American-Armenian philanthropist and innovator Noubar Afeyan, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Patriarch of All Armenians, and in partnership with the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, has launched another important initiative: the “Armenian Spiritual Restoration Foundation.”
The inaugural event of the newly established Foundation took place on May 17 at the Matenadaran.
“We definitely needed this program, through which we should try to combine spirituality and psychology, and help those who are on the path of psychological healing and recovery,” said Noubar Afeyan at a panel discussion dedicated to presenting the Foundation’s goals.
The launch event of the newly established Fund was attended by RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan, USAID Country Director John Allelo, UNICEF Country Director Christine Weigand, Armenian and international partners of the Fund, and program beneficiaries.
“Our history has shown us that we can recover, and the best example of this is my friend Nubar. I have been fortunate to meet many Armenians who are the children and grandchildren of Genocide survivors, who have succeeded and been useful not only to Armenians, but also to the entire world. The past experience of our people gives a message that with faith and hope, everything can be overcome,” emphasized His Grace Archbishop Khajak Parsamyan, Patriarchal Delegate of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Western Europe, who participated in the panel discussion.
The global mission of the Armenian Spiritual Recovery Foundation is to transform current approaches to mental health recovery in post-crisis situations by creating “spiritual-psychological” solutions. The Foundation develops and implements unique and unique, innovative mental health programs that are anchored in the science of psychology, the ontological history of the Armenian people, and the centuries-old traditions and spiritual values of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.
“This initiative, as a missing piece, fills in a number of other successful initiatives that Nubar and his partners have implemented in Armenia and Artsakh for years. By the way, like other programs, our Foundation is also future-oriented. The beneficiaries of our programs are all those who need mental healing and empowerment. The Foundation now offers its beneficiaries a simple formula: let us help you today, and when you recover, you will consider it an honor to extend a hand to someone else,” the head of the Foundation emphasized.
The Foundation has implemented numerous projects during this period. It has organized 14 community psycho-educational meetings with the active participation of about 1,000 people. Online psychological tests have been launched on the Foundation’s website www.revival.am, with which about 9,500 people have made a preliminary assessment of their mental state. Many of them have also applied for and received group psychological support through the Foundation’s programs, particularly in the cities of Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Abovyan, Masis and Armavir. The Foundation promises to gradually expand the geography of its work.
In recent months, the Fund has also implemented a special program for our compatriots forcibly displaced from Artsakh. 18 Artsakh psychologists have been trained, who in recent months have provided free psychological support to about 500 Artsakh residents who have been forcibly displaced, including children. A special program has also been implemented for about 150 primary care specialists who are involved in daily work with Artsakh Armenians. Support programs for Artsakh Armenians will also be ongoing.