Sir,
The Melkonian does not belong to the 16 members of the Central Board of AGBU in the US. Therefore the unfortunate decision to sell and close the school taken by a few people in the US is not legally binding and valid.

The Melkonian brothers, who built this school in 1926, donated it to the Armenian nation, diaspora and Armenia; only the administration was entrusted to the AGBU. For this purpose, the brothers entrusted 600,000 sovereign Gold Coins in 1926, to cover the expenses and other eventualities. It is the will of the Benefactors to keep the school in Nicosia, with the AGBU instructed to look after it. It is obvious – and the will confirms this – that it is not the prerogative of a few to sell or close the Melkonian Institute.

Rumours have it that the school will operate on day school basis. This is very unrealistic because a school of the calibre of the Melkonian cannot survive on 20/30 students. This is presented as sugar covering of a bitter pill.

The real object of the AGBU is to sell the Melkonian school property so as to enrich their poor financial situation. Otherwise, how can one justify the presence of an American, non Armenian, Mr. G. Anderson, with the sole instruction to destroy the school setup and find out the value of the whole property.

The Melkonian school has served thousands and thousands of Armenian students all over the world for the last 80 years. Closing the school would be dishonest and destructive as far as Armenians all over the word are concerned.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank the Cyprus government and the Minister of Education for supporting the Cypriot Armenian’s cause by declaring the whole Melkonian property a Cyprus Heritage and Green Area. Thanks again to the Greek Cypriot public and the media in general for bringing the matter to the force.

I hope this new development will force the Board members to rethink the disastrous decision and come up with new plans to revitalise the 80-year-old traditional school and update all the facilities with modern standards. The Melkonian School is the heritage of the Armenians and cannot be sold unilaterally, depriving future Armenian generations the opportunity to learn their language, history, and culture. This is not the wish of the Melkonian Brothers.

I have recently resigned from the Melkonian Board of Management because I categorically disagree with the decision.
M. Keshishian

Former Board Member and Honorary Treasurer.