Armenian Relief Society establishes a chapter in Sharjah / Dubai

The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) on 23 December 2010 inaugurated a new region in Dubai-Sharjah that will serve the Armenian communities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This new addition to the global network of ARS regions is the fruition of ongoing preliminary work started by previous ARS executives and continued under the leadership of present chairperson Vicky Marashlian, who visited the region in 2009.

?Armenian presence in the United Arab Emirates has a history of over 50 years, during which time the community has been able to get established and organized,? said Maro Froundjian, the vice-chairperson of ARS Central Executive Board, who joined the official ceremony. ?The creation of an ARS region was a natural outcome of this process.?

?We started to discuss the creation of a Dubai region with five participants, and today, I am proud to announce the existence of an ARS chapter-at-large with 20 members from Dubai and Sharjah,? said Salpi Apelian, the chairperson of the newly established ARS regional executive. ?As all ARS groups, we hope to do our best here to enhance the further development of community structures, as well as to bring our share to the global endeavors of the Armenian Relief Society, raising the quantity and quality of involvement by Armenian women in the social and cultural life of our communities,? she said.

With the creation of the Dubai-Sharjah region, there are now 18 ARS chapters-at-large and 27 ARS entities functioning in various countries.

Source: “Armenian Weekly”, USA, 05 January 2010
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/01/05/new-ars-dubai-sharjah-region-established-in-uae/

ADDITIONAL READING

The Armenian Relief Society, A.R.S or H.O.M, is an independent, non-governmental and non-sectarian organization and NGO, serving the social and educational needs of Armenian communities everywhere, seeking to preserve the cultural identity of the Armenian nation, and, whenever and wherever the need arises, to bring humanitarian help to all communities in distress — Armenian and non-Armenian alike.

Purpose and activity:
To serve the humanitarian needs of all communities that may require emergency aid, regardless of ethnic origin or religious affiliation;
To preserve the cultural identity of the Armenian people, worldwide;
To promote the educational, social, health and welfare of communities;
To enhance the education of the Society's members and encourage their involvement in public service;
To encourage participation in local organizations engaged in community activities and social services compatible with the principles of the Society;
To act as a focal point at the informational level; and
To cooperate with organizations with similar aims.

Official website: http://www.ars1910.org/