Now more than ever - The Armenia Fund Rural Development Program (RDP@himnadram.org)‏

DATE: 21 March, 2008 FROM: RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION OFFICE SUBJECT: WEEKLY UPDATE OF THE ARMENIA FUND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Dear Subscriber, This week we want to talk about as well as hear your views on the Armenia Fund projects in Karabakh on the backdrop of the newly passed UN resolution and the rapidly changing political environment. We also have an addition to our numbers section focusing on roads as well as a small (but articulate nevertheless) video material to go along with it. NOW MORE THAN EVER At the end of last week, the UN General Assembly passed a rather one sided resolution on Karabakh calling for an immediate return of all “occupied” territories to Azerbaijan. While widely ignored by most UN member states and opposed to by major powers such as US, France and Russia, the resolution was passed due to the backing of some of the countries included in the Organization of Islamic Conference. In the light of this new resolution and Azerbaijan’s renewed vigor to stray from the established negotiation route and enter the field of militaristic rhetoric, it is all the more important for us all to act together now and focus our efforts on helping Armenians in Karabakh overcome the challenges they face today. For only by strengthening the country from within can we safeguard it from the external threats. Today, the people of Karabakh still face colossal challenges that include the lack of life essential infrastructure and the need to revitalize a land that still bears the deep scars of war. These are strategic issues, these are humanitarian issues, these are safety issues, finally, these are truly all Armenian issues and the people of Karabakh know that they are not alone in the face of the seemingly insurmountable challenges: Armenians around the world have extended a helping hand to their compatriots in embattled Karabakh via the organization created to overcome insurmountable challenges: the Armenia Fund. For over a decade now, the Fund has brought relief where it was most needed and tackled issues of truly vital importance. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians both from Armenia and the Diaspora participated in bringing change and hope to the people of Karabakh. Thanks to this all Armenian participation, hundreds of development projects and massive endeavors such as the North South Highway have already become a reality and dozens more are in the process of realization, putting Karabakh on the route of stable democratic development. And in this sense, no new UN resolution changes our core mission; it was, is and will be helping Armenians in need and today, more than ever we need to restate our resolve and show our support for the people of Karabakh. We also want to hear your views on Karabakh development projects. Please contact us with your comments at rdp@himnadram.org. LIFE IN NUMBERS: ROADS 90 Lenght of Goris Stepanakert road (kilometers) 16 Number of hours it took to get from Yerevan to Stepanakert before the Goris Stepanakert road construction 6 Number of hours it takes to get from Yerevan to Stepanakert today 169 Lenght of North - South Highway (kilometers) 150 Number of communities linked together by the North - South Highway 6 Number of border villages included in Tavush region's Khashtarak cluster 30 Kilometers of roads to be renovated in the Khashtarak cluster 6 Number of border villages included in the Lori region cluster 32 Kilometers of roads to be renovated in Lori cluster (can you see the similarities?) 1,000,000 Number of problems the villages face today 1 Number of people it takes to make a difference As a conclusion, here is a little taste of what it feels like to try to get somewhere with the kind of roads that people in the border villages have to use every day... Get involved!: Find out how you can have your input in developing the border villages by adopting a small project or giving as little as 1 cent (yes, one cent!). Find out more. This report is also available in pdf format as well as in Armenian at Weekly Updates section of our website.

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