ARMENIA-PANARMENIAN GAMES Pan-Armenian Games in Yerevan bring together members of Armenian diaspora

Record ID: 144389

  • Title: ARMENIA-PANARMENIAN GAMES Pan-Armenian Games in Yerevan bring together members of Armenian diaspora
  • Date: 7th August 2015
  • Summary: YEREVAN, ARMENIA (AUGUST 5, 2015) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ONE OF FOUNDERS OF PAN-ARMENIAN GAMES, BERDJ HALADJIAN, SAYING: "The aim is to bring the diaspora in Armenia, the youngsters. The most important is the communication, information of all type of Armenians from any European or American or Australian... we have from the five continents athletes." YEREVAN, ARMEN
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Armenia
  • Country: Armenia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2K01DWVVGT3HUZJIAEA79D56H
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Sixth Pan-Armenian Games which are currently taking place in Yerevan attracted over 6,300 Armenian athletes from 36 countries.
    The Games, which are held every four years, are aimed at bringing together members of the Armenian diaspora scattered across various continents.
    The current population of Armenia is about 3 million, but it is believed that about 6 millions ethnic Armenians live abroad.
    Most of them trace back to survivors of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks, which many countries recognise as genocide.
    "The aim is to bring the diaspora in Armenia, the youngsters," said one of the Games founders, Berdj Haladjian.
    Athletes from several dozen countries compete in 17 sports, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, track and field athletics, chess, badminton, cycling, shooting, arm-wrestling, golf among others.
    "I know the Pan-Armenian Games is kind of our version of the Olympics. All the Armenians come from all over the world to compete in many different sports. I'm here to play soccer," said the games participant Sean Shariyan from Glendale, California.
    For Erik Kashishyan, also from California, these are his second games. He finds it a great opportunity for Armenians from various parts of the world to meet.
    "I really love it, it's a great experience, because we, Armenians, we have a big population outside Armenia, so it is great how Armenians from all over the world come together and unite and have fun together for few weeks," he said.
    The first Pan-Armenian Games were held in 1999 with about 1000 athletes from 23 countries who competed in only 10 sports and in 2014 Armenia hosted the first Winter Pan-Armenian Games.
    This year's games will last until August 13.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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