MONTREAL — On Sunday, July 12, the park of the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) Montreal Center was filled with youthful energy as the TCA Montreal Social Committee hosted its first social gathering for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. The event brought together 27 young participants, in addition to members of the organizing committee.
The gathering opened with welcoming remarks by Dzovag Soghikian, chair of the Social Committee, who greeted the participants and expressed her hope that such initiatives would continue to provide opportunities for young people to meet, build new friendships, and enjoy meaningful moments together. She emphasized that the committee remains committed to organizing similar activities in the future.
Upon arrival, participants registered and provided their contact information to facilitate future communication and participation in upcoming activities. The first part of the evening created a warm and relaxed atmosphere as each participant prepared his or her own pizza by selecting preferred toppings. Preparing and sharing the meal together helped the young adults become more comfortable with one another and encouraged natural interaction.
Following dinner, an interactive icebreaker activity was organized. Each participant received a card featuring an Armenian cultural symbol or image and was asked to find the person holding the matching card. The participants then formed a circle and introduced one another. Those who did not find their matching partner introduced themselves to the group. The activity generated enthusiasm and quickly helped create a friendly and welcoming environment.
Avedis Bakkalian, editor of the trilingual Montreal-based newspaper Abaka, then addressed the gathering, emphasizing that the purpose of the initiative was not simply to bring young people together for an evening, but to create opportunities for lasting friendships, meaningful connections and future cooperation.
In his remarks, he stated: “The smallest building block of our nation is the individual. When our individuals are healthy, trust one another, care for one another and work together, our nation becomes stronger. For this reason, every young person is valuable to us, and we want each of you to feel that you are an important member of this family.”
