STEPANAKERT—COAF’s 20-member Interactive Theatre Group from the Armavir province of Armenia held a series of inspiring patriotic performances at a number of military bases in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

 

The performance piece focused on the importance and necessity of providing love to the elderly, to children and to the young men and women proudly serving and defending their motherland in an effort to secure peace for the present and future generations. The reciprocity of support, encouragement, love, warmth, compassion and empathy toward one another was the underlying theme being conveyed by the young actors.

The performances were followed by meetings between the Interactive Theater actors and soldiers. Military officers talked to the actors about the critical role of the military in defending the country’s borders. The actors expressed their deep gratitude to the servicemen for their honorable role in protecting the citizens of Artsakh and Armenia.

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) approached the Ministries of Defense of the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic with the idea of bringing the Interactive Theater performances to servicemen in Karabakh. The performance’s underlying message emphasizes the significance of solidarity and unity and demonstrates how results and accomplishments can be achieved cohesively through collective high morale and dedication toward the fatherland.

COAF’s Interactive Theatre was launched in March 2013, allowing rural youth to develop creative and analytical skills. The young actors have learned how to identify and express various thoughts and feelings artistically in regard to their personal, social, community life experiences. The theatre group has performed on various stages since its inception, including the “Pomegranate Grain” National Youth Festival where they won a “Flight” Award. The Interactive Theatre Group also staged a touching performance in loving memory of philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian.

he Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that employs community-led approaches aimed at improving the quality of life in rural Armenia, with a particular focus on children and youth. COAF’s target development areas are education, health, social and economic development. COAF launched its programs in 2004, starting in one village and expanding to 22 villages in the Armavir and Aragatsotn marzes of Armenia. This became the inception of COAF’s innovative cluster village model approach. Eight of COAF’s beneficiary villages have undergone intensive interventions, while selected development programs have been carried out in the rest of the villages. Over 30,000 people have been impacted by COAF’s work. P