During the week of Feb. 13, Peter Balakian will be Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the University of South Florida (USF) and will be visiting classes in the departments of English, Sociology, Africana Studies, and the Honors College. He also will be spending time with the Digital Heritage work group in the USF Library which is actively working to save ancient churches in Armenia.

Peter Balakian

Balakian will give a public poetry reading at 6 p.m., on Feb. 16 in CWY 206 with a reception and book signing to follow. Previous USF Distinguished Scholar’s in Residence have included historians, philosophers, and literary theorists as well as poets Jorie Graham, Terrence Hayes, Li-Young Lee, and novelist and playwright Caryl Phillips.

Peter Balakian is the author of seven books of poems, four books of prose, and two collaborative translations.  Ozone Journal won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for poetry; Black Dog of Fate won the 1998 PEN/Martha Albrand Prize for the Art of the Memoir, and was a best book of the year for the New York Times, the LA Times, and Publisher’s Weekly; The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response won the 2005 Raphael Lemkin Prize and was a New York Times Notable Book and a New York Times Best Seller. His translation of Grigoris Balakian’s Armenian Golgotha: A Memoir of the Armenian Genocide was a Washington Post book of the year.  Vice and Shadow: Essays on the Lyric Imagination, Poetry, Art, and Culture was published in 2016. He is Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor of the Humanities, Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at Colgate University.

For further information, visit http://humanities-institute.usf.edu/scholar/

Dr. Boris Adjemian, Director of the AGBU Nubarian Library in Paris, will give a talk entitled “The King and the Forty Orphans: The Invention of an Armenian Homeland in Ethiopia,” on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, Mass. 02478.

Boris Adjemian (Photo: Vazken Khatchig Davidian)

In 1924, the Crown Prince and Regent of Ethiopia, Ras Täfäri Mäkonnen (the future Emperor Haile Selassie), recruited forty young Armenian orphans to form the first Ethiopian royal brass band.  Kevork Nalbandian, the director of this brass band, was asked by the Crown Prince to write the first Ethiopian national anthem.  In this lecture, historian Boris Adjemian will discuss the meaning of this event in the history and the memory of Armenian immigration to Ethiopia.

Armenian immigration to Ethiopia started in the late 19th century, although Armenian travelers had already benefited in the past centuries from the close relationship existing between the Ethiopian and Armenian Churches.  Throughout the 20th century, Armenian immigrants and their descendants in Ethiopia demonstrated their deep integration into the host society.  Focused on the leitmotiv that Armenians were, among all the foreigners, the closest to Ethiopia and Ethiopian rulers, the idealized great narrative of Armenian immigration remapped Ethiopia as a genuine homeland of substitution for a people in exile.

Dr. Boris Adjemian is a historian and the director of the AGBU Nubarian Library (Paris).  He is also the editor-in-chief of the bilingual academic journal Études Arméniennes Contemporaines.  He defended his PhD in 2011 at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and Università degli Studi di Napoli.  His first book, entitled La Fanfare du Négus: Les Arméniens en Éthiopie (19e-20e siècles), was published by Éditions de l’EHESS in 2013.

Adjemian will also be a featured speaker at the Feb. 19 concert “From Armenia to Addis Ababa: The Emperor, the Nalbandians, and the Dawn of Western Music in Ethiopia,” organized by the Friends of Armenian Culture Society, at Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Theatre for the Arts, Watertown, Mass.

For more information about Dr. Adjemian’s talk, contact NAASR at 617-489-1610 or hq@naasr.org.

Pakradouni: ‘“The ARF is the Backbone of the Armenian People that Keeps Us Standing. It is Our Heart, Our Mind, and Our Strong Fist’

Markarian: ‘Participating Independently in the Upcoming Elections is a Very Important Factor for the ARF’

BEIRUT, Lebanon (A.W.)—On Jan. 27, Armenians community of Lebanon celebrated the 126^th anniversary of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), reported the ARF Central Committee of Lebanon’s official publication Aztag Daily newspaper.  In attendance were representatives and dignitaries from various political parties and organizations, guests, and supporters.

A shot of the crowd at the 126th anniversary event (Photo: Amaya/Aztag)

The opening remarks were delivered by Arsho Balian, after the crowd observed a moment of silence to honor all ARF members who passed away over the past year.  In her address, she said that although the life and history of the 126-year-old organization is celebrated once a year, the presence of the ARF for a member is an everyday celebration. “It is a celebration of ideology, revolution, national and social justice, service to the people, and a struggle for the Armenian Cause. [It is also a] celebration of our protectors of the homeland, and the preparation of the new generation of ARF members,” said Balian

Balian stressed the role of the ARF in the diaspora, given the fact that the party became the main driving force, which made it possible for diasporans to remain Armenian and continue their struggle. She added that the ARF has also been influential in Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabgh/NKR) by always being ready to serve its homeland, thus ensuring a bright future for the Armenian people.

A video showcasing a summary of all the activities that the ARF organized in the past year was presented, after which members of the the Hamazkayin “Arek” theatrical group recited a poem.

The message of the Central Committee of the ARF in Lebanon was delivered by ARF Central Committee of Lebanon representative and Member of Lebanon’s Parliament, Hagop Pakradouni. In his remarks, Pakradouni said that the ARF was created for the Armenian people and in order to serve their best interests. “The ARF is the backbone of the Armenian people that keeps us standing. It is our heart, our mind, and our strong fist,” said Pakradouni.

Mentioning that the ARF 126^th anniversary was being celebrated on the eve of the 25^th anniversary of the Armenian Armed Forces, Pakradouni emphasized the importance of the Armenian Army and stressed how the forces are the will and hope of the Armenian nation.

“The Armenian Army is our hope and our fortress… We must support it through all kinds of sacrifice. And we must appreciate the fact that they are impenetrable wall—a red line,” said Pakradouni.

Pakradouni also discussed some of the issues that face Armenia, including the establishment of social justice and the problems of corruption, emigration, and individual rights. He stressed that the new constitutional changes will soon provide a hopeful future for the country and the Armenian people. He then spoke about the importance of the cooperation between the diaspora and in Armenia’s development.

Hagop Pakradouni addressing the crowd (Photo: Photo Raffi/Aztag)

Among some of the other matters Pakradouni addressed were the situation of the Armenian population in the Middle East, the ARF’s role in the government of Lebanon, the many successes that were achieved throughout the year by the youth. He added that the work of the ARF is nowhere near complete and that several programs with the aim of preserving the Armenian identity in Lebanon are in progress.

He then announced the founding of the four funds, which will cater to the Armenian community of Lebanon— the Armenian Family Building Fund, which will work to cover the expenses for a couples’ marriage; thetThe Armenian Children’s Fund, which will cover the costs for the baptism of Armenian children; the Family Growth Fund, which will provide additional financial assistance to those families who have three or more children; and the Armenian Student Fund, which will provide scholarships to students.

“We [the ARF] are the proprietors of this community, their servants, and especially their protectors,” concluded Pakradouni.

His remarks were followed by the singing of revolutionary songs by members of the Hamazkayin “Kusan” choir.

Following the performance, ARF Bureau Chairman Hrant Markarian delivered his remarks. He spoke of the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia and how they will impact Armenians around the world. He added that the elections are taking place in the midst of complicated times and a potential state of war in Artsakh.

Markarian confirmed ARF’s participation and responsibility in the upcoming elections. “In past elections, we have worked with the opposition and the government. In both cases, we did not accomplish our goals,” said Markarian. “The purpose of cooperation is to meet all the goals we have set out for Armenia. Participating independently in the upcoming elections is a very important factor for the ARF.”

Hrant Markarian addresses the crowd (Photo: Aztag)

Markarian said that the ARF will participate in the elections is for the development and strengthening of Armenia. “We are the only political force in Armenia that believes in social justice,” said Markarian, while stressing that the ARF has also been the only organization to stand up to various types of injustices.

He added that Armenia has more possibilities of development when its united with Artsakh and that Armenia must always be prepared for war. “We are responsible of organizing like an army and it is our responsibility to wholeheartedly support the Armenian Army,” said Markarian. “Armenia will become strong when our army is strong.”

Marakian also addressed the problem of emigration, by saying that the Armenian state must assist the upcoming generation and provide them with security, so that they remain in their homeland. Markarian concluded his remarks by stressing the importance of the diaspora’s participation in the development of Armenia.

The even concluded with the singing of the anthem of the ARF, Mshak Banvor. 

Event Held at the Semi-Destroyed Yerevan Building on the 98th Anniversary of Manoukian’s Death

YEREVAN (A.W.)—A public event was organized on Jan. 29 in front of what is left of the home of one of the founders of the First Republic of Armenia and member of Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Aram Manoukian. The event was organized by a group of Armenian youth who sang, danced, and presented the works and activities of Manoukian to the public, in honor of the 98^th anniversary of his passing and to bring awareness to the current state of the building and to issues pertaining to the preservation of cultural and historic monuments in Yerevan.

Youth dancing in front of the historic building. Posters of Aram Manoukian were put up specifically for the event. (Photo: Yerkir)

The home is currently located at 9 Aram Street—a street that was renamed in Manoukian’s honor after Armenia’s second independence. Manoukian lived in the house—which is currently on the list of protected monuments of Armenia—from 1917 to 1919.

Armenia’s Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan was present at the event. While speaking to reporters, Amiryan expressed hope that these sorts of events will bear fruit and achieve their intended goals. “This building remains part of the ‘Old Yerevan’ Project, which, when implemented, can once again make the building what it once was,” said Amiryan.

“Some believe that certain rooms could be turned into a museum, but I think a functioning, living building will make for a better museum rather than a [traditional] museum building,” added Amiryan. “The important thing is to reconstruct the building to create an atmosphere similar to the years of the First Republic.” He assured that the building cannot be destroyed because it is protected by law.

ARF Parliamentary Faction secretary and ARF Supreme Body of Armenia member Aghvan Vardanyan, who was also present at the event, stressed that the government needs to find a solution to this issue, especially when they have agreed to reconstruct it.

“Aram Manoukian is a symbol of the First Republic of Armenia yet there is no statue or monument dedicated to him or his work,” said Vardanyan. “The reconstruction and work for this building has not progressed and the result is the current status of the building.”

The building currently has a commemorative plaque on its outside wall that states that Manoukian once lived there.

Since Armenia’s re-independence in 1991, several people in Armenia and the Diaspora have criticized the state of the building, which has drastically declined over the years, as a result of neglect and indifference.

In a March 2016 op-ed, longtime Armenian activist and former ANCA Chairman Garo Armenian called for an immediate restoration of the building, to ensure that it is ready to open its doors to the public in time for the Centennial of the First Republic in 2018.

“Many years ago, this national shrine, along with the adjacent city block, was hastily privatized by the then-government of Armenia and was allowed to sit there in total oblivion waiting for the ‘Hin Yerevan’ city mall to be conceptualized and take shape. While the original intent seemed to be to restore the building and to turn it into a museum as part of the architectural concept of the future ‘Hin Yerevan’ shopping center, with its occupants gone, the building incurred substantial decay over the years—to the point that it now exists only in the form of a skeleton at No. 9 Aram Street, recognizable only by the barely legible commemorative plaque on its outside wall, placed there decades ago not by the present but the pre-independence authorities of the country,” Armenian wrote in his piece entitled “This House Is the People’s House.”

The building currently has a commemorative plaque on its outside wall that states that Manoukian once lived there. (Photo: Rupen Janbazian)

Armenian concluded that once recuperated, Manoukian’s house will become a “pole of attraction” for Armenian youth around the world. “Its presence, conveyed through rich interactive resources, shall be a source of inspiration for the young and the old,” he stated.

WASHINGTON— Reverend Haroutune George Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria, and a member of the Central Committee of Syrian-Armenian Emergency Relief and Reconstruction Organization, took an active part in the 65th annual National Prayer Breakfast, held in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 2.

(L-R) Reverend Haroutune George Selimian and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian (Photo: ANCA)

At the invitation of the bipartisan Congressional Committee of the National Prayer Breakfast, Rev. Selimian was hosted at this national gathering by Delaware Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. The program, attended by over 3,500 guests from over 100 countries, featured remarks by President Trump and a keynote address by U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and retired U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains.

Rev. Selimian was joined by Levon Filian, a national leader on humanitarian, ecumenical, and educational issues, who has served as former Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) national Executive Director. He is currently the West Coast AMAA Executive Director. The AMAA serves Armenians in 24 countries including Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt.

A scene from the meeting with the ANCA (Photo: ANCA)

Both Rev. Selimian and Mr. Filian took part in a series of related Prayer Breakfast seminars, including those dealing with humanitarian and religious freedom issues in the Near East. They also visited the ANCA for a working meeting regarding the ANCA’s advocacy in support of Syrian Armenians.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Six hundred people came to the University of Southern California (USC) on Jan. 29, to hear scholars and experts talk about the challenges of electoral politics everywhere, and especially in Armenia. Five political scientists, five artists, and three practitioners from six locations spoke about the realities and challenges of democratization. Their message resonated with the capacity crowd at USC’s Bovard Auditorium who interrupted with applause more than a dozen times during the Celebrity Diplomacy program hosted by the USC Institute of Armenian Studies.

The Celebrity Diplomacy program hosted by USC Institute of Armenian Studies. (Photo: USC Institute of Armenian Studies)

In her introduction and welcome, Salpi Ghazarian, director of the Institute of Armenian Studies at USC, explained: “What we want to do is to understand that Armenia is neither unique nor alone in trying to tackle these issues.”

“We are trying to understand electoral politics—in Armenia and around the world. Armenia’s parliamentary election, scheduled for April 2 of this year is historic,” she continued. “With this election, Armenia will transition to a parliamentary system of government where real power shifts to the prime minister. The party that gets a majority of the vote will choose the prime minister. The challenge is to have an election whose results truly represent the will and voice of the people.”

Salpi Ghazarian, director of the Institute of Armenian Studies at USC (Photo: USC Institute of Armenian Studies)

Ghazarian explained the background for the program: “Our discussion here emanates from a public petition initiated by five celebrities, all of whom are with us today. They called for Justice Within Armenia and for tangible, democratic change through civic engagement with the citizens of Armenia. At the Institute, we decided to use this opportunity that the artists created, to further explore electoral politics, democratization and responsive governance.  How do others do it? Why does it work when it does? From Latin America to Africa, why is this a problem?”

To participate in that exploration, the Institute had invited five political scientists with expertise in various areas of the world. USC Professor of International Relations Robert English, a specialist in Russian and post-Soviet studies, moderated the program. He was joined by the founder of Canada’s Strategic Voting project Hisham Abdel-Rahman, USC Professor of International Relations Brett Carter who specializes in African studies, journalist and former professor at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism Marc Cooper and Georgia specialist and board member of Transparency International, Mark Mullen.

Each spoke about the challenge of electoral politics in all sorts of political realities – from the autocracy of General Pinochet’s Chile and the Bongo family’s Gabon, to the democratic traditions of Canada, and the hesitant but persistent democratization of the Republic of Georgia.

Mark Mullen who has lived in Georgia for a decade and a half remembered the days of the Rose Revolution. “Things changed in Georgia to the degree where now Georgia has boring elections, which is one the most important signs of democracy. The organizing around it took years; and there were people inside and outside of the country that were ready to be patient but also to be relentless in their pursuit of change there. I think most of all, the thing that made the difference in Georgia, was the unity of the people, which had long been, historically, for centuries, a problem in Georgia, and in this particular moment, people very much came together, and a lot of it had to do with listening, that people within Georgia listened to people outside of Georgia and to each other,” Mullen said.

Arsinée Khanjian, Atom Egoyan and Vahe Berberian were on stage, joined by Skype by Serj Tankian in New Zealand and Eric Nazarian, on location in Jordan (Photo: USC Institute of Armenian Studies)

Marc Cooper, speaking about the transition from dictatorship to democracy in Chile, which was the outcome of a vote, noted, “In these 25 or 26 years, the democracy in Chile has blossomed but it is still not complete; All of the efforts to perfect the democracy have come from below. There has been a continuous massive civil society and social movement that can still bring several hundred thousand people into the streets in Chile and pressure the government. If you don’t have pressure from the bottom for democratic change, it’s not going to happen.”

Professor Brett Carter continued on the same theme: “In the African Cup of Nations, going on now, in Gabon, the opposition saw an opportunity. The opposition decided that if they could just engineer a mass boycott, the world’s TV cameras would capture the empty stadiums and would then be forced to report on the allegations of voter fraud and of the 50 years of Bongo family rule. It turned out that the boycott was massively successful and the stadiums were filled at about 10 to 20 percent capacity. Citizens inside the country have played a central role in broadcasting these images, really across the world, which then citizens of the diaspora have picked up and broadcast on their social media platforms.”

Hisham Abdel-Rahman’s example of the process that led to the last Canadian election’s outcome was an example of the continuing need for a citizenry to remain engaged. He created the strategicvoting.ca platform in Canada in order to find ways to secure a win for Canada’s majority liberal population, which for the last several decades had seen conservative victories, despite the conservatives’ smaller numbers. “We progressives had to agree on the goal; for us it was to replace the 150-year-old political voting system in Canada. So we have to first find the goal that governs us all; in Armenia the goal might be removing the oligarchy—just get them out, anybody will be better than them.”

To provide a global perspective, and the specific Armenia context, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies had invited political scientist Irina Ghaplanyan of Armenia, Human Rights Attorney Vahe Grigoryan who splits his time between Armenia and London, and the Chair of the Political Science Department at Stonehill College in Massachusetts, Anna Ohanyan, to participate by Skype.

“I like to think of Armenia’s challenge for state building as a 3D approach: democracy, development and diaspora strategizing,” said Professor Anna Ohanyan. “Very often when the issue of democratization comes up, especially in the context of Armenia, the issue of security emerges very quickly and the discussion becomes reduced to a choice, border vs balance, democracy vs security. What I argue is that it’s a false choice; the integrity of the ballot is critical for strengthening Armenia’s democratic credentials as well as its security.”

Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan continued on the same theme: “We started our independence with a conflict with our neighbors and there was a serious gap of ‘meaning creation’ in our country throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s. In military discourse and political narrative, nationalism was very predominant, so throughout the 25 years our political leadership lacked the ability to engage in ‘meaning creation’ which resulted in civil society not consolidating, not becoming strong. In Chile, there was a process of bottom up; in Armenia, what we’ve seen in the past two decades is that we need processes from both ways. It’s a two-way street. Yes, we need a strong civil society, but we also need a strong political leadership.”

Human rights attorney Vahe Grigoryan spoke about the details of the electoral law and procedures which impact the integrity of the process and the outcome. “In 2016, the opposition with technical help from NGOs, negotiated a new amendment to the electoral code. As a result, the lists of those who actually voted will be published within 12 hours of polls closing. This is a step forward in efforts to ascertain the real number of participants in the elections. So, this is the first time that participation numbers will be realistically assessed; the second stage will be to fight the composition model of Armenian power,” Grigoryan said, referring to the complex formula in the electoral code by which party votes are distributed among the top vote-getter(s). “It is not expected that the Republican Party will give up its power in the next election but this is a part of the long-term strategy in the democratization path,” he said.

Along the same theme, Anna Ohanyan first mentioned the need to manage expectations and her colleagues agreed. “Even if the technical voting, especially in a place like Armenia, is improved in this coming election and going forward, that’s not nearly enough of a guarantee of a vivid secure democracy. You need people to be engaged, that is the ultimate check,” said Marc Cooper.

Against this backdrop, the five artists who had initiated the Justice Within Armenia petition, contributed their thoughts. Arsinée Khanjian, Atom Egoyan and Vahe Berberian were on stage, joined by Skype by Serj Tankian in New Zealand and Eric Nazarian, on location in Jordan, preparing to begin shooting Chris Bohjalian’s The Sandcastle Girls.

Actor, director and activist Arsinée Khanjian echoed Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan’s analysis that “From the first days of independence, Armenia has been forming its social and political of identity on shaky grounds; the geopolitical environment gave us all – in Diaspora and in Armenia — a sense of belief that security is the most important issue for the country. But what the population which is facing the security problem today is asking from us is support, empowerment. To support a state, also means to support the civil society, the people.”

One of Canada’s pre-eminent filmmakers, Atom Egoyan, called on the audience with a plea: “Let’s make it real that we are participants in this country, and let us heed the call that is being made to us to engage. Let us go there, let us sit in the streets if we have to, let us say that we are a part of this, let us re-engage with this place that we have cut ourselves off from for many different reasons and circumstances.”

Atom Egoyan (Photo: USC Institute of Armenian Studies)

Artist, playwright and actor Vahe Berberian addressed a recurring theme in the Diaspora. “Some of you might think that there is something hypocritical in the whole idea of living in the comfort of Diaspora, and promoting change in our homeland. However, there is something deeply unsettling, and even more hypocritical in playing the aloof bystander, in pretending that we don’t care what happens to our fellow Armenians in our fatherland — a country that has all the potentials of becoming a civil, advanced, warm, and beautiful place. In order for people to live a dignified life, it is imperative that they become masters of their own destiny, and for that, it is essential that people feel free to elect the government they want. We’re not here to dictate who to choose to run the government. We just want to assert that they have natural rights, and the right to elect a government they think is fair, and will not rob them of their dignity.”

(L-R) Arsinée Khanjian and Atom Egoyan (Photo: USC Institute of Armenian Studies)

Serj Tankian’s message is one he has repeated often. “Our tools as artists are to inspire that a change is possible. If we can make a small fraction of a change, and by ‘we’ I mean civil society in Armenia and civil society in the Diaspora, then we can make a change in the long run.”

Filmmaker Eric Nazarian took the storytelling tack: “The problem that I have seen is that we’re a small nation that talks about big ideas, but we still haven’t figured out how to address the most minute, daily, quotidien, needs of a population that is less than three million. There is an incredible bifurcation between Armenia and Diaspora, an urge to not get involved, to not want to stand up and be counted for, or to express solidarity on the most basic level. We just want to understand what this existential crisis is between the Diaspora and Armenia proper because we want to engage. We need to step up and really ask ourselves, are we going to stay silent, and are we going to live comfortably from afar, or are we ready to engage and generally do something that breaks the cancer of apathy and indifference.”

Ghazarian concluded, “At the Institute, we believe that scholarship must probe the social, educational, and political challenges facing Armenians. Two of those national challenges are creating strategic cooperation and partnership between the Diaspora and Armenia—and ensuring Armenia’s security, development and democratization. The Celebrity Diplomacy program has tackled these topics.”

For more information, or to get on the Institute’s mailing list, write Armenian@usc.edu.

The USC Institute of Armenian studies supports exploration and study of the complex issues that make up the contemporary Armenian experience. The Institute’s programming focuses on research and public forums that probe the social, economic, and political challenges facing Armenians in the Diaspora and the Republic of Armenia, and examine post-Genocide life, memories, relations, and institutions.

The two-and-a-half-hour program is available for full-viewing below.

YEREVAN (A.W.)—The Armenian government has approved a series of projects that will help create hundreds of new job opportunities for the locals. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Development and member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Supreme Council Davit Lokyan discussed the progress of the work that, according to him, has been taking place in the last two and a half months.

Davit Lokyan

During a press conference on Jan. 6, Lokyan explained that 34 billion drams (AMD) is already available for the implementation of the projects, while a further 100 billion drams is expected to be raised by investors. Lokyan explained that the country’s GDP is disproportionately centered in Yerevan. “The general logic of the government is to get acquainted with the potential in different provinces—whether they be natural resources, manufacturing, or human capital—and to suggest projects accordingly,” Lokyan said.

Lokyan explained that statements about Armenia having weak potential are untrue, since the government has received about $3.2 million (USD) to finance various projects in Yerevan and in other provinces in the last three months.

Lokyan said that after visiting various provinces throughout the country, the Armenian Government has asked for various business owners to present potential ideas of programs. As a result, 132 programs were presented.

The programs are transferred to the Ministries of Agriculture and Economic Development and Investment, and are also sent to the Central Bank of Armenia. Then the Minister of Territorial Administration and Development presents the programs to a committee comprised of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, a representative from the Central Bank, and the Minister of Economy.

The Central Bank also has a specific team whose responsibility is to study the feasibility of the program and its effectiveness. Lokyan explained that the goal is for businesses to have low interest rates, to have the support of the government, and to have simple contract conditions.

“After 44 presentations being completed in five provinces, 34 of them have received positive feedback,” said Lokyan.  He also discussed that the close to 500 jobs that will be created will have above average salaries. One of the projects that will lead to more jobs is the creation of the first solar power plant in Armenia that was made possible through a million-dollar investment.

Lokyan could not provide an exact number of job sites to receive investments, though he said that one jobsite requires a $5,000 investment. He said that the government is committed to a strategy to provide 56,000 jobs by the year 2025. “It is time for us to devote all our energy to economic growth. No country can be happy without economic growth,” said Lokyan.

Vahé Baladouni

Vahé Baladouni, loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away in his 92^nd year at home in Falls Church, Va. on Jan. 20.  After raising his family in New Orleans, La., he moved to the D.C. area following hurricane Katrina.

He is survived by wife, Billie Salisbury Baladouni; son, Vahan Baladouni; daughter, Janig Baladouni Heard; son-in-law, Dru Heard; and three grandchildren, Arminé, Sevan, and Zabel.

He was born in 1925 in the city of Zagazig, Egypt to Suren and Haigouhi Baladouni, survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. He was also raised by his uncle, Hmayeak Shems, a renowned Armenian poet who had a profound impact on his life.

After completing his secondary education in Alexandria, Egypt, he moved in 1956 to the United States, where he successfully obtained a B.A., M.S., and Ph.D. (University of Illinois, 1965).  For some 35 years he lectured in the College of Business Administration at the University of New Orleans.  He published extensively and was well recognized for his scholarly contributions in accounting. In 2000 he retired with the honorary title Professor Emeritus.

As scholar, writer, and critic, he continued to author and translate numerous publications in both English and Armenian including but not limited to: Hmayeak Shems: A Poet of Pure Spirit; Through History with Love: An Armenian Pilgrimage; For the House for Torkom; Armenian Merchants of the Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries; Hmayyag Shems: Select Works.

The family has held a private Celebration of Life. The Hokehankist will be held at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Armenian Church in Washington D.C. on March 5. In his honor, contributions can be made to AGBU (Armenian General Benevolent Union). https://donate.agbu.org/tribute-donation.

Ani Kharajian

BOSTON, Mass.—Ani L. Kharajian has been elected President of the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) and assumed office following the organization’s 25^th Anniversary Celebration at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge last fall.

She will be working with Jennifer C. Phillips, who has been appointed AIWA’s first Executive Director and was instrumental in planning the 25^th anniversary activities.

Kharajian succeeds former president Suzanne E. Moranian, who presided over a decade of growth during which AIWA expanded its programs, both domestic and international, to advance the interests of Armenian women worldwide.

A resident of Watertown, Mass., Kharajian is Senior Director, New Markets, Executive Education at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her current role, she is charged with assessing the viability and potential success for HBS programs in countries around the world. Currently focused on Africa and Latin America, she works with senior level stakeholders to develop, design and launch Executive Education programs that will help develop senior leadership in emerging market economies.

A graduate of Tufts University, with a B.A. in International Relations and Spanish, Kharajian has completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development. Recently she moderated a panel discussion on “Transforming Cynicism Into Success: Diasporan Involvement in Armenia’s Economic Development” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

JenniferPhillips

Before joining AIWA as Executive Director, Jennifer Phillips played a key role as a volunteer in organizing AIWA’s presentation of the play “Women of Ararat” at the Charles Movsesian Theater in Watertown in April 2015. A graduate of McGill University with a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, she previously served a Director of the Fellows Program and Director of National Programs at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, where she created a national network of universities focused on increased student political engagement and managed Skirting Traditions: Women in Politics Speak to the Next Generation, an essay compilation from women in politics.

At AIWA Phillips works with the Board of Directors to execute short and long-term goals and objectives, as well as a fundraising, communication, and growth strategy.  She is coordinating activities and programs with the affiliates (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, and New England) and is working on the expansion of AIWA’s membership.

AIWA’s 25^th Anniversary Celebration provided an opportunity to review AIWA’s past successes as well as to plan for new challenges in the decades ahead in an ever changing world. The celebration weekend featured a two-day conference that brought together 35 speakers and panelists to share and exchange their experiences and knowledge with a sold-out audience of enthusiastic participants. The climax was the Saturday evening Gala featuring Leadership Awards to 7 outstanding women.

“We were proud to celebrate AIWA’s past successes over the first 25 years,” commented President Kharajian, “and we are even more energized to plan for the decades ahead—to highlight and elevate more Armenian women as we build our global network and community.” She added, “We will leverage technology and social media to reach the far corners of the world to help our Armenian sisters and provide them with opportunities to thrive wherever possible.”

AIWA is a non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian organization that brings together creative women of various generations, diverse in interests and academic backgrounds, to address the critical issues of the times. It has organized eight international conferences, awards scholarships, facilitates networking opportunities, supports programs for women in Armenia, publishes books by and about Armenian women, and sponsors cultural and social activities. Membership is open to all who share its goals.

Further information about AIWA and its programs to increase the visibility of Armenian women is available by contacting AIWA at 617-926-0171, info@aiwainternational.org, or www.aiwainternational.org.

Dr. Umit Kurt, currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, will give a talk entitled “The Curious Case of Ali Cenani Bey: The Story of a Genocide Perpetrator During and After the 1915 Armenian Genocide,” on Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, Mass. 02478.  The lecture is co-sponsored by NAASR and the Kaloosdian-Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University.

Umit Kurt

Within the scholarship on the history of Armenian Genocide, studies of the perpetrators have received and continue to receive special attention.  Seen from a wider perspective, it is important to conduct research on the executors of the Armenian Genocide, for even when the agents of genocide are not explicitly mentioned, the consequences of their deeds remain all too visible.  Yet case studies of individual perpetrators remain rare.

In this lecture, Dr. Umit Kurt will focus on Aintab—situated on the boundaries of Cilicia and Syria, near both the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Alexandretta—and reveal the activities of the perpetrators and their involvement in the destruction of Armenians at the local/provincial level.

Presenting a wide range of people, functions, actions, and motives that highlight the complexity of the persecution process, but without neglecting the crucial element of personal responsibility, Kurt will explain who these perpetrators were and what their roles and motivations were.  The lecture will focus especially on one major perpetrator, Ali Cenani Bey (1872-1934), his background, deeds, active and involvement in the 1915 Armenian deportation and genocide as well as his life story in the post-genocide period in modern Turkey.

Umit Kurt received his Ph.D. in history at Clark University in 2016, with his dissertation focusing on the confiscation of Armenian properties and the role of local elites/notables in Aintab during the Armenian Genocide, 1915-1921.  He is the author of numerous historical and political articles in scholarly journals and newspapers, several books in Turkish, and co-author with Taner Akçam of The Spirit of the Laws: The Plunder of Wealth in the Armenian Genocide.

For more information about Dr. Kurt’s talk, contact NAASR at 617-489-1610 or hq@naasr.org.

Marsoobian holding an original glass negative of the photo below — one of 600 in Marsoobian’s possession (Photo: southernct.edu/Armen T. Marsoobian)

The Armenian Museum of America (ALMA) recently announced that it is pleased to welcome back Professor Armen Marsoobian for a Gallery Talk on his exhibit, “Reimagining A Lost Homeland,” at 3 p.m. on March 4.

The talk, “The Presence of Absence: The Role of Photography in the Lives of Ottoman Armenians,” is co-sponsored by Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives and will explore the uses of professional photography for the Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire.

Marsoobian’s book, Fragments of a Lost Homeland: Remembering Armenia will be available for purchase during the event and a reception will be held at the conclusion of the talk.

Photography was introduced into the Anatolian interior and the Armenian plateau in the 1870’s. This was at the beginning of a period that would mark great demographic change for the region, especially among its non-Muslim communities.

As was the case throughout the Ottoman Empire, professional photography in these regions was dominated by Armenian and, to a lesser extent, Greek photographers. Yet the historically dominant view of Ottoman photography is based upon the over-sized role played by the famous photography studios of Constantinople’s Pera district.

In contrast, much can be learned about how families used the new medium to maintain family cohesion during long periods of separation and over great distances, when the vernacular photography of the interior is examined.

Additionally, photography played an important role in the relief and recovery efforts that marked the aftermath of the Armenian catastrophe.

LYNN, Mass.—”Heartstrings: Embracing Armenian Needlelace, Embroidery, and Rugs,” will feature intricate needlework inspired by the stories of Armenian-Americans who have persevered through challenging times, forging exquisite creations born in both triumph and tragedy.

Heartstrings: Embracing Armenian Needlelace, Embroidery, and Rugs

In 1915, the death of 1.5 million people during the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks drastically affected the Armenian community.  In addition to the loss of life, a cultural Genocide resulted from losing important traditions practiced by the Armenian people for centuries. Properties, churches and schools were confiscated; many beautiful works of art were destroyed; embroidered religious garments, altar clothes, embellished altar curtains, Armenian rug, silk, cotton and wool factories were forever lost.

Fortunately, members of the Armenian American community saved some of the needle work and embroidery of their grandmothers and great grandmothers. These creations were either brought with them when they emigrated to America in the early 1900’s or were created once they resettled in the U.S. This exhibit shows examples of the beautiful lace, embroidery and carpets that were saved.

The exhibit is curated by noted local artist Kate Luchini, who served as Executive Director of the Lynn Museum from 2010-2014, and features items from the personal collections of several leaders in the local Armenian-American community including Mary Mooradian of Haverhill, Raffi Manjikian of Belmont, and Marie Bazarian of Watertown.
“Heartstrings” will be on display through June 17, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, at the Lynn Museum, 590 Washington Street, in the heart of downtown Lynn, Mass.

For more information on this and other Lynn Museum events, please call 781-581-6200 or visit www.lynnmuseum.org.

NEW YORK—Nikit and Eleanora Ordjanian Visiting Professor at Columbia University and former Armenian Weekly editor Dr. Khatchig Mouradian will be presenting a lecture on March 3 at Columbia University titled “Don’t Fall off the World: Armenian Communities in China from the 1880’s to the 1950’s.”

Dr. Khatchig Mouradian will be presenting a lecture on March 3 at Columbia University titled ‘Don’t Fall off the World: Armenian Communities in China from the 1880’s to the 1950’s.’

The lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Columbia University Faculty House (64 Morningside Dr; Enter via Wein courtyard on E. 116^th St.).

Hundreds of Armenians journeyed eastward to China in the late 19^th century in search of opportunity, anchoring themselves in major cities, as well as in Harbin, a town that rose to prominence with the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway. A few thousand others arrived in the region escaping the Armenian Genocide and turmoil in the Caucasus in the years that followed.

Many of these Armenians coupled their personal success with a dedication to community life, helping build small but vibrant communities (even a church and community centers) in Harbin, Shanghai, Tientsin, and other cities, despise conflicts, war, and foreign occupation that best the history of China in the first half of the 20^thcentury.

In this illustrated lecture, Mouradian presents the rich, yet understudied, history of the Armenian communities in China based on interviews and archival research conducted in China, Armenia, Lebanon, Europe, and the U.S.

This event is co-sponsored by the Armenian Center at Columbia University and the Weatherhead East Asian Institute.

Turkish authorities have removed an Assyrian sculpture from a public square in front of the local council building in Diyarbakir. No explanation has yet been provided by the Turkish Government.

The removed sculpture (Photo: AINA)

The sculpture, an Assyrian winged bull known as a lamassu, was removed on Jan. 8, after Turkey placed an unelected district governor in charge of the Diyarbakir municipality under the emergency decree issued after the abortive coup of last year.

The Turkish government has been escalating its pressure on Christians and their cultural heritage. The Christian co-mayor of Mardin, Februniye Akyol, 28, was removed from her post by the Turkish government on Nov. 16, 2016, and replaced by the governor of the city, Mustafa Yaman.

Born and christened Fabronia Benno, the former mayor hails from Tur Abdin, the heartland of Syriac Christians in southeastern Turkey. However, Benno had to run for office under her official Turkish name, Februniye Akyol, because of the institutionalized prohibitions by the Turkish government on non-Turkish languages. In 2014, she became the first Christian woman to lead one of Turkey’s metropolitan municipalities.

The Assyrian people, as well as Chaldeans and Syriac Christians, have inhabited the Middle East since the beginning of recorded history. The scholar Hannibal Travis wrote in his comprehensive article ‘‘Native Christians Massacred − The Ottoman Genocide of the Assyrians during World War I,” that: “The Assyrian homeland is in northern Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, where the ancient cities of Assur and Nineveh were built. For 300 years, Assyrian kings ruled the largest empire the world had yet known. The Assyrian Church of the East records that the Apostle Thomas himself converted the Assyrians to Christianity within a generation after the death of Christ. Christianity was ‘well established and organized’ in Mesopotamia by the third century CE.”

Februniye Akyol (Photo: Twitter)

Once the rulers of the greatest empire in history, Assyrians have been turned into a persecuted minority in their native lands as a result of continued massacres and pressure at the hands of Muslims and the absence of support or protection from the West. According to the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), every fifty years there has been a massacre of Assyrians.

“The Assyrians and other Ottoman Christians, like the Jews, had suffered from centuries of discrimination and official segregation; were charged with being agents of foreign powers and scapegoated for military defeats and looming threats in a rhetoric of ethnic elimination; and were physically and culturally exterminated in large numbers by means of massacres, rapes, expulsions, and attacks on homes and religious institutions carried out by genocidal state apparatuses and local irregular forces,” Travis explains.

The Assyrian Genocide, commonly known as Seyfo (sword), took place between 1914 and 1923 in the Ottoman Empire.

The Assyrian claim for autonomy was never realized, which made the Assyrian community completely vulnerable at the hands of the oppressive governments in the region.  For example, the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which set the boundaries of republican Turkey, did not recognize Assyrians as a distinct community with their own religious and national identity and failed to offer special protections for them.

Today, only around 25,000 Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs remain in Turkey. And the official denial of their language, nationality and culture continues. Only some of the Kurdish-governed municipalities in Turkey have taken actual steps to revitalize the Christian heritage in the region. The recently removed Assyrian sculpture had also been erected by the pro-Kurdish Diyarbakir municipality.

Turkey has been undergoing a series of grave crises. The Turkish Lira is in sharp devaluation; the economy is staggering. The crackdown on dissident politicians, journalists, academics, and businesspersons under the guise of fighting “terrorists” is becoming more widespread day by day. There are currently 151 journalists and media employees in Turkish jails according to the Platform for Independent Journalism (P24).

Moreover, only seven Islamic State (ISIS) members have been convicted of crimes and jailed in Turkey in the last year-and-a-half. The data was made public when Bekir Bozdag, the Turkish justice minister, responded to a motion at the Turkish parliament in which he was asked the number of ISIS convicts in Turkish jails.

Unable or unwilling to solve the very serious problems of the country, including the worsening economy and ISIS terrorism, the Turkish government has finally found bogus threats it can successfully confront: The Assyrian Lamassu sculpture in Diyarbakir and the only Syriac Christian mayor in the country, Februniye Akyol.

Guests of Honor Included Armenian Prelate of Syria and Charles Aznavour

PARIS, France (A.W.)— French President Francois Hollande attended an annual dinner with the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) for the last time as President of France on Feb. 9.

Hollande with Armenian guests of honor (Photo: Press Office of the French President)

During the dinner—which was also attended by the Armenian Prelate of Syria Archbishop Shahan Sarkisian and world famous French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour—President Hollande addressed several issues, including the decision of the Constitutional Court to revoke certain amendments concerning the criminalization of genocide denial, French-Armenian relations, the issue of Nagorno Karabagh (NKR/Artsakh), and genocide recognition.

“To deny the massacres of yesterday is to authorize the massacres of today,” Hollande said. “I welcome the quality of the work of Jean-Paul Costa, which was the basis for an amendment during the debate on the Equality and Citizenship Act,” said Hollande, reported France’s Nouvelles d’Armenie.

He then detailed plans launched last October by French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem to look for measures to institute a day of national commemoration of all genocides, war crimes, and thus the Armenian Genocide.”

Speaking about Armenian Genocide recognition, the French President said that France must support initiatives that work towards Armenian Genocide recognition. He mentioned the importance of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the German Bundestag and highlighted the role of both Bundestag President Norbert Lammert and Member of German Parliament Cem Ozdemir. He then commended the work of Armenian member of Turkish Parliament Garo Paylan for his work on raising the genocide issue in Turkey.

Hollande (center) arriving at the dinner accompanied by Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau member and chair of the CCAF Mourad (Franck) Papazian (L) (Photo: Press Office of the French President)

Hollande added how Armenian President Serge Sarkisian will be visiting Paris next month, after accepting his invitation to honor the 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Armenia. He explained how the meeting will provide an opportunity for the two countries to discuss economic and cultural cooperation, as well as the NKR conflict.

“France bears special responsibility for the issue as a Minsk Group Co-Chair country together with U.S. and Russia,” Hollande said about the Artsakh conflict. “We have to launch real talks aimed at the conflict resolution.” Hollande stressed that the ceasefire is not a satisfactory solution and that the conflict should be solved based on the right to self-determination.

Lastly, he stressed the contribution of French Armenians to the French Republic. He told those in attendance that Armenians are some of the “best” citizens of France. “Even beyond the month of May, I will always be at your side, as I have always been,” Hollande concluded. “I will not have the same responsibility, but I will have the same conviction.”

The Homenetmen of Providence, R.I. will host the 27^th Annual Homenetmen Eastern United States Navasartian Games on Fourth of July weekend (July 1-4).

The 27th Homenetmen Eastern U.S. Navasartian Games will be held in Providence, R.I.

The Providence Biltmore, located in the heart of downtown Providence, will be the headquarters for the weekend. Rooms are available to reserve for an affordable rate of $129 for a single and $139 for a double. Please call 401-421-0700 and mention “Homenetmen” for the discounted rate.

The athletic and social events planned for the weekend promise to be exciting and enjoyable. The finest Armenian musicians will entertain our guests throughout the weekend with beautiful music for everyone’s dancing and listening pleasure. The venue for the athletic events has been carefully selected and will be held in top-of-the-line facilities.

All athletic games will be held at East Greenwich High School. Transportation to and from the hotel will be provided for hotel guests.

The Sunday night dance will feature Kevork Artinian and Band at the Providence Biltmore at 8 p.m. Monday night’s Victory Gala Dinner Dance will feature Elie Berberian and Band at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Dinner will begin at 7 p.m. with the dance to follow.

The event will not only look back on the 99 years of memories and service that Homenetmen has provided to Armenian youth around the world, but will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Homenetmen Eastern Region U.S.

Be sure to follow us on social media to stay up to date with the Navasartian Games.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/navasartian.eusa/

Twitter: @NavasartianEast

Instagram: Navasartian.East

Snapchat: navasartianeast

YEREVAN (A.W.)— On Feb. 10, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) of Armenia and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) “Nigol Aghpalian” Student Association held a protest in front of a Yerevan store that sells predominantly Belarusian products.

Demonstrators hold up signs at the protest (Photo: AYF Armenia)

Protesters said they were boycotting the sale of Belarusian products in Armenia after the extradition of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan. Demonstrators held up posters that read, “Visiting Artsakh is not a crime,” “No to Belarusian products,” “Belarus is anti-Armenian,” and “Belarus is attached to Azerbaijan.”

Members of the AYF and ARF “Nigol Aghpalian” Student Association also stuck a note on the window of the store that read, “Due to the anti-human rights and anti-Armenian stance of the government of Belarus, Russian-Israeli blogger was arrested in Belarus and extradited to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has violated basic human rights by accusing him of committing a crime for visiting Artsakh. Visiting Artsakh is not a crime. Artsakh is a free and sovereign state. No to Belarus. No to Belarusian products.”

An AYF member getting interviewed at the protest (Photo: AYF Armenia)

The AYF and ARF “Nigol Aghpalian” Student Association also announced that they will continue their protest and will take further action in the near future.

NKR Ombudsman, Armenia’s First Ambassador to U.S to Take Part in Panel

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.— The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues, in conjunction with the MIT Armenian Society (MITAS), will present a panel discussion titled “Spotlight on Nagorno-Karabagh: The Four-Day War and its Aftermath – Perspectives on Security, Diplomacy, and the Prospects for a Lasting Peace.”

The ‘We Are Our Mountains’ monument in Stepanakert, NKR (Photo: Araz Chiloyan)

The discussion will be held on March 9 at 7 p.m. at Massachusetts Institute of Techology (MIT) (MIT 2-190, MIT, Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Mass.).

The panel will be moderated by Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh/NKR) program director of the Tufenkian Foundation Dr. Antranig Kasbarian, and will feature panelists Ruben Melikyan (NKR Ombudsman) and Ambassador Rouben Shougarian (Tufts University Professor and Armenia’s first Ambassador to the U.S.). Other participants will be announced prior to the event.

For more information contact hq@naasr.org or narek@mit.edu.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Following last year’s successful ARS Youth Connect Programs (YCP) held at New York University (NYU) in March and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. in November, the ARS of Eastern United States will hold the first of this year’s programs at New York’s Columbia University on March 4.

The program features lectures and discussion on human rights, culture, identity, and public health. Speakers and workshop leaders include Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa Division; Dr. Kim Hekimian, Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Columbia University; Dr. Levon Avdoyan, Library of Congress Area Specialist for Armenia and Georgia; and Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, Visiting Professor at Columbia University and Youth Connect Program Director.

The program is available to Armenian university students between the ages of 18 and 27. Registration is required. $50 registration fee includes meals, social event, and accommodation for out-of-town students. To register visit www.arseastusa.org/donate and choose Youth Connect program tab.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (A.W.)—Lebanon’s newly appointed Minister of Tourism Avedis Guidanian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) stressed the importance of respecting the “uniqueness of the Armenian community” when dealing with the issue of a new electoral law that preserves the equity of representation.

Avedis Guidanian (Photo: Kantsasar)

According to a report by Lebanon’s National News Agency, Guidanian stressed on the importance of parliamentary elections, hoping that the Armenian deputies are elected by Armenian votes. He noted that Armenians have been marginalized over the past 25 years.

“It is important to respect the specific nature of the Armenian community, which is no less important than that of the Druze community, which the Progressive Socialist Party is talking about,” Minister of Tourism noted during an interview on Voice of Lebanon radio. During the interview, he also called on all politicians to issue an electoral law that ensured equity in representation to all Lebanese components.

“I warn against setting up new (electoral) divisions at the expense of Armenians,” he said, adding that the ARF would participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections whether the electoral law adopted was proportional or majoritarian.

Guidanian said that the ARF’s stance towards the electoral law was independent of any of its political alliances. “At a certain stage, it is important to apply the mixed electoral law before arriving to the full proportional law,” he said.