On Thursday, September 27, 2012 His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Armenian Church Canadian Diocese accompanied by Archbishop Viken Aykazian, Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese and the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Vicar of the Eastern Diocese, attended the annual awards evening of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in New York City.
Each year the Appeal of Conscience Foundation recognizes individuals who have helped promote religious freedom and human rights. The honoree at this year’s event was the Prime Minister of Canada the Right Honorable Stephen Harper. On this auspicious occasion, Primate Galstanian conveyed his greetings to Prime Minister Harper and said “the promotion of human rights and religious freedoms is a fundamental and universal source of stability for all and as Canadians we are proud to live in a country that provides a strong example to the world. Congratulations for your leadership and for being the recipient of this prestigious award.”
The Appeal of Conscience Foundation, a coalition of civic and religious leaders established in 1965 by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, promotes peace, tolerance, and ethnic conflict resolution.
The Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church in USA has been a strong supporter of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation since its inception, and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian is a long-serving vice president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation.
