On November 12, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s French affiliate held the opening Gala Dinner of its 2015 Pan-European Phoneathon at the Paris City Hall, under the auspices of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
The event’s guests of honor included Claude Bartolone, president of the National Assembly of France; world-renowned singer Charles Aznavour; Patrick Devedjian, president of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine; and Vigen Chitechyan, ambassador of Armenia to France. The Gala’s distinguished roster of attendees also included several foreign diplomats, members of the French Parliament and other elected officials, media leaders, and artists, in addition to a large number of French-Armenian benefactors and supporters.
“This Gala, which was organized at the invitation of the mayor of Paris, is a great honor for the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s French affiliate and its thousands of supporters,” said Bedros Terzian, chairman of the affiliate. “Today there is an increasing realization across Europe that Armenia and Artsakh are at the forefront of European civilization, and, as such, deserve its full support.”
The Phoneathon will take place from November 18 to 22, with Anne Hidalgo and Patrick Devedjian serving as godmother and godfather of the event. Proceeds from the Phoneathon will be used to build community centers in Nagorno Karabakh, expand agricultural-development projects in Armenia’s Tavush Region, and provide assistance to Armenian refugees from Syria and Iraq.