ACC UK held its Annual Cocktail Reception
at the Marriot Hotel, London, for its Committees
:: On 20th February, Saturday evening, the Armenian Community Council of UK held its annual Cocktail Reception, to honour and thank all the Committees that function within its structure, for their dedicated work and support during the past year. The members and spouses of the different committees and sub-committees of the Armenian Community Council were present at the gathering, among them the members of the Council, the Council’s Executive Committee, as well as members of CRAG (Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide), Ladies, Publications, Registrations, Heritage and Cultural, and the Syrian Armenian Relief, and the Kashadagh Committees of the ACC.
The Staff and Trustees of the K Tahta Armenian Community Sunday School which functions under the auspices of the ACC were also present.
This year the members of the Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemoration Committee (2015) were among of Guests of Honour.
At the beginning of the Reception, on behalf of the Armenian Community Council, Mrs. Matilda Megerdichian – Chair of the Executive Committee of the ACC – made a presentation of the annual activities and thanked all the members of the various Committees and Sub-Committees of the ACC UK which function within the structure of the Community Council, for their dedicated work in support of the ACC and for the benefit of the whole of the Armenian Community of the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Megerdichian mentioned that this year, additionally, invitations had been extended to the members of the Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemoration Committee who had done excellent work during 2015 to commemorate the Centenary. She went on to emphasize that the work of demanding recognition of the Genocide had not by any means come to an end by the passing of the Centenary and that the ACC’s GRAG (Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide) Committee which has been active since 1965, will once again take on the responsibility henceforth and a number of the past members of the Centenary Committee have already joined CRAG to take part in the work of the committee.
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of the United Kingdom and Ireland, His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan and conveyed his blessings to those present.
The cultural entertainment was provided by Miss Maral Baghjian and Miss Sevan Injejikian who performed two Armenian dances.
The poet Miss Gayane Khatchatryan recited two poems composed by herself, the first poem dedicated to the Armenian Community Council and the second composed in appreciation of the K Tahta Armenian Community Sunday School and its staff who dedicate their time to education the community’s children and to keeping the Armenian language, culture and heritage alive.
At the end of the meeting His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, the primate of the Diocese of Damascus, who was in London on a visit and had accompanied His Grace Bishop Manukyan, was invited to give his blessings and to inform the participants about the situation of the Armenian Community in Syria.
Also present were the Reverend Shnork Baghdassarian, Priest in Charge of the Saint Sarkis Church and the Very Reverend Vram Gazaryan who has newly arrived from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to undertake church services at Saint Yeghiche Armenian Church in South Kensington.
