Celebrating Launch Of ACT Alliance In Armenia

ART celebrated global ACT Alliance launch in Armenia with its partners representing Churches, church related structures and civil society organizations on March 24, 2010 in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The new ACT Alliance, one of the world’s largest humanitarian bodies which works in 125 countries and consists of 100 organizations, provides emergency food aid, shelter, water and sanitation facilities, and poverty reduction programmes in the world’s poorest countries.
The Alliance works for the world’s poorest people, fighting the causes of human suffering and injustice. ACT members are long-standing organizations already working in the communities. When disaster strikes, these organizations are ready to work and are at the fore front of the emergency response.
ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna says the creation of the alliance of church-based organizations means ACT’s humanitarian and development work will reach every corner of the globe. "The membership of the ACT Alliance is wide and its members are grounded in local civil society of all parts of the world."
ART, as the only member of the Alliance from Armenia, called a meeting to mark the launch with about 50 partner organizations that came from different regions of the country. The event started with Lord’s prayer and a welcome address by Bishop Marcos Hovhannisyan, chairman of the ART Board of Trustees. Dr Karen Nazaryan, Executive Director of the ART, introduced ACT Alliance, history of its establishment, mission and objectives, and opportunities provided by ACT to its members. Newly introduced changes with ART co-branding were also presented. There was a discussion following film watching on Armenian and Azerbaijani experts speaking about peaceful resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and reconciliation issue was reflected on in the audience.
The idea of necessity for joining in action and bringing a change was stressed by those present and potential for working together in a global net for lasting solutions to complex issues was given an importance and recognized as a shared objective to which ART and its partners committed themselves.
The day was called by sharing a Lenten cake which had a mention of ART being a member of ACT Alliance on it. ACT Alliance posters, photos of project sites and pieces of hand-made crafts produced within ART supported projects were exhibited in the meeting hall. Invited media, “Shoghakat” and “Shant” TV studio, broadcast event information throughout Armenia.