The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S. Central Committee members were among community leaders who participated in a meeting on Monday with Anna Hakobyan, the spouse of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

She was visiting Los Angeles to take part in the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles, as well as to promote her “My Step” and “City of Smile” charitable organizations.

Leaders of the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization (Ramkavar party), the Armenian Relief Society and the Armenian General Benevolent Union, as well as religious leaders from the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Exarchate and the Evangelical Church attended the meeting, which took place at the Consulate and was led by Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles, Dr. Armen Baibourtian.

The ARF Central Committee was represented by its co-chairmen Avedik Izmirlian and Dr. Carmen Ohanian.

The meeting presented an opportunity for the leaders of the community to have a more substantive conversation with Hakobyan about the state of affairs in Armenia, as well as her charities.

During her remarks, Hakobyan also spoke about the two foundations she is spearheading: the “My Step” Foundation—named after Pashinyan’s political alliance—and the City of Smile Charitable Foundation. She explained that the “My Step” effort aims to in concert with the government to address socio-economic and educational needs of Armenians, while the City of Smile Foundation has a mission to help those inflicted with pediatric cancer.

She explained that the “My Step” Foundation aims to augment programs initiated by the government and through grants and scholarships train specialists and provide added services to enhance and improve socio-economic conditions in Armenia and bolster healthcare initiatives. The foundation will also undertake cultural and educational project that will elevate Armenia’s institutions and modernize some of the facilities to attract more participation from the population, as well as visitors to Armenia.

Those gathered at the meeting pledged the support of the organizations they were representing to the strengthening of Armenia’s statehood and through their initiatives compliment efforts to enhance lives of the citizens of Armenia.