YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The solemn opening ceremony of the "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project - Armenian Build on Faith" construction project was held in the Yerevan "Armenia Marriott" hotel on September 4, under the high chairmanship of Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, after the Lord's Prayer, His Holiness addressed his blessing to volunteers, gathered in Armenia from different countries of the world, who will implement their program. His Holiness Patriarch touched upon the agreement signed between the Armenian Apostolic Surb (Saint) Church and Habitat based on the proposal got from the Habitat board and diocesan primates of the Armenian Apostolic Church, expressing appreciation to the Habitat International board, in the person of organization representative doctor Kenneth Benson as well as Bob Edgar, the General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, who closely cooperate with dioceses, churchmen and communities of the Armenian Church. His Holiness expressed confidence that this cooperation between the Church and Habitat will be continuous, and a greater number of flats will be jointly built in Armenia for needy Armenian sons. Within the framework of the "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project: Armenian Build on Faith" construction project, Habitat Armenia organization will complete this year construction of 37 houses which will symbolize the Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church with its 36 dioceses. Within the framework of the project, a series of international volunteers will participate on September 4-9 in the final stage of construction works of a 24-apartment building in Gavar. On September 5, works will start in the city of Gavar where all international and local volunteers will join to beneficiary families of Armenian Habitat to bring to end construction of the latters' flats. The house blessing and opening ceremony of the building will take place on September 9. "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project - Armenian Build on Faith" construction program was created this April 20, based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin between International Habitat and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Under leadership of Karekin II, the Armenian Apostolic Church was for the first time involved in the Habitat activity in 2005, within the framework of the Jimmy Carter Work Project in the U.S. state of Michigan. And the cooperation between the Armenian Apostolic Church and International Habitat was stated just during that period of time. The Armenian Habitat organization started functioning in 2000. It has built 209 houses by now, for more than 1000 needy people.

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