On October 8, RA President Serzh Sargsyan, RA Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Father, Archimandrite Vardan Navasardyan, representatives of the Evangelical Association of Armenia and the Armenian Missionary Association of America, Reverends, NA Deputies, state officials, members of international and non-governmental organizations, as well as guests and benefactors participated in the solemn opening ceremony of the Khoren and Shushanik Avedisian School and Community Center and the Krikor and Beatrice Bilezigian Building built in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan.

After cutting the red ribbon, the guests toured the complex and participated in a solemn ceremony held at the newly opened hall. The event began with opening remarks by senior spiritual pastor of the Evangelical Church of Armenia, Reverend Mkrtich Melkonyan.

The President of the Republic of Armenia granted the Movses Khorenatsi Medal to member of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, benefactor Edward Avedisian for his notable contributions to the preservation of the Armenian identity.

Edward Avedisian expressed gratitude for the high award and attached importance to the support to the Armenian education and upbringing of the young generation.

The benefactor’s wife, Pamela Avedisian donated a piano to the educational complex.

Among other speakers were Executive Director of the Armenian Missionary Association of America Zaven Khanjyan, RA Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan and Armenia’s Representative to the United Nations Bradley Busetto.

Since 1998, member of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), benefactor Edward Avedisian has been carrying out different kinds of charity acts in Armenia. For the past 15 years, Edward Avedisian has been sponsoring the Khoren and Shushanik Avedisian School of the Armenian Education Foundation in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan through the AMAA Armenia Office. The Khoren and Shushanik Avedisian School is not just a large educational complex. It also carries out charity acts and has nearly 300 students from socially disadvantaged families.

There are dozens of Armenian schools in 24 countries under the patronage of the Armenian Evangelical Church abroad, including pre-schools, colleges, seminaries and the only Haigazian Armenian University in Beirut, Lebanon. Throughout its existence, the Armenian Missionary Association of America has always established and sponsored Armenian schools. Meeting the objectives of schools within communities has always been a matter of concern for the association. The schools of the Armenian Missionary Associations abroad are distinguished by the quality and high level of organization of the learning process, extracurricular activities, as well as programs and events devoted to preservation of the Armenian identity.