On June 22, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received the delegation of architects working on restoring churches in Armenia, including Italian-Armenian architects Ara Zarian and Kristine Lamugh and Deputy Director of the Alexander Tamanyan National Museum-Institute of Architecture Ashot Grigoryan.

Greeting the guests, the Minister of Diaspora attached importance to the architects’ efforts aimed at preserving, restoring and appreciating Armenian cultural assets and particularly stated the following: “Dear guests, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Ministry of Diaspora. Welcome to Armenia! Today, Armenian churches are being restored thanks to the efforts of devoted individuals like you. For the past six years, you have been traveling from Italy to Armenia and have been restoring the frescoes of ancient churches with pleasure, diligence and dedication. Those works require great efforts, patience, mastery and responsibility. As a token of gratitude and appreciation, I would like to award you with the Arshile Gorky Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.”

The guests expressed gratitude for the cordial reception. Kristine Lamugh stated that it is a great honor and pleasure for her to participate in the preservation of frescoes in Armenia and added the following: “It is a great pleasure for me to visit Armenia every year. This award is a great pride for me. Thank you.”

Ara Zarian expressed gratitude for the award and stated the following: “This award came as a surprise. My father and grandfather taught me to serve my nation. My father, Merited Architect of the Republic of Armenia Armen Zarian, has been studying the history of Armenian architecture since the 1960s. My fellow classmates and I are the first generation of Armenian restorers. I visit Armenia every summer. I started restoration in the Vorotnavank Monastery. Now we are working in Lmbatavank Monastery. Kristine and I have gathered photocopies of frescoes restored over the past five years, and it is our pleasure to present them to you as a gift.”

Ashot Grigoryan also expressed gratitude for the award. He touched upon the perspectives of cooperation between the Union of Architects of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Diaspora and presented his study of documents in Armenian archives brought from Turkey which he will end in September 2017.