YEREVAN (Azg) — On Monday, May 18, Charles Aznavour, the French-Armenian international singer was awarded by the Tekeyan Cultural Association’s “Diamond Ararat” Medal for his extraordinary services to the Armenian culture and its dissemination throughout the world.
Hagop Avedikian, the founder and editor of Azg daily, in his introduction of Aznavour said, “Today we have gathered under the roof of Tekeyan Cultural Association, the association founded by the poet Vahan Tekeyan, a person who escaped the Armenian Genocide and then worked hard for the preservation of the Armenian orphans from Greece to Cyprus and wrote many poems dedicated to the honor and integrity of the Armenian Nation. In one of his poems, Tekeyan said ‘To live, from now on, just as we need bread, water and breath, we need pride.’ Aznavour gave that sense of pride to all Armenians starting in the 1960s until today. He made the Armenian youth proud by his songs, his art, his poems, his benevolent works and finally, his utmost dedication for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the world. Today, we say ‘thank you’ to him, and in recognition to his dedication, we give him this
medal.”
Aznavour, 85, was just named Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland. He visits Armenia twice a year and as token of appreciation for his support, the Armenian government is building the Aznavour Center in Yerevan.
At the steps of Tekeyan Center, Aznavour and his party were received by Roupen Mirzakhanian, president of TCA of Armenia, Serge Smessow, ambassador of France to Armenia, and Hasmik Poghosyan, minister of culture. While he was entering the main hall, The Little Singers Chorus, which consist of girls ages 7 to 14, sang an Aznavour songs. He was visibly moved.
