International students' summer work camp concludes work in Armenia

YEREVAN, 9 August 2001 (OSCE) - For the second consecutive year the OSCE Office in Yerevan has supported an international summer work camp in Armenia.

This grass root project introduced and implemented by Voluntary Service of Armenia, a local non-governmental organization, aims to bring together about 20 students from various countries to make their contribution to raising environmental awareness and improving the situation in most vulnerable places in Armenia. It is also an opportunity for young individuals from Germany, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to get acquainted with Armenia, its culture and traditions, and to make new friends.

This year, the work camp undertook environmental cleaning and minor repair works at the 'Olympus' educational complex. Established about 40 years ago, this complex comprises a boarding school, mainly for orphans, as well as a dormitory, a kindergarten, and a small recreational centre for about 400 children. Due to social and economic difficulties, however, the complex lacked sufficient resources to keep the area green and environmentally friendly.

"When we first came here, these ponds could not be seen at all. It took us quite a while to remove all the stones it was covered with and give it the look of today", said one of the volunteers from Germany, as he carries another bucket of stones.

As a result of the project, the five-hectare area at the 'Olympus' Educational Complex in Yerevan has been cleaned from stones and weeds, the four artificial ponds which resemble the main lakes in Armenia have been restored, summer-houses painted green to make all environmentally friendly for kids, and lamp-posts and gates were repaired and given a fresh coat of paint. When children come back from the summer vacation, a surprise will be waiting for them - a nicely renovated and decorated garden, where they usually spend their free time.

"I am very thankful to the students and the Organization for their work. For thirty years this beautiful area was not properly taken care of due to low financial and human resources. And this type of initiatives are very helpful to save the area from environmental collapse", said Vahram Grigoryan, the Director of 'Olympus'. According to him, the ponds would have been completely destroyed and covered with soil, if it were not for this project.

In the course of their 21-day visit to Armenia, the students also participated in a cultural program: visiting old churches, museums and other historical sights in Armenia, as well as participating in concerts and hiking tours.

The OSCE Office in Yerevan was established in February 2000 to promote the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments as well as the co-operation of the Republic of Armenia within the OSCE framework, in all OSCE dimensions, including the human, political, political and environmental aspects of security and stability.

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For further information please contact Ms. Gohar Avagyan, Information Officer, OSCE Office in Yerevan, tel.: +374 1 54 10 62, +374 1 54 58 45; e-mail: gohar@osce.am.