YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spouse Anna Hakobyan held a meeting December 21 with Istanbul-based Turkish-Armenian entrepreneur Tayk Mirijanian.

Mirijanian said that he dreams of opening an Ara Guler museum, an eponymous café and restaurant all in one location in Yerevan.  He claims that the history and present-day activities of the Armenian community of Istanbul is not well known in Armenia, and that the cultural center may become a connecting circle between the community and the homeland.

“We are [Istanbul-Armenians], we aren’t Turks, but unfortunately little is known about us in our homeland. We have renowned greats – Komitas, Paylans, Ara Guler and many others. They and present-day Armenians of Istanbul must be known in the homeland,” Mirijanian said, adding that the community has numerous problems, one being the fact that very few of the 100,000 community speak or read in Armenian language.

Hakobyan, attaching importance to the idea of creating the cultural center, assured that she is ready to assist in fulfilling the initiative.

“Our duty will be to support. I will stand by you through the My Step Foundation to realize your idea,” Hakobyan said. Anna Hakobyan is the president of the Board of Trustees of the My Step Charity Foundation.

The meeting was concluded with Mirijanian gifting books and albums about Ara Guler to Hakobyan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan