In late December 2015, deputy chairperson of the regional unit of the Union of Armenians of Russia in the city of Khosta and businessman Valery Muradyan was on a visit to Armenia.

In an interview with Hayern Aysor, Valery Muradyan informed that the main purpose of his visit to Armenia was to hand New Year’s gifts over to children of the school in the bordering Chinari village of Armenia’s Tavush Province.

On December 30, Valery Muradyan, with the accompaniment of Marcos Kesyan and Mikhail Gulbenkyan, representatives of the Armenian community of Khosta, visited Chinari and turned the day of the children of the bordering village into a beautiful New Year’s celebration. Santa Claus (Valery Muradyan was playing “the role” of Santa Claus) and Snow Maiden also entertained the children.

Gifts were distributed to 105 children attending the secondary school of the bordering village. Valery Muradyan mentioned that, in addition to New Year’s gifts, he and the representatives gave mobile phones to 7 first-grade children, while 12^th grade students and their headmaster received passes to spend their summer vacation in Khosta this year.

“When we were handing gifts to the first graders, we told them that besides pastry, there was also a surprise in one of the gifts. The children got excited and started opening the gifts quickly. The cleverest of them saw the phone and exclaimed that he had received the surprise. The other said there was a phone in his box. Later, they realized that there were phones in everyone’s bag. It was a very beautiful moment. It was touching to see the joy and excitement of the children,” Valery Muradyan said in an interview with Hayern Aysor.

Muradyan added that what they saw in Chinari is impossible to describe without shedding a tear. “There is a large defensive wall in the village, and the children pass by that wall as they go to school every day. It was impossible not to get emotional when seeing the wall behind which the children hide when bombings take place. What was amazing was that we didn’t see any fear or panic in the eyes of both children and adults. The children talked about the shootings with ease, and sometimes with smiles, as if that is the usual for them.”

Valery Muradyan stressed that this initiative would be ongoing. “As long as I’m alive, I will be visiting the bordering villages every year. Next year we might visit Paravakar. We must never forget about the people, especially the children who live in the vicinity of the enemy.”

In an interview with Hayern Aysor, head of Chinari village Samvel Saghoyan said Valery Muradyan turned the day into a real celebration for the children and proved once again that Armenians, especially Diaspora Armenians aren’t ignoring the people living in the bordering villages. “If only you saw how Mr. Muradyan entertained all of us for three consecutive hours. The children in the higher grades are now waiting impatiently to spend their summer vacation in Khosta,” Saghoyan said.

Director of the secondary school of Chinari, Greta Dallakyan mentioned that charity has always been a great act in all times. “I hope Valery Muradyan’s humanitarian act will set an example for many people who will also undertake such initiatives. I can say this kind person was happy to travel many kilometers and put smiles on the children’s faces ahead of the New Year,” the school’s director concluded.

Let us add that Valery Muradyan provided funding for 5 young citizens of Armenia to spend two weeks of their summer vacation in the Khosta city of Sochi in the summer of 2015. The young citizens were children having won state and international Olympiads, as well as the children of Syrian-Armenians and freedom fighters.