On May 5, 2021, the Acting RA Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan visited Tsaghkunk community of Gegharkunik Marz to get acquainted with the “Gagarin project” implemented by “DAR Territorial Development and Competitiveness Foundation”. The Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister Narek Teryan, the Acting Chairman of the Tourism Committee Alfred Kocharyan, and other employees of the Ministry. During the meeting, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DAR Foundation Arsen Aghajanyan presented the projects implemented by the Foundation in previous years, as well as the schedule of activities envisaged within this project and their importance in developing the country’s economy.

The Acting RA Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan emphasized the implementation of such projects, pointing out that such projects create new opportunities not only for development of tourism opportunities, but also contribute to improvement of the quality of life of rural community residents.

“It is important to have a project with quality and a project implementing entity, while the Ministry will do its best to turn it into reality”, he said.

The “Gagarin Project” is aimed at elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive development program for the area including the rural communities of Geghamavan, Ddmashen, Zovaber, Tsaghkunk, and Varser of Gegharkunik Marz of the Republic of Armenia and Gagarin district of Sevan town. It aims to establish sustainably developing and self-sufficient communities with innovative lifestyle, which will contribute to the residents’ well-being and increase their creativity. Bringing together the residents of the target communities, beneficiary structures, the best local and international professional expert groups and co-investors, the project will outline a long-term sustainable model of community development that will contribute to identification and self-manifestation of the existing human potential.

One of the pilot projects implemented within the framework of the “Gagarin project” is reconstruction of the center of Tsaghkunk community of Gegharkunik Marz. Taking into account that for the last few years Tsaghkunk community has been a place of attraction for domestic and foreign tourists, DAR Territorial Development and Competitiveness Foundation plans to fundamentally repair the inter-village section of Hrazdan-Sevan H29 state importance highway by reconstructing the center of Tsaghkunk community and forming a square in the central part of the community which will be peculiar for rural area. Along with reconstruction of the road, the necessary underground infrastructure will also be modernized, taking into account the opportunities for future perspective development. It is also envisaged to improve the existing park, as well as build a new park and landscaping. The land allocated for the new park belongs to the Foundation and will be transferred to Tsaghkunk community. In the center of the village it is planned to build a tourist information center, co-working space and community gathering place (hairdressing salon, shop-cafe, adults’ playroom).

Within the project framework, by 2025 it is envisaged to implement investment activities worth around 1.160 billion Armenian drams within the public-private partnership format.

During the visit, Vahan Kerobyan visited the 19th century major premise of Tsaghkunk community located in the central part of the village that was reconstructed and transformed into tourist attraction, as well as newly built guesthouses and St. Sargis Church, where the road leading to the church was also repaired by the Foundation.