Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association
Central Executive
1925 15th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94116

PRESS RELEASE
October 8, 2008

Contact: Edward Misserlian
edwardmiss@aol.com

Hamazkayin’s 80th Anniversary Marked at Armenian Embassy Gathering

WASHINGTON, DC — Armenian Americans from throughout the nation’s
capital, joined with Armenian Parliamentarian Lilit Galstyan,
Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian and? Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan, Prelate of Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern United
States, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Hamazkayin Armenian
Educational and Cultural Association.

The reception and program, hosted at the Armenian Embassy and co-
chaired by Ambassador Markarian, featured a moving medal and
commendation ceremony during which Hamazkayin Central Executive
U.S. Representative Edward Misserlian recounted the decades of
self-less contributions to Armenian culture made by renowned
pianist Lucy Ishkhanian, playwright Hrant Markarian, Maestro Arsen
Sayan, and community benefactor Dr. Hrant Semerjian.

In his remarks, Misserlian praised Hamazkayin’s international
educational efforts, noting that Armenian schools are the
cornerstone of communities worldwide and stressing the need to
establish a "jemaran" in the United States.

In addition to the medal and commendation ceremony, the 80th
anniversary program included remarks by Amb. Markarian,
Parliamentarian Galstyan, Archbishop Choloyan and musical
presentation by Vivian Chakarian. The mistress of ceremonies for
the evening was Hamazkayin Greater Washington DC board member Irene
Abrahamian.

Parliamentarian Galstyan, who also serves as president of the
Hamazkayin Foundation in Armenia, spoke eloquently about the
achievements of the venerable community organization both in the
Diaspora and, over the past two decades, in Armenia, highlighting
the group’s role in bridging Armenian cultural and educational
efforts around world.

The program was part of a series of events cosponsored by the
Armenian Prelacy of the Eastern United States, organized in honor
of Hamazkayin’s 80th anniversary, appropriately held during October
as part of Armenian cultural month.

Expanded coverage of the Washington DC event and Hamazkayin’s
Eastern U.S. tour to be provided in the upcoming weeks.

For more information, visit:

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