Belgium hosts Armenian festival

The Armenians of the Belgian city of Antwerp attended on Saturday the fourth annual traditional festival “I am an Armenian, Yes I am”.

The opening of the event (organized by the local NGO Arda) was marked by the traditional scientific conference held in the city’s provincial parliament. The topic of this year’s discussion was the Armenian identity.

The participants had the chance to listen to the speeches with simultaneous translations into the French and Dutch languages. Among the invitees, there were also guests from Armenia, who delivered speeches devoted to the Armenian character and the features specific to an Armenian’s national spirit and identity.

The speech-makers of this year’s conference were the prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Belgium, Archimandrite Zatik Avetikyan, a member of the Writers’ Union of Armenian, Karine Ashughyan, the president of the Hague-based Armenian Cultural Center “Abovyan”, Mato Hakhverdyan, the author of the popular science film “From Ararat to Europe”, Arsen Hakobyan, the president of the student organization Hayasa, Tigran Baghdasaryan, and the head of the Ardia NGO’s youth wing, Sirarpi Vardanyan.

Nikolay Davtyan, who represents the Armenian Cultural Center of Belgium, was pleased to tell the attendees that the community will next year have its new establishment, the Armenian Center, which will be equipped with all the necessary building conveniences/

A lecture was later delivered by Armenian Ambassador to Belgium Avet Adonts, who first congratulated the Armenians on independence anniversary and wished success to the participants.

The festival’s second part, which included multi-genre cultural and entertaining performances and concerts, was also very interesting. The audience enjoyed musical pieces by different Armenian bands and orchestras and individual performers from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Samples of sculpture, painting art, drawing and pottery were also showcased at the event.

Arsen Hakobyan’s film, From Ararat to Europe, (which has been already translated into three languages), was screened in the cinema hall. The author is now working on a new film, entitled “The Forgotten Land of Ancestors”.

Pavilions offering various Armenian souvenirs were opened in the festival’s frameworks.

The event lasted until late evening. It offered the Belgian-Armenian community a nice opportunity to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Armenia’s independence.