As reported Hayern Aysor, during the November 25 regular session of the Inter-Agency Commission on Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues at the RA Ministry of Diaspora, Chairwoman of ARS Armenia Regional Committee Diana Hovsepyan presented the programs aimed at supporting Syrian-Armenians and mentioned that the ARS has been one of the key role-players in preserving and assisting the Armenian community of Syria ever since the beginning of the Syrian war.

“Since 2012, the Armenian Relief Society has carried out different programs to help the Armenians who are in a catastrophic situation due to the ongoing crisis in Syria. With its first step, the ARS provided and continues to provide assistance to Armenian schools and schoolchildren in Syria. Between 2012 and 2015, the ARS has provided material assistance to 27 Armenian schools in Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia, Kessab, Kamishli and other areas.

Even during the most difficult days of blockade and lack of food, the ARS constantly continued the A Plate of Hot Food Program, providing hot meals to 230 people three times a week. By carrying out the Warm Home Program, the ARS has provided needy Armenian families of Aleppo with money to buy the fuel required for heating,” Diana Hovsepyan said in her speech, adding that in 2013, the ARS launched the Be a Warrant for a Syrian-Armenian Family Program in order to provide material assistance to needy families with newborn children.

Besides helping Syrian-Armenians in Syria, the ARS didn’t forget about the Syrian-Armenians and Kessab-Armenians having taken shelter in Armenia. Through various programs, the ARS has also helped take care of the needs of Kessab-Armenians having taken shelter in Latakia and Syrian-Armenians in Armenia.

Let us add that the ARS has provided large-scale humanitarian aid, as well as material and psychological assistance to Syrian-Armenian families in Armenia. With the help of Syrian-Armenian women, the ARS has also organized Handicraft Courses and held handicraft exhibition-sales. It has also conducted tours to historical and cultural sites in Armenia for integration purposes.

Today, more than 100 Syrian-Armenian women are engaged in the efforts of ARS Armenia.

All the mentioned programs, including the others (ARS New Year Program, Handicraft Program, SARF shelters, acquisition of an ambulance truck, etc.) continue.

Gevorg Chichyan