AGBU Annual 2010 Entire Eng
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AGBU Sofia Annual Report 2010 Titles: • (23 January) AGBU Europe Meeting in London • (14 March) First Concert Spring Season 2009-2010 of AGBU - Sofia Chamber Orchestra: 100 years of Parekordzagan • (11 April) Second concert of AGBU - Sofia Chamber Orchestra for Spring season 2010, dedicated to 95 years of the Genocide • (17 April) AGBU Sofia Chapter hands out the International Scholarships for 2009/2010 • (26 May) AGBU-Sofia Chamber Orchestra concludes its Fourth Spring Season with a con- cert at the Modern Theater Hall • (30 May) AGBU - Sofia Chapter welcomes the AGBU-Sofia Chamber Orchestra musicians and soloists • (3 June) AGBU-Sofia and HOM-Sofia supported a generous gesture of good will • (19 June) AYA and YP at AGBU-Sofia host a benefit dinner for the Camp UNGER 2010 • (25-30 June) AGBU-Sofia in support of young Armenian artists at Water Tower Art Fest 2010 • (29 August - 5 September June) AGBU-Sofia Children Camp UNGER • (30 July) The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Bulgaria end his mandate at an official ceremony at the Office of the President • (30 July) AGBU-Sofia hosts a meeting with recent and graduate students in Armenian Phi- lology and their teachers • (18 September) Theater "Agop Baronian" Plovdiv participated in Theatre Festival in Sofia, hosted by AGBU Sofia • (21 September) Theater "Sundukian" Sofia, participated in Theatre Festival in Sofia, hosted by AGBU Sofia • (24 September) AGBU -Sofia celebrates 21st of September - Independence day of Rep. Armenia and 22nd of September - Independence day of Rep. Bulgaria • (3 October) AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, 5th Autumn Season 2010-2011 • (6 October) meeting between students from Armenia and Armenian Philology graduate stu- dents • (3 November) Photo exhibition Armenian workdays and holidays through the eyes of the photographer Julian Angelov • (6 November) Badminton tournament was held, organized by YP from AGBU - Sofia • (7 November) AGBU AYA meeting with parents and their children participating at the AGBU Camp Unger 2010 • (13 November) A friendly meeting of the Armenian Ladies from AGBU - Sofia • (21 November) AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra's second concert of the Autumn season • (25 November) Lecture "Calouste Gulbenkian - an oil tycoon and philanthropist" • (5 December) Third Concert AGBU-Sofia Chamber Orchestra • (9 December) AGBU Sofia Ladies and young moms Christmas gathering (23 January) AGBU Europe Meeting in London The AGBU Europe Board’s first meeting of 2010 was held on January 23 at London’s "Armenian House” - a symbolic place that brings together the entire Armenian community. In his speech AGBU Europe Chairman Alexis Govciyan said, "The United Kingdom plays an important role in the European Union on both political and economic levels. Its position in favor of Turkey and Azerbaijan should be changed and a balanced policy must be established, taking into account Armenia’s role in the region. This powerful European country should be more interested in the recogni- tion of the Armenian genocide and should support the his- torical truth. The recent action of the Parliament members from Northern Ireland and Scotland towards the recognition of the Armenian genocide is a very important step. We should work even more actively with the Armenian community in London on various Armenian issues and coordinate our efforts”. During the days in London, AGBU Europe leaders met with various individuals and organizations in- cluding RA Ambassador to UK Vahe Gabrielian, Baroness Caroline Cox, Bi-shop Nathan Hovhanni- sian, members of the Armenian Community & Church Council of Great Britain, and AGBU Young Professionals of London. The main purpose of these meetings was to present the goals and the mission of AGBU Europe, ex- change views on important issues and explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration. MEETING WITH BARONESS COX Baroness Caroline Cox is a member of the British House of Lords and avid crusader for the Armenians of Karabakh. She has continuously supported the Karabakh cause, visited the region for seventy times and knows very well its strategic, political and economic issues. During this meeting the AGBU Europe campaign for Nagorno Karabakh was discussed, the main pur- pose of which is to force the European Union to establish contact with the authorities of Nagorno Karabakh and to provide humanitarian and economic assistance to Karabakh. This initiative was welcomed with enthusiasm by Caroline Cox, who has expressed desire to cooperate with AGBU Europe to counterbalance the strong Azeri propaganda. MEETING WITH ACCC REPRESENTATIVES The issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition by the UK was widely discussed during the meeting with the members of the Armenian Community and Church Council of Great Britain and its Chairman Ara Palamoudian. The British Armenian community has some difficulties to get this recognition espe- cially because of the strong relations between the UK and Turkey. To foster the activities in this field a committee for the Armenian Genocide recognition campaign was established in London. The focus of the meeting between the AGBU Europe Board members and the Ambassador of the RA to UK Vahe Gabrielyan was the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan and Turkey, with a special emphasis on the activities of a London-based organization called the "European Azerbaijan society". AGBU - Sofia 2010-03-01 08:51 (14 March) First Concert Spring Season 2009-2010 of AGBU - Sofia Chamber Orchestra: 100 years of Parekordzagan The concert, dedicated to the 100 anniversary of the "AGBU- Sofia" organisa- tion was a real celebration for the Armenian community in Sofia, and to all who attended it for two reasons: love of music and the excellent already proven " AGBU - SOFIA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA " led by Maestro Bedros Papa- zyan. In the hall of the National Musical Academy " Pancho Vla- digerov" orchestra and soloists, among the best in the country, as well as guest singer from Ar- menia Lucine Hovsepyan, brought out an attrac- tive concert with works by Bach, Salieri, Mo- zart. For these musical meetings, supporters well know that Maestro Papazyan always prepares the program with love and good will in order to acquaint the audience with different styles, mu- sicians, to present the Armenian works, artists and folklore. And now we heard a beautiful Ar- menian song performed with emotion by Lousine Hovsepyan, an opera singer from Ar- menia, soprano with a beautiful voice, who sang as well, inspired and with great emotion, Mo- zart's piece " Exsultate, Jubilate ". A celebration of music and spirituality realized thanks to the Sofia Municipality "Culture" Department and the Armenian General Benevolent Union '"Parekordzagan". AGBU - Sofia 2010-03-23 10:45 (11 April) Second concert of AGBU - Sofia Chamber Orchestra for Spring season 2010, dedi- cated to 95 years of the Genocide On Sunday, 11th of April, at 5 p.m., the AGBU Chamber Orchestra gave its sec- ond concert for Spring Season 2010, dedicated to 95 years of the Genocide. Maestro Bedros Papazyan and the AGBU Chamber Orchestra were welcomed with a big applause by the audience, in the full hall of the National Musical Academy in Sofia. The start of the concert was given with a wonderful interpretation of Georg Tele- man's Suite for two horns, with the solo- ists Yuri Rizov and Jeko Atanasov. The talented harp performer of Armenian origin - Kohar Andonyan, impressed with her performance of Georg Handel's Concert for harp. A very emotional moment of the concert was the appearance of the well known and reputed Bulgarian violinist Prof. Jossif Radionof, who played two pieces from the famous german composer Fritz Kreisler. An original arrangement of Hachaturian's Nocturno from the film Mascarade was also presented to the audience by Maestro Papa- zyan and the AGBU orchestra. Prior to the guest appearance of the choir Gomidas from the town of Haskovo, H.E. the ambassador of the Republic of Armenia - Sergei Manasarian, was given the word. He congratulated the AGBU Sofia Chamber orchestra for its wonderful work and talked about the Armenian Genocide. He expressed his hope that Bulgaria as well would recog- nize it as a historical fact. I n the second part of the con- cert, the choir Gomidas, per- formed the pieces: Hayr Mer; Surp, Surp; Hayer; Kilikia; Ask Parabanc and Erevan Ere- buni. At Hayr Mer (Our Fa- ther) the audience in the hall stood up, manifesting its re- spect to the memory of 1 500 000 victims of the Genocide. The magnificent musical performances that evening united the hearts of Bulgarians and Armenians, who had attended in the Sunday afternoon to experience a real spiritual coming together. AGBU - Sofia 2010-04-20 11:04 (17 April) AGBU Sofia Chapter hands out the International Scholarships for 2009/2010 The official ceremony for the annual AGBU Sofia International Scholarships, took place on the April 17th (Saturday), in the afternoon,. The event was hosted at the new office of the organization, at 29 Bacho Kiro Str, in the city centre of Sofia. Mrs. Sonia Bedrosian, chairlady of AGBU Sofia, opened the ceremony and welcomed this year's schol- arship recipients, AGBU Sofia Board members and the numerous guests, who came to attend the event. Mrs. Bedrosian wished the scholarship holders to fulfill their goals and ideas. and shared her vision for more initiatives and a greater involvement on behalf of the youth in reconnecting with Armenian cul- ture and language. To hand in this year’s scholarships in the amount of 5.800,- US $, AGBU Sofia Chapter had invited, as a special guest, the young and well known Bulgarian actor - Tigran Torosian. The talented actor congratulated the scholarship recipients. He shared with the gueste his conviction of many talents of young Armenians, which are to be revealed and developed. Tigran expressed his will- ingness to start a project in colaboration with his brother Ovanes (an award winning film actor), in or- der to found an AGBU Sofia youth theater group.