On February 24, the RA Ministry of Diaspora hosted the presentation of Egyptian Arab painter Riham Afifi’s album “The Lands of Legends”, which presents the landscapes of Armenia that Afifi painted during her three visits to Armenia.

Among the participants of the event were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Republic of Armenia Tarek Maati, RA Deputy Minister of Culture Nerses Ter-Vardanyan, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Egypt Armen Mazloumian, President of the Artists’ Union of Armenia Karen Aghamyan, as well as artists, intellectuals and other guests.

On December 2, 2016, Riham Afifi held her personal exhibition at Picasso Gallery in Cairo and donated all proceeds to the Tahia Misr Foundation to support implementation of educational programs in Egypt.

In her welcoming remarks, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan highly appreciated Riham Afifi’s great love for and sympathy for Armenia and the Armenian people. “In April 2015, Riham, who is an ophthalmologist/surgeon by profession, visited Armenia during the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and was so impressed with Armenian culture, churches, monuments and especially the hospitable Armenians that she turned her photos and drawings created in Armenia into paintings,” the Minister stated, emphasizing the following: “The Armenian-Egyptian friendship traces back to centuries, and we Armenians are grateful to the Egyptian authorities for having created all the conditions for the preservation and development of the Armenian community.”

Minister Hranush Hakobyan awarded Riham Afifi with the Arshile Gorky Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for the efforts that she has made to make Armenian culture recognizable.

In his speech, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Armenia Tarek Maati stated that both nations are bearers of old and high-class civilizations and that that is where the mutual understanding and centuries-old friendship traces back to. “The Armenian community of Egypt has always played a major role in the development of politics and society in Egypt. We Egyptians respect the Armenians and Armenian culture. Today you are paying homage to Riham Afifi. I hope our nations will further strengthen their friendship under the sincere care of the Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia as well,” Ambassador Tarek Maati stated.

RA Deputy Minister of Culture Nerses Ter-Vardanyan emphasized that many world famous artists have written about Armenia and painted pictures of Armenia. “Riham Afifi stood out with her unique views,” he said.

President of the Artists’ Union of Armenia Karen Aghamyan stated the following: “This album unquestionably shows Riham Afifi’s love for Armenia. What’s amazing is that Riham has reproduced the landscapes and monuments of Armenia so artistically and even though Riham doesn’t have a background in painting, she has reproduced the landscapes and monuments of Armenia so artistically and authentically.” Karen Aghamyan added that Riham Afifi deserved to become and will become an honorary member of the Artists’ Union of Armenia.

Art critic Marina Stepanyan praised the album and stated that Riham Afifi has truly gotten to know and love the Armenian people, evidence of which are her watercolor paintings that are as valuable as oil paintings.

Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Egypt Armen Mazloumian added that such an appreciation was very important for the artist and would give her more energy to create new paintings.

In her speech, Riham Afifi expressed gratitude for the appreciation and stated the following: “Yes, the year 1915 is a grand stigma for the country that perpetrated the Armenian Genocide, and that country must eventually acknowledge the crime. Words can’t describe what I felt when I participated in the grand Ceremony of Canonization of the victims of the Armenian Genocide at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in April 2015. I am always amazed when I speak to Armenians. They are very hospitable. Here I discovered how kind the Armenians are and how much they love their land. They say it is great misery when pomegranate trees are cut with an axe. May the pomegranate trees flourish everyone on this land!”