Reception Marking the 35th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Armenia Held in Ottawa

10 October, 2026

An official reception marking the 35th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia was held at the historic Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa.

The official program opened with live performances of the national anthems of the Republic of Armenia and Canada.

Opening remarks were delivered by Anahit Harutyunyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Canada, and the reception’s guest of honour the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Canada’s Secretary of State for Nature.

In her address, Ambassador Anahit Harutyunyan reflected on Armenia’s achievements and challenges over 35 years of independence, emphasizing the country’s resilience, development, efforts to strengthen national security, the continued advancement of democratic institutions, and the importance of achieving lasting peace.

Addressing Armenian-Canadian relations, Ambassador Harutyunyan expressed her gratitude to Canada as a friend and partner of Armenia, as well as to the Armenian Canadian community for its longstanding and significant contribution to strengthening ties between the two peoples. She emphasized that Armenia and Canada are continuing to build a deeper and more substantive partnership.

Turning to the upcoming COP17 conference in Yerevan, Ambassador Harutyunyan highlighted Armenia’s preparations to host this important international gathering. She expressed her gratitude to Canadian partners for their support for Armenia’s COP17 presidency and their contributions to the conference preparations through their expertise and experience.

Congratulating Armenia on the anniversary of its independence, Nathalie Provost praised the friendly relations between the two countries, particularly highlighting the significance of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Armenia and his participation in the European Political Community Summit.

The Honorable Provost also commended the preparations for COP17 and highlighted the importance of Armenia’s role in leading the conference. She confirmed her participation in the upcoming conference in Yerevan and underscored the importance of cooperation between Armenia and Canada in biodiversity conservation and nature protection, noting that advancing these shared objectives requires joint efforts and a common commitment.

The reception was attended by His Grace Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Quebec Levon Afeyan, representatives of Canada’s executive and legislative branches, members of the diplomatic corps, numerous representatives of the Armenian Canadian community, and prominent figures from the fields of culture, education, and science.

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