06 03 20 - 25th Anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Armenian Community School

Facciamo i nostri migliori Auguri per il 25° anniversario e altri sucessi della Comunita Armena di Abu Dhaby . Vahe per Zatik

Abu Dhabi Armenian Community School ............
DIGNITARIES CUTTING THE CAKE The Armenian Community School of Abu Dhabi celebrated its 25th Anniversary on Friday, March 10, 2006. The function took place at “The Club” in Abu Dhabi and the hall was packed to capacity with students, teachers, former students, parents and friends - some of them from Sharjah and Dubai - who had come to participate in this memorable event (about 180 attendants altogether).

The function was held under the auspices of the Catholicosal Vicar of Kuwait and the Arabian Gulf Countries, His Eminence Archbishop Gorun Babian, who had come from Kuwait especially for this occasion. Present also were His Excellency Dr. Arshak Poladian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Marat Melikian, 3rd Secretary and Head of the Consular Office, members of the Armenian Community Council of Abu Dhabi, the Executive Council, members of the Community Council of the Northern Emirates, the principal of the Ohannessian School of Sharjah.

The first part of the program consisted of an exhibition of pictures, posters and handicraft prepared by the students of the school especially for this occasion. There was a 25th Anniversary commemorative book which was a compilation of two and half decades of school activities and achievements (you can download a complete copy or selected parts of the book from the links provided below). Mugs and caps displaying the 25th anniversary logo, designed by Mr. Raffi Simonian, were on sale for a nominal fee.

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Armenian language article
VIEW THE ARMENIAN TEXT AT THE END OF THE BELOW LINK
ARMENIAN TEXT (CLICK AND SCROLL DOWN) ...

COMMEMORATIVE BOOK
SCHOOL TEACHERS The 25th anniversary commemorative book – online version:

Complete version (7.51 MB)

We have divided the book into four sections to help you to download each section separately, if you wish to do so:


Preface (1.23 MB)

Photo gallery Part I (2.31 MB)

Photo gallery Part II (2.22 MB)

Index (2.45 MB)



You can view the enlarged size of the above three photos by clicking on them.

SCHOOL CHILDREN ON STAGE

CLICK ON THE ABOVE PHOTOS TO VIEW THEM ENLARGED

Armenians in the Gulf Countries

Brief History of the Armenian Communities in the Gulf Area

A few decades ago, Armenians, mostly single men, came to the UAE to work for a few years and return to their homeland with some financial security. But, thanks to the hospitable environment, the newcomers stayed, got established and the community started growing.

In 1979, a young clergyman, Father Oshagan Choloyan, from the Holy See of Cilicia, in Antelias, Lebanon, visited the area to evaluate the Armenian communities living there. What he found was very encouraging. There was a church and a school in Kuwait, which kept the community lively and active. The Armenian Community in the United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, was just getting itself organized. So, by 1980, Father Oshagan was established in Kuwait as a Pontifical Legate for the area including Kuwait and the Gulf countries.

Since then, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates have become well-organized communities with Community Councils, various sub-committees, a Church and a Community Center in Sharjah. Both communities have established weekly schools where Armenian children come together to learn the Armenian language. The community has grown and prospered thanks to the hospitality of the late president of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan and his successor Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Read more ... http://www.azad-hye.net/article/article_view.asp?rec=26

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Abu Dhabi Armenian Community School | P. O. Box 29423 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates

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