GLENDALE – On February 25, the Consulate General of Armenia in Los
Angeles organized a farewell reception for the Consul General of Armenia
Ambassador Armen Baibourtian on the occasion of successful completion of
his mission.
The event took place in the banquet hall of the Armenian
Society of Los Angeles in Glendale. The reception was attended by U.S.
elected and appointed officials, including members of California
State Senate and Assembly, Los Angeles City Council, Glendale Mayor and
City Council, U.S. Department of State, spirituals leaders of the
Armenian community, leaders, and representatives of political,
benevolent, youth, cultural organizations, and public figures. More than
500 guests attended the reception. The event’s Mistress of Ceremonies
was Araksya Karapetyan, an Armenian-born American renowned television
personality and anchor for the Los Angeles-based KTTV FOX11.
Speeches were delivered on the occasion by His Eminence Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church
of North America, His Grace Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate of the
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, the Most
Reverend Mikael Mouradian, Bishop of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of
the US and Canada, Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian, Minister to the Armenian
Evangelical Union of North America, and former Primate of Artsakh His
Eminence Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan. Among the American officials,
California State Senator Anthony Portantino, Los Angeles County
Supervisor Kathryn Barger, California State Assembly members Chris
Holden and Laura Friedman, Los Angeles City Council members Paul
Krekorian, Kevin De Leon, John Lee, Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles City
Attorney Mike Feuer, Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang, and Mayor
of Glendale, Paula Devine took the floor.
They highly appreciated the
work of three and a half years of Consul General Baibourtian,
emphasizing his role in elevating the cooperation between Armenia and
California to a completely new height and exercising leadership in
strengthening the partnership with the community, and bridging it with
the Homeland. The City of Los Angeles adopted a special resolution on
February 8, 2022 honoring Consul General Armen Baibourtian for his
contribution to strengthening the bonds of partnership with Los Angeles,
which was presented to him by Councilmember Krekorian.
He received
similar award from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by
Supervisor Barger, and Certificates of Recognition and Gratitude from
senators and assemblymembers. Mayor Devine handed over to Ambassador
Baibourtian a symbolic key to the City of Glendale. State, city, and
county officials highly appreciated the path and journey he has gone
through and the depth of fruitful cooperation cultivated with him.
Among the many who also delivered speeches and commended Ambassador
Baibourtian were public figure, attorney Rafi Ourfalian, former Minister
of Culture of Armenia Armen Amiryan, and Counselor of the Consulate
General Varazdat Pahlavuni. Editor-in-Chief of Massis Weekly Krikor
Khodanian, Ararat Brandy Company representative Karen Meymaryan,
community figure Marat Hayrapetyan, and painter Tigran Hovumyan
presented the Consul General with appreciation awards and a portrait.
Amongst the attendees were His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, former Prelate of the Western Prelacy, Rev. Berdj
Djambazian of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, the U.S.
Department of State’s OFM Los Angeles Regional Director Gretchen Franke,
Judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles Armenui Amy Ashvanian, Judge
Arleta Shirinyan, Glendale Police Department Police Chief Carl
Povilaitis, Military Attaché of the Embassy of Armenia in Washington,
D.C. Colonel Arman Mkrtchyan and Counselor Arakel Semirjyan, Honorary
Consul of Armenia in Chicago Oscar Tatosian, Honorary Consul of Armenia
in Las Vegas Adroushan Andy Armenian, Honorary Consul of Armenia in
Fresno Berj Apkarian, and President of the San Jose State University Dr.
Mary Papazian.
During the event, a film titled “The Armenian Diplomat: A Story of
Service to the Nation” was shown devoted to Ambassador Armen
Baibourtian.
These videos and photos depicted and reflected the
the diplomatic path traversed by Ambassador Baibourtian, including his years
of service in 1995-1997 as the first and inaugural Consul General of the
Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles.
In addressing the participants of the event, Ambassador Baibourtian
highlighted some of his implemented projects that were the first ones in
California and even for Armenia abroad. In particular, he spoke about
the first-ever business conference “California-Armenia: Trade and
Investment Opportunities” held out of Armenia that he organized in Los
Angeles in 1996.
He also referred to the first Framework Agreement on Cooperation between
California and Armenia signed in 2019, which laid a solid ground for
the bilateral legal framework of partnership.
He touched upon the first Armenian event in Los Angeles that gathered
20,000 participants in front of the Los Angeles City Hall at Grand Park
during the visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia in 2019. That number
doesn’t count marches, like the Armenian Genocide March for Justice in
2015 or March for Peace during the 44-day Artsakh war in 2020.
Ambassador Baibourtian also brought his contribution to the latter one.
He also mentioned the joint event at the Consulate General of Armenia
organized jointly with the Pan-Armenian Council of Western USA during
the first days of the 44-day war of aggression against Artsakh in 2020,
when the Armenian community leadership and the Consul General of Armenia
jointly appealed to the entire Armenian community to strongly support
the struggling Homeland. During this sole event, $3,3 mln was raised.
Ambassador Baibourtian and his team were attending fundraising community
events on daily basis, thus contributing to the hike in raised amounts.
He stated that the City Council of Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S.
city, adopted four resolutions condemning the Azerbaijani aggression.
He also spoke about programs, numerous joint initiatives, and
accomplishments during his diplomatic tenure, all thanks to the
ever-growing and close partnership with the Armenian community. He
expressed his profound gratitude to the entire community.
In the cultural part of the farewell event, led by Lusine Piroyan,
renowned artists like singer Harout Pamboukjian, duduk player Jivan
Gasparyan Jr., musician Greg Hosharyan, Gevorkian Dance Academy
performers, and singer Anahit Nersisyan enchanted the event with their
heartfelt performances.
ԼՈՍ ԱՆՋԵԼԵՍՈՒՄ ՀՀ ԳԼԽԱՎՈՐ ՀՅՈՒՊԱՏՈՍՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ ԿԱԶՄԱԿԵՐՊԵԼ ԷՐ ՀՀ ԳԼԽԱՎՈՐ
ՀՅՈՒՊԱՏՈՍ, ԴԵՍՊԱՆ ԱՐՄԵՆ ԲԱՅԲՈՒՐԴՅԱՆԻ ՀՐԱԺԵՇՏԻ ՄԻՋՈՑԱՌՈՒՄ՝ ԼՈՍ ԱՆՋԵԼԵՍՈՒՄ
ԻՐ ԱՌԱՔԵԼՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ ՀԱՋՈՂՈՒԹՅԱՄԲ ԱՎԱՐՏԵԼՈՒ ԿԱՊԱԿՑՈՒԹՅԱՄԲ
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