All Gifts Campaign Launched to Support Construction of Armenian Heritage Park

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More than 35 Massachusetts Armenian-American parishes and organizations are represented on the foundation’s Board of Directors.

“Although we will remain focused on securing lead and major gifts,” he continued. “We are now asking everyone to support this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are encouraging gifts at all levels of support. Children are being encouraged to support it and participate. Parishes and organizations are being asked to schedule presentations that will speak to the importance of supporting Armenian Heritage Park.”

Brochures with sponsor forms will be available at all parishes and organizations. There are two ways to support: By check, made payable to Armenian Heritage Foundation, and mailed to Charles Guleserian, Armenian Heritage Foundation, 25 Flanders Road, Belmont, MA 02478 or online at www.ArmenianHeritagePark.net/support. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Serving on the All-Gifts Committee Planning Committee are George Elanjian, chair; Judy Talanian Shagoury, vice chair; Tatoul Badalian, Haig Deranian, Charles Guleserian, James Kalustian, Walter Nahabedian, Harold Partamian and Barbara Tellalian. The committee is depending on the involvement and support of everyone.

Construction is slated to begin this year, reported Kalustian, the foundation’s president, at the recent board meeting. “We are making extraordinary progress,” he said. “As of February, 90 percent of the construction and engineering documents have been completed by the design team. The plans are presently being reviewed by the various city, state and federal agencies.”

Armenian Heritage Park is gift to the City of Boston and the Commonwealth from Massachusetts Armenian-Americans.

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Recognized as one of the better designed parks, Armenian Heritage Park is consistent with one of the themes of the Greenway: to acknowledge the history of Boston as a port of entry for immigrants worldwide and those who have immigrated to our shores and contributed to the richness of American life and culture.

A link between Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Christopher Columbus Park on four-tenths of an acre on parcel 13 on the Greenway, Armenian Heritage Park has received overwhelming support from neighboring community groups in Boston’s North End and Wharf District as well as many of Boston’s civic, community and political leaders.

Armenian Heritage Park includes lawns, benches, fountains, shade trees as well as a labyrinth and sculpture, both to engage and delight children and adults.

The labyrinth, a circular winding path in grass and inlaid stone with a single jet of water at its center, is symbolic of life’s journey and will celebrate achievements in art, science, commerce and service.

The sculpture, a twelve-sided abstract geometric sculpture — a split rhombic dodecahedron — rests on a 16-foot diameter reflecting pool to commemorate lives lost in the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 and all genocides that have followed and to celebrate those who left their country of origin and reconfigured their lives in this country in new and different ways. The waters of the reflecting pool wash over its sides commemorating lives lost and re-emerges as the single jet of water at the labyrinth’s center, representing hope and rebirth. 

Annually, the sculpture will be reconfigured to commemorate lives lost and to celebrate all who came to these shores and reinvented themselves in creative and new ways.  The annual reconfiguration with endless changing views will also bring wonder and delight.

Also, annually, an endowed lecture on human rights in collaboration with the Bostonian Society will be held at Faneuil Hall, featuring internationally-recognized scholars and leaders. The series is fully endowed by one of a philanthropic families.

Endowed funds are also being established to support the care and maintenance of the park in perpetuity as well as the annual reconfiguration of the Sculpture.

For information on the limited number of sponsorship/naming opportunities at the park, call or e-mail James Kalustian (781) 777-2407, jkalu@comcast.net; Charles Guleserian (617) 484-6100, mgmcos@msn.com; Haig Deranian (617) 484-2215, dhkd@comcast.net or Walter Nahabedian (781)891-7249, wnaha@verizon.net.

For information, call or e-mail Chairman George Elanjian (781) 888-2227, cgelanjian@yahoo.com or visit www.ArmenianHeritagePark.net.

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