On Thursday, November 12, President Emmanuel Macron received at The Élysée Palace the representatives of humanitarian organizations in solidarity with Armenia and Artsakh to affirm France’s support after the announcement of the ceasefire.
The following humanitarian organizations took part in the meeting at the invitation of the Presidency of the Republic: the Armenian Fund of France (represented by Bedros Terzian, President of the Fund); the Aznavour Foundation (represented by Kristina Aznavour, CEO of the Foundation) and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) France (represented by Nadia Gortzounian, President of the Union). The meeting was also attended by Youri Djorkaeff, Nicolas Aznavour, André Manoukian and Stéphane Hasbanian.
The head of state reaffirmed on this occasion the “historic friendship” between France and Armenia. “In this difficult time, France stands by Armenia”, he said. In addition to sending medical mission to Armenia, the President of the Republic also announced the provision of humanitarian aid to Armenia through a cargo plane and the pursuit of Franco-Armenian cooperation in healthcare.
In the course of the meeting, all the guests stressed the importance of recognizing the Republic of Artsakh to build a lasting peace and to ensure the security of the Armenian populations on their ancestral lands. They also mentioned the urgency of safeguarding cultural and religious heritage in Artsakh and the need for French local authorities to work towards closer cooperation and provision of humanitarian aid.
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At the end of the meeting, a working group was organized with the Crisis and Support Center of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contribute to the initiatives of humanitarian organizations in solidarity with Armenia.
The Armenian Fund of France, the Aznavour Foundation and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) therefore announce the establishment of an emergency unit for the coordination and implementation of humanitarian and medical aid from France to Armenia, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency of the Republic. This unit is at the disposal of all humanitarian organizations which wish to help and support those displaced by the war, facing numerous urgent needs.
For any further information, please contact AGBU France at the following address: [email protected].\
Bedros Terzian
President of the Armenian Fund of France
Kristina Aznavour
CEO of the Aznavour Foundation
Nadia Gortzounian
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) France