MONTREAL — Thirty-eight delegates from Tekeyan Cultural Association’s chapters, who assembled on Saturday, November 13, in the organization’s center, were pleased to hail the successful course and progress of various major programs, which are centered in various cities and aim to maintain the Armenian identity, especially in light of unrestrained globalization. The assembly likewise confirmed with satisfaction that the world economic crisis of the past two years did not have deleterious consequences and the activities dependent on income from wills weren’t affected, owing to conscientious and prudent management by the treasurer and the professional accountant.
The words of welcome and wishes for success delivered by Arto Berge Manoogian, chairman of the host chapter, were followed by the verification of delegates. The execution of the agenda began after a general introductory overview by Dr. Haroutiun Arzoumanian, chairman of the Central Board of Directors.
The reports that were presented once again served to confirm the fact that TCA’s greatest achievement on this continent is Los Angeles TCA’s Arshag Dickranian School. Thoroughly renovated, modernized and expanded after three decades, the school today provides high-quality education and imparts Armenian spirit to the local Armenian schoolchildren in its complex worth $12 million, thanks to the teaching staff, principal, and board of trustees headed by George Mandossian. At the same time, however, this operation places those in charge of the local chapter and the Central Board of Directors under a heavy financial, moral and practical commitment.
The publication of Abaka, Canada’s first trilingual community newspaper, edited by Arsen Noubar Mamourian, is being continued by the Montreal chapter after 35 years.
The continuous high-quality performances of the Mher Megerdchian Theatrical Group of TCA’s New York-New Jersey Chapter imbue a large number of young men and women with an appreciation of Armenian culture; under the leadership of Hagop Vartivarian, these youths help keep the Armenian language and Armenian theater alive on this continent.
Through the efforts of TCA Board of Administrators, chaired by Maro Bedrosian, the sponsorship of four schools in Armenia named after Vahan Tekeyan, which began 10 years ago, is continuing; a fifth one was added during the past year: the Vahan Tekeyan School in the Berdzor region of Karabagh. The Sponsor a Teacher program raises approximately $40,000 annually, and this sum is used in its entirety to increase the meager monthly wages of the teachers and staffs of these five schools, so that they will stay at their jobs and continue to provide sound education to the new generations. On the 10th anniversary of this program, a new fundraising campaign was carried out this year through the efforts of seven chapters, producing the sum of $50,000, with which the Sponsor a Teacher Fund was established to perpetuate this activity.
