Armenian French singer Charles Aznavour is celebrating his 87th birthday on May 22. He is the author of around 1,000 songs. Besides, he starred in 60 films and sold around 100mln discs. According to a joint poll conducted by TIME and CNN (1998), Aznavour is recognized as the best pop singer of the 20th century. Since May 5, 2009, Aznavour has been Armenia’s Ambassador to Switzerland and permanent representatives to the UN headquarters.

Musicians, artists and community leaders from across the globe gathered to pay tribute to one of the world’s greatest musicians and entertainers – Charles Aznavour – in a star-studded event in New York on May 20.

The evening served as an opportunity to highlight not only Aznavour’s talents, but his decades-long service to Armenia on the eve of the republic’s 20th anniversary of independence.

Presenting the award to Aznavour was famous actress and singer Liza Minnelli. Seeing Aznavour perform on stage for the first time was “magnetic” for Minnelli. “The minute he walked onstage, I stopped breathing,” she said.

The event featured guest of honor, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. The evening’s proceeds will benefit the disadvantaged elderly people of Armenia, including the Vanadzor Old Age Home in Armenia.