On July 6, Sydney’s Nairi Dance Ensemble and Montreal’s Ani Dance Ensemble gave a concert at Hakob Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theater. The concert was held upon the initiative of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society and as part of the Days of Armenian Dance Program of the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora.

In the first part, the dance ensembles performed dances to the melodies of Armenian national songs. President of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Foundation Lilit Galstyan greeted the participants and expressed gratitude to Hamazkayin’s departments and benefactors who had helped the dance ensembles participate in the festival and had helped organize the concert. “Armenia is strong with the Diaspora, and preserving the Armenian identity in the Diaspora requires great sacrifice and is equivalent to a heroic act.” In his welcoming remarks, RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan said: “The secrets of national identity are in music and dance. The Nairi and Ani Dance Ensembles wonderfully harmonize song and dance and disseminate “Armenianness” in the Homeland with their performances,” the deputy minister said.

Artistic director of Sydney’s Nairi Dance Ensemble Asadour Hajian was awarded the Grigor Narekatsi Commemorative Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for his pro-national activities. Commander of the Yerevan Brigade of the RA Armed Forces Hamlet Sevoyan granted diplomas to the members of the dance ensembles for strengthening and preserving the relationship between the army and the society.

In the second part of the event, the dance ensembles performed a dance devoted to the national army. In the end, Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Friar Vardan Navasardyan, who has served in Australia for six years, gave his blessing to the participants of the festival and mentioned: “Armenians record their victories and reinforce the spirit for their claims through culture. These young Diaspora Armenians are the ones reinforcing their communities and are shaping an Armenia in their respective communities.”

The event ended with a performance by the dance ensembles and the soldiers of the brigade in Yerevan.