On March 28, at Tara Hotel, London, a special reception in honour of Dr Armen Sarkissian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the UK and Northern Ireland, was organized by the London TCA and “Nor Serount” Cultural Association.

The significant event for the London Armenian community was held in the presence of His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Church of the UK and Ireland, Eminences, Graces and Reverend Fathers of sister churches. Many diplomats, ambassadors such as the ones of the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Kirgizstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, councillors as well as Lords, MPs and other honourable civic and religious dignitaries were also present at the memorable evening.

Mr Garo Boyadjian, Chairman of the London TCA, was the first to welcome Ambassador Dr Armen Sarkissian and his wife Mrs Nouneh Sarkissian. As the Chairman mentioned the Armenian community was looking forward to the new Ambassador presiding over a new era of diplomatic relations with Armenia. He also acknowledged Dr Sarkissian’s striving for improving Armenia’s standing in the world. Wishing the Ambassador every success, Mr Boyadjian assured him of the ongoing support of the UK Armenian community.

On behalf of the most active cultural organizations in the Armenian community in the UK and Armenia, Mr Vartan Ouzounian (President of the London TCA, Chairman of Tekeyan Centre Fund Armenia and Honourary Secretary of the London Tekeyan Trust) extended warmest congratulations and wishes to Dr Sarkissian on his third time appointment as Ambassador to the UK. Mr Ouzounian remembered their first meeting in 1984 when a young University professor of Astrophysics from the former Soviet Union visited London. And that was the TCA that organized Prof. Sarkissian’s first lecture for the Armenian community. Now having known Ambassador Sarkissian for so many years, Mr Ouzounian doubtlessly noted that his experience and skills would enhance Armenian national and cultural existence strengthening the Motherland and making friendly relations across the world.

Mr Ouzounian had also the honour of reading the welcoming address of Baroness Caroline Cox who was unable to be present but passed on her good wishes to Dr Sarkissian and appreciation to the TCA, LTT and TCF Armenia for the work done, particularly connected with the renovation of the heating system of the Lord Byron School in Gyumri, Armenia. She visited the school soon after it had been opened by Mrs Margaret Thatcher in 1990 and now she was delighted to see the school transformation after so many difficulties.

As Dr Vasken Kassemdjian, Chairman of Nor Serount Cultural Association, noted at the reception, it very rarely happens to find a person appointed as an ambassador representing his country for three times and more over being appointed Prime Minister of the same country as well as possessing successful academic, business and worldwide philanthropic and economic developer’s profile. All this was achieved by Dr Sarkissian during the last twenty years. Dr Kassemjian recalled the year 1992 when Dr Sarkissian started his diplomatic career and for the first time ever in the UK the flag of independent Armenia was raised in the presence of large crowd of Armenians. That significant day started a new era for the Armenian Community. Now, after 22 years, although there were a lot of new responsibilities and difficult tasks on the shoulders of the Ambassador, Nor Serount assured him of strong cooperation with the embassy for achieving mutual goals for the advance of Armenian people and the RA.

After getting so much support from the Armenian community, Ambassador Armen Sarkissian started with warmhearted thanks first to the TCA and Nor Serount for organizing such a beautiful evening and then to all the guests that honoured him with their presence and wished him the best. As he noted, all kind words were accepted by him not as praises but just a credit of trust, and he would do his best to justify all hopes and expectations.

In his speech, Dr Sarkissian detailed his first visit to London: that was 30 years ago when a young Soviet scientist was invited to work at Cambridge University, and the TCA arranged his first official meeting with the Armenian community to speak about the Motherland, education, science, history. That was an unforgettable evening, and as Dr Sarkissian joked he could even remember the food he tasted at a Chinese restaurant where he was invited by Mr and Mrs Vartan Ouzounian after the lecture.

In 1991, when the Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse, Dr Sarkissian was invited by the first President of Armenia to establish the first Armenian Embassy abroad. So, thanks to the Armenian community a miracle was worked as in two months’ time Dr Sarkissian had already the venue for the embassy and the staff most of which were volunteers, and he himself became the charge d’affaires. Soon, thanks to the ambassador of the Russian Federation (the one of the former Soviet Union) who taught Dr Sarkissian a lot, the scientist became a professional diplomat.

Now, speaking about the Soviet Union, Ambassador Sarkissian could not regard it as an evil place as many described, since there was both good and bad. He considered it as a great empire that could create first of all a friendly and healthy environment for many nationalities to live in. It had a fantastic educational system, a great academia. The Soviet Union highly supported art and music. And of course, it made a lot of territorial mistakes which resulted in instabilities and big conflicts that up to now have not been resolved, like Karabagh, the Crimea, Abkhazia, Ossetia, etc. So, the task of next generations is to do much better than it was done in the Soviet period, especially now when it is not safe or stable in the world any more. The instability in Syria, for example, may result in a black hole which may absorb a lot of things around including surrounding countries. And it may harm Armenia as well and become another challenge for our nation. The Ambassador felt sorry for Armenians who were displaced from Kesab. He hoped that the Armenian delegation would manage to settle the matter with the President of Syria and our people could return to the historic place of the last Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

His decision to become the RA Ambassador for the third time, Dr Sarkissian reasoned in a few ways. First of all he mentioned that Armenian Ambassador to the UK Mrs Karine Kazinian, a wonderful person and a professional diplomat, unexpectedly and timelessly passed away. As to reasons of such a decision, that’s true he could see a lot of progress and achievements both Armenia and Karabagh but that was not what he had expected and dreamed of. Still a lot of things to be improved, changed and resolved. And he can much more contribute to the development of Armenia as a diplomat rather than as a businessman or a philanthropist. He has lived in Britain and has been in politics long enough, so he knows how important it is for Armenia to deepen relations with GB for the benefit of our nation, since GB matters starting from the UN where a lot of issues related to Armenia are voted.

As Dr Sarkissian explained for him the year 2015 symbolizes not only 100 years of the Armenian Genocide and the end of the Ottoman Empire, but also 100 years of survival of a great nation. And for this anniversary he has a new project which is to create “Hay Park” (Armenian Park) around the monument of genocide as the 100 hectares around it are abandoned at the moment. The park will consist of small park sections each representing a community and together they will be the whole nation. The Ambassador’s dream is to see all Armenians unified and not segregated to Armenians from Armenia and the ones from the Diaspora. “Each of us should contribute to our beloved motherland because although as a nation we are much bigger than the state, we cannot be united and strong without a strong state and a strong church that unites us worldwide. And I’m here to work with you for the brighter future of our nation”, concluded Ambassador Sarkissian.

There, at the evening was a personal tribute to Ambassador Sarkissian from Mrs Odette Bazil, Co-founder and Executive Secretary of the British Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group, the founder of The Chiltern’s Armenian Society, as well as leader and active member of a couple of other organizations. Mrs Bazil praised the Ambassador’s vigour and contribution to the development of Armenian-British relations as well as dedicated activities for the benefit of the RA and the Armenian Embassy in London.

While speaking about Dr Sarkissian, His Grace Bishop Hovhanessian stated that Armenians are sons of a great nation; a nation that had contributed to the world politics, history, culture and science. But the recent path of Armenian people had been blackened by some unfortunate politics of neighbours and the superpowers of the land. And on the threshold of the third decade of independent RA, the nation was in desperate need of leaders who were aware of the bright civilization, culture and heritage of Armenians. As a humble servant of the Armenian Church in the UK, as a leader of the community, Bishop Hovhanessian joined his voice with everybody inviting Dr Sarkissian to lead them in the journey of carrying the photon of Armenian culture and civilization to their children and grandchildren. He also invited the Diaspora to be unified in working together with the Republic to make sure that dreams become a reality and not only did “Hay Park” become a beautiful “drakhtavayr” – a piece of paradise, but also the entire Armenia.

At the end of the reception, Ambassador Dr Armen Sarkissian was invited to the podium to be presented with a silver plate, a souvenir from the TCA and Nor Serount, as an appreciation for his dedication and contribution to Armenian people and the Motherland.

The evening was concluded with a dinner reception and a beautiful concert programme which included performances of Nor Serount Violin Ensemble, the TCA Mezzo-soprano Anna Movsesyan and Tenor Sipan Hagobyan, Artistic Director & Conductor of “Komitas” Choir of the London Tekeyan Trust.