April 26, 2012
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Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for AGBU's New Office Building in Yerevan

On Friday, April 13, 2012, the groundbreaking ceremony of the new AGBU office building in the center of Yerevan took place. Presided over by His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Grant Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the ceremony was attended by AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, head of the Republic of Armenia Government's Committee for Coordinating Humanitarian Projects Simon Ter-Simonyan and special guests, as well as AGBU's local staff, scouts and members. Remarks were made by both Yacoubian, who explained the intricate details of the construction, and AGBU Armenian Representation Interim Director Hovig Eordekian. Following the blessing, a time-capsule was lowered by Yacoubian into the foundation of the building containing the following statement: "On this 13th day of April, 2012, during the presidency of Berge Setrakian, the blessing ceremony of the Armenian General Benevolent Union's new office building took place in the Capital by the hand of His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Grand Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin."

Though AGBU has been active and present continuously in Armenia, it was not until recently that the organization purchased land and commenced the construction of its own office building on Melik-Adamian Street, adjacent to the Republic of Armenia Government building in the center of Yerevan. The six-story facility, in addition to two underground parking levels, will be built on a land area of 1,380 square meters, with a total area of 6,700 square meters. The structure will offer modern amenities with fully equipped office space, conference rooms, and exhibition halls. The new building will preserve the architectural aspects of Old Yerevan by delicately blending new and environmentally friendly features with the historical façade of the old building that was once built on a neighboring street.

In addition to serving as the main headquarters of AGBU in Armenia, the building will allow for the expansion of the organization's existing educational, cultural, humanitarian, and youth programs throughout the country. It will also provide the needed resources for the implementation of new projects, as well as create a hub for cultural events. Ultimately, however, the new building will deepen AGBU's roots in the soil of the homeland, and strengthen Armenia-Diaspora ties. Construction is expected to be completed in 2013.

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