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Armenian President Visits IATP Internet Access Site

On October 26, 2001, the President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, visited the new Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) site in Vanadzor to meet with regional officials and learn more about IATP. Also in attendance were the Head of Administration for the Lori region Mr. Henrik Kochinyan, the Minister of Industry and Trade Mr. H. Chshmarityan, Secretary Regional Head of Administration Dr. L. Aslanyan, and IATP Site Administrator Armen Potinyan. The president had heard about the IATP site from regional administration and visited to see its offerings and activities for himself.

IATP began its work in Vanadzor, the third largest city in Armenia, three years ago when it opened an Armenia Public Internet Access site in the Lori Region Library. Initially the site had four PCs, was connected to the local Internet provider via a dial-up connection, and was the only Internet access site in the city. At that time there was not a single homepage hosted in the region and people did not know how to create web sites. The center was a free electronic window and worked to teach students, alumni, teachers, and journalists the basics of working with the Internet. After renovation the structure of the site was updated; its current capacity consists of seven workstations, a new server, and upgraded PCs. The center also has a web camera for organizing teleconferences, monitoring the site, and taking pictures.

The second IATP site in Vanadzor is run in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and is located in the Marzpetaran (regional administration) building in the city of Vanadzor. It was recently opened on October 19 in a ceremony attended by UNDP and ECA representatives, IATP staff, and regional officials. The center is the largest free public Internet access center in Armenia and is equipped with 12 modern PCs and two powerful servers connected via a local network to the fiber optic network of ArmenTel. The site also possesses a web camera, printer, and scanner.

During President Kocharyan's visit, which was broadcast on all of Armenia's national television stations, he became acquainted with the goals of IATP and the activities of its site in Vanadzor. Regional officials and IATP staff described to the president the target audiences of the program, IATP training programs and courses, and the possibility for the creation of web sites for a variety of audiences, including students, alumni, journalists, scientists, and government administration. President Kocharyan stayed to test the site's connection and talk about how the Internet could strengthen the population's ability to learn various topics. He expressed his satisfaction with the site and said, "IATP and UNDP are carrying out a very important program in Armenia."

The IATP will be continuing expansion efforts in Armenia. With two great steps taken-the opening of IATP/UNDP site in Vanadzor and the opening of a site in Tsakhazdor-IATP will embark on new adventures and continue its site openings. A site in Kapan, at the Kapan Regional Library, is slated to open in November, and an additional site in Yeghegnadzor, located at Yeghegnadzor College, will open in January 2002.

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