The Ministry of Diaspora congratulates
The Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia congratulates the following individuals who received the state awards and honorary titles of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia and by the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia for their exceptional services of pan-national significance and contributions to the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora relations and preservation of the Armenian identity:
Great benefactor Eduardo Eurnekian (Argentina): National Hero of Armenia (highest title)
Hollywood actor Marco Khan (Khanlian) (USA): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Assembly of America Van Krikorian (USA): Order of Honor
Famous Armenian American chef Gerard Gejaro (USA): Medal of Gratitude
Board Member of Converse Bank CJSC Juan-Pablo Gechidjian (Argentina): Anania Shirakatsi Medal
Prime Minister of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian (Australia): Mkhitar Gosh Medal
Opera singer Isabel Bayrakdarian (Canada): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Businessman, benefactor Vartan Sirmakes (Switzerland): 1st Degree Order “For Services to the Homeland”
British-Armenian businessman, benefactor Vatche Manoukian (Great Britain): Saint Mesrop Mashtots Order
Businessman, benefactor Armen Sargsyan (Great Britain): 1st Degree Order “For Services to the Homeland”
Surgeon, inventor Lord Ara Darzi (Great Britain): Order of Honor
Football player Youri Djorkaeff (France): Medal of Gratitude
Former French-Armenian fighter Arsen Zakaryan (France): Medal of Gratitude
Primate of the Jezireh Diocese of the Armenian Catholic Church, Fr. Supreme Archimandrite Antranig Aivazian (Syria): Medal of Gratitude
Founder of Lark Musical Society of Los Angeles Vache Parsumian (USA): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Founding President of Narek Educational and Cultural Institution Rima Saryan (USA): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Member of ARF-D Bureau Hagop Der-Khatchadourian (Canada): Mkhitar Gosh Medal
Founding Director of Gousan Armenian Orchestra Enrique Avakian (Argentina): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
President of the Tver Regional Unit of the Union of Armenians of Russia, Advisor to the Governor of Tver Oblast Seyran Kochkanyan (Russian Federation): Medal of Gratitude
President of the “Armenian Cultural Society” NGO of Irkutsk, Director of Argishti LLC, businessman Samvel Voskanyan (Russian Federation): Medal of Gratitude
Editor-in-Chief of Havatamq Monthly of Saint Petersburg Armen Meruzhanyan (Russian Federation): Movses Khorenatsi Medal.
Vice-President of the World Armenian Congress and the Union of Armenians of Russia Vladimir Aghayan (Republic of Armenia): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Member of AGBU Central Board, President of AGBU Armenia Vasken Yacoubian (Republic of Armenia): Medal of Gratitude
German-Armenian journalist, community figure Raffi Kantian (Germany): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Benefactor of the Armenian Catholic Church of Switzerland, builder of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Lebanon Alec Bezikian (Switzerland): 2nd Degree Medal “For Services to the Homeland”
Superintendent of the Board of Directors of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Director of the Armenian Communities Department of Great Britain and Ireland, grandson of Calouste Gulbenkian, Martin Yesayan (Great Britain): 2nd Degree Medal “For Services to the Homeland”
National and public figure Garabed Babahekian (Lebanon): Medal of Gratitude
Businessman, benefactor, writer, publicist Armen Harutiounian (Lebanon): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Trustee of the Armenian National School of Kuwait, benefactor Philaip (Philip) Patatanian (Kuwait): Medal of Gratitude
Artist, ceramic artist Levon Osipov (Georgia): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Director of Yesayan Armenian School of Istanbul Satenik Nshan (Turkey): Medal of Gratitude
Writer, publicist Meguerditch Markosian (Turkey): Movses Khorenatsi Medal
Founding Director of the Japan-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Association Hideharu Nakajima (Japan): Medal of Gratitude
Armenologist, translator Herbert Maurer (Australia): Medal of Gratitude
Professor of the Chair of History of the Damanhur branch of the University of Alexandria, Armenologist/genocide expert Muhammad Refaat Al-Imam (Egypt): Medal of Gratitude