On March 21, 2025 Tekeyan Cultural Association of Canada honored its dedicated members Ara Balian and Berj Merdjanian for recently receiving the King Charles the III Coronation medal.
On this occasion Ara Balian delivered an acceptance speech in which he said:
“I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Emmanuella Lambropoulos for her nomination and by doing so for acknowledging the Armenian community in Canada. Your support is greatly appreciated, and I wish you continued success in your endeavors within the Canadian government.
I extend my congratulations to Berj for receiving his medal. Berj is not only a good friend but also a generous individual dedicated to his community & Canada
I am thankful to Tekeyan and the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL), along with its members, for the opportunity to collaborate with you over the past 55 years in service to both the community and Canada.
Most importantly, I wish to thank my parents for being exemplary role models. My mother, a community leader and recipient of the Queen Elizabeth golden Jubilee Medal, has been involved with organizations such as ADL, TCA, AGBU, Church and principal of the school for 32 years who sadly passed away in August 2022
I also want to acknowledge my sister for her invaluable contributions to the community,
Maral has been the administrator for the school for 31 years, often contributing through her behind-the-scenes efforts.
Lastly, I would like to recognize my daughter, Dr. Chloe Balian, who has been an invaluable member of TCA since childhood, participating in and leading cultural events and organizing other events over the years.
She has dedicated herself to the medical field for saving lives.
Dear friends, it has been a tremendous honor to work alongside all of you, from our youth to the present, across various domains including sports, culture, church, and social and political events.
This is a pivotal year for Canada, Quebec, and Montreal. Let us come together to support our great nation, Canada.
Thank you again for this great honor
I take pride in being Armenian Canadian».
It is worth to mention that on February 25, 2025, Ara Balian, Berj Merdjanian have had received King Charles the lll coronation medal for contribution to Canada.
The Coronation Medal commemorates the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III as King of Canada. The medal is administered by the Chancellery of Honors at Rideau Hall.
This medal is introduced to mark the ascension of King Charles III on May 6, 2023. To be honored with the Coronation, the eligible candidate should have made a significant contribution to Canada whether in public service, arts, education and science, or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit and international recognition to Canada.
Click here for a short video of the Coronation ceremony:
