The Goguikian Foundation, held its seventh Annual Al Bayan Awards Night at the of Haigazian University in the presence of Rev. Paul Haidostian, PhD, President of the university, Ziad Hayek, the Secretary General of the Higher Council on Privatization and Partnership, Mrs. Karma Ekmekji, Director of International Affairs to Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Executive Director of the Foundation, Soheila Hayek, Friends of the Foundation, Armenian high school principals, parents and students.
Caroline Arzoumanian-Tersakian, the Foundation Administrator, welcomed the audience and stated the importance The Goguikian Foundation placed on the Mastery of the Arabic language by all Lebanese youth and in particular the Armenian students.
Then Vicky Kendirjian, a scholar of the Foundation, currently working at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, took to the podium and stated that one of the most important goals of the Foundation was to empower the youth, and assist them both financially and through various training programs, to succeed and prosper, especially in the Lebanese Public Sector.
Then the guest speaker Karma Ekmekji, spoke about the difficulties facing the Arabic language and stressed the importance of this language, given it was one of the 6 official languages at the UN and spoken by hundreds of Millions of people across 19 countries. Acknowledging the efforts of The Goguikian Foundation in encouraging the Lebanese-Armenian youth to master the Arabic language, allowing them to better assimilate and serve their community and country, she expressed gratitude to the Foundation for its work in encouraging the youth to enter the Public Sector. She also stressed that having an Armenian identity, and mastering the Armenian language, did not in any way contradict with having a Lebanese identity, and mastering the Arabic language.
During this event the winners of Al Bayan Arabic Essay Writing Competition were announced as follow:
1St Place- Vatche Tchelderian from A.G.B.U, Dbayeh
1st Runner Up Narode Karneshian from Gallousd Gulbengian College -Anjar
Second Runners Up Gally Avakian from Yeghishe Manoukian College –Dbayeh, and Robert Turonian from Mesrobian High school & technical college- Bourj Hammoud
During the event, 39 Armenian high school students, grades 10-12 who had excelled in Arabic were awarded. Joseph Dabaghian played “a mix of Fairouziyet” on the piano and Ms. Carole El Hajj sang an “Watani” by Fairouz.