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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
First AGBU Chapter Observes 100th Anniversary
Founded in 1907, the AGBU Alexandria chapter marked its 100th
anniversary with two community events, which featured three
Armenian-themed documentaries from Armenia, Lebanon and France on
January 19 and March 9. Alexandria, Egypt, is home to the oldest of
the AGBU organization’s 73 chapters on six continents.
On January 19, 2007, over 100 guests attended the first centennial
celebration. The evening’s varied program began with welcome speeches
by community members, Maro Mazlemian and Mary Kartalian. His Eminence
Archbishop Augustine Koussan of the Armenian Catholic Church of Egypt,
who had assisted in the production of one of the featured
documentaries, also made opening remarks.
The first part of the program featured a documentary entitled
"Armenians of Lebanon," a production of LBC International written and
directed by Lebanese filmmaker, Carmen Labeki. The film tells the
riveting story of one of the most active Armenian diasporan
communities, and outlines many of the contributions Lebanese Armenians
have made to the predominantly Arab nation.
Between the viewing of the first and second documentaries,
scholarships, made possible by the Satenig Tchaker Fund of AGBU Cairo,
were awarded to students of the local Boghosian National School, who
had excelled in their studies.
The documentary, "Destination Armenia," which is produced by AGBU, led
off the second half of the evening’s program. It highlights the
organization’s educational, humanitarian and cultural projects in
Armenia and Karabakh.
Guest speaker, His Highness Consul General of Lebanon Nedal Yehia,
spoke about the historical relations between Lebanon and Armenia, the
current political relations between the two nations, and the history
of the Armenian community of Lebanon.
In his closing comments, Archbishop Ashod Menatsaganian of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of Egypt encouraged people to put aside
differences and work towards a common goal–a strengthening of bonds
and support between the diaspora and Armenia.
On March 9, 2007, AGBU Alexandria hosted a second centennial event in
the Melkonian Hall of the Boghosian National School, where they
screened a documentary film about the Armenian Genocide entitled
"Restitution," by French filmmaker Laurence Jourdan. The film tells
the tragic story of the first genocide of the twentieth century and
contains interviews with, among others, the noted historian Yves
Ternon. The French film attracted a great deal of attention this year
when it was included free of charge in the February 12, 2007 edition
of "Time Magazine Europe," as part of a deal struck with European
Armenian groups demanding "Time Europe" clarify its editorial policy
on the Armenian Genocide. The controversy first began when in the June
6, 2005 edition of "Time Europe," a tourism DVD, paid for by the
Ankara Chamber of Commerce, contained a pseudo-documentary that
proposed that the Armenian Genocide never happened.
Special guests at the March 9 program were Father Krikor Mouradian,
the Armenian spiritual leader of Alexandria; Levon Kaghtatsian,
Chairman of the Diocesan Council of Alexandria; Mr. and Mrs. Vahe
Benohanian; Asdghig Alexanian Papazian, Chairwoman of the Dikran
Yergat Armenian Cultural Association; Sarkis Vartsbedian, Chairman of
AGBU Alexandria; members of the National Authority with their spouses;
executive committee members of athletic associations; Shushan
Ganimian, principal of Boghosian National School; and a large crowd of
Egyptian Armenian youth.
Closing remarks were delivered by the Armenian spiritual leader of
Alexandria, who ended the program with the Lord’s Prayer and
benediction.
Established in 1907, Alexandria, Egypt, is AGBU’s oldest chapter and
is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Armenian heritage and
identity through humanitarian, educational and cultural programs. For
more information on AGBU Alexandria, please email,
[email protected], or call, (20)(3) 592-0469.
For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please visit