Yerevan club Poligraf launches campaign in aid of Nagorno-Karabak refugees amid Azerbaijan conflict
Over 30,000 people have fled fighting in the region
Yerevan, Armenia techno club Poligraf has launched a campaign to raise awareness and funds in aid of refugees fleeing conflict in the Nagorno-Karabak region. Proceeds from this weekend's events are set to be donated.
The venue made an appeal for support on social media this week following an offensive launched by Azerbaijani forces on 19th September. It is thought some 30,000 of the Nagorno-Karabak state's 120,000 population, more than 90% of who are ethnically Armenian, have fled the fighting so far.
"Our first priority is to initiate fundraisers to support the incoming displaced families," said Harmik Mackertoomian, Poligraf's Head of Communication. "Throughout this month, we are dedicating a portion of our proceeds from all our events to various charitable initiatives supporting displaced individuals. We are in the process of establishing an international transfers account to facilitate a global fundraiser. The ongoing need for support is substantial, and we are committed to providing assistance for an extended period."
Nagorno-Karabak has been a flash point for many years. While sharing centuries of history with Armenia, it was placed under Azerbaijan's control in 1923 by authorities in Moscow. Open referendums following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 saw a majority vote in favour of independence. War three years later ended with an uneasy ceasefire and Armenian control, and intermittent clashes have prevailed since. These culminated in 44 days of heavy border fighting that broke out in September 2020, and since December 2022 a key route connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabak has been deliberately blocked, cutting off vital supply chains.
