This foundation was created with the support of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission on Cooperation between the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.
On the stage, Mr. Kamalov spoke with great exuberance about the recently established foundation in support of Russian-Armenian humanitarian initiatives. Armais Kamalov compared love for Russia and Armenia with love for one’s mother and father. Almost all of us in childhood were asked the same question: “Who do you love more? Mom or Dad?”, to which it was impossible to answer unequivocally.
Mr Kamalov also expressed deep gratitude to his family, colleagues, friends and everyone present at the event.
First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Vladimir M. Dzhabarov, on behalf of Valentina I. Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Council, took to the stage and noted the enormous contribution of Armais Kamalov to the development and strengthening of friendship between the peoples of Russia and Armenia in the social and cultural spheres and also expressed deep gratitude for his long and dedicated work.
A message from the President of the Republic of Armenia was read out, which said that Armen Sargsyan was confident that the Foundation and its projects would continue to grow and develop successfully, since Armenian-Russian relations today are indeed in need of reviving.
Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee for the C.I.S. and relations with Russian nationals abroad, spoke to the attendees and proclaimed his high appreciation for the contribution of the Heritage and Progress Foundation in supporting the humanitarian aid initiated by the Lazarevsky Club in purchasing and sending the Sputnik V vaccine to the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is encompassed within the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeeping forces.
His Eminence Yezras Nersisyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of the Russia and New Nakhichevan Armenian Apolostic Church, read out a message from His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and bestowed upon Armais Kamalov the Patriarchal Certificate of Blessing and Recognition.
Director of the Scientific Center of Neurology, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Alexandrovich Piradov read out a congratulatory letter from the Bureau of the Department of Medical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in which he sang praises to the outstanding role of Academician Kamalov in the field of urology and andrology.
Subsequently, the gala concert commenced, within the famed walls of the Moscow International House of Music, with the brilliance of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonia” performing, under the direction of the Russian conductor Sergey Tararin.
The celebration began with a polonaise from the “Eugene Onegin” opera written by the great Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
The following great musicians participated: the internationally lauded soloist of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society, violinist Gaik Kazazyan; the Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia and one of the best cellists of our time, Narek Hakhnazaryan; soloists of the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, "the Balalaika Trio" of Konstantin Zakharato, Alexey Vrodlivets, and Alexander Nikolaychuk; Nadezhda Demyanova (piano); Rodion Petrov (violin); and Ivan Talanin (bandoneon).
People’s Artist of Russia, Tamara Gverdtsiteli, sang the well-known and much-loved songs “Tbiliso”, “Mother’s Eyes”, and in a duet with Russian opera singer Yevgeny Kungurov she sang Arno Babajanyan’s “Nocturne”.
The participants of the Russian "Dancing with the Stars" project Inna Svechnikova and Nikolay Pantyukhin graced the stage with their wonderful dancing.
As part of the concert, the audience was treated to the premiere of the musical work “Confession of Love”, and its author, maestro Kamalov, was invited to the stage. “'Confession' was created by chance, by the will of the soul. I called Oskar B. Feltsman and said: 'I am pretty sure I have just composed music,'” noted Kamalov.
At the end of the night, the most-loved Arno Babajanyan song “The Best City on Earth” was sung to the rafters of House of Music as the entire audience joined in song to celebrate the jubilee birthday, the work of the Foundation, and 'druzhba narodov'.