of us are deeply saddened by the arrest of Ara Vardanyan, the Executive
Director of the Yerevan-based Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, on
allegations of abuse of authority by misusing the organization’s credit
card for personal purposes, including online gaming. However, as it
appears now, no donor funds have been affected and the misused funds
have been fully recovered.

While it is unfortunate that
Mr. Vardanyan abused his authority, his misdeed should, in no way,
reflect on the hard-working and law-abiding employees of the
organization, its worldwide partners, including Armenia Fund in the
United States, the generous donors worldwide, the contractors employed
in Armenia and Artsakh and the countless volunteers. We will await the
findings of the investigation.

Armenia Fund is
an independent U.S. based non-profit organization that uses Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund as an implementing agent for its specific humanitarian
and infrastructure development projects in Armenia and in Artsakh. The
funds collected in the United States go towards specific projects, the
implementation of which is monitored by Armenia Fund.

Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund is an organization that has enjoyed the trust of
hundreds of thousands of donors around the world. Throughout the 27
years of its existence the Fund has implemented thousands of large-scale
socio-economic development projects that benefit hundreds of thousands
of people in Armenia and Artsakh.

After the
devastating 1988 earthquake, Hayastan All-Armenian Fund brought urgent
humanitarian aid to the people of Gyumri and continues to remain the
largest distributor of permanent housing in the earthquake zone. In the
darkest day of the newly-independent Armenia, it provided heating fuel
and bread, countering Turkish and Azeri border blockade and saving
thousands from starvation during the freezing winters of 1992-1994.

Since
1995 and until today, Hayastan All-Armenian Fund is the largest
implementor of large scale humanitarian relief and infrastructure
development projects in Artsakh providing recovery from a devastating
war and seven decades of Azeri occupation. Recently, the Fund initiated
innovative infrastructure projects including development of solar energy
and irrigation networks using latest technologies. And, of course, the
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s signature projects remain the strategically
vital Goris-Stepanakert and Vardenis-Matakert highways connecting
Artsakh to the outside world and making Artsakh’s very existence
possible.

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s
mission is far from over. Armenia’s and Artsakh’s needs are enormous.
The actions of a single person cannot overshadow the immense
achievements of this legendary organization, nor should it cast any
doubt on the role it plays in the development of Armenia and Artsakh.