Merrimack Valley Knights of Vartan Sponsor Armenian Cultural Night

ANDOVER, Mass.—What started out as a simple film depicting Armenia’s beauty turned into a full-fledged Armenian cultural evening that included the donation of several books to Andover Memorial Hall Library.

An overwhelming crowd turned out for the two-hour event that was sponsored by the Arakadz Lodge, Merrimack Valley Chapter, Knights of Vartan.

The evening also included a talk on the highlights of Armenian history and culture by Dr. Levon Chorbajian, a sociology professor at UMass Lowell, himself a Knight as well as respected Armenian historian.

Chorbajian covered 3,000 years in 15 minutes—a daunting task that was handled precisely and without unnecessary verbiage. Several audience members were non-Armenians who found the subject matter fascinating.

His discussion was a prelude to the Merrimack Valley premiere of a film titled, “Armenia: Sleeping Beauty,” a travel documentary containing breathtaking scenes from the majestic landscape of Mount Ararat and Arakatz to the charming, peaceful Lake Sevan.

With finely selected music and guided by Lucine Tovmassian, a former Miss Armenia, the movie took viewers on a tour of modern-day Yerevan as well as to historic churches and monuments.

Armenian artifacts were on display from the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) in Watertown, joined by archivist Gary Lind-Sinanian, who gave a brief overview of the museum’s work and was available to answer questions.

The program was highlighted by the donation of Armenian books to the library, adding to a vast collection already in place. The presentation was made by Commander Edgar Movsesian.

“These books will go a long way toward complementing the resources we offer on Armenia,” said Emily Classon, the community services librarian. “The Armenians have a proud and venerable history which can only be extended through proper outreach. We thank the Knights for this important contribution.”

A coffee table featuring a repository of Armenian pastries brought the audience together in an atmosphere of conviviality.

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Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.

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