On September 28, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received repatriate artists Hagop Gouyoumdjian and Arsen Grigoryan from Lebanon and Syria.

The Minister highly appreciated Arsen Grigoryan’s career and stated the following: “I think the national image of Arsen Grigoryan became complete when he moved from the Syrian city of Qamishli and settled in the Homeland. Arsen Grigoryan, also known as Mro, proved that Armenia is the only cradle where culture can become more reinforced. His national image became more expressive when he recently gave performances with the “Mrro” ethnographic group, and those performances uniquely make the audience excited. Mro has performed in several Armenian communities of the Diaspora through several programs and projects of the Ministry of Diaspora, properly presenting Armenian patriotic songs. I am certain that you are truly the artist, the worthy son of the Armenian nation who will serve the Homeland and the Armenian people for many years to come.”

Minister Hranush Hakobyan awarded Merited Artist of Armenia Arsen Grigoryan with the Komitas Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for disseminating Armenian arts in the Diaspora, for his mastery and high level of performance and for his prolific and pro-Armenian activities.

Expressing gratitude for such a high award, Arsen Grigoryan stated the following: “Independence is not a celebration or protocol, but a responsibility that each of us bears, and we are lucky because our current defenders are the representatives of the generation of independence.”

Afterwards, the Minister touched upon the career of repatriate Hagop Gouyoumdjian from Lebanon and stated the following: “Our compatriot has dedicated himself to Armenian poetry and literature and has great merit in the dissemination of Armenian literature. When you read his biography, you admire him and become convinced that the Armenian language is the most important thing for him. Several artists, literary figures and poetry lovers of Armenia and the Diaspora praise his reciting.”

Hagop Gouyoumdjian was awarded with the William Saroyan Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for disseminating Armenian culture abroad and for contributing to the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership.

Gouyoumdjian expressed gratitude to the Minister for her high appreciation of his work and stated that he tries to inspire Armenians abroad by reciting the works of great Armenians.