The Hamshen Armenian business community of Russia is actively promoting business relations with Armenians abroad. For example, they recently initiated contacts with Lebanese-Armenian businessmen. They sent two Russian businesswomen–Olesya Trigonis and Oksana Kisilyova–to Beirut to meet prominent Lebanese-Armenian shoe and leather producers, and invite them to participate in the annual international shoe and leather products exhibition at the Manej complex in the center of Moscow, near Red Square.
The Hamshen Armenian business community of Russia is actively promoting business relations with Armenians abroad. For example, they recently initiated contacts with Lebanese-Armenian businessmen. They sent two Russian businesswomen–Olesya Trigonis and Oksana Kisilyova–to Beirut to meet prominent Lebanese-Armenian shoe and leather producers, and invite them to participate in the annual international shoe and leather products exhibition at the Manej complex in the center of Moscow, near Red Square.
The Moscow businesswomen, who are employed by a leading company owned by Garnik Garanian, were warmly received in Beirut. Originally from Gagra (Abkhazia), they were amazed by the marvellous leather products of workshops that belong to skilled Lebanese-Armenian craftsmen and businessmen.
"What we saw here is of a much better quality than any Chinese products. They are serious competitors to Italian products but have very reasonable prices," said Ms. Trigonis of the Lebanese products. Of Russian-Greek origin, she understands Armenian and is keen to master English and Arabic. The Lebanese-Armenian leather producers, on their turn, were greatly interested in the invitation to participate in the August 2011 exhibition. They see the Moscow exhibition as a potential entry into the huge Russian and East European markets.
Shortly after Olesya’s and Oksana’s return to Moscow, we were informed that they would return to Beirut in January to make sample orders. It’s anticipated that this important project will forge co-operation between the Armenian business communities in Moscow and in Lebanon. It’s hoped that the success of this initiative would encourage people to engage in other business relations with the Hamshen community in Moscow.
Rising Tennis Starlet: Maria Protasenya-Adamyan


Maria’s maternal grandfather was a famous tennis player and trainer from Rostov (Nor-Nakhichevan). Ilona Adamyan, her mother, was a Soviet-era junior top tennis star player who participated in the 2nd Pan-Armenian games. Today she is a professional trainer in Moscow. She travels with her talented daughter all over the world.
Maria is inspired by her compatriots–Andre Agassi and Sarkis Sarksyan. She knows them from the Davis Cup tournament, where her mother and aunt were invited to play for the Armenian national team.
We wish many victories and a great career to this rising Russian-Armenian tennis starlet.