Chairman of Holy Cross Seminary (Tbrevank) Board of Trustees, Professor Toros Alcan, announced on April 15 in regard to the community elections that along with the Holy Cross board, the Board of Trustees of Galata’s St. Gregory the Illuminator Church and Getronagan School, the Board of Trustees of the Karagözian Home, and the Board of Trustees of the Kalfayan Home, have together decided to appeal to the governing authorities to demand the organization of elections.

According to Alcan’s announcement, the Istanbul Armenian community foundations (vakifs) are run by boards which are supposed to be elected every four years. Currently, due to various circumstances, community elections have not taken place for a long time. This fact has caused exhaustion and retirement among board members, and doubts and suspicions among community members. Alcan also brought up the fact that at the beginning of last month Erdogan announced that the elections will go forward.

The decision to appeal to the authorities was made during the April 8, 2021 meeting of the Holy Cross Seminary board of trustees. Alcan also recalled that his board of trustees had made a similar decision last October, and that according to our community procedures there are five institutions that have elections at once throughout Istanbul by the general voting Armenian public. These five institutions are not just local and do not just belong to a neighborhood, because the entire community benefits from their services. Led by the Soorp Prgich Hospital these five institutions have always had a leading role within the community.

According to Alcan, before making the decision, the Seminary Board of Trustees established contact with the Kalfayan Home board, which made a similar decision at their April 13 meeting. They also contacted the Galata and Karagozyan Home boards. Alcan said that they have also reached out to the chairman of the board of Soorp Prgich Hospital, Bedros Şirinoğlu, who will respond after necessary inquiries are made.

Therefore, the four boards of trustees have reached an agreement that they will appeal to the authorities on Sunday, October 3, 2021 for the planning of the election. This information was also relayed to Patriarch of Istanbul Sahag Mashalian, who gave his consent and blessing.