On September 21, RA President Serzh Sargsyan granted medals to several Diaspora Armenian figures on the occasion of Independence of the Republic of Armenia and for their outstanding pro-Armenian activities and remarkable contributions to the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora relations.

The Mkhitar Gosh Medal was granted to Mayor of Kessab, Chairman of the AGBU Kessab Regional Committee Vasken Chaparian (Syria); Representative of the 35^th Precinct in the California State Senate Khacho Achadjian (USA); Representative of the 46^th Precinct in the California State Senate Adrin Nazarian (USA); President of the Louisiana State Body of the Armenian Council of America Vasken Galtakdjian (USA); Major General of the Lebanese Armed Forces, former State Minister of the Republic of Lebanon Panos Manjian and Chairman of the ARF-D Armenian National Committee Office in Europe Gaspar Karapetyan (Belgium).

President of the University of Boston, doctor Aram Chobanyan was granted the Mkhitar Heratsi Medal.

The Movses Khorenatsi Medal was granted to member of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) Edward Avetisyan; President of the Union of Armenians of Italy Baikar Svazlian; Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, Editor-in-Chief of Gibrahayer newspaper Simon Aynedjian; president of the board of the Armenian Church Council in Almelo, benefactor Christian Vardan-Fermani Geliji; co-chair of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France, founding Editor-in-Chief of Nouvelles d’Arménie online daily and print newspaper Ara Toranian (France); lecturer at the University of Sorbonne in Paris, Professor Hilda Galfaian-Panosian; Editor-in-Chief of Bagin official newspaper of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, founder of Hamazkayin’s Armenian daily school in Marseilles Hagop Balian; President of the “Russian-Armenian Cooperation” NGO, public and political figure Yuri Navoyan (Russian Federation); Public Relations Director for RosVoenStroy OJSC, public figure, benefactor Hrachya Poghosyan; Doctor-Professor of the International Academy of Sciences and Arts of San Marino Ofelya Arakelyan (Russian Federation); Director of the Armenian Central School of Istanbul Silva Gouyoumdjian (Turkey); Chairman of the Assembly of Delegates of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran Gevorg Vartan (Iran); Chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Armenian Diocese of Isfahan Noel Minasian (Iran); Chairman of the Central Committee of Ararat Armenian Athletic-Cultural  Union, President of the Iran-Armenia Cultural and Sports Relations Commission Hamlet Khaloian (Iran); former chairman of the Armenian Central Department of Iraq Paruyr Hagopian and editor and corresponding director of Massis political monthly of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate of the House of Cilicia Sarkis Najarian (Lebanon).

The recipients expressed their gratitude to RA President Serzh Sargsyan for high appreciation of their efforts and assured that they would continue to do their best to contribute to the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership and to the welfare of the Homeland.