Annual CANAR Meeting Held in Toronto


Under the Auspices of His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, the annual Canadian Armenian National Assembly Representatives (CANAR) meeting was held at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Toronto on May 7 and 8, 2010.

The meeting opened with the reading of a message by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate, written especially for the CANAR meeting. Next, attendants evaluated the work done by the Executive and Religious Councils throughout their term.

The agenda also included discussions on the ongoing reconstruction of the New Cilicia village in Armenia, which is sponsored by the Armenian Catholicosate, and projects surrounding the declaration by His Holiness Aram I of 2010 being the “Year of the Armenian Woman.”

A round table on Armenian Women was also held during the meeting, which was led by Nairi Shahinian. The main topic of the round table was the challenges facing Armenian women and different lectures were presented by Dikranouhi Kendirjian, Sossie Arakelian and Lory Janbazian on women in the Bible, women and the Armenian Church, women in Armenian history, the Armenian woman as the defendant of the values of Armenian people and the challenges faced by Armenian women today.

The last item on the CANAR agenda was regarding the Armenian Youth, and Viken Afarian presented the issues of identity, the search for religious and moral beliefs, and the challenges of raising children as Armenians in the Diaspora.

Following the conclusion of the first day of the meeting, a ceremony was held for the bestowment of the “Spirit of Armenia” award, which was given to David Warner for his continued support and advocacy of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The “Spirit of Armenia” is awarded to dignitaries as a gratitude and appreciation for their genuine friendship, devotion and exceptional service to the Canadian Armenian Community and the Armenian Nation.

As it has become customary at the end of the annual CANAR meeting, elections were held.

His Eminence Archbishop Hagopian was unanimously re-elected for another four-year term as Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada by CANAR. With regards to the election of Prelacy Executive and Religious Councils, the elected members are as follows.

Armenian Prelacy of Canada Religious Council Elected Members 2010-2011:
Very Rev. Fr. Meghrig Parikian (chairperson)
Rev. Fr. Karnig Koyounian (secretary)
Archpriest Hrair Nicolian (advisor).

Armenian Prelacy of Canada Executive Council Elected Members 2010-2011
Dr. Jean Arakelian (chairperson)
Harry Markarian (vice-chairperson)
Raffi Der Boghossian (secretary)
Krikor Kouyoumdjian (treasurer)
Arto Kabassakalian (advisor)
Dr. Barouyr Toukhmanian (advisor)
George Garabedian (advisor)
Simon Poladian (advisor)
Osig Mksyartinian (advisor)

The attendants included the church pastors of all Prelacy churches and CANAR delegates from Montreal, Laval, St. Catharines, Cambridge, Vancouver and Toronto. “Cilicia Princes and Knights,” recipients of Mesrob Mashdots medals, community benefactors, as well as representatives of sister organizations were among the invited guests present.

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