Friday, October 5 2018 16:17

ArmInfo. "We gathered today to  bow the talent and honor the great master of French chanson, Charles  Aznavour. For eight decades this name has engraved smiles on millions  of faces, has excited or calmed the breath of tens of millions, has  injected glow in hundreds of millions of eyes", with this words the  Prime Minister of Armenia started his speech on October 5 at the  farewell ceremony for a national hero of Armenia, Ambassador of the  country to Switzerland, legendary musician Charles Aznavour. 

According to Prime Minister, Aznavour's name on October 1, 2018,  stopped the Earth movement and international life for a moment.

Pashinyan recalled that Charles Aznavour's predecessors, surviving  the Armenian Genocide and found shelter in France, a country which  gave shelter and hope to hundreds of thousands of Armenians, where  Vaghinak Aznavour was born and who then became the great Charles  Aznavour. He was told that the scene is not for him, that singing is  not his vocation, that fate was already overly generous towards him,  because his father escaped during the Genocide, " the prime minister  said, stressing that Vag?inak Aznavuryan, nevertheless, realized his  mission and the way to achieve it. ''And he sang, he created, and  sang in empty and semi-empty halls and he sang tirelessly and without  stopping and gave humanity time to understand and realize that a  great star has originated in the skies of the global culture, which  has yet to "blow up" the most prestigious concert halls of the world  for several decades'', he noted.

''And his voice spread in all parts of the world, it reached the  farthest countries and melted even the coldest hearts'', said Nikol  Pashinyan.

The head of the Armenian government expressed regret that he did not  manage to personally know the great master, Charles Aznavour. ''But  believe me, I perceive him as my closest friend. Any Armenian  perceives him this way, because Aznavour is the person who increased  the name of Armenians to new heights,  who lived with the pains,  concerns and dreams of his historic homeland and his people''  Pashinyan stressed.  According to Pashinyan this is also the reason  that Charles Aznavour was awarded the title of National Hero of  Armenia. ''He also was granted this title for his unforgettable  contribution in the establishment of the Republic of Armenia'', he  stated. Pashinyan  noted, that streets and Squares are named after  him in Armenia, and he is the only man for whom a statue was erected  in Armenia, while he was still alive.

As the Prime Minister noted the mourning is declared in Armenia on  the day of Charles Aznavour's funeral and this all expresses the kind  of Armenian love, which any Armenian, any Armenian with no exception  has for this great man, this great Frenchman, this great citizen of  the world.

Addressing French President Emmanuel Macron Nikol Pashinyan noted  that, he can't not express the special respect and gratitude that our  people have for the head of the French Republic. ''I would like to  express the gratitude of the Armenian people to the French state and  all French people for giving shelter to our people who survived the  genocide and creating favorable environment for the development of  Armenian talent. Armenians of France have names such as Charles  Aznavour, Henri Verneuil, Georges Garvarentz, Jansem, Carzou,  stressed Pashinyan, adding that  France became oasis for our people.

''Undoubtedly, Charles Aznavour, was devoted to France. He was a  great citizen of France, a unique Ambassador of French language, but  he was also a great defender of Armenia, a citizen of Armenia, and  Ambassador of Armenia. He was living with the concerns of Armenia,  and our people saw and felt his care during the major earthquake  which took place thirty years ago'', Armenian Prime Minister said.

As Pashinyan noted, Charles Aznavour also did not remain indifferent  towards the non- violent, velvet revolution which took place in  Armenia. And in the last letter addressed to Prime Minister,  according to Pashinyan, he in part informed that as soon as his  health allow, he was planning to visit Armenia and get to know the  forces which will create the future of our nation.

The head of Armenian government noted that the great maestro was  planning to visit Armenia next week, on the occasion of the La  Francophonie summit. ''I promised him to introduce to New Armenia, I  promised that he would instantly feel the changes happened in our  country but unfortunately, this did not happen, said Pashinyan.   "Today here, in front of the whole world, I solemnly promise that we  will fulfill your messages. I assure you that I am absolutely  committed to my work- to make Armenia the way you wanted to see it -  free and happy. I bow to you - before Great France, Great Armenian,  great humanist "- said Nikol Pashinyan. 

To note, today in Paris an official national farewell ceremony was  held  for the legendary French singer of Armenian origin, Charles  Aznavour. At the ceremony, which takes place in the House of  Disabled, there are both relatives of the chansonnier and officials.  In honor of Aznavour, the hymn of Armenia sounded first, and then the  "Marseillaise" - the national anthem of France. The farewell ceremony  with Charles Aznavour was accompanied by the folk melody "Dle Yaman".