Knights and Daughters of Vartan Celebrate Centennial

In the evening guests convened for the official Welcome Reception hosted by Grand Commander Steve Kradjian and Grand Matron Sona Manuelian, featuring the 100th anniversary dinner celebration with cuisine from Philadelphia (where the organization began), Boston, Chicago and New York — where the first Knights lodges were launched 100 years ago.

Friday event featured a Kef Night with the famed oud player Richard Hagopian and his band, performing favorite Armenian and other selections for a dinner and dancing audience of hundreds. More than 100 additional Armenian young professionals joined the event later in the evening for the unforgettable music. More than $2,500 was raised for Armenian aid to Artsakh (Karabagh).

On Friday and Saturday, the convocation annual business meetings were held on a number of projects and efforts, including the wide reach of charitable work the Knights and Daughters spearheaded during the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The Knights and Daughters of Vartan Armenian School Support Project, for example, transferred $138,158 to the Armenia Territorial Development Fund for renovation of schools in Armenia through the assistance of World Bank, which will match the funds multifold. The brotherhood also helped the Artsakh Soldiers and families with donations of $32,250, sent to Armenia $15,880 worth of medical aid, awarded $16,450 of scholarships to college students in Armenia and $20,200 to Armenian students at schools in the US, and overall spent $123,000 for different humanitarian projects.

Grand Banquet and Man and Woman of the Year

As the convocation’s final event, the Grand Banquet was presided over by the convocation committee co-chairs, Past Commanders Gerald Najarian and Greg Meranshian, and was blessed by an invocation and benediction from the Rev. Hakop Gevorgyan, who also read an encyclical from Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, in honor of the Knights of Vartan’s cenennial.

Grigor Hovhannissian, Ambassador of Armenia to the US, was selected as the Knights of Vartan Man of the Year.

Hovhannissian demonstrated leadership and service to the Armenian community as consul general in Los Angeles, cultivated the Armenian communities as Armenia’s Ambassador to Mexico and is now playing a pivotal role in the stability of Armenia in the Caucasus as Armenian Ambassador to the United States. In his remarks, the Ambassador gratefully received the Man of the Year Award as a ‘credit’ toward his future work to the homeland.

Turkish Historian Dr. Fatma Goçek was elected the Daughters of Vartan Woman of the Year.

Goçek has written many books and articles supporting the Armenian Genocide, with comparative analysis of history, politics and gender in the first and third worlds. Her latest book entitled Denial of Violence: Ottoman Past, Turkish Present and the Collective Violence Against Armenians, 1789-2009, received the American Sociological Association’s Best Book Award in 2015. Her daughter accepted the award on her mother’s behalf.

Nazar Nazarian of New Jersey was also awarded a Knights of Vartan Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership, philanthropy and service to the Armenian Community, which exemplify the values of the Knights of Vartan.

The local Ardashad Lodge No. 5 and Shooshanig Chapter No. 1 in Philadelphia spent two years planning the 2016 National Grand Convocation. Committee members included: Greg Meranshian, co-chair; Gerry Najarian, co-chair; Virginia Shakarjian, co-chair; Diane Williames, Co-Chair; Bryan Peckjian; Antranig Derderian; Avo Arzoumanian; Hratch Arzoumanian; Howard Garabedian; Vicken Bazarbashian; Ashod Petrosyan, Hagop Handian; Talene Peckjian; Grace Meranshian; Gabrielle Meranshian; Ara Shakarjian; Berjoohy Murray; Linda Boornazian and Araxi Bozadjian.

The next Grand Convocation will be held in Boston on August 8, 2017. Visit www.kofv.org or The Knights and Daughters of Vartan Facebook page.