On March 1, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan attended an award-giving ceremony hosted by the Union of Journalists of Armenia.  During the ceremony, the Golden Pen Award of the Union of Journalists of Armenia was granted to publisher and editor of the California Courier Weekly Harut Sassounian.

As President of the Union of Journalists of Armenia Astghik Gevorgyan mentioned in her speech, Harut Sassounian received the award for his high professionalism and for the publication of substantial editorials devoted to issues concerning all Armenians in his California Courier Weekly.

Greeting and congratulating Harut Sassounian on the award, Minister Hranush Hakobyan emphasized the following: “A worthy award is decorating the chest of a worthy person. For 33 consecutive years, Harut Sassounian has always been sparking the interest of readers with his sharp and infallible articles. In particular, when it concerns the Armenian Genocide, Armenian-Turkish relations and reflections on the Armenian Cause, his pen becomes a cold weapon, keeping the Turkish society tense…” The minister also touched upon Sassounian’s efforts for the Lincy Foundation, which were evidence of the trust that great patriot Kirk Kerkorian had in him. The minister stressed that the Lincy Foundation helped remarkably advance the construction of roads and schools and the renovation of cultural centers in Armenia.

Writer and publicist Grigor Janikyan, editor-in-chief of Azg Weekly Hakob Avetikyan, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism of Yerevan State University Naghash Martirosyan, Director of “Armenpress” Armenian News Agency Aram Ananyan and others spoke about Harut Sassounian the editor, the Armenian and the national figure.

At the end, Harut Sassounian delivered a speech in which he expressed his gratitude and assured that he would continue to put in all his efforts to help reflect on and internationalize the issues concerning all Armenians with his journalistic activities.