Lori regional rescue service chief receives Japanese FM's commendation

Serob Gabrielyan, Head of the Armenian Internal Affairs Ministry's Rescue Service of Lori Region was awarded in recognition of promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and Armenia through his activities, the Embassy of Japan in Armenia said in a press release. 
 

Gabrielyan received the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation. 

Spitak City in the Lori region, where Mr. Gabrielyan works, was the epicenter of the 1988 Armenian Earthquake and suffered devastating damages at that time. In 2012, the year after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Mr. Gabrielyan had an opportunity to visit Japan for touring the disaster-stricken areas in the framework of a JICA training program and then he had strongly empathized with the stricken areas’ wretched condition and local people’s enormous efforts for post-disaster reconstruction. After coming back to Armenia, he had actively initiated a fundraising for his idea of erecting a new memorial monument to mourn the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake next to the Armenian Earthquake Memorial in the city center and finally succeeded to realize his idea through the generous contributions from the local residents of Spitak City including his colleagues of the rescue team as well as his devoted manner to use even his own personal fortune. Since then, every year on March 11, in addition to December 7, many citizens gather in front of the memorial monument to commemorate the victims of the earthquake disaster and pray for a speedy revitalization. These events have now become a symbol of the bond between the two countries in promoting disaster prevention cooperation.