The Armenian Missionary Association of Canada’s (AMAC) Benefit Concert entitled “Together for the Armenians of Artsakh” took place on Friday, March 15th, 2024. This eagerly anticipated event was organized in support of the Armenian Missionary Association of America’s (AMAA) Revive Program, aiming to assist financially, as well as psychologically, the forcibly displaced Artsakh families who have taken refuge in different regions of Armenia.
The event was attended by Ms. Anahit Harutyunyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Canada, Mr. Levon Afeyan, Honorary Consul of Armenia in Quebec, Quebec members of Parliament, and other dignitaries.
The fundraising concert was held at the First Armenian Evangelical Church of Montreal (FAEC). Many local talented artists voluntarily participated in this noble cause. They helped achieve the main goal to support our Armenian brothers and sisters in need at the present moment.
The evening started off with baritone Krikor Oskerijian’s performance of both the Canadian and Armenian National Anthems. Following him, Mrs. Salpi Nercessian and Mrs. Nania Pilibossian took the stage with their opening remarks in Armenian and French respectively. The welcome message and opening prayer were delivered by the Pastor of the host church, Rev. Georges Dabbo, reminding us to always have hope, continue praying for and lending a helping hand to our own Armenian compatriots, as mentioned in the Bible verse 1 Timothy 5:8.
The large number of attendees then welcomed on stage the talented and well-known classically-trained opera singer Elie Berberian, accompanied by Vagharshak Adamyan on Duduk and Hovannes Epoyan on Keyboard. His heartwarmingly beautiful performance of Armenian classics, such as “Horovel”, “Tamam Ashkharh”, “Azk im Parabants”, as well as the well-known song “Akhperes ou yes” brought the crowd to their feet. The crowd was enchanted, and some even tearfully sang along, while living through bittersweet emotions.
Afterwards, Ms. Shoushanik Melkonian, a speaker in poetry, impressed the audience, with her powerful and amazing presentation of the poem “Tson Artsakhi”.
The concert organizers showed the audience a short documentary film, prepared by the AMAA/AMAC. The film gave the audience a glimpse of the horrific experiences of the Artsakhis during the 2020 war, the 10-month genocidal blockade, the atrocious bombings of civilians, the ensuing forced mass exodus and the people’s current situation in Armenia. The film also reported on the AMAA/AMAC efforts to alleviate the people’s suffering, while helping them restore their shattered lives and personal dignity.
Mr. Harout Nercessian, the AMAA Representative in Canada, introduced the keynote speaker, Mr. Viktor Karapetyan. Born and raised in Artsakh, Mr. Karapetyan has served as the AMAA Representative in Artsakh for many years. In his current role as the AMAA Representative to Artsakh, he oversees the AMAA’s outreach programs, to the people of Artsakh. He shared his personal experiences of the challenges faced during the recent conflict in Artsakh. Despite these hardships, he observed a strong sense of community among the residents, attributing their resilience to their faith. Mr. Karapetyan expressed a hopeful vision that they would soon return to the cherished lands of Artsakh.
The evening proceeded with the incredible performance of Krikor Oskerijian, who sang the Armenian classic songs “Groung Kna” and “Giligia”. He was later joined on stage, by the famous saxophonist Mr. Karno Simonian. He delighted the listeners with his amazing piece “Im Siro Hasak” and the renowned “Kedashen”. The talented FAEC Worship band then took the stage and captivated the audience with the song “Khachin Zinvor”, as well as the Armenian version of the worship song “Blessing”. Afterwards, Ms. Shoushanik Melkonian recited the poem “Menk”, while the crowd listened in awed silence. Elie Berberian concluded the performance segment of the evening with his spellbinding rendition of “Hayer Miatsek,” emphasizing what Mr. Viktor Karapetyan mentioned in his speech, regarding the importance of Armenians, uniting and collaborating together.
Mrs. Salpi Nercessian ended the evening with her closing remarks, profoundly thanking all the performers, volunteers, sponsors and attendees. She invited Mr. Hagop Basmadjian, AMAC founding member and longtime supporter of Artsakh, to present a Certificate of Appreciation and a Canada gift to Mr. Viktor Karapetyan, thanking him for his sacrificial service and dedication.
She closed her remarks with a compelling appeal to the audience to generously express their solidarity with the people of Artsakh. “Our collective generosity will have an immense impact on the lives of so many families, women and children, offering them comfort and hope for a bright future,” she said.
This memorable evening was concluded with the prayer of Rev. Mardiros Eglenceyan, Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Montreal.
Following the concert, people approached Mr. Karapetyan to thank him, ask questions and take photos. The performers were not allowed to rest either. Many approached them to express their heartfelt gratitude and take a picture with the celebrities of the day.
Lara Kassardjian
