Anna Hakobyan Discusses 'Bird's Nest' Orphanage Activities with Aram I

The wife of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Anna Hakobyan, who is also the chair of the boards of the 'My Step' and 'City of Smile' charitable foundations, had a phone conversation with Aram I, the Catholicos of Cilicia, on May 25.

During the call, Hakobyan expressed concern about the situation of the Armenian community in Lebanon. In particular, they discussed the activities and challenges of the 'Bird's Nest' orphanage.

Various topics of mutual interest and programs were also discussed during the phone call. The 'Bird's Nest' orphanage-school commenced its activities in Sidon, Lebanon, in 1920. In 1922, it was relocated to the suburb of Zouk Mikael near Jbeil. In 1926, the orphanage was acquired by the American Near East Relief Fund located in Byblos, thanks to the efforts of Danish female missionaries, and was officially named 'Bird's Nest' in 1928.

In 1970, 'Bird's Nest' was formally handed over to the Catholicosate of Cilicia by the Danish female missionaries. In 2015, the Catholicosate established a Museum of the Armenian Genocide on the premises of the institution. Since its establishment, 'Bird's Nest' has sheltered over 4,000 Armenian orphans who fled the Armenian Genocide during the years 1915-23 from Ottoman Turkey. Thousands of Armenian refugee orphan children have received care and Armenian education within this institution. Currently, 26 Armenian children are being cared for and educated at the orphanage-school.