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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Aurora Dialogues: Partnership for Artsakh

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/aurora-dialogues-partnership-for-artsakh-72946-04-05-2021/

Aurora Dialogues: Partnership for Artsakh

Not only security, social and economic issues need to be addressed to stabilize the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), strengthen and restore it after the 2020 war, but also a special priority should be given to human resources and high-quality specialists in Artsakh who will be involved in the restoration work on the ground – this was the conclusion made by the participants of the Aurora Dialogues event titled “Partnership for Artsakh” that was held in UWC Dilijan. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative had brought together the partners of the Aurora for Artsakh program, local and Diaspora organizations, foundations, government agencies and mass media representatives.

Vache Gabrielyan, Dean of the Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics at the American University of Armenia (AUA), noted that this gathering was aimed at mapping the needs and capacities to understand the scale of needed work and areas and opportunities to organize further activity.

“This is a crucial event, which also embodies Aurora’s Gratitude in Action concept, when people who receive help give a helping hand to those in need. Many people might have ideas, but not have enough funds; others might have money, but not ideas, and others can have capacities. Here, we will combine ideas and capacities. This is not merely an event but a starting point for joint work,” said Vache Gabrielyan.

Since the launch of the Aurora for Artsakh program, the Initiative has already allocated almost $1.7 million to support 75 projects implemented by local and international partners and intends to expand the program, continuing this mission.

Welcoming the participants, Ruben Vardanyan, Co-Founder of the Initiative, talked about rebuilding Artsakh and building a stronger Artsakh and Armenia by joint efforts: “Aurora’s support to Artsakh is not just about financial donations; we should become a bridge and maintain it. One side of it is us, our Armenian spirit and identity, and the other side is the way to be connected to the world. We should build a strong nation. I am sure we can.”

“‘Partnership for Artsakh’ is not only the name of this event, but it is actually the philosophy of how Aurora works. Wherever Aurora starts projects and works in the world or in Armenia and Artsakh, we do it together with partners. When the war started last year, the Aurora Co-Founders committed immediately $1 million to the All-Armenian Fund for urgent aid projects. And when the war ended, Aurora was one of the first to commit another one million for the projects, for the people affected by the war,” said Nicola Stanisch, Executive Director of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

Artak Beglaryan, Chief of Staff of the President of the Artsakh Republic, said that the war caused the internal or forcible displacement of 39,000 people who were presently homeless, and that there were families of over 4,000 fallen soldiers, 10,000 wounded soldiers, missing persons, and prisoners of war, and that, in turn, brought forth issues related to mental health. He underlined the importance of the discussion to understand these issues and their solutions. “As someone from Artsakh and as a representative of the Artsakh Government, I would like to thank you for your heart that beats for that piece of our homeland, too. I am grateful to Aurora and all participants for their efforts to help Artsakh.”

“There are 6,300 families, around 25,000 people, displaced from Artsakh in Armenia. We should come together and jointly build our way back home,” added Michayel Virabyan, Coordinator of the Operational Headquarters of the Artsakh Government in Armenia.

“This platform is very important in that it gives us the opportunity to discuss the urgent, mid-term and long-term needs and to see how we can combine our capacities. We take active measures to enable international institutions to implement projects in Artsakh,” said Karen Daduryan, Advisor of Foreign Minister of Armenia, speaking about their Artsakh-related work.

The event featured four workshops focused on healthcare, education and culture, economic development, and social issues, during which specialists discussed the sector-based needs and tried to define next steps. The Workshop on Healthcare was moderated by Ara Babloyan, Scientific Director and Chairman of the Management Board of the Arabkir Joint Medical Center-Institute of Child and Adolescent Health; the Workshop on Education and Culture Workshop was moderated by Narine Aghabalyan, Head of the Aurora for Artsakh program and Former Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh; the Workshop on Economic Development was moderated by Vahe Keushguerian, Advisor to the President of Artsakh for Development Programs and Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Impact Hub Yerevan; and the Workshop on Social Issues was moderated by Mira Antonyan, Chair of the Armenian Association of Social Workers and Executive Director of the Children Support Center-Foundation, Fund for Armenian Relief.

During the sessions, the preliminary outcomes of a survey aimed at assessing the effects of the war in Artsakh were presented. The survey had been conducted by the Armenian Association of Social Workers․

“Our survey showed that 30% of people relocated from Artsakh to Armenia are ready to return to Artsakh right away, 40% are ready to return if there is housing and other conditions, and only 30% still hesitate. This is a very good indicator,” said Mira Antonyan. She also touched upon the discussion carried out during the Workshop on Social Issues and stressed out the importance of the local capacity development, the engagement of specialists from Armenia and the Diaspora and the preparation of specialists directly in Artsakh.

Ara Babloyan summed up the Healthcare Workshop by stressing out the issues related to the loss of professional potential and infrastructural damages caused by the war. He also highlighted the importance of joint discussions: “Aurora provided an opportunity to the main organizations that have done work in Artsakh to know each other, and to continue their work by collaborating. This is why a coordinating board, adjunct to the Ministry, was set up. On the one hand, the board will help elaborate a healthcare development strategy, and on the other side, it will help coordinate all the aid that will be provided to Artsakh, both in short-term and long-term perspectives.”

The participants of the Workshop on Economic Development and the moderator of the workshop Vahe Keushguerian had specified several areas around which discussions were carried out. Those areas were production, agriculture, social entrepreneurship, urban development, and regional administration of infrastructures. Mr. Keushguerian highlighted some of the opportunities for economic recovery and development. “For example, in terms of consumer goods industry, there are sewing factories and our priority is to restore their operations. Carpet weaving is another issue of interest to us. Carpet making has been a tradition for thousands of years, but we presently have a factory only in Stepanakert where we have 60 employees. This is almost a lost culture, which we ought to restore.”

The participants of the Workshop on Education and Culture, and the moderator of the workshop Narine Aghabalyan discussed the issue of saving from destruction the Armenian cultural heritage currently under the control of Azerbaijani Forces, and the need to make fundamental changes in the field of education, correctly match formal and non-formal education, adapt education and science to the economic needs, reinforce human capital, and so on. A detailed written record of all these discussions was made to continue further work on those topics.

“These discussions were aimed at not only mitigating or eliminating the effects of the war, but also at shaping a vision for future, which is very important. If we speak about rebuilding and strengthening Artsakh, we should by all means look to the future, and we should make the vison of that future visible to the people living there,” said Narine Aghabalyan.

Noubar Afeyan, Co-Founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, joined the “Partnership for Artsakh” event online and greeted the participants from Boston, Massachusetts. Both he and Ruben Vardanyan remembered Vartan Gregorian, Co-Founder of Aurora, who recently passed away, and quoted him in their speeches.

“We believe this event will contribute to realizing our mission more effectively in the future. As I have mentioned on various occasions, if we don’t jointly create our future today, tomorrow will be too late. It is hard to believe today that Vartan is not with us and I would like to conclude my speech by quoting him, ‘With survival comes responsibility, with responsibility comes action, not just words.’ Today we all are responsible,” said Noubar Afeyan.

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#Armenia #Artsakh #Karabakh #Yerevan #Society

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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Names of 2021 Aurora Humanitarians to be announced on April 24

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/names-of-2021-aurora-humanitarians-to-be-announced-on-april-24-71634-06-04-2021/

Names of 2021 Aurora Humanitarians to be announced on April 24

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will organize a series of events in April 2021 to honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, to recognize this year’s Aurora Humanitarians and to further contribute to the resolution of the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. The events will bring together both local and international stakeholders and will help them join forces, maximizing the impact.

On April 24, 2021, representatives of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, including Lord Ara Darzi, Aurora Prize Selection Committee Chair, will participate in a flower-laying ceremony at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex in Yerevan, Armenia to pay tribute to those who perished during the Armenian Genocide in 1915-1923and to express their gratitude to those who helped the persecuted to survive.

Later that day, the names of the 2021 Aurora Humanitarians will be announced during a special event at the Matenadaran, the national repository of ancient manuscripts. The nomination process for the 2021 Aurora Prize lasted from April 24, 2020, till October 31, 2020, yielding hundreds of submissions featuring 585 unique candidates. In accordance with the tradition, the names of the 2021 Aurora Humanitarians will be inscribed in Chronicles of Aurora, a unique 21st century manuscript containing the depictions of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative activities.

On April 25, 2021, the Aurora Dialogues event titled “Partnership for Artsakh” will take place at UWC Dilijan.It will bring together the Initiative’s partners from the Aurora for Artsakh program, representatives of local and diaspora organizations, NGOs and charity foundations, Artsakh officials, and the media.

The event will feature several workshops focused on healthcare, education and culture, economic development, and social issues. The sessions will be moderated by Ara Babloyan, Scientific Director and Chairman of the Management Board of the Arabkir Joint Medical Center-Institute of Child and Adolescent Health; Narine Aghabalyan, Head of Aurora for Artsakh program and Former Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh; Vahe Keushguerian, Advisor to the President of Artsakh for Development Programs and Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Impact Hub Yerevan, and Mira Antonyan, Chair of the Armenian Association of Social Workers and Executive Director of the Children Support Center-Foundation, Fund for Armenian Relief.

The participants will have an opportunity to contribute to insightful discussions in order to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the 2020 Artsakh war, to analyze the primary needs of the affected people, to exchange the best practices of acting in an emergency and to join forces for an efficient partnership. Since the launch of Aurora for Artsakh, the Initiative has already allocated almost $1.7 million to support 75 projects implemented by local and international partners and intends to expand the program.

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#Armenia #Artsakh #Yerevan #Society

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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Aurora initiates a strategic shift in Artsakh aid program

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/aurora-initiates-a-strategic-shift-in-artsakh-aid-program-69627-22-02-2021/

Aurora initiates a strategic shift in Artsakh aid program

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced a fundamental upgrade of its Artsakh Aid program, which from now on will be focused on assisting projects that support and facilitate the region’s long-term social development. The program, launched by Aurora in the aftermath of the war, had earlier been providing urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Artsakh on the basis of the #AraratChallenge crowdfunding initiative. In addition, the Aurora Co-Founders Noubar Afeyan, Vartan Gregorian and Ruben Vardanyan have donated on behalf of Aurora $1 million to Hayastan All Armenian Fund for Artsakh aid programs.

This new stage will be characterized by a shift towards sustainability, intended to ensure long-term impact, and will include funding projects that support micro and small enterprises, restore infrastructure, and boost economy. In the meantime, the Initiative remains committed to preserving and promoting Armenian legacy in the region and will also keep on assisting projects that provide direct aid to the underserved communities in Artsakh.

“Following the ceasefire established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Aurora played an important role in providing immediate relief to the Armenians of Artsakh facing a grave humanitarian crisis. Today, strategic solutions are needed on the ground, and we are very excited to be one of the first to bring long-term social development back to the agenda and to support the projects that fuel it,” said Narine Aghabalyan, Head of Aurora’s Artsakh program.

Having already acted as one of the key humanitarian leaders of the region, Aurora plans to bring the Initiative’s partners together to share best practices at a conference that will be organized in April, as well as to engage experts from the Armenian Diaspora and to contribute to the development of a humanitarian platform designed to connect all stakeholders under the auspices of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Since the launch of its humanitarian aid program for Artsakh, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has already allocated a total of $581,740 (300,660,500֏) to support fifty-seven local and international projects listed below.

Infrastructure Restoration

Supporting water supply restoration in Tagavart (in cooperation with Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure) – $20,000 (10,400,000֏) (NEW);

Supporting the renovation of the Chartar Hospital – $15,000 (7,800,000֏) (NEW);

Assistance in repairing the electric generator of Stepanakert Republican Hospital – $10,500 (5,400,000֏);

Assisting the Stepanakert City Administration in restoring Kindergarten #3 – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);

Supporting housing and renovation in Artsakh for the people affected by the war (in cooperation with We Are Armenians Charity Foundation) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Assisting in the restoration of a military hospital in Martakert (in cooperation with the Support Our Heroes Foundation) – $15,000 (7,800,000֏);

Support in restoration of infrastructure of Martuni City $20,000 (10,400,000֏) (in cooperation with Martuni City Administration)

Providing 20 tires for Artsakh ambulance cars (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Health) – $1,631 (830,000֏);

Assisting in restoring secondary school №1 in Martakert (in cooperation with Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Artsakh) – $20,000 (10,200,000֏);

Assistance in restoring school №2 named after Mesrop Mashtots in Martuni hit by aerial bombardment (in partnership with Love Does Foundation) – $26,500 (13,600,000֏).

Supporting in the improvement of infrastructure of the Rehabilitation Center named after Caroline Cox in Stepanakert – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);

Social Development and Entrepreneurship

Providing furniture and other goods to a school and a kindergarten in Askeran and to Martuni regions (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) – $5,200 (2,700,000֏)

Supporting the development of an online platform that engages Diaspora’s resources to mitigate the humanitarian crisis and to boost local economy (in cooperation with AMIA) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Assisting in the creation of job opportunities for women affected by the war in textile industry (in cooperation with Bari Mama) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);

Supporting professional trainings and job opportunities creation for displaced women from Artsakh (in cooperation with Hay Mayrer Charity Organization) – $2,885 (1,500,000֏);

Creating safe spaces for children to participate in sport and educational programs in Artsakh (in cooperation with GOALS Armenia) – $4,800 (2,500,000֏);

Supporting the Made in Artsakh program to create job opportunities in Artsakh (in cooperation with Support Market) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Creating new job opportunities for the displaced people from Artsakh relocated to the Syunik Region of Armenia (in cooperation with NEF; the foundation will also match Aurora’s funding) – $15,000 (7,800,000֏);

Supporting the development of the Nakhshun Hadrut brand – $2,500 (1,300,000֏) (NEW);

Supporting displaced persons from Artsakh starting small business projects (in cooperation with AMIA) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);

Co-funded project to supporting vocational culinary training for Artsakh families in partnership with Yeremyan Projects) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);

Supporting settlers from Shushi contributing to beekeeping development in Tavush (in partnership with Narekatsi Art Union “Shushi”– $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);

Supporting the production of post-coma recovery equipment, designed and manufactured in Armenia during the war (in cooperation with QaylTech) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);

Assistance in founding a bakery in Stepanakert for the purpose of free distribution of bread for 6 months and for providing new jobs (in cooperation with Tikoonq Initiative Group) – $10,000 (5,100,000֏).

Urgent Humanitarian Aid

Contributing to the acquisition of ambulances for Artsakh (in cooperation with Support Our Heroes Foundation) – $20,000 (10,200,000֏)

Assisting in resettlement of displaced persons from Shushi in Stepanakert and other Artsakh localities (in cooperation with the Shushi “Narekatsi” Art Union and the “Hrant Matevosyan” Foundation) – $12,500 (6,500,000֏);

Providing urgent humanitarian assistance to the population of 8 villages in Martakert Province (Nor Maraga, Nor Aygestan, Nor Seysulan, Nor Karmravan, Nor Haykajur, Mataghis, Hovtashen, Talish) in cooperation with Martakert Municipality and the Ministry of Finance of Artsakh – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);

Providing 1,425 bedding sets to the temporarily displaced people from Artsakh relocated to Armenia – $18,200 (9,360,000 ֏);

Making 450 warm jackets for the people of Artsakh at the Stepanakert Clothing Factory – $12,000 (6,075,000֏);

Humanitarian aid program assistance for 600 Artsakh residents affected by the war (in cooperation with the Bari Mama Foundation) – $12,500 (6,400,000֏);

Providing 710 heaters ��to the temporarily displaced Artsakh families – $7,800 (4,056,000֏);

Assisting in providing urgent humanitarian support to displaced people in Artsakh (in cooperation with Street Workout Armenia) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);

Educational and psychological support program for the displaced people from Artsakh in Vayots Dzor (in cooperation with the Vayots Dzor Regional Youth Center) – $2,800 (1,456,000֏);

Supporting emergency cluster munitions and other explosives clearance operations in civilian areas to allow the safe return of displaced people to Artsakh (in cooperation with HALO Trust; the organization will also match Aurora’s funding) – $25,000 (13,000,000֏);

Supporting the underprivileged people affected by war via a grant to the Artsakh Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Housing – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);

Supporting providing shelter and food to 83 Artsakh families affected by the war (in cooperation with Mission Armenia Charitable Foundation) – $4,700 (2,444,000֏);

Supporting 10 displaced families farming poultry in Askeran – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);

Providing humanitarian aid to displaced Artsakh families in Armenia (in cooperation with Round Table – Armenia) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);

Assistance in acquiring household appliances for families in Artsakh (in cooperation with the “Armenians, Join” Foundation) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);

Providing meals to the Shushi youth studying in the Stepanakert Vocational School (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);

Simultaneous support for low-income families producing agricultural goods in the regions of Armenia by purchasing goods from them for the people affected by the war in Artsakh (in cooperation with Azhdahak Foundation) – $3,900 (2,000,000֏) (NEW);

Assisting the Traveling Doctors of Armenia Foundation in organizing at-home medical services for the wounded (with limited mobility) in the hard-to-reach regions of Artsakh and Armenia – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);

Purchasing vital medication for senior citizens residing in Artsakh (in cooperation with Miasin Foundation) – $2,000 (1,020,000֏);

Purchasing 55 folding beds for the forcibly displaced people from Artsakh (in cooperation with the VIVA Foundation) – $3,000 (1,530,000֏);

Providing orthopedical items to injured soldiers (in cooperation with VIVA Foundation) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);

Providing support to wounded soldiers with mobility issues from Artsakh and Armenia (in cooperation with Arites Tour Тeam) – $2,000 (1,040,000֏);

Supporting a training program for locals in Artsakh dedicated to using acupuncture for pain relief and mental health care in war and post-war context (in cooperation with EliseCare NGO) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Supporting building a mobile clinic to provide the health care services necessary for the rehabilitation of the wounded soldiers and civilians in Artsakh (in cooperation with EliseCare NGO) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Assistance in purchasing furniture for Stepanakert Schools – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);

Contributing to providing meals for 166 people currently housed in Sevan, Dilijan, Yerevan for 15 days (in cooperation with Victory-2020 Foundation) – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);

Contributing to providing meals for 65 children and adults from Artsakh currently housed in Holy Mother of Armenia Catholic Center (Gyumri) for 30 days – $9,750 (5,000,000֏);

Supporting food delivery to 300 people in the border village of Norshen (in cooperation with Dilijan Nor Shin Initiative Group) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);

Purchasing essentials for 200 Artsakh families temporarily relocated to Armenia (in cooperation with House of Hope Foundation) – $3,000 (1,530,000֏);

Providing 50 kits with essentials to the children forced to relocate from Artsakh to Armenia (in cooperation with Global Shapers) – $2,050 (1,050,000֏);

Supporting providing essentials’ kits to 85 newborn children from Artsakh (in cooperation with Prolife) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);

Christmas Miracle for Artsakh, bringing joy to children affected by the war in Armenia and Artsakh (initiated by Margarita Vardanyan and Diana Petrosyan) – $70,054 (36,430,000֏), of which $15K is in-kind contribution.

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#Armenia #Armenians #Artsakh #Gyumri #Yerevan #Society

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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Aurora says implemented $470,000 worth of projects in Karabakh

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/aurora-says-implemented-470000-worth-of-projects-in-karabakh-69089-09-02-2021/

Aurora says implemented $470,000 worth of projects in Karabakh

February 9, 2021 – 13:11 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative continues to broaden its humanitarian program in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). In the aftermath of the war, Aurora has been providing direct aid to the people of Artsakh on the basis of the #AraratChallenge crowdfunding initiative and has already allocated $473,000 to the program, the organization said in a statement.

Together with partner organizations, the #AraratChallenge helps 48 projects focused on providing essentials to displaced people and restoring civil infrastructure in Artsakh through financial support, as well as by connecting volunteers willing to donate their time and expertise with humanitarian organizations in need of assistance on the ground.

“Aurora’s international standing and its vast network of engaged donors, experts, humanitarians and beneficiaries are being used to provide support to the people of Artsakh and ensure effective solutions on the ground. Taking into consideration the scale of Aurora’s relief program, a decision has been made to bring onboard a local expert with relevant background, and Narine Aghabalyan, former Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh, has joined the Aurora team to lead the project. In the meantime, Aurora keeps accepting proposals from organizations in need of assistance on the ground,”

Over the years, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Co-Founders, Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan and organizations founded by them have been involved in numerous programs in Artsakh. In addition, starting with Marguerite Barankitse, the recipient of the inaugural Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Prize Laureates have been visiting Artsakh annually, promoting its internationally.

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#Artsakh #Karabakh #Society

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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Aurora directs over $470,000 to Artsakh aid program, continues to expand it

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/aurora-directs-over-470000-to-artsakh-aid-program-continues-to-expand-it-69073-09-02-2021/

Aurora directs over $470,000 to Artsakh aid program, continues to expand it

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative continues to broaden its humanitarian program in Artsakh. Aurora’s international standing and its vast network of engaged donors, experts, humanitarians and beneficiaries are being used to provide support to the people of Artsakh and ensure effective solutions on the ground.

Taking into consideration the scale of Aurora’s relief program, a decision has been made to bring onboard a local expert with relevant background, and Narine Aghabalyan, former Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh, has joined the Aurora team to lead the project. In the meantime, Aurora keeps accepting proposals from organizations in need of assistance on the ground – they are invited to submit their applications to [email protected].

“It is very important that Aurora is able to help people in need in different corners of the world, as well as to direct large-scale programs to Artsakh in 2020․ Aurora has already supported around 50 projects focused on immediate needs of locals, impacting thousands of Artsakh people. We are very glad to welcome Narine to the team and are certain that her expertise will allow the program to reach new heights,” said Arman Jilavian, Board Member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

In the aftermath of the war, Aurora has been providing direct aid to the people of Artsakh on the basis of the #AraratChallenge crowdfunding initiative and has already allocated $473,000 to the program. Together with partner organizations, the #AraratChallenge helps 48 projects focused on providing essentials to displaced people and restoring civil infrastructure in Artsakh through financial support, as well as by connecting volunteers willing to donate their time and expertise with humanitarian organizations in need of assistance on the ground.

“Overcoming the consequences of the autumn war of 2020 in Artsakh is a challenge for every Armenian. Aurora can unite us all and help us meet it. United, we can do so much more than what we think we’re capable of,” said Narine Aghabalyan. An Artsakh native born in 1967 in Stepanakert, she held offices within the Government of the Republic of Artsakh in 2009–2020. For more than 8 years, Narine Aghabalyan had been the Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, and later occupied the position of the Minister of Education, Science and Sports before joining the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

In her new position as Head of Artsakh program, Narine Aghabalyan will oversee the implementation of the projects in the region supported by Aurora, as well as the development of a humanitarian platform to connect all stakeholders under the auspices of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and enforce the centralized coordination of major Artsakh-related efforts and funding.

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#Artsakh #Society

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armeniaitn · 3 years

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Aurora will support nine new projects in Artsakh

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/aurora-will-support-nine-new-projects-in-artsakh-74922-16-06-2021/

Aurora will support nine new projects in Artsakh

The Aurora for Artsakh program created to help children and adults facing a grave humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war continues to assist projects that support and facilitate the region’s long-term social development. As announced earlier, one of the guiding principles of the program remains keeping it fast, efficient, and unencumbered by bureaucracy.

In the current phase, Aurora will support nine new projects focused on finding sustainable solutions for a wide range of issues, including proper healthcare, social reintegration, empowerment and education. The projects were selected following the Aurora Dialogues event titled “Partnership for Artsakh” that took place in UWC Dilijan on May 2, 2021. It brought together partners from the Aurora for Artsakh program, representatives of local and diaspora organizations, NGOs and charity foundations, Artsakh officials, and the media, who agreed that for the region to succeed, a special priority should be given, among other things, to human resources and high-quality specialists in Artsakh who will be involved in the restoration work on the ground.

Here are the projects:

Involving medical professionals from Armenia and abroad in the medical institutions of Artsakh (in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Artsakh);

Supporting Wounded Soldiers: Social Integration Program (in cooperation with the Aznavour Foundation and “Support to Wounded Soldiers and Soldiers with Disabilities” NGO);

Supporting the beekeeping program for displaced families (in cooperation with the “For Artsakh” National Movement NGO);

Organization of Wushu classes for the children living in the border villages of Artsakh (in cooperation with the Artsakh Wushu Kung Fu Federation);

Bilingual (French-Armenian) workshop on dramatic art for youth from Artsakh (in cooperation with the Framart Cultural Foundation and the French-Armenian Union);

Lead by Compassion (LwE) (in cooperation with Refugees United Soccer Academy (iACT) and GOALS ARMENIA);

Founding a bakery for a displaced family in the village of Khnatsakh in Artsakh (in cooperation with the “Jraghactsner” Charitable Foundation);

Economic Empowerment of Youth Affected by NK Conflict (in cooperation with the “SOS Children’s Villages” Armenian Charitable Foundation);

“2020 Artsakh War: Losses, Challenges & Steps for Resilience-Building” (a research project in cooperation with the Armenian Association of Social Workers).

“The projects supported in this phase are focused on the social development of the families affected by the war, healthcare, culture, education, and sports, and will help different population groups, from children to elderly people, further increasing the number of beneficiaries of the Aurora for Artsakh program. Notably, a great deal of attention is paid to the creation of development opportunities for the youth of Artsakh,” said Narine Aghabalyan, Head of Aurora for Artsakh Program.

In total, since the launch of the program in November 2020, it has provided support to 80 projects in cooperation with 55 partners, both local and international, and allocated $1,740,000 to help those affected by the war. The program also contributed to strengthening Aurora’s partnerships with distinguished international entities like SOS Children’s Villages, iACT and the Aznavour Foundation, among others.

Aurora for Artsakh will continue through 2021 into 2022 and keeps expanding by reviewing new project proposals and accepting those who meet the selection criteria into the program. We are grateful to our supporters whose generosity makes this possible and urge everyone to make a donation to the program through the #AraratChallenge movement.

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#Armenia #Artsakh #Karabakh #Society

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