NEW YORK — Bishop Daniel Findikyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, was elected by unanimous vote to the board of directors of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, the New York-based humanitarian organization that has advocated throughout the world on behalf of human rights and religious freedom.
Bishop Daniel received the welcome news in August, during a personal phone call from Rabbi Arthur Schneier, who leads the foundation as its president since establishing it in 1965.
The Eastern Diocese has long played an active leadership role in the organization under the tenures of Bishop Daniel’s predecessors as Diocesan Primate, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.
Later this month, Bishop Daniel will be taking part in the 55th Appeal of Conscience Foundation Annual Awards Dinner, scheduled to go forward as a virtual event on the evening of Thursday, September 24. The hour-long program will involve and be viewed by leaders in the religious, civic, business, and diplomatic fields.
That event will be the occasion to present the 2020 “Appeal of Conscience Award” to Dr. Noubar Afeyan and Robert F. Smith. Both are being honored for their leadership “in helping to heal our wounded world at the time of the pandemic,” according to the award citation.
Dr. Afeyan—a longtime friend and supporter of the Eastern Diocese, and chair of 2015’s National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial—is co-founder and chair of the biotech research company Moderna, which has been a leading innovator in research into a COVID-19 vaccine.
