The following is an approximate time-line representing the history of the Melkonian Educational Institute. I have tried to collect the information from different resources and websites. If any boby can add to and or correct this information, please email us at admin@melkoniannews.org and we will make the necessary changes. Also, some of the pictures that we have here are copied from flickr and other websites without the permission of the legal owners. This is not a commercial website and the picture are only used as a reference and/or historical representation. If the owners of this pictures object to our usage of these images please email us at admin@melkoniannews.org and we will remove them promptly. Thank you for your cooperation.
| 1915 |
Ottoman Empire |
Armenian Genocide |
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| July 1921 |
Turkey and Egypt |
On or about July 25, 1921, Garabed Melkonian, a wealthy Armenian businessman, residing in Turkey and then Egypt, conveyed a gift to Zaven Der Yeghyayan, in his official capacity as the Patriarch of the ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE of real and personal property then valued in the approximate amount of four hundred thousand Egyptian pounds but worth at that time least $3,500,000 U.S. dollars. He asked that the ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE use his gift to establish and maintain schools for Armenian children and perform other works of charity for the Armenian people. |
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| February 15, 1924 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Zaven Der Yeghyayan, in his official capacity as the Patriarch of the ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE, using the proceeds of Garabed's gift, established a school and orphanage in Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1924, named it the Melkonian Educational Institute, in honor of Garabed Melkonian. The foundational stone was laid and the construction of Melkonian Establishments began in Nicosia, Cyprus on February 15, 1924. |
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| December 25, 1925 |
Alexandria, Egypt |
The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople with Mr. Melkonian’s concurrence conveyed the Melkonian Educational Institute, in trust to the Armenian General Benevolent Union, with the express direction and expectation that the Union would maintain the Institute in Cyprus and continue to educate Armenian youth long into the future. |
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| 1926 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Krikor Melkonian and Garabed Melkonian opened the Melkonan Establishment as an orphanage. |
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| 1926 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
In April 1926 a over 300 orphans, boys and girls that survived the Ottoman Atrocities attended the Melkonian Establishment. |
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| 1942 to 1946 |
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During the World War II the school was temporarily closed from 1942 to 1946. |
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| 1974 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus several bombs struck the buildings and the grounds of the school. |
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| 1986 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Part of the Melkonian estate was sold by the AGBU to invest the proceeds in a new Boarding House, a closed sports complex and a commercial center.
The Melkonian Commercial Center was built on Melkonian grounds. The generated income was to be used to help the school finances. |
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| 1990 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
The new boarding house, was finished. With a boys, a girls wing and a cafeteria in between. It could accommodate 400 boarding students. |
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| 2003 |
United Kingdom |
An Alumni led campaign to resist the closure of Melkonian began, SaveMelkonian.org was established. |
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| November 2003 |
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Rumors in the public regarding the closure and sale of the school by the AGBU Central Board, which the AGBU publicly denies in the media. |
AGBU Statement |
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| March 14.2004 |
New York, USA |
AGBU Central Board voted unanimously in favor of closing the school.
Louise Manoogian Simone, Chairman
Nazar Nazarian, Vice Chairman, Treasurer
Berge Setrakian, President
Sarkis Demirdjian, Vice President
Arshavir Gundjian, Vice President
Joseph Basralian, Secretary
M. Michael Ansour
Carol B. Aslanian
Edouard Jakhian
Levon Kebabdjian
Richard Manoogian
Benon Sevan
Sam Simonian
Sinan Sinanian
Dickran Tevrizian
Karnig Yacoubian |
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| March 16, 2004 |
USA |
Official decision of closing the school was published. |
AGBU Statement |
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| 2004 |
USA |
Melkonian Alumni and Friends was formed. |
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| January 13, 2005 |
California, USA |
On behalf of Melkonian alumni, around the world, the Patriarch of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, Mesrob Mutafyan, as the original trustee of the Melkonian gift, filed a lawsuit on January 13, 2005, against The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) seeking to continue the Institute as the premier Armenian educational facility in the world and enforce the terms of the Garabed Melkonian Trust. The suit will be prosecuted by MacCarley & Rosen, PLC of Los Angeles, California. |
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| April 19, 2005 |
L.A., CA, USA |
The Los Angeles, California case by the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles against AGBU was dismissed in April 19, 2005. |
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| May 17, 2006 |
L.A., CA, USA |
The Los Angeles, California case by the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles against AGBU was appealed on May 17, 2005, to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit, in Los Angeles. The briefs are due in September 2 and October 3, 2005. |
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| June 2005 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Melkonian Educational Institute closed its doors. |
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| April 2007 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Conservation order to declare most of Melkonian Estate as a historic monument to be preserved was passed. The Cyprus cabinet has confirmed the past decision of Melkonian Properties to be considered as national heritage, with the new decision they have added the new buildings as well, 60% of the Melkonian properties. The only areas left for sale or for use is , AGBU club, football playgrounds, and farm areas. |
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| June 2007 |
Nicosia, Cyprus |
Ministry of Education & Culture of the Republic of Cyprus and AGBU agreed to temporarily house over 400 Cypriot students during the 2007/08 academic year at Melkonian Institute.
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