Indian Government Partners with Armenia Fund

September 29, 2010 Indian Government Partners with Armenia Fund Renovated School Opens in Lori Region Ambassador of India to Armenia Achal Kumar Malhotra (L) and Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Executive Director Ara Vardanyan (R) cut the ribbon Yerevan, Armenia - On September 15, 2010, Armenia Fund (Hayastan All-Armenian Fund) jointly with the Indian Embassy in Armenia unveiled a renovated school in the borderline Artsni village of Armenia’s Lori region. The thorough reconstruction of the school was financed by the Government of India. The AMD 80 million ($221,000 USD) grant to Armenia Fund was provided by the Indian Government’s Development Assistance Program. The project resulted in the complete reconstruction of one of the two main buildings of the two-storied school, originally built in 1962. The entire structure was stripped to bear concrete, re-piped, re-plastered and repainted. Improvements include a new roof as well as newly hardwood floors, doors, and windows. A new boiler room was built to provide the school with heating during harsh winters. One of the newly reconstructed classrooms in the Artsni Village School. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by the entire Artsni community. Dignitaries present at the event included The Honorable Achal Kumar Malhotra, Ambassador of India to Armenia, Sergey Manasaryan, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister of Armenia, Aram Kocharyan, Governor of Lori Region and Ara Vardanyan, Executive Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. “I am so very happy to be here today celebrating the opening of this beautiful school. We live in a time when a good education is of critical importance to the advancement of the individual, the society, and the entire nation. Of equal importance is the environment in which young people receive their education. I am delighted that the government of India brought its modest contribution to this wonderful project,” said Ambassador Malhotra. “This is a marvelous achievement. We find it deeply touching that the Government of India extended a helping hand to an Armenian border village. Artsni has a future now because of this well-functioning school,” said Governor Kocharyan. A jubilant scene from the opening The population of Artsni – a village situated only half a mile away from the Armenian-Georgian border – has been steadily decreasing since the early 1990s. In the 1980s, 300 students attended the village school, whereas currently there are only 49 students who attend the newly-remodeled school. Artsni is home to another major Armenia Fund project – a newly built community center that will open its doors within days. “If we are to give villagers a compelling reason to continue to live in their communities, we must strive to address the most serious of the issues in the village. Today we witness the opening of a remodeled school. Soon Armenia Fund will unveil the new community center. It is through these projects that the community’s future will be forged,” said Vardanyan. Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Since 1991, Armenia Fund has rendered more than $200 million in development aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region affiliate of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698 Armenia Fund, Inc., 111 North Jackson Street, Suite 205, Glendale, CA 91206 ph: (818) 243-6222 • fax: (818) 243-7222 • toll free: (800)888-8897 e-mail: info@armeniafund.org • www.ArmeniaFund.org

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