YEREVAN/NEW YORK — For Arevik, 13, and Edita, 11, the summer camp at Aragats in Hankavan, Kotayk Province, run by the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), has been a place of recovery and a valuable platform for connecting with other displaced Artsakhtsi children and peers from various regions of Armenia.
A few years ago, the sisters attended a summer camp in Artsakh. “It was a three-day outdoor camp where we did a lot of hiking, including a visit to the ‘Tatik-Papik’ statue in Stepanakert,” recalls Arevik, her eyes filled with emotion as she remembers the 12 happy and memorable years she spent in Artsakh.
The family once lived in Poghosagomer village in the Martakert region. Arevik used to dream of becoming a hairstylist to help villagers with different haircuts and styles. “Now, I want to become a doctor to heal the injured and prevent illnesses,” said Arevik, who excels in STEM subjects at Sisian Secondary School and aims to attend medical school.
Despite the fresh memories of Azerbaijani shelling and forced displacement, she remains unafraid. “I was coming home on September 19 when the bombing started. It was very loud, and I barely made it home. Mom took us to the basement, where we stayed overnight. The next day, our granny came, and we headed to Stepanakert for five days before moving to Sisian, where we’ve been staying for months,” she noted, adding that their faith kept them strong.
The sisters, like thousands of other Artsakh children, missed school for a while but are now thriving academically. “One valuable lesson we learned at Aragats camp is to behave well and politely towards each other, respect one another, and be friendly,” said Edita. She admited that Arevik often calms her down when she misbehaves. “We participated in physical and intellectual activities, like outdoor Olympiads, painting, and reading. I painted a girl’s portrait, and Edita drew a vase with fruit. I loved the Armenian dance ‘Khamkhama’ because it symbolizes unity and strength,” noted Arevik, while Edita added, “I liked ‘Papuri’ the most, a national Armenian dance we often performed at the camp.”
The Aragats Summer Camp started on June 24 and continued until July 26 in two shifts. A total of 317 FAR-supported children from different regions of Armenia, including orphans, children from low-income families, displaced kids from Artsakh, and Syrian Armenian children, enjoyed a two-week vacation filled with dance, patriotic songs, traditional games and learning about customs from various regions. Each day ended with a summary of the day’s events, joyful songs, dances, and a beloved disco night.
