SYDNEY & MELBOURNE: Over 400 guests attended the ANC-AU Gala events in Sydney (29 November, 2025) and Melbourne (30 November, 2025) to celebrate five decades of Armenian advocacy in Australia, raising $185,000 to strengthen the Armenian cause for the next fifty years and beyond, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia.
Four distinguished awards were presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Armenian cause in Australia:
- ANC-AU Freedom Award - Mr Jon Dee
- Armenian Community Friend of the Year Award - The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP
- Ben Bagdikian Media Award - Mr George Donikian
- Raphael Lemkin Award - Ms Siranush Sahakyan
Festivities commenced in Sydney on Saturday, 29 November 2025 at the prestigious Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Ballroom and continued on Sunday, 30 November 2025 in Melbourne’s CBD at Slate Restaurant Bar.
In Sydney the night commenced with a vibrant performance by the Hamazkaine Armenian Sydney Dance Ensemble, who performed as guests entered the dining hall.
Both evening’s featured a special commemorative video documenting the 50-year journey of ANC-AU — from its establishment to its present-day impact — offering an intimate look at the organisation’s role in shaping Armenian-Australian civic engagement.
The events also featured a Keynote Address delivered by Ms Siranush Sahakyan, the 2025 ANC-AU Advocacy Week Guest, a distinguished human rights lawyer currently representing Armenia in more than 600 cases against Azerbaijan before the European Court of Human Rights.
Sahakyan’s address offered attendees a compelling insight into the ongoing fight for the release of 23 Armenian hostages detained in Azerbaijan, as well as broader human rights issues stemming from the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh War.
Reflecting on the successes of the Armenian National Committee of Australia, Executive Director Michael Kolokossian delivered an Advocacy Address at both events, attributing the achievements of the organisation to the dedication of unrelenting volunteers.
Tom Koutsantonis MP, who travelled from Adelaide to Sydney to accept the 2025 Friend of the Year Award in person, pledged $20,000 from the South Australian State Budget to assist the ANC-AU with its fundraising efforts in South Australia.
Prominent guests in Sydney included: Mr. Jerome Laxale MP - Member for Bennelong; Ms. Kellie Sloane MP - NSW Opposition Leader; The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis - South Australian Treasurer; Mr. Mark Coure - NSW Member for Oakley; Dr. Hugh McDermott MP - NSW Member for Prospect; Mr. Stephen Bali - NSW Member for Blacktown; Mr. Nathan Haggarty - NSW Member for Leppington; Mr. Tim James MP - NSW Member for Willoughby; the Hon. Chris Rath MLC - NSW Member of the Legislative Council; Mr. Matt Cross MP - NSW Member for Davidson; Mr. Jordan Lane MP - NSW Member for Ryde; Mayor Tanya Taylor - Willoughby City Council; Cr Angelo Rozos - Willoughby City Council; Cr Mira Ibrahim - Liverpool City Council and Cr Ismet Tastan - Inner West Council.
Among those in attendance in Melbourne were: The Hon. Tim Wilson MP - Federal Member for Goldstein; Mr. Chris Crewther MP - Victorian Member for Mornington; Ms. Eden Foster MP - Victorian Member for Mulgrave; Ms. Anasina Gray-Barberio MP - Victorian Member for Northern Metropolitan; Mr. Michael Galea MP - Victorian Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan and former State Parliamentarians Theo Theophanous and Samantha Ratnam.
Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee of Australia Vache Kahramanian said: “As we look to the future, the ANC-AU is ready to ensure strong Armenian representation in Australian civic life. A new generation of Hai Tad warriors is rising—ready to carry the flame for the next 50 years and well beyond. Our work isn’t done, and together we will continue to advance the Armenian cause with renewed strength and unshakable purpose.”
