Under the patronage of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics, The Fayha Choir of Tripoli conducted by Maestro Barkev Taslakian held a concert on Friday the 16th of February, 2007, in the Jean Paul II amphitheatre of the Holy Spirit University in Kaslik.

Fayha choir which was established at the beginnings of 2005 is composed of 50 members coming from the city of Tripoli and other towns in northern Lebanon and is sponsored by the Union of Municipalities of the North , “Safadi” foundation and “ Azm and Saade” Organization.

What is singular about Fahya is that it is the Arab world’s only acappella choir and the first choir ever to participate in international festivals such as the Warsaw Festival in Poland occupying second position among 75 choirs.

The aim of this Choir is to preserve and spread the Arab culture not only among Arab societies but also to the whole world.

The program of the concert included songs from the Rahbani brothers, Zaki Nassif, Sayid Darwish, Andalousi, as well as two songs from Gomidas and Edgar Hovhannesian. There was a special participation by the marching band of the Lebanese Canadian School of Rashaya that performed the song “Tallou Ahbabna” by Zaki Nassif.

At the end, His Beatitude was invited to address the closing speech Who after saluting the audience expressed His appreciation of the choir’s performance. His Beatitude thanked Dr. Edward Torigian for the distribution of the Arabic songs with great skill which is a result of his wide experience in the field of music. He also thanked the talented Maestro Barkev Taslakian and the members of the choir for their magnificent performance. His Beatitude emphasized the importance of remaining loyal to our national heritage in order to resist all the threats of globalization that tend to annul the distinctiveness of each nation for material gains, whereas art and culture are much more superior to any material value and artists like Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven are considered the great men in history and belong to all the progressive and sophisticated nations. The Catholicos Patriarch invited the attention of the audience towards the very essential idea that suggests loving culture and clinging to its moral values so that very clutch will become a pledge to our loyalty.

At the end of His speech His Beatitude thanked the Union for the exquisite event and for encouraging every civilized activity. He also expressed His gratitude to the Holy Spirit University for being first and foremost in the educational, religious and cultural fields wishing perseverant progress to all those that strive to work in keeping Our dear Fatherland Lebanon elevated.