ARMENIA HAS GOT A SPECIAL STATUS IN THE UNO

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The association “On Behalf of Steady Development of Mankind” of the UN Armenian Office was granted a status of special councilor in the UN Economic and Social Council. The point is that it is already ten years the association was founded but it was granted the status only this July.

Karine Danielyan, president of the association claims that this status is a great achievement for them. “This is the first time we can introduce our opinion on the issues put on the agenda of the Council’s sessions openly and in written form. Prior to this, we were deprived of the opportunity to introduce our opinion on this or that matter as we were involved in coalitions. At present things have changed and we are free to speak of our problems from international stages. In Danielyan's words this status is a good opportunity of experiment exchange.

It is due to mention that the associations' practical activity is often restricted. “For instance, the municipality has initiated forestation in the city of Hrazdan. They took away the garbage of the whole territory. But one day, ''Hrazdan'' LTD (we had a contract with) was liquidated and it was secretly sold to an oligarch. The latter made the forest bare and built a restaurant in the place of the trees. The same thing happened to the parks of Nork and Pushkin. The city seems to be interested in nothing else but construction work. Can we say surely that we can ever achieve practical success? says Karine Danielyan.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Danielyan is not disappointed and she continues to organise seminars and roundtables on environmental and steady development issues trying to raise public awareness in this way. The association has so far implemented more than 20 programs.

By the way, this is the first Armenian association which is a member of the UN Economic and Social Council.