AraratBank and Théâtron Festival Bring Smiles to Little Ones

Smiles, warmth, and joy: With financial support from AraratBank, artists from the Théâtron Francophone International Festival of Performing Arts performed the delightful show "The Adventures of the Red Nose" at the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center for children facing health challenges, their parents, and medical staff.

Alma Lava and Saturnino are clowns from the Swiss theater troupe La Temeraria. Specializing in performances for hospitalized children, they went from ward to ward, bringing smiles to kids navigating difficult moments in their lives.

The Théâtron Francophone International Festival of Performing Arts is organized by the Art-Image Cultural NGO and the French Saté-Âtre theater association.

Launched on October 22 and running for approximately two weeks, the Théâtron Festival, in partnership with AraratBank, initiated a series of social responsibility events not only in Yerevan, but also in Goris, creating countless unforgettable moments for participants.

"Social responsibility, particularly addressing important social issues through various cultural initiatives, has always been at the core of AraratBank's activities. We greatly value this one-hour performance for children facing health challenges. We are confident that performing arts have healing power, and we believe that this performance will bring positive change for these children," noted Anna Allahverdyan, Head of Communications and CSR Programs Coordination Division at AraratBank.

"For us as festival organizers, the social component is very important. As we have noted many times, it is essential that culture reaches the places where audiences cannot attend events themselves. The Théâtron Festival of Performing Arts has many partners both in Armenia and France, but I would like to give special recognition to our partnership with AraratBank and its support as a private institution that did not hesitate to respond positively to our proposal," noted Saté Khachatryan, Co-Founder and Director of the Théâtron Francophone International Festival of Performing Arts.

The hospital wards are filled with children of different age, each with their own story. The performers enter the rooms carefully: one is sleeping, another one reading, and the third one watching their performance with wide-open eyes. For the youngest patient, the clowns sing gently, while with the reader they exchange playful glances.

“During childhood cancer treatment, children, their parents, and families face numerous psychological challenges that would be impossible to overcome without events like this. These initiatives are incredibly important because at the moments when children feel sad or have low spirits after certain procedures, it's crucial to lift their mood and support their parents," emphasized Verjinya Barseghyan, psychologist at the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, highlighting the importance of the artists' visit to the children as part of the festival.

The clowns leave, leaving behind smiles and warmth in the wards. This is the mission of clowns who specialize in performing for hospitalized children. AraratBank believes that every child deserves the light of childhood.

AraratBank is regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia.