Pan-Armenian Council of Western USA raises $1.3m for Lebanon relief efforts

There is no doubt that 2020 was a year of unprecedented loss and devastation for the Armenian people. While various Armenian communities in the Middle East faced severe security and socio-economic challenges, the Artsakh War added a dark page to our history. Today, as the whole Armenian reality is in turmoil, one thing that’s clear is that as a nation we will collectively make every effort to find ways to reorganize ourselves, lift our spirits and strive for a brighter future for Armenia and the Armenian nation.

The Pan-Armenian Council of Western USA has concluded its current year of operation, leaving behind its list of efforts and events planned and executed, including the massive march during the days of the Artsakh War and a fundraising campaign for the Lebanese-Armenian community.

As members of our community are aware, days after the historic explosion in Lebanon and in an effort to assist our brethren in that country, the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western USA initiated a fundraising campaign and a telethon on August 30, 2020, which raised a total of $1,378,255 dollars. Four months after the end of the campaign, the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States would like to offer its final accounting. An actual 97.7-percent of pledges having been collected and all telethon expenses having been satisfied (a total of 3.2-percent of collected funds), we hereby announce that a total of $1.3 million has been transferred in four installments, funds which have already been received by the Lebanese-Armenian Recovery Committee. His Holiness Catholicos Aram I attested to the receipt of these funds in a letter.

We express our heartfelt appreciation to all the donors and volunteers in this humanitarian relief campaign.

It is our wish that the coming year and the ones following it will be brighter and more successful for our nation and our homeland. In this vein, the Council reaffirms its collective commitment to continue its efforts and activities according to its mission statement and in the name of our national wellbeing.

PAN ARMENIAN COUNCIL OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Armenian Assembly of America
Armenian Bar Association
Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg of North America
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, Western District
Armenian General Benevolent Union, Western District
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Armenian Missionary Association of America
Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region
Armenian Relief Society of Western USA
Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Western USA
Armenian Society of Los Angeles
Armenian Youth Association of California
Armenian Youth Federation of Western USA
Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society of the Western USA
Homenetmen Western USA
Iraqi Armenian Family Association of Los Angeles
Kessab Educational Association
Organization of Istanbul Armenians
Service Employees International Union Local 721 – Armenian Caucus
Southern California Armenian Democrats
Tekeyan Cultural Association
Unified Young Armenians
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America