“The poor speak at length of the rich man’s possessions, but it benefits them not.” (Zenginin malı fukaranın çenesini yorarmış). So goes the Turkish expression, and thus is it is with the Turkish Prime Minister’s recent comments on the events of 1915. No doubt, they will be discussed and debated at length, because no Turkish Prime Minister before Mr. Erdoğan has ever given such a speech. But are his words really that earthshaking?

I’m not at all enthused about the prospect of weighing in on the matter at this point. Clearly, there are many things that could be said! I am reminded of the half full/half empty debate. Some will now see the glass of “1915 debate” as half full and the prime minister’s words as an historic event—possibly even a “turning point,” since, before his speech, it was nearly empty. Such positive declarations will most likely emerge from circles close (or closer) to the AKP government, those who have not been on the receiving end of its harsh and repressive policies. Even Turkey’s more liberal sectors are sure to respond in a cautiously optimistic “wait-and-see” manner to Erdoğan’s utterances.

On the other hand, there will be those who will look at the still empty portion of the glass with a time-honored cynicism. In these quarters the speech is sure to be met with wry assessments such as: “Just another of Tayyip’s games,” and “Talk is cheap; actions speak louder than words.” These will be followed by suspicions: “Why now [after more than a decade in power]?” and “What’s the real reason for such pronouncements?” These statements will no doubt come from the opponents of Erdoğan and his party: from the malcontents and the scoffers!

And then there will be some middle-of-the-roaders who will approve of the prime minister’s statements but find them insufficient…. For them the glass is both half full and half empty. Feeling perhaps burned by the government’s failed “gestures” toward the country’s Alevi and Kurdish minorities, these people are now inclined to dismiss the statement as a vain or hopeless attempt at some sort of reconciliation.

Do I lean toward this approach? Not at all! In fact, I am more inclined to view this whole debate (as outlined above) as distressingly boring and unproductive.

I’m looking to go deeper, to find an understanding that goes beyond this glass half-empty/half-full debate.

Is that possible? I believe that it just might be…

But first of all, I would like to add a small historical note to those who are characterizing Erdoğan’s speech as offering “totally new” and “historic” utterances: it doesn’t. And outside of the prime minister’s speech there is nothing really new being said here. These ideas and opinions have all—all—been expressed dozens of times and in many different venues and manners, most notably by former Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, and usually as part of a call to preserve a “just and equitable memory,” (adil hafıza) a protective rubric used in an effort to equate the horrors of the Armenian deportations with Turkish losses at Gallipoli and Sarıkamış.

Don’t get me wrong: it is truly significant that the Turkish prime minister would repeat these things in his “official” capacity, but let’s keep things in perspective: “historic” is a bit strong.

Even so, I would wrong not to acknowledge that there are a number of very powerful ideas contained within Mr. Erdoğan’s speech: first and foremost, his calls that “differing statements should be met with empathy and tolerance” and for “working to listen to and understand the other.” In effect, these statements are important for giving an ‘official’ sanction for free discussion of the events of 1915. Nevertheless, such a statement comes across as more than a bit peculiar, calling as it does for people to embrace what should in any case be a given in the 21st century.

Another important aspect of Erdoğan’s statements was his call for the “understanding and sharing of [our] sorrows” and to avoid attempts “either to establish a hierarchy of suffering or to create a comparison between or competing [levels] of suffering.” Even so, I can’t help but offer a bitter chuckle… When I first returned to Turkey for the first time in 1993 I remember being terrified when I found myself everywhere met with hateful stares—even by those on the Left—for having said such things. I admit, it’s a strange feeling some 21 years later to now hear these same things emerging from the mouth of the prime minister! Like them or not, they show that we made at least some progress over the past two decades.

The third important idea in Erdoğan’s speech was his expressing the hope that “those Armenians who lost their lives during the conditions at the beginning of the 20th century should rest in peace; we wish to offer our condolences to their descendants (torunlar).” It’s true that he made no mention of the year 1915, nor used the word ‘massacre’ (katliam) or others that might describe the events of that time, but this sentence is nevertheless the most important one in his entire speech. It expresses a human dimension heretofore missing from such utterances. In this sense, at least, it does represent an undeniable novelty. Even so, it is less important for me to comment on this expression of condolence than to hear how it is received by those whose family members were annihilated during these events.

In the prime minister’s speech I did however notice one lie that was overlooked in the general confusion. “We have opened our archives for use to all researchers,” he claimed. That’s a bald-faced lie.

One of the most important archives for the Armenian genocide is that of the Turkish Chiefs of Staff. This archive has neither been properly catalogued, nor has it ever been open to researchers. And there’s nothing encouraging about the fact that such blatant untruths could still be included in such a speech.

Our Opinions have been elevated from ‘Treason’ to ‘Opinion’

Even leaving aside columnist Fehmi Koru’s strange claim that “an apology for history has already been given,” what meaning should we derive from the prime minister’s speech? The Justice and Development Party (known in Turkey by the acronym AKP), which, since coming to power in 2002 has been making some significant changes in the traditional policies of the Turkish Republic, has also shifted the parameters of debate on the question of the Armenian genocide; this is the fact.

With this speech, those in Turkey calling for an open discussion of the events of 1915 will no longer be subjected to attacks and accused of being “traitors who have stabbed the nation from the back” (as did the then-Interior Minister/current Speaker of the Assembly) or “dirty Armenians.” Nor will the memory of the events be insulted or disparaged by terming them “alleged” or “so-called.” We can state with confidence that the era of Yusuf Halaçoğlu, Şükrü Elekdağ and Gündüz Aktan has now officially come to an end.

In fact, the ‘reign’ of these persons had already begun to crumble after the murder of Hrant Dink, although it is significant that it still retains a certain ‘official’ status.

For me, the meaning of Erdoğan’s pronouncements is this: the Turkish government will now tolerate opinions that run counter to the “official version” of events, although that does not mean that it will entertain them. It’s official stance remains unchanged and fully defended. With the notion that “we should understand everybody’s sufferings and share the sorrow” the government is simply attempting to bury the Turkish war casualties in the same mass grave as the Armenian victims of the deportations. And that has already been said for years now.

If you are inclined to see the government’s different language on the issue as a momentous change, I won’t argue with you; I would simply state that I do not see anything new in the substance of government’s approach to the events of 1915.

In the final analysis, what is necessary now is not more fine talk, but for the government to take the necessary steps, and only time will tell.

For me, the real question is not merely what the prime minister says, but who pushes him to say these things and what they push him to say. As we approach the year 2015, the 100th anniversary of the events in question, the Turkish government is certain to feel pressure from various quarters within the international community and to wish to extract itself from the tight spot in which it finds itself. The American Jewish Committee, which until recently was one of Turkey’s important defender in Washington, has now officially used the term “genocide” to refer to the Armenian massacres and has called on Turkey to do the same.

Consider for a moment what will happen if the Prime Minister, who has managed during his tenure to lose a great deal of international support, continues in such conditions of greater diplomatic isolation to repeat his other, oft-repeated statements to the effect that “Muslims don’t perpetrate genocides” and that “No one can claim that my ancestors committed genocide”…

Erdoğan was forced to change his attitude. If he continued along his old–known path, he was facing the prospect of missing this fast-approaching train. His new stance does not reflect the dynamic of any process; rather, it merely indicates that he correctly perceived the ground below his feet to be shifting and adjusted his stance accordingly. As it enters 2015, the Turkish regime cannot be said to be changing so much as simply performing ‘damage control.’

In any case, I do not believe that this “miraculous change” originated from the Office of the Prime Minister. It is we who brought it about. It is those thousands of persons who took to the streets in protest after Hrant Dink’s death… Other pressures were also brought to bear from abroad… The resistance efforts of those within Turkey have gradually begun to merge with those of the Armenian diaspora. Such a unity of effort will most likely not change the prime minister’s views…but it has certainly changed his speech.

And We, Too, Have Changed…

There is one thing that those preparing the prime minister’s speeches have yet to understand, and that is that we, the people, who have struggled against a century of mendacity regarding the Armenian genocide, have changed. And we have changed greatly.

If the Turkish prime minister had uttered these same words some 10 years earlier, we might indeed have viewed them as historical, even revolutionary. But a whole lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. Our skin has grown thicker, our beating hearts have gradually been filled with more pain, more bitterness, and we have chosen to learn from our accumulated experience. What a decade before might have been seen as a great transformation today barely stirs us. Indeed, we cannot but greet these statements with a bitter smirk, an empty laugh; even as we welcome it, it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.

After this point, anyone who wishes to speak of the genocide of 1915—the prime minister included, if they truly desire us to find their utterances meaningful and to be inspired by their words, they will have to first understand that the bar has been set higher—much higher—than in previous years. Those who greet this speech with the approach of “those matters pertaining to history have been resolved. Let’s move on” would do well to know this. I and persons like myself will no longer be satisfied with mere talk. Serious, deliberate, concrete steps are what is now expected. And many eyes will be closely following events to see whether or not these steps are taken.

1. There has been a conscious ‘politics of denial’ in this country for more than 90 years, and it has continued into the AKP period (2002-present). If those from the ruling elite—people like Erdoğan himself—truly wish to alter Turkey’s long-held ‘politics of denial,’ they must start by acknowledging their own role in its creation and continuation, to apologize for it and then to correct it. Anything less will simply not be convincing at this point.
2. There is no longer a place for those who would deny the crimes of 1915, or who would attempt to spread the blame with claims that “everyone suffered” and with calls to “understand everyone’s pain.” Nothing will be resolved without first recognizing the difference between war casualties and victims of crimes such as genocide. We must call a crime a crime. It is not possible to lower the bar or dance around the issue any longer. Without first acknowledging that what happened to Armenians in 1915 was a crime, any efforts attempted will be non-starters.
3. The most meaningful and significant beginning step to be taken is for Turkey to open its borders with Armenia and to establish diplomatic relations. We are well aware that we are speaking about a government that, only two years before, sent its Interior Minister to an Istanbul rally protesting the Hocalı massacre (it is claimed committed by Armenian army against Azerbaijanis in 1992) and hanged signs throughout Istanbul reading “Don’t believe the Armenian lies!”

And I won’t even mention the discovery and exposure of Hrant Dink’s real assailants…

No, I do not believe that the dynamic and impetus for change on the events of 1915 lies in the hands of the government. They know full well that “the train is leaving the station,” but they hope to delay for as long as possible before hopping on the very last car. But as we rapidly approach the hundredth anniversary of the Armenian genocide they will have no other choice than to acknowledge the historical crime that has been committed, to Express their apologies for this crime and to begin to engage in serious discussions with both the Armenian Republic and the Armenian diaspora in order to attempt to atone for the damage that has been done. Any initiative in this direction is welcome, but only for the sake of opening the way to discussion, not ending it. This must be perceived and understood. Haven’t we already waited long enough for this to be done? We have, but will continue to wait; we’re not going anywhere.

The Turkish version of this article appeared in the Aptil 25 issue of Taraf.

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Birthright Armenia Alums in Action: Armine Sargsyan, Areg Maghakian, and Lena Tashjian

When it comes to Armenia’s current-day challenges, many would agree that environmental protection ranks high amongst the priorities. At the forefront of that campaign are three young, dynamic professionals, Armine Sargsyan, Lena Tashjian, and Areg Maghakian, all of whom got a thorough introduction to Armenia’s needs while serving as Birthright Armenia volunteers. All three were able to envision a role for themselves by engaging in work on-the-ground to address these needs, and now serve as effective leaders of environmental organizations in Armenia, namely the Armenian Environmental Network (AEN), Go Green Armenia, and Armenia Tree Project (ATP).

(L-R) Birthright Armenia alums Lena Tashjian (Go Green Armenia), Areg Maghakian (ATP), and Armine Sargsyan (AEN) as environmental leaders in today’s Armenia

The AEN is a relatively new organization focusing on connecting Armenians and others in the worldwide conservation community to facilitate environmentally sustainable development in Armenia. Armine Sargsyan’s AEN involvement dates back to 2010, when she was based in northern California. She was a Birthright Armenia volunteer in 2011, and when the offer for a Yerevan-based position with AEN was tabled, and when she learned that one of the organization’s main objectives was to find solutions for solid waste management, Sargsyan knew the position was a perfect match. This was an area that deeply interested her, so she moved to Armenia in 2013 to lead the charge as AEN’s Armenia office director.

Sargsyan explained the importance of size and power in numbers: “Armenia is a small country, so any environmental dysfunction will affect her entire territory. We need to be aware and vigilant, and we need to connect all those who are already involved in the sector as a force. Pooling worldwide and local resources is critical, and Armenia is small enough whereby the right solutions can be implemented throughout the country. There are proven international models that work well on a small scale, so we need to connect the dots of local government, resources, and technology to arrive at a winning solution in areas of Armenia that currently have no comprehensive waste management solutions.”

Areg Maghakian, originally from Southern California, volunteered with Birthright Armenia in 2007. After several months of volunteering, “It was simply a matter of the stars aligning,” he said, as he knew very early on during his volunteer service that he’d be based in Armenia for the long term. His prior involvement with ATP dated back over 10 years, when he was a supporter of the Watertown, Mass., and Yerevan based non-profit organization that works towards reforestation, sustainable development, and environmental education in Armenia. Fast forwarding to 2010, Maghakian was appointed as deputy director, and two and a half years later he was promoted to Armenia operations director for ATP. “We work on both the macro and micro scale, partnering with the smallest remote schools to planting large swaths of the countryside,” he explained. “Deforestation is a major challenge in Armenia, and dates back to when trees served as a substitute for heating fuel during the energy crisis in the early 90s. Our goal is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve their standard of living and protect the global environment.”

Currently Maghakian oversees a staff of several dozen employees, running nurseries and education programs in many regions. “The future of Armenia depends on the health of her environment. Our success will largely depend on having local communities understand the value of preservation and thinking green. I’m heartened by many that want to partner with us, and care about their environment. Despite our progress, there is still a long road ahead, with much work to do and a lot of ground to cover.”

Maghakian has been in Armenia since 2007 with his wife, Nyree Abrahamian, also a Birthright Armenia alum, and their 18 month old son, Arame.

Canadian-born Lena Tashjian volunteered with Birthright Armenia at Green Lane NGO in 2011, and extended her initial three-month stay to continue working with their fresh produce market project. She enjoyed listing the non-traditional items that farmers were growing and began creating nutritional profiles on them in order to help market them. The nutritional information was well received, and she was a natural fit to be doing this kind of work. Since becoming a vegetarian and then a vegan while living in Canada, she was researching the food she was eating to make sure she was getting all of the nutrients she needed. Realizing she had a strong interest in nutrition, Tashjian went to school to become a certified nutritionist.

“During my volunteer work with Birthright, I began to focus on farmer profiles, interviews, taking their pictures, listing what they grow on our item list, and again, that was well received. It encouraged me to continue creating links between the food we eat and the farmers who are producing the goods,” she explained. So as the Green Lane market project ended in June 2013, she clearly saw its potential and the benefits of having it thrive. Tashjian received permission to extend the project, but was told it needed to be separate from Green Lane—alas the impetus for a new entity to be created.

“Carolin Baghoomian from Boston and I co-founded Go Green Armenia in late July 2013, with the primary goal of supporting Armenian farmers by selling, marketing, and delivering their produce to people in Yerevan,” she said. “We focus on chemical-free agriculture and also support farmers who grow non-traditional items like kale. In addition to focusing on the sale of food items, we also sell other natural products as well, for example, a woman’s handmade, herb-based soaps with plants straight from her backyard. When we find interesting items like this that fit our general mandate, we make sure to include them in our item list to spread the word about these interesting projects and help them garner support.”

Tashjian and her partner also want to have an aspect of the business dedicated to agro-tourism. “Our vision for the future includes focusing more on events, including organizing farmer’s markets outside of the city center, monthly vegetable picking events for seasonal fruits or vegetables, and also events where people can come and watch how the natural soaps are made. We think it is wiser to focus on events and introduce people directly to those producing or making the food products or items, all the while keeping a market aspect to our business.”

Sargsyan, Maghakian, and Tashjian are just 3 of 60 Birthright Armenia alums who currently live in the Republic of Armenia. The solid waste management, reforestation, and produce to market projects highlighted in this story are just a few of the numerous success stories that encapsulate the long-term engagement our alums have with the Homeland, long after their volunteer service ends. To learn more about Birthright Armenia, visit www.birthrightarmenia.org.

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NEW YORK—It was a farewell ceremony, organized by Armenia Fund USA in honor of Khoren Bandazian’s friend, His Excellency Ambassador Garen Nazarian, the permanent representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations. Yet, to the delight of many guests and dignitaries in attendance, the esteemed guest of honor turned the tables by taking a few moments to graciously present Bandazian with the prestigious Republic of Armenia Presidential Award.

Bandazian receiving the medal

The UN ambassador, who would be leaving his post at the UN and returning to Armenia shortly after the farewell ceremony, opened his presentation by saying, “Khoren, we finally have an opportunity to publically thank you, my friend, for your dedication and compassion, and to thank you, in the presence of our reverend clergy, the members and leaders of the Armenian community, and the Nagorno-Karabagh representative who is present here…to present you with the 20th Anniversary of Himnadram commemorative Medal, an award from the President Serge Sarkisian, and to thank you for your service to the nation.”

Earlier in his remarks, the much-admired Ambassador Nazarian expressed his appreciation for Armenia Fund USA, of which Khoren Bandazian has been chairman since 2011. “The Armenia Fund has touched so many lives and has reached so many families in Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh,” Nazarian said. “When establishing the Fund more than two decades ago, we all came together in defense of our self-determination. Now we can reaffirm that we are united again, under the auspices of Armenia Fund, to ensure and bolster that unalienable right.”

Bandazian has been an impressive figure in the Armenian-American community for many years. After eight distinguished years of service as the secretary of the Board of Directors of Armenia Fund USA, he assumed the chairmanship. To this position, Bandazian brought a wealth of executive experience gained in his professional life, as well as from many other Armenian organizations and causes he has associated himself with since his youth.

Bandazian had served on various committees organized by the Armenian Diocese and the Armenian Prelacy, such as the 1700th “Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia” committee, to name but a few. He also served on the Board of St. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church of Ridgefield, N.J. In 2007, Bandazian chaired Armenia Fund USA’s 15^th anniversary gala at the United Nations, to raise much-needed funds in support of the organization’s efforts.

On a parallel track, he has built a highly successful career as a real estate attorney. Bandazian recently rejoined the firm of Winne, Banta, Hetherington, Basralian & Kahn in New Jersey as a principal in its real estate and corporate and business services practices. (In its public announcement, the firm mentioned that Bandazian is “active as a leader in the Greater New York Armenian community, donating his time to improving the lives of the people living in Armenia.”)

April has been an auspicious month for Bandazian as he continues to serve as Board chairman of Armenia Fund USA and as chairman of the Eastern Region Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee. By all accounts, he possesses the drive, capability, and organization skills to manage both of these important endeavors.

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By Raffi Kassarjian and Avetik Chalabyan

Special for the Armenian Weekly

In early 2009, when a group of like-minded Armenian professionals got together in Yerevan to discuss our priorities for Armenia amidst the unfolding global economic crisis, we asked ourselves a question: What does modern Armenia need the most, and where should we focus our efforts and scarce resources? Although no single answer emerged (we identified roughly five highly critical broad areas to work on), we realized that in order to develop and overcome the burdens of our multi-layered and tragic past, our country needs a continuous and steady infusion of fresh human talent in the years to come. Coincidentally, many of us, living and working abroad, simultaneously came to a conclusion that rather than watching ourselves and our children succumb to assimilation and loss of identity elsewhere, it was time to take a proactive approach, come back home, immerse ourselves in the life here, and start working each on our part in the development of our own country.

In 2012, we took a step further and established the Repat Armenia Foundation (www.repatarmenia.org), whose over-arching objective is to promote and facilitate the repatriation of Armenians from around the world to Armenia. Our actions stem from our firm belief that today’s Armenia, as a sovereign nation, is the surviving piece of our broader historic homeland, and should serve as the national homeland for all Armenians. We also believe that Armenia’s future as a growing, vibrant and viable homeland for all Armenians in turn requires the collective efforts of those same Armenians from around the world. This means that while working hard to build prosperous, self-sustaining communities and contributing to the development of their host countries, Armenians must first and foremost care for and continuously invest in building a thriving homeland on the territories that comprise today’s Republics of Armenia and Artsakh. And this should be spearheaded through a process of conscious, well-managed repatriation.

We do not take the mission of promoting repatriation lightly. For most people, especially those whose families struggled to escape from genocide, persecution, poverty, war, and revolution throughout the past century, or the economic chaos following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the call to go back in the other direction, to leave hard-earned and comfortable lives in established economies, and return to a struggling country surrounded by enemies seems less than an obvious choice. Yet, once we started our work at Repat Armenia, we discovered that many individuals have already returned, while many more are seriously considering repatriation. Since our launch, we have witnessed increasing repatriation flows, with 2013 seeing more than 11,000 Armenians of foreign nationality moving back to Armenia for permanent residence.

In fact, the reality of repatriation turned out to be far more nuanced than the broad generalizations and stereotypes of the recent past would suggest. First, Armenia has in many ways already become a modern society, offering increasingly better professional opportunities and quality of life. During the last decade, against all odds, Armenia has experienced rapid economic growth, albeit from a low base, and has seen the rise of a modern consumer economy: Mobile phone and internet, retail and personal services’ quality and penetration now compete with those of highly developed countries. In parallel, Armenia has been regaining its edge in education; there are now world-class institutions covering all age levels in the country (for example, the AYB School, Dilijan International School, TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, and American University of Armenia), supported by diasporan funds and capitalizing on the strong tradition in math, physics, chess, and computer science. The tech start-up scene in Yerevan is growing month to month, and there are many U.S.-based start-ups that have moved operations and development to Armenia. The tourist flows into the country have been steadily rising since the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of Armenia’s conversion to Christianity, and the cultural scene is increasingly vibrant. Recovering from the deep crisis of 2009, Armenia has seen further diversification and growth of its industrial base, and renewed interest of major diasporan funds supporting various development projects; these developments have collectively created professional opportunities in Armenia that are starting to match those available abroad.

These developments also point to one critical premise that did not exist just a few short years ago: While Armenia is not yet a fully developed economy, moving to Armenia is no longer about personal sacrifice or hardship. Ask most recent repatriates, and you will get a similar answer: The level of personal gratification and fulfillment far outweighs their initial expectations, especially for those who planned their projects, and consciously made the move. And this is now creating a virtuous circle, when the improved conditions attract more talent to the country, pushing it one notch further ahead and creating positive communication waves, which in turn compels more people to come.

Second, the world around us has entered a phase of increased turbulence. The countries in which Armenian communities enjoyed relative stability and prosperous rebirth after the calamity of genocide (Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Ukraine, to mention the most obvious ones) have recently witnessed the horrors of civil strife, inter-ethnic and religious violence, and economic instability. But the malaise is much broader. It seems now that the long-held premise that there is a more secure life somewhere else from our homeland is coming under strain as well. Stability and safety cannot be easily bought; it should be earned and cemented through the development of healthy institutions of society. And here it turns out that the fledgling state and society of Armenia have collectively demonstrated more durability and stress-resistance than many of its neighboring countries. Personal safety in Armenia is on par or better than in most Western societies, especially in terms of serious crime and terrorism. Social discontent, while quite serious, is no longer taking violent forms. The army, which is defending a long and thorny border with Azerbaijan, is suffering fewer casualties than in the past, and its military prowess is growing every year.

All this points to the second premise: Moving to Armenia may be a wise choice to secure a more predictable future for your family, and defend it alongside your fellow compatriots, even if in the recent past you believed in the contrary.

Having said the above, we are still far from having built the country of our dreams, and parting with the Soviet past is not easy. Despite many recent encouraging developments, the overall economic situation in the country is still mixed, especially in rural areas and beyond the central districts of main cities. There is much work to be done to build modern, effective, and transparent institutions of state, and achieve a real democracy and rule of law. The lasting peace with neighbors is still to be achieved, too, and strengthening the military is a hard prerequisite to win equitable terms in the upcoming peace deal. Overcoming these challenges creates a tremendous need for injection of world-class experience, modern thinking, and dedicated personal and professional investment in Armenia, to drive the country along its path of transformation in the coming years and decades. There are great individual examples of such investment by many benevolent individuals, but it’s now time to scale these efforts to a nation-wide, global movement. This is the time when our accumulated talents, capital, connections, and passion can be channeled to serve the country and secure its future, rather than dissipate in places that will bear no trace of our existence in a few generations. And this is the time when we finally have the chance to secure our legacy at home, by linking it to the modernization of our national homeland.

There were many efforts to support the country in the past, and as they often failed, they created bitterness and fatigue. Fortunately, there is an emerging formula, increasingly proving to be effective, that many of us can also apply. In the recent decade Armenia has finally grown its first “generation of independence,” and those young Armenians are now eagerly looking to apply their energy in advancing their country and their own fortunes. Too often, however, they simply don’t know how to channel their efforts, and may waste them uselessly or, worse yet, may consider emigration. That’s where repatriates can step in—the successful Armenian professionals living in Paris, Moscow, Buenos Aires, San Francisco, or Toronto, who can invest in widening the net of modern education and build competitive enterprises in Armenia; the accomplished medical doctors who can train the next generation of surgeons or cardiologists; the ambitious tech entrepreneurs whose next venture will skyrocket leveraging a high-performing local team; the skilled military officers who can inject modern thinking and advanced warfare skills into the Armenian army. In short, repatriates can be and already are the catalysts that unleash the tremendous potential that exists in the country. It’s hard work, and repatriates must often create opportunities, rather than take advantage of ready-made, low-hanging fruit. However, those who tried recently and persevered through the initial difficulties discovered that those efforts have finally been bringing the desired impact, and collectively are turning the tide in the country. Furthermore, many of these individual efforts are converging now to lay down the foundations of a democratic, lawful, and culturally vibrant society, as repatriates increasingly start exercising their civic duties and activism in Armenia, and become vocal stakeholders in domestic affairs.

Circling back to the beginning, Armenia’s unfolding transformation will require increasing effort and resources from all Armenians, whether of recent émigrés from the country, or fourth-generation descendants of genocide survivors. Unlike the past, however, it’s no longer about the annual contribution to the All-Armenia Fund, fighting the injustices of the past, or donating used clothes to the border villages; although each of these have played (and will continue to play) an important role, they will not create long-term sustainability and growth for the country. It is about modernizing and integrating today’s Armenia into the global economy, politics and society, where you and eventually your children are the real link. Whether that means physically moving here, or hiring a team of programmers, shifting manufacturing or R&D center work here, or investing your time to train the next generation of doctors, artists, cinematographers, entrepreneurs, politicians, soldiers, marketing specialists, wine-makers, or production engineers, it really is up to you.

Raffi Kassarjian is advisor to the Board of Converse Bank in Yerevan. He is a founder and chairman of Repat Armenia Foundation (www.repatarmenia.org).

Avetik Chalabyan is the director of McKinsey & Co. in Moscow. He is a founder and a Board member of Repat Armenia Foundation.

The post Channeling Talents, Securing Armenia’s Future appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

ARF Western US Central Committee Issues Announcement on Historic Vote

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Asbarez)–The California State Assembly, by a decisive vote adopted a resolution recognizing the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a historic move by the legislature of the State, which is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee welcomes this bold and groundbreaking move, which is a testament to not only the hard work of the Armenian-American community, but also the cognizance of public officials in the State of California about the right to self-determination of all peoples—and in this case the people of Artsakh.

This vote goes a long way in cementing the just aspirations of the Armenian people and underscores the importance of the struggle waged by the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to determine their own fate and to establish democratic norms for governing themselves in the face of grave adversity and threats to their daily existence.

Despite heavy opposition by Azerbaijan, the California Legislature took the heroic step to advance the cause of freedom and self-determination. For this each and every legislator who voted in favor of the measure must be commended. At the same time, State Assemblymembers Mike Gatto, Scott Wilk, Adrin Nazarian and Khatcho Achadjian and Assembly Speaker John Perez must be commended for their leadership in this effort and their commitment to becoming the true representatives of the constituencies.

This is a definitive victory for the Armenian Nation, as well as for the people of Artsakh who have heroically waged a struggle for self-determination and for other disenfranchised peoples around the world.

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Artem Arutyunyan

NEW YORK (A.W.)—Distinguished young musicians Nune Melikian (violin), Nikolay Shugaev (cello), and Artem Arutyunyan (piano) will perform in New York on May 31.

Nune Melikian

The concert program includes works by Handel-Halvorsen, Scarlatti, Costelnuovo-Tedesco, Saint-Saens, Dvorak.

“I look forward to performing with two talented colleagues with whom I have studied more than 10 years ago,” said Melikian.

Violinist Melikian has won top prize of various international competitions including the Oistrakh International Competition in Moscow, the Andrea Postacchini International Competition, LISMA Foundation International competition, and the University of Montreal Concerto Competition. She has performed in venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Merkin City Hall, and the Bolshoy Hall.

Cellist Shugaev is a winner and laureate of many other international competitions, including VIII Concorso Internazionale Valsesia Musica, Concorso Internazionale Città di Pinerolo (WFIMC member), XII International Competition of chamber music in Krakow, International Music Competition “Paper da Musica” (Spain), 38e Concours International de Musique de Lausanne, Val Tidone International Music Competition.

Nikolay Shugaev

Pianist Arutyunyan has performed at various venues in Moscow, including the major halls of the Moscow State Conservatory, Tchaikovsky Hall and Grand Hall of Gnessin Music Academy. In August 2013, he participated in the International Holland Music Sessions performing at various venues in the Netherlands. Arutyunyan has also participated in several international competitions including the First Balakirev Int’l Piano Competition in 2004, winning the Audience Choice Award.

The concert will be held at the Benzaquen Hall, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, West 37th Street, New York, NY. For tickets, go to: https://nunemelikian.yapsody.com/event/index/2869/intercontinental_concert

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The poster of the conference

BERLIN, Germany (A.W.)—On May 10, a conference on “The 1915 Genocide: Collective Responsibility and Roles; Kurdish, Armenian, Assyrian Relations” was held in Berlin. It brought together two generations of Kurdish intellectuals to discuss inter-communal relations before and after the genocide and the responsibilities of Kurds in the process and conciliation and making amends.

Armenian Weekly Editor Khatchig Mouradian delivered the following speech, in Turkish, calling on Kurdish opinion-makers and politicians to expand and deepen their role in bringing justice to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

For the Turkish version of the speech, click here.

***

I pass through Diyarbakir on all my trips to Turkey.

In January 2013, I was scheduled to speak at a conference in Ankara dedicated to Hrant Dink, and once again I decided to first make a stop in Diyarbakir.

It was Jan. 17 when I landed in Diyarbakir. Some of you here will remember that day. Hundreds of thousands had gathered for the funeral of activist Sakine Cansiz and her comrades.

As I stood in the crowd listening to the speeches, my mind wandered from Dersim to Diyarbakir to Ankara…

Two days later, in Ankara, I delivered my first speech in Turkish.

I started like this:

How did Turkish come to me?

I did not learn it to add one more foreign language to my CV.

Turkish came to me the day I was born. I had not asked for it, yet I could not reject it, either.

It came to me in the voice of my grandmother.

For you, Turkish is the mother tongue. For me it’s my grandmother’s language.

My grandparents survived the genocide and ended up in Lebanon with practically nothing. They rebuilt their lives from scratch, and gave my parents the gift of life.

And when I was born, they gave me one of the few things they were, in fact, able to bring with them from Kilikia: the Turkish language.

For you, Turkish is the language of parental love.

For me, it is the burden of death and dispossession.

My Turkish has memories of death and dispossession from Adana, Kilis, Konya Eregli, and Hasanbeyli. The villages and towns of my grandparents.

And today, for the first time, I speak that language from a podium.

Today, for the first time, I return that gift of death and dispossession to the lands it came from…

At the end of the speech, I said:

But asking others to open their eyes and acknowledge the suffering of Armenians can never be enough.

What is necessary is justice.

So today, I return the language of death and dispossession to you.

And instead, in the name of my grandparents, Khachadour and Meline Mouradian, Ardashes and Aghavni Gharibian, I demand a language of justice.

Today, as we discuss “The 1915 Genocide: Collective Responsibility and Roles,” I once again think about the funeral and my speech. And my mind wanders from Dersim to Diyarbakir to Ankara. Because I believe the road to justice passes through Diyarbakir.

A scene from the conference (Photo: Gelawej.net)

I can hear the sound of justice, albeit faint, in the ringing of the Sourp Giragos Church bell, in the voices of Islamized Armenians learning the Armenian language, and—sometimes—in the statements of Kurdish leaders.

And that sound must be amplified, so that it reaches Van, Hakkari, Şırnak, Dersim, Batman, Bitlis, and Ağrı.

And eventually Ankara.

Let us not talk about brotherhood and peace. I am tired of the incessant use, misuse, and abuse of these words in Turkey.

Let us not talk about shared dolma, shared pain, an Anatolian diaspora, Turkish passports, lobbies, condolences, and other absurdities.

The road to conciliation passes through justice. There are no shortcuts.

Ankara keeps the border with Armenia shut, but Diyarbakir can open another border: The border with the diaspora.

And that border can only open with justice.

As we approach the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, let our minds, together, wander from Dersim, to Diyarbakir, to Ankara.

Many of you here know that Sakine Cansiz was from Dersim, and that her nom de guerre, Sara, was her Armenian grandmother’s name.

Hundreds of thousands gathered to pay their respect to Sakine Cansiz in January last year. But that respect has not been paid to Sakine’s grandmother, and the million and a half who perished during the genocide.

Mouradian during his speech.

That respect has not been paid to my grandparents.

So let hundreds of thousands gather in Diyarbakir on April 24, 2015, to commemorate the genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontic Greeks.

And to make the voice of justice stronger.

The post The Road from Diyarbakir: A Call to Deepen Kurdish Commitment to Genocide Justice appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)—The Boston Armenian community celebrated the independence day of the first Republic of Armenia on May 10.

The event, organized by the ARF “Sardarabad” Gomideh, the Homenetmen Greater Boston Chapter, and AYF-YOARF Greater Boston “Nejdeh” chapter, featured a keynote by ARF Western Region Central Committee chair Viken Hovsepian.

Viken Hovsepian during his speech (Photo: Mikael Garabedian)

In his speech, Hovsepian noted that throughout history, there have been instances where some Armenians, under the guise of pragmatism, have advocated for concessions to the enemy and have refrained from standing up for their rights, claiming that the enemy is too strong, thereby advocating defeatism. And then there are those—from Vartan Mamigonian to the heroes of May 28, 1918 and the liberators of Shushi in May of 1994 who have stood tall against all odds, have challenged the defeatist attitude, and have prevailed.

Hovsepian also stressed that true patriotism is not just opposing territorial concessions to aggressors, but also a commitment to democracy and improving living conditions for the citizens of Armenia.

Vice president of AYF “Nejdeh” chapter Carnie Armenian then briefly described the journey of the AYF Eternal Flame from Armenia to Lowell and now to Watertown. The torch will continue its journey across the U.S. leading up to the centennial of the Armenian genocide. The attendees lighted candles from the torch and stood a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Genocide.

Harout Bedrosian and his band took to the stage next, performing Armenian folk and patriotic songs through the evening.

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This community proved its dedication to our 1,500,000 million martyrs when more than 600 individuals filled the sanctuary of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church on the evening of April 24, 2014. This magnificent feat was accomplished with the unified efforts of St. John Armenian Church of Greater Detroit, St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Vartan Armenian Catholic Church, and the Armenian Congregational Church.

Armenian Genocide commemoration at St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church

Who are these 600 individuals? They can be said to be the exiles, deportees, succeeding generations that sprung from the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. “We swear by the spilled blood of our ancestors that we will never forget the Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Turks,” is their cry. And together we paid for the souls of the slain innocents.

Co-mc of the day, Lara Nercessian, vice-chair of the ANC

With standing room only, each person was given a booklet containing the Vespers Service. The sweetest sound was the “Hayr Mer” being recited by the large throng from the Diocese, Prelacy, Catholic, and Congregational churches. The choir, 22 strong, was harmonious and heaven-like. It was so Armenian with the processional, the incense, sharagans, and vested clergy. We took a deep breath and felt proud to be Armenian, and happy to be paying honor to those we lost to the extremists.

“We’re happy to be here on this solemn occasion with all of the Armenian community participating,” said sisters Ida Gononian and Sona Nahabedian. That was the prevailing attitude of the faithful, with many saying ,“We should have done this long ago.” Indeed.

Pastor Shant Barsoumian spoke in English, and said that 1915 was not the first genocide against the Armenians, that there were others not as devastating, but injurious nevertheless. “Please believe God was with us in 1915. Otherwise the enemy would have annihilated us all. God is holy. He brought us through those terrible times. He is bigger, stronger that the Supreme Court and the United Nations. Christ has given us faith over death. Live a vibrant faith-filled life.”

The clergy involved in the service were Very Fr. Diran Papazian, Very Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian, Rev. Fr. Abraham Ohanesian, Pastor Shant Barsourmian, and Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian.

The procession with lit candles followed the clergy and choir outside to the Martyrs Monument surrounded by Easter lilies. Afterwards everyone was invited into the

Included that evening was a dazzling performance by some members of the Hamazkayin Arax Dance Ensemble.

Lillian Arakelian Community room for traditional lamb madagh sandwiches prepared by the Ladies’ Guilds from the participating churches.

Remella Carman, 100, and Oghi Mouradian, 101, were honored for being the area’s two sole survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

“It was very moving as we began to sing the requiem in front of the khatchkar. The heavens were with us. A light rain began sprinkling and that is why we never forget. It is as though God sent us a message,” said Vaughn Mesropian, the program director of the Armenian Radio Hour.

The community wishes to thank the clergy, deacons, ushers, organist Helen Movsesian, and Nancy Hardick for leading the choir.

Michael Hagopian and Richard Norsigian will co-chair the events for future genocide commemorations. The 100^th next year will be held at St. Mary’s in Livonia, which holds 1,300 people. The 101^st will be held

Co-mc Hovig Kouyoumdjian

at St. John’s Armenian Church. Both gentlemen briefly addressed the audience of future joint events. Norsigian said, “We want the Turks to realize they did not succeed in eradicating the Armenians. We won’t be satisfied until the Turkish and U.S. governments acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.”

Elaborate plans are underway for May 7-10, 2015 in Washington, D.C., for a show of strength with participation by Etchmiadzin and Cilicia—two Catholicoses, Prelates and Primates. There will be a march to the White House and the Arlington National Cemetery.

The Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Michigan also organized an event called “99 Years of Struggle for Justice” on the evening of April 26, at 7:30 p.m., with the participation of the ARF Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh, AYF “Kopernik Tandourjian” chapter, the five ARS chapters, the Homenetmen of Detroit, and Hamazkayin of Detroit, at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield.

While the audience of around 300 filled the auditorium, a video showed grisly scenes of death and destruction from the genocide, with Karnig Sarkissian singing, “Barzir Aghpyur.” A train filled with Armenians was headed to death, we are now certain; an open pit held the bodies of dead Armenians; emaciated Armenian orphans lay dead in the street; a photo of murdered Hrant Dink, his body covered with a sheet in front of the Agos building; words from actor Mel Gibson saying Armenians have always struggled; and a poster that read, “Eastern Turkey is Western Armenia!” Another photo was of a child holding up his hands showing the holes by Turkish crucifixion, and there was one of Soghomon Tehlirian, who is credited with killing Talat, the genocide mastermind. Then another video was shown with genocide pictures while Isabel Bayrakdarian sang “Dele Yaman.”

ARF Chairman Raffi Ourlian welcomed guests and introduced the co-mc of the day, Lara Nercessian, vice-chair of the ANC. The presentation of flags was done by the Homenetmen Scouts. The Armenian and Amercan National Anthems were sung by Araxie Tossounian, Nayiri Carman, and Tamar Changelian. Then Nercessian that requested everyone stand in a moment of silence for our martyrs.

Proclamations were read from Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s office by Ania Biciuk.

She spoke about being on the eve of the centennial. “Our ancestors were forced out of their homes 99 years ago. We have put up with 99 years of Turkey whitewashing history. We fight for recognition. We seek reparation for our lost lands. Despite every effort to destroy us, we have thrived. Twenty-one countries have recognized the genocide. Unfortunately the U.S. has not. Wipe away your tears, it is time to fight for justice.”

Co-mc Hovig Kouyoumdjian, chair of the ANC of Michigan, said, in Armenian, “It is

one year less than 100 years. It is important to light candles and to pray because it gives us comfort, but the time is also for reinforcing our demands for reparations from Turkey. Turkey maintains the same attitude of genocide denial.”

Proclamations were read from Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s office by Ania Biciuk, and from Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Karl Levin, Reps. Gary Peters and Sander Levin. State Rep. Testo, of Chaldean decent, wrote, “Because of the oppression of the Genocide we share a lot more similarities than differences. It is our duty to recognize oppression.”

Guest speaker Ara Papian, a lawyer, historian, and diplomat, heads the Modus Vivendi Research Center. He was a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the

Guest speaker Ara Papian

Republic of Armenia, and was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenian to Canada from 2001-06.

He spoke of the significance of Nov. 22, 1920, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Arbitral Award that decided the border between Armenia and Turkey. That document was kept secret for a long time, but Papian has compiled the over-240 page document, including the maps that clearly show those lands belonging to Armenia, as outlined by President Wilson.

The Arbitral Award bears the Great Seal of the United States of America, rendering it is binding and inviolable, and was signed by the U.S. president and co-signed by the secretary of state.

“If April 24 is memorialized as a day of great loss and a day we began demands for justice, then Nov. 22 needs to become a day of the restoration of justice, of demands for national reparations, and the re-establishment of our dispossessed rights. Arbitral Awards are final without appeal.”

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian was the keynote speaker. He serves as the point-person with the Obama Administration, Congress, and the media. He spoke of why we need to challenge Turkey. We owe it to the world, he explained, that the evil set upon us is not done to anyone else. Armenia cannot be safe even today. If the Turks deny what they did as wrong, then they can say they have the right to do it again. If Turkey is to be a forward-looking state, they must put an end to denial. “It is a tragic testimony the U.S. government will not support our efforts,” he added.

“This year on April 24, Turks friendly to our cause gathered in remembrance, held a demonstration at the very same location where in 1915 our intellectuals numbering over 250 were gathered up and later killed. Change takes time and effort. Building public opinion can lead to the remedy.” Hamparian is an energetic speaker who seems perfect for the position he holds.

The Armenian and American National Anthems were sung by Araxie Tossounian, Nayiri Carman, and Tamar Changelian

Included that evening was a dazzling performance by some members of the Hamazkayin Arax Dance Ensemble, led by Nayiri Karapetian and Lara Zanazanian. The group is in its ninth year of performing and has more than 100 dancers. They are well known throughout the area for their perfectly executed, crowd-pleasing performances. The ensemble continues to draw Armenian youth interested in learning the traditional dance of their ancestors. They gave a fitting tribute to our martyrs, followed by an energetic, upbeat dance that had the audience clapping in rhythm.

Representing the AYF was Anoush Mardigian, a poised and eloquent representative of the “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter. Her well-written message of support of our Martyrs, the Armenian Cause, and demands for justice reinforced our faith that the youth are well aware of their responsibility. Our strength is in our youth.

The benediction was delivered by Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church and Rev. Shant Barsoumian of the Armenian Congregational Church.

An afterglow reception was held at Marhaba Restaurant.

The event was organized by the ANC of Michigan. Participating organizations included the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian Youth Federation, Armenian Community Center, Armenian Relief Society, Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, and Homenetmen of Detroit.

Many thanks are extended to those who, with their generous donations, made this event the huge success it was. The donations will be donated to the ANCA Telethon.

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Family of the Late Community Benefactor Continues Legacy of Youth Empowerment through Major Donation for ANCA Telethon 2014

WASHINGTON—On the occasion of ANCA Telethon 2014, the family of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian has announced a major financial donation to be used for the purchase of a new building in Washington, DC, to be known as the Martha Aramian Cultural Center. This building will be a permanent home for the Capital Gateway Program, whose mission is to attract and support recent university graduates who are interested in coming to the nation’s capital to begin careers in government, media and public policy. The Gateway fellows receive free housing and professional support as they pursue these careers.

Martha Aramian

The Aramian family of Providence, Rhode Island has long been among the most generous benefactors of ANCA programs as well as of charitable projects in the Armenian homeland and the Diaspora. Their parents, Kazar and Nevart, were Genocide survivors who came to this country and committed themselves and their daughters to remember and honor their heritage and culture.

As a consequence, the Aramian family demonstrated that commitment by having been the prime donor to the ANCA’s Armenian Cause 2.0 Conference in 2011. They also provided support for the Aramian Conference room, located on the fourth floor of the ANCA’s national headquarters, and numerous educational programs for young Armenian American women. The Aramians have also funded, in Martha’s name, a series of Capitol Hill programs on Armenian issues.

The ANCA Eastern Region’s Vahan Cardashian Award was granted to Martha Aramian in 2008, during a New York City banquet that also honored noted human right activist, and now U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power. Martha was the recipient of the Armenian Prelacy’s highest honor, the Queen Zabel Award. Martha’s benevolent reach extended across the Armenian world to include the establishment of a child care center, senior center, and youth camp in Vanadzor, Armenia, a city devastated by the 1988 earthquake . In her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, she conceptualized and developed the Armenian Heritage Park, as a permanent memorial testifying to the strength and courage of Armenian immigrants to this country, which she later deeded to the city.

“Our family is pleased to offer this living legacy to our beloved sister Martha’s memory,” said Sue Aramian and Margo Aramian Ragan. “The Martha Aramian Cultural Center will stand as an enduring home for Armenian American youth in our nation’s capital, a place for young men and women to celebrate their roots, explore their culture, build lasting friendships, and realize their professional ambitions and public service aspirations.”

“We are honored by the Aramian family’s truly remarkable support and visionary commitment to our cause, our culture, our community and – especially – our youth,” said ANCA Endowment President Ken Hachikian. “The Martha Aramian Cultural Center will serve as a wonderful tribute to Martha’s sacred memory, supporting and sustaining generations of young Armenians as they strive, succeed, and rise to great heights here in Washington, DC.”

Established through a generous donation from the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the Capital Gateway Program, over the years, has benefited tremendously from the generosity of donors committed to creating public service opportunities for young Armenian Americans. A leading financial contributor to the Program has been the family of Hovig Apo Saghdejian, a 23-year old youth leader and community activist from Fresno, California, who lost his life in 2004 in a tragic car accident. His family generously established the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fund in his memory. Substantial support has also been provided by longtime ANCA benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Barbara Hekimian and the Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford, Massachusetts (AAVO).

The application deadline for the Fall, 2014, session is July 15, 2014. For more information about the Capital Gateway Program or to apply, contact Program Director Raffi Karakashian at (202) 775-1918 or raffi@anca.org.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I.—On the 99th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island (ANC-RI) organized a series of events that began on April 20 with the Poster program, as members of the Providence AYF and Homenetmen Providence chapters embarked on a campaign to put up 200 posters on and near colleges and universities. The posters demand recognition of the Genocide and justice.

Mayor Charles Lombardi welcoming the crowd in North Providence

On April 24 former mayor and WPRO talk radio host Buddy Cianci extended an invitation to the ANC to speak on the radio about the genocide. The Cianci Show is one of the most popular programs on the air.

Also on April 24, following a brief service at Sts. Vartanantz Church, a group to 200 began the annual candlelight march to Providence City Hall, where a program was held in the council chambers. A black casket was carried by the Providence AYF members as they held posters and pictures of members of their families that were lost and others that survived the Genocide.

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian served as the emcee in the packed house at the chambers. Steve Elmasian gave the ANC message.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Tom Suprock, a veteran of the Vietnam War, delivered moving speech. Providence City Council President Michael Solomon gave the city’s message.

On April 25, the Town of North Providence held its 15th annual ANC-RI flag raising. North Providence was the first municipality in our state to hold such an event. Councilman Dino Autiello served as the emcee and began with opening remarks on the purpose of us being there. He then introduced Mayor Charles Lombardi. Dalita Getzoyan delivered the ANC message.

Providence City Hall on April 24

In attendance were US Senator Jack Reed, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, Cumberland Mayor Daniel McKee, and others. This year’s honoree was Mr. Jack Chakoian, who joins a long list of Armenians in that town who have brought honor and pride to us as Armenian Americans.

Mr. Chakoian then shared his personal comments on how the Genocide impacted his family.

In the evening, the annual Cranston Flag raising ceremony took place in the council chambers in Cranston City Hall. Cranston boasts the largest Armenian community in Rhode Island. Council President John Lanni served as the emcee. He asked Mayor Allan Fung, to give the welcoming remarks.

Andrew Bagdasarian gave the ANC message. Hagop Anmahian preformed two pieces on the violin: “Groong” and “Dream.”

Rhode Island State House on April 24

In attendance were U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Congressman James Langevin, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, Chief Justice of the Family Court Haiganush Bedrosian and Hon. Aram Garabedian. This year’s honoree was Sylvia Varadian, who joins a long list of Armenians in that city who have brought honor and pride to us as Armenian Americans.

Annual commemorative initiatives continued this year:

•Governor Lincoln Chafee has issued the annual proclamation titled “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide”. He follows a long line of Governors in our state that have consistently issued proclamations in memory of those that were massacred and in honor of those that survived.

•On April 29 the Rhode Island Senate passed its annual resolution designating April 24 2014 as “Rhode Island Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, 1915-1923.”

•On April 30 the Rhode Island House passed its annual resolution designating April 24th 2014 as “Rhode Island Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, 1915-1923.”

•Again this year, on April 24, all 39 cities and towns flew the Armenian Tri-color. The flag was also flown over the Rhode Island State House.

•The annual “flag sponsored” program received 96 sponsors this year, the highest number since the program began, seven years ago. While it was not intended to be a fundraising initiative, it allows members of the community or organizations to sponsor a flag (for a donation of $100.00) to be flown in the memory or in honor of a loved one in one of Rhode Island’s cities and towns.

US Senator Jack Reed speaking at Cranston City Hall

The ANC of Rhode Island would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers who gave their time and effort for the success of this year’s ANC RI Genocide commemoration.

Deacon Hagop Khatchadourian, of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, opening prayers

Der Hayr Shnork Souin of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Church, opening prayers

Reverend Hagop Manjelikian of the Armenian Evangelical Church, opening and closing prayers

George Donoyan, Providence AYF and Homenetmen, presenting a moving reading

Harry Kachadoorian, coordinating the candlelight march

Shant Eghian, beautiful rendition of Adanai Voghperk

Taleen Donoyan, Providence AYF and Homenetmen, singing the National Anthem.

Vincent “Buddy” Cianci, inviting the ANC to his talk show

The post ANC-RI Commemorates Genocide with State-Wide Events, Programs appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Greater Boston community leaders and advocates for a strong Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh) gathered at the home of Garo and Meline Lachinian for a special reception in support of ANCA Telethon 2014, the six-hour salute to Armenian-American civic participation to be broadcast on June 1.

Top (L-R) Ojik Gregorian, Meline Lachinian, Armen Lachinian-Ferrell, Heather Krafian, and Linda Kechechian; Bottom (L-R) Lucy Chalian, Tamar Hamparian, Johanna Chilingirian, and Claudia Antranigian. (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

“We were pleased to open our home for such a worthwhile cause,” said the Lachinians, following the May 9 reception, which happened to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of Shushi’s liberation. “The ANCA plays a vital role in expanding our collective voice from city hall to the nation’s capital to help build a brighter future for Armenians everywhere.”

George Basharians, Josh Tevekelian, and Raffi Varjabedian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

The Lachinians are supporters of the ANCA’s youth development efforts, including the ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program, in which their daughter, Taleen, participated in 2013. Taleen brought her finance background to the program, researching the impact on international affirmation of the Armenian Genocide on trade with Turkey and spotlighting Armenia’s economic growth.

More than 100 community supporters joined the Lachinians for the special evening, which was organized by Tamar Hamparian, Heather Krafian, ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Tamar Kanarian, and ANCA Telethon 2014 Board Member Josh Tevekelian. The reception was one of over a dozen similar events being organized across the U.S. by supporters devoted to expanding the power and reach of the Armenian-American community.

“We would like to thank Garo and Meline and all those who helped make this evening

Taleen Lachinian, Sevan Dulgarian, Anais Kechechian, Christine Bahtiarian, and Lucine Bahtiarian. (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

dedicated to our common Cause a success,” said Tevekelian. “We have seen unprecedented enthusiasm surrounding ANCA Telethon 2014, due in large part to the growing number of individuals, young and old, who are joining in ANCA efforts to advance core community concerns, from justice for the genocide to support for Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk, and our beleaguered communities in the Middle East.”

In the days leading up to the event, a diverse group of Boston area community activists lent their voices to a series of video vignettes urging participation in the ANCA Telethon. From veteran ANCA leader Tatul Sonentz Papazian to St. Stephens Armenian Church pastor, Rev. Fr. Antranig Baljian, to AYF Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter member Anto Avedissian, each told of why they are actively supporting ANCA Telethon 2014. To view the videos, visit the ANCA YouTube page at www.anca.org/youtube.

Jano Avedissian, George Basharians, and Raffi Festekjian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

The ANCA Endowment Fund supports a broad range of educational, youth, and civic programs that give voice to the views and values of the Armenian-American community, strengthening our presence in the American civic arena, and empowering pro-Armenian stakeholders with the information and resources they need to take on the powerful forces aligned against the Armenian nation. The first three ANCA Endowment Fund telethons, held in 2006, 2009 and 2012, raised over $6.5 million for Armenian-American educational, youth, and civic programs. Each program touched a common emotional chord, speaking directly to the devotion to the Armenian Cause in the hearts of Armenians from across the U.S., regardless of organizational or political affiliations. Countless organizations, volunteers, churches, community leaders, local ANCAs, performing artists, Members of Congress, and state legislators from across the nation participated in these telethons, contributing to their enormous success.

The June 1 ANCA Telethon will be streamed live online at www.ancatelethon.org and broadcast coast to coast from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight EST (3-9 p.m. PST). To find your station, visit www.anca.org/ancatelethon/2014/channel_listing.pdf.

Arpi Avedissian, Nina Festekjian, Arev DerVartanian, and Armen Lachinian-Ferrell (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

Linda, Steve, and Anais Kechechian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

Melkon Yessaillian and Bedig Der Vartanian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

Walter Nahabedian, Astorr Guzelian, and Vartkes Guzelian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

Avedis Boyamian and Ara Krafian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

ANCA Ken Hachikian addresses attendees. (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

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NEW YORK (A.W.)—A reception and program to launch the Hairenik Association’s new publication Voices From the Past: Excerpts from the Writings of Armenian Revolutionaries was held in New York on April 28.

Gregorian speaking at the event

Held at the home of Virginia Davies and Willard Taylor, the event featured President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York Dr. Vartan Gregorian, who spoke about “Simon Vratsian: His Life and Legacy.”

ARF Eastern Region Central Committee chair Richard Sarajian delivered opening remarks, welcoming those in attendance and noting how the Hairenik started as a daily, eventually became a weekly publication, and now it has returned to its roots—essentially becoming a daily online alongside its print publications. He also highlighted the fact that the Weekly/Hairenik have embraced technology through their websites, Facebook and Twitter pages, iPhone, iPad and Android apps, and eBooks.

Sarajian then introduced Dr. Gregorian noting his many contributions to the Armenian nation through the years. He mentioned Dr. Gregorian’s involvement in a Hairenik Committee in the 80′s to acquire equipment to help modernize the paper.

Gregorian spoke of his experience as a writer for the Alik newspaper, his arrival in Beirut, his initial encounters with Levon Shant, and how he met Simon Vratsian. He then explained in detail how their relationship evolved, and how with Vratsian’s diminishing health Vartan became his eyes and ears.

Gregorian spoke of the quality of the education he received while at the Jemaran in Beirut, and his experiences going back to his home in Iran with Simon Vratsian.

After a light Q & A, Virginia presented a handsome book on Karabagh as a gift to Dr. Gregorian. As it turned out, the book was written by an Italian photojournalist, who included a poem by Antonia Arslan in the preface. As Antonia just happened to be present, she took the opportunity to recite her own poem, which Herand Markarian then read in Armenian translation.

A scene from the reception

Around 50 community members attended the event.

The Hairenik Association will be doing holding events in other communities throughout the year as it celebrates the anniversaries of the Hairenik and Armenian weeklies.

Voices from the Past, edited and translated by Vahe Habeshian, is the second publication by the Hairenik Association this year. Earlier this year, the Hairenik republished Arshavir Shiragian’s The Legacy: Memoirs of an Armenian Patriot as an e-Book.

To purchase Voices from the Past on Amazon, click here. To purchase The Legacy, click here.

The post Vartan Gregorian Speaks at Hairenik Book Launch in NY appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

Special for the Armenian Weekly

Two years ago, Ani’s husband committed suicide, leaving behind a 3-year-old son and a 32-year old widow to endure the horrors of Syria on their own. To support her son, Ani started working as a saleswoman. But as the situation in Aleppo disintegrated, she was laid off and forced to survive on her husband’s savings.

“City of love in a time of war,” a painting by Syrian artist Wissam Al Jazairy

Enduring the grotesque environment of Syria for two years was enough. Ani and her family moved to Lebanon with the hope that the conflict would soon subside and they would return back home.

In December 2013, Ani was ecstatic to have been allocated a cheap room in a shelter home administered by Catholic nuns. “My fortunes are changing,” she thought.

A few weeks later, she discovered that her son, Hagop, had developed a medical condition that required surgery. “I do not have the $2,700 needed for the operation,” she told me. “I spoke to the doctors and they informed me that the only way to secure a free of charge surgery is to bring medical documents from Syria. I have to go back!”

On Jan. 19, as politicians were convening in Montreux, Switzerland, to further demonstrate their diplomatic impotence at the Geneva II Conference on Syria, Ani was traveling back to Aleppo. Along the journey, she gazed upon a dozen corpses and hundreds of buildings that had turned into ruins. “Is my house still around,” she wondered.

Upon her return to Beirut, Ani had retrieved Hagop’s documents, but in the process had a near-death experience that would alter the course of her life forever. “If I had taken one more step, the bullet would have ripped open my skull,” she said. “I realized then, that Syria, my house, my properties have no value. The only thing that matters in this world is my son and his future.”

As she was leaving Aleppo, Ani brought with her all of the cash and jewelry she could gather. “I will run as far away from Syria as possible,” she said. “My son, my mother, and I will start a new life far away from this hell. I will never go back to Syria.”

The same week that Ani left Syria for the last time, Shaghig made the opposite journey back to Aleppo.

In April 2010, Shaghig was reciting a poem dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. Her recital was resounding and her stage presence was illuminating. Everyone at Aleppo’s Zvartnots Church Hall was mesmerized by her performance. Back then, she was a member of the AYF in Aleppo and a student of biotechnical engineering at the state university.

In 2012, her family fled the conflict in Aleppo and moved to the United States. Her father became a senior fellow at a highly reputable institute, while her mother was appointed to the regional director position of a women’s rights organization.

While living in a Fifth Avenue apartment in New York City, Shaghig completed her master’s degree in molecular biology. After graduation, she had everything one could hope for—money, education, connections, and a wealth of possibilities. But instead of pursuing the American Dream, Shaghig chose the Syrian nightmare.

In February 2014, she deserted the city that never sleeps, where blackouts are instantly associated with terrorism, and moved back to the hub of global jihad—Aleppo —a place where electricity and water are rare commodities these days.

Over the past several years, jihadists from across the globe have arrived in Syria to spread their perverted fatwas via destruction and annihilation. In February, when Shaghig returned to Aleppo, she had a fatwa of her own: the fatwa of love.

She had met Antranig during AYF meetings in Aleppo. Initially, they were Ungers, but in time, the relationship evolved into a love affair.

Due to financial limitations and commitments to his family, Antranig was unable to leave Syria to seek a new life with Shaghig elsewhere. The only place where the couple could reunite was this, the ghost city of Aleppo. After returning to Syria, Shaghig began working at a medical institution and got engaged to Antranig.

Freedom!

Ani’s love for her son and Shaghig’s love for her fiancé led them in opposite directions—in and out of Syria. But along their journey, they attained something that most Syrians have sought for a very long time: freedom.

In Syria, freedom is often associated with a change in the government, but a true form of freedom is only attained through the liberation of the mind from the shackles of fear.

In Ani’s case, her love for her son Hagop forced her to overcome her fear of the unknown world that awaited her outside of Syria. This prompted her to leave behind an entire lifetime of memories, friends, and family to pursue a safe haven far away from the satanic environment of Aleppo.
On the other hand, Shaghig’s love for her fiancé helped her overcome the fear of death and destruction, now common features of life in Syria.

The names of individuals have been changed to protect their identities.

The post Syria: Love in the Time of War appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

CHICAGO, Ill.—Armenians from across Greater Chicago converged on Daley Plaza in the city’s central business district to mark the 99th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide and to protest the Turkish government’s ongoing campaign of genocide denial. The Armenians were joined in the protest by Pontian Greek and Assyrian Christians, whose people were also victims of the genocide, as well as by Moslems from Palestine, Iraq, Nigeria and Sudan. The protest was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation “Ararat” Chapter on April 24.

AYF members lead the Armenian community in a demonstration against genocide denial in Chicago on April 24th.

In addition to carrying signs, waving flags, and chanting slogans, the protestors distributed thousands of leaflets calling for an end to Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide. The leaflets urged passersby to contact their state legislators to oppose Turkey’s blatant attempts to win support for its denial campaign by lavishing gifts on members of the Illinois legislature. The Chicago Tribune has reported that from 2009 to 2012, 32 of the 43 foreign trips received as gifts were by legislators traveling to Turkey, including four trips by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

“The people of Illinois need to send a message loud and clear to their state legislators that our state is not for sale, and we will not tolerate Turkey’s attempts to export lies,” stated Mike Demirjian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Illinois.

Demirjian noted that the Turkish Human Rights Association had issued a declaration calling on the Turkish government to halt its denial of the Armenian Genocide and to begin discussions with the Armenian people on the issues of restitution for “the incalculable losses their ancestors and they themselves have suffered and continue to suffer because of the Genocide and its denial.”

“Spending money on PR firms and lobbyists here in Illinois and around the world, the Turkish government thinks that it can somehow re-write history,” stated Mike Demirjian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Illinois. “Prime Minister Erdogan needs to understand that the world will no longer tolerate his antics, and that even Turks in Turkey have had enough of his genocide denial agenda.”

The post Protest Against Armenian Genocide Denial Held in Chicago appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

Dr. Henry Astarjian makes a point during his presentation in Chicago on Saturday, April 26.

GLENVIEW, Ill.—The Chicago Armenian Community marked the 99^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with a number of events spanning from April 24 to April 27.

The commemorative activities began on Thursday, April 24, with a protest against genocide denial organized by the Chicago “Ararat” Chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation. Held in downtown Chicago, the event was attended by Armenians from across Chicago, as well as by Pontian Greeks, Assyrians, Palestinians, Nigerians, Iraqis and Sudanese.

On Saturday, April 25, the Armenian National Committee of Illinois organized a commemorative program in Shahnasarian Hall. The program opened with the presentation of the colors and the singing of the Armenian and US national anthems by the Chicago Homenetmen Scouts Color Guard. ANC of Illinois Chair Mike Demirjian offered introductory remarks, and then invited former congressman Robert Dold, offered his thoughts and expressed his disappointment, shared by the community, in the failure of President Obama to use the word “genocide” in his annual April 24^th statement.

Following Cong. Dold, the Taniel Varoujan Armenian School students took the stage to perform Artyok Ovker En, Mousa Lertsinerou Yerkuh, and Gliligia, which were warmly received by the audience. Demirjian then introduced the featured speaker, Armenian Weekly columnist Dr. Henry Astarjian. Dr. Astarjian delivered a powerful presentation in the Armenian language, calling on Armenians everywhere to do more. His insightful presentation also included discussion about Armeno-Kurdish relations and the need for Armenians to leverage their worldwide dispersion and become a global power.

On Sunday, April 27, the community gathered at Armenian All Saints Church for a special requiem service dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 Million Armenian Marytrs. Following the hokehankisd, the congregants were led in a procession by the Homenetmen Scouts bearing memorial wreaths to the Armenian Martyrs’ Monument. At the monument, Chicago ARF “Christapor” Gomideh representative Ara Surenian spoke about the upcoming Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, warning that Turkey would be on the offensive, seeking out naïve and self-promoting elements in Armenia and the Diaspora to “share a plate of dolma.”

Surenian was followed to the podium by Chicago AYF representative Daron Bedian, who noted that, unlike previous generations, his generation did not have the chance learn about the Genocide directly from the survivors, and called on the older generation to serve as good examples and teach the youth about commitment and sacrifice through their service to the community. The Chicago Hamazkayin Choral Group then performed a song and the program concluded with the singing of Giligia and a solemn procession with each member of the crowd placing flowers at the Martyrs’ Monument. The program was followed by a memorial dinner offered by the Armenian All Saints Church Ladies Guild and a town hall discussion featuring Dr. Astarjian and an additional performance by the Hamazkayin Choral Group.

Also on Sunday, the Chicago Armenian Relief Society “Zabelle” Chapter organized a Memorial Blood Drive in Hudaverdian Hall. The blood drive, which has been conducted annually for nearly twenty years, has served as a symbolic way for members of the Armenian community to commemorate the sacrifices of our Martyrs by shedding their own blood for the benefit of those in need in the Chicago area.

who spoke about the legacy left to the younger generation.

The post Chicago Armenians Commemorate 99th Anniversary of Genocide appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

By Doris Melkonian and Arda Melkonian

On the eve of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, the 44^th Annual Scholars’ Conference (ASC) on the Holocaust and the Churches featured the first Genocide of the 20^th century, adopting the theme, Remembering for the Future: Armenia, Auschwitz and Beyond. Rev. Dr. Henry Knight (Professor, Keene State University), President of the Annual Scholars’ Conference commented, “Our theme for this year’s ASC invited us to examine the Genocide of the Armenian people while continuing to sustain our four decades of examining questions and issues raised by the Holocaust. By having more than an occasional session devoted to their distinctive traumas, each of the communities represented at this year’s gathering grew in their grasp of the issues uniquely at stake in their respective histories.”

Group picture of Armenian scholars and friends

The historic event, hosted by the American Jewish University, Los Angeles, on March 8-11, 2014, brought together scholars of the Armenian Genocide and Jewish Holocaust in an interdisciplinary, international, interfaith and intergenerational conference. It provided a unique forum for scholars to highlight the events of the Genocide and Holocaust, and to discuss the implications of these tragedies, the impact on subsequent generations, and the necessity of genocide and holocaust education and prevention.

Dr. Marcia Sachs Littell (Professor, Stockton College), Vice-President of the Annual Scholars’ Conference, and wife of the late Rev. Dr. Franklin Littell (Co-founder of the Conference), emphasized the historical significance of the Armenian Genocide in relation to the Holocaust. “The Armenian Genocide, the first Genocide of the Twentieth Century, sent a message to Adolf Hitler, that he could do anything he wanted and the world would not protest.”

The opening plenary session, “A Century of Genocide: What Have We Learned?” allowed for a conversation among clergy and scholars from diverse backgrounds. The panelists, representing different denominations and ethnic groups, Father Dr. John Pawlikowski (Professor, Catholic Theological Union), Dr. Richard Hovannisian (Professor Emeritus, UCLA), Rev. Dr. Henry Knight, and Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum (Professor, American Jewish University) provided unique perspectives to the question posed. Dr. Pawlikowski explained that while a new sensitivity to and awareness of many issues within the Christian community has developed, there has yet to be a movement from awareness to genocide prevention. Dr. Hovannisian shared that increased knowledge and awareness has not led to prevention since governments have not found it in their self-perceived national interest to implement punishment for genocide. Dr. Knight added that the world has become complex and the tools for detecting signals of genocide have also become complex. He underscored the need to spot genocide signposts early in order to effectively prevent killings. Dr. Berenbaum explained that governmental inaction to prevent genocide is not related to matters of conscience but to a lack of political will.

Several papers, presented by Armenian and non-Armenian scholars, focused on the Armenian Genocide, addressing topics such as religion, literature, trauma, altruism, denial, reconciliation, and risk analysis. Armenian scholars from Armenia, Germany, Italy, and various US universities and centers participated in the conference: Ishkhan Chiftjian (Leipzig University & Hamburg University), Richard Dekmejian (Professor, USC), Khachatur Gasparyan (Professor, Yerevan State Medical University), Sona Haroutyunian (Professor, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice), Marc Mamigonian (Academic Affairs Director, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research), Arda Melkonian (Graduate Student, UCLA), Doris Melkonian (Graduate Student, UCLA), Garabet Moumdjian (UCLA), Rubina Peroomian (UCLA), and Vahram Shemmassian (Professor, CSUN).

“Armenia, Auschwitz and Beyond”

The religious dimension of the Armenian Genocide was addressed by Ishkhan Chiftjian, Arda Melkonian, and Doris Melkonian. Chiftjian’s paper, “A Theological Approach to the Armenian Genocide,” asserted that survivors experienced faith as one of the reasons and the instruments of the crime. He discussed several examples of religious repression of Armenians; plundering and desecration of churches, monasteries and holy objects; and brutal attacks on clergymen. As victims experienced the Genocide, their faith was challenged, leading them to formulate their own responses to the question of theodicy. Many invoked the suffering of Christ on the cross, convinced that they suffer with Him and for Him. Their suffering does not call into question the nature of God, but instead leads them on a search for a God who has been absent during the Genocide.

Doris Melkonian, in her presentation, “Crisis Within: Faith and the Armenian Genocide” used survivor testimonies from the UCLA Armenian Oral History Collection to examine responses of Genocide survivors as they attempted to reconcile the catastrophic occurrence with their faith and belief in God. This inward reflection, often involving a re-examination of their faith in God, has resulted in various types of religious responses. For some survivors, this catastrophe led them to question the existence of a loving, omnipotent God. Some lost their faith entirely, rejecting a God who chose to forsake them. While for others, their genocidal experiences drew them closer to God, reinforcing their belief in Him.

On another panel, Arda Melkonian presented on “Armenian Evangelical Clergy Responses to the Genocide.” She explained that the Genocide has radically altered Armenian Christianity, changing Armenians’ understanding of God and their faith in Him. However, Armenian theologians have failed to acknowledge the damage caused by this tragic event and have yet to grapple with the profound religious impact it has had on the faith of the Armenian community. Her paper presented pastoral responses to this tragedy, and underscored the need to develop an Armenian theology that can make sense of the suffering and death of innocent Armenian victims. She explained that Armenian clergy must find a way to respond to those who are alienated from God and are asking, “How is it possible to believe in God after the Genocide?” They must speak about God to those who are struggling to understand His absence during the Genocide.

Doris Melkonian, Arda Melkonian, Nora Hovsepian, and Nora Yacoubian with Henry B. Morgenthau

Presentations by Dr. Vahram Shemmassian and Dr. Sona Haroutyunian examined literature about the Armenian Genocide. Shemmassian presented a paper, “The Musa Dagh Resistance to the Armenian Genocide, Franz Werfel’s novel The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, and Their Impact to the Present” showcasing the heroic resistance of Armenians living on Musa Dagh (Mountain of Moses), and addressing the issue of international press coverage and world readership reaction to the resistance. Shemmassian spoke about the impact of The Forty Days of Musa Dagh on the world, and Turkish reaction to the MGM movie project. He posed the question: “What is the relevance of Musa Dagh today in our collective memory on the 80^th anniversary of the novel’s publication (1933-2013)?”

Sona Haroutyunian’s paper, “Translation and Representation of the Armenian Genocide in Literature and Film,” analyzed the limitations of each medium (literature, translation, cinema) and the effect of each on reader and audience experiences. Focusing on renowned Italian-Armenian novelist, Antonia Arslan’s genocide narrative Skylark Farm, she discussed the power of translation as a means of cultural, historical and linguistic interaction.

Dr. Rubina Peroomian, in her paper, “The Symbiotic Relationship between Turks and Armenians: A 100-year-old Obstacle against Healing and Reconciliation,” explained that the relationship between Turks and Armenians has been shaped by governmental policies, societal behaviors and stereotyping of each other, with Turks viewing Armenians as gavours, unbelievers, and “rejects of the sword,” with Armenians viewing Turks as evildoers, perpetrators and deniers of the Armenian Genocide. She concluded that as long as this grim symbiosis between Turks and Armenians exists, artificial interventions and joint events will be ineffective in altering the attitudes of the masses. She added, “Healing and reconciliation, if ever possible after an inflicted catastrophe of that magnitude, are plausible only if Turks face their own history, confront and acknowledge the past.”

In “Academic Denial of the Armenian Genocide in American Scholarship: Denialism as Manufactured Controversy” Marc Mamigonian explained, “Although it is well known that denial of the Armenian Genocide began concurrently with the genocide itself, and for decades Turkey and those who support it have ignored, minimized, or denied the Armenian Genocide, the growing body of critical scholarship and documentation of the Armenian Genocide has rendered traditional strategies of silencing and denial increasingly untenable.” He argued that supporters of the “Turkish position” seek to construct denialism as a legitimate intellectual debate. After presenting several examples of denialist rhetoric (e.g., the link between smoking and cancer, between carbon emissions and climate change, or the evolution vs. intelligent design “controversy”), and specific cases of “academic denial,” emanating from American universities, he discussed the fundamental challenges of denialism and the quest for intellectual legitimacy.

Dr. Richard Dekmejian, in “Utility of Pre-Genocidal Risk Assessment: From the Armenian Genocide and Jewish Holocaust to the Present,” discussed risk assessment of pre-genocidal situations, and the foresight of political thinkers and activists who attempted to prevent the Armenian Genocide and Holocaust. He presented a critical analysis of modern-day Early Warning Systems, explaining their ineffectiveness to prevent genocide in up to 15 Middle Eastern, African and Asian countries.

In the final session of the conference, Dr. Garabet Moumdjian presented “Ottoman Official Resistance to the Armenian Genocide in the Southern Theater of War.” Moumdjian discussed examples of Ottoman officials who refused to obey orders from Constantinople to exterminate Armenians. The altruism demonstrated by officials who defied Talaat Pasha’s orders despite the potential risk to their careers, should be further studied. Moumdjian analyzed the political, social, and military reasons motivating Jemal Pasha and others to rescue Armenian deportees. He suggested that Jemal’s motivation may have stemmed from his ambitions of creating and ruling an Arab state, populated by Armenian survivors who would form its new middle class.

A special guest, Henry B. Morgenthau IV, great grandson of Henry Morgenthau, addressed the gathering as a luncheon keynote speaker. He shared with the attendees his great-grandfather’s legacy as ambassador to Turkey during the Armenian Genocide.

The plenary session on “Survival and Self-Actualization – Managing Memory, Identity an Social Conditions after Genocide has Occurred,” featured Khachatur Gasparyan who spoke about “Psychotraumatic Elements of Armenian Identity: One Hundred Years of Surviving.” During another plenary session, Rabbi Dr. Richard Rubenstein (Former President, University of Bridgeport), spoke about “The Armenian Genocide as Holy War,” and David Patterson (Professor, University of Texas at Dallas) presented “From Hitler to Jihadist Jew Hatred: Influences and Parallels.”

The public lecture, “Armenia, Auschwitz and Beyond” featured Dr. Richard Hovannisian, Dr. Stephen Smith (Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation), and Dr. Michael Berenbaum, who provided suggestions for future action. Dr. Berebaum urged the community to transform the memory of tragedy into a warning system to prevent future genocides. Dr. Hovannisian challenged the Armenian community to “find ways and means to universalize their experience and make it part of world history as the Jews have done.” Lastly, Dr. Smith alerted the audience to the dangers of obfuscation, stressing that the appropriate response must be to inform it. The evening concluded with the presentation of the Eternal Flame Award to Dr. Smith in recognition of his efforts to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to build a better future for all humanity.

Dr. Hovannisian remarked, “This conference reinforced my view that the comparative study of genocide is the most useful and effective way of confronting the problem. One can be knowledgeable about various cases of genocide, their antecedents, processes, and aftermath without losing sight of the specific factors at play in each individual case…The conference demonstrated that there is much need for such an approach.”

The post Armenian Genocide Featured at the 44th Annual Scholars’ Conference appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian embraces 102-year-old Nellie Nazarian by ‘A Mother’s Hands’ Genocide Memorial after unveiling. Nellie is the lone remaining genocide survivor in Merrimack Valley. (Tom Vartabedian Photo)

LOWELL, Mass.—Knot by knot, a mother’s hands weave the history of her people.

These hands performed another ritual May 10 when they welcomed a crowd of more than 300 people to their side at Lowell City Hall.

At long last (three years in the making) this unique genocide memorial stands proud inside City Hall Plaza—the first time such a monument finds itself across government soil in America.

While other monument unveilings went through some tenuous moments in other parts of the world, this one was dedicated and blessed with fanfare as various churches and organizations staged a united stand behind a group called the Merrimack Valley Armenian Monument Committee.

The stone exceeds six feet in length and takes its place in Monument Park where other ethnic groups are represented. Anyone entering or leaving the building is bound to take notice.

The mother’s hands jets out over a khatchkar (cross-stone) wrapped around an elaborate border with an emotional message below. At the base, an inscription reads, “In Memory” and “Ee Hishadag,” in Armenian.

“There are approximately 230 monuments dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in 42 countries around the world,” said artistic designer Daniel Varoujan Hejinian. “Most of these monuments are located in land belonging to Armenian churches and organizations. What’s so special about this is the fact it is a first in the diaspora—an Armenian Genocide memorial in front of a government building.”

Combined with bronze and granite, the stone shows a mother’s weaving hands sculptured in clay, then refined through an elaborate process to exude a 3-dimensional effect.

As a model, the artist used his sister Lena’s hands. Buried into the foundation of the stone was an actual piece of crochet done by Hejinian’s mother as a symbolic gesture of his family history and the qualities that enhanced the concept.

“In spite of the pain and horror of our genocide, the Armenian people everywhere cast their hopes and dreams, knot by knot, as they bloom and prosper,” added Hejinian, who has personally put up more than 50 genocide billboards around Greater Boston over the past 18 years.

“Our mothers were dream weavers,” he added. “They worked the mills in Lowell, holding down nearly two-thirds of all textile jobs in this city. They came here to weave the fabric of our culture and we owe them all a debt of gratitude.”

Ironic that the unveiling took place on the eve of Mother’s Day after an earlier date was postponed due to a conflict. The fact it rained did little to deter the crowd.

Crowd pours around ‘A Mother’s Hands’ Genocide Memorial with cameras in hand. (Tom Vartabedian Photo)

Chairman Armen Jeknavorian found a prominent Mother’s Day saying in capturing the moment, “The earth’s warmth is in the mother’s hands.” He, too, looked to the mills for a symbolic connection to the memorial. Like his parents before him, they coped with difficult times in bringing homage to the community.

“The Armenian population in Lowell during the early 1930’s was significant,” he noted. “They built and consecrated their own church in 1916. Our history remains proud with prosperity.”

A procession in the downtown sector was led by members of the Sam Manoian Post, Armenian-American Veterans, led by Commander Richard Juknavorian.

Replica of ‘A Mother’s Hands’ Genocide Memorial is presented to artistic designer Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, center, by Merimack Valley Armenian Monument Committee. Making the presentation were Chairman Armen Jeknavorian, left, and Dr. Ara Jeknavorian. (Tom Vartabedian Photo)

A torch bearing an eternal flame made its way to the entourage, led by youth activists Garo Tashjian and Mgo Kassabian. It originated in Armenia, making its first stop here, and will proceed through communities across America before winding up in Historic Armenia next April.

Children from different church schools held banners and marched with their elder counterparts amid a police escort. Umbrellas were the order of the day before it finally cleared for the dedication ceremony shortly thereafter.

In attendance was Nellie Nazarian, the lone genocide survivor in Merrimack Valley, joined by her family. The 102-year-old was embraced by Armenians and Americans alike for her resilience as she posed for photographs before the stone.

In a special certificate from U.S. Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (Lowell), she applauded the courageous Armenian men and women who have thrived to become a vital part of her community.

“This first monument of its kind in Lowell stands as a testament to Armenians throughout history,” she pointed out. “While we remember the deceased, we also celebrate those who survived, worked the mills, and raised their families with dignity.”

U.S. Congressman John Tierney (Peabody), another strong advocate on Armenian issues, described the monument as a symbol of this community’s strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

“Rest assured that I will continue my efforts to address core humanitarian and economic difficulties that face the Armenian population,” he said.

Other proclamations and remarks were issued by State Senator Eileen Donaghue, State Representative David Nangle, Mayor Rodney Elliott, City Manager Kevin Murphy, City Councilor Rita Mercier (a former ANCA Freedom Award winner), and City Councilor James Milinazzo, who embraced the monument idea and selected the site as former mayor.

Members of Sam Manoian Post, Armenian-American Veterans of Lowell, make their way along downtown Lowell in the rain, led by Commander Richard Juknavorian. (Tom Vartabedian Photo)

Youth of the community presided over a flag-raising ceremony following the monument blessing.

An ambitious fund-raising effort launched a year ago brought it the $35,000 needed by Skylight Studios of Woburn for construction. Another $15,000 is being raised toward the perpetual care. Contributions poured in from around the country from donors who found the concept both eclectic and ingenious.

A reception followed at Lowell High School, where a miniaturized replica of the memorial was presented to Hejinian by committee members as a gesture of gratitude.

A delightful cultural interlude was provided by soloist Sevan Dulgarian, a UMass Amherst freshman and Greater Boston AYF Chapter member.

Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian spoke both at the unveiling and the luncheon. He served as honorary chairman of the project after a visit last summer to the Lowell Folk Festival where he noticed an Armenian tricolor and volunteered to get involved.

“The memorial represents the true Armenian-American dream: an opportunity for us to show the public who we are and what we teach,” he brought out. “The more we teach, the sooner people will realize the truth about our genocide. Your effort here is compatible with what was accomplished at Armenian Heritage Park in Boston. Heart. Commitment. Energy. All the qualities go into it.”

Three students were called upon to read their winning essays on a theme that reflected the monument. They were Anna Shahtanian and Matthew Kochakian, both of St. Gregory Church, North Andover, and Isabelle Kapoian, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Chelmsford.

The event was televised by Haykaram Nahapetyan, representing public television of Armenia H1, and also received front-page exposure in the local press. Serving as master of ceremonies throughout the day was Dr. Ara Jeknavorian, committee activist and co-chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley.

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By Laura Boghosian

BOSTON—After years of equivocation, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) National Director Abraham Foxman this month publicly acknowledged that the Turkish massacres of the Armenian people constituted genocide.

This recognition came after a seven-year campaign in which the Armenian and Jewish communities, as well as human rights activists and local officials, demanded that the ADL affirm this historical truth.

In remarks delivered at Suffolk University Law School’s commencement on May 17, Foxman stated, “Had there been people of courage to act in 1915 when the Armenian Genocide was taking place, had there been international intervention when massacres in Cambodia, Bosnia, and the genocide in Rwanda were happening, innocent lives in great numbers could have been saved.”

The announcement that Foxman would deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary degree unleashed widespread criticism that the university planned to honor a man who refused to issue a clear statement on the Armenian Genocide and who actively lobbied against its recognition.

Groups including the Suffolk chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Suffolk student organizations, the Armenian Bar Association, Suffolk alumni, and others called on the university to rescind its invitation. When Suffolk refused, several faculty members carried small Armenian flags in silent protest onto the stage where Foxman spoke.

Foxman’s remarks at Suffolk stand in contrast to the ADL’s 2007 statement that the “consequences” of the Turkish government’s actions were “tantamount to genocide.” The Armenian community and its supporters rejected that statement as its qualifiers circumvented the “intent” required by the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.

An ADL statement one year later alleging it had “referred to those massacres and atrocities as genocide” was likewise rebuffed as it only “referred” to the unacceptable 2007 statement. Recent claims by Foxman and the ADL that this 2008 release clearly and unequivocally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide are false.

Since that time, human rights activists have continued to press the ADL for an unequivocal acknowledgement, as well as an end to its lobbying for the Turkish government to prevent passage of a Congressional Resolution affirming the Armenian Genocide.

“Abe Foxman’s reference to the Armenian massacres as genocide, without any qualifiers, is a welcome change,” stated Herman Purutyan, Massachusetts chair of the Armenian Assembly of America. “Even though Foxman continues to assert that he had previously acknowledged the genocide, the basis for his claims are a chain of statements, at the root of which is the 2007 statement full of qualifications, intended to obfuscate the question. We expect that Foxman’s statement at Suffolk is not only his personal view, but that it also reflects ADL’s official position. ADL should confirm this by publishing an unequivocal statement on its website, and joining in the efforts to have the U. S. Congress recognize the Armenian Genocide by passing the resolution currently before it.”

Foxman’s remarks reflected growing support by Jewish organizations for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In March, ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan was quoted as stating that the ADL “now fully recognizes the Armenian Genocide without reservation.”

The following month, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) issued a release that read, “We pause in mournful tribute to the memories of the estimated 1.5 million victims of the Meds Yeghern, the Genocide of Armenians, committed in the final years of the Ottoman Empire.” Describing the genocide as “an unspeakable crime against humanity,” the AJC called on the Turkish government to confront the truth.

The Israeli Knesset discussed recognition of the Armenian Genocide at a plenum on May 13. A motion by the left-wing Meretz Party to recognize the genocide before its 100^th anniversary next year received support from across the political spectrum, including from the rightist coalition government.

“These reversals of position by major Jewish organizations are quite significant for all those committed to recognition of the genocides of the past century,” said Dikran Kaligian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Eastern Massachusetts. “No longer will Turkey be able to exploit the differences between the positions of these organizations’ leadership and their membership—the vast majority of whom want nothing to do with Turkey’s genocide denial campaign.”

Locally, the Coalition to Recognize the Armenian Genocide was established in 2008 to foster communication between the Armenian and Jewish communities and to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide within the Jewish community. Its objectives include advocating for official recognition of the genocide by the United States government. Coalition members include representatives from the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America. The coalition facilitated contacts between Armenian activists and members of the ADL and created an online petition calling on Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide; it has gathered over 21,000 signatures to date.

The post ADL’s Abraham Foxman Recognizes Armenian Genocide appeared first on Armenian Weekly.

Samvel believes in an Armenian Dream..for a very bright future for his country based on creating a knowledge-based economy that will make Armenia the Switzerland of the Caucasus.

We could live all over the world, miles apart, and embody all the culture differences of the countries we were born and raised in. Yet, we are bound by this noble idea, this “Armenian-ness,” the Armenian Spirit that burns like an eternal flame in many of us. We are a proud and principled people. We view ourselves as smart, industrious, dedicated, generous, kind, principled, forthright, and honest. The Armenian Spirit is what bonds us. We know it when we see it and admire our countrymen who embody these virtues we so value.

Samvel’s vision was to make the future open for each and every child in the Republic of Armenia.

Allow me to introduce Samvel Movsisyan. He has at least a triple dose of the Armenian Spirit and the values we so cherish.

Samvel has a passion for Armenia and Armenians. He wants to help the people of Armenia to not only survive but thrive. He wants the Republic of Armenia to succeed. In order for that to happen, there must be meaningful jobs and career opportunities for Armenians in Armenia. The future must be bright enough with work and career opportunities that emigration is out of the question—and, in fact, turns into repatriation and immigration. Samvel has dedicated his life to these noble goals, and has created and manages three NGOs dedicated to this mission.

Like all young Armenian men, Samvel served in the Army of the Republic of Armenia. In the army, Samvel had the opportunity to visit villages all around the country. Like many, he got to see, appreciate, and love the rural Armenia and Armenians. Samvel saw how people were leaving the country because they could not earn a living, and he knew this was bad for the country. During this time, Samvel realized that he had a passion for communicating with the people not only in the army but in all walks of life. He has a special and deep affinity with the people of the Armenia.

After the army, Samvel studied IT at the European Regional Academy (ERA). He was advised to participate in the student council to enhance his leadership skills and give his education a service component. As members of the student council were expected to participate in service projects in the community, Samvel decided to implement a project in an orphanage. He researched various orphanages in Armenia, and found one named Hope that resonated with him. He called the director and arranged a group visit to this orphanage in Gyumri. They collected boxes of clothes, treats, and school supplies for the Hope orphanage. At the orphanage, Samvel did what he does: He talked to, well, everyone.

He especially spent time talking with the children. He met a child who was crying. Samvel asked him why he was crying. The child said he wanted to be like Samvel and to go places and help people. He especially wanted to go home. His father was a humble laborer who did not make enough to support all of his children, so this young fellow found himself in the orphanage. It was a defining moment for Samvel who decided, at that point, to dedicate himself to the education of the young who had no opportunities. The child was only 11. Samvel talked to him about the possibilities he could have, that he could maybe even become president of Armenia. The boy stopped crying and started smiling… Samvel then knew his life’s work.

Samvel is not one to leave today’s work for tomorrow. He started the Future is Open educational NGO (see www.fio.am) the very next day. His vision was to make the future open for each and every child in the Republic of Armenia. This organization was created with the belief that equal educational opportunities for all children is one of the most important requirements for the comprehensive development of Armenia and the realization of future citizens’ potential. The mission is simple: “We believe that with educational programs for the endangered children (orphanages and special schools, disadvantaged families), which we have been conducting already for more than six years, we can help them to become decent citizens of Armenia.”

As the Future is Open began to gain traction and grow, more volunteers started to participate, both from within Armenia and abroad. The results were encouraging. Young Armenians were graduating from the orphanages and special schools with better future plans and perspectives. Yet, there was also the feedback from the volunteers that many young people didn’t see a future for themselves in Armenia. They were thinking about leaving the country because they could not earn a decent living. This saddened Samvel…but not for long. Samvel and his team do not wallow in such emotions.

Samvel and his team knew more was needed. For the future to be open for the youth he was serving in the Future is Open, there needed to be jobs and career opportunities. Armenia needed more entrepreneurs and leaders within the young generation to believe, organize, and work for the future of Armenia; and more innovators and “techno-preneurs” to work in the IT direction, which the team believes has the potential to become the growth engine of Armenia.

In order for Armenia to have jobs and careers, Armenia needs thriving companies to create and offer those jobs and careers. Samvel realized that Armenia could not rely on multi-nationals to provide opportunities in Armenia; rather, Armenians themselves would have to create the enterprises that would, in turn, create the jobs and careers.

It took years of hard work and research (including a course of study at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) in India for Samvel), but in due time two foundations were established: the Leadership School and IT School Foundations. Samvel followed his academic focus and founded the IT School Foundation (www.itschool.am). The vision of this foundation is to create, nurture, and expand a tech base for Armenia and make the Ararat Valley the Silicon Valley of the Caucasus.

Innovators and techno-preneurs are one of the most important requirements for the development of Armenia and its transition to the knowledge society model. “We believe that through future-oriented, practical and fast education, we can contribute to the formation of new generation IT specialists,” Samvel says. To foster entrepreneurship in Armenia, the Leadership School Foundation (www.leadershipschool.am) was founded in 2009. “In the global reality of accelerating changes, Armenia needs faster development, one of the most important requirements of which is the discovery and development of strong leaders within the young generation. We believe that in cooperation with prominent Armenian and international leaders, thinkers and organizations, we can support the development of future leaders.”

The Leadership School is an additional course of study for working people, generally ages 18-35, both non-college and college-educated. They leadership and entrepreneurship, business English, LINUX, and in the background of all this: self-confidence and pride. The Leadership School fills a gap that universities in Armenia do not. The school has about 20 students per year. The course of study is 200,000 dram (or approximately $700). The graduation rate is 50 percent simply because not everyone has the entrepreneurial fire to complete the vigorous program. The school has a cadre of about 150 professionals who give lectures once or twice a year.

From the Armenian Weekly community, Ken Hachikian, Ara Surenian, and I have all lectured, via Skype, to Leadership School students. Alumni help current students bring their ideas to the marketplace. The kinds of businesses started by graduates include dental clinics, IT, finance, and audit firms. There are even Syrian-Armenian refugees in the current cohort of students.

At only 31 years old, Samvel has created 3 registered foundations that are the vehicles in his steadfast mission to be of service to his country and his people. It is clear that the ERA, which has a distinct bias for “Practical Orientation of Education,” had an impact on Samvel. All three of these foundations are geared to providing practical, valuable, and immediately applicable training to their students. These foundations are fully registered with the government. I related that the Armenian government’s perception of the Armenian Diaspora is not the most positive, especially in regards to diasporans doing business in Armenia. His response was simple: “No matter what people think about the government, the rules for foundations are very clear and more aboveboard than ever before.”

Samvel acknowledges the concept of the American Dream. He believes in a similar Armenian Dream. His Armenian Dream is for a very bright future for his country based on creating a knowledge-based economy that will make Armenia the Switzerland of the Caucuses. He believes that Armenians need to do our best and to work hard. These three foundations exist to make this dream a reality.

This summer Samvel is coming to the US. He will be visiting New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. He is not coming here to ask for money. He is coming here to ask for opportunity. Thus, his visit is not a fundraising trip, but rather a business development and alliance development trip. He is interested in meeting Armenian-American business leaders and entrepreneurs that would be interested in:

• advising and doing business with Armenia-based start-ups;
• contracting with the growing IT providers in Armenia; and
• discussing business ideas that could benefit Armenia

To contact Samvel, e-mail smovsisyan@gmail.com, or Skype at smavel.movsisyan.

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