Children from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) expressed their protest to the international community from the territory of the ‘We are our mountains’ monument, a symbol of Artsakh. For almost half a year, Azerbaijan has closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the world. The children of Artsakh have written a letter to UNICEF with the demand to open the corridor of Lachin as soon as possible.
Karen Verdyan (school student) - I play basketball and because of the blockade I can't go to competitions in Yerevan.
Maria Arakelyan (school student) - I love my homeland and I can't imagine my life without Artsakh. I want no child to see war and the world to protect our rights.
Since December 2022, the rights of 30,000 children of Artsakh to education, adequate living standards, health care and many other rights have been neglected, warns the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, calling on the international community to take immediate steps.
Gegham Stepanyan (Human Rights Defender of Artsakh) - 30,000 children, who should have had a carefree childhood, now go through uncertainties, difficulties and various deprivations with their families every day. I expect that the indifference on the part of the international community will eventually end.
The consequences of the blockade are most severe in the field of health care, particularly in the field of rehabilitation medicine. The head of the rehabilitation center of Stepanakert says that many children cannot receive proper treatment.
Gohar Khachatryan (acting director of Stepanakert Caroline Cox rehabilitation center) - We have a problem with hydrotherapy, one of the most important rehabilitation services, whose operation was stopped for about 6 months due to gas supply interruption.
Take care of the children, learn from them not to despair, is the advice of priest Father Nerses Asryan, Artsakh Diocese, to the participants of the action.
Priest Nerses Asryan (Artsakh Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church) - We can learn this important lesson from our children: never give up, never stop our efforts mentally, morally and, why not, also physically, to stand up again in a broad sense and take our steps towards our future.
The "Ararich" charitable foundation prepared a surprise for the children of Artsakh. At the end of the campaign, a party was organized for children.
