PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org
Website:
April 14, 2010
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HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF FAR AT THE MOTHER SEE
OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN
On Monday, April 12, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received the Fund for Armenian Relief’s
executive director Garnik Nanagoulian and FAR’s Armenia country director
Bagrat Sargsyan at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Mr. Nanagoulian and Mr. Sargsyan reported on FAR’s accomplishments over the
past year. "In spite of the challenging global economic and financial
realities, FAR was not only able to meet its commitments to address the
complex social issues that our brothers and sisters in Armenia, Karabagh and
Javakhk are facing, but it also registered notable progress in a number of
projects," Mr. Nanagoulian said.
His Holiness Karekin II also spoke about the success of the gala held last
January, which celebrated FAR’s 20 years of providing strength and
opportunity to the Armenian people, and honored one of the organization’s
founders, Dr. Edgar M. Housepian. His Holiness Karekin II presided over the
event in New York City, which drew more than 450 people.
Dr. Housepian’s efforts to improve medical care in Armenia have led to the
success of programs like the Continuing Medical Education Program (CME),
which enables physicians in Armenia’s rural regions to gain advanced
training and enhance their skills to better serve the Armenian people.
Also during the April 12 meeting, Mr. Nanagoulian and Mr. Sargsyan discussed
with His Holiness the major impact of FAR’s programs in the region,
including the Gyumri Information Technology Center (GTECH). GTECH is the
only educational institution that provides training in IT technology in that
particular region of Armenia. It is helping to transform Gyumri into a
center for this industry, and opening up more job opportunities for the
Armenian people.
FAR’s other achievements over the past year include the renovation of the
FAR Vanadzor Old Age Home, which has enhanced the supportive and caring
environment for the home’s 55 elderly residents. The project was sponsored
by the Karamanuk Foundation in the Lori Marz region. His Holiness Karekin II
presided over a ceremony at the Old Age Home to honor the institution’s
benefactors in 2009.
The Children’s Support Center Foundation (CSCF) continued its work of
providing outreach services to some of the nation’s most vulnerable youth.
And FAR’s many scholarship programs continue to enable hundreds of children
to obtain an education year after year.
His Holiness Karekin II congratulated FAR on its accomplishments and its
effort to alleviate the numerous social hardships that impact Armenians in
the motherland. "The spirit and the caring attitude of the Armenian
Apostolic Church towards the pious Armenian nation is expressed through
FAR’s charitable programs," His Holiness said.
He was especially pleased with FAR’s collaboration with the parishes of the
Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, as well as the church’s
dioceses in Armenia. His Holiness encouraged FAR to expand the collaboration
and to explore new opportunities for joint projects. His Holiness also
expressed his appreciation to FAR’s president, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Eastern Diocese, for helping foster such initiatives.
FAR is working actively to build on these relationships. Since its
establishment under the umbrella of the Eastern Diocese, the organization
has become one of the leading American NGO’s working in Armenia. FAR’s staff
members are now working to establish an effective framework that will
develop and maintain productive and mutually-beneficial partnerships between
FAR and the parishes in the Eastern Diocese.
One example is the partnership developed with the Eastern Diocese’s Women’s
Guild Central Council. FAR and the Women’s Guild work together to run the
Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program, which supports children and
families in Armenia.
In the future, FAR plans to start a dialogue with young people and to
organize annual pilgrimages to Armenia for parishioners across the Eastern
Diocese. FAR’s "Hayastani Kidak Society" already works closely with parishes
in the Diocese to help members of the diaspora connect with one another and
possibly take part in FAR’s annual Young Professional Trip. FAR has been
hosting events in conjunction with local parishes and their ACYOA Senior
members to introduce young people to the trip.
"I am very pleased to see the impact FAR is having here in the homeland.
Learning about all the work that has already been done and hearing about the
great plans of FAR, gives me a very optimistic sense of the future in
Armenia," said His Holiness Karekin II.
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Photo attached: His Holiness Karekin II received the Fund for Armenian
Relief’s executive director Garnik Nanagoulian and FAR’s Armenia country
director Bagrat Sargsyan at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on April 12.