On May 6, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund held an opening ceremony to unveil the newly built community center of Bavra, a village in Armenia’s Shirak Region. Among those attending the jubilant community event was a delegation led by Ara Vardanyan, executive director of the fund, and including project sponsor Nshan Devejian as well as other Argentinean-Armenian benefactors with their families.
Officials in attendance included Armen Gevorgyan, deputy prime minister of Armenia and minister of territorial administration; Felix Tsolakyan, governor of Shirak; and Mkrtich Petrosyan, mayor of Bavra, among others.
The new community center will house the mayor’s office, a library, a computer room, and an events hall.
The construction of the community center is the second development project in Bavra to be sponsored by Nshan Devejian and his family. Earlier this year, the benefactors provided the school of Bavra with new furniture and computers.
During the opening ceremony, the village administration recognized the far-reaching support of the Devejians by naming them Honorary Citizens of Bavra and granting them a 300-square-meter tract of land.
Currently Nshan Devejian’s son, Daniel, is making possible the 5,000 Sport Balls project, through which regional schools throughout Armenia are being provided with playing balls. On May 6 alone, 625 balls were gifted to 151 schools.
“Despite the arduous trip to Bavra, my wife insisted on attending today’s ceremony,” Nshan Devejian said in his remarks, and wished that the new community center will become a “source of happiness” for the town’s residents.
“Since our meeting with our Argentinean-Armenian benefactors two years ago, their financial support has enabled us to launch several projects in Armenia and Artsakh,” Ara Vardanyan said. “The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund is the hand of one Armenian extended to another. Today Argentinean-Armenians have extended a helping hand to our fellow Armenians in Bavra. May this community center become for them the start of a new life.” Subsequently Vardanyan presented medals to Mr. and Mrs. Devejian as well as the other Argentinean-Armenian benefactors in attendance, Krikor Simsiroglu and the Ekserciyan brothers.
As he addressed the audience, Mayor Mkrtich Petrosyan conveyed his community’s gratitude to the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and the benefactors for implementing vital development projects in Bavra, which is known as the northern gate of Armenia.
On his part, Shirak governor Felix Tsolakyan said, “The new community center is the first public building to be constructed in Bavra since 1956. My wish is that, with each new structure, the villagers’ faith in their land and water will be further bolstered.”
Bavra, which is located about half a kilometer from the Georgian border, has a population of 570.
