Los Angeles – Yerevan Sister City Association
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Ste 898
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818.752-0052 Fax: 818.366.3283
_info@laysca.org_ (mailto:info@laysca.org) _www.laysca.org_
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PRESS RELEASE
: Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Contact: Allen Yekikian
Tel: (818) 752-0052
LA-Yerevan Sister City Association, Los Angeles Council Members, and
community leaders unveil Yerevan Sister City sign in Downtown Los
Angeles LOS ANGELES, CA-The Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City
Association, in collaboration with Los Angeles City Council President,
Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles City Council Member and President of
Sister Cities of Los Angeles, Tom LaBonge unveiled the Los Angeles to
Yerevan street sign on Friday before community leaders and activists
in Downtown Los Angeles.
Garcetti began the event by welcoming the Los Angeles community to the
unveiling of the traditional, fraternal street sign. During his
remarks Council President Garcetti touched upon the theme of the day
by referring to the founding heritages of both cities, making note of
the glorious founding ofboth Yerevan and Los Angeles, which now
officially share a common fate. =80=9CWith the unveiling today,
Yerevan officially became a Sister City on our signage downtown," he
said. "but it has long been a sister city in our hearts."
Following Garcetti’s speech, Council Member LaBonge ecstatically
thanked all those who tirelessly worked to make the Sister City
relationship a reality and invited to the stage Souzi
Zerounian-Khanzadian, President of the LAYSCA.
Zerounian-Khanzadian, proclaiming it a day of celebration,
congratulated the crowd on the occasion of 16th anniversary of the
independence of the Republic of Armenia. She continued with an
introduction to the LAYSCA andits mission, urging the guests to join
the association and further advance the relationship being established
today.
`We are making history on this day,’ said Zerounian-Khanzadian. ` By
inaugurating this sister city relationship with this sign, we are
buildingnew bridges across the world and continuing an ancient legacy
that has allowedour people to maintain and develop our links to the
homeland, the world, and each other for over a thousand years.’
Following the unveiling of the sign, City Council President Garcetti
moved the ceremony into the Los Angeles City Council Chambers where
his Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate for the Western
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and His Eminence
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Prelate for the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America spoke and offered the opening and
closing prayers.
"Today, marks yet another milestone for Armenians all around the
world, said Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian. "A sister city
partnership with two great cities, Los Angeles and Yerevan, brings
great pride to the Armenian community living within Los Angeles and
even greater pride to the Armenians living in Yerevan.’
`The unveiling of the sign inspires us to have the vision to further
develop relationships between the two cities and to further develop
understanding of human culture and the beauty of God’s creation,’ said
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.’ For a nation, which has survived
genocide and has endured decades of communist oppression, the
initiation of this Sister City relationship is a historic moment which
has instilled us with not only a new sense of commitment but a deep
respect for the architects of this important mission.’
Representing the Republic of Armenia was Deputy Consul General
Harutyun Kojoyan, who also spoke to the Council Chamber. Kojoyan
commended the LAYSCA for their efforts to bring together the two
cities with the largest concentration of Armenian’s on the planet. He
further noted that `the LAYSCA is unique because it allows us to get
together and work together on a whole new level- for a common and
shared mission.’
`From a historical point of view, it’s a way for our societies both in
Yerevan and Los Angeles to get together and think about cooperation
for a common and prosperous future,’ said Kojoyan. `This is a binding
and bonding bridge between these two societies and it will make our
futures brighter and more successful.’
The event came to a close with a reception held in the Tom Bradley
Tower of City Hall where guests were served refreshments and given an
opportunity to enjoy a photograph exhibit, sponsored by the Armenian
Center for the Arts, depicting life in Armenia and Los Angeles.
Today is a very exciting day for me,’ said Johnny Nalbandian,
Executive Director for the Foundation of Economic Development and an
international trade Specialist for the California Trade Office. `Back
when I came to California in 1959, there weren’t many Armenians here,’
he added. We have come a long way as a community and are getting
stronger by the day. Now there are nearly half a million of us in Los
Angeles and we have become active citizens inour beautiful city of
Angeles.’
On February 23, 2007 Yerevan became Los Angeles’ 26th sister city and
the Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association was formally
established following a signing ceremony at Los Angeles City Hall
presided over by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA City Council President
Eric Garcetti, and Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan.
The Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association is a nonprofit
organization that promotes friendly ties between Yerevan and Los
Angeles, as well as between the United States and Armenia. This is
accomplished through cultural, educational, scientific, health
services, sports, and trade and commercial exchanges between the two
cities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress