GLENDALE, Calif.—The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) and coalition partners have slammed Turkish President Erdogan and his government’s renewed attempts to deny the veracity of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government against the indigenous Christian Armenian, Greek and Assyrian nations from 1915-1923, whereby over three million innocent people were massacred or deported. Republic of Turkey, the legal heir to the Ottoman Empire and its Turkic proxy Azerbaijan, are the only two countries to actively deny this crime against all of humanity.

On June 16, 2020 the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey issued a statement sharing details from a five-hour closed-door meeting of the High Advisory Board chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where they discussed the next steps of Ankara’s century-old genocide denial policy.

“The recent five hour closed door meeting chaired by President Erdogan on a new strategy to deny the Armenian Genocide firstly speaks to the overwhelming success our community and our partners have been able to achieve worldwide, with the most recent addition of the unanimous passage of genocide affirmation resolutions by both chambers of U.S. Congress,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “This also highlights the importance of our work ahead aimed at rejecting denialism as well as unequivocally affirming the historical truth and seeking full justice for this crime.”

The following national organizations joined the ANCA Western Region in endorsing the statement, immediately following the reports emerging of the infamous meeting in Ankara:

Full text of the statement is provided below:

On June 16, 2020 the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey issued a statement sharing details from a five-hour closed-door meeting of the High Advisory Board chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where they discussed the next steps of Ankara’s century-old genocide denial policy.

The first modern case of genocide perpetrated against the indigenous Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian nations was a centrally planned and systematically executed deportation and murder of over 3 million innocent people by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1923. The Armenian Genocide is fully documented in the U.S. archives and through an overwhelming body of first-hand, governmental, and diplomatic evidence as well as thousands of real-time mainstream media reports. Aside from Turkey and its Turkic ally Azerbaijan, no other country actively denies the veracity of this international crime against humanity.

Despite overwhelming documentation by historians and condemnation by over 30 countries worldwide, an unrepentant Turkey seeks to both enforce an international gag-rule against truthful affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and to obstruct a just international resolution of this still unpunished crime.

Recognizing that silence and denial of genocide creates a veil of impunity by which states avoid responsibility for not only their historic crimes, but contemporary human rights abuses, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the continued genocide denial policy by the Turkish government and its proxies, calling on all who are committed to upholding and ensuring the protection of universal human rights to fight against genocide denial and commit to exposing genocide, confronting denialism wherever it occurs, deny a public platform for hate, and empower communities that have experienced or are suffering genocide.

Understanding that denial is the final stage of genocide, enforcing the erasure of a peoples’ history and suffering, we call on people of good conscience to bring awareness to the plight of the victims of genocide both past and present, to hold accountable those who seek to distort historical truth, and ensure that never again will the world watch on in silence while genocide is perpetrated.

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ANCA-Western Region

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

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In rapid response to the family’s appeal, the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) has devoted the month of June to fundraise to help save the life of eight-month old Ada Keshishyants.

From Kislovodsk, Russia, Ada is suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a rare, life-threatening genetic disease. Children with Type 1 SMA die slowly, rarely reaching two years of age. SMA attacks the nervous system, causes muscle atrophy, and as a result, the spine curves causing severe restrictions with breathing. As the disease progresses, Ada’s health is quickly declining.

Novartis, the manufacturer of Zolgensma which would help treat if not cure Ada, has refused to reduce the exorbitant $2 million price tag on the gene therapy drug despite the pleas of the family. Russian government health organizations have also rejected the family’s requests for financial assistance.

The family has raised over $1.1 million for Ada, however a $1 million gap still exists to deliver the treatment she desperately needs. Setting an ambitious goal of $1 million to close the gap, SOAR has launched an emergency, global fundraising campaign to rally its donor base and all Armenian supporters to help this child.

Continuing its good work of supporting Armenian children with severe disabilities, SOAR will earmark any surplus donations to establish the Ada Keshishyants Fund to benefit special needs children housed in Armenia’s orphanages.

You can help Ada by making a life-saving donation to SOAR at soar-us.org and raising awareness about SOAR’s campaign for Ada. Please direct all inquiries to SOAR Executive Chairman, George S. Yacoubian Jr. at gyacoubian@soar-us.org.

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Guest Contributor

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

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In the face of immense global challenges, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Eastern US that was forced to postpone its 100th Convention and 110th Anniversary Gala, has launched a campaign to celebrate its momentous anniversary. Supporters are encouraged to donate $110 for the 110 years of humanitarian service by remembering or honoring an ARS member or a family member who worked towards the ideals of the organization.

What started as a small chapter in New York in 1910 quickly grew beyond the US and across the world and became the global structure, which is known today as the ARS. It was a movement that encouraged women to take leadership roles in their community and make a real difference. The extraordinary 110 year history of the ARS was written by women who mobilized, took action and inspired their communities—women who made a real difference here at home, in our homeland and around the world. They focused on educational and health initiatives, invested and empowered the youth, provided humanitarian aid and developed programs to strengthen the homeland.

Over the last few months, even when many ARS events were cancelled, ARS chapters, members and supporters provided groceries and meals to needy community members and health care workers. They extended their healing hands all the way to their compatriots in Lebanon and the homeland and even provided 114,000 meals to our hungry neighbors in the US through Feeding America, proving that no pandemic can stop the work of the ARS of Eastern USA. They worked uninterruptedly by staying true to its humanitarian vocation and helping those in need.

“We have survived all kinds of things and have helped so many during hurricanes, emergencies, disaster, wars and even a genocide. Our members continue to carry out commendable work, in silence, and embody the humanitarian ideals of our organization,” said Ani Attar, Chairperson of the ARS of Eastern US. “This is an opportunity to honor all those who came before us and ensure that we can forge a path for those who will come after us,” she continued.

Donations from the campaign will ensure that ARS has the resources to address challenges and opportunities that may arise in the following years. Donors may honor or remember an ARS member, a family member or simply just congratulate the organization on its 110 years of humanitarian service. All donors’ names and their dedications will be listed on the 110th Anniversary webpage.

While the world is growing with an unprecedented number of challenges and opportunities, our vision and mission as a humanitarian organization continues to depend on the generosity of our donors and community. Without a doubt, together, there is no limit to what we can do. All members of the community are encouraged to support the campaign by donating online.

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Armenian Relief Society Eastern U.S.

The ARS Eastern USA has 32 chapters located throughout the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, and Southeastern regions of the United States. Please contact the ARS Eastern U.S. Regional Office (arseastus@gmail.com) if you would like more information about a chapter near you.

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The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is glad to announce that on October 19, 2020, a special Gratitude in Action luncheon will be organized in New York City to celebrate Aurora’s fifth anniversary by honoring the five Aurora Prize Laureates and paying tribute to New York City COVID-19 heroes. 

One hundred years ago, $200 million (over $2 billion in the modern world) was raised to help the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and other persecuted communities. New Yorkers were among the most ardent supporters whose benevolence helped to save a generation of the oppressed. It was also in New York City that the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative was launched in 2015. It is therefore symbolic that the Gratitude in Action luncheon marking Aurora’s fifth anniversary will be held in the same city. This fundraising event will bring the Aurora community together in solidarity and allow the Initiative to continue its efforts.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, seeks to empower modern-day heroes who offer humanitarian assistance to those who urgently need it. Aurora’s five-year mission has been to spotlight global humanitarians through the Aurora Prize of Awakening Humanity and support people in need through educational, health, and skills development programs promoted by the Laureates. The Prize Laureate receives a US $1,000,000 award which gives the Laureate a unique opportunity to continue the cycle of giving and support the organizations that have inspired the humanitarian action. 

“For the last five years, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has been reminding us of our common humanity, uniting people, and transforming the way we deliver humanitarian aid to those in need across the globe. To date, it has supported 28 projects in 16 countries, benefitting almost a million vulnerable people. As we celebrate this fifth anniversary, I urge everyone to join and empower this movement in these trying times when we need more heroes,” said Lord Ara Darzi, director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and Chair of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee. 

Today, when the world deals with the grave challenges of COVID-19, refugees and other vulnerable communities supported by Aurora continue to suffer and grow in numbers under the added pressures caused by the pandemic. The Aurora movement encourages those fortunate enough to have been rescued and given a new chance on life to express their own gratitude by becoming the next generation of saviors, continuing the cycle of giving.

“Aurora stands for Gratitude in Action. It provides a universal message and concept that resonates with peoples around the world. Its message and platform evoke human solidarity. Today, when humanity confronts the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, we all seek human solidarity, cooperation, and inspiration to bring us together, to allow us to transcend our differences and provide us with a common platform for action. During the past four years, Aurora has provided us with such an international platform that embodies solidarity, hope and action. We are proud to celebrate our 5th anniversary in New York where we began. We are honored to be in New York where hundreds of new heroes have emerged during this pandemic bearing witness to courage, self-sacrifice, integrity and human solidarity,” said Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York and Co-Founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

You can join Aurora and support Gratitude in Action by making a contribution or purchasing a table or tickets to the luncheon in New York City. The funds raised at the Gratitude in Action event will help to continue the efforts of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and the Aurora Prize Laureates. For additional information about the luncheon, please contact us at events@auroraprize.com.

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

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WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) testified for continued life-saving US de-mining assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) on Tuesday during a first-ever virtual testimony organized by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, as this key panel gets set to finalize its Fiscal Year 2021 foreign aid priorities over the next two weeks, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Rep. Sherman, who testified live on video, was joined by his colleagues Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Jim Costa (D-CA), TJ Cox (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who submitted written testimony. Overall, 10 of the 30 U.S. Representatives offering testimony cited their support for aid to Artsakh and Armenia.

“We want to thank Congressman Sherman – who made a powerful case for Artsakh aid in his testimony today before the House Appropriations Committee – and all the legislators who submitted compelling testimony to continue U.S. funding for this American investment in peace,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America.  “With our goal of a mine-free Artsakh in sight, the United States should not pull the plug on The HALO Trust’s life-saving de-mining program. Doing so would leave countless landmines in the ground, where these weapons of war will cost innocent lives and limbs for decades to come.”

HALO Trust (USA) executive director Chris Whatley noted, “As the organization responsible for saving lives from landmines and other explosives in Nagorno Karabakh, we at The HALO Trust are so grateful for the support of members of Congress who provided testimony to the House Appropriations Committee for Member Day. We hope to continue our work keeping families across the region safe, and appreciate the determination of Members of Congress who continue to fight to save this critical demining program.”

Congressman Sherman, whose leadership led to the Congress first appropriating aid to Artsakh in Fiscal Year 1998, was clear and concise in his virtual testimony. “I urge the committee to strengthen the US-Armenia strategic partnership by supporting robust assistance for Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in the FY21 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill. Most importantly, I urge you to include $1.5 million for Artsakh demining and robust funding for regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries, and language urging our continued efforts to help Nagorno Karabakh deal with the problems of mines, health and education projects.”

Congresswoman Chu, who visited Artsakh in 2019 and saw the success of The HALO Trust’s demining efforts first hand, offered a touching example of why U.S. support for demining assistance must continue. “On June 12th, 2020, an 11-year-old boy [in Artsakh] dug up a submunition, launched during the 2016 conflict, in his family’s garden. Fortunately, because he had received U.S.-funded mine risk education, he identified the device as dangerous and notified his parents. The family contacted The HALO Trust, and HALO destroyed the item the very next day in addition to fencing off the garden area for further inspection. The threat from unexploded mines in Nagorno Karabakh is immediate, and the need for continued support for this program.”

Congressman Cicilline challenged State Department opposition to the continued Artsakh demining head-on. “The administration’s opposition to de-mining Nagorno Karabakh is particularly troubling given that, while significant landmine contamination remains, the admirable aim of a landmine-free Nagorno Karabakh is finally within sight. It is wrong to leave this work unfinished and the farmers, families, and children of Nagorno Karabakh needlessly at risk. Without a clear funding mandate in the FY21 budget, this program will end, the cost of which will, sadly, be paid in lives.”

Congressman Himes argued, “demining in Nagorno Karabakh also helps prepare populations in this fragile region for peace, by removing remnants of war and by providing Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and Azerbaijan with an objective around which to build trust. These entities convene under the Landmine Free South Caucasus initiative, the only regional effort in the world to work toward mine-free status. Thus, demining plays a unique role in this region in supporting peace.”

Congressman Cox concurred, noting, “This program provides the only humanitarian demining support in the region. If the program draws down, families will be forced to live with the threat of landmines indefinitely. This makes it especially imperative that we secure continued financial support. The question of promoting peace and stability in the Caucasus region should not be controversial.”

Rep. Schiff noted his “unwavering support” for the right of self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and continued de-mining assistance.” He went on to share his “deep concern that the decision to end funding for humanitarian demining activities in Nagorno Karabakh was made while Azerbaijan engaged in increasingly bellicose and destabilizing activities. Azerbaijan continues to receive millions in military assistance through the Department of Defense, despite its horrendous human rights record and autocratic regime. I am concerned that the message being sent to Baku is that they can act with impunity and destabilize an already explosive border on the Line of Contact, risking a military confrontation with Armenia.”

Congressman Garamendi explained his support for continued Artsakh aid, stating, “Karabakh has experienced one of the world’s highest mine-accident rates, with per capita casualty rates, at times, at levels comparable those of Iraq or Cambodia. A quarter of these casualties have been children. Unfortunately, significant landmine contamination in Karabakh continues to threaten innocent civilians.”

Rep. Maloney went on to note, “USAID’s demining program has been responsible for destroying nearly 61,000 landmines and explosive hazards and has transformed over 33,000 acres of former minefield and battlefield into land available for productive use and recreation. Further, every child that has attended school in Karabakh since 2003 has also received mine risk education.”

Rep. Tlaib urged “support for the life-saving humanitarian demining program managed by USAID in Nagorno Karabakh. Without continued support in the FY21 budget, this program, responsible for providing the only humanitarian demining assistance in Karabakh, will be forced to close.”

Congressman Costa, in addition to supporting ongoing U.S. aid for Artsakh demining, expressed concerns that “Azerbaijan has continued to hinder the pro-peace mission of the OSCE Minsk Group, obstructing implementation of the bipartisan Royce-Engel accountability and peace proposals that could help to finally bring an end to this conflict. Even worse, Baku has escalated tensions at the line-of-contact, conducting large scale war games (May 18-22, 2020) and initiating cross-border attacks against both Artsakh and Armenia.” Rep. Costa called on the Committee to cut all military aid to Azerbaijani until “its government has ceased all attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and agreed to the purely peaceful resolution of regional conflicts.” He went to call for not less than $100 million in economic, governance, rule of law, and security assistance to Armenia.

In testimony submitted to both the U.S. Senate and House Appropriations Committees earlier this year, ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan urged that the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill include language stating that “not less that $10,000,000 shall be made available to: fund demining and landmine risk education programs in Nagorno Karabakh, and; support Nagorno Karabakh-based regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries and other individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.” Yerimyan argued, “the U.S. aid program to Nagorno Karabakh may require only a small expenditure, but it represents a major American investment in peace.”

The ANCA is continuing its nationwide action campaign in support of the $10 million Artsakh appropriation. Over 10,000 constituents have already reached out to their Senators and Representatives to advance this effort. To send a letter or to be connected to your legislators through the ANCA Quick Connect call system, please visit anca.org/aid.

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ANCA

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

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We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Center for Armenian Studies at University of California, Irvine.
 
The new Center, based in the School of Humanities, will support teaching, research and community engagement with an emphasis on the study of Armenians and Armenia within a regional (i.e., Middle East and Caucasus) and world context, thus reflecting the global and interactive nature of Armenian history. With a strong programming history and demonstrated community support, the Center seeks to contribute to the diverse intellectual and cultural life of the campus and the wider community.
 
This is a particularly propitious time for the creation of a Center in Armenian Studies. Since the launching of the Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies, UCI Armenian Studies has grown on campus to include the teaching of Armenian history courses, the creation of two years of Armenian-language instruction, an Armenian Studies Minor, and an expanded collection of Armenian-language and Armenian-related books.
 
The program has also garnered recognition and visibility nationally and internationally in the Armenian Studies field through its programming and leadership. The Center for Armenian Studies will facilitate and solidify the work already taking place in Armenian Studies in the School of Humanities by bringing Armenian Studies to the university community as well as the larger community through its programming as well as undergraduate teaching and graduate training. The Center will further propel interdisciplinary research, teaching and outreach towards the ambitious broader goal of establishing an endowed Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies.
 
If you are interested in learning how you can support the UCI Center for Armenian Studies and the vital work of our faculty and student scholars, please reach out to Rakib Haque at rakib.h@uci.edu or at (949) 824-1349 to learn how you can make a difference. We look forward to welcoming you to our future programs for the UCI Center for Armenian Studies in the fall.
 
We are grateful for the generosity and support of our UCI Armenian Studies community.

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

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According to a report in the June 23, 2020 edition of Turkish Hürriyet daily, Turkey has taken the decision to establish “a new autonomous and civil institution” in order “to respond to the accusations of genocide and to develop a strategy [to counter them].” The decision was made at the five-hour meeting of the President’s High Advisory Board on June 16, 2020.  

At the meeting it was determined that Turkey’s principal failing in this regard was that it did not possess a single institution to deal directly with the Armenian claims and develop a [counter-argument] and strategy and that it “had not developed a comprehensive strategy.” Therefore, it was decided to form a new institution to address this shortcoming. 

The “sole task” of this new organization would be to “view the various dimensions of the topic—such as culture, history, propaganda, and law, not merely politics—as a whole.” Additionally, as part of the decision it was also stated that “the institution would be an autonomous and civil [society] initiative without direct connection to the government or state.”

Ultimately, this news must be greeted with the acknowledgment of another, bitter truth: today, in all of North America there does not exist a single research center or academic program at a University that deals solely or directly with the Armenian Genocide or that has been created for this purpose.  

There are approximately 250 programs at American universities devoted to studying the Holocaust. Some of these are simply research institutes. Against this backdrop, the complete absence of such programs—research or otherwise—that deal directly and exclusively with the Armenian Genocide is all the more marked and a bitter pill to swallow.

Let us again stress: apart from the devoted and priceless efforts of various independent and civil society Armenian institutions and individual scholars that make valuable contributions to Armenian Studies, including the study of the Armenian Genocide, there is no institutionalization within American academia of this field, and a relative paucity of research and studies. The biggest challenge for the further advancement of this field is the absence of institutional structures within American universities.

In the last years, at all events to which I have been invited, at all opportunities I have had to speak publicly I have dwelled at length on the need to “institutionalize” Armenian Genocide research. I have highlighted the impossibility of responding effectively to Turkey’s extensive and well-funded “denialist industry” without the existence of competing organizations or institutions. It would be foolish to assume that merely because we have the truth of historical facts on our side that this is the only factor determining who will prevail in the long run.

I wish I could say that my pleas have thus far fallen on fertile ground, but it has not been the case. Perhaps this latest initiative by the Turkish government will finally set off an alarm bell, one that allows others to see the critical importance of this matter.

Let’s hope that Ankara’s action will somehow drive home the urgency of the matter and rouse those concerned from their complacency. One of the most important ways to counter Turkish denialism and Turkey’s new initiative is precisely this: the institutionalization of Armenian Genocide research within an academic setting.

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Taner Akcam

Taner Akcam is the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marion Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University.

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WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Armenian Weekly has been named a “Digital First Responder” in a select database of immigrant media innovators compiled by the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York (CUNY), announced the Hairenik Association and the Armenian Weekly Editorial Board this week.

The year-long study, led by CUNY’s Center for Community Media (CCM) and Cal-State University Northridge journalism professor Daniela Gerson and published this week, identified 50 ethnic media outlets in the US based on nominations from journalists, immigrant advocates and media experts across the country. Researchers created a diverse group of media organizations from the Michigan Korean Weekly to Chicago in Arabic that they believe are thriving in community-based reporting. According to CCM researchers, these noteworthy news outlets, which are traditionally powered by small and loyal groups of journalists, are utilizing social media, globalizing content production and diversifying business models and revenue streams.

The Armenian Weekly, which was founded in 1934, is one of the oldest publications in the group, second to the Japanese-American newspaper Rafu Shimpo (established in 1903 in Los Angeles, Calif.).

“We are honored and grateful to be recognized among our peers for our tireless commitment to the Armenian American community,” said George Aghjayan, chair of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Central Committee Eastern Region. “It is our hope that our historic newspaper continues to grow and thrive in its vital role as a leading voice of the Armenian Diaspora,” continued Aghjayan, who also noted the development of the media room on the fourth floor of the Hairenik Building. The forthcoming innovative space is promising to serve as a multimedia hub for more engaging and in-depth coverage of the local community.

CCM will be presenting and reviewing its findings during a virtual forum next week. 

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This is a story told by Hrant Dink. Undoubtedly a true story. It can partially explain the deep trauma of the Armenians who survived the 1915 Genocide but had nowhere to go and stayed in Turkey. It can partially explain the trauma of the hidden Armenians continuing to live in Turkey. And it can partially explain Hrant’s state of mind in the last few months of his life before he was shot dead – the constant persecutions, prosecutions and threats against him, his wife and his children.

The year was 1918 in a village at the foot of Suphan Mountain (north shore of Lake Van, Sipan Ler in Armenian). An Armenian youngster had barely escaped the events of 1915 and had found refuge in this village belonging to the tribal leader Ismail. He had mixed in with the other villagers, trying to eke out a living. He lived in a dark corner of a stable, in a crack between two rocks, just like a lizard that darts into the crack at the first sight and sound of danger. He would come out to help with the harvest or other errands, earn a piece of bread with his honest labour, then rush back into his refuge in the stable. His name was Abdullah among the villagers, meaning ‘sent by Allah (God),’ but in reality, more like forgotten by God. He kept on living, unnoticed, uneventful – until one day when teenager Memo, tribal chief Ismail’s third son saw him urinating. Memo sprang up and started screaming while running to the village: ‘Run, run, come and see Abdullah’s dick, it has a cover on it!’ Abdullah’s run back into the crack of the rocks in the stable was just like a lizard. Soon the entire village people had gathered in front of the stable, young and old. Stones started raining into the stable: ‘Come out, you infidel giavour, we know who you are, what you are, come out!’ The shouts and insults grew louder, footsteps started coming closer, and the stable door was opened. Chief Ismail tried to protect Abdullah and stopped the mob at the entrance. He talked into the darkness of the crack: ‘Abdullah, where are you, come give me your hand, I will save you.’ Ismail’s hand touched Abdullah’s hand or what he thought was Abdullah’s hand, but suddenly he was startled and jumped back. What he touched was a bloody piece of skin. He turned towards the mob and said: ‘Leave him alone, he is one of us.’ Ever since that day, nobody bothered the newly ‘circumcised’ Abdullah. 

Perhaps you have hunted lizards as a kid. Just when you think you have grabbed it, it escapes, leaving only his tail in your hands. In the villages and cities of Turkey, there were thousands of orphans and hidden Armenians who felt like lizard Abdullah on a daily basis. But they learned how to survive despite the trauma, because they learned how to be resilient. One hundred years after the Armenian Genocide, their grandchildren are now learning how to claim what is rightfully theirs – their identity, language, culture, and above all, truth and justice.

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Raffi Bedrosyan

Raffi Bedrosyan is a civil engineer, writer and a concert pianist, living in Toronto. Proceeds from his concerts and CDs have been donated to the construction of school, highways, and water and gas distribution projects in Armenia and Karabakh—projects in which he has also participated as a voluntary engineer. Bedrosyan was involved in organizing the Surp Giragos Diyarbakir/Dikranagerd Church reconstruction project. His many articles in English, Armenian and Turkish media deal with Turkish-Armenian issues, Islamized hidden Armenians and the history of thousands of Armenian churches left behind in Turkey after 1915. He gave the first Armenian piano concert in the Surp Giragos Church since 1915, most recently at the 2015 Genocide Centenary Commemoration. He is the founder of Project Rebirth, which helps Islamized Armenians return to their original Armenian roots, language and culture. He has appeared as a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences related to human rights, genocide studies and Armenian issues.

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WASHINGTON, DC – In response to a Congressional Armenian Caucus inquiry regarding Azerbaijan’s May 18-22 war games, the State Department, this week, revealed that it has warned Azerbaijan regarding its lack of transparency regarding large-scale military exercises, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We welcome the news that the State Department has warned Azerbaijan over its large-scale military exercises and encourage increased U.S. vigilance against Baku’s reckless arms build-up, military escalation, and cross-border attacks against both Artsakh and Armenia,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “However, in light of President Aliyev’s own stated intentions, the fungible nature of security assistance, and the resources that U.S. aid frees up in Baku’s military budget, we do take strong issues with the patently false assertion that the $120 million U.S. aid package to Azerbaijan does not violate Section 907 by contributing to its offensive capabilities. The U.S. military aid package to Azerbaijan represents a clear cut violation of Section 907.”

The June 23rd Department of State letter, signed by Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Mary Elizabeth Taylor, states that “The United States has conveyed its concerns to Azerbaijan previously about the lack of transparency regarding large-scale exercises and will continue to highlight with Azerbaijan, bilaterally and at OSCE meetings, the importance of complete and timely notification of military activities in accordance with VD11 commitments, particularly annual notification of at least one exercise or activity in the absence of any that exceed Chapter V thresholds.” However, the letter notes that “after reviewing the available information, to date the United States has not determined that the Azerbaijani military exercises that concluded on May 22 at any point exceeded VD 11 notification thresholds.”

Further still, the letter discounts concerns about the possible use U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan against Armenia, stating, “The United States reviews such assistance thoroughly to ensure it will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will not be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) disputed that assertion in a May 20th letter, addressed to both the State Department and Pentagon, that raised alarms about Baku’s reckless escalation during the global COVID-19 pandemic.  “The aid appears to have allowed Azerbaijan to shift resources toward offensive capabilities and further threaten Armenian lives and regional stability as the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues warned in letters sent to you in September and November of 2019.  We cannot allow Azerbaijan to use the global coronavirus pandemic as cover for these dangerous military operations,” stated the Congressional Armenian Caucus letter, which, in addition to Rep. Pallone, was cosigned by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Jackie Speier (D-CA), Vice-Chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), T.J. Cox (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Juan Vargas (D-CA).  A separate letter on this same subject was sent to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces held large-scale “offensive” tactical military exercises from May 18th to 22nd, featuring, according of official announcements, “massive artillery, air, and high-precision weapons.” The Armenian Defense Ministry condemned the exercises noting that they “exacerbate the security environment in the region, under the conditions of a global imperative for joint actions against the COVID-19 pandemic and despite the call for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish a global ceasefire.”

In May of this year, the ANCA issued an online call to action urging Americans to contact Congress to raise concerns that Baku risks starting a regional war amid a global pandemic with these actions and ongoing sniper attacks along the Artsakh and Armenia lines of contact.

The full text of both letters is provided below.

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State Department Response to Congressional Armenian Caucus Letter Regarding Azerbaijani Military Exercises

June 23, 2020

The Honorable
Frank Pallone, Jr.
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Pallone:

Thank you for your May 20 letter regarding military exercises conducted by the Republic of Azerbaijan from May 18-22, 2020. As a co-chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, the United States remains strongly committed to helping the opposing sides achieve a lasting, peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on the Helsinki Final Act principles of refraining from the threat or use of force, the territorial integrity of states and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

Maintaining stability along the Line of Contact separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border, remains a key focus of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ discussions with the sides. In their recent public statements and ongoing consultations, including video conferences with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers April 20-21, 2020, and May 18-19, 2020, the United States and other Minsk Group Co-Chairs stressed the importance of observing the ceasefire strictly and refraining from provocative actions in the current environment. They also called on the sides to take concrete measures to reduce tensions further. U.S. officials in Washington and in the South Caucasus region also have emphasized these points directly with Armenian and Azerbaijani interlocutors.

The United States is a strong proponent of adherence to arms control agreements and arrangements, including the commitments set out in the 2011 Vienna Document on Confidence- Building and Security-Building Measures (VD11). The value of arms control agreements and arrangements is diminished if participating States do not implement their obligations and commitments fully. After reviewing the available information, to date the United States has not determined that the Azerbaijani military exercises that concluded on May 22 at any point exceeded VD 11 notification thresholds. The State Department, in coordination with the Department of Defense, will continue to address any concerns regarding the actions of partners and co-participants in such agreements and arrangements through diplomatic engagement and will detail its findings in the Report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, submitted to Congress annually pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2593a. The United States has conveyed its concerns to Azerbaijan previously about the lack of transparency regarding large-scale exercises and will continue to highlight with Azerbaijan, bilaterally and at OSCE meetings, the importance of complete and timely notification of military activities in accordance with VD11 commitments, particularly annual notification of at least one exercise or activity in the absence of any that exceed Chapter V thresholds.

The United States attaches great importance to strengthening its partnerships with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. These partnerships have advanced U.S. national security priorities, including the Resolute Support Mission, where Armenian and Azerbaijani forces serve alongside NATO forces in Afghanistan and for which Azerbaijan provides critical overflight access. The DoD maritime and border security cooperation programs with Azerbaijan, funded through a U.S. Building Partner Capacity program, are in the national interests of the United States, Azerbaijan, and other partners in the region as these borders are areas of significant concern for potential movement of terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, illicit narcotics, and other unlawful trafficking. Moreover, these programs increase Azerbaijan’s capability to counter threats to its critical energy infrastructure, which provides a critical alternative to Russian and Iranian energy resources for Western markets. The United States reviews such assistance thoroughly to ensure it will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will not be used for offensive purposes against Armenia. These program activities do not occur at or near the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan or the Line of Contact. The nature of the training and equipment provided (e.g., radars, patrol boats, diving gear, x-ray scanners, underwater surveillance, and visit, board, search, and seizure capabilities), is such that it does not contribute to the offensive capabilities of Azerbaijan and cannot be misused to threaten Armenia or regional stability.

The people of the region deserve to live in peace and security. The U.S. commitment to helping the sides achieve a lasting, peaceful settlement to this long-standing conflict is resolute, and we will remain actively engaged through the Minsk Group process.

We hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Mary Elizabeth Taylor
Assistant Secretary of State
Bureau of Legislative Affairs

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Text of Congressional Letter to Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Esper

Dear Secretaries Pompeo and Esper:

We are gravely concerned about the military exercises reported to be held by the Republic of Azerbaijan from May 18 to 22, 2020. These exercises are dangerous, violate diplomatic agreements and have the potential to destabilize security in the South Caucasus at a time when the COVID-19 global pandemic has taken hundreds of thousands of lives and threatened the health of many more. We strongly urge the Department of State and the Department of Defense to condemn these egregious actions taken by the Azerbaijani military.

Even in normal circumstances, these exercises would be unacceptable due to their offensive nature and the failure to follow diplomatic notification practices. On May 14, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released information describing military exercises that would take place from May 18 to 22. Azeri reports state that the exercises are expected to include 10,000 servicemen, 120 artillery and armored vehicles, 200 missile systems, 30 aviation units, and various unmanned aerial vehicles. The failure to provide adequate notification as prescribed under the 2011 Vienna Document and the size of the exercises demonstrates Azerbaijani President Aliyev’s intention of further aggravating historical tensions with the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

We are especially concerned that over $100 million in security assistance the United States has sent to Azerbaijan over the last two years through the Section 333 Building Partner Capacity program has emboldened the Aliyev regime. This taxpayer funding defies almost two decades of parity in U.S. security assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan. The aid appears to have allowed Azerbaijan to shift resources toward offensive capabilities and further threaten Armenian lives and regional stability as the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues warned in letters sent to you in September and November of 2019.

We cannot allow Azerbaijan to use the global coronavirus pandemic as cover for these dangerous military operations. We urge you to immediately condemn the reckless actions of the Azerbaijani military and to work with our allies and international partners to halt the provocative actions being taken by the Aliyev Regime.

We look forward to your prompt reply to this request.

Sincerely,

Author information

ANCA

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

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Prof. Khatchig Mouradian will offer an online seminar in July for high schoolers on “Names, Monuments, and Racism.”

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, there has been increased scrutiny of names and statues that perpetuate racism and white supremacy.

Over the past weeks, sports teams, record labels, major food brands and other institutions have been pressed to change names with racist connotations. At the same time, protesters have toppled or called for the removal of confederate statues and monuments dedicated to slave-owners across the US. Similar dynamics are playing out in Belgium, the UK, and other countries around the world. 

Organized by St. Leon Armenian Church, the four-week multimedia seminar will explore how rethinking the words we employ and the monuments we erect in public spaces constitute important steps on the path to confronting racism and injustice. The course will focus on case studies from the United States, alongside examples from Armenia, Turkey, Germany, Lebanon, Namibia and Japan. 

Classes will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays starting July 14 at 7:00p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada).

Tuition for four sessions (75-minute classes) is a $50 donation to St. Leon Armenian Church. 

High schoolers, including 2020 graduates, can register on Zoom.

For questions, call Ara N. Araz at 917-837-1297 or email ara@edrcorp.net. 

Khatchig Mouradian is a lecturer in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University, where he also heads the Armenian studies program. His book, The Resistance Network: The Armenian Genocide and Humanitarianism in Ottoman Syria, 1915-1918 is forthcoming in 2020.

Author information

Guest Contributor

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

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The Armenian music community has lost another gentle giant, Harry Minassian.

Known throughout the east coast as a prominent oud player (Middle Eastern lute, 11 strings) as well as a singer, Harry’s playing and vocal skills made him a versatile musician who joined the ranks of oud players, such as Charles “Chick” Ganimian and Richard A. Hagopian. 

“Harry had a haunting soulful cry in his voice that cut straight to the heart. His oud playing was reminiscent of the great Udi Hrant,” said Armenian musician Steve Vosbikian, who recorded with Harry over 40 years ago.

Throughout his career as a musician, Harry performed at countless Armenian weddings and dances, but it was probably his cabaret and kef (party) performances that have left an indelible mark with his audiences and fans over the many decades, including myself. 

As most fans of Armenian and Middle Eastern music can attest, it’s the artists’ actual recordings that we experience before we actually see them performing live on stage. That held true for me when it came to Harry. It wasn’t until I started going to Kef Time Hartford or July 4th Kef weekends where I really understood the musicianship of Harry Minassian. Usually only performing on the last afternoon of a kef, Harry was the perfect headliner musician to close out what was always a fantastic weekend of musical events.

Harry was in his element at these events, performing at a dance as if it were a nightclub venue. No other Armenian performer could capture this in my opinion.  Most of the songs he performed were almost standard repertoire for the audiences. When Harry played, you knew what to expect. In the middle of a given event he might transition into some songs for just listening pleasure giving his fans a better glimpse into his vocal talents, such as a rendition of Charlie Aznavour’s La Mamma (which Harry recorded on Excited Moods of the Middle East) and Hastayım Yaşıyorum written by Udi Hrant.

Upon learning of Harry’s loss, Steve Vosbikian, clarinetist of the Fabulous Vosbikian Band, recalled the album they recorded together back in 1974. “I also attribute Harry’s recording for teaching me how to make a studio album that later led me to make my own recordings for the Vosbikian Band. Harry was always enthusiastic, upbeat and intensely focused on his musical work product and was meticulous with his repertoire and musical arrangements. I remember Harry’s comedic sense of humor always sprinkled with his characteristic and distinctive New England accent. Harry always made us feel like family and gave us the motivation to perform at our very best.”

While music was his first love, Harry also spent his professional career as a co-owner and administrator of several nursing facilities with his loving wife Gail. Together they managed Bay Tower Nursing Center in Providence, RI, Oceanside in Quincy, MA and Crestwood Nursing in Warren, RI. By night, music filled his life and soul.

“He was consistently there for all of us, a gifted man of a few words with sound advice,” said Charlie Krikorian, longtime friend and organizer of the July 4th Kef Weekends that featured Harry as a headliner musician. “Harry was genuine in every sense of the word. Harry was a class act – respectful of all, never petty and complimentary to other musicians and in all aspects where credit was due,” he continued. 

Harry was a first-generation American Armenian born in 1937 to survivors of the Armenian Genocide. He grew up in a loving family that spoke both Armenian and Turkish and nurtured his love of Armenian and Middle Eastern music. 

He first performed with The Orientales in the mid-1950s. The Orientales Orchestra consisted of Carl Zeytoonian (oud), Nick Zeytoonian (dumbeg, tambourine), Berge Krikorian (dumbeg/singer), Ara DerMarderosian (clarinet) and Aaron DerMarderosian (dumbeg). They would record three 78RPM records together. 

As did many Armenian musicians from that era, Harry played the robust nightclub circuit throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The clubs were plentiful, and you could hear live music seven nights a week. Harry performed quite often with a dumbeg (hourglass shaped hand drum) performer, Gary Alexanian, along with Arabic violinist Fred Elias and Greek guitarist/singer, George Righellis. A well-known and powerful ensemble, this group played most of the popular clubs throughout the New England area, including the famous Club Zara.

Harry would eventually perform with the El Jezayre Orchestra that included George Righellis, Zaven Takvorian, Charlie Bagdigian and Charlie Jerahian. Later in the mid-1970s, Harry performed every week at The Seventh Veil (Rhode Island) with different musicians for several years.

“Harry was unique as a performer. There was something different about him that was engaging,” said oudist John Berberian. “He was one of those rare musicians that somehow was able to combine his talent with his personality when he performed. You loved the music and you loved the person simultaneously. There will never be another Harry.”

Perhaps one of the highlights in Harry’s musical career was meeting and studying with the famous blind Armenian oudist, Udi Hrant Kenkulian.

In the late 1950s, Udi Hrant, who was well known throughout Turkey for his oud compositions and singing, made frequent trips to the United States in hopes of finding a cure for his blindness. In order for Hrant to make these trips to the US, there were a group of patrons that helped fund hiss travel. These patrons also helped Hrant find gigs while he was in the country, which also ultimately allowed several young Armenian musicians to meet the Oud master. 

During one of these trips to the east coast, Hrant, aided by musician and patron Charlie Jerahian, met Harry and heard the youthful musician playing the oud. Hrant was intrigued. And, the rest, as they say, is music history. At one point, Hrant even wanted Harry to perform alongside him in the Catskills for an entire summer with Harry on oud and Hrant on violin, an opportunity Harry passed on but regretted later in life. Nevertheless, Harry was given invaluable lessons by Hrant and quickly became a popular musician in the Boston area. One of Harry’s prized possessions was a rare certificate from Udi Hrant signifying his tutelage and achievements as an oudist. The certificate includes Hrant’s thumbprint on the document. It was Udi Hrant who gave Harry the title of Udi (the highest honor given to another musician on the oud) over 50 years ago.

As a musician, Harry “paid it forward” by teaching other students what he learned from Udi Hrant. In particular, one of Harry’s oud students was Joe Kouyoumjian. 

“Without Harry’s guidance and close friendship, l never would have been introduced into the night club circuit, nor would l have met so many great Armenian, Greek, Arabic and Turkish musicians, and most of all l would have missed out on touring from the east coast—Boston to Miami to Las Vegas, San Francisco, Fresno and Los Angeles  as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico. It’s all because Harry Minassian took me under his wing and was a major part of my musical life,” said Kouyoumjian. “He was a super guy, a dad, friend and killer singer and oud player.” 

Leon Janikian, a music professor, emeritus of Northeastern University and a clarinetist who performed extensively with Harry for several years, agrees. “He was a unique talent, and played exactly as he wished with no compromise. But, he was also a very kind and open musician, always ready to support and have a few laughs while doing what we all love to do so much, play music.”

Harry’s legacy is vast and wide even amongst famous musicians, such as oudist and composer Ara Dinkjian. “In 1980, I was a senior at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. I received a call from our dear friend Greg Janian (who passed away in 2010), asking if I would like to play a weekly gig at The Mountain View Restaurant in Boylston, MA. ‘Sure,’ I said. ‘Who else is playing?’ ‘Carnig Mikitarian and Harry Minassian.’ HARRY MINASSIAN! I had never played with Harry, but of course knew that he was one of the giants of our music, both as an oud player and as a singer. What I didn’t know, but soon came to realize, was what a kind, generous, and modest man he was. Add to that his great sense of humor and genuine love of music, and you have a rare treasure in the Armenian American community. My fellow music undergrads would be jealous as I would pack my car on Wednesdays and drive to my gig. With his gentle and patient disposition, Harry taught me repertoire, intonation, pacing, tempo and professionalism,” said Dinkjian.

Harry J. Minassian of Norton passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on June 26, 2020 after a brief illness. He was 83 years old. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gail (Finn) Minassian. He was the devoted father of Mark Minassian and his wife Lisa of Cranston, RI; Gary Minassian and his wife Karen of Rehoboth, MA; and Gregory Minassian of Quincy, MA. He was the loving grandfather of five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was the dear brother of the late Nazareth “Naz” Minassian and Louis Minassian. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

Author information

Ara Topouzian

Ara Topouzian is an Armenian-American musician whose proficiency at the Kanun (Middle Eastern harp) has made him a nationally-recognized artist.

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FAIR LAWN, NJ—On Tuesday, June 23, St. Leon Armenian Church of Fair Lawn, NJ, hosted a virtual forum, Racial Injustice and Responsibility with a live audience from more than 460 households. The event, which has since been viewed by an additional 600 households, examined the legacy of racial violence and inequality, and the responsibility of non-perpetrators in sustaining regimes of racism.

The event was jointly sponsored by AGBU Ararat, Armenian Bar Association, Armenian Network of America—Greater NY, Daughters of Vartan-Sahaganoush Otyag, Justice Armenia, Knights of Vartan-Bakradouny Lodge, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Topics, St. Leon ACYOA Seniors, and Zohrab Information Center.

As poignantly recognized by NAASR’s director of academic affairs Marc Mamigonian at the start of the forum, the support of these sponsoring organizations reflects a recognition that collectively and as individuals Armenian Americans do not exist separate from the larger issues of American life, and that racial injustice and responsibility— the theme and title of the evening’s talk—may be as large as an issue that exists in America because it lies at the root of so many other problems. 

Mamigonian moderated the discussion along with Dr. Henry Theriault, president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars. Panelists included Dr. Jermaine McCalpin (Chair of African and African American Studies at New Jersey City University), Dr. Michael Rothberg (1939 Society Samuel Goetz Chair in Holocaust Studies at UCLA), and Kohar Avakian (Ph.D. student in American Studies at Yale).

Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan opened the forum with a prayer for peace and asked God to “listen to the cry that rises from every corner of this fragile earth, from our human family torn by violent conflict.”

Bishop Daniel offered brief opening remarks endorsing the intent of the forum. “Racism is an issue that we should not be talking about only in these recent weeks of unrest,” he said, “but it’s something that should be at the core of every sermon of ours as clergy; it should be part of our regular discourse … particularly in the Armenian Church, because we have been the victims of racism … and because our creed, our faith, holds that racism in any form, differentiation among the creatures of God, is completely incompatible with the very core of what we believe.”

Just before handing the program over to the panelists for an intellectual and ethical journey, Dr. Theriault noted that, just like when confronting deniers of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides, the evening’s purpose was not to debate whether there has been and continues to be mass systemic oppression of Black and brown people in this country. He pointed out that “those who refuse to see what is going on today and what has gone on for so long are making a choice. This is not a choice we want to debate.” 

In further comparison to his and Dr. McCalpin’s advocacy for Armenian Genocide recognition and reparations, Dr. Theriault shared that “history does not just heal itself and that harms of the past—unless rectified by symbolic and material action—not only continue to have destructive impact on victims but actually increase in destructive power over time.” He closed with a recognition that a history of violence does not excuse today’s Armenians from taking responsibility in the fight against racism in the United States. “In reality,” he said, “there is no neutral place on racial injustice in the United States; it is time to pick our side.”

Prof. Rothberg elaborated on the theme of his book, The Implicated Subject: Beyond Victims and Perpetrators, arguing that the categories of victim, perpetrator and bystander can only give an incomplete account of a person’s connection to injustices past and present. In subtle and structural ways, he suggested, the consequences of injustice filter throughout a society and time; even those that may feel no personal or group involvement as a perpetrator can still be implicated in a prevailing system of inequity. 

“Acts of injustice,” he explained, “especially acts of racial injustice, but also gender violence, gun violence, effects of climate change, exploitation of workers, colonial violence—all these forms of violence— are only possible because a large group of implicated subjects stands behind a much smaller group of direct perpetrators or agents of violence; so what I mean by implicated subject are those of us who enable, perpetuate, inherit and benefit from both historical and contemporary injustice without directly perpetrating those injustices.” Echoing Dr. Theriault’s sentiments, he related this both to the broader contemporary American scene and the experience of Armenians and Jews who “have inherited legacies of victimization, suffering, violence, and genocide” by recognizing that “we are today implicated subjects; we are responsible for the kind of violence and racism that are affecting other people.”

Kohar Avakian–an Armenian, Black and Nipmuc scholar—offered insights from her ongoing doctoral study of racial formation in the Armenian Diaspora, detailing legal constructs and court decisions that facilitated racial and socio-economic inclusion for some while perpetuating barriers for others in Worcester, MA. She brought to light the differentiated experience of Armenians, other Asians, Blacks and Worcester’s dispossessed indigenous Nipmuc population of which she is a descendant. To grasp the nuanced dynamics of systematic racism, the emerging scholar advised viewers to consult the works of academic titans including Angela Davis, Tony Morison, Alice Walker, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Kimberle Krenshaw and Saidiya Hartman. Her plea to viewers was to look at questions of Armenian identity in new ways and from novel perspectives, including the “broader contexts of settler colonialism, slavery and Asian exclusion.”

Prof. McCalpin’s talk drew on his voluminous research on the Armenian Genocide and the transatlantic trade of Africans. He examined the evolution of systems of oppression, from enslavement to mass incarceration, inflicted upon the Black community. “Black pain is not only for Black people,” he said. “It should be the pain of everyone who loves justice” just as “the cause for justice for the Armenian Genocide is not just the responsibility of the Armenian people.” His foray into issues of denial, recognition, justice, reparations and reconciliation established explicit links between Black enslavement in the United States and the Genocide of Ottoman Armenians. He focused on levels of culpability and responsibility in maintaining and disestablishing (not reforming) our country’s racist architecture while noting that “white silence gives continued consent to police brutality and racial injustice.” He ended with a quote from author and activist Angela Davis: “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, you must be anti-racist.”

On the heels of the panel discussion, St. Leon Armenian Church has organized an online seminar for high school students titled “Names, Monuments, and Racism: A Global Perspective.” Prof. Khatchig Mouradian will lead the four week course, which explores how rethinking the words we employ and the monuments we erect in public spaces constitute important steps on the path to confronting racism and injustice. The course will examine case studies from the United States, Armenia, Turkey, Germany, Lebanon, Namibia and Japan. 

Chris Zakian also contributed to this report.

Author information

Sevan Araz

Sevan Araz is a graduate fellow with the Cyber Program at the Middle East Institute and an analyst at Catalisto, a New York-based cybersecurity firm. Mr. Araz also conducts research with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He received a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Friends, supporters and leaders of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) joined together virtually on Sunday, June 28 with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to honor his longstanding legislative leadership on Armenian American issues.

Author information

ANCA-Eastern Region

The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization, the ANCA. Working in coordination with the ANCA in Washington, DC, and a network of chapters and supporters throughout the Eastern United States, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

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Three Armenian doctoral students from UCLA—Natalie Kamajian, Armen Adamian and Lilit Ghazaryan—penned the following statement to express solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement. This initiative is intended to unite Armenian academics globally across various disciplines in their commitment to advancing anti-racist methodologies, perspectives and practices.

***

We, a group of Armenian academics, want to collectively express our support for the Black Lives Matter movement. As educators and knowledge producers, we cannot be neutral in the face of systemic oppression fueled by anti-Black racism in the United States and around the world. This is a call to all Armenian academics to actively dismantle white supremacist logics in both our personal and professional lives.

In understanding our own Armenian experience, we acknowledge that historical injustices are often reproduced in present hierarchies of power. We know that the Black experience is defined by perpetual injustice rooted in chattel slavery—specifically systematic marginalization, mass incarceration, manufactured poverty, and ultimately murder. Furthermore, the United States is a settler-colonial project founded on the genocide of Indigenous nations. This legacy of stolen land and stolen labor is a foundational element of the US capitalist enterprise. The Armenian past—rife with state-sanctioned oppression, genocide, dispossession, and exile—informs our position today. In recognizing these connections, it is our ethical obligation to challenge hegemonic systems of power in all of its forms. 

At this critical juncture, we are reminded of the key role played by scholarship during social justice movements. We, as Armenian academics, promise to actively fight against structural anti-Black racism. We must interrogate our role in the reproduction of white supremacy. We must take issue with our direct or indirect investments in establishments that racialize, exploit, and impoverish communities. To do this, we call on our colleagues to decenter whiteness and eurocentrism in our pedagogies and curricula, and to make concerted efforts to engage the methodologies of Black radical thinkers. We also pledge to advocate for police divestment at our respective colleges and universities, and to help reimagine new strategies for public wellness and communal safety. Lastly, we will work towards building solidarity with other scholars of color (in particular Black and Indigenous) to advance meaningful allyship.

We, the undersigned, profess a vested interest in disentangling Armenianness from the mythology of whiteness. We promise that the knowledge we produce will be radically anti-racist and will side with those who are oppressed by harmful ideologies and repressive systems of power.

Natalie Kamajian, Ph.D. student, Culture and Performance, UCLA

Armen Adamian, Ph.D. student, Ethnomusicology, UCLA

Lilit Ghazaryan, Ph.D. student, Anthropology, UCLA

Signatories as of July 2, 2020

1. Melissa Bilal, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Fellow and Lecturer, Center for Near Eastern Studies and Department of Ethnomusicology, UCLA
2. Janice Okoomian, Assistant Professor of English/Gender and Women’s Studies, Rhode Island College
3. Shushan Avagyan, Assistant Professor, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, American University of Armenia
4. Tamar Shirinian, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
5. Hourig Attarian, Associate Professor, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, American University of Armenia
6. Karena Avedissian, Ph.D., Centre for Russian and East European Studies, University of Birmingham
7. Susan Pattie, Honorary Senior Research Associate at University College London and former Director of the Armenian Institute in London
8. Arto Vaun, Chair, English & Communications Program, & Director, Center for Creative Writing, American University of Armenia
9. Lerna Ekmekçioğlu, Associate Professor of History and Women and Gender Studies, MIT
10. Nelli Sargsyan, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Marlboro College, Vermont, USA
11. Hrayr Attarian MD, Professor of Neurology, Northwestern University Chicago, USA
12. Seta Kabranian-Melkonian, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Services,  University of Alaska, Anchorage, USA
13. Markar Melkonian, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, California State University, Northridge, USA
14. Elyse Semerdjian, Professor of History, Whitman College
15. Houri Berberian, Professor of History, University of California, Irvine
16. Sophia Armen, Ph.D. Student, Ethnic Studies, UC San Diego
17. Rosie Vartyter Aroush, Ph.D., Armenian Studies, Gender & Sexuality Research, UCLA
18. Sebouh David Aslanian, Professor of History, Richard Hovannisian Chair of Modern Armenian History, and inaugural Director of Armenian Studies Center, Promise Armenian Institute, UCLA
19. Khatchig Mouradian, Lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, Columbia University
20. Sylvia Angelique Alajaji, Associate Professor of Music, Franklin & Marshall College
21. Talar Chahinian, Lecturer, Armenian Studies Program and Department of Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine
22. Jesse Arlen, Ph.D. Candidate, Near Eastern Languages & Cultures, UCLA
23. Arpi Melikyan, Ph.D. student, Department of French and Francophone Studies, UCLA
24. Meline Mesropyan, Ph.D., Fellow researcher at Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University
25. Sona Tajiryan, Ph.D. Candidate, History Department, UCLA
26. Aram Ghoogasian, Ph.D. student, Department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University
27. Astghik Hovhannisyan, Ph.D., Visiting Researcher at International Research Center for Japanese Studies/ Senior lecturer at Russian-Armenian University
28. Jennifer Manoukian, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA
29. Gabriella Djerrahian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University
30. Nora Lessersohn, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History, University College London
31. Carina Karapetian Giorgi, Ph.D., Department Chair of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Sociology Faculty at Antelope Valley College
32. Christian Garbis, Lecturer, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, American University of Armenia
33. Yevgenya Jenny Paturyan, Associate Professor, Political Science and International Affairs, American University of Armenia
34. Hrag Papazian, Adjunct Lecturer, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, American University of Armenia
35. Tsolin Nalbantian, University Lecturer, Department of Middle Eastern Studies, Leiden University
36. Rafik Santrosyan, Ph.D. in Linguistics, Adjunct Lecturer at the College of the Humanities and Social Sciences, American University of Armenia
37. Aram Kerovpyan, Ph.D., “Akn” Center for Modal Chant Studies, Paris
38. Anna Aleksanyan, Ph.D. Candidate, Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Clark University
39. Vahram Elagöz, Ph.D., Adjunct faculty, Acopian Center for the Environment, American University of Armenia
40. Nora Tataryan, Ph.D., Adjunct faculty, Cultural Studies, Sabanci University, Istanbul
41. Sevan Injejikian, Ph.D. Candidate, University College London (UCL), Adjunct Faculty, American University of Armenia (AUA)
42. Deanna Cachoian-Schanz, Ph.D. student, Comparative Literature, University of Pennsylvania
43. David Kazanjian, Professor, University of Pennsylvania
44. Karen Jallatyan, Manoogian Post-doctoral Fellow and Lecturer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
45. Joanne Nucho, Assistant Professor, Pomona College
46. Suzie Abajian, Ph.D., SPUSD School Board Member, Orange County Department of Education Administrator, former adjunct faculty at LMU and Occidental College
47. Veronika Zablotsky, Mellow-Sawyer Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy, University of California, Los Angeles
48. Dzovinar Derderian, Ph.D., University of Michigan
49. Richard Antaramian, Assistant Professor of History, University of Southern California
50. Ararat Sekeryan, Ph.D. student, Slavic Languages & Comparative Literature, Columbia University
51. Michael Pifer, Ph.D., Lecturer, University of Michigan
52. Marianna Hovhannisyan, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Visual Arts, University of California, San Diego
53. Helen Makhdoumian, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
54. Movses Pogossian, Professor of Violin, Director, UCLA Armenian Music Program, Herb Alpert School of Music, University of California, Los Angeles
55. Lori Khatchadourian, Associate Professor, Department of Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University
56. Kim Hekimian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Nutrition in Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
57. Sevan Beukian, Ph.D., Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Alberta, Canada
58. Anahit Galstyan, Ph.D. student, Department of History of Art and Architecture, University of California, Santa Barbara
59. Ann R. Karagozian, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Inaugural Director, The Promise Armenian Institute, UCLA
60. Hayarpi Papikyan, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, American University of Armenia (AUA)
61. Alexandra Boghosian, Ph.D. student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
62. Ayda Erbal, Lecturer, Department of Politics, New York University
63. Zoe Sherinian, Professor of Ethnomusicology, University of Oklahoma
64. Robin Garabedian, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
65. Rachel Goshgarian, Associate Professor of History, Lafayette College
66. Anahit Manoukian, Ph.D. student, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, UC Berkeley
67. Margaret Sarkissian, Professor of Ethnomusicology, Smith College
68. Aram Goudsouzian, Professor of History, University of Memphis
69. Alique Berberian, Ph.D. student, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA
70. Arin A. Balalian, DrPH student, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
71. Laure Astourian, Assistant Professor of French, Bentley University
72. Jolie Mandelbaum, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English, University of Missouri
73. Bedross Der Matossian, Associate Professor of Modern Middle East History, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
74. Arpi Siyahian, Ph.D, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
75. Kristine Martirosyan-Olshansky, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California Los Angeles
76. Misak Khachatryan, Psy.D. Student, The Wright Institute
77. Elise Youssoufian, Ph.D. student, Philosophy and Religion, concentration in Women’s Spirituality, California Institute of Integral Studies
78. Marine Sargsyan, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Roma Tre University, Italy
79. Armine Ishkanian, Associate Professor in Social Policy and Executive Director, Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity,  International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics, UK
80. Christopher Sheklian, Ph.D., Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center
81. Anna Nikoghosyan, Lecturer, Yerevan State University
82. Sossie Kasbarian, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics,  University of Stirling, Scotland
83. Kohar Avakian, Ph.D. candidate, American Studies, Yale University
84. Lisa Gulesserian, Preceptor on Armenian Language and Culture, Harvard University
85. Victor Agadjanian, Professor, Department of Sociology and the International Institute, UCLA
86. Arlene Voski Avakian, Professor Emeritus, Department of Women. Gender, Sexuality, University of Massachusetts Amherst
87. Christina Mehranbod, Ph.D. Student, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
88. Artyom H. Tonoyan, Research Associate, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
89. Lilit Keshishyan, Ph.D., Lecturer, The Writing Program, University of Southern California
90. Shushan Karapetian, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Institute of Armenian Studies, University of Southern California
91. Lara Tcholakian, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Management & Organization, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
92. Anahid Matossian, Ph.D. Candidate, Anthropology, University of Kentucky
93. Vazken Khatchig Davidian, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford
94. Kevork Oskanian, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Birmingham
95. Kamee Abrahamian, Ph.D. Candidate in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute
96. Henry C. Theriault, Ph.D., President, International Association of Genocide Scholars, and Founding Co-Editor, Genocide Studies International
97. Marc Mamigonian, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, Director of Academic Affairs
98. Naneh Apkarian, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education, Arizona State University
99. Armen Karamanian, Ph.D., University of Technology Sydney
100. Kristin Cavoukian, Ph.D., Sessional Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto Mississauga
101. Haig Armen, MDM, Associate Professor of Design, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver, BC
102. Ara Sanjian, Associate Professor of History and Director of Armenian Research Center, University of Michigan, Dearborn
103. Hagop Gulludjian, Ph.D., Lecturer, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California, Los Angeles
104. Lalai Manjikian, Ph.D., Professor, Humanities Department, Vanier College, Montreal, Quebec
105. Serouj Aprahamian, Ph.D. Candidate in Dance Studies, York University

For those interested in signing the statement, please complete this Google Form with your information. The Google Document will be updated manually. To view the most updated version, please click here.

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Guest Contributor

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

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The post Armenian Academics For Black Lives Matter appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

The Armenian National Committee of Michigan (ANC of MI) hosted its first virtual Town Hall on Saturday, June 27th with Elizabeth Chouldjian, the communications director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Washington, DC office and Bedo Demirdjian, secretary of ANC Lebanon. The meeting was aimed to inform the community about the challenges faced by ANC offices in Washington, DC as well as Lebanon.

ANC of MI chair Dzovinar Hatsakordzian welcomed the participants and pointed out how different Armenian communities are faced with unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Artsakh, Armenia and Lebanon, where the Armenian community is struggling amidst financial and political turmoil.  

Chouldjian started by emphasizing the role of ANC of Michigan in the fight for the Armenian cause. “ANCA’s strength is in its different offices around the US, its different communities and committees. ANC of MI has always been front and center when it comes to the daily work that the committee puts forth which directly influences the work done in Washington,” she explained. 

She continued by discussing the importance of fighting to secure Artsakh aid. “The United States is the only government that sends direct aid to Artsakh. This is the result of the ANCA’s relentless efforts for 20 years. Because of this aid we were able to realize many programs such as Mother and Child program, bringing clean water to the villages, and demining more than 61-thousand mines in 30-thousand kilometers in Artsakh through Halo Trust. Now, the US State Department is caving under Azerbaijani pressure and wants to stop this lifesaving aid. The State Department wants to convince us to substitute this program with what they are calling ‘preparing populations for peace,’ which on paper looks very promising, but when we see that the same State Department is sending 100 million dollars to Azerbaijan to be used to purchase military equipment and cuts lifesaving Artsakh aid, well this is not fair at all,” said Chouldjian. 

Moving to her second point, Chouldjian highlighted the ANCA’s efforts to reprogram 25 million dollars in allocated aid to Armenia, to fight the escalating COVID-19 crisis. “Since March, ANCA has been calling on the US government to send that much-needed aid to Armenia,” she said. “The health of our people is paramount,” she added.

She concluded by talking about the victories last year in the Congress and the Senate, where they overwhelmingly recognized the Armenian Genocide, but the work continues. Now, the ANCA is pressing to change the subject heading “Armenian Massacres” to “Armenian Genocide” at the Library of Congress. “The U.S. Congress has overwhelmingly recognized the Armenian Genocide, and we were told the wording will change once that had happened, now they are refusing to change it based on the argument that the president needs to recognize it as well. This is outrageous.” She continued by saying how the wording used by Congress will be reflected in different libraries around the US as well as the world. 

In his presentation on the situation in Lebanon, Demirdjian noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of Lebanon’s official recognition of the Armenian Genocide. However, planned events between Lebanon’s ANC office and various government bodies, including the Lebanese Ministry, the State Department and the Presidential Palace, were cancelled due to the political turmoil in the region; plans to create a committee of Lebanese journalists, intellectuals and professors who had recently visited Artsakh have also been paused.

What is concerning about the anti-Armenian movement in Lebanon, Demirdjian explained, is that this is not a recent movement. Pro-Turkish and Erdogan-backed groups have been forming in former Ottoman Empire countries for a while now. They are directly influenced by Turkey and its foreign policies. Armenian community leaders have filed an official lawsuit against those groups that had organized anti-Armenian protests, and legal action has been taken. “Different Lebanese youth organizations, and government agencies have condemned this movement and are supporting the Armenian community in Lebanon,” Demirdjian added. 

Demirdjian moved on to one of the most pressing matters that the Armenian community in Lebanon is facing today, which is the unprecedented financial and economic hardship. “The community is in very bad shape,” he said. “The schools, organizations, publication houses, and the situation of the people as a whole is alarming. Our churches, centers and different organizations are helping in any way they can to keep the community on their feet. The community is relying on the aid that it is receiving from different Armenian communities around the world, including Michigan. That aid is essential to help our community thrive in this dire situation.” 

A question and answer period followed the speakers’ presentations. ANC of MI is planning on hosting future virtual Town Halls to keep the community informed about various Hai Tahd issues.

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Dzovinar Hatsakordzian

Dzovinar Hatsakordzian is a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and ANC of Michigan. She holds a master's degree in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from American University of Armenia. She is a teacher and a mother of three.

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The post ANCA, ANC-Lebanon Discuss Challenges During Inaugural ANC-MI Virtual Town Hall appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Preparing students and the general public to be good environmental citizens is one of the most important tasks to be undertaken in the 21st century. Armenia Tree Project and the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation believe environmental education should be an integral part of any school curriculum. As educators in the Armenian community, we also believe that incorporating the Armenian language is essential in helping preserve our culture.

Armenia Tree Project, in collaboration with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, is providing the very first Western Armenian translation of ATP’s Building Bridges newsletter. The newsletter provides crucial educational material about the environment, and we hope you can utilize the material to help continue educating the next generation of young environmental stewards.

We are in awe of the way teachers in Armenian schools around the world continued to educate students throughout these difficult and uncertain times; their commitment to provide unique and engaging content to their students is inspirable. 

The Building Bridges newsletters can be a valuable resource for teachers by providing information and different educational materials about the environment, and we are proud to give access to the first Western Armenian translation! ATP also provides weekly lessons about the environment, which include informative PowerPoint presentations and supplemental materials.

If you have any questions, contact info@ArmeniaTree.org.

This project was supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

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Armenia Tree Project

Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit program based in Woburn and Yerevan conducting vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages and seeks support in advancing its reforestation mission. Since 1994, ATP has planted and restored more than 6,000,000 trees, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs.

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The post ATP, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Translate Building Bridges into Armenian appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

QUEENS, NY—Representatives from the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of New York met with House Appropriations Committee member Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY-6), to discuss the vital role of continued US aid to Artsakh, as the Committee prepares to present its version of the Fiscal Year 2021 foreign aid bill next week.

Participating in the July 2nd Zoom meeting were ANC of NY chair Nazareth Markarian, constituents Neiri Amirian of Forest Hills, NY and Tamar Harutunian, Esq. of Flushing, NY, as well as ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan and ANCA Eastern Region Communications Director Tamar Gregorian.

Together, the ANC NY team outlined the successes of The HALO Trust’s demining efforts in Artsakh, which, through US funding, has removed 61,000 landmines and cleared 33,000 acres of land over the past 20 years. The advocates argued that the State Department efforts to stop funding the lifesaving Artsakh program puts innocent lives in danger and undermines efforts to establish a lasting peace in the region.

“On behalf of the ANC of New York, I know I speak for myself and my fellow advocates in saying that it was an honor to have met with Rep. Meng and her staff,” said  Markarian. “As Armenian Americans, we have a pivotal role to play in the process and that includes educating our representatives on our important issues, especially one such as this which at its core is a human rights issue. Ensuring the safety of the people of Artsakh through this aid package is integral to the peaceful future we want to see become a reality in both Artsakh and Armenia,” he continued.

Earlier this year, Yerimyan submitted testimony to both the U.S. Senate and House Appropriations Committees urging that the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill include language stating that “not less that $10,000,000 shall be made available to: Fund demining and landmine risk education programs in Nagorno Karabakh, and; Support Nagorno Karabakh-based regional rehabilitation services for survivors of landmine injuries and other individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.”

“THE HALO Trust’s de-mining program has touched the lives of over 130,000 Artsakh residents – thanks to over 20 years of Congressional support for Artsakh aid,” stated Yerimyan. “With a mine-free Artsakh within sight, stopping U.S. funding for the program now, unnecessarily endangers innocent lives and undermines the peace process. Armenian American outreach is essential to ensuring that Congress act decisively and include Artsakh demining and rehabilitation assistance in its FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill.”

This meeting with Rep. Meng was part of the ANCA’s ongoing nationwide action campaign in support of the $10 million Artsakh appropriation. Over 10,000 constituents have already reached out to their Senators and Representatives to advance this effort. To send a letter or to be connected to your legislators through the ANCA Quick Connect call system, please visit anca.org/aid.

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ANCA-Eastern Region

The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization, the ANCA. Working in coordination with the ANCA in Washington, DC, and a network of chapters and supporters throughout the Eastern United States, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

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The post ANC of NY, Rep. Meng Discuss Importance of Ongoing US Aid to Artsakh appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

By Zarouhi Minasian

LOWELL, Mass.—On June 27th, the Lowell “Lousintak” Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Chapter held its first in-person meeting in four months.

Ungh. Sona Gevorkian hosted the meeting in her beautiful backyard. Chairs were arranged in a circle and several feet apart to maintain social distancing. Attendees were also wearing masks.

There was a warm sense of camaraderie as members caught up on recent personal events. The late morning meeting was productive with plans for two upcoming events.

Two new members were also added to the chapter: Lucine Bahtiarian and Taleen Lachinian.

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Armenian Relief Society Eastern U.S.

The ARS Eastern USA has 32 chapters located throughout the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, and Southeastern regions of the United States. Please contact the ARS Eastern U.S. Regional Office (arseastus@gmail.com) if you would like more information about a chapter near you.

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The post ARS Lowell “Lousintak” Chapter Members Meet In-Person, Social Distance appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation launched “Prizes for Teaching in Armenian Online” in April 2020. The aim of this initiative was to encourage diasporan teachers who use Armenian as a medium of instruction during the sudden shift to online teaching platforms caused by the forced lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus.

Teachers were asked to send samples of their materials, examples of their interactions with their students, and an explanation of how their lessons were implemented on the online platforms they were using. 

The program was open for six weeks, and entries were evaluated biweekly by a committee of seven people within the Foundation. The following criteria were used in the selection process:

o   Innovative use of online mechanisms and originality of idea
o   Adaptation of teaching methodology and teaching approaches
o   Student involvement/interactivity (the “fun factor”)
o   Quality of execution and use of the Armenian language
o   Potential of use by others

Just over 100 applications were received from 13 countries from teachers who worked in daily and weekly Armenian schools. The majority of the applicants were language teachers, but the prize was not restricted to them. Teachers of history, religion, math, science, art and even physical education also participated. The average age of applicants was 44.

In order to be as supportive as possible and in recognition of the excellent work many of the teachers are doing, the Foundation increased the number of prizes granted from 30 to 49. As such, 46-percent of applicants were successful, each receiving a USD 500 financial award.

“We congratulate all the winners! Regrettably, we could not support all the applicants,” said Razmik Panossian, the Director of the Armenian Communities Department, “we do, however, want to acknowledge and applaud the efforts of all the participants, as well as the ongoing efforts of Armenian teachers around the world during these difficult days of the coronavirus pandemic.” 

For further information and to consult the list of the 49 awardees of the “Prizes for Teaching in Armenian Online” please visit: gulbenkian.pt/armenian-communities/

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Guest Contributor

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

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The post Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Awards 49 Diasporan Armenian Teachers for Online Instruction appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.