YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President Vahagn Khachaturyan attended the concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of birth of the late composer Ohan Duryan.

The concert was conducted by Eduard Topchyan at the Aram Khachaturyan concert hall on September 8 as part of Yerevan 14th International Music Festival.

In a touching tribute, President Khachaturyan bestowed Duryan’s Order of Mesrop Mashtots and the Movses Khorenatsi Medal – which the composer had renounced in protest of the then-authorities – to his widow.

“Today I must fulfill my last duty to maestro Ohan Duryan. He had been wrongfully deprived of leading his orchestra, and in those days, in 2001, he rebelliously protested and renounced his awards which he had received in 1996-1997. Two high awards – the Saint Mesrop Mashtots Order and the Movses Khorenatsi Medal,” the president said, adding that back then he was in attendance of the awarding ceremony as a public official.

“It is a great honor for me today to have the chance to return these awards as President of Armenia to Mrs. Alice,” the president said.