The highlight of this year’s celebrations marking the 101st anniversary of Armenia’s Independence was the unveiling of monument dedicated to the founder of the republic Aram Manoukian at the Sardarabad Memorial Complex outside of Yerevan.
The Aram Manoukian monument, dedicated to the republic founder’s birthday is strategically placed near the Sardarabad monument, with a sword, the eagle and the eternity sign as its symbols. The building of the monument was organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which worked with the National Museum of Ethnography and Liberation War History in Sardarabad.
Members of the ARF celebrated the unveiling with ARF Bureau and Supreme Council of Armenia leaders leading the pilgrimage to Sardarabad.
A monument dedicated to Aram Manoukian was unveiled on May 28
The project was initiated by the ARF Canada region, with one of its members from Toronto, Varouj Lapoyan sponsoring the entire cost of the construction. The almost 20-foot high monument was designed by architect Hayk Asatryan and executed by sculptor Artak Hambardzumyan
Earlier on Tuesday, together with President Armen Sarkissian, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenia and other high-ranking government officials, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan headed the official celebration of the independence at Sardarabad.
After laying wreaths at the memorial for the fallen heroes of Sardarabad, the official delegation headed to the site of the monument dedicated to the 140th birthday of Republic founder Aram Manoukian for the inauguration ceremony.
The government delegation also attended an exhibit, “Formation of First Armenian Republic and History of Heroic Battles of Independence,” which opened at the National Museum of Ethnography and Liberation War History in Sardarabad.
It seems the benefactor from Toronto was not invited to the ceremony. I