GLENDALE—Armenia’s Consulate in Los Angeles hosted a farewell reception for Consul General Ambassador Armen Baibourtian on February 25 at the Armenian Society of Los Angeles center.
The reception was attended by elected officials, including members of the California State Senate and Assembly, the Los Angeles City Council, the Glendale Mayor and the city council, the State Department, as well as Armenia religious leaders and representatives of political, benevolent, youth, cultural organizations.
More than 500 guests attended the reception. The event’s Mistress of Ceremonies was Araksya Karapetyan, an Armenian-born American television news anchor for the Los Angeles-based KTTV FOX11.
Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derdian, Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Bishop of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of the US and Canada Most Reverend Mikael Mouradian, Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian, and former Primate of Artsakh Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan all delivered messages during the program.
California State Senator Anthony Portantino, Assemblymembers Chris Holden and Laura Friedman, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles City Council members Paul Krekorian, Kevin De Leon, John Lee, Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang, and Glendale Mayor Paula Devine all presented Baibourtian with commendations and proclamations.
In their remarks, they voiced appreciation and gratitude for Baibourtian’s effort during his three and a half-year tenure, and emphasized his role in elevating the cooperation between Armenia and California to a completely new level and his leadership in strengthening the partnership with the community and building a bridge with the Homeland.
The City of Los Angeles adopted a special resolution on February 8 honoring Baibourtian for his contribution to strengthening the bonds of partnership with Los Angeles. Councilmember Krekorian presented this commendation to Baibourtian
Mayor Devine presented Ambassador Baibourtian with a symbolic key to the City of Glendale. State, city, and county officials highly appreciated the path and journey he has undertaken and the depth of the fruitful cooperation cultivated with him.
Among the many who also delivered remarks and praised Ambassador Baibourtian were attorney Rafi Ourfalian, former Minister of Culture of Armenia Armen Amiryan, and Counselor of the Consulate General Varazdat Pahlavuni. Editor-in-Chief of Massis Weekly Krikor Khodanian, Ararat Brandy Company representative Karen Meymaryan, community figure Marat Hayrapetyan, and painter Tigran Hovumyan presented the Consul General with appreciation awards and a portrait.
Among the attendees were former Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and Rev. Berdj Djambazian of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, the U.S.
Department of State’s OFM Los Angeles Regional Director Gretchen Franke, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Armenui Amy Ashvanian, Judge Arleta Shirinyan, Glendale Police Chief Carl Povilaitis, Military Attaché of the Embassy of Armenia in Washington, D.C. Colonel Arman Mkrtchyan and Counselor Arakel Semirjyan were also present at the event, as were Armenia’s Honorary Consuls General to Chicago, Las Vegas and Fresno, Oscar Tatosian, Adroushan Andy Armenian and Berj Apkarian respectively. Dr. Mary Papazaian, the President the San Jose State University, also attended the event.
During the event, a video entitled, “The Armenian Diplomat: A Story of Service to the Nation” was shown chronicling the Baibourtian’s accomplishments. These videos and photographs eflected the diplomatic path traversed by Ambassador Baibourtian, including his years of service from 1995 to 1997 as the first and inaugural Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles.
In addressing the participants of the event, Ambassador Baibourtian highlighted some of the projects he implemented that were the first ones in California and even for Armenia abroad. In particular, he spoke about the first ever business conference “California-Armenia: Trade and Investment Opportunities” held out of Armenia that he organized in Los Angeles in 1996.
He also referred to the first Framework Agreement on Cooperation between California and Armenia signed in 2019, which laid the solid groundwork for bilateral legal framework of partnership.
He touched upon the first Armenian event in Los Angeles that gathered 20,000 participants in front of the Los Angeles City Hall at Grand Park during the visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia in 2019. That number did not include marches, like the Armenian Genocide March for Justice in 2015 or March for Victory during the 44-day Artsakh war in 2020, to which Ambassador Baibourtian brought his contribution.
He also mentioned the joint event at the Consulate General of Armenia organized with the Pan Armenian Council of Western USA during the first days of the 44-day war of aggression against Artsakh in 2020, when the Armenian community leadership and the Consul General of Armenia jointly appealed to the entire Armenian community to strongly support the struggling Homeland. During this event, $3.3 million was raised.
He stated that the Los Angeles City Council, the second largest U.S. city, adopted four resolutions condemning the Azerbaijani aggression. He also spoke about programs, numerous joint initiatives, and accomplishments during his diplomatic tenure, all thanks to the ever-growing and close partnership with the Armenian community. He expressed his profound gratitude to the entire community.
The cultural portion of the program, led by Lusine Piroyan, brought together renowned artists like singer Harout Pamboukjian, duduk player Jivan Gasparyan Jr., musician Greg Hosharyan, Gevorkian Dance Academy, and singer Anahit Nersisyan who entertained the participants of the event.
