In 2013 Merlin celebrates its 20th anniversary; here we take a look back over one of our first missions in the region of Nagorno Karabakh.

Risk is inclusive. Fourteen-year-old Margarita portrays a powerful message about disability in a video about disaster risk reduction.

By Chris Schuepp

GYUMRI, Armenia, 14 March 2013 – Margarita Sargsyan, 14, and her classmates at School #1 in Gyumri, the second biggest city of Armenia, are taking part in school lessons that might save their lives. They are learning about disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Like thousands of other Syrian Armenians, the Payazyan family fled its home in Syria to escape the nearly two-year long armed conflict. They arrived in Armenia seven months ago with hopes of returning home soon.

But as the fighting escalates, the family has had to stay on and try hard to adapt to the cramped housing conditions and cold weather. They are struggling to find the resources they need to buy food, clothing and other essential items required for survival.

YEREVAN, Dec 26 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Ambassador to Armenia Bassam Al Qabandi Tuesday handed over the sum of USD 100,000 to Armenian authorities as relief aid to Syrians who have sought refuge in Armenia.

According to a statement issued by the Kuwaiti embassy here, the aid follows the initiative of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

DUBLIN, 6 December 2012 - Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France Bernard Cazeneuve issued the following statement today:

1. Brief description of the emergency and impact

The armed conflict in Syria has caused 1,2 million internally displaced people and 360,000 refugees who are seeking protection outside the country (OCHA 2 Nov. 2012). Some 7,000 Syrians fled to Armenia where 540 families were registered so far by the Ministry of Diaspora as “families in need”. 90 families have filed refugee claims with the responsible State authorities, but in the majority of cases the arriving Syrian Armenians do not register by any entity as they consider Armenia their home country.

09/03/2012 19:46 GMT

by Mariam Harutyunyan

YEREVAN, Sept 3, 2012 (AFP) - Armenia warned Azerbaijan it was ready for war as tensions soared Monday between the ex-Soviet foes after Baku pardoned and promoted an Azerbaijani officer who axed an Armenian soldier to death.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev last week immediately pardoned Ramil Safarov after he was extradited from Hungary, where he had been serving a life sentence for the 2004 killing.

VARKHAVAR, Armenia -- When Iran was hit by devastating twin earthquakes on August 11, neighbor Armenia was quick to offer its help and extend condolences for the more than 300 victims.

But Armenians affected by the aftershocks say their government has all but ignored them.

Locals in Varkhavar, one of the villages in southern Armenia that sustained damage, say they have been left to fend for themselves.

"Not a single official has come here to see how we are doing," Valerik Davtyan told RFE/RL.

MOSCOW/PARIS/WASHINGTON, 20 July 2012 – The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and Jacques Faure of France) have noted reports about the conduct of “elections” that took place in Nagorno-Karabakh on July 19, 2012.