- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Vicken Koundakjian
Ottawa, Ontario
Grant of Arms, Flag and Badge
November 20, 2009
Vol. V, p. 475
[ previous page ]
Blazon
Arms
Gules a bridge issuant therefrom a minaret and a tower Or masoned Gules between in chief a Cross of Jerusalem and in base an escallop Or;
Crest
Issuant from a coronet of Maltese crosses Or a raven Sable beaked and legged Gules holding beneath its wing a scroll with a pendant seal Or charged with a maple leaf Gules;
Motto
ՈՒՂՂԱՄՏՈՒԹԻՒՆ;
Symbolism
Arms
The Cross of Jerusalem illustrates Mr. Koundakjian’s heritage as an Armenian Christian, and is an allusion to the region in which he was born, the Middle East. The bridge indicates his profession as a diplomat, seeking to bridge differences between the East (symbolized by the minaret) and the West (symbolized by the castle tower). For a diplomat, the shell symbolizes a pilgrimage towards peaceful relations.
Crest
The raven symbolizes several additional diplomatic assets: dissimulating when necessary, playing tricks as needed, and speaking on behalf of or as someone else. It is also a native bird from Mr. Koundakjian’s chosen country. The scroll with the seal, representing a commission from Her Majesty’s Canadian Government, symbolizes his profession as a diplomat. The Maltese cross coronet reflects his long-standing association with St. John Ambulance and the Order of St. John.
Motto
This Armenian word means “Integrity”.