May 22, 2012
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Montevideo Chapter Looks Back on Decades of Work in Uruguay While Celebrating AGBU's 106th Anniversary

This April, in celebration of AGBU's 106th anniversary, the AGBU Montevideo Chapter brought together several distinguished guests to its Center's Cristal Hall. There, they looked back on decades of the organization's work in Uruguay, enjoying firsthand accounts of its history as told by Verquine Bedikian, an Honorary Member and former chapter chair, whose book, "Memories of AGBU in Uruguay: 1938-1998," was the central focus of the evening.

The event, which took place on Friday, April 20, 2012, was attended by Lilian Kechichian, Uruguay's Minister of Tourism and Sports; Ruben Aprahamian, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia; Archbishop Hagop Kelendjian, Primate of the Diocese of Uruguay; and Ruben Kechichian, AGBU Central Board member and Chairman of the AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter, who was in town for the occasion.

Guests were welcomed by AGBU Montevideo Chapter Chairman Haigazun Moumdjian, who highlighted AGBU's many successful programs both worldwide and locally, before distributing grants from the AGBU Scholarship Program to the local AGBU Alex Manoogian High School alumni pursuing their college degrees. Following his remarks, Ruben Kechichian addressed the audience of friends and supporters, describing the warm relationship that the neighboring Chapters have always shared.

Verquine Bedikian's publication was the main attraction of the event. In a special presentation, Cristina Takessian, the English coordinator of the local AGBU Nubarian School and an active member of both the AGBU Youth Committee and scouts program, spoke of Verquine Bedikian's various accomplishments, and roles she played in the Armenian community as the daughter of immigrants, a mother, and a working professional who contributed greatly to AGBU's growth over the years. Carlos Hergatacorzian, the former Chairman and Honorary Member of the Montevideo Chapter, then spoke, praising Bedikian's publication for extensively documenting the history of the Chapter. His words were echoed by Archbishop Kelendjian, who wrote the book's prologue and commended Bedikian for her commitment to AGBU.
Ruben Topalian, the Chapter's Secretary, brought the event to a close. He discussed the ways in which, since its founding, AGBU has strengthened the Armenian diaspora, and how it continues to remain flexible to meet the changing needs of its members today, while anticipating changes it will experience in the years to come.

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