On May 13, the Elders’ Unit of Ararat Armenian Sport and Cultural Union of New Djulfa held a grand event to celebrate its 25^th anniversary at the hall of the Union, as reported Yeranush Tahmazian to Hayern Aysor from New Djulfa.

The event began with an exhibition showing images of the past and present of the 25-year-old Elders’ Unit.

The official part of the event began with opening remarks by the master of ceremonies, Miganoush Ter-Martirosyan, after which Hilda Tsarukian read the message of the board of the Elders’ Unit. On the occasion of the celebration, the guest speaker was merited national and community figure and the Union’s chairman Tatul Ohanian who is well aware of the formation of the Elders’ Unit and its fruitful activities and mainly focused on that in his speech.

Before talking about the main topic, the Union’s host welcomed the event dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of the Elders’ Unit and considered all the anniversary events that have been held throughout the year one of the most beautiful ways of expressing gratitude. Afterwards, Ohanian gave a historical background about the formation of the Unit and its past and particularly mentioned the following: “From the outset of the spring games, merited members of the Union formed a group that assumed responsibility for hosting the Spring Games in difficult and unfavorable conditions. Later, that group became a wonderful nucleus around which the Union formed the Elders’ Unit, the members of which started playing a huge role with their activities and the actions that they take with other units.”

The speaker stressed the fact that the Elders’ Unit, guided by internal rules and having clubs and divisions, has been around for 25 years, providing its moral and material assistance to Ararat Armenian Sport and Cultural Union. He stressed and attached importance to the participation of the Unit in the activities of the Armenian National Board to state the claims of the Armenian nation. He also touched upon the great contributions that the Unit has made to the preservation and dissemination of Armenian national and religious rituals and traditions through the organization of appropriate events.

Recalling the names of the founding members, most of which were in the hall, Ohanian also mentioned the efforts that had been made in difficult conditions and with modest resources and alluded the great investments that contribute to the uplift of the Unit, as a result of which the Unit continues to work in favorable conditions. The speaker concluded with good wishes and congratulatory remarks.

The event also included performances of choral songs by members of the Tatev Choir of the Holy Savior Monastery, including Arega Harutyunian, Pareli Tahmazian, Arpi Dilanchian, Ani Novshadian and soloist Anasik Hovsepian. The singers were accompanied by pianist and director of Tatev Choir Hamik Alexandrian.

Alina Ter-Sukiasian and Alina Alexanrian, members of Krunk Reciting Club of the Union’s Cultural Unit recited poems under the direction of Rima Simonian.

The cake was brought in the hall to the sounds of exciting music, and the honor of cutting the cake was given to the hosts of the Union, including Tatul Ohanian and Ayleen Melikian, Chairman of the Central Board of the Union Masis Minasian, chair of the Unit’s Board Vardush Zargarian, as well as the founding and merited members, including Dr. Rudolph Ter-Galust, Maggie Melikian, Zepyur Martirosian, Annik Simonian and Aida Gharibian.

Chairman of the Central Board of the Union Masis Minasian gave his welcoming remarks, after which the congratulatory messages addressed to the Unit were read.

The event continued with a reception and entertainment.

Among the attendees were representatives of the Diocesan Council, the Union’s Central Board, the Units’ boards, the past and current members of the Elders’ Unit and individual members who had helped make the event possible.

Ani Orchestra performed songs and works of composers.

Photos by Gevik Khachatrian