraiser.

Another important fundraising event on the eve of the Telethon was
the annual pan European phonethon. The results of phonethon 2009 were
USD 1,800,000 in donations and pledges: a 10 percent increase from
the USD 1,5mln collected in 2008. More than 12,400 Armenian families
from all over Europe participated in this year’s phonethon.

This year’s fundraising effort was unprecedented in terms of the
number of people who participated and decided to have their input
in tackling the challenge of rebuilding Shushi. The participation of
residents of Armenia was especially impressive with more than 20,000
people making their donations in the period leading to the annual
Telethon. More than 13,000 people made their donations in their
local post offices. Others used their mobile phones in an innovative
fundraising effort that the Fund brought together in association with
Viva Cell MTS mobile operator.

The main sponsor of Telethon 2009 was VivaCell-MTS. Other sponsors
were: ACBA Credit Agricole Bank, Ameria Bank, Ardshininvestbank
and Haypost.

The fundraising activities in Armenia and Artsakh continue. The results
of this year’s fundraising effort will be finalized at the end of
the year when the Fund will sum up all the donations and publish the
names of the benefactors, the Fund’s press office reported.