Florence Avakian

Arthur Pinajian’s works exhibited in New York

Apr 08, 2013: Florence Avakian writes about the re-discovered legacy of a master of abstract painting.  more...

Anti-Armenian violence in Azerbaijan remembered in U.S.

Apr 05, 2013: Florence Avakian reports on a recent commemorative program at the Armenian Diocese in New York, AGBU hosts film screening on Sumgait pogroms and Baku-born Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte discusses the experience with her senator.  more...

COAF gala: Sam Simonian, Nathan Lane, Andrea Martin honored

Jan 25, 2013: Amid the magic of candle-lit pools of water, ancient temples, and flower-bedecked tables, the ninth annual Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) gala was again held in the elegant Temple of Dendur of the Sackler Wing of the world famous Metropolitan Museum of Art, on December 13.  more...

FAR projects in Armenia: from humanitarian to science and IT

Nov 20, 2012: Florence Avakian recounts a recent tour of Armenia, during which she visited a number of projects supported by the Fund for Armenian Relief.  more...

AAHPO event focuses on tobacco dangers in Armenia

Nov 20, 2012: More than 65 members of the Armenian American Health Professional Organization, (AAHPO) to renew friendships, provide the latest information on the progress of the group, and meet new members.  more...

Young talents return to Carnegie Hall for classical performance

Nov 07, 2012: In what was both a revelation and a celebration, 30 young people, aged 10 to 18, wowed an appreciative audience, showcasing their individual musical talents.  more...

Prelacy banquet recognizes humanitarians, raises funds for Syria relief

Oct 31, 2012: Three extraordinary life-saving humanitarian actions were remembered and honored by the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America on October 7, at the elegant New York Palace Hotel. The honorees included Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the Near East Relief, and the American National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians.  more...

More than 400 pay tribute to Hirant Gulian in celebratory banquet

Oct 31, 2012: On Friday evening, October 5, more than 400 friends and admirers of longtime community activist Hirant Gulian paid tribute to him during a celebratory banquet sponsored by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).  more...

A new Armenian language tutorial published

Oct 16, 2012: Florence Avakian reports about the self-teaching resource put together by Sylva Der Stepanian and Nubar Kupelian.  more...

In Memoriam: Andrea Pampanini, 72, a proud Armenian by choice

Aug 23, 2012: Florence Avakian profiles a prominent activist in New York's Armenian community.  more...

Influence of Armenian religious art discussed at Columbia University

Jun 20, 2012: Professor Thomas F. Mathews, Emeritus Professor at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts recently delivered an engrossing talk on the role of Armenian art on the international arena, writes Florence Avakian.  more...

Fund for Armenian Relief's Yerevan center reaches out to thousands of children

Jun 05, 2012: Florence Avakian reports about the work of FAR's Children's Center and the recent New York fundraiser to support its work.  more...

Lenten cuisine, orchestrated by a master musician

Apr 09, 2012: Master pianist and ethnomusicologist Sahan Arzruni recently gave a bravura performance of different kind, displaying his extraordinary, creative knowledge of Armenian Lenten cuisine at the Diocesan Center in New York.  more...

500 years of Armenian printing heritage presented at Columbia University

Jan 18, 2012: Florence Avakian writes about Dr. Levon Avdoyan’s presentation of the Library of Congress Armenian exhibit opening April 19.  more...

Toufayans of New Jersey help upgrade Zangakatun village school

Dec 04, 2011: Birthplace of Paruyr Sevak, Zangakatun in Armenia’s Ararat province benefitting from philanthropy of Harry Toufayan, America’s “Pita King” who has worked through the Fund for Armenian Relief on other Armenia projects since the 1990s, writes Florence Avakian.  more...

Women's guild holds fall symposium, art exhibit in New York

Nov 07, 2011: The Women's Guild, the "backbone of the church," organized a 25th anniversary gathering and concurrent exhibit by four Yerevan artists on the theme of spirituality, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

At 50, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary announced auspicious plans for future

Oct 31, 2011: Florence Avakian reports from fourth annual Evening Under the Stars at Seminary's New Rochelle campus.  more...

Mkrtich Ksachikyan graduates from St. Nersess seminary

Jun 16, 2011: Florence Avakian reports on new deacon’s path to graduation and its celebration.  more...

Fund for Armenian Relief to honor Charles Aznavour

Mar 30, 2011: Mark Friday evening, May 20 in New York City on your calendars. It marks an extraordinary event, sponsored by the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) that celebrates both the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, as well as one of the world’s greatest singers, showmen, songwriters and philanthropists, Charles Aznavour.  more...

Ambassador Evans: I have no regrets for calling Genocide by its name

Nov 02, 2010: Former American Ambassador to Armenia John Evans talked to Florence Avakian ahead of the November 19 Armenian Professional Society of Los Angeles gala, where he will be honored.  more...

St. Nersess program, a “singular experience” for Jerusalem Armenian students

Oct 09, 2010: Jerusalem natives Vasken Panossian, and Karin Hagopian study at the city’s Sts. Tarkmanchatz School  more...

Armenia’s "other" children

Sep 24, 2010: Florence Avakian reports on children's care center in Yerevan that is supported by the Fund for Armenian Relief.  more...

Gyumri’s resurgence aided by Fund for Armenian Relief

Sep 17, 2010: Florence Avakian visits a soup kitchen, a music school and an IT training center, all supported by the Fund in Armenia's second-largest city.  more...

Anahid Sofian’s dance-drama performance, ten years in making

Jun 01, 2010: “It’s my artistic vision of being Armenian. I’m expressing my deep love towards my culture, and honoring my parents,” dancer and choreographer Anahid Sofian told Florence Avakian.  more...

Prelacy's Ladies Guild celebrate Mother's Day

May 27, 2010: The annual Mother's Day luncheon sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies' Guild is always an event not to be missed. On May 10, close to 170 attended this much-awaited and festive event at the elegant Palace Hotel, located in midtown Manhattan.  more...

Armenian youth talent shines at Carnegie Hall

Apr 19, 2010: Twenty young Armenians, ages 10 to 18, from around U.S. demonstrated their impressive musical talents to a full house at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall on April 5 in the 2010 Armenian Youth Talent Finalists' Concert.  more...

Knar Gevorkyan's exhibit is first solo show in 25 years

Apr 14, 2010: The drawing of "Arlequin" brought Yerevan-born Knar Gevorkyan the 2010 People's Choice Award in Los Angeles. And on May 7, Gevorkyan will launch her exhibit at Stephanies Gallery in La Canada.  more...

Armenian army celebrated at Tekeyan Cultural Association event

Jan 27, 2010: On Friday, January 22 close to 200 people celebrated the 18th anniversary of Armenia's Armed Forces Day and honored the recently appointed Ambassador of Armenia to the United Nations. The special event, held at The Palisadium in New Jersey, was sponsored and hosted by the New York, New Jersey branch of the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA).  more...

Armenian-American health professionals hold diabetes forum

Dec 16, 2009: "Medical care is the right of every individual", AAHPO president Larry Najarian said. "The AAHPO's mission is to improve healthcare awareness, increase disease prevention and early detection, and provide medical support and education to Armenians in the tri-state area as well as those in our homeland."  more...

NY Stock Exchange is venue for AAHPO fundraiser

Dec 02, 2009: It was at a world famous location, the New York Stock Exchange, that the Armenian American Health Professionals Organization (AAHPO) of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut held a well-attended, successful fundraiser on November 6, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

A doctor's doctor to be honored by Fund for Armenian Relief

Nov 12, 2009: Dr. Edgar M. Housepian will be honored by FAR on January 15. Florence Avakian tells the engaging story of the distinguished neurosurgeon who co-founded FAR.  more...

St. Nersess Seminary holds "Evening Under the Stars"

Nov 03, 2009: Under a star-studded sky, St. Nersess Seminary held its second Evening under the Stars benefit reception on September 26. It was attended by more than 110 supporters, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

Stephanie’s Art Gallery in La Canada prepares to exhibit works of renowned artists

Oct 23, 2009: Jean Carzou, Edgar Chahine, Jean Jansem, and Leon Tutundjian are household names in the European and Armenian art worlds. On Friday, November 13, at a special reception at Stephanie's Art Gallery in La Canada, Calif., which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, their legendary artworks - oil paintings, watercolors, and drawings - will be on display. The exhibition will continue on Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15.  more...

An interview with Vartan Gregorian, who is to be honored by Armenian Professional Society

Oct 21, 2009: "We cannot consider Armenia a charitable case, but rather an investment case, a place of opportunity," Vartan Gregorian tells Florence Avakian in an interview. Dr. Gregorian will be honored on November 7 by the Armenian Professional Society in Universal City, Calif.  more...

Avaks begin fall season with trip to Ararat Center

Sep 29, 2009: The fall season has ushered in a new schedule of events for the St. Vartan Cathedral Avak group gatherings.  more...

The Near East Foundation invests in memory

Sep 29, 2009: On Saturday, September 12, the Near East Foundation hosted a gala reception at the Rockefeller Archive Center in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., to raise funds for its large collection of archival material spanning 94 years of philanthropic history.  more...

Dr. Fattal's free clinic logs 40,000 patient visits in 12 years

Sep 10, 2009: It was in 1997 that Dr. Garabed Fattal established a free clinic, subsequently named after him, in Binghamton, N.Y. In the last 12-plus years, 400 to 500 volunteer physicians, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, and office personnel have devoted their free time every Monday and Thursday evening from 5 P.M. to as long as it takes, to serve indigent people and those without health insurance, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

Gala banquet closes Armenian Medical World Congress, a four-day gathering

Jul 23, 2009: Close to 600 people attended the gala banquet of the Armenian Medical World Congress in New York's Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom on July 4, hosted by the Armenian American Health Professionals Organization (AAHPO), the 10th such congress in 36 years. Florence Avakian has the story.  more...

Armenian Medical World Congress convenes in New York

Jul 13, 2009: More than 350 Armenian health professionals from 10 countries on five continents assembled at the New York Hilton from July 1 to 4 for the Tenth Armenian Medical World Congress. Florence Avakian has a report.  more...

Dr. Raffy Hovanessian to emcee Armenian World Medical Congress gala banquet July 4

Jun 26, 2009: Dr. Raffy Hovanessian will be the emcee at the Armenian World Medical Congress gala banquet on July 4 at the New York Hilton. In a story by Florence Avakian, Dr. Hovanessian discusses the agenda of the congress.  more...

Three outstanding leaders to be honored at Armenian Medical World Congress banquet July 4

Jun 18, 2009: On July 4, at the gala banquet of the Armenian Medical World Congress in New York, the father-and-son humanitarian and medical outreach team of Nazar Nazarian and Dr. Levon Nazarian will be honored,as will Lord Darzi, a preeminent surgeon and health minister in Great Britain.  more...

Distinguished Armenian-American health professionals to convene in NY

Jun 10, 2009: Lord Ara Darzi, minister of health of Great Britain, will attend, speak, and be honored at the World Armenian Medical Congress in New York July 1–4.  more...

Armenian clergymen lost during the Genocide remembered at Prelacy forum

May 21, 2009: "Remembering the Forgotten: The Untold Story of Clergymen Lost to the Genocide," featured a powerful presentation by Joanna Baghsarian and the Youth Bible Study students of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church in Providence.  more...

New York Avaks plan trip to Washington

Apr 16, 2009: The Avaks, "the hardy senior ladies and gents" of St. Vartan Cathedral in New York, are headed for the nation's capital in style, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

Eastern Prelacy celebrates 110th anniversary

Dec 09, 2008: The 110th anniversary of the official establishment of the Armenian Prelacy in America by Catholicos of All Armenians Khrimian Hairig, and the 50th anniversary of the Prelacy's affiliation with the Great House of Cilicia were marked on October 25, Florence Avakian reports.  more...

COAF raises $1.25 million for rural Armenia in New York gala

Oct 29, 2008: The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), which held its 2008 Save a Generation Awards Dinner on Friday, October 24, announced that it had raised $1.25 million for its programs focused on children in rural Armenia, bringing the total raised over its five-year existence to over $9 million. Speaking at the dinner, held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York, was New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.  more...

Faithful celebrate 40th anniversary of St. Vartan Cathedral in New York

Oct 18, 2008: It was more than 80 years ago that dedicated survivors of the Armenian Genocide conceived the idea of having an Armenian cathedral in New York City. The visionary and far-sighted idea came to fruition 40 years ago, in 1968.  more...

In New York, Turkey’s foreign minister sees expanded role for his country

Sep 27, 2008: Invited by the prestigious Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), Ali Babacan, the foreign minister of Turkey, spoke to approximately 50 members and mainly Turkish media on Monday evening, September 22. In an effort to portray Turkey as a partner and friend of the United States, he stated, on "the top foreign policy issues of Turkey and the top foreign policy issues of the United States, you would find that out of 10, at least seven or eight are identical issues."  more...

ANCA honors Samantha Power with its Freedom Award

Sep 24, 2008: Pulitzer Prize-winning author and genocide scholar Samantha Power received the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Eastern Region's Freedom Award on September 13 in New York City. More than 350 people gathered for the second annual banquet of the ANCA-ER at the New York Marriott Hotel's Grand Ballroom, where the organization also honored Martha Aramian with its Vahan Cardashian Award.  more...

Sensitive and gentle, romantic and pleading, Bayrakdarian captivates

Mar 22, 2008: Metropolitan Opera soprano soloist Isabel Bayrakdarian with pianist husband Serouj Kradjian captivated an enthusiastic audience at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall on the evening of Saturday, March 8, with a group of classical, romantic, and Armenian selections.  more...

A young man’s wisdom on the “most human” of all instruments

Mar 08, 2008: "The voice of the cello is the most human voice of all instruments, except, maybe for the duduk," says Narek Hakhnazaryan. "But that's because I am Armenian." The gifted 19-year old cellist has just become one of the two First Prize winners of the January 2008 prestigious Young Concert Artists International Auditions.  more...