NEW YORK — Arianne Caoili, wife of Armenian Chess Grandmaster Levon Aronian, will embark on a two-week cycling tour throughout Cilicia, Anatolia and northern Iran this month to raise money for and awareness of Children of Armenia Fund (COAF).
Caoili will start her journey from the medieval Armenian port city of Ayas in Cilicia on September 21 and will finish the trek in the town of Agarak located on the Armenian-Iranian border.
Born in Manila, Caoili moved to Armenia in 2013 and has been engaged in various entrepreneurial and philanthropic initiatives. The Australian chess player, born to a Dutch mother and Filipino father, was awarded the title of Woman International Master (WIM) by FIDE and has competed in seven Women’s Chess Olympiads.
COAF is an organization dear to Caoili’s heart since it is committed to improving the lives of children throughout rural Armenia by giving them opportunities for advancement. She has always been passionate about helping children, especially with regard to education, music and disabilities. The biking tour’s fundraising goal of $5,500 will allow COAF to expand its athletic programs for youth living in six villages of Armenia’s Tavush region. Funds will go toward establishing clubs and much needed sporting equipment and salaries for coaches. Tavush, located on the border with Azerbaijan, is prone to sporadic attacks and is in vital need of programs aimed at revitalizing the region and giving youth newfound opportunities and health-oriented activities.
Caoili has utilized her professional background in public and private sector consulting as an advisor to the Armenian government. In 2015, she established Armenia’s first boutique strategy consulting firm, Akron Consulting, which specializes in business and public policy advising. She is also owner and editor-in-chief of Champord, the only free, mass-distributed newspaper in the Caucasus region, with the largest print run in Armenia. She serves as chairman of the board for the Champord Fund, an organization invested in the development of civil society and the training of young Armenian journalists.
In addition, Caoili is currently the CEO of one of Armenia’s largest alcohol distributors, 40 Degrees, a fast-growing, unique and novel start-up which she founded three years ago.
