The Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP), with the support of the Ministry of Health of Armenia and USAID/Armenia, and in collaboration with the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Art & Sports Center of Arabkir, will organize a series of events this month to mark World Sight Day–an international day of awareness, held annually on the second Thursday of October in over 100 countries. The purpose of this observance is to raise the issues of avoidable blindness and visual impairment on the global stage.
”Within the framework of the recently launched USAID-AECP program– the Center of Excellence for Prevention of Childhood Blindness–the AECP theme for World Sight Day (WSD) 2012 is ”Bringing Sight to Children’s Eyes”to highlight issues of prevention of childhood blindness,” announced AECP Country Director Nune Yeghiazaryan at a press conference today.
WSD 2012 events in Armenia were launched on October 11. The AECP medical team conducted free eye screening for elderly people in Hatsik village, Armavir province, followed by a surprise dance performance for village residents.
On October 13, AECP fellow Lilit Mkrtchyan will conduct eye screening at #14 Specialized School of Yerevan for children with low vision.The same day, the AECP team will join the charity campaign of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia in Lukashin village (Armavir) where volunteers will paint windows of the local public school, which is in need of refurbishment.
Two charity concerts at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall will wrap up the WSD events. On October 23, the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia (NCOA) will perform a classical music program starring Levon Chilingirian, a world famous violinist of Armenian origins, invited from the UK. Vahan Mardirossian, the principal conductor and artistic director of Caen Symphony Orchestra (France) and the NCOA will present another concert on October 25 with NCOA soloists. Tickets for the concerts are currently on sale at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall. Funds raised at these events will support programs fighting childhood blindness in Armenia and the region.
