SYDNEY: The Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF Australia) hosted a special program and dinner dance to celebrate the 91st Anniversary of the February Revolt (Pedervaryan Abesdampootyoon), which drew a sell-out crowd to the Armenian Cultural Centre in Willoughby.
The February Revolt was a popular uprising against the Soviets in 1921, supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) Committee for the Salvation of the Fatherland and spearheaded in Zangezour by General Karekin Njdeh, who later founded the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) in the United States of America.Panos Borghonzian, representing the AYF Australia Executive, began the program with an address recognising the historical importance of the February Revolt.
He said: "Without the Pedervaryan Abesdampootyoon and defence of Zangezour, it is quite possible we would not have an independent Armenia and Artsakh today."
Borghonzian was followed on stage by Roupen Terzian, who presented the biographies of the key figures of the February Revolt; Karekin Njdeh and Simon Vratzian.
Haig Kayserian, representing the ARF Australia Tro Gomide, outlined their plans to expand AYF Australia's reach and activities in 2012 so they can continue the foundation set by Njdeh when he founded the organisation in Boston 79 years ago.
Singer Raffy Adourian, who recently moved to Sydney Australia from Aleppo Syria, then entertained the audience with Tony Akillian accompanying him on the keyboard.Later, Ohanes Ohanessian and Sevag Varjabedian joined Adourian on stage to lead attendees in revolutionary songs.
