YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Telethon 2013 received major pledges and donations from the Russian Federation. The total amount of donations raised from the Russian Federation reached USD 12 350 000.

As reports “Armenpress” citing the official website of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, US Eastern Region donated 2 000 000 US dollar, Phoneathon (including German, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece, Belgium) - 1 984 000 US dollar, Armenia - 1 642 372 US dollar, Switzerland /individual donor/ - 1 200 000 US dollar, Artsakh - 1 000 000 US dollar, US Western Region - 1 000 000 US dollar, Argentina - 700 000 US dollar, Toronto(Canada) - 225 000 US dollar, Brazil - 170 000 US dollar, Montreal(Canada) - 120 000 US dollar, Great Britain - 100 000 US dollar, Lebanon - 94 000 US dollar, Iran - 60 000 US dollar, and Austria - 10 000 US dollar.

During the 16th annual telethon “To Artsakh” the Armenians from all over the world have donated more than $22 million 661 thousand 372. The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Telethon was dedicated to raising financial support for the construction of the Vardenis-Martakert Highway, which was expected to be a boon to the further socio-economic development of Artsakh and Armenia alike. Armenpress reports that the highway will be of 116 kilometers length.

Last year the telethon “Our Village” of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund collected $21 million 422 thousand 477 or about 8,5 billion drams.

The Vardenis-Martakert Highway likewise will be of key economic and humanitarian importance. By functioning as a direct road link, the highway will become a second lifeline between northern Armenia and northern Artsakh, significantly cutting down travel times, boosting the economies of scores of Artsakh communities along its path, stimulating inter-community ties, and vastly improving geographic access for implementing local development initiatives. Currently the only land-travel link between Artsakh and Armenia is the Berdzor community, through which passes the Goris-Stepanakert Highway.

The highway’s construction will include, in addition to paving and the painting of pavement markings, the installation of water-removal and snowdrift-control systems as well as protective barriers and road signs. Design tweaks and special safety measures will be applied in highway sections prone to landslides. These measures will comprise the construction of support walls and rockfall-attenuation structures, and the removal of rocks. In addition, the project entails the renovation or refitting of 16 bridges along the route.

The Vardenis-Martakert Highway will bring economic benefits to communities located within up to 20 kilometers on either side of the route. Villages that lie within two to three kilometers of the future highway include Drmbon, Kochoghut, Verin Horatagh, Vaghuhas, Haterk, Getavan, Chapar, Khnkavan, Charektar, Nor Erkej, Dadivank, Nor Getashen, Knaravan, and Yeghegnut. Outlying villages, located five or more kilometers from the highway, include Karvachar, Nor Gharachinar, Harutagomer, Zardakhach, Hamshak, Chapni, Chinavan, Nor Kharkhapur, Shigkar, Nor Brajur, Yeghtsin, Zovk, Nor Vernashen, Msheni, and Nor Manashid.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund was founded by Presidential Decree in 1992. It is a unique institution whose mission is to unite Armenians in Armenia and overseas to overcome the country’s difficulties and to help establish sustainable development in Armenia and Artsakh. In addition to those problems associated with the break-up of the Soviet Union, the government had to find solutions to the aftermath of the 1988 Spitak earthquake, an economic blockade and the rehabilitation of areas that had suffered from the Artsakh conflict.

Under the Fund’s charter, the Armenian president is the President of its Board of Trustees. The Board comprises the Catholicos of All-Armenians, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, the Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church, the President of Nagorno Karabakh, the prime ministers of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia and the Central Bank, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the heads of the three main Armenian political parties and of major benevolent institutions such as the AGBU, ARF, the Armenian Congress of America and other outstanding benefactors and public figures from Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund implements its projects through a global network of 25 affiliates, which operate in the United States (Los Angeles and New York), Canada (Toronto and Montreal), France, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, Lebanon, Argentina (Buenos Aires and Cordoba), Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Uruguay, Romania, Russia, Iran, Italy and Kuwait. The mentioned last 10 affiliates have been opened in 2009-2012 years.