Armenia to get 325,500 euros as part of BSSRC program

YEREVAN, April 2. / ARKA /. The Armenian Monuments Awareness Project (AMAP) and the Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds (ASPB) will receive 325.5 thousand euros as part of the Black Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) program, AMAP head Richard Nye said today. 

This is a   two-year initiative designed to foster tourism development, cross-border cooperation and economic development in 173 communities across four countries of the Black Sea Silk Road Corridor – Armenia, Georgia, Greece and Turkey. A trail of cultural sites will be marked throughout the region. The overall funding is  1.284 million euros.

According to Richard Nye, the initiative calls for development of applications for smartphones and tablets to help foreign visitors to review them.

Head of  the Armenian Committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), Gagik Gyurjyan, said  information boards will be installed 3 sites in the capital Yerevan as well as in Shirak, Aragatsotn, Kotayk, Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, and Syunik provinces.

The head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Traian Hristea, said BSSRC is encouraged by the European Union as it is promoting regional, cross-border cooperation. “By encouraging cooperation between the countries of the Black Sea basin, we at the same time want to create a platform for these countries to address common challenges through supporting political, economic and social reforms," he said.

U.S. ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern and deputy economy minister of Armenia Garegin Melkonyan noted that the program will alleviate rural isolation and develop local communities through the creation of tourism networks and the promotion of local (rural) services and traditional products.

The BSSRC is financed by EU’s Black Sea cooperation program, which will provide 80% of funds and USAID’s Enterprise Development and Market Competition program that will provide the remaining 20%.  -0-