Clr Gail Giles-Gidney visited Armenia for a short two-day official visit on 8 & 9 June 2017. As Mayor of Willoughby, the locale of our Diocese and Church, it was an honour for Bishop Najarian and Diocesan Councillors to welcome her and an opportunity to strengthen the Friendly City Agreement between the City of Willoughby and Nor Nork Yerevan that was established in 2015.

During her time in the Motherland, the Mayor was received by His Holiness Karekin II, met with Mrs Hranush Hakobyan – Minister for the Diaspora and Mr Taron Margaryan – the Mayor of Yerevan and formally signed the Friendly City Agreement. She visited the Armenian Genocide Monument, Dzidzernagapert, honouring the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims and was led around the exhibition of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute where she left a note in the honorary guest book.

A tour of Garni temple, the Madenataran and the picturesque sites of Yerevan in the short space of time will have no doubt left lasting memories and a closer understanding now on the heritage of her Armenian constituents.