Senator Ed Markey and French National Assembly Member Panosyan-Bouvet Headline Armenian Assembly Celebration of Service Sponsors' Reception in Boston

(L-R) Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) speaking with Dr. Henry Ben Morgenthau IV, President Emerita Carolyn Mugar, and Co-Chair Talin Yacoubian; French National Assembly Member Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet

Boston, MA - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) held a Sponsors' Reception on the evening of Friday, June 5, in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of its Celebration of Service weekend. The reception brought together Assembly members, supporters, and guests ahead of Saturday's main program and featured remarks by U.S. Senator Edward Markey (D-MA), French National Assembly Member Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, and Assembly Board Co-Chairs Talin Yacoubian and Oscar Tatosian. Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny Emceed the event.

Senator Edward Markey (D-MA)

U.S. Senator Edward Markey opened the evening with remarks congratulating the weekend's honorees and reflecting on his longstanding partnership with the Armenian American community on issues of human rights and U.S.-Armenia policy. Senator Markey recounted traveling to Baku to press Azerbaijani leadership directly on the release of Armenian hostages and the safe return of displaced Armenians, and reaffirmed his commitment to those goals. He welcomed the Assembly community to Boston as the city marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

"I traveled to Baku to make the point to Azerbaijani leadership that their human rights abuses must end — that we must bring home all Armenian political prisoners of war and support the safe return of all displaced Armenians... We have to reach a day where Armenians in Armenia can be as successful as Armenians in America are here," said Senator Markey.

Co-Chairs Talin Yacoubian and Oscar Tatosian deliver remarks

Assembly Co-Chair Talin Yacoubian then addressed guests, honoring the Assembly's founding principles of credibility, consistency, and trust, and recognizing the community of supporters whose sustained engagement has made the Assembly's work in Washington possible over more than five decades.

"This weekend is a celebration — and it is also a moment to appreciate what over 50 years of principled, consistent, and effective advocacy actually looks like. It looks like this room," said Yacoubian.

Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, a member of the French National Assembly, delivered remarks conveying France's strong support for Armenia and expressing optimism about Armenia's future. She referenced French President Macron's recent state visit to Armenia, which resulted in significant partnerships in defense, education, and economic development, and called on the United States to deepen its own engagement with Armenia. She closed by expressing gratitude to the Assembly and to Senator Markey for their decades of advocacy on behalf of the Armenian people.

"We need to be very vigilant. We still need to support Armenia's efforts in defense… But the message I really want to convey is optimism, and this is what we felt as a French delegation coming back from Armenia," said Panosyan-Bouvet.

Assembly Co-Chair Oscar Tatosian offered closing remarks, emphasizing that the Assembly's strength in Washington is built on relationships forged over years of quiet, principled work — and that every act of community engagement, from phone calls to contributions, is felt at the highest levels of government.

"Your support matters. Your engagement matters. Every phone call, every contribution, every effort — they notice it in Congress, they notice it in the Senate, they notice it in the White House," said Tatosian.

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Your gift in tribute to our honorees and its impact reaches far beyond a single evening.

The generosity of our supporters allows us to highlight the work of our honorees, elevate awareness of our mission, and sustain the programs and initiatives that drive the Assembly's work year-round.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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