Yesterday's Hayastan-All Armenia Fund 12 hour telethon raised a record $35 million towards development projects in Armenia and Artsakh. This is more than double the amount raised last year. Preliminary fiures show the following break-down in pledges: Los Angeles - $1.3 million, Lebanon - $200,000, Montreal - $130,000, Argentina - $100,000, Great Britain - $200,000, Holland - $40,000, Australia - $50,000, New York - $200,000, France - $1.5 million, Germany - $85,000, Switzerland - $33,000, Toronto - $250,000, Greece and Cyprus - $40,000. The Fund states that the final $35 million figure also includes amounts raised previously through other events such as the Phonethon, charitable concerts and the radio marathon that took place in Lebanon. Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan announce his pledge of $15 million towards the construction of a new hospital in Stepanakert. Other major donors included Viva Cell, Mikayel Vardanyan, Samvel Aleksanyan, Edward Ernekyan, Gagik Adibekyan, Varujan Grigoryan, Gagik Tzarukyan, Norik Petrosyan, Barsegh Beglaryan, Aram Kocharyan, Khachik Manukyan and others. "We have once again proven that our nation is strong and united", declared Ara Vardanyan, the Fund's Executive Director. "These are hard times not only for Armenia and Artsakh but for the whole world due to the economic crisis. However, despite the hardships, Armenians the world over have strecthed out a helping hand to their brother and sisters in Armenia and Artsakh."