Jeffrey Jones in ‘On Air’

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—Scripps Ranch Theatre, located on the campus of Alliant International University, presents its 5^th annual “Out on a Limb—New Plays from America’s Finest City,” for two weekends, July 14-17 and July 21-24. Scripps Ranch Theatre is a leader in the Southern California arts community in developing and producing new plays. The festival features all new, world-premiere plays written by area playwrights.

One featured play at this year’s festival is “On Air,” written by Armenian-American playwright, Lisa Kirazian. In “On Air,” a young Armenian-American professor at a San Diego community college navigates his family obligations and professional ambitions against the backdrop of a campus in crisis from the Vietnam War.

San Diego Critics Circle Award-winning Equity actor, Jeffrey Jones, also of Armenian heritage, will appear in “On Air,” in the leading role.

Kirazian’s plays include “On Air,” “The Blackstone Sessions,” “Switch,” “The Visitor,” “Soul Fire,” “Six Views,” and “Armenian Voices,” with productions in Los Angeles, San Diego, and New York. Her publications include pieces in Audition Monologues for Young Women, the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Performing Arts Magazine, and The Dramatist. Kirazian is a San Diego native and Stanford graduate. She blogs about writing at lisakirazian.wordpress.com. Her website is www.lisakirazian.com.

“On Air” will be directed by Liz Shipman, a nationally recognized director, choreographer, acting teacher, and co-artistic director of the Meisner/Chekhov Integrated Training (MCIT) Studio in San Diego.

The founder and director of the festival, Robert May, shared, “We are excited to be gearing up for our 5^th Annual Festival of New Plays. At Scripps Ranch Theatre we continue to look for ways to encourage development of new works from our diverse community that reflect the San Diego experience. This year, three of the four winning scripts are written (and directed by) women. Historically, women playwrights are under-represented and produced. The abundance of female talent in this festival is incredible and reflects a shift in that paradigm. We are also excited to watch the growth of Lisa’s play ‘On Air’ from its original one-act production in the first ‘Out on a Limb’ Festival in 2012 to a full-length production in 2016.”

“On Air” runs from July 21-24 at 8 p.m. Thursday performances are $16. Friday/Saturday performances are $20. For more information, call (858) 578-7728 or visit www.Scrippsranchtheatre.org.

By Arpi Arukian

On Sat., May 21, the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School (HMADS) community gathered at the North Hills Country Club in Manhasset to celebrate its beloved school. The annual gala dinner dance, a lavish affair organized by the Friends of HMADS fundraising committee, once again proved itself to be the school’s most significant fundraiser. More than 200 friends and supporters socialized and danced the night away at the bittersweet event, which would be the last under the school leadership of adored principal Zarminé Boghosian, whose retirement was recently announced.

On May 21, the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School (HMADS) community gathered at the North Hills Country Club in Manhasset to celebrate its beloved school.

The event was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. Representing the Armenian Ambassador at the United Nations Zohrab Mnatsaganian was Tigran Samvelian.

Guests were welcomed to North Hills Country Club by the Friends of HMADS Reservations Committee, a subcommittee of the dedicated group responsible for organizing the evening. During cocktail hour, everyone mingled, sipped cocktails, and sampled delicious appetizers from various hors d’oeuvres stations. The doors of the spacious ballroom then filled with guests of every facet of the HMADS family: benefactors, school board members, committee members, staff, parents, alumni, and students from the current graduating class. Guests ranged in age from young to young-at-heart, all with a common bond: love and praise for their beloved school and Armenian community.

Guests were welcomed to North Hills Country Club by the Friends of HMADS Reservations Committee, a subcommittee of the dedicated group responsible for organizing the evening.

The main festivities began as Friends of HMADS chairman Hovannes Malikyan welcomed everyone and expressed his appreciation for their continuous support. He then invited Boghosian to the podium to share the accomplishments of the school’s current students and alumni. Throughout the night, international singer Bartev entertained guests with his vocals, luring them to the dance floor, especially for “shoorch bars.” During a brief interlude from dancing, Friends of HMADS committee members approached tables and encouraged diners to try their luck in the raffle drawings for prizes that are generously donated each year by school supporters.

The gala dinner dance, co-chaired by Arpi Candan and Hagop Semerdjian, was once again a remarkable success, honoring Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School as the acclaimed academic institution that it is.

Haig Aghjayan

Haig Aghjayan, 80, of Lincoln, R.I., passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, June 30, at the Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Agnes (DerManuelian) Aghjayan; they were married for 55 years.

Born in Boston, Mass., he was the son of the late Malikof and Pailoon (Demirjian) Aghjayan.

Haig served his country proudly in the United States Army. He was a graduate of Providence College, earning a bachelor of arts degree. Haig was a very avid athlete, playing semi-professional football and baseball. He was a fan of all the New England sports teams, particularly the Red Sox and Patriots, loved music and spending time with his family and friends.

Besides his devoted wife, Haig leaves his two children, Pauline Getzoyan, and her husband, Ara, of Lincoln, and George M. Aghjayan, and his wife, Joyce, of Westminster; four loving grandchildren, Dalita Getzoyan, Christopher Aghjayan, and his wife, Katrina, Sarah Aghjayan, and Kathryn Aghjayan; a sister-in-law, Rose (DerManuelian) Vartanian; and a brother-in-law, Peter Kallanian. He also leaves many cousins, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend a memorial service on Sat., July 9, at 2 p.m., in Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, 402 Broadway, Providence, followed by a grave blessing. In lieu of flowers, donations in Haig’s memory may be made to Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, 402 Broadway, Providence, R.I. 02909, or the D.A.V. Chapter 21, c/o James Pesetta (Commander), 21 Hunter Road, North Providence, R.I. 02904. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, Providence. For online condolences, visit boyleandsonfuneralhome.com.

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Condolences

The ARF Eastern Region Central Committee Extends its deepest condolences to former ARF Eastern Region Central Committee member Unger George Aghjayan, and his family, on the passing of Haig Aghjayan.

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The editors and staff of the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly newspapers extend their deepest condolences to the family of Haig Aghjayan.

STEPANAKERT, NKR—Sometimes, there is no better way to understand and appreciate your surroundings than by looking at it through a different lens. That’s exactly what the students at TUMO Stepanakert did during the photography learning lab held in partnership with the HALO Trust.

The group of 16 students journeyed throughout Karabagh to capture scenes of life around them.

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies worked with the HALO Trust to create a lab that taught students how to develop their photography skills and highlight the HALO Trust’s work in demining and clearing explosives from the region. The photos taken by the students during this lab will be showcased in a HALO Trust exhibition in the United States.

World-renowned photo journalist Scout Tufankjian travelled to the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (Artsakh/NKR) to lead the lab. This was her second time teaching at TUMO and her first at TUMO Stepanakert; the focus of this lab was on documentary photography.

The group of 16 students journeyed throughout Karabagh to capture scenes of life around them. They photographed subjects of their own choosing and developed their own photo-stories.

The students photographed subjects of their own choosing and developed their own photo-stories.

Tufankjian commented, “I always learn so much from the students; they work so hard and think about things really deeply. Each student focused on something different and each brought a totally fascinating subject into the light. They produced really, really fabulous work.”

Tufankjian’s excitement for the lab was shared by her students. Samvel Sargsyan, 14, noted, “We’d look at Scout’s photos and apply what we saw to our own photos. In this way, we learned to see the beauty in everything.”

The work the students’ produced at TUMO Stepanakert reflected their hard work and determination in learning everything they could about documentary photography. But there is much more to come in the future for these teens. TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian notes, “We were very excited to partner with the HALO Trust because we expected excellent results and we were not disappointed. Though the TUMO Stepanakert center is the newest TUMO location and is less than a year old, the students are motivated and eager to learn as much as they can, and this learning lab with Scout Tufankjian and the HALO Trust only further proved it.”

The HALO Trust program manager, Yuri Shahramyan, commented, “One-third of the landmine casualties in Nagorno-Karabagh are children, so this lab was an excellent opportunity to educate TUMO students about the risks, while also explaining what HALO is doing to help make Karabagh safe. Their work does a great job of bringing our work to life, and we are looking forward to featuring it in our campaign to raise and match funds so we can make Karabagh mine free.”

The HALO Trust is a global humanitarian mine-clearance NGO that has been working to clear landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosives in Karabagh since 2000. It has cleared 86 percent of the minefields and is now raising funds to finish the work. An extremely generous anonymous donor has pledged to match the funds raised for the clearance of mines in Karabagh. For more information, visit www.halotrust.org/nagornokarabakh.

The work the students’ produced at TUMO Stepanakert reflected their hard work and determination in learning everything they could about documentary photography.

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free of charge, after-school learning center that gives students the opportunity to learn the latest in arts and technology. There are currently four centers opened in Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Stepanakert location was opened in 2015 through the TUMOxAGBU partnership.

NEW YORK—The Pashalian Hall at St. Illuminator Cathedral was filled with the faithful of the New York metropolitan area on June 27, to honor writer Peter Balakian, the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Peter Balakian addressing the crowd

The evening’s program was guided by the master of ceremonies, Dr. Herand Markarian, who first spoke about the significance and importance of the Pulitzer and the great joy felt by Armenians worldwide when the winners were announced.

Prof. Khachig Tololyan presented Balakian and his work with a cogent and challenging analysis that whetted the appetite for more knowledge of poetry and especially the work of this poet.

Master of ceremonies, Herand Markarian addressing the crowd

Before reading excerpts from his “Ozone Journal” that was honored with the Pulitzer, Balakian thanked Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan for the remarkable evening and expressed his appreciation to all of the attendees.

Archbishop Oshagan closed the evening by thanking Markarian, Tololyan, and Balakian. His Eminence noted that as he was listening to the poetry readings he felt the Armenian spirit in every verse, even though the words were in English.

Khachig Tololyan presenting Balakian and his work

The remarkable evening ended with a reception that offered the opportunity for the attendees to meet and congratulate Balakian.

Below is a video from the event.

Lillian (Der Sarkissian) Perron

After a long illness, Lillian Perron went Home on May 21. Lil was fortunate and happy to have the capably loving and supportive Jefferson House staff, her friends, providing for her needs. Her 80 years were spent as a resident of Hartford and Newington. An avid supporter and audience for the arts, Lillian enjoyed the writing, music, art, and acting of the 1950’s and beyond on Broadway, the screen, stage, and television. She herself enjoyed writing, which she continued to do into her last year.

A 1953 honors graduate of Hartford Public High School, she participated in literary activities, including the H.P.H.S. Chronicle. She was a member of the Smiley Chapter of the National Honor Society. The daughter of Armenian immigrants Mardiros/Martin and Tamar/Sona Margossian-Avedian Der Sarkissian, she was an active member of the “Ararat” Chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation, was a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly as well as the chapter’s educational director, making several trips to Boston to maintain that position.

Lillian was pre-deceased by her writer-husband Robert Louis Perron, with whom she enjoyed writing, traveling, and continuing studies at the University of Hartford for a mere, but very happy and productive, 25 years of her life. She leaves behind her loving and loyal sister Adrianne and her husband Kenneth T. Brown.

In lieu of flowers, Lil requested donations for the Hairenik Association, 80 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472. Arrangements were under the direction of Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial.

DEARBORN, Mich.—Led by Detroit’s five Armenian Relief Society (ARS) chapters—“Maro,” “Shakeh,” “Sybille,” “Tsolig,” and “Zabelle”—a benefit concert for Artsakh (Karabagh) relief was held on June 11, under a tent on the grounds of the Armenian Community Center of Dearborn.

ARS members with Lernik Hovhannisyan

The concert was attended by 450 supporters who donated generously in a spirit of moral obligation to defend Artsakh and its military and civilian population, and to provide assistance to the families that recently suffered casualties by an aggressive and unprovoked Azerbaijan.

Additional contributions from a spaghetti dinner sponsored by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh’s annual May 28 Independence Day celebration rounded out the $40,000 total contribution from the Detroit community.

Benefit concert volunteer musicians Kristapor Arabian, Greg Hosharian, Ara Topouzian, Tom Kazarian, Shahin Krikorian, Hrant Gulian, Sam Alajajian, Jiro Tavitian, Shant Massoyan, and Shahe Sekayan sang through the night and inspired those attending to dig deep for the good cause.

ARS “Tsolig” Chapter representative Ani Attar welcomed those present and outlined the ARS’s relief efforts to help Artsakh in its time of need, in addition to the ARS’s long-standing social and educational programs throughout the country. She was joined by the event co-sponsor, ARF Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh Chair Raffi Ourlian, who congratulated the ARS for its hard work to ensure a successful event and support for our brothers and sisters in Artsakh.

The event’s guest speaker was Lernik Hovhannesian, who was touring the Eastern United States. A member of Artsakh’s Parliament from the ARF faction, Hovhannesian provided an update on Artsakh’s current events.

Funds were raised by admission fees, dinner and drink sales, and the raffle of a package for two flight tickets to Armenia. The prize was won by Toros Chopjian, who generously purchased many tickets.

Benefit concert volunteer musicians Kristapor Arabian, Greg Hosharian, Ara Topouzian, Tom Kazarian, Shahin Krikorian, Hrant Gulian, Sam Alajajian, Jiro Tavitian, Shant Massoyan, and Shahe Sekayan sang through the night and inspired those attending to dig deep for the good cause.

The benefit concert was co-sponsored by the St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Congregational Church, St. Vartan Armenian Catholic Church, ARF Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh, Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, AYF-YOARF, Homenetmen General Athletic Union and Scouts, Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Michigan, and the Armenian Community Center.

Those wishing to contribute to the ARS’s Artsakh Relief program are urged to donate through the ARS Eastern USA’s webpage at http://www.arseastus.org/ or by calling the ARS Eastern USA office at (617) 926-3801.

GYUMRI, Armenia (Asbarez)—Hundreds of compatriots from Armenia and the diaspora traveled to Armenia’s second largest city on July 11 to take part in the official grand opening of the Shirvanian Youth Center, a project led by the “We Are Gyumri” committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Western U.S. Central Committee.

A scene from the opening ceremony (Photo: AYF Youth Corps)

Attendees included members of the ARF Bureau and Supreme Body of Armenia; Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian; Governor of the Shirak Province Hovsep Simonyan; and Gyumri Mayor S. Balasanyan. The center is to serve as a cultural, educational, and social center for the youth of the region with computer, language, song, and dance classes.

A scene from the ribbon cutting

The building that houses the newly reconstructed Shirvanian Center has a storied past. It was built in the 18^th century and served as the residence of a well-known merchant. During the Soviet era, the building was used by local law enforcement and later became a depository for the city archives. Today, it is a bustling center that will serve the youth and community of Gyumri.

Neshan Peroomian spoke on behalf of the ARF Western U.S. Central Committee, and recounted the humble beginnings of the project, which rallied community members young and old to ensure a successful fruition.

“More than a year ago today, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western America Central Committee following the saying ‘With Armenia, For Armenia’ made the decision to renovate the youth center… Our humble project would not have reached completion without the strength and backbone of our community in the Western Region, including its benefactors and their immediate assistance,” said Peroomian, who thanked the donors of the project and introduced the lead benefactors, Hacob and Mina Shirvanian, who had traveled to Gyumri to witness the fruits of their philanthropy.

ARF Supreme Body of Armenia Representative Aghvan Vardanyan said in his remarks that “the initiative to open youth centers throughout Armenia was made a long time ago, as a decision of the Bureau, and our diasporan bodies working jointly with our local entities took helm of these projects. This is the first, but not last, joint project between the Western Region and the bodies within Armenia.”

AYF Western U.S. representative Hrache Novruzyan addressing the crowd

Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Western U.S. representative Hrache Novruzyan noted that there are currently three main goals for the project: for the center to serve as a place for the AYF Youth Corps program, for the work to be continued year-round, and to help those aspiring for further education by providing scholarships to students in need from Gyumri.

On behalf of the “We Are Gyumri” campaign, Shant Baboujian furthered this sentiment. “With this project we hope to raise new leaders, motivate youth to aspire to reach higher degrees, and in the end serve as a small part of the socio-economic development of Gyumri, which will benefit in turn, Armenia,” he said.

The opening ceremonies included dance performances by the ARF Gyumri Badanegan and “Hrayrk” Traditional Dance Ensemble. The AYF Youth Corps campers showcased what they had learned in one day of camp by singing two patriotic songs.

A view of the center’s computer lab

As the official sponsors of the center, Hacob and Mina Shirvanian cut the red ribbon, officially opening the doors to the new center. The building was officially blessed by the local clergy. Attendees continued to mingle over traditional Armenian bread, cheese, wine, and fruits as they toured the center.

In his remarks, Hacob Shirvanian expressed his and his wife’s gratitude to all those who worked diligently to make the center a reality. He also praised the initiative for having the foresight to bring about constructive change for the betterment of the youth in Gyumri and the homeland.

The AYF took advantage of the event to kick off its 2016 Youth Corps program, which for 22 years has been connecting Armenian youth from the diaspora to the youth in Armenia through a unique program that conducts summer camp sessions for local youth in various regions in Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh).

Below is a video from the opening (in Armenian).

For decades Armenians living in the Northern Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts have been parishioners of two stalwart churches, St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Haverhill and Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church of Lawrence. Families of these two parishes attended weekly service, christenings, marriages, funerals as well as countless dances and socials. These two churches have been at the heart and soul of the local Armenian community!

This project is seen as a potential change within the church community, as many smaller parishes are financially struggling due to minimal membership and the pooling of resources can help strengthen communities.

Due to socioeconomic changes in the region, in 2002, these two communities agreed to merge and, with the approval of the Diocese, created one new greater and stronger church called the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe. Parishioners of both churches have become one new community, developing a legacy for their children and grandchildren as they grow and develop through the Armenian culture.

In 2011, the Diocese appointed Reverend Father Vart Gyozalyan as pastor of this new community. He and his family have been an inspiration to this community. The spirit and vision of Father Vart has helped to strengthen this community and build a future legacy for their families!

In May 2016, the Armenian Church at Hye Pointe found a buyer and secured a construction loan to begin building their legacy. In June 2016, they will break ground on the construction of the Family Life Center, which will address the immediate needs of providing spiritual services every Sunday as well as classrooms for Sunday School students, fellowship events, and other community functions.

The importance of remaining part of the Merrimack Valley was a key decision in the merger of these two communities. The new site will remain in in the Bradford/Haverhill communities to ensure the Armenian community’s support of the Merrimack Valley.

As Father Vart says, nothing starts happening until somebody starts dreaming. Every accomplishment started off first as an idea in somebody’s mind. It started off as a dream. It started off as a vision, a goal. If we don’t have a goal for our church, our default goal is to remain the same. If we aim at nothing, we’re definitely going to hit it.

“The Scriptures declare that with God, ‘all things are possible unto them that believe.’ As the pastor of the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe, I believe and trust God for our new Sanctuary and Family Life Center (Multi-Purpose Hall and Educational Facility). God has anointed and appointed me to lead the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe family,” said Father Vart.

This project is seen as a potential change within the church community, as many smaller parishes are financially struggling due to minimal membership and the pooling of resources can help strengthen communities.

Over the next few months, it is the hope of this parish that members of the greater Armenian community will see the potential impact to the community in the Merrimack Valley, and want to become part of creating a new legacy for Armenians living in the Merrimack Valley.

For more information, e-mail Gary Townsend at gtownsend@verizon.net or call the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe at (978) 372-9227.

Naomi Tazian (1936-2016)

Naomi “Nicki” Tazian, 80, passed away on July 10.

Born July 9, 1936, in Fort Wayne, Ind., Nicki was the daughter of the late Bernard and Golda (Mann) Kramer. She lived in Fort Wayne her entire life.

In 1967, Nicki co-founded Z.K. Tazian Associates and over the years she traveled worldwide. Her proudest accomplishments were raising her family, spending quality time with her grandchildren, and volunteering at non-profit organizations including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Art League, and Christ Child Society. She was also a member of the Armenian Relief Society.

Nicki was a thoughtful, funny, generous spirit, who lived a full life with a big heart. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, and loyal friend. Through decades of health challenges, she defied the odds thanks to her strength, determination, and positive attitude. Nicki never complained and always put others at ease with her infectious smile. She loved playing bridge and mahjong, reading mystery novels, and attending Broadway musicals. Nicki was a legendary entertainer, world-class cook, and renowned baklava baker.

She is survived by her husband, Zohrab, who she married on Sept. 16,1959 at the St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church in Beirut, Lebanon. Also surviving are her children, Tina (Marc Schwartz) Tazian, Sona (Frank Catalano) Tazian, Ara Tazian, and Hera (Jeffrey) Lauritsen; and grandchildren, Nicholas, Paige, Adrienne, and Sophia. Nicki also leaves behind numerous lifelong friends.

Service is Fri., July 15, at St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church (402 Badiac Road, Fort Wayne) at noon with calling one hour prior. His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian assisted by Very Reverend Father Ghevont Pentezian officiating.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thurs., July 14, at D.O. McComb & Sons Pine Valley Park Funeral Home (1320 East Dupont Rd.). Burial is to take place immediately following the funeral service at Highland Park Cemetery (2403 E. Wallen Rd.).

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Christ Child Society of Fort Wayne (visit www.christchildsocietyfw.org) or to the Armenian Relief Society (www.arseastusa.org/donate/).

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Condolences

The ARF Eastern Region Central Committee extends its deepest condolences to former ARF Eastern Region Central Committee member Unger Zohrab Tazian and his family on the passing of his wife Naomi Tazian.

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The ARS Eastern USA extends its deepest condolences to the family of Ungerouhi Naomi Tazian.

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The editors and staff of the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly newspapers extend their deepest condolences to the Tazian family.

YEREVAN—Wound care remains a considerable medical and surgical concern in Armenia and the world. With the introduction of new technologies, it has evolved considerably during the past decade. At the initiative of Dr. Gevorg Yaghdjyan, an associate professor of plastic surgery at Yerevan State Medical University Heratsi Hospital, a wound care project was launched in April 2016. Its goal was to improve wound care in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh (NKR/Artsakh) by identifying, acquiring, and distributing modern equipment, and improving the education of surgeons and other healthcare professionals at major medical institutions.

The implementation of the program required the collaboration of several organizations. Boston area physicians, Drs. Carolann Najarian and Shahe Fereshetian, accepted a donation of modern V.A.C. VERAFLO™ and V.A.C. ULTA™ units from Acelity, which help in the treatment of wounds in the safest and most effective way. Christine Grogan of Acelity was instrumental in making the donation of 12 machines (valued at $717,344) happen. The Boston area Armenian-American Medical Association funded the project. The Armenia-Artsakh Fund organized the air delivery of the devices, and the Fund for Armenian Relief ensured their receipt in Yerevan and distribution in Armenia and Artsakh.

Meeting with Artsakh Minister of Health Dr. Karine Atayan

Acelity, an American company based in San Antonio, Texas, is a world leader in advanced wound care and regenerative medicine; it was created by uniting the strengths of three companies, Kinetic Concepts, Inc., LifeCell Corporation, and Systagenix Wound Management, Limited (formerly Johnson & Johnson). Acelity started as an operation in a one-bedroom apartment in San Antonio in 1976 by an emergency room physician who saw the value of kinetic therapy in dealing with spinal cord injuries, multiple trauma, and severe pulmonary condition. From 13 original employees, Acelity now employs 5,800. The company is committed to restoring people’s lives around the world, and is proud to have donated V.A.C. VERAFLO™ and V.A.C. ULTA™ therapies for the treatment of wound care in Armenia. Each year, Acelity donates millions of dollars and products to help heal people involved in the aftermath of global tragic disasters, including Haiti, Ecuador, San Bernardino, Paris, and Brussels, and the recent horrific attack in Orlando.

V.A.C. equipment donation and introduction at the St. Astvatsamayr Children’s Hospital

Based on a previously established plan, the distribution of equipment began on June 22, and 8 medical centers, including the St. Astvatsamayr Children’s Hospital, received V.A.C. VERAFLO™ and V.A.C. ULTA™ equipment.

Training session at the Stepanakert Republican Hospital

In parallel with the distribution of the equipment, the training of medical personnel started on June 16. Dr. Allen Gabriel, from Portland, Ore., gave the first teleconference presentation to teams of physicians in Gyumri, Stepanakert, and Yerevan.

Dr. Allen Gabriel giving a teleconference presentation

The Armenian Museum of America is taking advantage of its new status as a “Pokéstop” to invite Pokémon Go players through its doors.

Every Thursday, starting on July 21, the museum will be hosting #Luresday Thursday.

Every Thursday, starting on July 21, the museum will be hosting #Luresday Thursday. By dropping a lure in the game on the museum, Pokémon will be easily found outside and inside the galleries.

Pokémon trainers will be welcomed inside with a discounted admission rate, as well as the opportunity to complete a Poké-themed scavenger hunt through the museum.

This Thursday, the first 10 players to complete the hunt will earn an Armenian Museum Pokébadge, and the first person to find the four rarest Pokémon hidden throughout the museum will earn a special prize.

The hunt will be changed every week, and the museum is excited to help trainers “Catch ‘Em All” at the museum on Thursdays.

To learn more about the scavenger hunt, or the museum’s role in Pokémon Go, contact the museum program manager, Anna Kaczmarek, by calling (617) 926-2562.

Pokémon Go is a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic and published by the Pokémon Company. It was released in July 2016 for iOS and Android devices.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Armenia Fund USA Eastern Region affiliate recently announced the addition of Armenian-American pianist and composer Karén Hakobyan as their new cultural program advisor.

Karén Hakobyan

On behalf of the board of Armenia Fund USA, Executive Director Lisa Stepanian explained the decision: “As a non-profit organization focused on building infrastructures, many of which include the cultural arts, as well as holding concerts in both Armenia and the United States, we thought it would be beneficial to have someone like Karén Hakobyan who is experienced within the cultural arts to help advise us when making decisions on the topic.”

Hakobyan has become a prominent influence in the international musical scene since his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 17. He has received multiple different professional studies degrees at the Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, and the University of Utah. Hakobyan has performed in major concert halls in Armenia, the United States, Mexico, Germany, France, and Argentina. He has appeared as a soloist in the United States with the University of Utah Philharmonia, the Salt Lake Symphony, Summer Arts Festival Orchestra, the New American Symphony, and the World Festival Orchestra. Internationally, Hakobyan has appeared as a soloist with the Tucuman Philharmonic Orchestra in Argentina, the Monterrey Symphony Orchestra in Mexico, and, in Armenia, the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Serenade Chamber Orchestra, and the National Chamber Orchestra. He is currently the artistic director of World Peace Sinfonietta, a New York based orchestra.

On May 6, Armenia Fund USA collaborated with Hakobyan and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra to present a concert dedicated to the cultural and diplomatic relations of Armenia and Japan. The concert was held in the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan. It was well received and laid the groundwork for future cultural exchanges between the two countries. It was also the start of new beginnings between Hakobyan and Armenia Fund USA.

On May 24, Hakobyan, along with the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, held a concert at the Armenian National Gallery to honor the Hyebridge Telehealth Telemedicine Program, which has been one of Armenia Fund USA’s important projects since 2009.

Armenia Fund USA is dedicated to supporting large-scale, self-sustaining initiatives with the greatest potential for a brighter future for Armenia and Karabagh, as they continue to undergo social and political transitions. The fund is primarily focused on sustainable physical infrastructure for the region and humanitarian and economic development for communities, families, and individuals. It is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under U.S. law. All donations are 100 percent tax-deductible.

Below is Hakobyan’s statement on his new appointment.

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“Music has been my passion and purpose since my early childhood. Growing up in Armenia, which has such a rich cultural and musical tradition, was the perfect environment for a young aspiring musician. I was fortunate to study with some of the brightest minds in Armenia such as composers Edvard Mirzoyan and David Sakoyan, among others. In 2001, I graduated from Tchaikovsky School, which had an enormous impact on my early development, and briefly attended the Komitas Conservatory before moving to the United States in 2002 at [the] age of 16. I had always followed Armenia Fund’s caring involvement in the community but it wasn’t until about a year ago when I established a personal connection by meeting with Lisa Stepanian to discuss the Tchaikovsky Music School Reconstruction project. Being an alumnus of Tchaikovsky, I knew exactly how much it was in a need of a major reconstruction and could fully appreciate the impact such a project would have on the development of the future generations of students.

“Going through the challenges of becoming a professional taught me humility and hardworking ethics, but most importantly the appreciation for opportunities in education and professional growth. Armenia Fund does exactly that, by building sustainable infrastructure and investing in cultural and humanitarian programs. I am honored to be selected as the cultural program advisor of Armenia Fund USA, Eastern Region, and will work tirelessly towards contributing to Armenia Fund’s mission and helping to implement impactful cultural projects.”

The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation organized a week-long workshop in Western Armenian language acquisition. The workshop advanced the department’s strategic priority of revitalizing Western Armenian by defining tangible outputs and creating working groups tasked with materializing those outputs.

The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation organized a week-long workshop in Western Armenian language acquisition.

This initiative emerged out of the “Innovation in Education: Challenges of Teaching Western Armenian in the 21st Century” conference, which was co-organized with the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris in fall 2015.

The Armenian Communities Department is committed to collaborating with specialists and practitioners in the field to assist with the development and implementation of its programs. As such, the department invited 41 participants, most from the field of Western Armenian language teaching, including some 15 individuals who took part in the Paris conference. These individuals brought unique perspectives and are willing to collaborate to develop new and innovative ways to transform language learning.

The transmission of the Western Armenian language to the next generation currently faces major challenges. The Western Armenian speaking community throughout the diaspora needs, in addition to existing schools and teachers, innovative and informal language acquisition methods, contemporary publications, and translations of literature for children and adolescents. The community also needs new educational tools and upgraded school curricula, including curricula that integrates art, music, and theatre into language teaching. Finally, a digital portal is needed that will enable stakeholders around the diaspora to connect with one another and share best practices.

Workshop participants began developing such outputs. Emphasis was be placed on non-traditional methods that have proven to work in the Western Armenian Diasporan setting. The workshop did not aim to replace teacher training programs, but to develop complementary tools and methods. It went beyond analyzing problems and offers tangible solutions that can be implemented for the revitalization of Western Armenian.

The workshop also was an opportunity for attendees to establish strong channels of communication, based on which they can partner with others in their respective communities and to continue the work begun during the workshop.

The workshop took place from July 9-17 in Portugal.

The department aimed to ensure a well-balanced distribution of the major communities of the diaspora and to maintain diversity across the board: 74 percent of the participants are women, reflecting the gender ratio in the field of education; 26 percent are below 30 years of age, 41 percent are between 30 and 40, and 33 percent are above 40. Many of the participants wear more than one hat: 12 percent are affiliated with universities (INALCO, Paris; Haigazian University, Beirut; UCLA, Los Angeles); 67 percent are directly affiliated with formal/informal educational settings; 38 percent are in leadership positions; and 36 percent are specialists in writing, art, music, theater, special needs education, and technology.

The participants were Hasmig Chahinian, Anaid Donabedian, Meline Gazarian, Jirair Jolakian, Chouchane Kerovpyan, Maral Kerovpyan, Sose Manakian, Anouche Mekhsian, Dzovinar Mikirditsian, and Anahid Sarkissian (France); Janet Avanesian, Shogher Margosian (Belgium); Maral Kurkjian (Greece); Vahan Kerovpyan (Portugal); Anke al-Bataineh, Shant Demirjian, Nelly Komolian, Taline Ordoghlian, Hagop Yacoubian (Lebanon); Natali Bagdat, Sevan Degirmenciyan, Kayane Gavrilof, Maral Hergel, Arusyak Koc, Narod Kurugoglu, Maral Satar (Turkey); Chris Bedian, Vahe Berberian, Hagop Gulludjian, Amy Hughes, Shoushan Karapetian, Silva Mesrobian, Serouj Ourishian, Sanan Shirinian (United States); Lory Abrakian, Hasmig Injejikian, Sonia Kiledjian (Canada); Christian Batikian, Nairi Khatchadourian, Gevorg Palanjyan, Sevana Tchakerian (Armenia).

The workshop was organized by Ani Garmiryan, with support from Ani Koulian.

LOWELL, Mass.—Over the years, Peter Koutoujian has been a good friend to the Armenians of Merrimack Valley, both back when he served as a state representative and now as sheriff of Middlesex County.

Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian addresses a Merrimack Valley crowd during an Armenian Genocide observance in Lowell

He’s come aboard as a powerful speaker and more recently as honorary chairman of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Committee at Lowell City Hall. He’s fought for identity and resolution, touching other political figures and inspiring them to become connected.

Now it’s time for Merrimack Valley to offer its own appreciation and support toward his re-election campaign.

A committee called Armenians for Merrimack Valley has joined together to sponsor a fundraising reception on Thurs., Aug. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 4 Highwood Drive, in Tewksbury, off Route 133.

Members include Dr. Florence Bejian Bahtiarian, Mike Bahtiarian, Peter Bogosian, Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, Dr. Ara Jeknavorian, Aram Jeknavorian, Armen Jeknavorian, Paul Ketchoyian, Greg Minasian, Mimi Parseghian, and Tom Vartabedian.

Koutoujian will be opposed in the primary election Sept. 8 by Barry Kelleher, a career corrections professional. Kelleher has worked in the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office for the past 18 years. There is no opponent for the general election in November.

Koutoujian was sworn in as Middlesex County sheriff in 2011 by Governor Duval Patrick to fill a vacancy at this historic office, which was established in 1692. In November 2012, he won election, representing 1.5 million residents with 77 percent of the vote.

Since the beginning, Koutoujian has hit the ground running, utilizing his legal and legislative experience to implement his vision toward law enforcement inside his district. His first action was to institute new policies designed to increase public confidence in the historic department.

Included was a policy that prohibits employees from donating to the sheriff’s political campaign and mandating campaign political finance education classes for all employees.

Koutoujian has also created new inmate vocational courses in environmentally friendly janitorial services and digital print shop design, thus increasing opportunities for men in his custody to gain essential job skills and become more marketable.

Prior to his appointment, Koutoujian represented the 10^th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts State Legislature, where he was the lead sponsor for annual Armenian Genocide commemorations at the state house.

He spent several years spearheading efforts to win the approval of Armenian Heritage Park, which opened May 2012 along the newly created Rose Kennedy Greenway. For his efforts, he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor as well as the Mkhitar Gosh Medal for exemplary service in the field of diplomacy, law, and political science.

Koutoujian’s grandparents emigrated here from Turkey during the genocide and settled in Waltham. His dad became a fixture in the community, serving as city councilor and later as city clerk. Peter followed his father into elected office and made Armenian-American issues a central focus throughout his political career.

Contributions may be made to the Koutoujian Committee and mailed to 293 Ash St., Waltham, MA 02453, or readers can donate securely online at https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/mvarmenian.

VANADZOR, Armenia—On July 19, the weeklong Millard Fuller Legacy Build was launched in the city of Vanadzor (Taron 3rd district, Lori region) to honor the memory of Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center for Housing (FCH), Inc. The purpose of this annual, internationally recognized week of building is to bring attention to the need for simple, decent, and affordable housing for every family. More than 60 international and local volunteers will have their contribution in building an apartment complex for 12 families currently living in metal containers and will finish its construction.

On July 19, the weeklong Millard Fuller Legacy Build was launched in the city of Vanadzor (Taron 3rd district, Lori region) to honor the memory of Millard Fuller.

Many guests attended the opening ceremony, including Arthur Nalbandyan, governor of the Lori region, Samvel Darbinyan, mayor of Vanadzor, Hrahat Stepanyan, director of the Armenian Relief and Development Association (ARDA) Charitable Foundation, David Snell, president of the Fuller Center for Housing, Inc. with the FCH Inc. leadership team, a large group of volunteers led by Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) veteran team leaders, Leo and Sona Manuelian, the largest housing donor and partner of Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, VivaCell-MTS team, and other guests.

“There is a saying: ‘Many people talk about poverty, but few of them talk with the poor.’ Millard Fuller was a person who not only talked with the poor, but also became a bridge between them and the wealthy. He conceived a genius idea, which, in a short time, found fertile ground in almost all parts of the world and took roots in Armenia. Today we are honored to have the Legacy Build here. This event once again proves that humanity is one big family, there are no limits to humanitarian ideas, and good legacy is always constructive,’’ said Ashot Yeghiazaryan, president of FCHA.

Many guests attended the opening ceremony.

It is not by chance that the Legacy Build takes place in the building constructed through the trilateral partnership, as this community is a bright example of unification and good will.

“The annual Millard Fuller Legacy Build both honors the memory of our founder and highlights the good work that the Fuller Center for Housing does around the world. It is most fitting that this year’s Legacy Build takes place in Armenia so soon after they have dedicated their 500th house. The Fuller Center Armenia is leading the way in our worldwide effort to make decent housing a reality for all of God’s people in need,” said Snell.

The plan to construct new homes in the city of Vanadzor began in 2008 when Steve Lazarian, president of ARDA and an American-Armenian philanthropist, sought to assist destitute families living in metal containers not due to disaster. The trilateral partnership between ARDA, the Vanadzor municipality, and FCHA mapped out the construction of a new housing community.

“I did not know Millard Fuller personally, but I’m sure when he was developing the concept for this wonderful, international organization, he surely dreamed of this kind of cooperation, based on mutual trust and boundless love. That is to say, love towards one’s own country, historic land, and our brothers and sisters who have found themselves in a difficult situation due to life’s circumstances. The real love—for our compatriots in Vanadzor who will soon have new apartments—is a warm tribute to the memory of Millard Fuller,” said Stepanyan.

This year marks the fifth phase of the partnership, with 65 percent of the financial investment provided as a gift from the ARDA Charitable Foundation and 24 percent provided by the Vanadzor municipality. The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia made an 11 percent investment in the form of a long-term, interest-free mortgage loan. The fifth phase cost is a total of 83.3 million AMD. With the addition of the 12-unit apartment complex being constructed during the Legacy Build, 67 families have been assisted since 2008.

A scene from the opening ceremony

“After the 1988 destructive earthquake, metal container districts were formed in the city of Vanadzor, where homeless families were settled. During years, these families received apartments owing to different disaster-response projects, and the metal containers were inhabited with the families who stayed homeless not due to the disaster. Today these families are filled with hope. It is thanks to the humanitarian and consistent work of ARDA Charitable Foundation and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia that 12 more families will have apartments,” said Darbinyan.

“The reality is like a miracle after living in a metal container for so many years. May God bless all of the people who made the impossible possible for us. Our lives have been irrevocably changed for the better,” said a recipient of one of the new homes.

These homes are built using a new technology of polystyrene foam block and local construction materials. The construction started in the spring of 2016. After a week, 12 families will have a decent place; the life of 37 people will irrevocably change for the better.

The volunteers

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh) by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent, and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families, thereby providing a financial foundation for sustainable community development. Since 2008, the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has assisted more than 500 families.

For more information, visit www.fcharmenia.org or e-mail fcarmenia@fcharmenia.org.

Proceeds to Benefit The Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA Educational Fund; March 31–April 2

NEW YORK—The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Eastern USA has announced a special exhibition of Arthur Pinajian’s (1914-1999) art. The limited run exhibition will open on March 31 and close on April 2, at the Saint Illuminator’s Cathedral, located at 221 East 27^th Street New York, N.Y. 10016.

No. 3722, 1973. Oil on canvas, 24 x 35 inches.

The exhibition of rare works on paper and canvas will feature the artist’s mid-century abstracts and late lyrical landscapes. A portion of proceeds will benefit the ARS of Eastern USA, which will host an evening reception on April 1 from 7- 10 p.m. Public viewing hours are:   March 31, 4-10 p.m.; April 1, 12-4 and 7-10 p.m.; and April 2, 1-4 p.m. Private viewings are available upon request.

Thirty rarely seen pieces will be exhibited, providing the public and collectors an opportunity to view and acquire important paintings by a man who died in obscurity but who—through fortuitous circumstances— has been rediscovered and reclaimed by the art world. After Pinajian’s death in 1999, five decades of accumulated artwork were found stacked up in a Bellport, Long Island, cottage he shared with his sister, Armen. Pinajian had implored his sister simply to “throw it all away” upon his death, but, fortunately, at the last moment, this massive body of work was rescued by a cousin, Pete Najarian, an artist who has since authored a book about Pinajian’s life and work.

In 2007, the late Dr. William Innes Homer, once the dean of American art historians, agreed to study the collection and was stunned by what he found: an almost bewildering array of extraordinary abstract landscape and figurative paintings by a gifted artist who was completely unknown in his lifetime.

Pinajian in 1960

Homer concluded that Arthur Pinajian represented one of the most compelling discoveries in the history of 20^th century American art. “Even though Pinajian was a creative force to be reckoned with, during his lifetime he rarely exhibited or sold his paintings. Instead, he pursued his goals in isolation with the single-minded focus of a Gauguin or Cézanne, refusing to give up in the face of public indifference. In his later years he could be compared to a lone researcher in a laboratory pursuing knowledge for its own sake. His exhaustive diaries and art notes make it clear that he dedicated all of his days to his art. He was passionate and unequivocally committed… Ultimately, Pinajian’s work reflects the soul of a flawed, yet brilliant, artistic genius. When he hits the mark, especially in his abstractions, he can be ranked among the best artists of his era,” Homer said.

In March 2013, in a story heard round the world, hundreds of news outlets reported the extraordinary value experts had placed on the Arthur Pinajian collection. This extraordinary cache required years of cleaning, archiving, and scholarship to be prepared for exhibition.  ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” featured the story as “the unlikely discovery that rocked the art world;” ABC’s ”20/20” reported that “Art experts decree Pinajian deserved to be called one of the great undiscovered geniuses of the Modern Art Movement.” The New York Times devoted two lengthy articles to Pinajian, including coverage of the first, very successful, exhibit in New York City in March 2013.

As a boy growing up in an Armenian community in West Hoboken, N.J., Pinajian was a completely self-trained cartoonist. During the Great Depression, he became one of the pioneers in a new medium: the comic book. In 1940, he created “Madam Fatal,” the first cross-dressing superhero, for Crack Comics. After World War II, he enrolled at the Art Students League in Woodstock, N.Y. Although he associated with a number of the New York Abstract Expressionists, such as Franz Kline and Philip Guston, Pinajian was largely reclusive. For 22 years his life revolved around Woodstock, NY while he passionately pursued his painting.  His admirably poetic color combinations are linked to the tonalities of his better-known fellow Armenian, Arshile Gorky.

Arthur Pinajian (far R) with other artists

Late in life, he moved with his sister to Bellport, Long Island. There, in a tiny bedroom-studio he strived for visual and spiritual conclusions regarding flatness and color, goals paralleling those of the Abstract Expressionist movement.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 128-page hardcover book with essays by art historians Peter Falk, Richard J. Boyle, the late William Innes Homer, art critic John Perreault, conservator Jonathan Sherman, bestselling author Lawrence E. Joseph, owner of the collection, and Pinajian’s artist cousin, Pete Najarian. These essays collectively present one of the most compelling discoveries in the history of 20th-century American art.

An Intriguing Literary Connection

There is an astonishing resemblance between Pinajian and the hero in Kurt Vonnegut’s Bluebeard: The Autobiography of Rabo Karabekian, a 1987 novel about an eccentric painter. Both Pinajian and Karabekian, a.k.a. Bluebeard, were Armenian-Americans raised by parents who survived the Armenian Genocide, and made their way to the U.S. where they raised families during the Great Depression. Both men then served with the United States Army during World War II in the European theater, each earning the Bronze Star for valor. After the war, both abandoned their careers as illustrators for higher artistic pursuits, joined the Art Students League in New York, and hung out with the Abstract Expressionists at the Cedar Tavern in Greenwich Village. Both eventually moved to Long Island’s East End near the ocean, where they kept their paintings tightly locked away in a garage.

Breaking Vonnegut’s character mold, Pinajian has now burst into the public eye, inciting a publicity storm with his arrival. His extraordinary artistic gifts have attracted the attention of art lovers and news outlets all over the world. Finally, the artist has found his audience.

The upcoming exhibition comes on the heels of news that Pinajian’s artwork has been chosen by the United States Department of State for an exhibition of American artists of Armenian heritage in the American Ambassador’s Residence in Yerevan, Armenia.

For more information, contact the ARS of Eastern USA at arseastus@gmail.com, 1(617)926-3801.

YEREVAN—The American University of Armenia (AUA) recently announced that the University will offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering Sciences beginning Fall 2017.

The American University of Armenia

The BS in Engineering Sciences is a four-year multi-disciplinary program designed for students who are interested in a broad-based general engineering degree. The program incorporates coursework in mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science and engineering design while being strongly rooted in natural and physical sciences and mathematics. The program aims to explore synergies among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in enabling students to understand a multitude of complex systems and address the challenges of Armenia, the region and the world.

The BS in Engineering Sciences program accentuates innovation and creativity, fostering an entrepreneurial disposition in graduates. The program also underscores effective oral and written communication skills to help graduates convey ideas from the discipline to become change-agents and leaders. Graduates may pursue employment in a wide range of sectors requiring analytical and quantitative skills as well as advanced studies in a wide variety of academic disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering, computer science and robotics.

More information about the program, which is currently pending WASC Senior College and University Commission approval, can be found here.

YEREVAN—Last year, longtime philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann S. Najarian generously donated two impressive buildings to the American University of Armenia (AUA). The buildings, on adjoining properties in Yerevan’s Dzoragyugh ethnographic-cultural district, were part of a construction project initiated by the Najarians in the 1990’s.

The K. George and Carolann S. Najarian MD Building

The property overlooks the Hrazdan Gorge and is designed in an architectural style reminiscent of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the two buildings, upon renovation, will be named The K. George and Carolann S. Najarian MD Building. AUA is currently exploring various ideas for its use. The Najarians have graciously agreed to allow AUA to name the second building, which is to become a residence hall, after a major donor.

A Long Legacy of Love and Support for the Homeland

Well known for their philanthropic work in Armenia since the days of the Spitak Earthquake and the Karabagh (Artsakh/NKR) Movement, the Najarians were approached by longtime AUA supporter, Aida Yeghiazarian of Los Angeles, who suggested gifting the buildings to the University. When they were first built, the Najarians had intended to retire in one and allocate the other as a center for NGOs, but they were thrilled by the prospect of donating the buildings to an educational institution that they feel is so integral to the development of Armenia.

K. George and Carolann S. Najarian

The Najarians have a longstanding relationship with AUA, dating back to the mid-1990’s when Dr. Carolann Najarian lectured there on primary healthcare. The University’s School of Public Health had just launched at the time, and the concept of primary care in Armenia was practically nonexistent, so Dr. Haroutune Armenian, then the president of AUA, sought out Dr. Najarian’s expertise to help get the program off the ground. “I remember the days when AUA started out as an experiment to see if it could be done,” she recalls. Dr. Najarian and her husband have watched AUA prove itself and grow over the past 25 years.

The couple’s efforts in Armenia began in 1987 when Mr. Najarian took his first trip to Armenia, where he was profoundly moved and instantly felt at home. Shortly after, as the Karabagh conflict escalated, the Najarians became supporters of the Zoryan Institute. They went to Armenia in 1988 for the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Program. It was Dr. Najarian’s first trip. While there, Mr. Najarian took part in the massive pro-Karabagh demonstrations in front of the Matenadaran.

Shortly after they returned to the United States, Armenia was hit by the devastating earthquake. The Najarians had purchased a full back page spread in the New York Times concerning the Karabagh conflict, which was published, unfortunately, the day the earthquake struck, on Dec. 7, 1988, and thus failed to have any positive effect.

Dr. Najarian took a leave of absence from work, formed the NGO the Armenian Health Alliance, Inc.,and started getting shipments together for Armenia. She made frequent trips, realizing that she could work more efficiently if she were on the ground, assessing needs and distributing supplies. She partnered with the Armenian Ministry of Health, and through the Armenian Health Alliance, Dr. Najarian helped many of the hospitals in Yerevan and Gyumri where her primary work centered. Her husband became involved in building projects.

In 1992, Dr. Najarian took the first trip of many trips to Karabagh via helicopter. Three years later, working with the maternity hospital of Stepanakert and Mr. Gurgen Melikyan of Yerevan, they launched the Arpen Center, a feeding program for pregnant women in Karabagh. To date, the center has provided the mothers of more than 30,000 babies with vitamins, clothing, and other essential supplies in that region. Their efforts in Karabagh also included assistance to hospitals in Stepanakert and Kashatagh, to village medical posts, and the renovation of a 4th-century basilica in Kashatagh (Lachin Corridor).

Building to be converted to AUA Residence Hall

Among Dr. Najarian’s noteworthy undertakings are two published books that are very near to her heart. A Call from Home: Armenia and Karabagh, My Journal, published in 1999, chronicles her personal memoirs from her humanitarian trips to Armenia from 1988 to 1998. She writes about the destruction she witnessed, the injuries and other medical problems of the people in Armenia and Karabagh, the people that she met along the way, the sometimes horrendous living conditions that she observed, and the travel problems which were regularly encountered.

In 2014, she edited the audio recordings of her father’s memoirs, publishing them in the book Avedis’ Story: An Armenian Boy’s Journey. The book describes how her father survived the Armenian Genocide by going into hiding with his mother and siblings, and escaping to Russia. He lived through the Russian Revolution and Civil War, managing to settle in America ultimately. The entire first part of the book documents Armenian village life as it was during the Ottoman Empire.

Her father remains the biggest source of inspiration for both the Najarians. Although he had no formal education, he loved to read about history and politics. He was a humanitarian and diplomat at heart who instilled in his daughter the desire to help others, which is why she chose to become a doctor. He was very concerned about human rights abuses and had escaped and survived the Armenian Genocide as a young boy.

“He would always tell me how important it was for an Armenian to be a citizen of the world, to be open to others, and to be concerned with the suffering of all groups,” remembers Dr. Najarian. The couple has endowed the Najarian Human Rights Lecture in conjunction with the Armenian Heritage Park Foundation in Boston. The lecture is given annually at Faneuil Hall.

Rendering of dormitory at AUA Residence Hall

Mr. Najarian’s father fought in the French Foreign Legion—a ‘gamavour.’ His parents were from the Kharpert region, in present-day Turkey. In 2007, the couple visited the region and saw that a Najarian Street still existed. According to his wife, “George’s goal in life has been to make money and give it away. His generosity is rooted in his belief that we should not help others when we are dead, but when we are alive.” They both want to enjoy the act of contributing to the betterment of lives and feel that supporting education is one of the best ways to do so.

When asked about advice for the future generations of Armenians both in the homeland and in the Diaspora, Dr. Najarian reiterates that the Armenians are a distinctive people with a long history they must be proud of and embrace. “We are a creative and strong people,” she says. “Our DNA has remained unique for a long time, and only recently it has begun to mix. My point is not to make us more ethnocentric. The question is, where do we fit in and what is or can be our contribution to the world? If we lose our uniqueness, that mosaic diminishes. Youth, both in Armenia and the Diaspora, need to understand that they are unique.”

For those in Armenia, Dr. Najarian says she hopes individuals will care more for one another within society, going beyond just the nucleus of friends and family. As for the Diaspora, she feels strongly about the new generation finding inspiration by taking part in programs that allow them to go and experience Armenia. Two critical examples she mentioned are studying at AUA and participating in Birthright Armenia.

Residence Facility: Ensuring Diversity and Inclusion

The residence hall project for one of the buildings donated by the Najarians recently received a significant grant from the Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA), an organizational unit within the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The goal of the ASHA program is to strengthen self-sustaining schools, libraries and medical centers that best demonstrate American ideas and practices abroad. The grant will allow the University to finish and furnish the building as a residence hall.

Rendering of AUA Residence Hall

Accommodating up to 61 students, the residence hall will address the needs of AUA’s growing international student body and students from Armenia’s rural provinces by providing residential facilities with living-learning programs that typically exist in American higher education institutions. This addition to the University’s infrastructure will raise AUA’s profile regionally and internationally. The facility will be intentionally designed to promote student engagement as well as an appreciation of the American values of diversity. The communal living will allow residents to engage and appreciate cultural differences among international and local students. As mentioned earlier, this building is available for naming.

Rendering of student lounge at AUA Residence Hall

A Quarter Century of AUA

The American University of Armenia, established in 1991 with the purpose of introducing the American model of higher education to Armenia, is an institution of higher learning that provides teaching, research, and service programs that address the needs of Armenia and the surrounding region. It is affiliated with the University of California and is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). AUA celebrated its 25th anniversary on November 19 with an exclusive gala at the Beverly Wilshire, securing over $1.5 Million for vital scholarships.

AUA offers master’s degrees in nine fields of study: Business Administration, Industrial Engineering and Systems Management, Computer and Information Science, Political Science and International Affairs, Economics, Public Health, Law, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and, starting fall 2017, Strategic Management. The University also offers bachelor’s degrees in English and Communications, Computer Science, Business, and, starting fall 2017, Engineering Sciences.

Please visit www.aua.am to learn more about AUA and ways in which you can support Armenia’s leading institution of higher education.

Dink Legacy Honored at Emotional St. James Program

By Alin K. Gregorian

WATERTOWN, Mass. (The Armenian Mirror-Spectator)— An emotional program on Jan. 22, at the Keljik Hall of the St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of Watertown paid tribute to the memory of Hrant Dink, a man whose death marked a definite shift in greater understanding about the Armenian Genocide and its ripples through the century.

The three main speakers at the program were Turkish: Prof. Taner Akçam of Clark University; Gonca Sönmez-Poole, a television producer and writer, and Dr. Emrah Altindis, a scientist studying at Harvard and a member of the Bostonbul Group.

‘The tribute was done in the style of an Armenian memorial meal for the deceased, with traditional Istanbul food, as well as photos of Hrant Dink with candles lit in front of them.’ (Photo: The Armenian Weekly)

The tribute was done in the style of an Armenian memorial meal for the deceased, with traditional Istanbul food, as well as photos of Hrant Dink with candles lit in front of them.

Fr. Arakel Aljalian, the pastor of St. James, opened the program by offering a prayer for the repose of Dink’s soul. The emcee for the program was Herman Purutyan, who said he recalled upon hearing the news of Dink’s assassination, he was “shocked, saddened, outraged and infuriated” that the late Agos newspaper founder had been “silenced brutally in broad daylight.”

He recalled how in the week before his assassination on Jan. 19, 2007, he had been found guilty of insulting Turkishness for referring to the Armenian Genocide in his last article.

Altindis, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, compared Dink to some of the great activists in history, including Galileo Galilei, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.

“He fought for truth and was a messenger for truth. He exposed our story,” Altindis said.

Altinidis was one of the organizers of the massive march that took place after Dink’s assassination.

“I had never seen such a crowd march in my life,” he said, adding that it was as if the entire crowd was trying to clean the nation’s “racist history.”

“There was just one main slogan: We are all Hrant, We are all Armenian,” he said.

He gave an overview of Turkey during Dink’s lifetime, as well as before, saying that killings ordered by the state never stopped, for example, Dersim in 1938, and later Ankara, and finally the Kurds in the country’s south.

“The 1990’s were a nightmare for Turkey. Tens of thousands of Kurds were killed. And then in 1996 Hrant Dink published Agos. He started communication between the Turkish and Armenian people,” Altindis said.

Altindis said that he had become an ardent Socialist at age 16 and knew nothing about the Armenian Genocide until he was 23, for which he apologized.

Turkey is suffering under a “culture of denial,” he said.

“The truth is very dangerous for the status quo,” he noted. He said that the revisionist version of history goes deep in the Turkish state, back to the time of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who had adopted an Armenian child, Sabiha Gokçen. That child grew up to be a symbol of strength in Turkey. Yet, in the past decade, the real story came out in Agos, which noted that she was Armenian and had been orphaned during the Armenian Genocide and later adopted by Ataturk.

The next speaker, Gonca Sonmez-Poole, spoke about how Dink’s death altered her thinking. “I have thought about him and his legacy for the past 10 years.”

In fact, she said, she has been so enmeshed with the story that just this past week, she embarked upon Armenian lessons.

“What Hrant Dink was to me is [to show the importance of] being curious, being skeptical and not putting things under the table or sweeping them under the rug,” she noted.

She then spoke about the arc of her knowledge about Armenians and Armenian history. Attending a private French high school in Istanbul, she recalled that there was a “hush-hush” rumor about one girl going out with an Armenian boy. Yet later, her father, a businessman, had generated a lot of noise when a map in his office “had Kurdistan on it.”

It is from this point of view that she arrived in Boston, to study at Emerson College and later at the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy. She ended up being invited to a workshop with Dr. Pamela Steiner, the granddaughter of Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, becoming familiar with the story, albeit unwillingly at first.

She praised Dink as a “very charismatic writer, while very down to earth and very powerful.”

In the wake of Dink’s death, she founded the Turkish Armenian Women’s Association, from 2012 to 2014, bringing together Armenian and Turkish women to discuss this painful common history.

“We stuck with it. We kept meeting,” she said. “We need to hear a multitude of voices. The truth stands tall. The way I think about Hrant Dink is someone who builds bridges,” she said.

“His family believe that he would rest in peace if he knew” what an impact his death had had, she said. He has been a change agent bringing together all people, be they Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Yezidis or Alevis.

She then said that to quote Martin Luther King, “there is such a thing as being too late.”

“Let’s not be too late after he is gone,” she said.

Sönmez-Poole is working on a documentary project based on the meetings of the Turkish and Armenian women.

Akçam, the final speaker, bemoaned the current state of affairs in Turkey.

“Turkey is experiencing very dark days,” he said. The country regularly experiences a cycle every 10 years, he said, when after a brief liberalization, it heads toward a government crackdown and then the cycle begins again. Not now, though, he said.

“Turkey is on the fast track of becoming a single-party state which many compare to Germany in the 1930’s,” he said. “We have always had hope and seen the light at the end of the tunnel.”

This time, it is different he said. The fabric of society and its foundation in Turkey are being eroded along the lines of ethnic (Turkish vs. Kurdish), religious (Alevi vs. Sunni) and lifestyle (secular vs. Islamic) divisions.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said, “is trying to ostracize the Kurds, Alawites,” and other minorities, while “the Sunni Turkish majority supports” those measures.

The scheduled April constitutional referendum, he lamented, could be the “official beginning of fascism in Turkey.”

Like the other speakers, Akçam, a close friend of Dink’s, said that the assassination was not simply the work of a deranged teen. “For years Hrant’s family and friends had said that a large number of government officials had contributed” to the assassination. The search for truth and the highest point the conspiracy was proving fruitless, until, ironically, the government purges in the wake of the coup in July. The government named and arrested many people working for the state, police or courts, saying they were agents of exiled cleric Fetullah Gulen. The purges and arrests confirmed that the death of Hrant Dink was ordered from high within the government.

“Many government agencies were aware of everything and had knowledge that the murder was planned,” he said. “These things are no longer just our beliefs, but they have been documented in court.”

In one interesting twist, in Trabzon, one police director sent out a report “to the head of the security department suggesting that ‘if you don’t destroy the report, we will all burn.’”

In another, he said, “One [government] assassin convinced another to give up” on killing Dink, thus showing that the “gendarmerie was mixed up with the murder. They most likely had ties to Gulen.”

In fact, he said, the assassination of Dink was “the most organized and most planned murder of the Turkish state.”

Two short videos were shown on Dink and several members of the Bostonbul group spoke as well as Mehmet Akbas, with the New England Kurdish Association. One young woman, a member of the Bostonbul group, recited a poem she had written about how she saw her hometown differently knowing that the Armenians had disappeared. In fact, she had to stop several times because she could not stop crying. All the other young members of the group offered words of support and encouragement to those assembled.

Also as part of the program, David Gevorkian and Zori Babroudi performed on duduk.

Zadig Ozcan of the Friends of Hrant Dink group, and a school friend of Dink’s, closed the program and thanked the organizers.

This article originally appeared in the Jan. 28 issue of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator. Alin K. Gregorian is the editor of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator.