ARMENIAN WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER TO CELEBRATE ARS CENTENNIAL

Asbarez
Mar 19th, 2010

NEW YORK-Armenian Relief Society members from various countries,
including Greece, France, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina, Brazil,
Canada as well as the United States gathered in New York City this
weekend to celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary.

The three-day celebration, organized by the ARS Central Executive
Board, began with a gala evening at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. The
evening’s keynote speaker, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and
CEO of Women’s World Banking, praised the ARS for its philanthropic
and charitable work. She touched upon the changes in the non-profit
sector, mentioning that investment in women’s economic development
has shown to be successful. She urged the gathering to continue
promoting educational, healthcare, housing and welfare issues for
Armenian families throughout the world.

The evening began with Mistress of Ceremonies Stephanie Mesropian
reflecting upon the 100 years of ARS service to the Armenian
communities. Mesropian described the humanitarian work of the ARS
as it evolves during the past century. She also touched upon the
organization’s future with special focus on the programs in Armenia,
Artsakh and Javakhk. The master of ceremonies introduced invited
guests, including benefactors, organizational representative, church
leaders, and U.N. representatives (see below for a full list of
officials who attended the ARS Centennial Gathering).

Eastern Prelate Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan was invited to read the
Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, who declared 2010 the Year of the Armenian Woman,
congratulating the ARS on its 100 years of selfless service to the
Armenian nation.

Armenia’s Ambassador to the US, Tatoul Markarian, delivered a message
from Armenia’s Minister of Diaspora, Hranoush Hakobyan. The Ambassador
also offered his personal congratulations and urged the members to
continue its mission.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member, Hagop Der
Khatchadourian and Dr. Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie
Corporation and passed recipient of ARS scholarships, offered their
remarks.

Vicky Marashlian, Chairperson of the ARS Central Executive Board,
reminded everyone of the work that the ARS has undertaken. "The ARS
works on a full spectrum of issues; from local community efforts,
to sheltering and feeding orphans in the Homeland, to promoting
an awareness of our vibrant culture, and of equal justice wherever
and whenever people are denied basic rights," she stated. Marshlian
speaking to the membership in the audience emphasized that "we are
an alliance of strong, passionate women catalyzing partnerships
and leveraging human and financial capital to serve the needs of
our people."

At the conclusion of her address, Marashlian presented the ARS "Ararat"
Award to the Near East Foundation, an organization who is celebrating
it’s 95th anniversary and was started the same year as the tragic
Armenian genocide in 1915. Shant Mardirosian, Chairman of the Near
East foundation, accepted the award with great honor and thanked the
ARS for acknowledging the work their organization does.

The evening featured a vibrant performance by opera singers Yeghishe
Manucharyan, tenor and Victoria Avetisyan, mezzo-soprano. They were
accompanied on piano by Armine Vardanyan; and Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg
on the glass harmonica.

The celebration concluded with a reception which gave all those
in attendance an opportunity to collectively congratulate the ARS’
100 years of service to the Armenian people.

In addition to the Wednesday night celebration, the members who had
gathered from throughout the world attended a one-day seminar on
various topics, including UN NGOs; Armenian women and empowerment;
international philanthropy and internal organizational issues.

The 100th anniversary is also being celebrated with local and regional
events throughout the 26 countries where ARS entities are located.

The New York-based gathering is part of a series of events that will
culminate this fall with a pilgrimage to Der Zor, the Syrian desert
where hundreds of thousands of Armenians perished during the Genocide
and a week-long celebration in Armenia.

List of officials who attended the ARS Centennial Gathering: Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the
Eastern USA Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Armenian
Apostolic Church in the Western USA Archbishop Manuel Batakian,
Exarch of the Armenian Catholic Church in North America Levon Filian
representing the Armenian Missionary Association of America Tatoul
Markarian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in the USA Mr. &
Mrs. Garen Nazarian, Representative of the Republic of Armenia at
the UN Aram Avetisyan representing the NKR Representation in the USA
Hagop Der Khachatourian representing the ARF Bureau Hrayr Baronian
representing the ARF Central Committee, Eastern USA Garine Hovsepian
representing the ARF Central Committee, Canada Zarmayr Setrakian
representing the Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Association
Shant Martirossian representing the Near East Relief Foundation

ARS of Western USA Members Return from New York for Centennial
Commemorations

BY RITA HINTLIAN

Eighty-three members from eighteen chapters of the Armenian Relief
Society-Western USA arrived in New York to participate in centenary
celebrations of the ARS organized by the ARS Central Executive and
Eastern Region. ARS members came from chapters as far away as southern
Orange County to Fresno to San Francisco. Our region was privileged
to have amongst its members, three Central Executive members and
almost all Regional Executive members (except for one). The "Anahid"
Chapter of San Fernando Valley was present with 21 members, including
all members of the chapter executive.

ARS members were delighted to be in New York, not only to celebrate
the centennial of the organization that they dedicated their lives
to, but also to spend time together, to share their concerns and
collectively find solutions to shared issues during the seminar or
at every opportunity that they got together.

Most of the ARS-WUSA members arrived in New York between March 9 and
10 with anticipation and trepidation if the city where the ARS was
founded 100 years ago was willing to share its sparkle and mysteries.

On March 10, ARS members headed to the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie
Hall from Fort Lee on several buses, where the official opening
ceremonies were held. Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie
Corporation, acknowledged his indebtedness to the ARS saying, "I am
living proof of what the ARS has done". Vicky Marashlian, Chairperson
of the ARS Central Executive Board presented the ARS "Ararat" Award
to the Near East Foundation Board Chairman Shant Mardirossian.

The next day, a seminar was held at the St. Vartanants Church hall
in Ridgefield, New Jersey. Following the lecture session, our members
were divided into four groups amongst the other participants from the
Eastern USA, Canada, South America, Europe, Middle East and Armenia.

The participants discussed "The ARS, Civil Society Organizations
and the United Nations in the 21st Century" by Stephanie Mesrobian;
"Alternative sources of technical and financial support for ARS
activities" by Garine Hovsepian; "The ARS in the 21st Century:
Mobilizing to improve the lives of Armenian Women" by Maria Titizian;
and the ARS Organizational Status by Jirayr Beugekian.

During the same afternoon, the ARS members visited the UN building,
which will be under renovation next month. The visit to the UN exhibits
and meeting rooms reinforced the earlier discussions during the day
about the ARS activities at the UN, and helped place the Millennium
Goals in perspective to the global ARS accomplishments.

The next day, ARS members took the buses to visit touristic sites in
New York. In the evening, the ARS of Eastern USA had organized a dinner
at the La Fortuna catering hall in Fairview, NJ. On this occasion,
the ARS of Western USA, Regional Executive Board Chairperson, Sossie
Poladian, presented golden coins with the ARS emblem and the image of
the Mamig and Babig monument in Karabakh (Artsakh) to the ARS Central
Executive Board Chairperson Vicky Marashlian and the ARS of Eastern
USA Regional Executive Board Chairperson Silva Kouyoumdjian. During
the presentation Poladian said, "The ARS is a unique organization,
which can connect members from all corners of the world."

During the next few days, the ARS members, group by group, departed
from different airports to their various destinations in California.

Due to the severe weather conditions in the New York area, the return
trip back to the west was only possible with a lot of patience,
endurance and supportive ARS members. During the New York trip, the
ARS-WUSA members had encountered unexpected difficulties, but the
tornados created havoc with delays for most of the scheduled flights.

In the hotel without power, the ARSers sat at the lobby and tracked
on cell phones the incoming news of the various groups, which had
already departed.

Tired after many hours and sometimes days of delays, the ARS members
finally arrived at their destinations, to continue with renewed vigor
and dedication their service to the ARS during the next century.