RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan was on a working visit to Cyprus from December 20 to 22.

The RA Minister of Diaspora, with the accompaniment of RA Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan, attended a Holy Mass at the St. Mary Church in Nicosia.

At the hall of the Armenian Prelacy, the minister had a meeting with members of the diocesan council and the National Council and discussed issues concerning the Cypriot-Armenian community, as well as issues related to Armenian schools and cultural and spiritual centers of Cyprus.

The minister also granted the Drastamat Kanayan Medal of the RA Ministry of Defense to Cypriot-Armenian figure Harutioun Anmahouni.

During the visit to the Parliament of Cyprus, the RA Minister of Diaspora had a meeting with former Speaker of the House of Representatives, leader of the Social Democratic Political Party (EDEK) Vassos Lissaritis and presented him with the Mkhitar Gosh Medal granted by the decree of the RA President. Representatives of all parliamentary factions were attending the meeting.

Afterwards, Minister Hranush Hakobyan visited Narek Armenian School of Nicosia where she met with the students and teachers, listened to their concerns and their words of gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora for supporting the school’s activities and keeping them in focus.

The minister presented director of the network of Narek Armenian Schools Vera Tamrazian the Movses Khorenatsi Medal granted by the decree of the RA President and praised Tamrazian’s efforts aimed at providing the young generation of Armenians with an Armenian upbringing.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan also visited the Armenian youth clubs (Homenetmen-AYA) of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and Homenetmen, as well as participated in the concert featuring performances by the choir of the St. Mary Church and the fair that followed. The minister gave a speech in which she praised the role of the choir in the preservation and proper presentation of Armenian song and culture within the Cypriot-Armenian community. The minister invited the choir to take part in the 2016 “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival.

The RA Minister of Diaspora also visited Cyprus’s radio station where she gave an interview to the “Haykakan Zham” program and “Ardzagank” Monthly.

Leaders and representatives of Armenian organizations attended a reception that state representative of the Armenian community in the House of Representatives of Cyprus Vardges Mahdessian had organized in honor of the RA Minister of Diaspora.

The RA Minister of Diaspora was accompanied by RA Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan during the entire visit.