Governor Kim Reynolds Declares Oct. 2017 ‘Armenia Awareness Month’ During Official Signing Ceremony with ANCA Eastern Region, Human Rights Coalition Leaders, and Clergy

DES MOINES, Iowa (A.W.)—Moments ago, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation memorializing the Armenian Genocide and declaring Oct. 2017 as “Armenia Awareness Month” in the Hawkeye State. Iowa is now the 47th U.S. state to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

On Aug. 24, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation memorializing the Armenian Genocide and declaring Oct. 2017 “Armenia Awareness Month” in the Hawkeye State.

The signing was attended by members of the Armenian community, including Father Tadeos Barseghyan of the St. Sahag Armenian Church of Minnesota, and Armen Sahakyan of the Armenian National Committee of America—Eastern Region (ANCA-ER). St. Sahag is the closest Armenian church serving the Armenian-American community of Iowa.

“Iowa’s commemoration and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide strikes a powerful blow against the hatred and intolerance which contribute to the ongoing vicious cycle of genocide plaguing society to this day,” said Sahakyan, an ANCA-ER Board Member. Sahakyan spent a portion of his youth living in Iowa. “We would like to thank Governor Reynolds, Representative Art Staed, and all of our coalition partners for their principled stance in ensuring that truth prevails against international attempts to subvert justice for this and all other crimes against humanity,” he added.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds with members of the community after signing the proclamation (Photo: ANCA-ER)

The Philos Project Executive Director Robert Nicholson noted, “The Ottoman genocide of the Armenian people was one of the most brutal acts in history and clear evidence that evil still moves in the world. To deny the genocide is to ignore that evil, and to ignore that evil is to betray our values as Americans. By recognizing the genocide, the people of Iowa are declaring their willingness to defend human life, protect minority communities, and preserve our national heritage. We at The Philos Project thank and congratulate Governor Reynolds for her boldness and moral clarity. She epitomizes the kind of principled leader we need more of today.”

Iraqi Christian Relief Council Board Member Denise Bubeck said, “This is an important step in standing up for the many Christians who have lost their lives by injustice. As a Christian, I believe that every life deserves dignity and respect just as God values every human life so this proclamation gives me an opportunity again to speak for the value of every life no matter their faith.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (center) with Armen Sahakyan (L) and Artur Martirosyan (R) of the ANCA-ER (Photo: ANCA-ER)

“Mankind must seek justice for those whose lives are brutally altered for all of history,” said President of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council and the Senior Fellow for the Philos Project Juliana Taimoorazy. “This marks a historic step forward towards this sacred endeavor.”

Coordinator for the Iowans for Armenia Charles Crawley said, “As a civilized humanity, we all should care about the Armenian Genocide and all other crimes against humanity. ‘Iowans for Armenia’ is proud to continue the relationship created between the American and Armenian people that stretches back to the humanitarian assistance provided by the missionaries and people of good conscience of our great state through the Near East Relief. Today’s signing of the proclamation was an important step in securing some measure of justice for the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek people.”

Noting that the Ottoman Turkish government’s crime “still requires justice,” Gov. Reynolds’ proclamation cited Adolph Hitler’s ominous reference to the murder of the Armenian people just days prior to his invasion of Poland and the ensuing Holocaust, which claimed the lives of over 6 million Jews and resulted in the decimation of other targeted racial and religious minorities. The document recounts the cycle of subsequent genocides of the 20th and 21st centuries, specifically citing the 2016 Congressional condemnation of the Islamic State genocide against Middle East Christians, Yezidis, and other minorities. It concludes with the assertion that by “recognizing and consistently remembering the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust and all cases of past and ongoing genocide, we help protect historic memory, ensure that similar atrocities do not occur again and remain vigilant against hatred, persecution and tyranny.”

Below is footage of the signing ceremony, which took place at the Iowa State Assembly. The ANCA-ER webcast the signing ceremony live from Governor Reynolds’ formal office.

Iowa’s recognition comes a little more than three months after the Texas House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 191, titled “Recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” on May 19, and becoming the 46th state in the U.S. to officially classify and commemorate the 1915-1923 annihilation of Ottoman Turkey’s indigenous Armenian community as genocide.

The State of Iowa proclamation can be read in its entirety, below.

An image of the proclamation memorializing the Armenian Genocide and declaring Oct. 2017 “Armenia Awareness Month” (Photo: ANCA-ER)

***

NEW YORK, NY—On October 17, Armenia was elected a member of the UN Human Rights Council. On this occasion, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement:

Armenia has been elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2020-2022, with the overwhelming majority of votes. This remarkable achievement is the best demonstration of the acknowledgement by the international community of the significant progress in democratic transformation and protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms following the non-violent, Velvet Revolution in the Republic of Armenia.

This success also reflects the high confidence of the international community towards Armenia as a reliable partner, who is at the forefront of protection of human rights, and the prevention of massive violations of human rights and atrocities.

As a responsible member of the international community and a supporter of effective multilateralism, Armenia has acceded to all major human rights instruments. Today we can proudly state that these human rights commitments are not merely enshrined in our legal system, but are also part of our national values ​​and identity. We are ready to share experience, listen to and learn from our partners, and are committed to advance international collaboration aimed at strengthening the UN human rights system, promoting effective intergovernmental cooperation and civil society engagement.

The promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, consolidation of democratic values will be an important priority of Armenia’s membership in the Human Rights Council. Human rights are universal for all peoples and individuals in all parts of the world.

Armenia is determined to contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation and dialogue at the Human Rights Council, and to this end we have already expressed our clear pledges and commitments that we plan to implement over the coming years. We will continue to fight against identity-based violations of human rights, including discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance and hate speech because Armenia and the Armenian people are well aware of the consequences emanating from massive violations of human rights committed on such grounds.

Armenia’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council is complemented by the chairmanship our country currently holds in another important UN body – the UN Commission on the Status of Women. It is even more symbolic in light of the significant increase of women’s political presence and engagement in Armenia’s public life today, which demonstrates the effectiveness of consistent steps by the Government of Armenia towards ensuring equal rights and opportunities for men and women in our country.

Armenia stands ready to contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation in the protection of women’s rights, and we intend to spare no effort to drive this agenda forward.

I would like to express my gratitude to our international partners for the demonstrated trust for Armenia’s candidacy. I am also grateful for the consistent and coordinated work carried out by our Government, Ministries and Agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its diplomatic representations abroad. This success belongs to all of us and defines the great responsibility we are assuming before the international community.

-Zohrab Mnatsakanyan,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
October 17, 2019

The post Armenia Elected Member of UN Human Rights Council appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Arpa (Los Angeles) and Pomegranate (Toronto) Film Festivals have slated Ani Hovannisian’s new documentary The Hidden Map for their 2019 festivals in November. Prior to any public screenings, The Hidden Map has been recognized with an ImpactDOCS award in an esteemed international documentary film competition. 

A broadcast journalist by education and training, Hovannisian directed and produced numerous true human-interest stories for television and other international audiences before setting out to make her first film. The Hidden Map was conceived when Ani, traveling through historic Western Armenia with her father historian Richard G. Hovannisian and a small group led by Armen Aroyan, had a chance encounter with  an enigmatic Scottish explorer, Steven Sim. Camera always in hand, Ani began following the steps of the solitary explorer and learned that he had been documenting the relics of the lost Armenian past for 30 years. Though he had always traveled alone, almost invisibly, Sim agreed to set out together.     

The Armenian and Scotsman trek through the layered landscape, digging beneath the surface of modern-day Turkey to uncover the crumbled remnants and buried stories of the forbidden past. He is consumed with finding and giving voice to the ruins before they disappear entirely.  She is determined to come face to face with the ominous past, lifting long-silenced stories out of oblivion and people out of shadows as she reaches for home. Together, they reveal The Hidden Map.

Active in the American-Armenian community since her youth, Ani Hovannisian Kevorkian was an anchor and reporter at TeleNayiri and Horizon Armenian Television in Los Angeles for more than a decade. She has traveled to present-day Armenia since childhood, and seven years ago, rooted in the stories of her genocide-survivor grandparents and their entire generation and shaped by the lifelong dedication of her own parents, Ani embarked on the first of several journeys into the historic Armenian homeland, where she continues to document living history through the stories of the land and the people.

The Hidden Map will be featured at the Arpa Film Festival at the historic American Legion theater in Hollywood on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 3:15 p.m.                  

Hovannisian’s film will be shown at the Pomegranate Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post ‘The Hidden Map’ Slated for 2019 Arpa and Pomegranate Film Festivals, Wins ImpactDOCS Award appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

It has been a very difficult week for humanity. Whenever human life is lost, we must pause and reflect. When those lives are lost because of unilateral aggression and a wanton disregard for human rights, our voices must be heard. When the conflict is related to our personal tragedy, we have a responsibility. The events that have been developing over the past week in northern Syria are a horrific reminder that advances in technology, medical sciences and economics do not necessarily equate to progress in human rights. I will leave the politics of this tragedy for other forums. This is a human rights catastrophe. Regardless of your political perspectives in the tangled web we call the Middle East and in particular the Kurdish area of northern Syria, no human being should be subjected to the brutality administered by the Turks and their “allies” to the Kurdish population. How many times have we talked about the massacres and atrocities committed against the Yazidis, the Kurds, the Christians and others in Syria alone in the last seven years? Yet we profess the advances of our civilization. When these upheavals occur, we have all failed. The UN Security Council can’t agree. The great powers seem to view these atrocities as collateral damage for global politics. Everyone seems either ambivalent, depressed or powerless. This is not 1915. Or is it?

Today we have global and instantaneous communication. Everything is visible. This isn’t the isolated highlands of western Armenia where only a few missionaries and military personal observed the genocide of the Armenians, where limited reporting was hidden under the cloud of a world war. We see evidence every day on cable and network news. Yet it does not seem to matter. Information does not seem to impact prevention. It is an endless loop. Who’s next?

My generation did not experience the genocide. We knew our grandparents as survivors. Although many did not discuss their journey, they instilled in us a clear sense of responsibility that we have tried to apply in our lifetime. It is rare for any of us to advocate on the genocide issues without thinking of our grandparents. Long after they have left this earth, they still remain an inspiration in our hearts. It is difficult to explain, but it has become a very personal issue for us.Thinking of marauding Turks slaughtering our ancestors is a permanent etch mark in our memory. It is there. How we handle our emotions is the question. Each time in my life that I have seen the Turkish government commit these horrific acts of human rights violations, I feel a dull ache whose source is the unfulfilled justice for the crime of our genocide. I felt this way in 1974 when the Turks invaded Cyprus. A similar feeling when the Turks attacked Kurdish districts of Diyarbekir inflicting massive damage to life and property. Incursions into northern Iraq have been a regular occurrence for years. And now we are witnessing the human rights invasion in northern Syria. As an Armenian living without justice, these events shake my soul. Why? The lack of accountability for the crime denies justice for the Armenians. Yet repeating the same behavior confirms the impact of not holding the criminals responsible. It is repeated again…and again.

This repetitive pattern has brought us to northern Syria in 2019. We know all too well what is really going on. Buzz words like “terrorists,” “security” and “peace” used by the Turks are really code for “murder,” “displacement” and “altering demographics.” Why do we know? Because our people are unique. We didn’t ask to be unique. Hatred by others decided that. Cambodians, Bosnians, Jews, Rwandans and those of Darfur are unique also. We all faced evil and stared it down. We survived and have recovered to claim the justice that has been denied. But what will we do with our survival? Is it just for us to enjoy, or is there a responsibility that comes with this label? Should our voices be committed directly to our interests? Sounds rather shallow and very short-sighted. Reaching out to others in their times of need is a blessing that is both our opportunity and responsibility. Compassion is what separates the human race from other living species. When it comes to ethnic cleansing, genocide or massacres, our unique experience makes us very qualified to stand up and be heard. As victims of atrocities, we must be the FIRST to raise our voices and say “no” to human rights abuses and “yes” to the rights of all humans to be free of oppression.

Sounds logical, but let’s look in the mirror for a moment. We may be unique, but we are not perfect. Our behavior in this regard has been a bit inconsistent. As an ethnic group, we are remarkably clannish. As Diasporans, this is not necessarily a bad attribute. We look out for each other. We find comfort with one another. We build a sense of community. Although we choose to ignore it most of the time, there is a downside to this behavior. We are overly introspective; we are improving. The trend is positive, but we are lagging in treating others as we expect to be treated. Case in point. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We spent an incredible amount of our communal resources on this issue. We have an expectation that all of humanity (well, almost all) should support us in seeking justice for the crimes committed. This is not an unreasonable expectation, however let’s reverse the process. Do we extend our hands to those in this world who are suffering from the scourge of genocide or ethnic massacres? Yes, we have begun to institutionally increase our outreach, but the average member of our community does not hold this as an important value. Our responses tend to be “safe.” Inviting speakers from other genocides is noble, but not exactly trailblazing. Even our Republic of Armenia only recently (last few years) officially recognized the Assyrian Genocide. We still tend to “fly solo” when it comes to our causes. Collaboration is a critical element of success for human rights causes such as ours. It is selfish not to embrace the pain of others. It fails to fulfill our responsibility as victims of horrific crimes.

Another impediment to taking responsibility as world citizens is getting past our prejudices. In our isolated world, it is easy to stereotype. Despite the horrific nature of the Kurdish dilemma, many Armenians remain ambivalent, because of the Kurdish role in the Armenian Genocide. The complicity of many Kurds is a fact. It is also a fact that many Kurds saved Armenians 100 years ago. It is also true that Syrian Kurds (YPG) and the Pershmerga in Iraq have defended Armenian enclaves against ISIS in those regions. In Turkey (western Armenia), the Kurds have gone through many years of public remorse for the past with credible efforts in the present. The pro-Kurdish HDP Party has spoken openly about the genocide. Local Kurdish politicians in Diyarbekir have been active in the rebuilding of St. Giragos Armenian Church, have supported Armenian signage on streets and Armenian language classes. Is it enough to open our hearts and our minds to a new reality? Is there such a thing in our world as redemption? No one is asking or should ask the Armenians to be politically naive. After all, at its core, this is a human rights issue. Our negative views (frequent comments such as “the Kurds killed Armenians so I don’t trust them” or “they are getting what happens when you trust the Turks”) are fueled by outdated reference points and core anger. We fought the Greeks for centuries in border clashes in pre-Ottoman periods, but love Greeks today. Is it because they are Christians, or because they suffered a common fate to the Turks? If it’s the latter, the Kurds seem to have paid their entry into that club.

This will be an increasingly important issue for our nation as more Turkish people embrace the truth of the genocide. The point is that if we lead with human compassion, it will not only serve our moral responsibility, but serve as a reasonable method of engaging people we have traditionally shunned. Whether we care to admit it or not, these are people that we increasingly have points of common interest.

Fortunately there are many visible signs of a more engaging nation. Our youth today are more connected to these realities and more emotionally free of the past. Our activist youth have openly engaged with the Kurdish community in many locations to lend empathy for the human rights tragedy we are all experiencing. The numbers are modest, but the intent is honorable. We would all be wise to open our minds and let the fresh air of human compassion guide us. Our church has a major role in teaching compassion as a core value. Perhaps, the horror of the Turkish assault on the Kurds in 2019 and the resulting psychological trauma to other victim communities are bringing us to a new place. We have a unique role to play. As part of our inheritance, we have a responsibility to remember and to never be silent when we witness human atrocities.

Author information

Stepan Piligian

Columnist

Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.

|

The post A Shocking Reminder Why We Must Never Be Silent appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Herher is a village in Vayots Dzor marz (“Valley of Woe” province), not far from the town of Vayk. From the main highway, a road to Herher passes between scenic cliffs. When the Soviet-era reservoir to the right was built, it inundated some Armenian villages. Along its shore, remnants of the submerged villages can be found. After passing a spring and some khachkars (stone crosses), a steep stone hill appears beyond a wide field to the right. Atop that conic stone elevation is the Chikivank or Soorp Gevorg Lusavorich shrine—a small church dated 1297.

Upon entering the center of Herher, my friend Vova and I stopped at the small store next to the 19th century Soorp Gevorg basilica. We had questions about the local monuments. The woman tending the store responded, “If we are going to talk, you need a cup of coffee,” and immediately prepared coffee for me. She then introduced us to a young man who accompanied us part way to Chikivank.

Chikivank, or Soorp Gevorg, can be approached within about 100 meters/yards by driving along a jeep track through some fields and orchards. Then it’s a brief, steep climb requiring cautious footing to the church. The church is small, able to accommodate perhaps five to six people at most. Moreover, the hilltop leaves little room for many people to congregate around the church. This interesting vank presents a superb view of the Herher river valley.

A couple of years ago, after receiving directions to Herher’s Soorp Sion vank (perhaps a hermitage), I hiked through orchards above the west bank of the Herher river, looking for the bridge to cross on the way to the vank. I spent over an hour looking for a “bridge” and never found it. This time, after enjoying a great deal of hospitality by a local family, we set off again with a small group of local villagers. We parked our car at nearly the same point where we parked during my previous visit. Then we hiked down to the river bank. There, across the river, invisible from above, was a crudely built 10 to 15 foot-long cement slab placed over a few pipes spanning the river. The cement slab was tilted towards the right. I could imagine that a bit of frost on this “bridge” could send someone slipping into the river. The villagers commented that they helped fund the construction of this “bridge” by a government agency a number of years ago, and this was the result! I shared their indignation. 

Beyond the footbridge is a short, but steep stone hill. The hilltop is a bit more spacious than the Chikivank hill, but not much more so. Atop the hill are three adjoining structures connected side by side, with the leftmost and most damaged structure believed to be a chapel, perhaps used for baptisms. To its right, south of the chapel, is the Soorp Sion church, a small church with its altar in an apse facing east. On the opposite, west wall, is another apse, mirroring the one over the altar, with a door exiting the church. The door, however, is walled in with stones. To the right, at the southern end of the three structures, is the Soorp Astvatsatsin church with two side by side altars on the east side. Entrance to the complex of two churches and chapel is via the rightmost Soorp Astvatsatsin church. On the small hilltop is a collection of beautiful khachkars, with a number of inscriptions on the church walls. The two churches present two different forms of symmetry: Soorp Sion church exhibits front-back symmetry with the apse at the altar on the east side, and an apse on the opposite, west wall; while Soorp Sion displays left-right symmetry with two altars facing east, with the left and right half of the church mirroring each other. Both structures are unusual, and perhaps unique.

The vank is attested as early as the eighth century. The Soorp Sion and Soorp Astvatsatsin churches are dated to the 11th and 13th centuries respectively. Our village guides expressed considerable concern for the preservation of these cultural monuments and advocated more research into the region’s history. In medieval times this area was under the tutelage of the Orbeli princely family.

Back in Herher a woman told us an incredible story: the existence of a church in the crater of a nearby extinct volcano. She claimed she drove there, into the crater and to the church! After a few sources confirmed the church’s existence we planned a subsequent visit to see this church.

To the north of Herher, over a bad but passable road, is the village of Karmrashen with a number of abandoned houses. From there, over an even worse road, we headed to the Vayotssar (also Vayots Sar) extinct volcano, about six to seven kilometers to the west, rising about 500 meters (1500 feet) above its surroundings to 2568 meters (about 7704 feet) above sea level. The volcano’s crater is 125 meters (375 feet) deep. Vayotssar appeared smooth and almost semi-spherical from Karmrashen. A jeep track ascending the volcano was extremely narrow and deeply rutted. Fortunately, our four-wheel drive Niva sits high off the ground and is narrow, but we still were concerned about our wheels slipping into the deep ruts. We made it to the rim of the caldera. Looking into the caldera there appeared jeep tracks leading to what seemed to be a pile of dark rocks on the caldera floor. Besides dried vegetation there also appeared to be black and grey material; probably volcanic ash. After a brief stop at the rim of the volcano we apprehensively headed into the caldera. Vova, who was driving, exclaimed, “If I did not do this, I’d always regret it!” What appeared to be a pile of rocks from above, even through the telescopic lens on my camera, was indeed a small chapel built of dark colored volcanic stone, partially ruined, but with a wood roof and an intact altar. There was room in the chapel for only three to four people. Next to the church was the foundation of another small building. A couple of other small rock piles perhaps signified the presence of additional structures. It is told that when villagers, during a drought, planted an iron cross in the volcano and poured salt over it, rain came. We did not linger long. It was getting dark, and rain was threatening. We did not want to drive out of there at night during a rainstorm. Photographs taken at dusk were not as good as I hoped for.

I’ve asked a few knowledgeable people about the history of the church, but no one seems to have much information. Those whom I’ve asked tell me that as far as they know, no research or archaeology has been done at this site. Regarding the name of the church, locals call it Vayotssar Yegeghetsi (the Vayots Mountain church). Historian Stepanos Orbelian (1250-1305) stated that in Vayots Dzor a volcano erupted in 735 AD, causing 40 days of darkness and a great deal of destruction. Near the town of Malishka is the destroyed village of Moz, said to have been destroyed by Vayotssar’s eruption. Vayotssar’s eruption, however, is disputed.

Author information

Hovsep Daghdigian

Joseph “Hovsep” Daghdigian is originally from Lowell, MA. His grandparents were from Kharpet in Western Armenia. He is active in the Merrimack Valley community and a former chairman of the AYF CE. Dagdigian is a retired electrical and software engineer with a MS in computer engineering. Dagdigian spends three to five months per year in Armenia and Artsakh exploring sites with his friend Vova Tshagharyan. His adventures are described in his “Unseen Armenia” series of articles. He, with Anahid Yeremian, co-founded the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD) in 2000 to support the scientists and students at the Cosmic Ray Division of the Yerevan Physics Institute (now the A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory). He lives in Harvard, MA with his wife Lisa.

|

The post Unseen Armenia: Herher and the Vayotssar Volcano Church appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Turkey’s invasion of the Kurdish controlled northeastern part of Syria began, ended and dominated the news of the last week. Demonstrations worldwide drew thousands to protest Turkey’s aggression. Unfortunately, the one held on October 13 in Los Angeles was attended by a measly 350 or so people. More may have come and gone before I arrived (delayed because of a hike, more on this below), but that was a pathetic turnout. Given the number of Armenians living in the LA basin, the opportunity this presented to expose the vile essence of the Turkish state and the ever-so-slowly growing solidarity between Armenians and Kurds despite the horrors of the Ottoman era, this was nothing but an embarrassment for our community.  Of those present, at least a quarter were Armenians, with the rest being Kurds and other supporters.

On the ground in Rojava, as the Kurds call the area under Turkish attack, things have taken an interesting turn. When the U.S. betrayal and abandonment of the Kurdish-led forces left the latter to face the second largest army in NATO alone, they had no choice but to quickly come to an agreement bringing in Syrian forces accompanied by some Russian military. One ridiculous explanation of Russia’s involvement presented the reason as its historical pattern of “bullying” the Turks. This was all I caught of a radio interview with Soner Çağaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. While he cloaks himself behind a veil of critical analysis, that veil is gauze-like in its transparency. I’ve encountered his writings in the Los Angeles Times, and they manage to make Turkey look “respectable” when it is clearly not. So it is encouraging to see members of Congress and senators not falling for this type of poppycock and at least mouthing anger at Turkey’s actions and threatening retaliation in the form of sanctions. Let’s see if they materialize. It will also be interesting to see if Turkey and its religious-fanatic Arab forces get pushed back to the border.

The past week did bring at least one surprise. Marie Yovanovitch seems to be developing a spine. You might recall she was one of the many U.S. ambassadors to the Republic of Armenia who, unlike John Evans, never dared use the word “genocide” in describing what the Young Turks implemented. She always toed the U.S. Department of State’s denialist line. But now, after being unceremoniously dumped as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine in May, she testified to Congress in the ongoing pre-impeachment hearings in defiance of the State Department’s orders. I suppose it’s better late than never…

UCLA hosted a conference titled “Diapora and Stateless Power” organized by the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) on its 45th anniversary during the weekend of October 12-13. I missed more than half of it because of mornings in the mountains and the demonstration mentioned above. Yet I still did better than most since only some 80+ people were in the room when I counted. That’s a real shame because if the portions I caught are any indication, the conference was one not to be missed, especially by those in our community’s leadership who confront many organizational quandaries whose solution might rise from some of the analysis presented there. However, some of the fault for this lies with the organizers. A number of people I mentioned the event to had not heard of it.

The conference was in honor of Khachig Tololyan for effectively creating the field of Diaspora Studies. His lecture was damn-near riveting, providing much food for thought about how to perceive and act in our Diaspora, presented through the prism of the experience of other diasporas. Most of the other presenters were also quite interesting. Hagop Gullujian’s presentation was, as usual, thought-provoking and discussion-inducing in the concern it raised about our collective purpose becoming oppressive and preventive of creativity. Christopher Sheklian’s initial look into the dynamics of established Armenian communities receiving new arrivals and Daniel Fittante’s investigation of “ethno-political entrepreneurs” created a weird state of mind where activities I had personally been a part of were now on stage as objects of study and analysis. Nareg Seferian’s analysis of “governmentality” before the creation of the modern Diaspora viewed the topic through the prism of the first Ottoman-Armenian constitution, leading me to recognize that I really ought to read that document to better understand how we got where we are today. The other topics I had the pleasure to hear were also interesting, though more theoretical and not easily reported in half a sentence.

Another small bit of good news was the addition of one more person to Homenetmen Sipan Outdoors Club’s gallery of hikers. This may seem trivial, but consider that typically, the hikes and rides draw a handful to a dozen participants. So each new person is a treasure in the wilds as we expand our community’s organized activities into the healthful world of physical activities outdoors. The particular route we hiked had changed extensively as a result of the September 2017 fire that burned close to half of the Verdugo Mountains at whose feet well over 100,000 Armenians dwell. The damage to the trails and fire roads caused the delay in my arrival at the Turkish consulate demonstration. 

Talin Suciyan (Soojian) who was in the Los Angeles area to speak at the SAS conference also had a presentation at the Abril Bookstore on Tuesday. It was fascinating. While researching pre-Genocide Armenian life through the portion of the Bolis Patriarchate’s archives found in the Noubarian Library of Paris, she stumbled upon a letter from Akshehir (home of Nasreddin Khoja/Molla Nasreddin) describing a case of abortion, adultery and incest. A woman had become pregnant by her uncle and was taken to a non-Armenian, Muslim, woman to abort the child. When she presented her case to the local Armenian authorities (remember, as a millet [community, nation] in the Ottoman system, such matters were handled by the relevant church), they tried to get her to recant. She refused. The letter described their situation to the Patriarch and asked for guidance. The complicating factor in all this was that the Muslim community was known to attack or even kill those who committed adultery along with their families. Thus, applying the church-ordained punishment of 20-years of penance would have endangered lives. What made this document even more interesting was that it was written in Armeno-Turkish (Armenian letters spelling out Turkish words). Soojian had the participants reading it as she translated and discussed the significance of what it contained.

It seems that the fullness of Armenian activities typical of the post-summer-lull is going to continue. Some of the ones I’m aware of and plan to attend are Sona Armenian’s October 30 presentation about her climb of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas. She is the oldest woman to reach its summit. Two Armenian themed movies are coming up: “Yeva” on November 1 in Glendale and “Hidden Map” premiering at the Arpa Film Festival. The genealogy conferences that have taken place on the east coast have finally come west and are scheduled for November 15-16 in Pico Rivera and Fresno. Of course there are the hikes and other outings put on by three different groups and the ongoing stream of interesting programming that Abril bookstore provides the community.

Author information

Garen Yegparian

Asbarez Columnist

Garen Yegparian is a fat, bald guy who has too much to say and do for his own good. So, you know he loves mouthing off weekly about anything he damn well pleases to write about that he can remotely tie in to things Armenian. He's got a checkered past: principal of an Armenian school, project manager on a housing development, ANC-WR Executive Director, AYF Field worker (again on the left coast), Operations Director for a telecom startup, and a City of LA employee most recently (in three different departments so far). Plus, he's got delusions of breaking into electoral politics, meanwhile participating in other aspects of it and making sure to stay in trouble. His is a weekly column that appears originally in Asbarez, but has been republished to the Armenian Weekly for many years.

|

The post What a Week! appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

BELMONT, Mass.—On Friday, November 1, 2019, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) will host the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of its spectacular, new, state-of-the-art global headquarters, named after Vartan Gregorian, President of the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York. The new building’s official name will be the NAASR Vartan Gregorian Building, fulfilling the request of the building’s principal benefactors, Edward and Pamela Avedisian of Lexington, MA.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony from 4 to 7 pm, at 395 Concord Avenue, Belmont, MA. This historic event is the result of a national campaign to build a prosperous future for Armenian Studies and will celebrate NAASR’s 65 years of achievement and mark a new era as NAASR looks toward the future and welcomes the next generation.

Featured at the Grand Opening will be the unveiling of a site-specific sculpture that was donated by world-renowned Armenian-American artist, Michael Aram. His sculpture is an interpretation of a traditional Armenian symbol of eternity, or “Arevakhatch.”

Gregorian will be present along with the Avedisians and David Ignatius, Washington Post columnist and novelist, who will be the master of ceremonies for the NAASR Gala the following evening on November 2, which is already sold out.

Also featured at the Grand Opening will be Ara Krafian, CEO of Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates of Cambridge, the architectural, design and engineering firm for the project; as well as Janet Ceddia, President of Altair Construction of Newton, the general contractor.

“We invite everyone to attend our Grand Opening,” said NAASR Chairman of the Board Yervant Chekijian, who will serve as master of ceremonies at the opening, which will also include a blessing of the building from local clergy. Many other local and national people of note will be in attendance; Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has been invited to speak.

“We are sincerely grateful to all of the extremely generous and talented people who made our vision a reality. This building is NAASR’s gift to future generations,” said Chekijian.

The ribbon cutting will be followed by tours of the building through many of its public spaces, as well as NAASR’s rare book Mardigian Library, one of the top five Armenian libraries open to the public in the diaspora, with some holdings dating to the 1600s, and rare periodicals dating to the 1800s, as well as the unique personal archives of prominent scholars, early Armenian-Americans, and religious leaders.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has given full support with a capital grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund and MassDevelopment of $225,000 awarded in 2017, for installation of an elevator, other accessibility features, and fire suppression.

Founded in 1955, NAASR is a world leader advancing Armenian Studies, connecting scholars of Armenian Studies with the public, and building community worldwide. To date, NAASR has financial commitments for $6.2 million of the $7 million project. To learn more about NAASR, contact Sarah Ignatius, Executive Director, at hq@naasr.org or call 617-489-1610.

Author information

NAASR

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research was launched in March 1955 with a vision to promote Armenian Studies by establishing endowed chairs at some of the foremost universities in the United States.

|

The post NAASR to Host Grand Opening of New World Headquarters appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

BOSTON, Mass—Do You Know My Name?” is the first of a series of video montages presented by the Daring Armenian Women (DAW) Project, showcasing Armenian women from all over the world, who are often overlooked, honoring their courage, intelligence, talent and resilience. The first montage, produced in cooperation with Yerevan-based Bars Media Studio, is a tribute to women from history. The DAW project takes a modest step towards bringing them into the present, giving them voice, place and agency. On October 25 the montage will be launched on the Daring Armenian Women social media sites, along with a panel discussion at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia.

The opening frame lingers on an image of the Mayr Hayastan (Mother Armenia) statue asking the question, “Do you know my name?” and then segues to photos of 27 daring Armenian women, whose legacies impacted the social, political, economic and cultural life of our collective history all over the world. As part of the DAW curation team, Melissa Bilal, Lerna Ekmekcioglu, Audrey Kalajian (creator), Susan Pattie and Judith Saryan have researched and identified women’s contributions in fields as diverse as sacred music, boxing and medicine. This collaborative project is a first step towards expanding our understanding of Armenian women’s place in the history of arts, music, literature, science, sports, politics and other fields of life, and generating awareness about the importance of preserving women’s history, especially for the future generations.

These women and many others to date, are a reminder that gender justice remains a significant challenge, one that is hindering collective well-being. Today, women are not only finding their voices, but their voices are also being heard. Women have been featured on the frontlines and in global news articles about Armenia’s recent Velvet Revolution. While the project is universal with subtitles in English, the next phase includes a translation into Eastern Armenian.

DAW’s social media presence creates a space to learn more about these and other Armenian women and to generate contemporary discussions within the Armenian communities around the world inviting them to nominate other DAW women for future themed montages.

The launch event on October 25 will take place at the American University of Armenia (AUA), with the video screening and panel discussion spearheaded by Dr. Melissa Bilal, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences. The title is “Daring Armenian Women: Anonymous No More.” The panelists include: Anna Nikoghosyan, Arpine Haroyan, Gayane Aghabalyan, Elmira Ayvazyan and Sona Margaryan. “The aim of this project is to challenge and disrupt the traditional anonymity of Armenian women in public space and to make their names and lives known in the present,” said Dr. Bilal.

DAW’s social media audience is welcome to nominate past or present women and suggest themes on the DAW Facebook page.

For additional information about the women featured in the montage, visit or follow Daring Armenian Women on Facebook, Instagram @DaringArmenianWomen and Twitter @DaringArmWomen.

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post Daring Armenian Women Launch “Do You Know My Name?” appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

My name is Anahit Ghazaryan, and I am a researcher from Armenia. I am currently in Istanbul trying to find people who have met Maryam Shahinyan or had their photo taken at her studio—Foto Galatasaray—in Istanbul from 1935 to 1985.

These photos are easily recognizable, as they have the Foto Galatasaray stamp on the back. Also, if you have any stories or personal accounts about her, please reach out to me: anahit.ghazaryan89@gmail.com․ Please share this call with anyone has migrated from Istanbul as well.

Maryam Shahinyan is the first professional female photographer of the Republic of Turkey. My aim is to create an archive of photos and memories, as well as eventually publish a book based on those accounts. 

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post Istanbul, Foto Galatasaray: Tell Me Your Story appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Anytime Pres. Trump talks to another head of state on the phone, we can expect a disastrous outcome. Trump does not realize the consequences of his decisions on the United States and the world. He does not ask for proper briefing from his top aides and does not follow their advice.

Pres. Trump’s telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 6 was no exception. While the White House reluctantly released the summary of Pres. Trump’s scandalous phone call with the President of Ukraine followed by the whistleblower’s report, Trump’s conversation with Erdogan is not yet made public, and no one knows what exactly transpired during that phone call. All we know is that Erdogan asked Trump to remove U.S. troops from Northern Syria, allowing Turkey to invade Syria, to expel hundreds of thousands of Kurdish civilians from the 20-mile area inside the Syrian border and kill hundreds of Kurds, the US allies on the ground in the fight against ISIS terrorists. The Turkish troops are committing war crimes, and Pres. Trump has allowed them to do so!

The whole world immediately realized this was a grave mistake by Trump. Even Republican members of Congress, who had been blindly supporting him and ignoring his many illegalities and immoralities, have loudly criticized their ‘darling’ President. The US Congress discussed adopting sanctions against Turkey which pressured Trump to do the same.

On October 9, three days after Erdogan’s phone call with Trump, Turkish forces invaded Syria. On that same day, Trump sent Erdogan a childish letter, threatening to “destroy the Turkish economy—and I will.” Trump also warned Erdogan that history “will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen.” Trump ended his letter by telling Erdogan “don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool! I will call you later.” This was a uniquely stupid presidential letter in the annals of diplomatic correspondence. Pres. Erdogan’s office stated that he promptly dumped Trump’s letter in the garbage can…where it belonged!

In the meantime, in response to strong criticism by almost everyone in the world—except for Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia—Pres. Trump started spewing his usual nonsense. First, he called the Kurds US allies. He then changed his mind and called them “Communists,” “terrorists” and “no angels.” Trump went so far as blaming the Kurds for not supporting the US army in Normandy, France, during the Second World War, forgetting that the Kurds possessed neither a country nor an army! According to the Washington Post, Pres. Trump has made 13,435 false and misleading claims in his first 1,000 days in office. That’s on average 13 lies per day—an unprecedented record for anyone, let alone the President of the United States!

After undermining the Kurds in his pronouncements, Pres. Trump dispatched his Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Ankara, supposedly to restrain Erdogan’s brutal treatment of Kurds in Northern Syria.

After several hours of negotiations, the two sides made contradictory announcements about what they had agreed upon. The American side called the agreement a “ceasefire,” while the Turkish side called it a “pause” for five days. Nevertheless, Trump quickly claimed to have scored a major victory, as he does on all occasions, usually without any merit. If anything, it was a victory for the Turks who gained everything they wanted from the United States—the green light to proceed with their invasion of Northern Syria, mass deportations and brutal killings of Kurds. What’s worse is the escape of hundreds of ISIS terrorists from their detention camps during the Turkish attack. The ceasefire or the pause did not even last 24 hours! The Turkish forces and their jihadist partners violated it on day one. Only a fool would trust Erdogan’s promises or agreements. Amazingly, Trump agreed to remove the US sanctions against Turkey before they were even implemented.

The removal of the US sanctions was confirmed in a lengthy letter signed by the Turkish and US delegates at the UN, titled “Joint Turkish – US Statement on Northeast Syria” which was submitted to the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General on October 17.

In this letter, the US shamelessly capitulated to all of Turkey’s demands:

—“…The US understands Turkey’s legitimate security concerns on Turkey’s southern border.”

—“The Turkish side expressed its commitment to ensure safety and well-being of residents of all population centers in the safe zone controlled by the Turkish Forces and reiterated that maximum care will be exercised in order not to cause harm to civilians and civilian infrastructures.”

—“The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the recollection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions.”

—“The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal.”

—“Once Operation Peace Spring is paused, the US agrees not to pursue further imposition of sanctions under the Executive Order of October 14, 2019, ‘Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria,’ and will work and consult with Congress, as appropriate, to underline the progress being undertaken to achieve peace and security in Syria, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. Once Operation Peace Spring is halted as per paragraph 11 the current sanctions under the aforementioned Executive Order shall be lifted.”

Interestingly, the text of the US – Turkish agreement never once mentions the Kurds by name, whereas the whole Turkish invasion is being carried out for the purpose of eliminating Kurds from Northern Syria.

The United States forces were stationed in Syria in violation of international law, and contrary to the wishes of the Syrian government. The same applies to the Turkish forces. The departure of the US forces is not wrong. Their arrival was wrong. And Trump’s claim that he wants the US forces out of the Middle East is an outrageous lie, since the same day that he decided to withdraw the American troops from Syria, it was announced that most of these soldiers would be relocated to Iraq and he will send 3,000 fresh US troops to Saudi Arabia. This is yet another one of Trump’s lies which needs to be added to his over 13,000 other lies!

Author information

Harut Sassounian

California Courier Editor

Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the United Armenian Fund, a coalition of the seven largest Armenian-American organizations. He has been decorated by the president and prime minister of the Republic of Armenia, and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

|

The post Trump Surrenders to Erdogan’s Demands: The Tail Wags the Dog appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) is preparing to celebrate its 35th anniversary on November 16, 2019, with a benefit evening themed “Shaping Our Future, Preserving Our Culture,” to be held at The Westin Waltham, under the Auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy. On this occasion, SSAES aims to rally the support of the Armenian community of the Greater Boston area and beyond to mark this milestone in its history.

Principal Houry Boyamian, who has been leading the school for the past 31 years, announced that the evening’s proceeds will benefit the school’s financial aid program, with the goal of offering the opportunities of a rigorous American education coupled with a strong Armenian foundation to as many students as possible now and in the future.

“We are expecting a diverse constituency to come together in support, as we highlight the school’s unique role in building identity and community among Greater Boston’s Armenians,” said event chair Nicole Babikian Hajjar, whose three children are graduates of St. Stephen’s.

The evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies, Lisa Gulesserian, is a preceptor on Armenian language and culture at Harvard University and an ardent promoter of the Armenian language. Professor Diran Apelian, member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors and co-founder of the Armenia Project Center in Yerevan will be delivering the keynote address. Singer and songwriter Artur Hakobyan (famously known as Mister X) will provide the evening’s entertainment.

The 20-member strong planning team is hard at work putting the final touches to the program and ensuring the success of this milestone celebration. Tickets may be purchased on-line at www.mkt/ssaes. For questions and inquiries: 35@ssaes.org or call 617.926.6979. 

Author information

St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary School

Founded in 1984, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School is a private pre-kindergarten through grade five school dedicated to educational excellence in an environment rich in Armenian culture. St. Stephen’s is fully accredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), which has commended the school for “creating an environment where all the students love to read and appear committed to academic excellence."

|

The post St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School to Celebrate 35 Years appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

WASHINGTON, DC – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY), Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and other leading legislators are reporting publicly that the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296) is set to come before the U.S. House for a vote as early as next week, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“I’m sure the government of Turkey is not happy with [these plans], but then again we’re not happy with the government of Turkey,” Chairman Engel told reporters, according to an NPR report earlier today.

“We welcome movement on Capitol Hill to override Ankara’s veto and put America on the right side of the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “It’s clear that Erdogan won’t take U.S. sanctions seriously as long as Washington’s still enforcing his Armenian Genocide gag-rule.”

During a Commission of Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE – Helsinki Commission) hearing on Armenia reforms today, Rep. Pallone (D-NJ) referenced that a House vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution may come as early as next week.

Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), lead authors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296), ramped up efforts again last week to secure passage of the measure, arguing that Congressional silence of that crime undermines U.S. moral authority in confronting Turkey’s atrocities today.

In an October 18th “Dear Colleague” letter distributed throughout the U.S. House, Representatives Schiff and Bilirakis argued, “As we confront atrocities that are being committed in the present day, it weakens our standing and our moral clarity that the Congress has for too long been silent in declaring the events of 1915 as a genocide. As Turkish bombs fall on Kurdish cities, extremist groups backed by Turkey commit war crimes, and hundreds of thousands of civilians flee for their lives, it is surely not lost on Turkish leaders that for decades their campaign of lobbying and bullying has silenced the Congress from the simple act of speaking the truth about the events of 1915.”

Representatives Schiff and Bilirakis then called on their congressional colleagues to, “to join us to make clear that the United States will never be complicit in genocide denial, and that we will call out the atrocities of today and those of a century ago. As we confront continuing mass atrocities around the world, and as we work feverishly to restore calm and end the fighting in Northern Syria, Congress’ silence about the Armenian Genocide of a century ago undermines our moral standing. It must end.”

In a very personal and powerful “Dear Colleague” sent to U.S. House members earlier today, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), the only Assyrian-Armenian member of Congress, stated “Between 1915 and 1923, 1.5 million Armenians and hundreds of thousands of Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites and other Christians were brutally and systematically slaughtered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Members of my own family were among those murdered. My mother escaped with my grandmother from Armenia, and my father, an Assyrian Christian, was driven from the Middle East. Both carried the terror of the atrocities of the Ottoman Turks for a lifetime.”

The Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296), introduced in April, 2019, is a bi-partisan measure which locks in permanent U.S. recognition and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, ends U.S. complicity in Turkey’s denial, and promotes public education regarding the crime as a genocide prevention tool.  Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) have spearheaded the Senate version of the resolution (S.Res.150). Over 110 U.S. Representatives and more than 18 Senators are cosponsors of the measures.

Background:

The Armenian Genocide was the centrally planned and systematically executed slaughter of the Armenian people, carried out by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915-1923. The Greek and Assyrian / Chaldean / Syriac communities suffered the same fate, with over 2.5 million Christians killed in that time period. April 24th is the international day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

The United States embarked on an unprecedented international humanitarian campaign, mandated by Congress in 1916 through the establishment of Near East Relief, saving over 130,000 orphans and some 1 million survivors of the Armenian Genocide by providing assistance valued at over $2.5 billion in current dollars.

The U.S. first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1951 through a filing which was included in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Report titled: “Reservations to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” The specific reference to the Armenian Genocide appears on page 25 of the ICJ Report: “The Genocide Convention resulted from the inhuman and barbarous practices which prevailed in certain countries prior to and during World War II, when entire religious, racial and national minority groups were threatened with and subjected to deliberate extermination. The practice of genocide has occurred throughout human history. The Roman persecution of the Christians, the Turkish massacres of Armenians, the extermination of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of the crime of genocide.”

President Ronald Reagan reaffirmed the Armenian Genocide in 1981. The U.S. House of Representatives adopted legislation on the Armenian Genocide in 1975, 1984 and 1996. Forty-nine U.S. states have recognized the Armenian Genocide through resolution or proclamation.

Author information

ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. To learn more, visit www.anca.org.

|

The post Chairman Engel Signals Upcoming House Vote on Armenian Genocide Resolution appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Hundreds celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of famed “All-Armenian Poet” Hovhannes Toumanyan on Tuesday night. 

“Every time a child opens a book written by Toumanyan, he comes back to life and accompanies him or her through their journey of life,” said Hamazkayin Boston Chapter Vice Chair Verginie Touloumian during her opening remarks at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC). 

Like many that night, Touloumian recalled childhood memories learning about Toumanyan, including his famous poem “Shoun ou Gadou” (“The Dog and the Cat”). But she said Toumanyan is unique in that he is one of the few writers whose works evolved with his reader. “We read about the tragedies, so he moves on through life with us and is always accompanying us,” said Touloumian. 

Sponsored by the Hamazkayin Boston Chapter, the event—”Celebrating a Legend”—showcased the renowned writer’s unique ability to inspire generations young and old. The program began with a short film titled “Our Literary Crossroads,” a depiction of the struggles and successes in creating and maintaining an active Armenian literary life post-genocide. Then, Meghedi Youth Choir, led by Dr. Marina Margarian Kavlakian, astonished the crowd with their melodic musical performance to written works by Toumanyan. “Meghedi” Youth Choir member Izabell Tenekedzhyan said her favorite part of performing was understanding more about Toumanyan’s music. “The primary goal of Meghedi Youth Choir is to keep the highest standard for our Armenian music,” said Dr. Kavlakian.

Tenekedzhyan told the Weekly she also learned about Toumanyan at school under the instruction of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) teacher Ardemis Megerdichian. “We must instill a passion for our culture in our youth so that our culture and literature lives within them,” said SSAES Armenian teacher Ardemis Megerdichian, whose fifth grade students captivated audience members with their recitations of Toumanyan’s works on Tuesday night. “The most important place for a child to learn about culture and literature is at school. Therefore, Armenian education plays a critical role in giving them that love of our culture and literature” added Megerdichian. Longtime Hamazkayin member Raffi Zargarian also offered electrifying recitations from a selection of Toumanyan’s records.  

This year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) honored the writer, poet and translator in its calendar of anniversaries of eminent personalities. “Honoring the lives and unforgettable work of these prominent figures is the very first step in preserving our history, language, and ultimately our culture in its entirety,” said Hamazkayin Eastern US Regional Executive member Varant Chiloyan. “It’s easy to forget the hopeful songs, deep poems and beautiful art that have shaped the Armenian people. It’s up to each new generation to continue organizing and attending events like this to keep alive the fire that our ancestors sparked inside us all.”

Author information

Kristina Ayanian

Kristina Ayanian is a recent graduate of Bentley University with a double major in finance and global studies and a minor in corporate communications. She was a reporter for ABC's Teen Kids News, whose episode interviewing Prince Edward of England was nominated for the 2014 Emmy's. She enjoys performing and has been invited to sing and play piano at Carnegie Hall.

|

The post Hamazkayin Boston Celebrates Hovhannes Toumanyan appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

It has been more than 13 months now since I first set foot on Armenia, hopeful and eager to learn. When I did, I certainly did not expect I would be persuaded to make their fights my own.

I was born and raised in the northeast of Mexico, far from the Caucasus and the Armenian Highlands. The literature, politics and history that I found on the bookshelves of my father’s library captivated me since I was a kid. Nevertheless, where I lived little to no information about Armenia ever makes it to the people. I had heard about the country a couple of times, but my knowledge was minimal. My curiosity peaked when I was told I would come to study here for two years. In preparation for my arrival, I started researching about the nation that would soon host me. I was fortunate enough to make acquaintance with an Armenian from the Diaspora with whom I could discuss these matters. We met in Dilijan in August 2018. That’s when I could physically explore Armenia, but I was still thinking about its ancient history.

I came to admire monasteries, mountains, rivers and waterfalls, museums and ruins of ancient temples. Living here, surrounded by a perennial civilization that has survived millennia of wars and occupations, influenced by the whole world and yet keeping a unique identity, I could not help but grow fond of the land. Even so, its culture was not what made me decide to dedicate my time and efforts to sharing the Armenian cause. That was the people who had worked to bring me here; that was my friends with whom I spent hours of quality time; that was my teachers, my roommate, the rebels of the Velvet Revolution, who inspired me to believe in a peaceful way of bringing about change; that was the warm, welcoming Armenians. So when I reached in my investigations the time of the Armenian Genocide and visited Tsitsernakaberd on a biting winter afternoon, I was disappointed to find out my country was absent from a list of those that recognize the Armenian Genocide as a historical truth. So I had to make adding Mexico to that group my crusade.

I needed to start with a plan. My first step was contacting Mexican Armenians. I had to find out who had already tried and failed, and the reasons why. As in almost every other country in the world, Mexico counts with a population of Diaspora Armenians, and not few of its members have distinguished themselves as outstanding citizens in cultural, political or scientific aspects. I introduced myself and my intention to them. They were museum directors, distinguished researchers, heads of universities, ambassadors, professors, writers and more. I learned from a variety of perspectives the reasons why Armenians had not accomplished their goal in Mexico. They all had a lot to do with the international active denial of the events occurred in eastern Anatolia between 1915 and 1922.

And the truth is, among the republics in whose interest it is to forget the genocide, one of them had campaigned in Latin America to promote another side of the story. By milking the ignorance of Mexican congressmen regarding Caucasian history, Mexico received a significant investment by the Azeri government, in exchange of recognizing the Khojaly massacre during the Nagorno-Karabakh War as a genocide, and overlooking the killings of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. As it usually happens, economic interests rule over historical justice in developing countries.

Knowing this, I asked for a meeting with the Ambassador of Armenia to Mexico, Ara Aivazian. At the time of the negotiations between Mexico and Azerbaijan, the Armenian Embassy had not yet been opened. He recounted his version of the events, and we discussed the current objectives of his office in Mexico. When I questioned him about what could be done to put the topic back on the table, he said he had tried to do so in the past. The problem is, it is utterly impossible to explain the importance of recognizing an event that occurred 104 years ago to a congress that does not even know where Armenia is located on a map. Therefore, the most important thing that we could do now is to raise the popularity of the country by promoting its culture and make it stand out on the world stage. This includes strengthening relations between the two nations and participating in cultural events until families start talking about it at the dinner table. He ceremoniously named us his honorary collaborators in the fight to publicize Armenia in Mexico, and here we are.

After reflecting on the ways in which we could make the Armenian cause relevant and all the other injustices that are committed around the world on a daily basis without anyone ever knowing about it, we decided to take action. Simone Genetin (UWCD’19), his brother Loris and I came up with an idea: a news website focused not on the facts or statistics that we usually hear on a common report on television, but rather a humane approach in which the story is written by those who lived it. It came to be called Stehind: Stories Behind the News. There, we give equal importance to every region of the world, not only sharing the news that the international media purposefully chooses to omit, including of course, content about Armenia. Thousands of readers from around the world learn about the genocide, the diaspora and the denial of their past. On this platform, we raise awareness and we actively fight for the cause.

And so today, it has been more than 13 months since I first set foot on Armenia, hopeful and eager to learn. I did not expect, however, to take home a cause that just some years ago seemed so distant to me. It seems like a colossal job to do, but after living here as one of the millions of Armenians who wish to make peace with their past, it would feel wrong not to push for it. This year, Portugal was added to the list of countries that recognize the genocide of the Armenians, meaning that the movement is still alive. It does not matter if we have to wait some more years, for in the end, we have already done so for 104. It is an ideal worth fighting for.

Author information

Aldo Salazar

Born and raised in the north of Mexico, Aldo has always had a passion for words and stories. His topics are centered on corruption, social inequality and ignorance. He's currently living in Armenia and studying at UWC Dilijan. He speaks fluent Spanish, English and French. He also plays professional football with Dilijan FC in the Armenian First League. In summer of 2019, Aldo became the co-founder of Stehind.com.

|

The post Imported Obligations from Armenia appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

The 21: A Journey into the Land of Coptic Martyrs
By Martin Mosebach, Translated by Alta L. Price
Plough Publishing House, 2019
272 pp.
$15.00 hardcover

On February 15, 2015, militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) beheaded 21 migrant workers on a Libyan beach. The scene of defenseless men in orange jumpsuits paraded to the sea became an instant symbol of many things: the cartoon-villain brutality of ISIS, the pointless destruction of Libya’s civil war and the ongoing persecution of Christians outside the West.

For how far the images of the 21 have spread, very little is publicly known about their lives. In The 21: A Journey into the Land of Coptic Martyrs, German journalist Martin Mosebach sets out to change that. In doing so, he brings to light a Christian community often forgotten by the rest of Christendom, the Copts of Egypt.

The 21 is a hagiography in the most literal sense—the 21 martyred migrants have since been named saints by the Coptic Orthodox Church. (Twenty of them were born Copts, and the last apparently converted to Coptic Orthodoxy a short time before his death.) In fact, the massacre of the 21 may be the first-ever televised martyrdom of any saint. In light of the significance of the event, Mosebach could not just write a conventional journalistic retelling of the events of February 2015. His book is a work of journalism, history, philosophy and theology, all rolled into one. 

Mosebach’s reporting takes the reader through a kaleidoscope of scenes in Egypt and beyond. The vast majority takes place in el-Aour, the heavily Coptic hometown of the majority of the martyrs—a rural landscape of adobe houses that double as stables, concrete-domed churches and photoshopped icons of the town’s newly-canonized sons. Mosebach also weaves in scenes from the beautiful cathedrals of Samalut, the ugly migrant barracks of Libya, the majestic oasis monasteries of El Mohareb and the “garbage city” of the Coptic zabbaleen atop Mount Mokattam overlooking Cairo. As he concludes with the posh, sterile shopping malls of New Cairo, it’s clear Mosebach has had the modernizing Germany of his upbringing in the back of his mind the whole time. 

The author wears his affiliation as a traditionalist Catholic on his sleeve. Mosebach pines for the days when Catholics took their liturgy and miracles as seriously as Oriental Orthodoxy does today. For the Copts he meets, the memories of Roman-era saints are as fresh and present as the memory of February 2015.

Mosebach’s assertion that “early Christianity is alive and well in their midst” seems to veer towards Orientalism. But the point he is making—and only a traditionalist Catholic could make it so well—is that Christian martyr culture predates the division of the world into “the East” and “the West.” Westerners could find it in their own tradition, if they bothered to look. Martyrdom is an organic part of the overlapping Egyptian and Christian worlds, just like the Copts themselves. 

The military dictatorship in Egypt looms constantly, like the government soldiers and Islamist guerrillas who circle the cloisters of El Mohareb. The author hints at many Copts’ (and perhaps his own) attitude towards the Sisi regime and Muslim Brotherhood throughout the book, before finally revealing it in the voice of an anonymous Coptic hotelier. Even then, he is not just summarizing modern Egyptian politics, but telling the timeless story of any community trying to survive as a minority in an authoritarian system. 

Looking from the perspective of an often-forgotten minority, The 21 avoids the clichés that journalism around ISIS often falls into. Neither Mosebach nor his sources are very interested in the topics du jour of Middle Eastern politics. Coming from a community that has never had a state and that had been under threat since the beginning of its existence, the co-religionists of the 21 martyrs can only afford to look at the bigger picture. Their discussions with Mosebach cut straight to the faith, resilience and memory that make us human.

Author information

Matthew Petti

Matthew Petti is a national security reporter at the National Interest and a former Foreign Language Area Studies fellow at Columbia University. His work has appeared in Reason and America Magazine.

|

The post Book Review: The 21 appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

DILIJAN—United World College (UWC) Dilijan, an international college in Armenia, is celebrating its 5th anniversary. With the support of more than 500 donors, in five short years the college has made a journey from being a colossal construction site to becoming an integral part of the city, a member of the UWC movement, an important player in the region and an active participant in the development of Armenia. UWC Dilijan today is a community of 229 students and 388 alumni from 105 countries, 80 staff members and 36 teachers from 15 countries—a community, whose presence is having a significant impact in the region and all over Armenia.

In 2014, a group of people with a common vision established UWC Dilijan, an international boarding school located on the ancient Silk Route and at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Russia. It became the 14th UWC among the 18 schools and colleges now established in the global education movement. The founders’ aim was to bring the transformational power of education to young people from diverse geographies, cultures and backgrounds. They envisaged creating a school that combines the best practices of today’s education and embodies the future of education.

Support for UWC Dilijan: 

• 500+ donors and supporters
• $26 million contributed for scholarships 
• $180 million contributed in total for capital costs and operations
• 20 individuals and organizations provided in-kind support
• School’s operational budget of about $8 million is met by $3 million in fees and $5 million in philanthropic support

The founders, together with an international group of people who believe in the power of education, financed the school construction and the start-up costs of up to $180 million USD, making the investments that would result in a high-engagement and long-term approach to creating social impact.

UWC Dilijan today:

• 229 students from more than 80 countries
• 31 percent of students on full scholarships
• 55 percent of students on partial scholarships
• 388 alumni from 105 countries
• 36 teachers from 15 countries, with 3 from Armenia
• 80 staff, 45 of them from Armenia

UWC Dilijan reinforces the best of Armenia – its hospitable people welcoming a diverse international community enhancing both the school’s and the country’s values. With the opening of UWC Dilijan in 2014, the development of the town received new impetus in the form of creative, talented, altruistic and idealistic students from all over the world who find in Armenia their second home, fall in love with Dilijan and want to give back and contribute to its development. Every year UWC Dilijan expands its cultural and educational activities within the Dilijan community and increases the number of events held in college. The number of residents of Dilijan and the region who have come to college on different events from 2014 to 2019 has reached 10,000.

UWC Dilijan in the local community:

• 37 community projects
• 9,000 community hours 
• 3,000 local children attend activities in UWC Dilijan
• 280 permanent jobs created in UWC Dilijan
• 1,700 temporary jobs created in UWC Dilijan
• Over 80 public events and festivals in Dilijan

Like all UWC schools, UWC Dilijan adheres to a principle that everyone deserves a chance. Students are accepted based on their abilities and not their parents’ financial situation.  Almost all students are on some form of scholarship, enabling true cultural, geographic and socio-economic diversity. National, cultural and religious diversity within UWC Dilijan’s student body is achieved with the help of the selection conducted by UWC national committees located in 155 countries.

“I have worked in an international environment before UWC Dilijan. But this one is more genuinely international,” says Suzanne Gaskell, Head of Faculty of English and Learning Support Coordinator, UK. “There is more equality of experience, and it is not the case where people have to adapt to one dominant culture. People can bring their culture and it goes beyond the word tolerance because tolerance means being satisfied and not having objections to other people. But if you are talking about the celebration of difference, you are concentrating much more on learning, opening your own mind, developing yourself as a person by experiencing different points of view and that is a very important part of the daily work that we do together as groups in our classrooms.”

Academic Achievements:

• Accredited by IB
• 47 courses and subjects taught
• Above world average in 41 out of 47 courses
• 90 percent students pass the IB exam (worldwide average pass rate – 79 percent)
• Average Diploma score – 34 (worldwide average – 29)
• University enrolment for graduating classes – 96 percent

“We are working with our Board on a new Strategic Plan that will guide us,” says Gabriel Ernesto Abad Fernández, Head of College. “Meanwhile, we have become the first member of the Council of International Schools in Armenia and are preparing to undergo their accreditation. We are working with the other UWC schools and colleges developing a new curriculum that we believe will fit better the needs of our future students. We are expanding our student support services and reviewing our sustainability as a community.”

About UWC Dilijan

UWC Dilijan is the first international boarding school of the UWC education model in the region. The college opened in 2014 in the Armenian town of Dilijan and currently has 229 students enrolled from more than 80 countries and 36 academic staff members from 15 countries.

UWC Dilijan represents an exciting extension of the UWC movement into the Caucasus region at the junction of Asia and Europe. Established in 1962, the UWC educational movement now comprises 18 international schools and colleges, national committees in more than 155 countries, and a series of short educational programmes.

UWC Dilijan was initiated and masterminded by impact investors and entrepreneurs Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend with the support of other Founding Patrons. The college was built with generous donations from over 330 benefactors. Its admissions policy aims to make enrolment available to anyone, regardless of socio-economic background, on the basis of demonstrated need. Ninety-six per cent of students receive full or partial scholarships, and 82 percent is an average scholarship.

The UWC Dilijan academic programme – The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) – is an assessed programme for students aged 16 to 19.

UWC Dilijan has four generations of alumni from 2016 to 2019; many of them continue their education at leading universities worldwide – Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, UCL, Duke, Berkeley, McGill, University of Edinburgh, Minerva School at KGI and more.

About UWC 

UWC (United World Colleges) is a global movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. It was founded in 1962 and comprises a network of 18 international schools and colleges on four continents, short courses and a system of volunteer-run national committees in more than 155 countries. 

UWC offers a challenging educational experience to a deliberately diverse group of students and places a high value on experiential learning, community service and outdoor activities, which complement high academic standards delivered through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Today, 10,725 students from over 160 countries are studying on one of the UWC campuses. 

Admission to a UWC school is independent of socio-economic means, with over 80 percent of UWC national committee-selected students in the IB Programme years receiving full or partial financial support.

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post UWC Dilijan Celebrates Five Years in Armenia appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

It’s pretty common for us to hear, “It’s been over 100 years and three generations ago. Let it go. Time to move on. Besides, you have Armenia to focus on.” We have all heard it, perhaps even from a fellow Armenian weary of this decades-long struggle for justice. The nuances bring out an important point. What is justice? For some, our survival is justice. Simply the fact that the complete annihilation failed is an accomplishment. For others, perhaps the majority, justice is connected to recognition. The humiliation and frustration of a crime not acknowledged, in theory, are alleviated with public acknowledgement. The assumption is that the more countries formally recognize the Genocide, more books will be written, more of the population will be educated and, of course, Turkey will be pressured to admit its responsibility. I can appreciate the sincere thinking behind both paths. The question becomes: what will bring closure for our people?

There is some truth to the notion of our abundant focus on the genocide. We have become a “genocide-centric” society. The emergence of the Republic of Armenia has provided some needed balance, but in the diaspora, the Armenian Genocide is a common thread. Why? The obvious answer is that most of us are descendants of the survivors who were violently expelled from their native land. If we are prepared to explore the issue deeper, we may find that the absence of justice prevents closure. It energizes our devotion to finding solutions. Only then will the dark cloud of a “victim people” be lifted. This is becoming increasingly controversial as Armenia and Artsakh consume more of our resources. But is Artsakh any different than the genocide? After all, the defense and liberation of Artsakh was to prevent a second genocide. The pan-Turkic mentality that fueled the genocide was nurtured during the ensuing times as Turkey attempted to assimilate Kurds and Azerbaijan set out to extinguish Armenians from historic Artsakh.

So back to the original question: if justice is currently denied, how do we define justice? In its simplest form, the responsible party must be held legally accountable for the crime of genocide. Territorial and financial compensation are two of the most common forms of reparations for the loss of life, of the ancestral homeland and personal/communal property. The reparations are not just for the injured party. Until the perpetrator compensates the victim, they feel little motivation to truly reform. War crimes are usually associated with regime change as in Germany, Bosnia, Cambodia and elsewhere. This “cleaning the leadership slate” affords that society the opportunity to make amends (reparations) and to embark on a new path. Armenians and Turks were denied this opportunity as the decisions of the war crimes trials after World War I were never implemented. The result was that the Turks launched a comprehensive campaign of coverup, re-education and propaganda to avoid responsibility. They also continued oppressive policies toward non-Turkish minorities despite the Treaty of Lausanne. Clearly the lack of accountability has created a “we answer to no one” mentality, enabling atrocities such as Dersim 1937, Greeks in 1955, Cyprus in 1974 and others.

Justice is closure for the Armenian people, but it’s also the most effective deterrent to prevent repeating those crimes. In the absence of justice, they are free to continue their rampage of violence. Is it any wonder we are here in Syria in 2019? Turkey bullies the Greeks over the Aegean Islands, occupies northern Cyprus for 45 years, sets its sights on Syria as “Ottoman” territory and jails thousands of its own citizens. Let’s not forget that the estimated three million victims of the Armenian, Pontic Greek, Western Greek and Assyrian Genocide were CITIZENS of Ottoman Turkey. The same goes for Dersim and the Greek attacks in 1955. There is a long repetitive pattern of horrific crimes that started with not being held accountable over 100 years ago. It becomes part of the mentality and leads us to today.

We should never accept the “argument” that it was a different government or different times. The thread of continuity is clear and horrific. Justice denied encourages repeat activity. If we abandon the cause of true justice, then we are sending a message that time will dissolve the crime. It is not just for our cause, but for the prevention of the next victim.

Turkey hides behind its duplicitous NATO membership and labels anyone that opposes them domestically or elsewhere a “terrorist.” Naturally, that gets an uninformed party’s attention, but offering transit routes to ISIS early on and using terrorists now as their “allies” in the Kurdish onslaught cannot be misinterpreted. We know the truth because we are victims of this mentality and others are victims. There have been no implications for their violence. 

This matter in Syria is an opportunity to examine our position on these issues. One hundred years of justice have been denied because of ambivalence, self-interest and geo-political alliances. Artsakh also offers us an opportunity for a fresh perspective. Despite the incredible evidence of atrocities, cultural genocide and political oppression by Azerbaijan, the powers would have Artsakh “return” the liberated territories thus rendering it indefensible and dependent on foreign “peacekeepers.” At the end of the day, it is our responsibility to defend our God-given rights, in times of war, peace and fragility. Do we really think anyone will care if we capitulate on the path to justice for the Armenian Genocide? Many would probably be relieved that they don’t have to deal with these seemingly small and “old” Armenian issues. Political friendships are volatile and are all about self-interest. We need to think more in those terms. We are witnessing just how volatile it can be. Who can make sense of the “sides” in the Syrian conflict? It changes as the proxy dynamics change. Two things, however, are constant: innocent people are dying at the hands of “self-interest,” and Turkey continues to be a violent bully.

At face value, focusing on self-interest may seem in conflict with reaching out to others. Let me briefly address that. If we view compassion for others as a human responsibility, then it is in our interests. We must also keep in mind the value of goodwill, friendships and alliances that can form through self-interest. For example, the Aurora Prize was created four years ago as a gift from the Armenian people (through the benefactors) to those in our world who have been devoted to saving lives in the face of adversity. It has succeeded, in my view, in creating a new perspective or image in our nation. While remembering our misfortune, we recognize the good in others.

This concept elevates our image beyond a victim mentality to adding value for the benefit of humanity. This increasingly high profile event has earned Armenia a new place in the world community, and that’s the point. While doing something good for the cause of humanity, we can also see the benefit to self-interest. Friendships, collaboration, respect and a new level of visibility on our reality are just a few of the “benefits” the Armenians receive. Giving to others is good. It can be the best way to receive.

What I have learned is that there are many ways to contribute to the cause of justice. All of them start with the courage to be heard. Turkey is a classic example of the notion that repetition is enabled when accountability is absent. Prevention and justice for the Armenians (and others) can and must be pursued in parallel. They complement each other as justice denied is connected to repetitive patterns. If Turkey had been held accountable for its crimes, it may have become a different society. The shame of the Nazi regime and the aftermath has greatly effected the psyche of the German people to this day. For most people, it shakes their core as to how this could have happened. This is the best remedy for prevention. In Turkey, the opposite occurred. Kemal Attaturk was perceived as a heroic liberator despite the atrocities committed against the indigenous Christian communities. It augmented the Young Turks’ crimes and sealed their fate to establish a web of denial and repeat atrocities. Why? Because it was convenient for many to forget, not to get involved, to ignore reality. And so it continued…

In 2019, with many genocides and atrocities in modern human history, we are witnessing yet another with our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts. No blackouts or delays. Everyday, we see that horror, and the crime will go unpunished unless the civilized world puts humanity in its definition of self-interest. Perhaps the chances are small, but the voices of those who have been victimized must  speak. Let’s not have silence on our conscience as we seek to prevent these tragedies. The Kurds, the Yazidis, the Christian communities, those victimized in Africa—all those at risk are worthy of our voices. 

Author information

Stepan Piligian

Columnist

Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.

|

The post Justice Denied Enables Repetition appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

In Armenia, the Amulsar debate continues, with the Minister of Environment calling for the examination of more data. The buzz surrounding the crisis has somewhat subsided, but traveling through Armenia this summer I saw the crisis at its peak. Protesters were blocking the streets of Yerevan and the entrance to the mining site. The internet was exploding with articles, petitions and statements, and there was news that Lydian was suing Armenia in a non-transparent corporate court. It seemed absurd: while Europe was lauding Armenia for its transition to democratic governance, a European company was suing Armenia because its government had maintained a commitment to democracy and refused to remove protesters blocking the mining site. As I read articles, heard stories and discussed with friends, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen in Western Armenia last year. It was eye-opening to see that, in addition to ravaging the Armenian and Kurdish populations, the Turkish state had completely desecrated the land. The tops of so many mountains were blown off, the country roads were lined with dirt, garbage and industrial plants, and the Arax river, my namesake and one of the legends from my childhood, was brown, sluggish and full of trash. I found myself grieving for the destruction of my ancestral lands and wondering in horror what the Armenian government was going to do about it. 

One of the main arguments for the mine has been the claim that it’s necessary for Armenia’s economic development. But residents of Amulsar aren’t the only Armenians who have protested and blocked a mine in their community.

Noyemberyan is a town of farmhouses and Soviet apartment buildings nestled in the lush forested mountains in the north of Tavush province. It seems quiet as you drive down the main street, past the park, the small mterq storefronts and the old cultural center, but it has recently become an outpost of sustainable development and Armenian resistance. The town itself is protected by its geography, but its position near the northern border with Azerbaijan means that many residents and their families and friends grew up in villages under fire. The shooting happens regularly, sometimes daily, and is part of an Azeri campaign to terrorize residents and push them out. Bullets destroy homes, render farms and roads unsafe and leave residents with PTSD.

I was in town to work with Kristin Cass on The New Freedom Fighters, a project documenting the conditions of life in a conflict zone and the area’s female-led nonviolent resistance movement. The Noyemberyantsis I met were determined to stay in their homes, embodying the Armenian spirit of survival and resistance, motivated by a deep love for their homeland and a belief that the country starts at the borders. “I want to show that Noyemberyan isn’t only a place where people live in fear,” said Nune Azizyan. “We have things to show here.”

I met Nune during our tour of the IT center where she had taken a 3-D modeling class that changed her life. She moved to Noyemberyan when she married, giving up her job as an economic manager in Yerevan. She was looking for something to do. “I always want to learn new things,” she said.

After completing the 3D modeling course, Nune teamed up with her former teacher to start VitRoom, making vases and other art objects to sell in Armenia and export to Russia. A powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm, it wasn’t long before our conversation moved from IT projects to her environmental activism in Noyemberyan. Although she is a newcomer to the area, she was quick to fall in love with her community and the land it lives on. She formed an environmental activist group with other locals who were saddened by seeing their beautiful mountain landscapes marred by piles of trash and plastic bottles floating in the river. But her most dramatic moment of activism was in 2018, just as Armenia was on the brink of revolution. 

That year, Polymetal Armenia, a member of the Russian Polymetal Group, announced plans to carry out geological prospecting in the Noyemberyan area. Nune was horrified. She had already seen a mine rip a gaping hole in the region’s rich natural landscape, and she and other locals were not willing to let a foreign company desecrate their land again. 

“I was pregnant at the time, so I couldn’t go out and protest,” she said. “But I started a petition to say that no, the people of Noyemberyan do not want this. We want to use the land to develop ecotourism instead.”

Nune and other locals promoted their online petition to everyone they could think of; they eventually gathered 2,845 signatures, enough to convince the local government to reject Polymetal’s projects in favor of ecotourism and environmentally sustainable development.

Since their first success, Nune and her fellow activists have been defining their vision for sustainable development and working to make it a reality. Noyemberyan, which is also near Georgia’s border, has a highway that runs through the town, making it a prime location for ecotourism. There are already a few stores, but it needs new ideas to turn it into a full-fledged tourist destination. With this in mind, Nune started the Noyemberyan Tourism Center (NTC). The NTC organizes excursions to the region’s natural and historical sites and promotes tourism in the area. They have already started to host events like the 2018 Armenian Mountain Biking Challenge and are continuing to build infrastructure by organizing excursions and helping locals start B&B’s and guiding services.

The push for tourism came at just the right time. As Nune and other locals began the difficult journey of grassroots development, they were buoyed up by the people-powered energy of the Velvet Revolution. For many, the movement’s initial success gave them the idea that they actually did have the power to make change. As the revolution began to develop into a government, the new government began a huge push for tourism, causing a drastic increase in tourist numbers in the last year. At the same time, another grassroots movement of individuals and NGO’s has started to create a hiking culture in the area, and develop its mountains and natural panoramas for adventure travelers. This movement, like the one in Noyemberyan, is geared towards a small-business model that will not only show off Armenia’s natural wonders and hospitality culture, but also develop and support local economies. 

Noyemberyan has taken up on the idea of adventure tourism. Building on local tradition of staying in summer homes up in the mountains, one local has built a state-of-the-art campsite at Surbasar, a holy site high in the mountains. The site has cabins, dining areas, and even horses for tourists to explore the natural beauty of the mountains. The owner of the campsite partnered with Noyemberyan’s Center for Community Development (CCD), an NGO supporting environmentally and economically sustainable projects. The CCD is run by an all-female team and supports initiatives like a cooperative dairy and local job fairs that are an essential piece in letting locals lead their town’s economic development in a way that benefits them and the community as a whole. 

Noyemberyan is also a player in the revamping of Armenia’s wine industry, which was almost completely destroyed by the USSR. The Tavush province retained a number of unique indigenous grape varietals, as well as a culture of winemaking. Wine Works, a Yerevan-based winemaking facility producing high-end, quality wines for the US and other markets, has recently taken an interest in the region. They produce wine for companies like Kataro, Keush, Yacoubian-Hobbes and Tus, which takes the ancient  name of the Tavush province and specializes in using the region’s indigenous grapes. The company is working with organizations like OneArmenia to source their grapes from family farms and help farmers transition from subsistence farming to a style geared towards production for sale. Economic transition comes with its challenges, but Wine Works is committed to working with locals and investing in Armenia’s borders.

The wine industry is developing within Tavush as well. Two years ago, an Armenian from Berdavan village who had gone to Russia for work, repatriated with the idea to develop his hometown. He rebuilt the Berdavan Winery, repurposing a facility which had been out of use since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Gagik Aghababyan, the former manager of the Ijevan Winery, was hired as the director. Aghababyan, a Berdavan native, jumped at the possibility to come back and develop his home village. The company has grown tremendously in the last few years, starting major exports of wine, kompot, juice and pickles to Russia. Although the production facilities and tasting room are safe, the vineyards often come under Azeri fire. “My success is everyone’s because of the situation on the border,” said Aghababyan. “We can’t wait for help. Our Armenian people must band together for victory.”

When we met at the Berdavan Winery, he invited us into his tasting room, giving us the full experience of Armenian hospitality that he has created to welcome tourists to Tavush wine country. His tasting room is in a picturesque wood house; his table was full of the company’s wine, preserves and juices. We began Armenian style with a toast…and then another one, and soon he was reminiscing about his history in the wine business. He remembered visiting the Ijevan Winery with his uncle when he was little, and the director telling him that he would be a good winemaker one day. “Winemaking is a special philosophy and an art, not just production,” said Aghababyan, who studied viticulture at the Armenian Agricultural Institute. “We celebrate everything in life with wine, from birth to death. The most important thing is that the doors of a winemaker are always open for guests, to share our life with others.” 

The Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) has taken another approach to developing the local wine industry. With the help of USAID, CARD is working on creating a wine route of home wineries. The program gives local producers modern equipment and training to improve the quality of their wines and helps them design and build tasting rooms and signage along the road to introduce their winery to tourists. The project allows visitors to get an authentic experience of rural Armenian life and hospitality, as well as the local wine culture. It is also an essential component of grassroots development, helping families start their own self-sufficient businesses, replacing the region’s reliance on charity organizations with opportunities to build a sustainable economy rooted in local land and traditions. 

“We have already had tourists stop at our winery on their way from Dilijan to Makaravank,” said Mrs. Davityan, one of the vintners. She treated us to wine, homemade pastries and a performance by her daughter on the shvi flute in her family’s outdoor tasting room.

Nature tours and wine routes may seem like an unlikely form of national defense, but Armenians are thinking outside the box to find ways to thrive in the modern economy. Armenia has been between superpowers for all of its millenia-long history, and initiatives like this are what allow Armenia to continue its tradition of cultural independence and survival and protect the country from foreign attack and exploitation. In the wake of the Amulsar crisis and the show of public opinion in the global climate strike, environmental issues are becoming increasingly urgent all around the world, and we must consider the role they play in the future of our global nation. Development in Noyemberyan is driven by locals, but it includes the participation and support of Armenians around the world.This kind of development has enormous potential, and we must continue thinking creatively, using the platforms and resources available to us to support this future. 

Author information

Araxie Cass

Araxie Cass is a member of the AYF Chicago Ararat Chapter, as well as a student of Creative Writing and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. Her work includes creative non-fiction and short stories, focusing on Armenian topics, as well as social justice, culture and community.

|

The post The Armenian Town That Replaced Mining With Sustainable Development appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

YEREVAN—Within the scope of events dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts (CCA) and in collaboration with Beeline, the Center presented the “Teen Artists Platform” on October 21.

The necessity of teenage artists to self-express is very important. For this reason, the Cafesjian Teen Council has initiated a new platform, the purpose of which is to create opportunities for teenagers to present their art regardless of its type. The selected teenage artists presented their portfolios during 20 to 30-minute presentations. A discussion followed.

“The Cafesjian Teen Council members always initiate and implement interesting and creative projects,” said Vahagn Marabyan, acting CCA executive director. “Teen Artists Platform is a great opportunity for teenagers to communicate, uncover new talents, network, create new joint projects, and of course become members of the Cafesjian Teen Council.”

“Talents and geniuses don’t just appear,” said Beeline Armenia CEO Andrey Pyatakhin. “There are people in their lives who support them. It is very pleasant to realize that Beeline and the Cafesjian Center for the Arts will provide that support for these teenagers and give them the opportunity to discover themselves and be greatly successful in the future.”

The CCA and Beeline have been working together since 2011, regularly implementing educational programs focused on teenagers and family at the Center.

The mission of the CCA is to bring the best of contemporary art to Armenia and present the best of Armenian culture to the world. Dedicated to its mission, the CCA has been organizing a wide variety of exhibitions presenting unique works of contemporary art, offering movie screenings, concert series, lectures and educational programs since its opening in November 2009.

The Cafesjian Teen Council is a leadership group made up of 13 to 16 year-olds. It was created in 2017 with the goal to build a long-lasting relationship with teenagers, lay emphasis on their diverse interests and needs, making the Center an attractive venue for all teenagers, to engage them in the cultural environment as active participants, at the same time, to foster their creative thinking and visual literacy, thus enhancing their communication, teamwork and leadership skills.

This article is a press release submitted to the Armenian Weekly and has been published to our community news section as a courtesy. If your organization has news it would like to submit to the paper for consideration, please email editor@armenianweekly.com.

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post Cafesjian Center for the Arts Presents Teen Artists Platform appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

The Armenian Communities Department has launched a new book translation project entitled the Zartiss Collection. The Zartiss publication series makes available in Western Armenian some of the most renowned international children’s literature.

The books are adapted to different reading levels and are suitable for children and teenagers ranging from three to 18 years old. They include a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles. The Zartiss Collection is published by NorHaratch in Europe and Abril Books in the US. The books are distributed across the world and can be ordered from the respective publishers.  

Between 2019 and 2020 ten books are being translated from English, French, Portuguese, Chinese and other languages into Western Armenian for the first time.

The first two books of the series have already been published: “C’est moi le plus fort!” by Mario Ramos «Ե՛ս եմ ամենէն ուժովը» and “Enquanto o meu Cabelo Crescia” by Isabel Minhos Martins «Մինչ մազերս կ՚երկննային».

Upcoming books to be released shortly include: “On my Way to Buy Eggs” by Chen Chih-Yuan, “War Horse” by Michael Morpurgo and “Les Derniers Géants” by François Place. Other non-fiction titles are now being selected.

“We are very excited to launch the Zartiss Collection of books” said Razmik Panossian, the Director of the Armenian Communities Department. He added, “there is a real dearth of high quality children’s books in Western Armenian, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is addressing that need. These books contribute directly to the revitalization of Western Armenian by encouraging children and teenagers to read world literature in beautifully translated Armenian.”

This article is a press release submitted to the Armenian Weekly and has been published to our community news section as a courtesy. If your organization has news it would like to submit to the paper for consideration, please email editor@armenianweekly.com. 

Author information

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles written and submitted by members of the community, which make up our community bulletin board.

|

The post International Children’s Books Now Published in Western Armenian appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.