We, the undersigned petitioners, object to the closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia, Cyprus, and want to see it reopened at its current location as a secondary level centre of learning to serve all Armenians of the European Union and nearby regions. We recognise the vital role the Institute has played in the past 80 years in supporting and developing the Armenian language, culture and history and preserving the Armenian identity throughout the world. As the only establishment of its kind that provides Armenian students with an education grounded in their own heritage, taught in their own protected language, we ask that steps are taken to ensure its preservation. We ask that the wishes of the school’s founder and benefactor, Garabed Melkonian, are respected. We also ask that this land remains a National Heritage Site, as declared by the preservation order of the Republic of Cyprus. Please safeguard the culture and identity of Armenians around the world by guaranteeing that this great centre of learning is reopened, allowed to flourish and with it the future generations of Armenians all over the world.
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