October 8, 2023, Yerevan

On October 6, 2023, the representatives of the EaP CSF Armenian National Platform Working Group 5 visited the Lchashen settlement of Gegharkunik region, the guest house of the “Etiuni” Social Enterprise of the “Territorial Development and Research Center” NGO, met forcibly displaced persons from Artsakh and gave them warm clothes, hygienic supplies, diapers, and baby food collected among ANP members. In the words of Hasmik Aslanyan, president of the social-educational NGO “Shogher Union” and coordinator of the 5th working group of the EaP CSF ANP, who initiated the visit, the head of the NGO, Satik Badeyan, is doing invaluable work for the refugees. The Regional Development and Research Center feeds up to 23 forcibly displaced persons from Artsakh 3 times a day.

During the visit, Red Cross volunteers were also present at the “Etiuni” guest house to celebrate the Day of the Elderlies. On this occasion, Artsakh residents and volunteers jointly prepared paklava, gata and jengyal bread, which was also joined by the president of the Association of Audio-Visual Journalists, Arzuman Harutyunyan, one of the representatives of the ANP delegation.

Accompanied by Satik Badeyan, the ANP delegation also visited 30 forcibly displaced people from Artsakh who were accommodated in the cabins of the “Nirvana” recreation area in Sevan and 31 in the cabins of the “Ararat” recreation area of the peninsula. They were provided with warm clothes.

In total, more than 90 Artsakh citizens were supported.

A primary needs assessment was done beforehand. Support was provided by “Shogher Union” NGO, “The Association of Women with University Education”, “The Audio-Visual Journalists Association”, “The Globalization and Regional Cooperation Analytical Center” NGO, “Free Citizen” CISC NGO, other members of the Armenian National Platform, and by several individual citizens.

The desire of all forcibly displaced persons was to find a permanent or rented place of residence, work, social support, and integration with local compatriots.The issue of organizing support for those forcibly displaced from Artsakh was discussed on September 29 during the ANP Assembly. According to the decision of the Assembly, in order to collect donations aimed at meeting the needs of refugees, the ANP Secretariat has opened the following bank account in AMD: No. 2050422405931003, Inecobank, in the line of the beneficiary it is necessary to indicate “EaP CSF Armenian National Platform Secretariat” NGO.

EaP CSF Armenian National Platform Secretariat