His Holiness Catholicos Aram I welcomed the visit of mountaineer, runner, and rower Ara Khatchadourian on August 31st, 2023, in Antelias. Ara Khatchadourian had recently completed an 88-day journey rowing from Marseille to Beirut as part of his Rowing for Peace humanitarian project aimed at raising funds for Beirut.
During the meeting, Khatchadourian shared details about his past accomplishments and forthcoming projects, receiving warm admiration and praise from His Holiness for his endeavors.
It is worth noting that in 2018, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I had honored Ara Khatchadourian with the St. Mesrob Mashdots Insignia for his efforts in raising awareness about various genocides, including the Armenian genocide. This recognition came after Khatchadourian’s successful ascent of Mount Everest in 2016, during which he placed the Bible in Armenian and the Armenian flag at the peak, as well as his running expedition from Marseille to Armenia in 2018.
