AGBU Helps Organize "Buenos Aires Celebrates Armenia" Festival; Attracts Over 15,000 People

On Sunday, October 9, 2011, over 15,000 people strolled along Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the "Buenos Aires Celebrates Armenia" Festival. Attendees explored the festival booths that sold handmade crafts, books, music, and Armenian food for the all-day event — the latest by Buenos Aires devoted to the numerous nationalities that call Argentina home.

Dedicated to the centenary of AGBU's Buenos Aires Chapter and the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian festival was officially organized by the Cultural Ministry and the General Executive Committee for Inter-Organizational Relations of the Buenos Aires Municipality, in partnership with AGBU.

As one of the highlights of the day, the Diaspora Ministry of the Republic of Armenia, the embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Argentina and the Cultural Ministry of the Buenos Aires Municipality sponsored a concert by composer Ará Gevorgyan and his ensemble.

Festival celebrations kicked off at 3pm with performances by local rock groups Sin Clase and Los Armenios, and the popular band Nor Arax. Local dance troupes took part in the program and presented a myriad of folk dances for the audience. Before the headliners began, the local Aída Victoria Mastrazzi School of Folk Dance performed for an audience of nearly 8,000 people. The folk dance show was followed by the performance of the Municipality's Symphony Orchestra, which played the tango and other compositions under the direction of maestro Lito Valle.

The Main Event

To mark the beginning of the main portion of the program, students from the AGBU Marie Manoogian Educational Institute carried the flags of Argentina, Armenia, AGBU and the city of Buenos Aires onto the stage. The Argentinean national anthem was played by the symphony orchestra under the direction of Valle, while the Armenian anthem was performed by soprano Alla Avetissian and pianist Santiago Chotsourian.

AGBU Buenos Aires honorary chairman Vahram Hairabedian and AGBU Central Board of Directors member and Buenos Aires executive committee chairman Rubén Kechichian invited the mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, to the stage and thanked him for his support of the city's Armenian community with a small token of appreciation.

Other notable guests in attendance were Vladimir Karmirshalyan, Armenia's ambassador to Argentina; Archbishop Kissag Mouradian, Primate of the Diocese of Argentina and Chile of the Armenian Apostolic Church; Hernán Lombardi, cultural minister of the Buenos Aires Municipality; Claudio Avruj, general director of the general executive committee of the Committee for Inter-Organizational Relations; benefactor Shahé Khatchadourian, one of the founders and principal supporters of Kohar Ensemble; Sevag Seropian; and thousands of Armenians and non-Armenians, for whom the entire festival, and the concert of Ará Gevorgyan and his musicians, was an unforgettable experience.

During their speeches, both Avruj and Lombardi conveyed how impressed they were by the overall festival and the turnout. They also took time to thank AGBU for organizing the event.
Once the headliner, Ará Gevorgyan, took the stage the audience was enthralled by the musician as he performed together with the symphony orchestra, which was led by young Armenian-Canadian conductor Lori Antounian, who flew in for the occasion. A number of dance ensembles captivated the audience as they interpreted Gevorgyan's compositions with grace and vitality. The participating dance troupes were the "Kaiané" of the Armenian-Argentine Cultural Association, "Masís," sponsored by the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, "Nairí" of the Armenian Relief Society, and "Narek" of the Armenian Catholic Church, which performed on a three-level stage outfitted with two large screens.

The organization for the daylong festival was done by a number of the committees that are part of AGBU Buenos Aires, including the Women's Committee, the Mothers' Committee of the Marie Manoogian Educational Institute, Liga de Jovenes (Youth League), YP Buenos Aires, and the General Antranik Scout troop. Hundreds of AGBU members and friends volunteered throughout the day and their work ensured that the public enjoyed a magical experience that heightened their awareness of Armenian culture and its vital role in the Argentinean capital.

The following guest artists also contributed their artistic excellence to the festival: Gagik Gasparyan (duduk and other wind instruments, musical director); Professor Alicia Antreassian, director in charge of the dance ensembles; soprano Alla Avetissian; maestro Santiago Chotsourian; violinists Aída Simonian and Rubén Hovsepian; and bandoneón player Adolfo Gómez.