New York, NY - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) joined celebrations of Armenian Independence Day on Sunday, September 19. Organized by Noyan Tapan, the program featured Armenia's Ambassador to the United Nations, His Excellency, Garen Nazaryan, Kegham Tcholakian from the Knights of Vartan, Artyom Sahakyan from of Noyan Tapan, and the Assembly's Bianka Kadian-Dodov. Held at St. Vartan's Cathedral in New York, City the program was moderated by Tigran Sahakyan. Addressing the gathering Dodov remarked, "Armenia has taken great strides with the Diaspora by her side and we must remember that there is much work to be done. Our independent homeland is our opportunity to remind the world of who we are, where we've been and where we are going." Noyan Tapan, a non-profit organization founded by Tigran Sahakyan, Vadim Kalashyan and Anna Avetissyan, has organized Armenian Independence Day celebrations for the past 8 years. A special message from the Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC, was read by Zara Javakov, Esq. Lusine Badalyan and Anoush Berkley provided musical entertainment. "We appreciate the efforts of Noyan Tapan in hosting this annual event," stated Dodov. "As we celebrate Armenia's independence, there is much to be proud of, and on this occasion, the Assembly salutes the Armenian people and pledges its ongoing support for the betterment of all Armenians," Dodov added. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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