Archbishop Barsamian was invited by Ambassador Sahak Sargsyan, Armenia’s permanent representative to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, to participate an event, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the BSEC and the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s participation in this body on June 9, held on a large scale at the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall of Istanbul.

Approximately 1,000 people attended, including ambassadors, consuls-general and other representatives of consulates as well as Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Sahak II Mashalian and other high-ranking clergy. Amb. Sargsyan spoke, as did the Secretary General of the BSEC, Ambassador Lazar Comanescu of Romania. The Komitas String Quartet came from Armenia to perform and included some pieces from the eponymous composer Komitas Vartabed.

Archbishop Barsamian also participated in a dinner the night before, on June 8, at the St. Vartanants Church in Feriköy (a neighborhood of Shishli in Istanbul) in honor of the Komitas Quartet members who had just arrived, along with the organizing committee of the event, Patriarch Mashalian and Archbishop Aram Ateshian.

Sources: https://mirrorspectator.com/