Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh — With a jubilant ribbon-cutting ceremony held on September 2 in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Armenia Fund marked the opening of the newly constructed School No 11 for 600 students. At 38,000 square feet, the campus is the largest ever built by the Fund and stands apart with its striking architecture.
The cost of the construction, around $2.7 million U.S. Dollars, was underwritten jointly by the Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region (through a contribution by Los Angeles based benefactors Mr. Gerald and Mrs. Patricia Turpanjian) and the government of Nagorno Karabakh.
Dignitaries attending the opening ceremony, which coincided with Artsakh’s Independence Day, included Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Former President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Vice-President of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Board of Trustees, Araik Harutyunyan, Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Armen Gevorgyan, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Ara Vardanyan, Executive Director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, Ara Aghishian, Chairman of the Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region and Sarkis Kotanjian, Executive Director of Armenia Fund U.S Western Region.
The school was blessed by the Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan.
The school consists of three buildings connected to each other. It has educational and administrative wings, a playground as well as a full size gymnasium fitted with locker rooms and showers. In addition to its 25 classrooms, the three-story school features state of the art science and computer labs, a library, an arts and crafts classroom.
The school also houses a first aid clinic for emergencies; all three buildings are fitted with a modern fire alarm and video surveillance systems. The school is heated by an autonomous boiler house that uses natural gas.
