On October 28, Helsinki hosted a festive event devoted to Armenian-Finnish friendship. The event featured celebrations dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of Finland’s independence and to the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Finland.

As reported Vice-President of the Finland-Armenia Association Marine Danoyan to Hayern Aysor, the program the event included both Armenian and Finnish elements and had gathered representatives of the Armenian communities of Finland and neighboring Estonia led by Principal of the Armenian School in Tallinn Janna Shahbazyan. Tayk Armenian Dance Group and Yerazank Armenian Choir of Estonia conveyed a special air to the event with their splendid performances of Armenian songs and dances.

Even dance instructor Gohar Hovakimyan hosted a short dance course for all the attendees, engaging everyone in the event.

The patriotic poems recited by members of the Armenian Language Club of Helsinki were also touching. Among the attendees were Finnish theater figures. The actors of the ILMIO Children’s Theater performed a play and played a game with the children, and the topic was the Armenian-Finnish friendship. Chairperson of the board of the Finnish Q-teatteri Theater Jukka-Hudi Hutti presented the Finnish versions of Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents’s poems for the first time ever.

After the official part of the event, the guests had the opportunity to taste Finnish and Armenian dishes, including harisa, ghapama and pastries.

Among other attendees were Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Finland and Sweden Arshak Manukyan and director Jivan Avetisyan with his crew of actors led by actor Alexander Khachatryan. They were in Finland on a special occasion (Jivan Avetisyan’s film “The Last Inhabitant” recently won awards in two categories – Best Artistic Film and Best Actor – at the Scandinavian Film Festival).

It should be noted that the previous week was a week of Armenian national events in Helsinki. On October 26, Helsinki hosted the award ceremony of the Scandinavian Film Festival where, as already mentioned, Armenia’s representatives also won awards. On October 27, the Music Home in Helsinki hosted talented violinist Sergey Khachatryan’s concert. On October 28, the celebration dedicated to the Armenian-Finnish friendship and organized by the Finland-Armenia Association was a beautiful ending of the week that can somehow be referred to as Armenian cultural week in Helsinki.