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Paregentan Masked Virtual Ball

  • Armenian Institute 1 Onslow Street London EC1N 8AS (map)
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Are you sick and tired of sitting at home and watching films?

Join us to celebrate Paregentan! Pre-Genocide and dispersion, this used to be the most popular festival with days of feasting, playing games, having fun --- and turning all the rules upside down. Enjoyed by all, even the priests joined in the raucous good times.

We begin by showing off our masks and greeting each other --- and then turn to our evening programme: dance led by Shakeh Major Tchilingirian, storytelling by Vergine Gulbenkian, a reading of The Carnival by Arda Eghiayan, creating our household Khlodjigs for Lent (please have an onion and 7 feathers handy!), and a short talk about how Armenians and their neighbours used to celebrate this holiday devoted to fun and food. More dancing will follow so clear your room!

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Sometimes called Armenian Mardi Gras, Paregentan is celebrated just before Lent begins. Paregentan, or Good Life/Convivial Living, either fell away entirely in some parts of the Armenian world, or became a single night with a dinner-dance. We think we all need more fun these days so – please join us on Zoom and help us turn things around and upside down and enjoy each other’s company.

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Entry free. Suggested donation £10 per person, £5 concessions and students, to help raise funds for specialist cataloguing software needed to make our library available online.

https://www.kindlink.com/fundr.../Armenian-Institute/library

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Join here
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81617852131...

Meeting ID: 816 1785 2131
Passcode: 188834

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This Event is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

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Our events are free on Zoom but we need your help to continue producing exciting programmes. Please visit our Support page to make a contribution.
https://www.armenianinstitute.org.uk/support-us

Later Event: 16 February
Finding the Words