March 26, 2011 - 16:48 AMT
Annual increase in foreign volunteers’ number to Armenia reported

On March 26, the president of youth clubs federation Atom Mkhitaryan and the US Peace Corps regional office manager Hovhannes Stepanyan hosted discussions, titled What’s Volunteering and Why to Become a Volunteer.

“The number of foreign volunteers to Armenia is increasing annually,” they told a news conference.

“In 2008, 48 European volunteers arrived in Armenia. By 2010, their number increased by 52. At present, there are 98 volunteers, involved in US Peace Corpse programs,” Mkhitaryan said.

“Volunteering is very prestigious in our country. I’ve been in Armenia for 22 months already. It’s a good country, yet it’s a pity young people in the regions have so few distractions,” an Alaskan volunteer Nicholas Hutchings told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Volunteers in Armenia are involved in the following spheres: community issues, foreign language training, medicine and environmental protection.