March 18, 2004

Dear President Papadakis and Dr. Papadakis,

Mr. and Mrs. Gloss,

Reverend fathers,

I am honored to speak at the event honoring the Carelift, an organization that has conducted much-appreciated humanitarian healthcare work in many countries of the world, including Armenia. You must feel a special appreciation for Carelift’s efforts because it is based locally, in Philadelphia.

I know of the great work that Carelift has conducted in Armenia, in the area of women’s and reproductive health, primary health care, especially in the remote regions of Armenia where such assistance is sorely needed. Your presence in the capital city of Yerevan, provinces Lori, Gegharkunik, and Vanadzor helps Armenia’s healthcare professionals and their patients.

To understand the significance of the work conducted by Carelift in Armenia, I want to give you a snapshot of Armenia’s political, economic, and social development in the years since independence.

The restoration of Armenia’s independence in 1991 was the greatest achievement of the Armenian people in the twentieth century. The independent country of Armenia, of course, was the successor to the Soviet Armenia which had built modern Soviet-style infrastructure, had highly educated population with high Soviet standard of living. The network of health professionals and institutions, and social infrastructure in general were also well developed, although supported by the Soviet style command economy.

As the Soviet Union collapsed, and Armenia began to make transition to a modern, democratic society based on market economy, the collapse of the economy greatly affected the social needs of the people. The state funding for healthcare, education, and science declined dramatically. Armenia was faced with external aggression, and continuing national security challenges place a high burden on the state budget, reducing the amount of funds available, among others, for health care. Besides, the health care infrastructure also needed to be reformed and transformed into a system more in tune with the needs of Armenia in the 21 st century.

Enter our friends from all over the world. Since the early days of independence we were fortunate to receive the professional expertise, equipment, and advice from the many medical professionals of Armenian origin in the Diaspora, including the Armenian-Americans. The health care also became the focus of assistance from the international donors, including the United States Government. While initially the assistance was purely humanitarian, such as supplies and equipment, the assistance is now more focused on reforming the sector, mending the medical infrastructure, and implementing the type of projects that Carelift is implementing so successfully. One of the projects supported by Carelift is the Armenian American Wellness Center that in its few years of existence has saved hundreds of lives of women and has evolved into a respected regional institution. Incidentally, we have the founder of that center, Chairwoman of the Armenian-American Cultural Association Rita Balian among us tonight.

The mission of Carelift, its dedication to helping improve the quality of life in Armenia is symbolic of the strong U.S.-Armenian relations and the deep attachment felt towards Armenia in many quarters in this great country. Nor is it something new. The American people generously extended a helping hand to help the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in late nineteenth century, and the United States became home to thousands of Armenians fleeing their historic homeland after the Genocide. I want to quote the words of the British author, politician, and historian James Bryce, “Americans have… a special reason, over and above their quick responsiveness to sentiments of humanity, for feeling a warm interest in the conditions of the Armenian Christians.”

I am delighted with the presence of many distinguished Armenian-American citizens from Philadelphia. One of the greatest privileges the Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. has is the opportunity to meet the members of the Armenian-American community all over the country, to seek their advice and support, and to address issues of interest to them. I want to encourage you to continue supporting Armenia, by remaining active and vocal on issues of interest to Armenia and the Armenian people, by trading and making investments in Armenia, and by traveling to Armenia for tourism, and by supporting the Embassy of Armenia.

The Armenian-Americans have fully integrated and contributed greatly to the American society, economy, and science, without losing their religious and sentimental attachment to the historical homeland. They are the human link between our countries. The U.S.-Armenian relations are strong, because they are based on shared values, strong faith, and common interests around the world. The people and the Government of Armenia expressed sympathy and supported the United States after the tragedy of September 11, providing tangible assistance to the international campaign against terrorism. I am confident that our relations will grow even stronger in the years to come.

In conclusion, let me again thank the Carelift for all the good projects implemented in Armenia, and President of the Drexel University for hosting this great event.