Nearly 300 Syrian Armenian children to come to Armenia soon- PM

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. Nearly 300 Syrian Armenian children will arrive in Armenia to spend their summer vacancy soon, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the Cabinet Meeting Thursday. 

“Today, about 120 children will arrive in Armenia from Damascus, and around 300 children more will come from Aleppo on two special flights soon,” Sargsyan said.

It would be impossible to transport children without the support of the private sector, according to him.

On August 2 Ministry of Territorial Administration received 9 million drams ( nearly 22,000 U.S. dollars) from Armenia’s government to organize summer camps for Armenian children from Syria.

The children will spend their vacations not only in the camps, but also in Armenian families. Initially they were expected to spend two weeks in Armenia, but if the situation in Syria will be further escalated, they will stay here longer.

The expenses for the first special flight from Damascus were covered by Prometey Bank. Armenian Finance Minister Vache Gabrielyan Thursday that the summer camp is already ready.

Members of Armenia’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Diaspora as well as Syria’s Ambassador to Armenia will meet the children at the airport.

Armenian community in Syria formed after the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. The community of 100,000 Armenians played until recently a significant role in the social, political and cultural life in Syria. Traditionally the Armenian community in Syria is considered to be the strongest Diaspora. Majority of Armenians live in Aleppo (over 60,000), Damascus, and some other cities. -0-