Archpriest Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian represented the Diocesan Primate at the opening ceremony for the Mexican Armenian Cultural Week in the City of Los Angeles, on Friday, February 2, 2018. Los Angeles City Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Paul Krekorian hosted the ceremonial event, which was held at the Council Chambers of Van Nuys City Hall. Among the dignitaries in attendance were His Excellency Grigor Hovhannissian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America, His Excellency Carlos Eugenio Garcia de Alba Zepeda, Consul General of Mexico of Los Angeles, His Excellency Valery Mkrtumyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the Honorable Ara Najarian, Councilmember of the City of Glendale, leaders of Armenian and Mexican organizations and friends of both communities.  

Extending the Primate’s blessings to the organizers, Fr. Arshag conveyed his genuine wishes to Ambassador Hovhannissian and Consul General Garcia de Alba Zepeda for a stronger and more fruitful bond of partnership between the two communities in one of the world’s most diverse cities.  

The week-long event honors two cultures with deep roots and similarities in Los Angeles. In partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico and the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles will celebrate this Week through community events, art exhibits, and educational activities to promote cross-cultural dialogue.

The Greater Los Angeles region is home to the largest population of Armenians in the world outside of the Republic of Armenia, and about 3.5 million residents in the LA region are of Mexican heritage. Generations of Armenian and Mexican Americans have shaped the City’s rich economy, culture, and community through their leadership in business, academia, government, and the arts.