July 25, 2015
GLENDALE, CA (July 14, 2015) – The chairwoman of the AGBU Western District Committee (WDC), Ms. Talin Yacoubian, in conjunction with Minister Plenipotentiary of the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles, the Honorable Valery Mkrtumian, consular officials, ADL Western Region Chairman Dr. Raffi Balian, AGBU and Homenetmen members, athletes and coaches, attended a special torch-lighting ceremony in Glendale, California on Sunday morning, July 12, 2015, which served as a prelude to the forthcoming August 2-13, 2015 6th Pan-Armenian Summer Games in Armenia and Artsakh.
The torch-lighting ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church of Glendale, and was presided by His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian of the Great House of Cilicia. The distinct honor of bearing and running the torch from St. Mary’s Armenian Church to the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia – a total distance of 0.8 miles up Central Avenue – was appropriately bestowed upon Ms. Annie Tarakchian of West Hills, California. Annie is a 6’0” Senior Forward on the women’s basketball team of Ivy League academic and athletic powerhouse Princeton University in New Jersey. Annie also holds a unique position in modern Armenian-American athletic history by being the lone Armenian-American – and one of fifty-four women’s basketball players – to have been chosen by the United States Olympic Committee to participate in recent tryouts in preparation for the South Korea-hosted 2015 World University Games. With dozens of cheering Armenians gathered at the consulate to welcome the torchbearer, Annie proudly entered the consulate’s courtyard with a firm grip of the torch in her right hand. Annie looks forward to playing on the women’s basketball team representing the city of Los Angeles during the upcoming 6th Pan-Armenian Summer Games. The Los Angeles men’s and women’s basketball squad is coached by 3-time Pan-Armenian Games gold medalist, Carl Bardakian, who is also the head coach of the Armenian Men’s National Basketball Team. Members of the AGBU-affiliated Los Angeles women’s volleyball team, under the leadership of Ielen Sarkisian, were also in attendance at the Consulate General.
Upon the arrival of the torch, a brief ceremony ensued at the courtyard of the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Tomik Alexanian ably served as Master of Ceremonies, and promptly invited Ms. Tarakchian to the podium, who expressed her gratitude to the organizers of the torch-lighting ceremony for granting her the tremendous privilege of carrying the torch. Mr. Alexanian then introduced Glendale City Councilman, the Honorable Mr. Vartan Gharpetian, who conveyed the good wishes of the Glendale City Council to all athletes representing southern California cities at the 6th Pan-Armenian Summer Games.
Mr. Mihran Toumajan was then invited to the rostrum to express the gratitude of the AGBU WDC to all athletes and coaches preparing for the 6th Pan-Armenian Summer Games. As an athlete representing the Detroit AGBU Chapter at the 1995 AGBU World Games in Paris, France, Mr. Toumajan recollected and shared the amazing, eyewitness story of the founder of the Pan-Armenian Games, veteran diplomat of the Soviet Union – and later of the Republic of Armenia – His Excellency Ambassador Ashot Melik-Shahnazaryan of blessed memory. According to Mr. Toumajan, it was during the closing ceremonial banquet of the 1995 AGBU World Games at Le Méridien Montparnasse Hotel in Paris when Amb. Melik-Shahnazaryan rose to the dais and, amidst euphoric cheers of all in attendance, publicly unveiled his long-held vision: the creation of a Pan-Armenian athletic tournament in the Armenian homeland, which would serve as a bridge cementing ties among youth living in Armenia, Artsakh, and throughout the Armenian diaspora. On behalf of the AGBU WDC, Mr. Toumajan wished good luck to all participants of the forthcoming games.
Mr. Alexanian then invited Mr. Raffi Varjabedian of the Homenetmen Western Regional Executive to the podium, who saluted Ms. Tarakchian for her distinguished achievements, and praised all athletes for their discipline and hard work in preparation for the 6th Pan-Armenian Summer Games. Mr. Alexanian concluded the program by encouraging those in attendance to promote the forthcoming games among Armenians and non-Armenians throughout the globe.
