PRELACY HOSTS ‘YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN MOTHER’ LECTURE LUNCHEON
Thursday, October 31st, 2013
Western Prelacy Ladies Auxiliary members and Western Prelate Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian
LA CRESCENTA-On Thursday, October 24, the Western Prelacy Ladies
Auxiliary hosted a lecture luncheon at the “Dikran and Zarouhie Der
Ghazarian” Hall in celebration of the “Year of the Armenian Mother.”
The event, held under the auspices of Western Prelate Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, was one in a series held throughout the year
in honor of this proclamation by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
the Great House of Cilicia.
By the invitation of the Prelate, Lieutenant General Artur Aghabekyan,
Deputy Prime Minister of Artsakh, Antranik Baghdassarian, Chair of
Armenia Fund, and Sarkis Kotanjian, Executive Director of Armenia Fund,
participated in the luncheon. Executive Council Chair Rima Boghossian
and member Dr. Dikran Babikian were also in attendance.
The event began with opening remarks by Master of Ceremonies and Ladies
Auxiliary member Alisa Konanyan who welcomed the guests and the day’s
keynote speaker Nora Hovsepian, Esq., who would be speaking on “The
Role of Armenian Mothers in Society.” She then invited the Prelate
to bless the tables. Following the Lord’s Prayer and the invocation,
His Eminence invited Deputy Prime Minister Aghabekyan to address
the gathering.
The Deputy Prime Minister greeted the guests, noting that it was his
first time participating in such an event. In his address, Aghabekyan
praised the extreme sacrifices of mothers by recounting a conversation
he had with his mother when she visited him in the days of the Karabakh
conflict. His mother was in distress at all the young lives being
lost in the war, leaving entire villages in mourning, to which he
answered that each one of those soldiers was fighting for the sake
of his fatherland and the defense of his home and lands, and that at
any given day he could be among the fallen, too. So when an Armenian
mother bears a child, said Aghabekyan, she does so with the awareness
that one day her child may go off to defend their land and not return.
That, he said, is one of a mother’s many virtues. The Deputy Prime
Minister then stressed the importance of this year’s Armenia Fund
Telethon project, the construction of the Vardenis-Martakert Highway,
and spoke of ongoing challenges faced by Artsakh, noting that its
140,000 citizens are not alone in their struggle against the 10
millions Azeris; they have the support of Armenians worldwide who,
in the face of danger, will come to the aid and defense of Artsakh.
A cultural program of songs presented by opera singer Taline Nalbandian
followed, after which Nora Hovsepian was invited for her lecture.
The keynote speaker presented the unique role of mothers, specifically
Armenian mothers, as daughters, mothers, and activists for the
nation and community, stressing that they are entrusted with a
great responsibility and mission. Hovsepian reflected on the role
of Armenian women throughout our history, from ancient times to the
Armenian national movement, Genocide, Artsakh liberation movement,
to today. Recalling her own experiences growing up, she spoke of
the crucial role and influence of her mother, grandmother, and
mother-in-law in her spiritual and nationalistic development, women
she regards as her role models and by whose example she raises her own
daughter. Armenian mothers have a vital role in the growth of their
children, and with the complexities of modern times, alongside being
homemaker and nurturers, mothers also have to work outside the home to
contribute to the family finances, said Hovsepian. Armenian mothers are
furthermore distinguished by their unique mission of providing Armenian
education and rousing in their children the spirit of nationalism,
of the Armenian Cause and the defense of our rights, recalling that
during the Genocide and in following years, Armenian mothers were
staunch defenders in this regard and had an unparalleled role in
preserving and perpetuating our Armenian identity. Thus, said the
speaker, today’s mothers owe a debt to the Genocide and post-Genocide
generation of mothers, and must continue in their example, must
participate in Armenian organizations and prevent assimilation by
firmly planting the Armenian identity in their children.
The luncheon concluded with the Prelate’s message. His Eminence
commended the Ladies Auxiliary for organizing such events, which offer
spiritual and intellectual nourishment, and commended the program
participants for their part in highlighting the important obligations
and valuable mission of Armenian mothers. The Prelate stated that the
virtues and mission of mothers has been written about extensively by
our poets. However, long before, it was the Holy Bible which taught
us to revere mothers and the Holy Mother of God who exemplified
what it means to be a mother. He conveyed his blessings to all the
mothers and sisters, and blessed the memory of all departed mothers,
and expressed his wish that today’s mothers faithfully carry out the
mission entrusted to them with pure hearts, good conscience, and faith.
Continuing, the Prelate said that one of the most important
responsibilities of a mother is the religious instruction of
her children; to take her children to church and cultivate our
faith and Armenian identity and belongingness in their hearts and
souls. “The future of our nation lies in your hands,” stressed
the Prelate, and concluded by reminding the guests that the “Year
of the Armenian Mother” celebrations will culminate with the main
event on Tuesday, October 29, with a lecture organized by the Prelacy
Cultural-Educational Committee to be held in the same hall. The event
features Principal of Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School, Dr. Alina
Dorian, as the keynote speaker. Pilibos students will contribute to
the cultural program.
http://asbarez.com/115702/prelacy-hosts-year-of-the-armenian-mother-lecture-luncheon/