Wally Sarkeesian with Garo Armen, founder and executive director of the Children of Armenia Fund.

By Wally Sarkeesian

Over 700 people attended the opening ceremony from government, industry, educational institutions, and technology leadership. very impressive educational center, located in the most beautiful region of Armenian. Another diaspora successful project, it was very bumpy road it took us over 4-hour drive but it was worthy, it was very exciting to meet the children and the staff. the building structure design looks like you landed on the moon, the trip and the conversation with the fellow journalist from all over Armenian was very educational and delightful, Special thanks to Anahit Evoyan, Media Relations Coordinator Job well done.

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) SMART Center opened its doors in the Lori region of Armenia on May 27. It was noted that $ 5 million was invested in the project.
It was located at the crossroads of Dsegh and Debed villages. Smart will differ from other information technology centers by its programs and there will not be an age limit.Lori Smart Education Center is a three-wing building. It will have an alternative option of education, it will also have classrooms for parents and adults, as well as rooms for small children.
The innovative wing of the training center will consist of robotics room, an art center, a medical education room which will have all the necessary equipment for the first medical aid.
The digital library will provide an opportunity to use mainly e-books, although there will also be printed options.
The center will also have a computer room teaching coding, programming, graphic design and animation technics. There will also be English language programs for both children and adults.
The construction of the center has been financed by American-Armenian businessman, founder of the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), Garo Armen.

“If you want to inspire people, especially young people, you have to build something that will have a unique effect. My friend’s words are: And we have created the COAF SMART Center in the heart of this beautiful countryside countryside, “said Garo Armen, founder and executive director of the Children of Armenia Fund.

The Children’s Fund of Armenia (COAF) SMART Center is already operating in Debet community of Lori region.
SMART Innovative Concept Changes the Image of Rural Armenia, making it an integral part of the international community. By investing $ 5 million, this project aims to develop local resources and create opportunities for communities to use.
COAF SMART is a comprehensive environment for non-formal education. It provides equal and adequate opportunities for villages, 150,000 young people aged over 3 and adults.

SMART Center’s four pillars include innovation and creativity, language and communication, entrepreneurship and local economic development, active citizenship and personal development.

“In the face of SMART Center, we will have a new example of a creative environment. And such examples will be distributed in the near future by our personal efforts in the Republic of Armenia. My dear teenagers, be dreamers and ambitious, because your dreams and ambitions are the goals that will be put on the table of our government, and in general, at the tables of all future governments, “RA Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan said in his congratulatory speech.
Information technology and foreign language are based on SMART software programs and training materials.
SMRT’s regional partner in robotics and programming is the Next-Gen Laboratory of Automated Enterprise Resource Management (SAP).
“SAP develops the latest technology available to students in Armenia, like blockbuster. As a leader in corporate programming, SAP strives to develop communities that use our technology and provide the world’s youth with the skills needed to implement their own goals in a globalized world, “said SAP CIS director Ilya Yuryev.
COOPF collaborates with PicsArt, the developer’s application has 100 million monthly users. It allows you to mount photos and share their exciting and unexpected solutions with friends. A new partnership has been established with the “Instigate” robotics and retraining company for the purpose of bringing a variety of technologies and skills to the COAF SMART center.

NEW YORK, December 16, 2017 The 14th annual Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) Holiday Gala held on December 16 at New York City’s renowned Cipriani 42nd Street, raised an impressive $3.6 million in support of children in Armenian villages. Among the special guests were art-world legend Tony Shafrazi, Emmy & Tony Award-winning actress Andrea Martin, designer Michael Aram, chef Geoffrey Zakarian, and actress, singer, and performer Vanessa Williams.

COAF’s Humanitarian Award was presented to Emmy Award-winning costume designer and fashion icon Patricia Field (Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada). Field, who is of Armenian and Greek heritage, has been a longtime supporter of COAF, sharing its vision of empowering people to realize their full potential, embrace originality, and achieve their individual greatness.

Vanessa Williams delivered a special performance of her Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning song “Colors of the Wind” and paid tribute to Patricia Field, with whom she worked with on the set of the TV series Ugly Betty.

The evening also featured performances from two of Armenia’s finest young musicians, 14-year-old saxophonist Aleksandr Avetisyan and 9-year-old vocalist Ani Margaryan, who traveled from Armenia for this special event. Gala attendees also heard an inspiring speech from 16-year-old Nareh Galstyan, from the village of Lernagog, who spoke eloquently about how COAF has transformed her life and provided opportunities that would not have existed otherwise.

World-renowned auctioneer and collector Simon de Pury conducted a live auction of uniquely curated art to support COAF’s mission. The auction included works donated by such notable artists as Ed Ruscha, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Kenny Scharf, and Patrick Demarchelier—as well as a rare piece by renowned Armenian-American author and playwright William Saroyan.

One hundred percent of the $3.6 million raised at the Gala will go directly toward COAF’s education, health, and socio-economic programs in the villages of Armenia, with a focus on its novel SMART initiative. SMART is a unique initiative designed to bring digital technology education, programs in music and art, sustainable agriculture training and more to rural Armenian villages. The construction of COAF’s first SMART Center in the Lori region of Armenia has been completed and will be operational in January 2018. Close to 150,000 individuals from the city of Vanadzor and 48 surrounding rural communities will benefit from the establishment of the SMART Center.