SARKIS YEDELIAN RE-ELECTED DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE CITY OF RYDE
armradio.am
02.10.2008 17:37
The newly elected City of Ryde Councilors re-elected Sarkis Yedelian as
their Deputy Mayor and elected Vic Tagg as Mayor. Ryde City is situated
10km to the west of Sydney and has a population of 110,000. Ryde
has the highest concentration of Australians of Armenian ancestry
numbering around 10,000.
Yedelian was first elected on Ryde Council in March 2004 and become
the first councilor of Armenian background. The Council elections of
September 13, 2008 returned Mr. Sarkis Yedelian and introduced into
Council, Mr. Artin Etmekdjian, also of Armenian ancestry to represent
the City of Ryde for the ensuing 4 years.
Yedelian graduated from "Hamazkayin Nshan Palanjian" College of
Beirut. In 1974, he commenced studies in journalism and Armenian
history at "Hamazkayin Higher Institute for Armenian Studies" but
this was cut short by the Lebanese civil war. Yedelian migrated to
Australia from Lebanon in 1979, and studied electronic engineering. He
is self-employed, and has his own electronic service business. He is
active in Armenian and wider Australian community life. In 1983 he
founded the Armenian Community radio programme "Voice of Sartarabat"
via 2NSB-FM Community Radio, and was Programme Director for several
years. From 1994 to 2004, Yedelian was founding and board member
one of Australia’s first Com munity television services, "Community
TV Sydney". In 1994 he founded the first Armenian Community TV
organisation "Armenian TV Sydney Inc." and is still President of
the Association. For many years he was an active member of Armenian
National Committee of Australia. In 1980, he was a founding member of
"Armenia" monthly (now weekly) magazine, and for many years served
on its Editorial Board.
On April 12, 2005, Clr Yedelian’s motion to erect a memorial garden
marking 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Meadowbank War
Memorial Park was passed unanimously by Ryde City Council. This
represented the first official recognition of the Armenian Genocide of
1915 by an Australian Council. He called on the Commonwealth Government
to do the same. In 2005 at his initiation, and in partnership with
local businesses and Ryde Council, "Ryde Multicultural Centre Inc." was
formed. The Centre caters to the needs of multicultural communities
of Ryde, and Yedelian is currently its President. Clr Yedelian is
planning to establish a "Sister City" relationship between the City
of Ryde and one of Armenia’s cities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
