ARS Archives

Syria: ARS Medical Clinic, Homes Damaged in Aleppo Attack mostly-Christian populated districts

February 17, 2016 by administrator

The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) medical clinic of Aleppo

ALEPPO — The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) medical clinic of Aleppo suffered substantial damages after an attack by militant opposition groups on Feb. 14, reported the Aleppo-based Armenian news outlet Kantsasar. The attack targeted the mostly-Christian populated districts of Suleymanieh, Nor Kyugh, Telefon Hawaii, and Seyrafi. Kantsasar noted that there were casualties and wounded in this recent attack.

The ARS Central office confirmed the damages to the clinic to the Armenian Weekly. According to our sources, the attack also targeted the Nor Kyugh school area, where two Armenian schools—the Sahagian elementary school and the Djemaran high school—as well as the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church are located, near the medical center. The schools have not been operational for around two years. The church is still in use, even though a part of it is damaged. The recent attack damaged shops and homes in the area.

In a post on their Facebook page, the ARS Central office appealed for support. “Due to the bombardments today in Aleppo, Syria, the Health Center of the ARS Red Cross of Syria has been destroyed as reported today by the Regional Executive. Please continue your support for the vital needs of our sisters and brothers in Syria through your local ARS chapters or on-line,” read a part of the post.

A day earlier, Kamishli-born Syrian Armenian Viken Vosgerichian (b. 1983), was among those killed in another missile attack. According to reports, Vosgerichian was among the volunteers who stood guard in areas heavily populated by Armenians, in order to ensure their safety. He also participated in the distribution of water to the greater community using special water-transporting vehicles. Several other individuals sustained injuries in the attack, and were transported to nearby hospitals, while many buildings—including homes and stores—as well as several vehicles, suffered extensive damages or were destroyed.

Kantsasar also reported that water has been scarce in the city in recent months, and that electricity has been almost non-existent since Oct. 23, 2015, forcing Aleppo residents to purchase water and a few hours of energy from those who own generators.

The Feb. 13 attack comes less than two weeks after Aleppo’s Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh district was attacked by missiles on Feb. 3, according to a report by Perio News. One of the missiles in that attack hit an area between the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church and the Sahagian Armenian School of Aleppo, while another landed near an Armenian nursing home. According to the Perio News report, while some people sustained injuries, there were no casualties in that attack.

Just over two weeks before that attack, on the morning of Jan. 17, the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church in Aleppo’s Munshieh district was severely damaged after militant groups launched a missile attack on several Aleppo neighborhoods, including Munshieh, Azizieh, and Saad Jabri. According to Kantsasar, the church was hit a few hours after Sunday Mass.

The ARS of Eastern USA continues to collect donations for Syrian-Armenian relief. To make an online donation, visit http://arseastusa.org/donate, or mail checks to The Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, Inc., 80 Bigelow Avenue, Suite 200, Watertown, MA 02472.

The ARS Eastern USA a 501(c)(3) is charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Detroit ARS Hosts ‘Walk Armenia’

July 8, 2015 by administrator

The walkers carried banners that read, ‘ARS Walk Armenia’ and ‘100th Anniversary of the Genocide,

The Detroit Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Mid Council, with five ARS sister chapters “Maro,” “Shakeh,” “Sybille,” “Tzolig,” and “Zabel,” organized “Walk Armenia” on June 7.

The walk took place on 13 Mile and Woodward, Royal Oak, beginning at 2 p.m., and ending at 5 p.m. It started with a blessing by clergymen and the singing of the Armenian anthem. At the end, sandwiches, drinks, and snacks were distributed to the walkers.

More than 200 children, teenagers, and adults walked under a clear sky, brought together for one mission: to walk for help. The walkers carried banners that read, “ARS Walk Armenia” and “100th Anniversary of the Genocide,” and distributed flyers about the mission of the ARS, St. Jude’s Children Cancer Research Center, and the film “Women of 1915,” drawing great interest from bystanders.

The proceeds from the walk will be donated to the ARS Eastern Region, St. Jude’s Children Cancer Research Center, “Women of 1915,” and to Syrian-Armenian relief efforts.

The ARS Mid Council and Walk Armenia Committee would like to thank the supporters of this walk—the sponsors, the walkers, the pledge donors, and the City of Royal Oak—who made it a very successful event.

Report: The Armenian Weekly

ARS Receives ‘Medal of Service to the Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo’

November 5, 2014 by administrator

WATERTOWN, Mass.—During the course of his informative tour to the Armenian-American communities of the United States, on Wednesday, October 22, the Prelate of Aleppo Archbishop Shahan Sarkisian, visited the international office of the Armenian Relief Society, Inc. During the visit, Archbishop Sarkisian met with both the ARS Central and Regional Executive Board members. He was accompanied by the Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan.

During this meeting, discussions focused on the problems facing the Syrian-Armenian community. Archbishop Sarkisian expressed his profound appreciation for the continuous humanitarian aid and assistance sent to the beleaguered populations across Syria, made possible by the collective efforts of the international network of ARS entities.

On the evening of October 22nd, a public briefing was held and organized by the Watertown “Leola Sasouni” and Cambridge “Shoushi” Chapters of the ARS/Eastern USA Region. As the keynote speaker of the evening, Archbishop Sarkisian, referring to the benevolent efforts of the ARS, stated that the Armenian Relief Society was the first organization to rush substantial assistance to meet the educational, social and medical needs of the stricken Syrian-Armenian community.

As an expression of appreciation and gratitude for the sustained humanitarian efforts demonstrated by the diligent and devoted membership of the global ARS family over the last few very difficult years, Archbishop Sarkisian bestowed the “Medal of service to the Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo” upon the ARS.

To date, the ARS has expended half-a-million dollars in relief aid directed to assist the traumatized Syrian-Armenian community in its struggle to survive in these dire circumstances. These efforts include several educational, social, and other humanitarian programs made possible by the tenacity of the ARS’ global membership and the generosity of its loyal supporters.

As the ARS Central Executive Board Chairperson, Vicky Marachelian summed it up: “This Medal, bestowed upon us by the Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo, is in recognition of the collective humanitarian endeavors of our Society’s entities. At this time, we give our assurances that our humanitarian assistance to our brothers and sisters will continue unabated, as long as their need for our helping hand is apparent. It will continue until the survival of the Syrian-Armenian community is guaranteed.

GLENDALE, ARS Seminar Roadmap to Empowerment

May 22, 2014 by administrator

ASBAREZ GLENDALE—The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Western USA celebrated the 30th Anniversary of its establishment as a separate entity with weekend-long events. The Empowering Generations Seminar was the second of those events, which was held on May 3, 2014, at the Glendale Hilton Hotel, with 125 participants.

Speakers talked about how they personally engaged in order to gain empowerment, how they facilitated empowerment of their peers or shared examples of exceptional people who influenced their lives, who felt empowered to do the kinds of things that changed not just perceptions, but lives.

Emcee of the dynamic seminar, Aleen Postoyan of the Regional Public Relations Committee, made opening remarks and set the tone of the event, encouraging all to “motivate us to empower not only ourselves, but each other.” The ARS-WUSA Regional Executive’s chairperson Lena Bozoyan made welcoming remarks, acknowledged the presence of the ARS Central Executive Board chairperson Vicky Marashlian and the liaison to the region, Annie Kechichian, asked that each of the participants become catalysts in their respective spheres, and thanked Haigoush Keghinian Kohler for sponsoring the seminar and for “empowering all of us, all these years.”

The morning session was moderated by Ara Khachatourian, Asbarez English Editor. He started out by pointing out a “basic and fundamental reality that none of us would be here today if it weren’t for the women bringing us into this world. Our identities and our personalities have been formed because of the immense influence the women in our
lives have had.” Khachatourian noted that the ARS has become a critical aspect of our Armenian reality and it must persevere by the inclusion of young women from all walks of life. Hence, the session started on “Armenianism in a Changing World: Cultural Burden or National Identity.”

Alice Petrossian, a retired educational administrator from the Pasadena Unified School District, who is now an activist, spoke about “Empowering Women Through Service”. She remarked that growing up the only organization with women leaders was the ARS, but today organizations have realized that women can be leaders. She emphasized the shift to being role models to engaging the youth in civic duty as a way of ensuring their success. Petrossian said that she has not met an Armenian woman who was not talented; and implied that everyone has a talent to serve; everyone can find the time and means to serve; no one is invited to serve; and no one is going to stop someone from serving. Providing examples of service in Armenian organizations by Armenians-by-Choice (ABC), she challenged the audience to look for possible ways to serve and become empowered server. Her parting message was, “I’m not afraid to serve and I will make a difference for myself, for my organization and my nation.”

Roxanne Makasdjian manages Broadcast Communications at University of California, Berkeley who has been very involved in community organizations, including being a co-founder and a current board member of The Genocide Education Project, which brings Armenian Genocide instruction into American high schools. Makasdjian gave credit to her own upbringing to her mother and grandmother, who were ARS members and activists. She described why the project was needed after a whole decade had passed by the California legislature mandating the instruction of the Armenian Genocide curriculum in high schools, noting lack of funding and resources. So, they developed lesson plans, published posters, conducted workshops during conferences and utilized technology to allow students and teachers to do their research on-line. Makasdjian emphasized how parents and students can demand the subject to be taught at their public schools, how they find ways to relate Armenian history to the youth growing up in the United States, why it is important for them to take action.

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