Cilicia Departure Festival Committee:
Garnig Amirian,  Lorees Arakelian,  Karen Balayan (Cilicia Captain), Louisa Culleton,  Vanessa Galbraith,  Mark Grigorian,  Ara Iskenderian,  Samvel Karapetyan (Advisor to Captain),  Stepan Kartashyan (Armenian Embassy),  Ani King-Underwood,  Charle Malas (treasurer), Zabel Malas,  Pakrad Nazarian,  Susan Pattie, 
Souren Saroukhanoff   (chairman )    contact: saroukhanoffs@aol.com 
Armenag Topalian   (Secretary )    contact: topalian@tesco.net

This beautiful poem was written by Baroness Cox in honour of the vessel CILICIA and was recited by her at the Departure Festival on 28th May 2006

Historic Cilicia, with all your crew
We come today to honour you,
As you sail forth from your winter rest
To embark upon your final test.

When you leave our island, you will cross a sea
That is part of Britain's history:
Conquering Romans, Vikings, Normans came
To fight, to kill, set our land aflame.
But later, this sea kept our island free
From the might of Nazi Germany.

But Armenia's ships plied many seas
To bring trade, with peace, upon the breeze.
Cilicia, you're a symbol of Armenia's past
Of historic lands, seaboard and a kingdom vast:
You're also a symbol of Armenia's heart
With genius, science and every art:
Music, dance, drama and historic books.
 
So you've blessed this dock which overlooks
Shakespeare's Globe, cathedrals, and bridges around
And where today your many friends abound
To celebrate Armenia's spirit, which will never die
But, like the eternal phoenix, will always rise high
To create beauty from ashes, old life to new
This is your spirit, Cilicia, and we honour you.

               LIST OF
       SPONSORS AND DONORS
           _____________
                        
                              £
The Armenian Community
    & Church Council GB   1000.00
CYPRESSA LTD
(Mr & Mrs P. Katsouris)   1000.00
Mr & Mrs M. Megerdichian  1000.00
St Sarkis Charitable Trust 500.00
Mr. & Mrs. K. Cholakian    500.00
Armenian Relief Society    250.00
Mr A Momdjian              200.00
Shamlian Aluminium         200.00
Mr & Mrs B Nazarian        150.00
Thermostar Ltd            
    Mr B. Arakelian        100.00
Mr. C. Malas               100.00
Dr S H S Shamlian          100.00
Dr & Mrs R. Stepanian      100.00
Tatulian Family            100.00
Mr & Mrs A Topalian
      - Equipment valued    64.00
Mr A. Kevorkian & Family    50.00
Mr & Mrs Sozou              25.00
Mr & Mrs H. Vartanian       25.00
Mr V. Shahbazian            15.00
Mrs. A. Gorgodian           10.00
A. Kouyoumdjian             10.00
Mr. & Mrs H. Avakian
 - Alpha Foods - One pallet of
 foodstuff for the Cilicia's
 voyage.
Mr & Mrs S Yeghigian - Supply of
 foodstuffs for CILICIA's voyage
Mr & Mrs K Cholakian - Supply of
 transport of about 1200kg of
 goods and equipment for the
 vessel CILICIA from London to
 Isle of Wight

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE
' CILICIA  - LITTLE ARMENIA'
BY ARA ISKENDERIAN

Ambassador V. Gabrielyan (above left) and Mr Zori Balayan (above right) 
(left) Mr Ara H. Palamoudian, Chairman of the Armenian Community & Church Council of Great Britain,  making farewell speeches

Choir of the Armenian Community & Church Council's St Yeghiche Church singing "KILIKIA"

Captain of CILICIA Karen Balayan together with Mr Zori Balayan and members of the crew

Dancers of the AKHTAMAR ARMENIAN PERFORMANCE GROUP

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE ARRIVAL OF CILICIA AT PORTSMOUTH