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The Melkonian Educational Institute was established
as an orphanage in the hospitable land of Cyprus in
1926, providing shelter to hundreds of survivors of
the Genocide. In view of the significance of the
school and its historic mission, the original school buildings are recognised and protected by the
Republic of Cyprus as part of its national heritage.[1]
The trees planted by the orphans represent the
flourishing Armenian communities around the world,
and are preserved as a symbol of survival and
hope.
Thousands of Armenians who have passed through the
Melkonian have excelled in their communities,
becoming leaders in their fields and contributing to
the development of the Armenian culture, education,
language and national identity.
Graduates of the Melkonian have made their mark
across the world as leading figures in the
literary, artistic, scientific and business fields.
The Melkonian school has produced thousands of
students and teachers who are ambassadors of
goodwill supporting the just struggle of the people
of Cyprus for a fair solution to its protracted
problem.
Wikipedia article
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English |
Հայերէն
The Armenian language and
heritage are in danger
Diaspora communities face extinction in the
absence of schools
JOIN THE PETITION TO SAVE AND REOPEN THE
MELKONIAN SCHOOL
Please sign the petition
below in support of the last school in Europe where young Armenians
can get immersed in Western Armenian culture while completing their
secondary education. It will only take a minute.
Western Armenian language, culture and history are in
imminent danger of extinction if measures are not taken to ensure
the survival and progress of Diaspora communities around the world.
The young Republic of Armenia needs a strong Diaspora, without
which, it cannot survive.
The only way to preserve the identity of present and future
generations of Armenians is by opening and maintaining schools where
young men and women will be educated about their heritage and trained to
prepare and develop their
communities.
One such school is the Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia,
Cyprus, that was unjustly closed by the AGBU Central Board, denying
current and future generations of young Armenians from Europe,
the Middle East and the rest of the world an education about their heritage in their own language.
Join this international petition calling on the government of the
Republic of Cyprus to persuade the AGBU Central Board to allow the historic Melkonian Educational Institute
to reopen at its present location in Nicosia with a new vision for the
next generation.
For information on the background of this very
pressing question, please refer to the following articles and links.
Melkonian Alumni and Friends International
http://www.melkonianforever.org/
Videos relating the issue
http://www.youtube.com/user/savemelkonian
What Wikipedia says about Melkonian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melkonian_Educational_Institute
The official statement announcing the closure of
the school came as a surprise to everyone in 2004 but failed to
justify any of its statements.
http://www.agbu.org/mei/agbumei-pp-e.pdf . |