On January 27, employees of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, under the leadership of Minister Hranush Hakobyan, visited Yerablur Military Pantheon where they laid flowers near the tombs of the freedom fighters who had sacrificed their lives during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Afterwards, the Ministry of Diaspora hosted a grand event dedicated to Armenian Army Day with repatriate freedom fighters, current Diaspora Armenian servicemen, state officials, as well as representatives of the offices of pan-Armenian organizations in Yerevan and the non-governmental organizations dealing with the issues aimed at supporting Syrian-Armenians in Armenia.
In her welcoming remarks, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan stated the following: “Today is a day of celebration in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. I warmly and cordially congratulate all of us on this great day of victory, on the 25th anniversary of the Armenian Army, and I assure you that we Armenians will always win. Most of us here today remember how the Armenian Army was formed. Glory and honor to all those who fell so that we could live and shape our two independent states, that is, Armenia and Artsakh. Today, Armenia takes pride in its Diaspora. The Diaspora stood by the side of Armenia during the days of the war in Artsakh. When Armenia declared its independence, many Diaspora Armenians came and fought in Artsakh. No matter where they may be, the hearts of our compatriots are in the Homeland. Congratulations, Armenian Army!”
Afterwards, Minister Hranush Hakobyan awarded repatriate freedom fighters Antranig Boghosian, Mardiros Jamgochian, Simon Kafalian, Vasken Sislian, Harmig Hovsepian, Hrant Ashdjian, Shaheh Adjemian, Antranig Chavoushian and Kousan Haigazoun with the Medal of Gratitude of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
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Expressing gratitude for the award, freedom fighter Antranig Boghosian stated that he had fulfilled his duty to the Homeland. He expressed certainty that during the Four-Day Artsakh War in April, the new generation of Armenians proved that they have surpassed themselves and aren’t preparing to concede the liberated Armenian lands.
Vasken Sislian emphasized that it is only thanks to Armenian soldiers that Armenians are living in their country in peace.
The Minister introduced the Kazanjians from Syria with special warmth. “David and Natalia Kazanjian have five sons. Three of them — Kevork, Toros and Mesrob — are currently serving in the Armenian army. As for Kevork, he participated in the battles that took place last April,” the Minister of Diaspora mentioned.
Taking into consideration the dedication of the Syrian-Armenian family to the Armenian Army, Minister Hranush Hakobyan granted a certificate of appreciation of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to the Kazanjians.
Afterwards, Head of the Department for Relations with Pan-Armenian, International and Ecclesiastical Organizations at the RA Ministry of Diaspora, Syrian-Armenian repatriate Nayiri Mouradian read the letters that Diaspora Armenian children had addressed to Armenian soldiers and showed the paintings that the children had dedicated to Armenian soldiers.
Minister Hranush Hakobyan emphasized that students of 1,004 Armenian schools of the Diaspora have written their letters, which will be sent to Armenian soldiers.
The RA Minister of Diaspora stated that the Armenian people showed their unity and consolidation once again during the Four-Day Artsakh War. During those days, Armenians of Armenia and the Diaspora carried out several initiatives to help Artsakh, which had suffered casualties and other losses. Some of those initiatives became memorable stories, and the hero of one of those stories was the Nanumian family. After the Four-Day Artsakh War, the Hayartun Educational and Cultural Center of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia hosted an exhibition-sale of works by Georgian-Armenian painters to help Artsakh. Among the participants was Garen Nanumian and his wife, Natalya, who is of Russian descent. Besides purchasing paintings, they donated their weding ringst to the fund for relief for the people of Artsakh devastated by Azerbaijan’s aggression. They decided to donate their rings to the soldier having participated in the Four-Day Artsakh War who would be the first to get married. During the wedding ceremony, the army’s spiritual servant, Deacon Samuel Mgrdchian handed the wedding rings over to Harut and Sonya Mnatsaganian, who became the hero of the story. The two families have become friends. The attendees of the event watched the video of Artsakhpress devoted to the story. In the video, the couple informed that it would donate the wedding rings to another couple in about 15 to 20 years.
Minister Hranush Hakobyan granted a certificate of appreciation of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to the Nanumians, who were attending the event.
Congratulatory video messages from representatives of various Armenian communities were shown, and folk and ethnographic songs were performed during the event.