On 22 May, the Hayastan All Armenian Fund opened the Armenian-French Friendship Canal in the Tavush region.  The 15-kilometer long water pipeline, which runs from Khashtarak through Lusahovit to Ditavan, was renovated and extended by 500 meters through the efforts of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund and the funding of the Council of Eau-de-Seine province in France. The canal provides water for more than 600 hectares of land in the three communities and was named in honor of the organizing and funding sides. The opening ceremony was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan, the Tavush Regional Head Armen Ghularyan, the Executive Director of the Fund Ara Vardanyan, community heads and others.  The Guest of Honor at the event was the Minister for Economic Development of France and the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Province of Eau-de-Seine, Mr. Patrick Devejian. Earlier, Patrick Devejian was hosted at the Executive Board office of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, where he announced that from now on the province of Eau-de-Seine would provide an annual grant of 500,000 Euros to Armenia for the development of rural communities. The Hayastan All Armenian Fund is currently expanding its work with rural communities in the Tavush region adding eight more – Getahovit, Vazashen, Aygehovit, Kayan, Sarigyugh, Berkaber, Tzaghkavan and Sevkar - to the previous six.  Negotiations are coming to a close between the Fund’s French representation and the province of Eau-de-Seine, after which it is expected that the next grant will fund the renovation and expansion of the Aygehovit-Vazashen canal.