Australian Friends of Artsakh launched with prominent politicians, academic and clergy among 40 inaugural signatories

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) has announced the historic launch of the Australian Friends of Artsakh – a newly-formed group of 40 prominent Australians, including Federal Ministers and Parliamentarians, a State Premier and fellow State Parliamentarians, a Mayor and Councillors, academics, thought leaders, and heads of several religious and community institutions.

The announcement dubbed #MOVINGMOUNTAINS was made at the conclusion of a week of key meetings held by a visiting delegation from the Republic of Artsakh, led by Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian and including Member of Artsakh's Parliament Davit Ishkhanyan and Artsakh Foreign Ministry official Artak Nersisyan, at an event attended by Sydney Armenians, the Armenian National Committee of Australia reports.

Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan welcomed the establishment of the Australian Friends of Artsakh. The Minister expressed confidence that a similar friendship circle will be launched in Artsakh, which "will serve as a significant channel for cooperation between the two nations".

ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian hailed the launch.

"To have 40 of the most respected Australian leaders – in politics, in academia and in communities – help us launch this circle of friends for Artsakh is humbling to Armenian-Australians, who treat this issue as a community policy priority," said Kayserian.

"This is evidence that Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh are on the correct track in their journey towards international recognition, which will ultimately deliver the country the security, peace and prosperity its heroic people support."

The Federal contingent of signatories is led by Australia's Communications Minister the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, Assistant Treasurer the Hon. Michael Sukkar MP, Shadow Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Senator Kristina Keneally and Shadow Agriculture & Resources Minister the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP.

Fitzgibbon is the co-convenor of the Armenia-Australia Inter-Parliamentary Union along with the Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Aged Care & Sport Trent Zimmerman MP, who also joined the Australian Friends of Artsakh, along with fellow Chairs of Federal Parliamentary Committees including John Alexander MP, Julian Leeser MP, Jason Falinski MP and Tim Wilson MP, who is the only Member of Australia's Federal Parliament with Armenian heritage. Newly elected Federal Parliamentarian Josh Burns is also a friend of Artsakh.

The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP, who is most prominent among Armenian-Australians as the Premier of Australia's largest state of New South Wales, leads the list of State Parliamentarians among the inaugural Australian Friends of Artsakh, which also includes Speaker of NSW Parliament's House of Representatives the Hon. Jonathan O'Dea MP and his fellow convenor of the NSW Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Shadow Treasurer the Hon. Walt Secord MLC.

Dr. Hugh McDermott MP and Rev. Fred Nile MLC are also among the current NSW parliamentarians to join the group, along with former state political representatives, including Marie Ficarra and Amanda Fazio.

Among other inaugural signatories to the Australian Friends of Artsakh include Ryde City's Mayor Jerome Laxale and Councillor Sarkis Yedelian, along with several Councillors from Ryde City and Willoughby City.

A number of academics and civil society leaders have signed on to support Artsakh, including Professor Peter Stanley, Dr. Sev Ozdowski, Dr. Panayiotis Diamadis, Dr. Brian Owler and Chris Crewther.

Leaders of communities and churches also joined the Australian Friends of Artsakh as inaugural signatories, led by the President of the NSW Ecumenical Council and the President of the Australasian Middle East Christian Apostolic Churches.

ANC-AU handed the Foreign Minister a plaque of the inaugural 40 signatories to the Australian Friends of Artsakh at a Sydney event on Thursday.