ARS Initiates its Presence in Belgium

On October 15, 2014 during a special two-day visit to Brussels, members of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Central Executive Board, Mrs. Vicky Marachelian, Chairperson, and Mrs. Liza Avakian, Adviser, attended a meeting with representatives of the Armenian National Committee of Belgium, ARS supporters, Homenetmen (HMEM), Hamazkayin, Armenian Youth Organization offices, and author Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, in the presence of Mr. Ashot Ghulyan, Speaker of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic – Artsakh National Assembly.Following this meeting, on October 16, in light of the keen interest shown by the Belgian-Armenian community in the global humanitarian activities of the Armenian Relief Society, a decision was reached and implemented on the premises of the Brussels “Armenian Home”, to found a local ARS entity: the ARS/Belgium At-large Chapter. Following Chairperson Marachelian’s warm welcome to the initiates, the two ARS Central Executive members gave a concise presentation of ARS history, structure, mission and on-going programs to the 26 new members. Following the presentation, the members immediately convened and elected their seven-member executive and discussed the new ARS entity’s initial organizational steps.Upon this occasion, ARS, Inc. Chairperson Marachelian stated:

“We can, with great pride, state that the ARS, as an independent, all-Armenian humanitarian organization, extends its far-reaching support whenever and wherever our people’s physical, social and cultural needs require aid and assistance. Today, the world-wide ARS family demonstrates once more that our Society, after over a century of service, retains its vigor and youthful optimism, as it did in the past, never losing sight of a vision of an always-brighter future, maintained by a rejuvenating approach of adapting to ever-changing conditions and putting to use all available possibilities and opportunities of the 21st century.”During this visit, the ARS Central Executive Board representatives also participated in events taking place within the European Union Parliament circle promoting the Artsakh Republic, meeting, among other notables, Speaker of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic- Artsakh National Assembly; Mr. Ashot Ghulyan, and members of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group, EU Parliamentarians Mrs. Elenie Theokharous and Mr. Frank Engel.

1. Representatives of the ARS Central Executive Board with members of the newly formed ARS/Belgium chapter.

2. Mr. Ashot Ghulyan, Speaker of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic – Artsakh National Assembly meets with representatives of the ANC of Belgium, the ARS, Hamazkayin, HMEM, AYF, and author Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, at the Hay Tad office, in Brussels..

3. Left to right: Mesrob Shaboyan, diplomat, Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Brussels. ARS, Inc. chairperson Mrs. Vicky Marashlian. Artak Zakaryan, MP, Republic of Armenia National Assembly, Chairman of the standing committee on foreign Relations, head of the Armenian delegation to the Euronest. H.E. Mr. Tatoul Markaryan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union.