Telethon Trends: Shift in charity pledges indicative of Armenia-Diaspora relations

The results of the 15th annual telethon in support of the All-Armenian Hayastan Fund have reaffirmed the final shift in cooperation between Armenia and Karabakh, and the worldwide Armenian Diaspora.

While only a few years ago most of the donations to the Fund, especially large ones, would come from Armenian Americans, then now the major contributors are Russian Armenians.

The share of the pledges by Russian Armenians in 2012 made $12.1 of the total amount of donations that stood at about $21.4 after last Thursday's Thanksgiving Day Telethon broadcast from the United States. The largest donations were pledged by President of the RESO-Garantia company Sergei Sarkisov ($4 million plus $10,000 for school № 1 of Stepanakert), chairman of the Sobesednik publishing house Levon Hayrapetyan ($2 million), president of the Tashir group of companies Samvel Karapetyan ($1.5 million), president of the Afina Pallada group of companies Hayk Magakelyan ($ 1 million), director-general of the Luding company Armen Shahazizyan ($600,000), head of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan ($500,000).  Read more... (541 words)

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