ALIS PANIKIAN: “I’M PROUD OF BEING CANADIAN, BULGARIAN AND ARMENIAN”

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 04 2006

TORONTO, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Alis Panikian,
a 21-years Canadian Armenian student who was recognized “Miss
Universe Canada” and got the right to present Canada in the
“Miss Universe” world competition, convened press-conference in
Toronto recently. According to the Istanbul “Marmara” daily, Alis
Panikian informed that she was 5 years old when her mother, Ann,
migrated Canada from Bulgaria with her and they settled in the
city of Toronto. “My Armenian origin comes from my grandfather’s
side. He was an authentic Armenian, my father was half-Armenian,
and I’m a quarter-Armenian. We’ve taken my grandfather’s name. I’m
proud of being Canadian, Bulgarian and Armenian. Though I do not know
Armenian, I have numerous Armenian relatives and friends. I want to
visit my birth palce Bulgaria on a proper occasion to see my father
and relatives,” the Canadian Armenian beauty said. Alis mentioned that
she has numerous wishes the most important of which realized. She also
won in the “Queen of Coffee” international competition taken place
recently in Columbia. Alis Panikian is a second-year student at the
York University of Toronto, learns English and communication skills,
wants to become a journalist, at the same time to go to Paris, Milan
and New York as an experienced model.