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T e rmenian

Iriterview with

I

It is difficult to put him in a box-he is a businessman,
philanthropist, art collector and, perhaps most of all, a
Swiss with Armenian roots, making him one of the most
well-known persons in the Armenian community of Ge-
neva. He is an agreeable person with a good heart and
spends mostofhis sparetimeworkingvoluntarilyforthe
development ofthe others, mainly in Armenia as well as
for Armenian well-being in Switzerland and elsewhere.

Numerous persons call on him for something-students, rich and poor for scholarships, businessmen
to find a worthy cause for their money, to ensure that the funds are well spent. In addition to his volun-
tarywork, he is a successful businessman and an art collector. MrVahe has indeed a lot on his plate and
never seems to have a dull moment. We had the opportunity to meet him here in Geneva-one day
when he was at home-before once again he sets off on his travels.

Q: Could you ten us a little and therefore I will go to live in after a career of thirty-five years in
about yourself? Switzerland. You can continue the the finance sector, myfather is still
business here, and I will set up a alive and keeps on working at the
I was born in Lebanon of Arme- company in Switzerland. I'll take age of g5. He comes to his office
nian parents. My mother was an my family too." every day and works from io.3o to
Armenian from Jerusalem, my 4 or 5 o'clock. It is the same thing
father from Istanbul and they met I arrived in Geneva at the age of for my mother who, at the age of
in Lebanon. In ig56, when there 5 and was educated here. After 88, works everyday as well.

were some tensions in Lebanon, that I studied at L'Ecole Hoteliere
my father, who worked a lot with de Lausanne 't)ecause my father Q: How did you get involved
Switzerland in the finance busi- owned hotels. When I finished in fhP ArTnPnjan cuiuununiV?
ness and in particular in the ban- my studies I took over the mana-
king sector, told his father with gement of the hotels. After two I always felt very Armenian but it
whom he worked: "I feel there is years I was a little bored and went was aroundthe age of 20 or 21 that
something going to happen here into the financial business. Today, one of my friends came to pick me

I 24 The Geneva Region