Lyudmila Ter-Petrossian
Encyclopedia
Lyudmila Ter-Petrossian (born December 20, 1947, in Saint Petersburg
) was the first First lady
of the Republic of Armenia from 1991 to 1998, wife of the President
of Armenia
, Levon Ter-Petrossian
. She is the founder (1994) and leader of All-Armenian Women Union, a non-governmental organization working to protect the rights of women and children.
, USSR, she is of Jewish descent. Her father was an army officer who fought in World War II
and her mother was a doctor who took part in the defense of Leningrad. She graduated from the Department of Germanistics of the Leningrad State University. In 1972 she married to Levon Ter-Petrossian
, then a young post-graduate student, and moved to Yerevan
. During the 20 years she worked at Armenian State Radio as a journalist and editor.
Since the 1990s she became a public activist, working for the children's rights
and supporting disabled children in Armenia. For her public activities in 1995 she was awarded by a medal from UNICEF. In 1996, at the initiative of Ter-Petrossian and the All Armenian Women’s Union, the National Assembly of Armenia
was one of the first among the post-USSR republics of to adopt a law on the rights of children. In 1997, the Developmental Services for Armenia (DSA) organization was established in Los Angeles
by the initiative of Lyudmila Ter-Petrossian.
Ter-Petrossian was an honorary participant of different International conferences organized by Hillary Clinton, Rosalynn Carter
, Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing and others. She organized 4 International Women Conferences (1994, 2005, 2006, 2007) in Armenia
. In 2006, she established an informal club for the women of the South Caucasus.
She has one son, David Ter-Petrossian, and three grandchildren.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) was the first First lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of the Republic of Armenia from 1991 to 1998, wife of the President
President of Armenia
President of Armenia is the title of the head of state of Armenia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.-Democratic Republic of Armenia :*Avetis Aharonyan *Avetik Sahakyan *Avetis Aharonyan -Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and Armenian...
of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian , sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan or Ter-Petrosian , was the first President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998...
. She is the founder (1994) and leader of All-Armenian Women Union, a non-governmental organization working to protect the rights of women and children.
Biography
Lyudmila Ter-Petrossian was born in LeningradLeningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, USSR, she is of Jewish descent. Her father was an army officer who fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and her mother was a doctor who took part in the defense of Leningrad. She graduated from the Department of Germanistics of the Leningrad State University. In 1972 she married to Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian , sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan or Ter-Petrosian , was the first President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998...
, then a young post-graduate student, and moved to Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
. During the 20 years she worked at Armenian State Radio as a journalist and editor.
Since the 1990s she became a public activist, working for the children's rights
Children's rights
Children's rights are the human rights of children with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to the young, including their right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal state-paid education,...
and supporting disabled children in Armenia. For her public activities in 1995 she was awarded by a medal from UNICEF. In 1996, at the initiative of Ter-Petrossian and the All Armenian Women’s Union, the National Assembly of Armenia
National Assembly of Armenia
The Azgayin Zhoghov of Armenia is the official name of the legislative branch of the government of Armenia.-History:Until the promulgation of the Hatt-i Sharif of 1839, the patriarch and his clients, within limits, possessed authority over Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire...
was one of the first among the post-USSR republics of to adopt a law on the rights of children. In 1997, the Developmental Services for Armenia (DSA) organization was established in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
by the initiative of Lyudmila Ter-Petrossian.
Ter-Petrossian was an honorary participant of different International conferences organized by Hillary Clinton, Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter
Eleanor Rosalynn Carter is the wife of the former President of the United States Jimmy Carter and in that capacity served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. As First Lady and after, she has been a leading advocate for numerous causes, perhaps most prominently for mental...
, Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing and others. She organized 4 International Women Conferences (1994, 2005, 2006, 2007) in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. In 2006, she established an informal club for the women of the South Caucasus.
She has one son, David Ter-Petrossian, and three grandchildren.