With your generous support, and that of the generous anonymous support of those donors who established and increased the challenge match, we raised $100,000 for the Armenia Fund!

Make no mistake, our fight has just begun. On October 10th, a humanitarian ceasefire was brokered in Moscow between Armenian and Azerbaijan. It is unclear if this ceasefire will stick, or only be used as an excuse to give Azerbaijan a chance to regroup.  The Armenian Defense Ministry was announcing heavy attacks on civilians in Hadrut beginning 30 minutes after the start of the agreed upon time.  Drone strikes also took place in Armenia’s Syunik region’s Yeritsvank village.

Once the attacks have stopped, we will turn our attention to the task of rebuilding these communities.  In the coming days we will extend our Emergency Reconstruction Fund that was established in July following the brutal attacks against civilian communities in Armenia’s Tavush Region to help address the monumental task ahead of our community in rebuilding Artaskh.

We must remain active and support the aggressive effort spearheaded by the Armenian National Committee and Armenian Assembly to cut all military aid to Azerbaijan and Turkey along with their other critical initiatives.

This war is being fought on the battlefield, in the media and in diplomatic circles and we must do whatever we can to win.  

Dear Friends:

As you are reading this brief update, our brothers and sisters in Artsakh and in parts of Armenia are under heavy artillery attack by the Azeris. Official sources have acknowledged at least 200 Armenian casualties including civilians. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a statement released earlier today said that this battle is not about land or territory, it is about the elimination of the Armenian people.

Reports have been released by the Armenian and Artsakh Governments that Turkey has recruited upwards of 4,000 Syrian mercenaries to fight for Azerbaijan. In addition, American made, Turkish deployed F-16s are attacking targets in Artsakh and Armenia proper. In fact, it is reported that Turkey is now leading Azerbaijan’s air campaign from Kars and Erzurum. The Armenian Government reports that 150 high ranking Turkish soldiers are on the ground in Azerbaijan coordinating attacks.

Civilian populations in Stepanakert, Martakert, Martuni and Hadrut have come under attack. Civilians in Armenia’s Vardenis and surrounding villages have also been shelled. Two French journalists have been injured (one of them in critical condition) as a result of the Azeri attacks. In addition to the tragic loss of life, homes and infrastructure in these communities have been significantly damaged. Azeri surveillance drones made their way all the way to Armenia’s Kotayk Region just outside of Yerevan before they were shot down.

The OSCE Co-Chairs of Russia, France and the United States have called upon Armenia and Azerbaijan to end hostilities and loss of life and return to the negotiation table. Azerbaijan has refused and Turkey has publicly stated that they wish Azerbaijan will fight on until Artsakh is Armenian free. Russia and Iran have both offered to help facilitate peace talks. The US Congress has introduced a Resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s attack.

What must you do?

1. Visit the Armenian Assembly & Armenian National Committee’s Websites

Send letters and make phone calls to your elected officials to support the Resolution in Congress and immediately cut military assistance to Azerbaijan and sanction Turkey for their actions.

2. Donate to the All Armenia Fund.

The Governments of Armenia and Artsakh have asked the entire diaspora to NOT start individual fundraising efforts, but to rally around the All Armenia Fund and make all donations to this organization. Please visit www.armeniafund.org to make your donation.

According to consolidated media reports, almost 3,000 people have been killed on the Azeri side, and they have sustained more than 3,300 injuries. Armenian forces have destroyed 114 drones, 14 helicopters, 247 Tanks and armored vehicles, 3 TOS systems, 1 smerch system and 11 aircrafts since the start of the attack.

It is our hope that a ceasefire can be quickly reached to prevent further loss of life among our brothers and sister and at that point, we will determine how best to help rebuild. Please act now!

by Christopher Atamian

Tavush is not in Artsakh!
When Azerbaijan started bombing villages along the Tavush border in mid-July, many people in the Armenian diaspora and elsewhere mistakenly assumed that they were shelling a part of Artsakh. And looking out at any of the verdant valleys in Tavush, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were actually in Switzerland or some lost corner of paradise. But Tavush is in fact part and parcel of the Republic of Armenia proper, making Azerbaijan’s actions all the more provocative as they shattered any illusion that Armenia is not in danger of getting embroiled in an all-out war again. Located in the country’s northeastern edge and bordered by Georgia to the North and Azerbaijan to the East, Tavush is an ancient Armenian province. Its scenic capital of Ijevan–once an important rest stop on international trade routes–sits at the foothills of the Gugark Mountains, on the shores of the Aghstev River. The region measures just 2,704 km² (about one-fourth the size of Rhode Island) and on a good day has a population of just over 125,000 people.

Shelling from the other side of the border is nothing new to the farmers and other villagers who live in the region, some of whose families have been tilling the land from time immemorial. Two of its more isolated cities for example, Berd and Noyemberyan, regularly receive volleys of sniper shots from Azeri positions. As a result of this and other factors village men often leave to find work in Russia—predictably, many never return. Perhaps in desperation or out of a sense of duty, some have also signed up as contract soldiers and can be found at their military posts guarding the border—and this, for about $300 a month. This puts additional stress on the village women, who must tend to all domestic duties alone, from tilling gardens to caring for their animals, children and extended families. As a result of these precarious situations, Armenians in the region are more likely to have smaller families, which poses a demographic threat and becomes a national security issue.

Paros Foundation Implements Key Programs in Tavush
Founded in 2006 by Roger Strauch in part to address these ongoing concerns, the Paros Foundation understood from the start the strategic importance of these border positions and of helping Tavush region in general. Since 2011 they have been working to strengthen them, rebuilding houses that have been shelled and providing jobs for Armenians on the front line through its many programs. The foundation has developed a strategic and somewhat niche approach to help remedy these problems: “We implement mid-sized infrastructure improvement projects in order to raise awareness and improve conditions for these residents and ultimately help to secure the border,” explains Executive Director Peter Abajian.

Altogether from 2013 to 2020, Paros has spent almost $1.1 million in Tavush on 65 different projects. Most remarkably the foundation has no administrative costs whatsoever, “The Strauch Kulhanjian family underwrites 100% of our administrative expenses, which allows donors to allocate their contributions directly to projects,” said Abajian. In the border village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, with support from Jean-Marie Atamian and his family, Paros has made major improvements to the water system, local school, kindergarten and medical center. Apart from improving infrastructure, the foundation is currently in the process of implementing an economic development project, establishing a fruit orchard with over 1,000 trees. All of these undertakings have helped to stabilize the community and led to a doubling of the annual birth rate from 2013 to today. As is evident to anyone who visits the region, border villages have been especially hard hit economically since hostilities erupted over a two decades ago between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in part because some 70% of the land in any particular village lies too close to the border to be farmed or to graze animals without the risk of being shot and killed.

Donate to Paros and Help Make Armenia Safe
As Abajian also points out, there are a wealth of current and planned programs available for interested donors. “Our work in Tavush along the border will be continuing for the foreseeable future with two major projects in Aygepar including the reconstruction of a large apartment building and the creation of an agriculture incubator facility,” said Abajian. Some are larger in scale than others, but all are affordable for anyone interested, as donations of any size can be made in true crowdfunding fashion. One particularly interesting program “Recycling on the Border” seeks to partner with the Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities NGO (“ISSD”) in order to implement recycling education at schools in ten villages. The children will be provided with colored bins and will collect trash that is then sent to proper recycling facilities. This gives both children and their families a stronger stake in their communities—teaching them about recycling but also to care about their environment and to be happier within it. The point of Paros Foundation programs isn’t simply to patch up existing problems but to find long-term solutions for building a happy and prosperous Armenia.

A Crucial Moment In History: States don’t Have Friends, only Interests.
With the almost unbelievable news that Turkey’s Volkan Bektir is taking over the Presidency of the landmark 75th General Assembly of the United Nations, and even more remarkable threats coming from Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev to bombard Medzamor, Armenia’s nuclear plant, the young Third Republic faces an existential crisis. Fighting off two enemies, one on each side of its border, will be no easy task. And while events such as the recent destruction of Beirut Port and the COVID-19 pandemic have grabbed everyone’s attention and resources of late, a global leadership vacuum now exists that presents an existential threat for Armenia. Just as no Western power came to Armenia’s defense in 1915, none will do so now. It’s up to the diaspora to support organizations like Paros that understand how to help defend and strengthen Armenia through crucial infrastructure and life-saving projects. As Charentz famously wrote: “Oh Armenian people, your only salvation lies in the power of your unity.”

You can find out more about the Paros Foundation and its many projects at www.parosfoundation.org

Christopher Atamian is an Armenian-Italian writer, translator and filmmaker living in New York City. You can obtain a copy of his latest book, A Poet in Washington Heights, which was awarded the 2017018 Tololyan Literary Award and nominated for a National Book Award, at https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Heights-Christopher-Peter-Atamian/dp/197648393X

Gyumri, Armenia–The Debi Arach Children’s Center successfully and safely re-opened its doors on August 17, 2020 to eager students. Several changes and new policies have been set in place for the safety of the kids and staff. Along with the emphasis on safety, the staff has been working hard to prepare students for the start of school schedule for September 15, 2020.

“Our goal in restarting the Debi Arach Children’s Center prior to the start of the school year is to help the children catch up for the difficulties they faced with online learning at the end of the last school year,” said Peter Abajian.

Throughout the Pandemic Debi Arach remained committed to providing consistent meals, psychological support, and structured in-home learning to the youth. Although the facility was closed We have committed to continue paying our staff during the closure.

• We are working closely with our on-staff psychologist, who is checking in with the kids each week to help them navigate their lives during this challenging time.
• We want to make sure the students still receive consistent, adequate nutrition so we are providing food packages for all families of Debi Arach with guidelines on safety protocols for receiving and cleaning the items.

The goal is to expand the center’s programming to continue to be able to serve all of our center’s children in a safe and responsible manner including changing the manner in which meals are served and constructing temporary outdoor classrooms by taking advantage of the warm weather. Furthermore, Debi Arach will be holding both morning and afternoon sessions to accommodate children who will now be attending schools in split sessions to promote social distancing in schools.

Everyone at Debi Arach is very excited to be able to continue providing children of Gyumri with the proper supplementary educational, thorough psychological and necessary humanitarian aids they need.

To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well-adjusted and much healthier than before with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. Staff trainings have begun with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment, and methods for their development.

Aygepar Kindergarten, Armenia – Recently renovated by Paros Foundation in 2018

In immediate response to the renewed Azeri attacks on civilian populations in the Berd Consolidated Communities of Armenia’s Tavush Region, The Paros Foundation announces the launch of its Emergency Reconstruction Fund. Funds raised will be immediately deployed to repair the most severely damaged homes and other infrastructure shelled in this recent Azeri attack.

Aygepar, Armenia – Photos via Hetq

Aygepar, Armenia – Photos via Hetq

“Azerbaijan has once again targeted the civilian population in villages along the Armenian border. Many homes in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar and Chinari received varying degrees of damage, including the Aygepar Kindergarten that was reconstructed by Paros in 2018,” said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation. “Our goal is to quickly deploy our work crews in the area to not only repair the damage, but make improvements to these families’ homes.”

Aygepar, Armenia – Photos via Hetq

On July 12, during the midst of the global pandemic surrounding Covid-19, Azerbaijan renewed its attack on Armenia in violation of the ceasefire agreement. Over the next two days, Azerbaijan launched artillery of various calibers at the Armenian civilian populations of several communities within Berd Consolidated Communities of Armenia’s Tavush Region. Families in these villages have experienced material losses on their homes and property. Thankfully, villagers remain safe and there has been no civilian loss of life during this period. While the Armenian government has already visited many to assist, The Paros Foundation’s Emergency Reconstruction Fund will work to not only make repairs to these damaged homes, but will make substantial improvements for them.

Azeri Protests – Photos via Civilnet

Four Armenian soldiers were killed during the fighting and several have been wounded including one in critical condition. The Armenian army has shot down 10 Azeri combat drones, including a Elbit Hermes 900 UAV with an estimated $30 million price tag. Moreover, two strategic Azeri military posts are now under Armenian control. While the military losses on the Azeri side are reported to be substantial including the death of an Azeri general, Azeri protests in several cities around the world are calling for war with Armenia.

Tavush, Armenia – Photo via Hetq

Berkeley, CA—Trust and a strong partnership can help accomplish many positive things.  This was demonstrated when World Vision, Focus on Children Now, The Noyemberyan Municipality and The Paros Foundation joined forces to address a shortage of kindergarten space at the Noyemberyan Kindergarten #2.  Noyemberyan is a border city located in the northern portion of Armenia’s Tavush Region.  The results of this partnership included the complete reconstruction of a third building on campus, which will now accommodate more than 50 additional children in two newly expanded groups.

The Paros Foundation was approached last year by the Noyemberyan Municipality with a request to help fund the reconstruction of the third building at Kindergarten #2.  World Vision had already committed to provide support for the construction materials. Focus on Children Now had agreed to provide needed furniture for the children.  What was needed was funding for labor for the construction work.  The Paros Foundation agreed to accept the responsibility of overseeing and implementing the building’s reconstruction.  The Noyemberyan Municipality provided funding and support for demolition, sewer connections and one half of the heating system related expenses.

“The project we implemented at the Noyemberyan Kindergarten #2 is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when organizations partner to support a single cause,” said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation. “Each partner organization brought to this project what they do best and together, along with our individual donors, we have made a tremendous positive impact for the children and community in Noyemberyan.”

The Paros Foundation was launched in 2006 and has implemented more than $7.7 million worth of projects in Armenia through its unique model of philanthropy and community partnership. These projects are located throughout the country-with the majority of work focused in Gyumri and in the Tavush Region, along the border with Azerbaijan. Thanks to the generous support of Paros Founder and Chairman, Roger Strauch and the Strauch Kulhanjian Family, all administrative expenses are underwritten, allowing 100% of donor contributions to be allocated in their entirety to the projects. To support the work of The Paros Foundation, please visit www.parosfoundation.org.

Representatives from the Noyemberyan Municipality, Focus on Children Now, The Paros Foundation and World Vision at the ribbon cutting of the rebuilt building at the Noyemberyan Kindergarten #2.