The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) announced that the first of the functions planned for the Centenary of the Society will take place on March 10, 2010, at Carnegie Hall, in New York City.

“ARS entities, functioning in 26 different countries around the world, have been busy organizing functions to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Relief Society. Similarly, the Society’s Central Executive Board has planned several pan-Armenian functions, the first one of which in New York, the birthplace of the ARS,” explained Mrs. Vicky Marashlian, Chairperson of the Society.

Alongside representatives of states, various organizations and the Armenian Church, the Centennial function in New York will have the participation of the President of Carnegie Corporation, Dr. Vartan Gregorian, noted performer Ms Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg, opera stars, Yeghishe Manucharyan, Tenor and Victoria Avetisyan, Mezzo-Soprano. The event, with the President and CEO of Women’s World Banking Mary Ellen Iskenderian as keynote speaker, will also include the presentation ceremony of the ARS “Ararat” award.

“We wish to take our Centenary a step beyond mere celebration,” proceeded Mrs. Marashlian, “by casting a critical eye on our 100 year history, in order to set our next century of work on solid foundations befitting present and future demands and conditions. We must do this from the vantage point of a thorough analysis of our people’s needs, as well as our potential – and that of Armenian women – in adapting and implementing an up to date modus operandi. To this end, the following day of the Carnegie function, on March 11, in New Jersey, we have scheduled a seminar with the participation of prominent Armenian women holding responsible positions in international organizations and in academia,” concluded the Chairperson.

The New York Centennial function will be attended by more than 200 ARS members from the eastern and western coasts of the United States, Canada, South America, France, Greece and Lebanon, alongside many supporters of the Society.

Consecutive Centennial celebrations shall include, in August, the second ARS European Cruise; in October, a pilgrimage to Der Zor, a seminar in Aleppo; again, in October, a series of functions in Armenia; the publication of a volume depicting the century-long history of the ARS, and various films and audiovisual sets. During the Centennial year 2010, all ARS regions – from the Americas to Australia, from Europe to the Middle East and Nagorno Karabakh – will be organizing separate events celebrating the Centennial.