Calouste Gulbenkian Day
2015 marked the 60th anniversary since the passing away of Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian. The Foundation held its annual Calouste Gulbenkian Day on 20 July and this year His Grace, Bishop (Srpazan) Vahan Hovanessian, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of France (whose jurisdiction also includes Portugal and Spain), was invited by the Armenian Communities Department to participate in the celebration of Mass in remembrance of Calouste Gulbenkian.
Before the Mass, the employees of the Foundation gathered around the statue of Calouste Gulbenkian in the garden where the President, Artur Santos Silva, and the Trustees of the Foundation, including Martin Essayan, the great grandson of Calouste Gulbenkian, laid wreaths at the foot of the statue.
The Memorial Service was held at the Igreja Paroquial de Nossa Senhora de Fátima and was accompanied by the Gulbenkian Choir. Bishop Vahan shared some inspiring stories in memory of Calouste Gulbenkian, describing his experiences in encountering Gulbenkian´s charity work from his childhood in Baghdad, to having served at the church built by the Founder in London. The Srpazan concluded that coming to Portugal, to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, felt like the completion of a journey.
Following the Service, members of the Lisbon Armenian community were invited to attend a lunch with Srpazan Vahan.