ATHENS — Dr. Hratch Kouyoumjian, chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL), visited Athens recently to hold special meetings with the members of the ADL in Greece on issues of concern to the party, Armenia and Artsakh.
New executive members of the ADL District Committee of Greece were elected by the general membership, with Hagop Fesjian chosen as chairman and Sevag Panosian as vice chairman. The remaining executive members include Zaven Krikorian, Lucy Berberian, Eleni Oganof, Peruz Izmirlian, Kristian Oganof, Aris Khachadourian and Hagop Arakelian.
A visit was made to Tigran Mkrtchyan, the newly appointed ambassador to Greece from the Republic of Armenia, to congratulate him on his new post. The ambassador provided information about conditions in Armenia and the activities of the embassy, while Dr. Kouyoumjian informed the former about the activities of the ADL in the diaspora, Armenia and Artsakh.
On Sunday, April 10, Dr. Kouyoumjian and local party members attended the church service on the first anniversary of ADL member Dikran Kachigian’s death. Dr. Kouyoumjian at this occasion also met with Very Rev. Fr. Khoren Arakelian, locum tenens of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Greece, in the presence of the members of the Greek-Armenian Diocesan Council.
Dr. Kouyoumjian paid a special visit to the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Artaki Kalpakian School, meeting with students, teachers and administration. The school principal and teaching staff, in honor of this visit, organized a performance at which the students recited and sang.
The director of the Greek department, Khristina Spiropoulou, delivered a welcoming speech, and in turn, Dr. Kouyoumjian gave his thanks and appreciation. In particular, he urged the students not to forget the Armenian language and concluded his speech with the poet Silva Kaputikyan’s lines, “And look, my son, wherever you are, do not forget your mother tongue.”
