WATERTOWN, Mass. – The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) of Boston will be celebrating the 105th anniversary of Armenia’s independence on Friday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC).
This event, hosted by Nanor Nerkizian, will feature Hagop Der Khatchadurian, the chairman of the ARF Bureau and the president of the Armenian National Committee International. There will also be performances by the Armenian Youth Chorus of Boston under the directorship of Artur Veranian.
Der Khatchadurian has been a member of the ARF Bureau since 2004, having been elected as the Bureau chairperson in 2019. He has served at local, regional and national levels in New York, Montreal, Laval, Eastern United States and Canada, respectively. He was awarded the Cilician Prince title and medal by Catholicos Aram I for his long standing service to the Armenian nation.
Touching upon the momentous occasion of the establishment of the First Republic against all odds in those years, Der Khatchadurian will discuss the need for heightened vigilance and renewed esprit de corps on the part of the Armenians worldwide to rise yet again. Today, the Armenian nation, facing enemies from many sides, is at a critical juncture. Setbacks from military, demographic and diplomatic losses in Artsakh and Armenia have given way to despair and detachment, further compounded by a lack of Armeno-centric policies and leadership by the Armenian authorities. However, the Armenian nation has weathered stronger storms. It must regroup and act now with vigilance and dedication toward restoring the nation’s security and dignity and ensuring its long-term survival.