Thank you for support in battle to save the Melkonian

Sir,
Allow me through your columns to express my personal feelings (and I hope those of my fellow Armenians) and in particular our hearty and grateful thanks to the government of Cyprus and our Greek Cypriot compatriots for their noble and courageous stand taken in support of the continued existence of the Melkonian Institute.

This, against the despicable intentions of the AGBU’s Headquarters in New York to shut down this most worthwhile establishment which has done so much good for the cultural life of my community and nation in the last 80 years.

The Melkonian Institute as you, our Greek compatriots have correctly expressed in so many different ways, is an establishment that needs to be preserved.

Finally, let me just mention in passing, that I myself and my sister, Mrs Rita Assadourian, owe our existence to the Melkonians in this indirect way:

My maternal grandfather, the late Garo Balian, Architect of Cairo, who was a friend of the Melkonian brothers, was instrumental in their decision to build an Orphanage, and to build it in this venue in Nicosia.

Dickran H Ouzounian, Nicosia

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