As we approach the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the RA Ministry of Diaspora is carrying out a program (“Give a Happy New Year!”) at the initiative of the “Hayern Aysor” electronic newspaper and in association with the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO. The program was launched with the “Hand-to-Hand for Darbnik” initiative held for the children of Syrian-Armenian and Iraqi-Armenian families living in the Darbnik village of Ararat Province on December 22.

The program includes the “100 Celebrities for 100 Syrian-Armenian Children” event, which was held at the exotic Jambo Park-Restaurant on December 23. The park-restaurant hosted the children and the participating celebrities.

Greeting the guests, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan expressed gratitude to the Armenian celebrities and sponsors who had joined the event. “With this, you became more gifted, glorious and recognized,” the minister mentioned.

In her speech addressed to the Syrian-Armenian and Iraqi-Armenian children, Minister Hranush Hakobyan said: “In 2015, I want to see world peace. I want the Armenian Diaspora to be more organized and more Armenia-centered. Dear children, some of you were born in the Homeland, and that’s already the greatest achievement.”

Director of the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO Lena Haladjian mentioned that while some Syrian-Armenian children are living in the Homeland, thousands of other Syrian-Armenian children are living in the cold and difficult conditions in Syria. “We are grateful to the Homeland for a lot of things,” she added.

The representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Armenia expressed gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora and the entire staff at Jambo Exotic Park-Restaurant for organizing the event and holding it at a high level. In his turn, director of the park-restaurant Artyom Vardanyan expressed his gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora and mentioned that it was a pleasure for him to help carry out the charity initiative.

Afterwards, 100 Armenian celebrities handed nominal New Year’s gifts with the number “100” to the 100 Syrian-Armenian children living in Armenia’s regions and the suburbs of Yerevan, as well as to Ukrainian-Armenian children.

The boys of Vitamin Club gave gifts to eight Ukrainian-Armenian children, and musician, comedian Garik Papoyan gave one of his personal guitars to one of the children.

Singer Zaruhi Babayan and her students, Arsen Grigoryan (Mro), Betty, Dalita, Angelina Gasparyan, Lidushik and other singers set the festive mood for Syrian-Armenian and Ukrainian-Armenian children with their musical performances.

The participating celebrities, including Arakel Mirzoyan, Erik Antaranyan, Lilit Margaryan, Gaiane Aslamazyan, Karen Grigoryan, Hrach Muradyan, Kristine Melkonyan, Diana Grigoryan and others graciously gave their gifts that they had prepared for the Syrian-Armenian children.

The reception was organized by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Armenia and Yerevan Beer CJSC.