MARIAM SUKHUDYAN RECEIVES WOMAN OF COURAGE AWARD

Tert.am
13:43 ~U 11.03.10

During a ceremony held at the US Embassy on March 10, US Ambassador
to Armenia Marie L. Yovanovitch presented the US Embassy of Armenia’s
first ever Woman of Courage Award to civil society activist Mariam
Sukhudyan, reads a press release issued by the embassy.

The award honored Sukhudyan’s "responsibility, courage and leadership
in the pursuit of justice and advocating for the protection" of
the environment and children with special needs, and highlighted
Sukhudyan’s "determination to act in order to right a wrong, in spite
of the personal sacrifices it entailed."

The Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Awards program
began in 2007, and this year, in the fourth annual presentation of
the prize, the award honored women who have undertaken extraordinary
steps and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the pursuit
of equality, opportunity, and justice.

Although Sukhudyan was not among the seven finalists selected to
receive the Secretary of State’s award, the US Embassy chose to
recognize Miss Sukhudyan with its own Woman of Courage Award, in honour
of her efforts both in advocating for environmental conservation as
well as protecting the rights of children with special needs.

In her remarks, Ambassador Yovanovitch noted that Sukhudyan "has
campaigned to protect Armenia’s forests, wildlife and environment; she
has volunteered in schools for special needs children; and when she
arrived at Nubarashen Special School Number 11 and found neglect and
abuse of children in its care, she acted to stop it … not for her own
benefit, but for justice and the welfare of all children in Armenia."

The Ambassador also congratulated the women at the ceremony on the
occasion of International Women’s Day.