News

Members of the AGBU London Executive Committee and London Trust welcomed the President of the Republic of Armenia, His Excellency Mr. Serge Sargsyan at a reception held by Hayastan-All Armenia Fund UK. The president visited London to support the team of Armenian athletes competing at the Olympic Games in London. AGBU London joined His Excellency  in wishing the athletes a successful and enjoyable games. As part of his visit the president met with representatives of the Armenian community in the UK. He stressed the importance of the Diaspora, and the British-Armenian community in particular, and thanked everyone for the self-less work carried out by the Armenian organisations.

The year 2010 hallmarked the 100th anniversary of AGBU London chapter. Throughout the year a number of events were organised to celebrate the long standing organisational values and traditions of this chapter. The culminating celebration of the centenary, however, was held on New Year’s Eve – the 31 January 2010. This exceptional event gathered distinguished guests, AGBU members and friends to celebrate organisational achievements on a grand scale – a sumptuous gala dinner and dance night.

Armenians in Britain - the past, present and future.
Essay Competition 2010

The AGBU London Chapter has launched an essay competition for capturing the past, present and future of the Armenian community in London and the UK. The essay can be in a narrative, argumentative or anecdotal form. The general topic is: subjective reflections on community life, events, people, challenges and successes. It can reflect on the past, the present and/or a vision into the future.

The Aram Khachaturian Trio of Yerevan, Armenia, gave an outstanding concert dedicated to the 95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, on 22 May 2010, at St. Yeghishe Church, organised by the London Branch of the AGBU. The same programme was successfully performed by the Khachaturian Trio in Bulgaria, on 20 May, under the auspices of AGBU Plovdiv Chapter.

The Khachaturian Trio London debut concert was also attended by a great many non-Armenian music lovers. Read More

AGBU London Trust has a long tradition of supporting Armenian students who study in higher education institutions in the UK. As part of the global AGBU Scholarship program, London Trust provides funding to students of Armenian descent, who are willing to continue or pursue their educational development. Vartavar

This year too, a number of students started their academic year with the support of the organisation. AGBU London chapter received 27 applications this year.

Young Professionals London group organized and hosted a Vartavar outdoor event. The event was aimed to celebrate the ancient Armenian festive tradition of “Vartavar” that is associated with water games and outdoor activities.

The event was hosted at Ealing Common Park, London on the 5th July 2009. The exceptional sunny weather allowed the participants to play water games and having a picnic in the park. Facebook Album can be found here

A Pre-Election Conference: “Meet Your Candidate: The European Parliament and Armenians in the Next Legislature of the European Parliament” was held by AGBU London on the 29^th of May 2009 at the Churchill Hotel – Hyatt Regency, London. The main goal of the conference was to discuss EU policy of interest to Armenians and prospects for the next legislature. The conference themes included highlights on the policies that are related to the Armenian Diaspora, culture and education. Issues related to , such as the prevention of resumption of war in Nagorno-Karabagh, the threat to the Armenian cultural and architectural heritage outside , and many other concerns were discussed.

The completion of a successful joint project run by AGBU London and K. Tahta Armenian Sunday School was marked by an exhibition and award ceremony presenting the paintings of K. Tahta’s talented students.
The project ‘Armenia and the Colours of Through the Eyes of Children in the Diaspora’ was initiated by AGBU London with the incentive of developing and broadening the Diaspora Armenian student knowledge of Armenian Artists and Armenia ’s artistic heritage. To further encourage student participation a competition with cash prizes to be won for the best paintings was organised.

The London group of AGBU Young Professionals has initiated and organized the 2nd UK Pan-Armenian Youth Conference. The conference was held on the 9th of May 2009, at the Graduate Centre of London Metropolitan University. More than hundred participants attended the conference.

For Gohar and Sanasar Karapetyan, the only residents of the Karabakh village of Jrakn, soldiers serve as a calendar. When the soldiers pass, it is Friday. Then she looks for the Friday on the calendar that has turned yellow from the rainwater, and tries to make out on which date most possibly it is.

For 10 years the Karapetyans have been this village in the Hadrut region’s only residents.

“We are more than a couple: we have become a brother and a sister for each other. What else could there be? For 10 years already we see each other alone, we talk to each other alone, so that we have already run out of topics to talk about,” says Gohar, 58.

Soon Gohar and Sanasar will have their first neighbors. The Armenian General Benevolent Union plans to build 20 houses and implement the resettlement program in the village by 2008.

Read the rest @ http://www.armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1865&lng=eng&IID=1108&PHPSESSID=bd67d4ba49b8e36000ad3378ad749100

Los Angeles, CA - The Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region announced that one of its long time supporters AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School of Canoga Park, California has raised more than $112,000 for a local village school in the Hadrut Region. Proceeds from the total amount, which was announced on the day of the Telethon, will benefit the construction of a new school in Hakaku, replacing the old, dilapidated building.

Read the remainder of this news @ http://www.armeniafund.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?id=127

Vaughan Pilikian’s short film Hammer and Flame about the plight of the Indian poor dismantling the poison-ships of the West for scrap metal – shown in many festivals all over the world – was nominated for the ultimate accolade in Britain; the John Grierson 2006 British Documentary Awards held in a star-studded evening on 17 November at the Royal Geographical Society, London, then televised globally the next day (18 November) by BBC 4, at 10 pm London time.

 
John Grierson (1898-1972) is regarded as the Founder of the British Documentary art-film. He was also the Founder of the National Film Board of Canada (during the Second World War), and UNESCO’s first Director of Mass Communications and Public Information in 1947. In his lifetime, he was somehow linked to the production of well over 1,000 TV and Film documentaries.

Read the rest of this article at http://gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com/index.htm?ar=140&p=21 ...

Karabakh’s statehood is underscored by the two-year existence of its own chamber orchestra, say musicians who proudly make up the 23-piece body.

 
Until 2004, Karabakh had never had its own chamber orchestra. But two years ago, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) initiated the orchestra’s creation and assigned its leadership to artistic director and conductor Gevorg Muradyan...

Read this article @ http://www.armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1855&CID=1926&IID=&lng=eng

On November 7, 2006, the President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Arkady Ghoukassian, met with AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Board Member Michael Ansour at AGBU Central Office in Manhattan for a discussion of the issues facing Armenians around the world, and Karabakh in particular, today and in the years to come.

Read the rest @ http://www.agbu.org/pressoffice/article.asp?ID=377 

On September 1, 2006, Gyumri Boarding School #3 for students with special needs, in the northern Armenian province of Shirak, welcomed this year’s student body to its newly renovated and refurbished building.

Funded by AGBU London and with the contribution of volunteers from AGBU France, this is the first time this school, which has been operating for 15 years and enrolls 132 children, has been renovated.

Read the rest @ http://www.agbu.org/pressoffice/article.asp?ID=372

AGBU London Executive Members Karine Kouyoumdjian and Armine Afrikian are taking part in the Cancer Research UK "Race for Life" event on 4th June 2006 in the City of London.

Please sponsor them for this very worthy cause that touches so many lives. To make a donation please look up the details.

Miss Armineh Sourenian is an AGBU supported student researching her PhD in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds. Miss Sourenian won the regional title for the Yorkshire and Humber region in the British Council’s International Student of the Year 2006 competition.

Progressing through three judging rounds, Armineh, originally from Iran, is just one of 12 students to be named as a regional finalist from the 2000 students that entered the awards. Read more @ http://campus.leeds.ac.uk/newsincludes/newsitem3812.htm

AGBU London Youth Zone

Here are the details of two exciting summer opportunities, along with a winter ski trip, organized by the France District Committee. One of AGBU’s priorities is to increase interaction amongst young members and to expand worldwide offerings for young Armenians:

www.armeniadiaspora.com

"Though I'm a big boy already, I have not organized cultural evenings on the occasions of different anniversaries so far. This is the first time I stand before you all not as an actor but as a common man who is one of you and is your creation" said popular comedian and stage director Michael Poghosian as a gratitude for the Prince Claus Awards 2005 in Netherlands.

Your Village in Artsakh Needs YOU!!!!

The opening of the AGBU Centennial Worldwide Festivities will take place in April 2006 during Easter weekend, in Cairo. So come and enjoy the sun, the sea and sightseeing with the worldwide AGBU family in the land where the AGBU was born one hundred years ago.

George Sarkis Kurkjian OBE LLD MA died April 21st, 2005 in London after a brave and lengthy struggle with illness. Born in Heliopolis, Egypt, on July 30th, 1928 to Sarkis N. and Astra Kurkjian, he migrated with his family to England in 1931. He later attended Oundle School and Trinity College Dublin taking a BA and a B.Comm. He married Norma Giamgian (d. 1981) with whom he had two daughters, Marina (d. 1993) and Laura. He remarried in 1987 and his second wife, Diana Meynell, worked with him on many projects of reconstruction and aid to Armenia.

George Kurkjian was a model immigrant making substantial contributions of intellect, time and money to his new country and also to his ethnic and religious heritage. A born leader, he became the chair or president of numerous committees and associations in the City of London as well as within the Armenian community locally and internationally.

Following requests from members of the community, AGBU London broke with tradition this year and at the end of November hurriedly organised an intimate New Year party for 120 people on New Year’s Eve at The Marriott, Marble Arch. Traditionally AGBU London arranges a party to take place after the Armenian Christmas on 6th January each year. The party on 31st December 2004 was immensely enjoyed by all ages and people from different sections of the UK Armenian community.

New York, NY – Attracting undergraduates, graduates, and post-graduates of Armenian descent, the newly established AGBU London Youth Group has discovered in greater London an untapped network of Armenian youth seeking opportunities to connect with each other. Spearheading London’s newest youth group are Sevan Aghajanian, Stephan Yeghiazarian, Robert Aghajanian, Narek Sarkissian, Kegham Shamlian, Armine Afrikian, Khatoun Khorozyan, Alfred Shahverdian, and Karine Kouyoumdjian.

In August 2004 AGBU London launched the Artsakh Village Name Competition, inviting members of the UK Armenian community to submit names for a new village being built by AGBU London, as part of the AGBU Norashen Centennial Project. Twenty-one submissions were received.

The winner is Professor Khachadour Pilikian of London who submitted the name of “Pareshen”, a play on the Armenian words "Parekordzagan”, meaning benevolent and “shen” meaning to build, both words symbolising the ethos of the AGBU Centennial project of reconstruction.

Young Armenian graduates, undergraduates and postgraduates had the chance to meet and enjoy each other's company when AGBU London organised a private party at the premier Sound Club in Leicester Square, London on 30th October 2004.

YOUR VILLAGE IN ARTSAKH NEEDS YOU!!!!

Name That Village !
Be that proud person who named a place in the homeland on behalf of UK Armenians

“I have a great idea” said Armine one day as we met after Sunday basketball for a bite to eat, “Why don’t we hike in the Lake District and raise the money for the Gyumri Orphanage through sponsorship? It will be fun and a challenge!” And what a great idea that was. The children will now benefit from a massive £1000 raised as a result, with the entire expense of the hike being borne by the participants themselves.

As part of the worldwide AGBU Centennial Project to celebrate 100 years of existence of the AGBU in 2006, AGBU London is proud to announce the commencement of the building of a new border village, close to the Norashen village built by AGBU France. The funding of the new village has been made possible largely by the generosity of the UK Armenians and AGBU London.

Why not come now and play casual basketball or volleyball or football and meet up with other youth!

Announcement by the AGBU Central Board on the closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute 

On 8th November 2003 about 120 London AGBU members, friends and their families enjoyed a sparkling evening at the London Marriott Hotel, in aid of the AGBU Norashen Centennial Project for the reconstruction and repopulation of the frontier villages in Karabagh. This is the first of a series of events planned by AGBU London who aim to raise £30,000 to sponsor the building and furnishing of a community centre and medical facilities in Aygestan, in Karabagh.