ArmInfo. With applause, the memory of the great French chansonnier of Armenian origin, Charles Aznavour, was honored by the participants of the 17th Summit of the countries of Francophonie.
In his opening speech, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan pointed out the heavy loss that the French and Armenian peoples and the whole world suffered in connection with the death of Charles Aznavour on October 1. According to him, Charles Aznavour was 100% French, but he was also 100% Armenian. The Prime Minister continued that chansonnier, on whose songs entire generations had grown up, wanted to take part in the Francophonie Summit in Yerevan. "The memory of him will forever remain in our hearts," the head of the Armenian government stressed, adding that "we mourn because we love." "Being the country's ambassador in international structures, Charles Aznavour maintained a high-level image of Armenia, for which we are grateful to him," said Nikol Pashinyan.
At his suggestion, the Summit participants honored the memory of the great chansonnier not with a minute of silence, but with stormy, prolonged applause.
To note today, on October 11, in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of France Emmanuel Macron, a stamp cancellation ceremony dedicated to Charles Aznavour took place.
Charles Aznavour died on the night of October 1 at his home in southern France. According to his last will, he was buried in France near his parents. On the day of Aznavour's funeral, October 6, mourning was declared in Armenia and Artsakh, liturgy was served in the churches of the two Armenian republics.