YEREVAN–Representatives from 84 countries and leaders of 34 nations converged on the Karen Demirchyan Sports Complex on Thursday to kick off the much-anticipated 17th Summit of the Francophonie, where Armenia assumed the presidency of the organization for the next two years. The summit marks the largest international gathering to be hosted by Armenia.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife, Anna Hakopyan were on hand their arrival, as were President Armen Sarkissian and the first lady, Nune to greet the delegates and leaders, among them French President Emanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
At the conclusion of the official welcoming ceremony, Pashinyan was joined by Macron to dedicate a commemorative stamp in Aznavour’s memory.
Pashinyan addressed the opening of the summit in French, paying a special tribute to Aznavour, which was met with thunderous applause and standing ovation by the participants.
“I and all Armenian people are happy to host in Yerevan the 17th summit of the heads of Francophone states and governments,â€
