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PRESS RELEASE

Friday, February 2, 2007

AGBU Sydney Chapter Celebrates Annual Australia Day

Gladys Berejiklian, MP, Nominated AGBU Australian Armenian of 2007

SYDNEY, Australia – The 10th annual Australia Day was celebrated with a
breakfast at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Hall on Wednesday, January 25,
2007. Some 150 persons attended the event, which was hosted by the AGBU
Ladies Auxiliary.

Gladys Berejiklian MP, the first Armenian elected to the New South Wales
Parliament, was the guest of honor. Nominated as the AGBU Australian
Armenian of the Year, Ms. Berejiklian delivered an emotional address, in
which she thanked AGBU and praised the work it does worldwide,
especially in Armenia and Karabakh.

The program, which included Australia Day songs and speeches from the 11
college students having received AGBU scholarships, was well received by
all the government officials, members and guests. Noteworthy was the
presence of newly promoted federal member for North Shore Hon. Joe
Hockey, who is of Armenian descent, and other parliamentary guests.

Father Vartan Navasartian gave a speech and presented Veterans
Certificates to seven AGBU members who have been devoted participants in
the Sydney chapter’s activities over the past 20 years.

Other local events having taken place recently were the annual year-end
graduation of the Sydney Saturday School, the 20th-anniversary
celebration of "Mioutune" monthly magazine, and the annual year-end
graduation of the Sydney Alexander School.

AGBU Sydney is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Armenian
heritage and identity through humanitarian, educational and cultural
programs. For more information on AGBU Sydney, please email
admin@agbu.org.au or visit

For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please visit