YEREVAN—The funds to be collected during the upcoming Armenia Fund Telethon will be allocated toward the construction of the Vartenis (Armenia)-Martakert (Karabakh) highway.
It will take just three hours to drive from Yerevan to Stepenakert, the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, through this highway.
According to Ara Vardanyan, executive director of the Fund, the estimated cost of the project is nearly $30 million.
“This amount will be allocated to the construction of the second highway to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Such decision was made based upon some strategic purposes, and development of Armenia’s Martuni region,” Vardanyan told reporters at conclusion of the meeting of the Fund’s Board of Trustees on Thursday.
He said that the Armenian and Artsakh governments have financially supported the project and most of the work has already been carried out. The Fund will just inject money into paving and landscaping the 114-km long highway.
“It is time now to modernize the highways to Karabakh, because Goris-Stepanakert highway is very inconvenient. The new highway will also contribute to the advancement of the tourism sector,” Vardanyan added.
The project will be launched in January 2014 following the fundraising at the European Phonethon, the Thanksgiving Telethon and charity dinners in different countries.
Last year, the traditional telethon in Los Angeles raised over 21.4 million dollars in donations.
The donated funds were invested in constructing community centers in the rural regions of Karabakh, agricultural program development in Tavush region of Armenia, and assistance to the Syrian Armenians.
Hayastan All- Armenian Fund was established in 1992 to implement the national projects and support the development of infrastructures in Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The trustees’ board headed by the Armenian president includes respected representatives of Armenian communities worldwide.
That will be an advantage for all Caufcasian comunities,
Congratulation. Thank you, thank you
Construction of the Vartenis (Armenia)-Martakert (Karabakh) highway, will be one of the best project ever,
solidfying independence of Artsakh
Of ourse if evertthing goes according to plan and under ethical scrutiny.
Dr. I. Babajanian
California, USA
Dear Asbarez staff. This of course is fantastic new of donation money very well spent and as me, all fellow Armenians who have for a long time donated to Armenia Fund or any other Armenian cause with whatever amount they can… We are all collectively very proud of this and any progress in out homeland.
Just a suggestion, even though this piece was not done by you, it would really be more informative and complete if it included an illustrative map of the area, the existing long road and a dotted line of the proposed new shorter highway…