MONTREAL — The Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States and Canada (TCA)’s successful 37th convention at the Tekeyan Center in Montreal on October 4-5 concluded with a capacity crowd at a banquet which also celebrated the 49th anniversary of the Montreal-based Abaka trilingual newspaper.
TCA delegates and Central Board members arrived for a reception at the Tekeyan Center on Friday evening, October 4, from various parts of the United States, including Boston, Detroit, various areas of greater Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. While a convention had been held at the end of 2022 via Zoom, this was the first time that many TCA members had a chance to see one another in person after the height of the Covid pandemic. As a result of months of preparation, the Montreal TCA executive and local members ensured that the convention would begin in a warm welcoming atmosphere.
Formal Sessions
Over 40 delegates assembled Saturday morning, October 5 and a rollcall confirmed the participation of representatives of 7 chapters plus TCA Central Board members. The sessions lasted till 4 p.m., with several brief breaks.
TCA Central Board President Dr. Arshavir Gundjian served as the chairman of the convention. He spoke words of welcome, asked for a moment of silence in memory of TCA members who had passed away in the last few years (including former presidents Edmond Azadian and Haroutiun Arzoumanian) and announced the members of the Dikran Simsarian Award and Resolutions Committee (Jack Alexanian of Detroit, Rita Balyozian of Boston, and Noubar Babikian of Montreal), as well as of a nominating committee for Central Board positions (Hagop Vartivarian of New Jersey, Sargis Gavlakian of Boston and Berdj Kokorian of Montreal).
A printed report of CB activities in the 2023-24 period was summarized by Executive Director Aram Arkun. It included events the CB sponsored, legal matters, numerous fundraising and philanthropic programs aimed at helping Armenians in crisis in Syria, Lebanon, Artsakh and Armenia, and the Dr. Noubar Berberian Scholarship program.