1 October 1921 – 1 October 2021: The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party turned 100 years old. On the occasion of the centennial, the Lebanon Regional Board, under the chairmanship of Dr. Avetis Dakesian, had the noble idea of requesting a requiem service in memory of our hundreds of deceased comrades, male and female. The service took place in the St. Kevork Church of Nor Hachen, on Sunday morning, 10 October, after the Divine Liturgy. Present at the service were the members of the ADL Lebanon Regional Board, the Consul of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Leonard Apajian, and the military attaché of the embassy, representatives of sister parties and unions, family members of the deceased comrades, and numerous comrades. The pastor of St. Kevork Church, Rev. Father Nareg Hejinian, conducted the requiem service and in his address compared the deceased comrades to a grain of wheat, which by dying bears fruit and becomes many grains. So it is with man, who through his work bears fruit in his life, and after his death his children continue his good work.
After the service, those present proceeded to the church hall where, following a prayer by Father Nareg, a proper reception was held, and the chairman of the ADL Lebanon Regional Board, Comrade Avetis Dakesian, took the floor and said the following.
«Reverend Father,
Honourable Representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia,
Dear comrades, male and female.
Good day and good spirits to you.
Honoured guests,
In the name of the Regional Board of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, I greet you all under this sacred roof, where a short while ago, during the requiem service held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of our organisation’s founding, a memorial service was conducted for those devoted individuals of our organisation who are not with us today and are in eternity.
Indeed, the former founders, leaders, chairmen, administrators and rank-and-file members of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, who served selflessly and departed this world, left us as a legacy and inheritance this party rich in ideology, which for a whole century was a leader in Diasporan conditions, inspiring pride in both the Armenian people and our membership.
Indeed, founded on 1 October 1921 in Constantinople through the merger of four ideological parties, the ADL, for a hundred years, thanks to its prominent leaders, wise guides, far-sighted officials and prudent administrators, worked a whole century for the preservation of Armenianness and the nation, giving impetus to culture, education and the preservation of identity, advancing with healthy steps through the labyrinth of patriotism, disregarding all kinds of obstacles and barriers, challenges and threats.
Today, dear friends, it is no secret that the ship of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, which has made history with its rich hundred-year past, is not on its true mission and it is faltering, lurching right and left. In the Diasporan ocean, all the way to Armenia and Artsakh, I am one hundred percent convinced that the time has come for this turmoil to find an end and for the ADL to return to its old roots, to its legitimacy, so that the hearts of the living may rest and the souls of our comrades in eternity may sleep in peace. This is not a wish, not a desire; this is an imperative, a sheer demand.
Enough of division,
Enough of separation, and enough of adventurism dictated by personal interest, by the chair, by position and by office.
Today, at this sacred moment, feeling and realising the seriousness of the hour, I come to bow before the memory of all those who came and went and left their fingerprints.
Indeed, today I wish to recall the names of that host of people. And if forgetfulness has been recorded, may my comrades forgive me.
May the memory of the righteous be blessed.»
Regional Board member Comrade Joseph Krpoyan read out one by one the names of all the departed comrades. At the end, those present expressed their gratitude to the ADL Lebanon Regional Board for organising this event.
A thousand respects to the centennial Armenian Democratic Liberal Party. We wish the ADL renewed vigour and bright days. Honour to the noble benefactors of the Party that has served and serves the nation. As Comrade Dakesian said, they left us this great nation-building edifice. It is necessary that we cherish it, preserve it, and in our turn pass the torch to the next generation.
V. Tosunyan
