ALEPPO, Syria—The 123rd anniversary of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) was celebrated in Aleppo last week. The event, which brought together hundreds of Aleppo-Armenians during one of the bloodiest weeks in the city, stood as a symbol of the community’s resilience, organizers said.
Among the dignitaries who attended the event were religious leaders, representatives of Syrian-Armenian organizations, and members of Armenia’s Consul in Aleppo.
The Hamazkayin Zvartnots Choir performed patriotic songs and a group of youth recited poems by Aleppo-Armenian writers, with musical accompaniment by graduates of the Hamazkayin Aleppo Parsegh Ganachian Music School.
The keynote speaker, Nerses Sarkisian, provided an overview of the ARF’s history and discussed the role that the Syrian-Armenian community continues to play as an integral part of Syrian society. He spoke in favor of democracy and dialogue, and against harmful external interventions and attempts to tear the country apart.
In Armenian history, said Prelate Shahan Sarkisian, the community’s recent experience will be referred to as “the red, bloody path of Syrian Armenians.” He noted that the ARF had stood for unity, dedication, and inspired optimism during the Syrian crisis.
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