Stepan Gishyan charity repairs classroom and donates digitized telescope to Byurakan observatory (video)

ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, July 12, /ARKA/. The sixth scientific camp in Byurakan is just one of the joint programs implemented by Stepan Gishyan charity foundation and the Byurkan Observatory, the ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK said in a news release. It said the scientific camp has brought together children from various schools across Armenia.

The Observatory is one of the winners of a grant program announced by the charity foundation in 2018. In the framework of the joint program, the charity foundation showed assistance not only in the conduction of the 6th scientific camp at the Observatory, but also repaired and equipped a classroom and donated a new digitized telescope to the Observatory.

The head of Stepan Gishyan charity foundation Anna Gishyan said that before the repair classes had been held in the office of Viktor Hambartsumyan, which was smaller and less convenient.

"The repaired classroom can accommodate about 50 children. The idea was very interesting, since they started this program, which is related to scientific tourism, in 2017 and did everything possible for this segment to develop in Armenia, in particular, astronomy," she said.

According to Areg Mikaelyan, the director of the Byurakan Observatory after Viktor Hambartsumyan, the program of the scientific camp is multifaceted.

“Not only lectures on astronomy and other scientific fields are held here, but also a lot of interesting games are organized, including intellectual ones. We not only organize visits and excursions to the observatory, but also take our guests to see the nearest sights," he said.

Stepan Gishyan Foundation was established in 2015 by ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK, France’s Credit Agricole, Credit Agricole National Federation and the Gishyan family.

ACBA was established in 1996 as part of EU’s TACIS program. As a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between ACBA Bank and the French Credit Agricole the latter became the biggest shareholder of ACBA in 2006, September. ACBA was restructured, becoming a closed joint stock company and was renamed ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK.-0-