TORONTO – June 28, 2018: The Armenian government delegation, composed of newly appointed deputy ministers, met with some of Canada’s social influencers in IT, Economic Development, Mining, Agriculture and Transportation. The event took place on Wednesday in Toronto at the residence of Greg and Lena Sarkissian, organized by the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute).
Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister, with 7 of his delegation members, embarked on their first official international visit to Canada with the intention of building connections and bridges with influencers of various sectors of the economy, and policy makers.
From L-R: Greg Sarkissian, President of the Zoryan Institute, Rene Van Acker, Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph and Nancy Brown Andison, Former Executive of IBM Canada, Managing Director of PwC, Governor of the University of Guelph and Distinguished Alumna of Agriculture Economics at the University of Guelph
From L-R: Deborah Stark, Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Board Member of the Canadian Agriculture Policy Institute and Mane Adamian,Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments
“It is natural that Armenia should seek closer relations with Canada, internationally renowned for its human rights, democracy, its Charter of Rights, and freedom” said Mr. Sarkissian, the President of the Zoryan Institute, in his opening remarks. He continued by inviting the guests to “mingle, enjoy the food and wine, and make the evening a productive event with the hope that Armenia will have the support of Canadians in their endeavours to make Armenia a prosperous democratic country, governed by the rule of law.”
He emphasized that the new government of Armenia stands for democracy, the rule of law, the expansion of the market economy and the rebalancing of the relationship with the West and the Russian Federation to ensure that the people of Armenia will live with their dignity upheld.
From L-R: Maximilian Leo Vogrin, Alumni Relations of DMZ at Ryerson University, Founder of MATR Inc., Jon Allen, Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, Former Ambassador to Israel, Deputy Foreign Minister of Canada (Latin America) and Ambassador to Spain, Vahan Kololian, Founder and Managing Partner of TerraNova Partners LP, which invests in the industrial, services and resource sectors and Barry Papazian, International Lawyer Litigation Specialist, National and International Arbitrator
From L-R: Hakob Arshakyan, Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies with Adrian Bulzacki, PhD, Founder and President of ARB Labs, Founding Member of DMZ at Ryerson University and George Shirinian, Executive Director of the Zoryan Institute.
Throughout the evening, many of the Armenian delegates were making meaningful connections and spoke highly of Canada’s innovation record. They invited some of the Canadians guests to visit Armenia and engage in its economic and social development.
From L-R: Atom Egoyan, Academy Award Nominated Writer and Director and Visiting Professor at Ryerson University and former Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto and Maximilian Leo Vogrin, Alumni Relations of DMZ at Ryerson University, Founder of MATR Inc.
Mr. Maximilian Leo Vogrin, the Founder of MATR Inc. and Alumni Relations Manager of DMZ at Ryerson University, the world-leading non-profit business accelerator and incubator founded in Toronto, left the event stating, “I went into the evening not knowing anything about Armenia, and I left with a trip planned to visit the country in October and engage in mutually beneficial opportunities in the IT sector.”
From L-R: Alan Heisey, Vice Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission Board and formerly the Chair of the Police Commission and Chair of the Parking Commission, Babken Der-Grigoryan, Deputy Minister of Diaspora, Mane Adamian, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments and Mihran Egavian, International Sales and Trade Director in Industrial Products
From L-R: Armine Yalnizyan, Economic Policy Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada and Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers, Viktorya Aydinyan, Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister and Joe Yalkezian, Financial Planner and Founder, Yalkezian Foundation and Partner to Shen, a Yerevan-based NGO focusing on integrated community development within Armenia’s rural communities (back)
The evening was buzzing with energy and excitement. Connections were being made across all sectors. Nancy Brown Andison, Former Executive of IBM Canada, Managing Director of PwC, Governor of the University of Guelph and Distinguished Alumna of Agriculture Economics at the University of Guelph, was inspired by the drive of the new leadership to realize their vision as a team. She also stated, “It was an excellent networking experience and this event was just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much opportunity for productive relationships between Canada and Armenia.”
From L-R: Talar Sarkissian, Real Estate Analyst at Oxford Properties Group, Narek Aleksanyan, Team Leader, International Commerce, Development Foundation of Armenia (Business Armenia) and Viktorya Aydinyan,Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister
From L-R: Hratch Kaspar, Specialist with Corporate and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), Tigran Avinyan,Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia and Vahan Kololian,Founder and Managing Partner of TerraNova Partners LP, which invests in the industrial, services and resource sectors
From L-R: Diran Avedian, President of Lactopur Inc., Senior Advisor of Agribusiness, Greg Sarkissian, President of the Zoryan Institute and Tigran Avinyan, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia
The delegates were happy to find people in Canada willing to collaborate with Armenian counter parts. They were especially content to learn about Canada’s incredible IT tech centres that would be an inspiration for them to duplicate in Armenia.
At the end of the evening, Jon Allen, Fellow at the Munk School of Gobal Affairs, former Ambassador to Israel and former Deputy Foreign Minister of Canada for Latin America and former Ambassador to Spain stated, “It was a great pleasure to meet and chat with the young and energetic new team that will be leading the new Armenia going forward. I wish them all the best in what will be a challenging but exciting time.”
From L-R: Lena Sarkissian, Board Director for the Armenian General Benevolent Union and Program Director for the Zoryan Institute, Mihran Egavian, International Sales and Trade Director in Industrial Products and Babken Der-Grigoryan, Deputy Minister of Diaspora
From L-R: Jon Allen, Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, Former Ambassador to Israel, Deputy Foreign Minister of Canada (Latin America) and Ambassador to Spain, Armine Yalnizyan, Economic Policy Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada and Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers, John Burgess, Mineral Exploration Geologist, 30 years experience internationally and Deborah Stark, Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Board Member of the Canadian Agriculture Policy Institute
