This year the “Armenia” foundation TV marathon will take place on November 22, it is probable no dinner will be given in Moscow on the purpose of the marathon. Last year the marathon collected $12 million while in 2010 the number was twice as that. As the executive director of the “Armenia” pan-Armenian foundation Ara Vardanyan states there are two types of people who allot money: those who give $500.000 and those allotting $5-500. Vardanyan said it is impossible to expect the millionaires allot tens of millions of dollars every year. As an example Samvel Karapetyan allotted $15mln a couple of years ago, while last year he donated only $1mln which does not mean that the foundation has collected less as a whole. According to Vardanyan the information is not correct that the money has reduced.
This year the expenses of the marathon were reduced and equalized to that taken place in 1996. As the executive director states, the money has not passed the boundary of $300.000 which is an unheard sum in the US. As Vardanyna states, they expect no money from Syria, moreover, they are ready to contribute a certain sum of money to the Syrian-Armenians and noted, it is not important how much money one allots, it is important to feel a part of the whole process of contributing to one’s country’s further development and well-being.
This year the reconstruction of the school named after Khachatur Abovyan, the Shirak kindergarten, the Kapan hospital and the first floor of “St. Astvatsatsin”, two floors of “Nor Norq” retirement home, Gishi school in Karabakh, a number of water supply pipes in Karabakh and a number of other initiatives.
