The Armenian community of the Russian city of Irkutsk has been recognized as the winner of the annual Best National-Cultural Center of Irkutsk-2015 contest held at the Municipality of Irkutsk, reports President of the Armenian Cultural Center of Irkutsk Samvel Voskanyan to Hayern Aysor.

“To be honest, we were expecting to win since the community had carried out many activities and had participated in different charity events throughout 2015. We organized the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide at a high level. We opened a monument to the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. This goes to show that the state structures of Irkutsk noticed our efforts,” Mr. Voskanyan said.

The results of the contest were summed up by an 11-member jury composed of deputies and other state officials.

The community received a financial award and a certificate as an encouraging prize. All sums were spent for organizing a New Year’s event for the children of the community and buying them gifts.

Attaching importance to such initiatives, Samvel Voskanyan emphasized the following: “Living abroad, we get excited and become strong when the authorities of Irkutsk appreciate the Armenian people and show their generosity. However, I must add that we achieved all that through our solidarity and diligence.”

Talking about the Armenian community, Samvel Voskanyan said it is a viable community and that the Armenian Cultural Union is of great significance in community life. The community also has an Armenian Sunday School that teaches children Armenian, Armenian literature, history and other subjects.

To become familiar with Armenian culture, the local Armenian children can join the Urartu Dance Ensemble, the artistic director of which is Gaiane Brsoyan.

Two years ago, Martin Ghazaryan established the Wonderful Seven Dudukists Ensemble.

Talking about the community’s achievements, Samvel Voskanyan also noted that the community’s football team and the team of the Club of the Funny and Inventive People won the football and comedy championships..

At the end, the head of the community added that the community also became active after the establishment of the Tigran Petrosyan Chess School adjunct to School N 32 of Irkutsk. The grand opening ceremony of the chess school was held in 2014 and was attended by RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan and founding President of the Chess Academy of Armenia Smbat Liputyan. About 60 Armenian, Russian, Uzbek and Tajik chess lovers are enrolled in the school.

Gevorg Chichyan