Supporters and benefactors of the Armenian Cultural Foundation came together on November 21 at Glendale’s Phoenicia Restaurant for a Thanksgiving dinner celebrating Asbarez newspaper.
The cozy gathering was an opportunity for the ACF to thank its supporters and also to highlight the efforts and activities of Asbarez, which marked its 111th anniversary in August.
Attending the event were Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian; Prelacy Vicar-General Bishop Torkom Donoyan; Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau members Dr. Viken Yacoubian and Aram Kaloustian; members for ARF Western U.S. Central Committee headed by its co-chair Dr. Carmen Ohanian; as well as representatives from Armenian Relief Society, Hamazkayin, Homenetmen, the Prelacy Executive Council and Board of Regents of Prelacy Armenian Schools.
Mistress of Ceremonies, Horizon Armenian Television on-air personality and anchor Svetlana Bosnoyan welcomed the guests and after presenting a brief overview of the ACF’s activities of the past year, announced that Mr. & Mrs. Varant and Hoori Melkonian had generously sponsored the evening’s reception.
The brief program included presentation by Asbarez Editor Arman Baghdoyan, ACF Chairman Avedik Izmirlian, before whom Western Prelate Archbishop Mardirossian blessed the tables and conveyed his remarks at the gathering.
The Prelate commended the guests for their enduring support and called for continued and further encouragement. He applauded the worthy mission of Asbarez and wished them great successes to come. He concluded by blessing and congratulating the devoted members of the ACF and the ARF Central Committee.
In his remarks, Baghdoyan, the Asbarez Editor, discussed the mission of the newspaper and how the publication has evolved during its 111-year service to the community. He highlighted that the pages of the Asbarez have always reflected varying opinions and emphasized that the newspaper is the refelction of diverse Western U.S. Armenian community.
In his remarks, Izmirlian, the ACF chair, reflected on the important role the Asbarez newspaper has played and continues to play in the advancement of the Armenian-American community. He added that through the pages of the newspaper, the community has become more engaged in the day-to-day life in Armenia and has taken on a decisive role in the Artsakh liberation struggle, and has advanced national aspirations of the Armenian Nation.
Throughout the evening, singer Araksya Amirkhanyan entertained the guests with renditions of traditional Armenian songs. The evening also featured a live auction of two painting, the proceeds from which went to the ACF. The auction was effectively led by long-time ACF supporter Peter Baghdassarian.
