Gibrahayer e-magazine- Office of the Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian - The sailboat "Armenia" will be arriving at the Limassol new port at 7:00 pm on Thursday, 11 August 2011. Limassol will be the final stop of its epic world journey, which started on 28 May 2009 from Valencia, Spain. The crew consists of seven Armenians and the head of the expedition is Dr. Zori Balayan, a renowned Armenian author, traveller and human rights activist. Its mission is to increase world awareness about the Armenian nation, once a significant seafaring people with more than 1000 ships in 24 big ports of the Kingdom of Cilicia (1080-1375), which had special ties with Lusignan Cyprus. The ship is dedicated to Saint Mesrob Mashdots, who "disc overed" the Armenian alphabet in 405 AD and the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia (301 AD), while its arrival here coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia, which became a reality after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The ship is adorned with the 38 letters of the Armenian alphabet, the Armenian cross and the Armenian symbol of eternity. A special welcoming ceremony will be held, followed by a cocktail reception, in the presence of Their Excellencies the President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

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