An Old Culture and Building Imbued with New Energy

26 September, 2014

Article originally published by Embassy News.

http://www.embassynews.ca/

Photo credit: Embassy Photo - Sam Garcia

"An old culture and building imbued with new energy"

The Armenian Embassy in Ottawa is an impressive structure. Its stucco walls and clay tiled roof are typical of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, but not so typical for Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood.

The building—and, of course, Ambassador Armen Yeganian and his wife Maria Yeganian—hosted about 100 people on Sept 22 for an evening to toast the 23rd anniversary of Armenian independence from the Soviet Union. The large and imposing mansion on Delaware Avenue, next to the Rideau Canal with a view of cyclists and joggers making their way beside the water, was built as a private home in 1908 and has housed the Armenians since 1995. Before that, it was home to Hungary’s embassy for 30 years and Uruguay’s mission to Canada earlier. Guests, including Conservative MPs Harold Albrecht and Costas Menegakis as well as NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice, all members of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, crowded into a couple rooms on the main level, shuffling around on original wood floors, wine glasses in hand.

The rooms were so crowded that Saudi Arabia's ambassador, Naif Bin Bandir AlSudairy, could have easily stepped on Serbian Ambassador Mihailo Papazoglu’s feet. Or Werner Wnendt, the very tall German envoy, could have accidentally elbowed Marie-Anne Coninsx, head of the EU delegation to Canada, in the shoulder (he's that tall).

Mr. Wnendt, to his credit, made sure to stand behind everyone when the national anthems were played and VIPs spoke near the beginning of the evening. Mr. Albrecht, who chairs the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, briefly addressed those gathered, in front of a microphone and Rogers TV camera, to offer an introduction for Mr. Yeganian. The ambassador reminded guests of his country’s rich history: ancient cultural heritage, under the control of various empires, the dark era of the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks (Turkey disputes that the killing constituted a genocide, but Armenians are adamant that it did; the Canadian Parliament in 2004 said it did) in the early 1900s and its time as part of the Soviet Union for much of the past century.

“Independence of the Republic of Armenia gave us the ability to work towards...integration to the developing world,” said Mr. Yeganian, a task which the country has been working on for 23 years. As Mr. Yeganian continued, thanking the MPs in attendance as well as giving a nod to Employment Minister Jason Kenney, who had recently returned from a visit to Armenia, the minister emerged— in what seemed to be a surprise appearance—from the corner of the room closest to its entrance. And of course he was invited to the front to take command of the microphone. Armenians have “lived a remarkable history of adversity,” Mr. Kenney said. "It was a beautiful opportunity for me just a few weeks ago to see how this small corner of the world struggling to overcome the legacy of communist repression...is re-emerging with new energy.”

After the speeches, guests helped themselves to small plates and another glass of wine, and perhaps another glass of wine, and the old building on Delaware Avenue held an energy as the sun set around it.

lbeaulne@embassynews.ca @laurabeaulne

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