For Immediate Release
March 25, 2010

REVITALIZATION OF SHUSHI UNDER WAY: ARMENIAN FUND BEGINS RESTORATION OF TWO THOROUGHFARES

NEW YORK, New York — With its recently initiated reconstruction of the Garegin Nzhdeh and Alec Manoogian streets, Shushi’s two main thoroughfares, Armenia Fund has begun to restore the city’s economic and social infrastructures. The street-revitalization project is being realized through contributions made by the Russian-Armenian community during Telethon 2009.

Following the construction of the sewage, water-delivery, and drainage systems, the streets and sidewalks (about 950 meters) will be paved and furbished, and light posts will be installed throughout. The project will be completed with the installation of 1.5-meter-wide lawns separating the streets from the sidewalks.

“Prior to the launch of this project, the people of Shushi no longer believed that things would turn to the better in their city,” said Grigori Avanesyan, Director of the Shushi Administration’s Urban Development and Architecture Department.

“These streets in particular had long fallen into disrepair,” Avanesyan continued. “There is a great deal of bustle in this part of town. Residents frequently use the telephone station and the bank or visit the cultural center, whereas up till now the streets remained in a terrible state.”

The Alec Manoogian Street is also home to the fire station and the much-visited, 1847-built Hovhannes Mkrtich Church, better known as the Green Church because of the color of its dome.

“This year our main goal is to implement a number of projects aimed at helping Shushi stand on its feet,” said Ara Vardanyan, Executive Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. “I hope that our revitalization efforts will go a long way in strengthening Shushi residents’ bond with their city, and not be limited to the Fund initiatives only.”

ABOUT ARMENIA FUND USA: founded in 1992, was one of the first of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s 18 international affiliates and serves constituents in all states east of the Mississippi. As a non-profit, non-governmental, nonsectarian organization, the Fund represents all Armenian constituents. Armenia Fund USA is the largest contributor among the 18 international affiliates – supporting strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia and Karabakh. The Fund has adopted a policy to go “Beyond Bricks and Mortar” to provide sustainability for projects it sponsors.

To learn more about Armenia Fund USA, please visit our website at
www.ArmeniaFundUSA.org or call us at 212-689-5307.