NOVEMBER 9, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXX, NO. 17, Issue 4610 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF (JIRAIR HOVSEPIAN PHOTO) Aronian Receives Prize NAASR Unveils New BATUMI, Georgia (Panorama.am) — Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian has stood out with his strong performance at European Team Chess Championship ended in Batumi, Georgia, being Headquarters awarded with individual medal. According to the report by Chess Federation, Aronian scored 5 out of 8 points in front of Board 1, securing silver Ara Krafian, chairman and president of medal. Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin took the gold on By Alin K. Gregorian the firm SMMA, which provided the archi- the first board, the source said. The Armenian team placed fourth with 13 points Mirror-Spectator Staff tectural and engineering services for the new building, spoke next. The new 15,000- at the competition. square-foot building, he said, came about as BELMONT, Mass. — On the blustery a result of the “courageous Board of Foreign Minister in afternoon of Friday, November 1, the Trustees and relentless Yervant,” adding National Association for Armenian Studies special thanks to Executive Director Sarah Sweden for EU Lecture and Research (NAASR) finally unveiled its Ignatius and Director of Academic Affairs airy and sparkly new building, erected on Marc Mamigonian. YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Foreign Minister of the site of its previous center. The new building, he said, is much more Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participating o November 5 in a lecture dedicated to the 10th Hundreds of well-wishers and supporters efficient, larger and full of natural light. The custom-made stunning door gathered outside for the opening program, In addition, the floor-to-ceiling glass walls anniversary of the European Union’s Eastern which included comments from the person on the third floor have etchings of tradi- Partnership at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Armenian MFA spokeswoman for whom the building is named, Dr. Vartan tional Armenian design. Gregorian, and expressed her joy that the Anna Naghdalyan announced on Facebook. Gregorian. Ignatius expressed her delight that the building would be a place for the community. “FM of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, together Yervant Chekijian, chairman of the day of the unveiling had finally arrived. “I “They can come and study and have with FM of Ukraine Vadym Pystaiko, participates in NAASR board, got the program started. He am incredibly proud to be here. All of you meetings with colleagues,” she said. “EaP10 Lecture: A talk with FMs of Armenia and highlighted some of the building’s new fea- are part of this building,” she said. During a tour of the building she added Ukraine” at Swedish Institute of International tures, including the main door, crafted by She paid special tribute to the man for that the building will have wi-fi hotspots Affairs. an artisan in Armenia. whom the building is named, Dr. Vartan see OPENING, page 10 Mnatsakanyan presented Armenia’s foreign poli- cy priorities and prospects of relations with the Charents’ Iconic Creation European Union,” Naghdalyan said. Becomes Accessible in 35 Armenia Lands 8th Languages Among Countries with Most Internet Freedom By Gayane Ghazaryan YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Armenia has Special to the Mirror-Spectator improved its standing in a fresh report assessing the state of internet freedom and personal liberties YEREVAN – On October 20, a presentation in 65 countries, prepared by Freedom House, a of the newly published Yes Im Anoush Washington-based think tank. Hayastani [Ode to Armenia] by Yeghishe Ranked Free in the 2019 edition of the survey, Charents, a book containing the translation of Armenia scored 76 out of 100 in the global inter- the famous poem of this name translated into net freedom ranking, to land in eighth place. 35 different languages, took place next to the Armenia rose from “partly free” to “free” in Aram Khachaturian Opera and Ballet Building 2018. as part of the Aurora Humanitarian Forum of According to the Freedom on the Net report, 2019. The audience included one of the great- positive changes were unleashed in Armenia by Biggest Yazidi Temple in the World est modern Armenian composers, Tigran the 2018 Velvet Revolution continued in 2019 as Mansourian, as well as the grandchildren of well. Charents and of his best friends, poet Avetik In particular, the report says, “violence against Opens in Armenia Isahakyan and painter Martiros Saryan. online journalists declined, and the digital news see CHARENTS, page 20 media enjoyed greater freedom from economic AKNALICH, Armenia (The Independent) — In the sleepy Armenian lakeside town of and political pressures. Aknalich, crowds gathered for the opening of a new temple on September 30. Inside the “Developments in Armenia in 2018 demon- vast vaulted stone building, musicians dressed strated once again that digital technology can By Lemma Shehadi in ivory colored cotton garments and rolled help generate dramatic democratic change. headscarves processed in a circle. Some chant- Citizens effectively used social media.” ed sacred hymns, while others played the drum Neighboring Georgia (with a score of 75) is and flute. Those gathered around them danced shoulder to shoulder. also ranked Free, Azerbaijan has dropped to join These musicians are known as qewwals, singers of the ageless, orally transmitted Turkey, Iran and Russia in the Not Free domain. sacred songs from the Yazidi religion. Yazidis are a Kurdish-speaking religious minority, whose main population is con- centrated in northern Iraq. In 2014, Isis militants killed, kidnapped and displaced thousands from their community. Today, this ancient minority is extremely fragile and scattered across the globe. INSIDE Yazidis agree on the ancient roots of their religion, but not on the details of these origins. The religion is monotheistic, and their principal saint is the 12th-century Sufi mystic Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir, who was buried in a temple in Lalish, the reli- gion’s main pilgrimage site in northern Iraq. Academics also point to connections Tribute to with ancient Iranian religions. see TEMPLE,page 6 Gohar Charents Veterans (VARTAN ESENYAN PHOTO) Dr. Taner Akçam, Taner Akçam, Honored left, holds certifi- Page 5 cate from Knights and Daughters of By Knights and Vartan, next to Vice Grand INDEX Daughters of Vartan Commander Arts and Living ...... 13 Kevork Oflazian Armenia ...... 2,3 Community News...... 5 Calls for Creation of Genocide Research Center and Grand Commander Editorial ...... 18 Steven R. Adams International ...... 4 SEE STORY ON PAGE 8 2 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 2 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Armenian Tycoon Expands Textile Business YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Samvel Aleksanyan, a wealthy businessman Catholicos Karekin II who was for years closely linked to Armenia’s former leaders, inaugurated Marks 20th Anniversary three new textile factories in the pres- ence of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ECHMIADZIN (Panorama.am) — The 20th on Friday, November 1. anniversary of the enthronement of Karekin II, Pashinyan toured their premises in Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Yerevan, welcoming the expansion of was marked on November 3 at the Mother See of Aleksanyan’s textile business first Holy Echmiadzin. launched a few years ago. He said the A divine Liturgy was celebrated in the St. Gayane Armenian government is ready to assist Monastery. Following Divine Liturgy, a special in its further growth “within the frame- Pontifical prayer service was offered. Diocesan work of its legal instruments.” Primates from Armenia and the Diaspora, brother- A government statement on hood members and pilgrims were in attendance for Pashinyan’s participation in the cere- the services. mony said that the new factories Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (C) visits new textile factories opened by businessman The 20th anniversary will be officially celebrated employ around 1,000 people and that Samvel Aleksanian (R), Yerevan, November 1, 2019. next year when the renovation of the Mother Aleksanyan plans to create 2,000 more Cathedral will be completed. jobs there. The tycoon will also open to two similar plants outside Yerevan next playing a major role in the party’s elec- the former regime. In March 2016, for US Increases Funding to year, said the statement. tion campaigns. example, he charged on the parliament Aleksanyan, 51, is one of Armenia’s Opposition politicians and media for floor that Aleksanyan may be evading Armenia richest men who has long controlled years claimed that he enjoyed privileged “tens of millions of dollars” in taxes the lucrative imports of sugar, cooking treatment by the government in return through a fraud scheme allowed by YEREVAN — The United States Embassy in oil and other basic foodstuffs to the for earning the HHK and Sargsyan Sargsyan. Aleksanyan denied those Armenia announced that the US Government has fur- country. He also owns the country’s votes in Yerevan’s Malatia-Sebastia dis- claims. ther increased assistance funding to Armenia in largest supermarket chain. trict, his stronghold. The blue-collar dis- Aleksanyan defected from the HHK 2019. The figure for this year is more than $60 mil- Aleksanyan, who is commonly known trict was notorious for vote buying, vio- faction in Armenia’s former parliament lion, which represents a 40-percent increase over last as “Lfik Samo,” used to have close ties lence and other election-related irregu- in June 2018 just over a month after year’s amount. to former President Serzh Sargsyan larities reported by the Armenian Sarkisian was overthrown in the “Velvet The funding includes projects managed by not only and his Republican Party of Armenia media. Revolution” led by Pashinyan. He has the Department of State and the US Agency for (HHK). He was a parliament deputy rep- Pashinyan repeatedly lambasted the not been openly involved in any politi- International Development, but also the Department resenting the HHK from 2003 to 2018, “oligarch” when he was in opposition to cal activities since then. of Energy, the US Forest Service, and the Department of Defense. These funds include US government support to bol- ster Armenian democratic development in a wide variety of areas, including anti-corruption, security, Parliament Urged to Resolve ‘Constitutional Court Crisis’ energy, education, English language, forest service, YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Judge Vahe existing members if they so desire. I have tion” of Armenia’s constitution. human rights, civil society, and the strengthening of Grigoryan has urged the Armenian parlia- spoken openly about this. This will com- In a statement released on October transparent and accountable government institu- ment to step in to resolve what he pletely solve the problem,” he said. 29, Buquicchio said all branches of the tions, including the law enforcement, justice and describes as a crisis in the Constitutional The Constitutional Court has nine mem- country’s government should respect judicial sectors. Court whose chairman’s legitimacy is dis- bers. Only two of them, including each other’s “prerogatives, obligations “The United States has sought to support the puted by the government. Grigoryan, were elected after 2015 consti- and competences” set by Armenian law. development of democratic processes and institu- Grigoryan, whom parliament elected tutional amendments were fully enforced. “If this is not done, if there lacks tions in Armenia for the last 27 years, and we cer- judge of the Constitutional Court earlier Grigoryan now believes that new judges democratic culture and maturity, the tainly do not intend to change that now, at a time this year, immediately called for the elec- should be elected in compliance with the functioning of the state institutions is when democracy in Armenia is stronger than ever,” tion of a new chairman of the high court, new constitution, as besides him and compromised and the democratic, civil US Ambassador Lynne M. Tracy said. “That is why arguing that this is the requirement of a Arman Dilanyan all others have the status and economic progress of the society is we are proud to announce more than $60 million in new constitution adopted through a of members rather than judges of the jeopardized,” warned Buquicchio. assistance funding to Armenia this year.” nationwide referendum in 2015. Constitutional Court in accordance with “I call on all sides to exercise Since 1992, the US government has provided more The claim was backed by the the old constitution. restraint, mutual respect and construc- than $2 billion in assistance to Armenia. Armenian government as Prime Other members of the Constitutional tive institutional cooperation in order Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Court do not share this approach. to de-escalate this worrying situation Senior Government Constitutional Court head Hrayr Alvina Gyulumian, who has sat on the and re-establish the normal operation Tovmasyan of having struck a political Court since 2014, says: “There are no of the constitution of Armenia,” the Official Resigns deal with former President Serzh vacancies in the Constitutional Court at head of the Venice Commission said. Sargsyan to “privatize” the country’s present.” Earlier, in an interview with YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The head of a government highest court shortly before constitu- RFE/RL’s Armenian Service agency regulating Armenia’s real estate market tional amendments were to fully take Gyulumian said that she saw no “crisis” resigned on Friday, October 18, citing policy differ- effect in April 2018. in the Constitutional Court, but rather ences and “dilettantism” of senior officials in charge Tovmasyan hit back at the accusa- a “conflict between personalities.” PM Receives of urban development in the country. tions, claiming political persecution. Still, Grigoryan insists that it is the The official, Sarhat Petrosyan, is a well-known Last month members of the parliament that must play a key role in UN Delegation architect and public figure who was appointed as Constitutional Court rejected the par- “resolving the crisis.” “The National head of the Cadaster Committee in the wake of last liament’s demand to remove Tovmasyan Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is YEREVAN (Panorama.am) — Prime year’s “Velvet Revolution” in which he actively par- and elect a new chairman. the holder of the parliamentary sover- Minister Nikol Pashinyan received a del- ticipated. The committee maintains a state registry Also last month Armenia’s law- eignty of the republic, and the crisis in egation led by UN Under-Secretary- of real estate and registers property deals. enforcement authorities launched an the Constitutional Court is viewed from General for Political and Peacebuilding “I do not agreed with our government’s policy and inquiry into a possible “usurpation of the point of view of the protection of Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo on existing approaches in the area of urban develop- power” by a “group of officials” that democracy in Armenia and the elimina- October 29. ment which I believe encompasses the cadaster sec- allegedly accompanied Tovmasyan’s tion of constitutional security issues Welcoming DiCarlo to Armenia, tor as well,” Petrosyan said in a statement. election as chairman of the that are directly related to the constitu- Pashinyan stressed the importance of “Despite the unprecedented upswing registered in Constitutional Court in March 2018. A tional powers and responsibilities of the close cooperation between the the real estate market [since the revolution] we have former senior official has been arrested republic’s parliament,” he said. Government of Armenia and the UN. regressed in the area of urban development,” he said, and charged as part of the investigation Grigoryan added that he has pro- Pashinyan praised the United Nations’ accusing the current and former heads of the gov- but not legal action has yet been taken posed some intermediate solutions. assistance provided to the country on ernment’s Urban Development Committee of imitat- against Tovmasyan, who claims consti- “The recognition of the status quo and the way to implementing institutional ing meaningful activities. tutional immunity and insists he can be the elimination of all status differences reforms, including the Electoral Code Petrosian complained that he has had only minor prosecuted and arrested only with the between the members and the judges of amendments. He emphasized the influence on government policies. “As head of a gov- Constitutional Court’s consent. the Constitutional Court, which natu- importance of amending the Electoral ernment agency and urban development architect by Talking to RFE/RL’s Armenian rally exist and are recognized even by Code in a way to ensure fair and trans- education, I can no longer tolerate dilettantism and Service (Azatutyun.am) on Sunday, the chairman of the Venice parent elections. He stressed that the sectarianism bordering on corruption,” he said. November 3, Grigoryan said that in the Commission, up to filling the vacancies Armenian government intends to push He also thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan situation like this the onus is on the par- of new judges by nominating new can- ahead with the reforms aimed at devel- for appointing him to the post and engineering last liament to enforce the constitutional didates and electing judges. The solu- oping and strengthening democracy. year’s “incredible change” in Armenia. amendments that he insists imply the tion can also be found by amending DiCarlohailed the ongoing democ- “I continue to regard the changes of 2018 as one election of new judges in the some provisions of the Constitution and ratic reforms in Armenia and reaf- of the most important achievements in the modern Constitutional Court. “I strongly believe by various other means,” he said. firmed the United Nations’ willing- history of the Armenian people which must be pre- that the best way to solve the issue of the Late last month, Gianni Buquicchio, ness to work more closely with the served, developed and spread,” concluded the state- constitutionality and democratic legiti- the head of the Council of Europe’s Armenian government. Rosemary ment. macy of the Constitutional Court envis- Venice Commission, expressed serious DiCarlo congratulated the Prime Pashinyan’s office did not immediately react to the aged by amendments adopted in the concern over what he described as the Minister on Armenia being elected a announcement of Petrosian’s resignation. December 2015 referendum is to elect Armenian government’s “open conflict” member of the Human Rights Council new judges to that court, which does not with the Constitutional Court and and wished the Armenian colleagues exclude nominations from among the called for a renewed “normal opera- every success. S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 2 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 3 ARMENIA My Forest Armenia Launches In Yerevan

YEREVAN — The official launching and press conference of My Forest Armenia was held on October 25 at the Tufenkian Historic Yerevan Hotel. Armenia’s Deputy Minister of the Environment Vardan Melikyan, gave a supportive speech dur- ing the event. My Forest Armenia was created with the aim of planting trees to capture carbon because certain CO2 emissions, for example, from air travel, have no clean alternative yet. Faced with the threat of climate change, everyone needs to act to mitigate global warming and reduce CO2 emissions. If the goal is to arrive at 0 emissions by 2050, we all need to start acting now. My Forest Armenia offers the possibility to everyone, private individuals, companies, institutions or associations, to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees in Armenia. My Forest Armenia will focus solely on increasing forest coverage. Indeed, aside from capturing carbon, the role of forests are hugely important for any country. Forests produce oxygen, lower temperatures, increase reforestation every year. sions...and offset them by making a corresponding payment humidity, prevent soil erosion, stop desertification, preserve biodi- Although it is an ambitious number, it should be put in per- to plant trees. versity, increase fauna and flora, help rural communities, and spective. My Forest Armenia is partnering with the Agrarian much more. Armenia’s forest coverage is only 11.2%. At 30.000 km2, 1% University of Armenia for science and research. Furthermore, My Forest Armenia will grow its seedlings in its own nurs- represents 300 km2 or 30.000 hectares. At 200 ha per year, students will participate in different projects in the fields and eries in Tavoush and Lori. Particular attention will be given it would still take 150 years for Armenia’s tree coverage to forests. to ensure that young saplings are properly watered and main- increase by 1%. The Ministry of the Environment and its subsidiaries, Hay Antar tained in the crucial six years after planting ensuring a high On the My Forest Armenia website, aside from explanations and Dilijan National Park are partners as well. My Forest Armenia survival rate. The medium-term objective is to plant 400,000 about nurseries and future reforestation projects, there is a is partnering with COAF in Debet for one of its nurseries. For more trees per year. That represents an area of 200 hectares of carbon calculator to help calculate one’s carbon emis- information, see www.myforestarmenia.org.

Street Performance of Government-Funded Play Raises Eyebrows

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Culture officials in at conclusions based on their experience and stant process,” he explained. Meanwhile, lawmaker Naira Zohrabyan, of Armenia have been under fire over a govern- knowledge,” the minister explained. Prominent Armenian actor, director and pro- the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party, ment-funded play that sparked a controversy in Among the specialists that had given a posi- ducer Armen Elbakian said that censorship can added her voice to the chorus of criticism. the country after artists conducted its street tive conclusion for funding the play were a never be good for the arts and only time can Zohrabyan, who is a theater critic, described rehearsal in Yerevan over the weekend. Yerevan State Conservatory lecturer, several shows what is true art and what is not. “It is not what happened near the Republic Square A group of young artists that has worked on the opera, ballet and variety artists as well as a we who should prohibit someone to do some- metro station in Yerevan as vulgarity that has modernist play purportedly based on early 20th- deputy minister. thing or make them think the way we think,” nothing to do with arts. “I will raise the issue of century Armenian poetry staged the open-air exper- Explaining the process, Harutiunyan said: he said. why taxpayer money has been allocated for this imental performance near a metro station in the “Culture is not mathematics and predicting a Hasmik Khachunts, a pro-government mem- vulgarity,” she said. center of the Armenian capital on Saturday, precise result is difficult. We should allow for ber of the Yerevan City Council who is one of The lawmaker who chairs the parliament’s November 2. The play called “Emotion and Bell” some mistakes. Things are redressed after mis- the artists involved in “Emotion and Bell,” standing committee on human rights also was apparently met angrily by some of the conser- takes and the given direction or field only ben- refused to speak on the performance, saying claimed that the performance violated a num- vative public. One young man who protested the efits from this.” that she was only a performer, while questions ber of conventions on human rights protection. play attacked one of the performers with zelyonka The minister said that he himself was dis- about the contents of the work should be “Because, especially if I am with my child, and (“brilliant green”) dye that takes days to wash off. mayed to see some of the plays financed by the directed to the choreographer who is currently I want to take the metro, I will be forced to He was detained by police. ministry, but took it in its stride. “This is a con- outside Armenia. watch something that I don’t want to watch,” The video of the performance went viral, causing an uproar on social media, with some accusing the performers of promoting Satanism, “non-traditional” sexual orientation and unpatriotic behavior. Senior Police Official Fired For ‘Political Statement’ The group who are not known to the general public in Armenia said they presented “a mod- “The view of the police does not correspond ern synthesis of dance and poetry — an experi- By Marine Khachatrian to that of the authors of this bill,” Kocharyan mental rendition of futurist poetry by Armenian told reporters. He dismissed the authors’ argu- poets Charents, Gevorg Abov and Azat ments that the police will be more accountable Vshtuni.” Members of the group did not wish to YEREVAN (RFE/RL) – A deputy chief of the to the parliament if they are run by outsiders. elaborate or comment on the incident. Armenian police has been sacked for publicly President Armen Sarkissian relieved The news that the play had become possible objecting to a bill that would allow political Kocharyan of his duties on October 24 in a due to a government grant added to the con- appointees to run the law-enforcement agency. decree requested by Pashinyan. The prime min- troversy, unleashing more criticism from oppo- Armenian law has until now required the ister’s spokesman, Vladimir Karapetyan, said sition circles. heads of the police and the National Security the police official was fired because of making The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science Service (NSS) to be high-ranking career offi- a “political statement.” and Sports, which had allocated 2.7 million cers. Legal amendments drafted by the opposi- “The prime minister has stated on many occa- drams (about $5,650) for the play, said the tion Bright Armenia Party (LHK) and passed by sions that the police and army servicemen must Hovhannes Kocharyan, deputy chief of the application for funding submitted by the artists the parliament in the first reading last month stay away from politics and must not make Armenian police, at a news conference in indicated that it would be based on the works would remove this requirement. They stipulate statements of political character,” Karapetyan Yerevan of 1920s Armenian poets. that any Armenian national who is aged 25 or told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Minister Arayik Harutiunyan said the min- older and has lived in the country for the last The National Assembly was widely expected istry will be able to evaluate the efficiency of its four years could be appointed as police or NSS to pass the LHK bill in the second reading ear- did not elaborate on those changes. spending after the artists present the results of chief by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. lier on Thursday. However, it failed to do so The police and NSS chiefs, Valeri Osipyan their project. Colonel Hovhannes Kocharyan, the deputy after last-minute objections voiced by Vladimir and Artur Vanetsyan, were forced by Pashinyan Decisions to finance projects like this are chief of the national police service, told Vartanyan, the pro-government chairman of the to resign last month for still unclear reasons. made by an artistic council set up upon the reporters on October 22 that the police oppose parliament committee on legal affairs. Both agencies have been headed by interim minister’s order. “It is hard to set concrete cri- the proposed amendments because they are Vartanyan said that the bill needs to undergo heads since then. Pashinyan has yet to decide teria for a cultural project and specialists arrive based on “political expediency.” some changes before it can become a law. He who will run them on a permanent basis. 4 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 2 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR INTERNATIONAL International News Memoirs of an Orphan Turkey Sentences, Then the orphanage, deportation orders and other students were arrested and Frees, 2 Journalists By Muriel Mirak Weissbach came down; he was sent off with other released only in May 1923, in the con- youngsters to work on the Baghdad rail- text of negotiations of the Lausanne Jailed in Crackdown Special to the Mirror-Spectator way, but, sick with malaria, had to be Treaty. From there he travelled to ISTANBUL (New York Times) — A Turkish court sent back. In this way, he survived the Greece, then to France, from there to sentenced two journalists to about 10 years in POTSDAM, Germany — In the exten- massacres and in late 1918 began an England, then Canada, and when not prison for aiding a terrorist group but also ordered sive literature of the Armenian them released Monday, November 4, in view of time Genocide, memoirs of single survivors served, in one of the most prominent cases of jour- play a special role. Each story is differ- nalists jailed in the crackdown after the 2016 failed ent, and yet all share certain character- coup. istics; the trauma of the events, separa- The release of the journalists, Ahmet Altan and tion from loved ones, uncertainty and Nazli Ilicak, was welcomed by human rights and fear regarding the future. Among the press freedom groups but was not taken as a sign survivors are many whose names have that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had eased his gone down in history. At the same time, aggressive prosecution of political opponents and there were hundreds of thousands of dissenters. orphans, many of whom ended up in Tens of thousands of people have been detained in Turkish families, and their identities the last three years in cases that the government has were lost in time. The more fortunate linked to the coup attempt and to Fethullah Gulen, a managed to retain their identities as cleric whom Turkey has accused of instigating it. Armenians, and to find new homes Altan and Ilicak denied the charge that they had abroad. aided a terrorist group or had any involvement in the Heinrich Melidonian was one such failed coup. Altan was sentenced to 10 years and six orphan, who was born in the Ottoman months, and Ilicak to eight years and nine months; Empire and ended up in Germany and they were released under judicial control, a condi- France. Dr. Hayk Martirosyan has recon- tion that requires them to report regularly to a local structed his fascinating research on the police station. basis of the young man’s writings and of The court on Monday also acquitted Altan’s broth- research into archives in Germany. er Mehmet Altan, a journalist who had already been Martirosyan, who is a scientific collabo- released from jail. rator at the Lepsiushaus in Potsdam, The European Union has put intense pressure on presented the results of his efforts in a Turkey to improve its judicial record and release lecture there on October 31. many of the dissidents, journalists, lawyers and polit- Heinrich Melidonian, born in 1901, ical figures who are currently held in jail. Turkey’s was given that name on the request of business institutions have also lobbied for the same Sister Paula Schäfer and baptized by Dr. Hayk Martirosyan (Photo courtesy of Ulrich Rosenau, Lepsiushaus, Potsdam) in an effort to ease the strain on the country’s econ- the Protestant Father Richard omy. Brunnemann. The infant had been Altan and Ilicak were previously sentenced to life taken in by the orphanage of the odyssey which took him to Cilicia, and allowed to settle there, returned to without parole in a decision that was eventually over- German Hülfsbund für Christliches then Adana and beyond. Thanks to his France. In 1927, thanks to the media- turned by the Supreme Court. They then faced a sec- Liebeswerk im Orient (DHCLO), a relief years in Marash, where he learned tion of his “foster” parents, he was ond trial on lesser charges; the case is expected to organization in Marash. Thanks to German, Turkish and English, he was admitted to the Johanneum Protestant continue to the appeal courts, and likely to the donations given by “foster” parents in better equipped than others to seek School in Wuppertal-Barmen, then Supreme Court. Germany Deacon Otto Clarenbach and work, which he found as a translator. In entered a course at the Karlshöhe Gulen lives in exile in Pennsylvania and has denied Diaconate Institute. He became a dea- any involvement in the coup. con but was not allowed to work as a pastor in Germany. He collaborated with the YMCA in various cities. In the late 1930s Melidonian began to Azerbaijan Makes write about his experiences. Past, … but Another Incursion into Not Forgotten! Memoirs and Experiences of an Armenian Orphan Georgian territory and the Missionary Station at Marash in Asian Turkey was one book; By TBILISI (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Dangerous Cliffs was another; and Light Azerbaijan has strengthened its position on new after Darkness yet another. In these heights on the peak of the Babakyar (Papakar) works, Martirosyan said, “he described mountains, which are situated within Georgian terri- his wanderings through the Ottoman tory, according to an analysis released on November Empire and the difficult life of the 5 by bellingcat, an investigative website. orphan and prisoner that he led. These The Babakyar mountains include territory from all books,” he added, “are still very impor- the three South Caucasian countries - Azerbaijan, tant today as memoirs of an eyewitness Armenia and Georgia. during the genocide with very detailed But this is not the first time Azerbaijan is descriptions and images.” encroaching into Georgian territory. Melidonian also published a book PanARMENIAN.Net reported back in January reporting on a visit to the Holy Land, 2017 that Azerbaijan had built defense facilities and and spoke about his experiences in strongholds which sank into the territory of Georgia, various cities in Germany. In 1939 he beginning from the crossroad of Armenia-Georgia- published an intriguing work, titled, Azerbaijan border and stretching to the Red Bridge Discussions with an Armenian checkpoint. Some 6,5 km long, the area covers Christian, in which he hoped to make Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, Academic Director Lepsiushaus (Photo courtesy of Ulrich Rosenau) around 800-1000 hectares. Armenians in Germany known. Armenian political scientist Samvel Meliksetyan Martirosyan said that the author revealed back then that Papakar peak, a key military posed questions, like, “Who are the point, is situated in the territory of Georgia, the Pastor Kuhlo, Heinrich could live and 1920, he accompanied children under Armenians?”, “Where is Armenia?”, Azerbaijan border lying south of the mountain. But receive medical care in the orphanage the care of Near East Relief who were “Are the Armenians Christians?”, the Azerbaijanis have gone some 400 meters deep in until 1915. evacuated from Adana to Cyprus. There “Why were the Armenians persecut- this area and established a system of strongholds The Germans had sent up hospitals, he was able to attend the American ed?” Although he did not succeed in that fully lie on the territory of Georgia. orphanages and schools in various College, before going with the children becoming a German citizen, he con- Azerbaijani media outlets reported back in April Armenian villages during the Hamidian on to Tarsus, where he studied at the tributed to making his people and the 2019 that strategic heights on the border with massacres (1894-1896), a few of which American St. Paul’s college. story of their plight known to the Armenia have been taken under their government’s survived the genocide that began in Again, due to political events, he had German public. control. 1915. The Marash orphanage was one to flee, this time to Smyrna (Izmir). Martirosyan concluded by saying that Azerbaijan’s Chief of Staff of the State Border of them. Despite the support it received When their ship was stopped and the Melidonian is one of the few orphans Service, Major General Elchin Ibrahimov, mentioned from the German Consul in Aleppo, Turks hauled passengers out to kill whose life story is documented in at in his statement that Azerbaijan has “advanced on Walter Rössler, it came under pressure them, he and other children managed to least five European archives. “Hundreds the contact line in several directions and gained a from the Ottoman authorities and had survive by hiding. “I promised Him,” of thousands of Armenian orphans foothold in strategically important heights”. In view- to give the children to relatives, if they Melidonian later wrote, “that I would died,” he said, “were killed, or disap- ing freely-available satellite imagery on Google had any, or to Armenian families who devote my entire life to Him, if he saved peared without a trace. Melidonian’s Earth, however, it can be seen that the Azerbaijani received financial support from the me from this mortal danger.” In Smyrna example shows how much effort, and military advance occurred within Georgian territory. orphanage. Heinrich was one of these he was able to study at the American often also luck, one needs, how many so-called “Kostenkinder” and lived with college and in 1922 was confirmed in disappointments one has to overcome a certain widow Turwand for a while. the Protestant church. During the mas- and how hard one has to fight, to be Later, when he was allowed back into sacres in Smyrna in September 1922, he able to stay alive.” S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 5 Community News

Society for Armenian Zohrab Center Studies Holds 45th Director Addresses Anniversary Banquet SAS ‘Diaspora and WINNETKA, Calif. – On Saturday, October 12, 2019 the Society for Armenian Studies Stateless Power’ (SAS) held its 45th Anniversary Banquet at the Organization of Istanbul Armenians Banquet Conference Hall in Winnetka, California. The banquet was sponsored by the Organization of Istanbul NEW YORK — Scholars from Armenia, Armenians (OIA). Over 130 people attended the England, France, Germany, Holland, Mexico, banquet, including members of the greater Los Portugal, and the United States attended the Angeles community, as well as participants of Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) confer- the Society for Armenian Studies ence at UCLA on October 12-13. Dr. 45th Anniversary International Conference on Christopher Sheklian, director of the Krikor the Armenian Diaspora that took place October and Clara Zohrab Information Center, repre- 12-13 at the University of California, Los sented the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Angeles. Academic community members of the Church of America. University of Southern California and UCLA, Under the theme “Diaspora and ‘Stateless which were among the co-sponsors of the SAS Power,’” speakers addressed the subject of conference, also attended the banquet. “social discipline and identity formation” Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian (Director of throughout the Armenian diaspora in the the Armenian Studies Program at California 20th century. Papers topics ranged from the State University, Fresno) served as the master status of Syrian-Armenians in the Republic of of ceremonies of the banquet. SAS President Armenia, to historical accounts of Armenians Dr. Bedross Der Matossian (University of in Mexico, Lebanon, and the Soviet Union. Nebraska-Lincoln) welcomed the guests and Harry Keshishian with Edward DerKazarian (David Medzorian Photo) The gathering was also an occasion to cel- thanked the Organization of Istanbul ebrate the society’s 45th anniversary — and Armenians (OIA) for hosting the to honor the pioneering work of Khachig 45th Anniversary Banquet. In his remarks Dr. Tölölyan, a scholar of worldwide diasporas. Der Matossian outlined the initiatives that the Armenian American Veterans of Tölölyan gave the keynote speech: “From the SAS has undertaken since 2018. These new ini- Study of Diasporas to Diaspora Studies.” tiatives included awarding of new SAS Travel Greater Boston Banquet Honors Sheklian’s contribution — “Recent and Research Grants to graduate students, Immigration to Established Armenian establishing the SAS podcast series, starting a Communities: The Role of the Church in SAS Publication Series, establishing the Nina Oldest Member Harry Keshishian Shaping Immigrant Identity” — was based on G. Garsoïan Graduate Research Grant for his ongoing research. WATERTOWN — On October 27, the Armenian American Veterans of Greater Ancient and Early Mediaeval Armenian History, “I’m thrilled by the prospect of collabora- Boston celebrated its 67th anniversary with a Membership Appreciation and the beginning of e-Entries of the Society tive projects between the Zohrab Information Banquet, honoring its oldest member Harry Keshishian, soon to be 98 years for Armenian Studies (e-SAS), a website that Center and the Society for Armenian old in December. The event, which follows a recent annual tradition, was held was recently launched. Studies,” said Sheklian, who was recently at the newly renovated Oakley Country Club. Furthermore, Der Matossian announced that elected to the SAS executive council. This Armenian American Veterans organization was formed in 1952, became the Journal of the Society for Armenian A 45th-anniversary banquet was held on a part of the Amvets National Organization, a couple of years later, and was Studies (JSAS) will henceforth be published by October 12, at the Organization of Istanbul known as the Cpl. Paul S. Marsoubian Amvets Post 41, until a couple of years the prestigious Brill publishing house. He con- ago when it became affiliated with the AGBU. cluded his remarks by outlining the future pro- Eighty members and guests attended including invited widows of deceased jects of the SAS. members and enjoyed a delicious menu and music by Leon Janikian and his Prof. Houri Berberian, Meghrouni Family band that played many Armenian favorites as the crowd got up and danced. Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies and Post Commander George Haroutunian officiated the event as MC. He told Director of the Armenian Studies Program at the about the scholarship program for members of Amvets family and invited University of California, Irvine, spoke on behalf Harold Partamian, Scholarship Committee Chairman, to report results to date, of the Armenian Studies Chairs and Directors of totaling $170,500 awarded since inception of the plan in 2017 to 50 students the United States. She highlighted the new col- who are family members of Amvets past and present. He urged that all those laborative initiatives that have begun between who qualify as immediate family the Armenian Studies Programs and Chairs, as apply in the next cycle if they well as the new directions and vision of the field have not already done so, which of Armenian Studies. runs from Jan 1 to Apr 30, 2020. In a musical tribute to the 150th anniversary Haroutunian then mentioned of the birth of Komitas, musicians Greg the various donations made dur- Hosharian and Martin Haroutunian played ing the past year to charities, interpretations of Armenian folk melodies. which included: St. Stephens’ After the musical interlude SAS Executive Armenian School Scholarship Council member Dr. Dzovinar Derderian read Funds, Armenian Missionary from letters sent by former SAS presidents Dr. Christopher Sheklian of the Eastern Association of America (AMMA) Richard Hovannissian, Dennis Papazian, Diocese’s Zohrab Center (left) with Dr. Hratch celebration for its 100th year in Dickran Kouymjian, Ronald G. Suny and Tchilingirian of Oxford U., at the Society of the US, Armenian Heritage Park, Joseph Kechichian. Armenian Studies conference in L.A., National Association for Oct. 12-13. Der Matossian then awarded the Society Armenian Studies and Research Armenian Studies (SAS) “Lifetime Achievement (NAASR) for their grand opening Award” to past presidents. Among the awardees Armenians Hall in Los Angeles. Current SAS of their new headquarters, present at the banquet were Prof. Kevork B. President Bedross Der Matossian acknowl- Holiday meal for 350 frontline Bardakjian, Marie Manoogian Professor of edged the founders of the SAS and high- soldiers in Armenia on the Army Armenian Language and Literatures at the Post Commander George Haroutunian lighted some of society’s latest initiatives. holiday January 28 (which makes University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Prof. (David Medzorian Photo) (See related story on the same page.) the third year for this project), Barlow Der Mugrdechian. Dr. Der Matossian Longtime SAS members and distinguished Armenian Women’s Resource highlighted the unconditional support that scholars Kevork Bardakjian, Khachig Center in Yerevan, Armenian Nursing Home for additional Hoyer lifts, New Prof. Der Mugrdechian has rendered to the Tölölyan, and Barlow Der Mugrdechian England Home for Veterans, VA Veterans’ Fund at the VA Hospital, Ararat Society for the past several decades. received “Lifetime Achievement Awards.” Youth Conference Center, Armenian Veterans of the four-day war housing dam- Der Matossian also awarded a “Lifetime The event was co-sponsored by the aged during the war, and Orphans of the 4 day war. These donations have been Achievement Award” to Dr. Khachig Tölölyan Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the made possible by the funds received from the sale of the building on Grove (Professor of English and Comparative Literature Richard Hovannisian Endowed Chair in Street. at Wesleyan University) and founding editor of Modern Armenian History (UCLA), the Haroutunian introduced his executive committee, consisting of himself as the Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies (UCLA), Commander, First Vice Commander Edward DerKazarian, Second Vice Studies, a Zoryan Institute publication. the Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair (UC Commander, Robert Kaprielian, John Sahagian Finance Officer, and Jack Dr. Vahram L. Shemmassian (Director of Irvine), the Institute of Armenian Studies Medzorian, Vahan Berberian, and George Haroutunian as Trustees. the Armenian Studies Program, California (USC), the Armenian Studies Program The event was co-managed by Ed DerKazarian and Walter Nahabedian and State University, Northridge) gave the con- (California State University, Fresno), the his wife, who planned and managed all the details of the event. Credit was given cluding remarks. Armenian Studies Program (CSU to Vahan Berberian, who ran the event for a number of years. Archbishop Levon Zekiyan, the Armenian Northridge), and the National Association for see VETERAN, page 7 Catholic Archeparch of Istanbul concluded the ban- Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). quet with his congratulatory words and a prayer. 6 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Biggest Yazidi Temple in the World Opens in Armenia

TEMPLE, from page 1 ticularly felt in the Caucasus. Yazidi communi- out on an altar-like table facing the peacock. In response to the Isis attacks in 2014, he also This arid and sparsely populated Armenian ties were cut off from their main pilgrimage The visitors gathered around the table, kissing founded the All Russian Yazidi Congress in province might at first seem like an unusual site, Lalish, in northern Iraq for over 100 years. the fabric or tying knots to it. A visionary spir- Moscow, and the online video channel Lalish TV, place for such a temple and ceremony. Yet “I’ve never been to Lalish, we know it from our itual leader from Iraq known as a kochek which covers Yazidi news and culture globally. Yazidis are the biggest minority in Armenia, songs and its stays in our hearts,” says Anahit blessed the visitors. No expense was spared. “We lost track of the where over 80 percent of the population is Sharuef, a Yazidi poet from a nearby village. Yazidi temples are often connected to a bur- budget long ago,” says Hamlet Boghossian, Christian and ethnic Armenian. In the last cen- Instead, Yazidi rituals in the Caucasus centered ial ground. “Where a village does not have a who supervised the stone work. A stonemason- sus in 2011, the Yazidi population in Armenia around the home and their cemeteries. temple, they will construct a small shrine by ry workshop was installed next to the temple numbered at 35,000. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the their cemeteries,” says Fisher. Likewise, the grounds, to carve the marble that was import- “We don’t have a homeland, but our tradi- church has played a powerful role in Armenia first temple at Aknalich was built adjacent to a ed from Iran. “The temple will stand for hun- tions are safe here in Armenia,” says Temur and Georgia, further weakening the religious local Yazidi cemetery. dreds of years,” says Boghossian. Akmiyan, a villager from the province. minority’s sense of identity. Many Yazidis often The grounds also serve as a memorial park for “So many of our temples were destroyed in The qewwals live only in the Yazidi heartland visit churches to light candles, and kept Armenian and Yazidi history. With its stone monu- Iraq by Isis militants in 2014. That’s when I of northern Iraq. But they have ments dedicated to war heroes decided we should have a bigger temple here,” come here to Armenia for the and intellectuals, it is reminis- says Sloyan. opening of Quba Mere Diwane, cent of Soviet-era memorial Sloyan, who is now in his mid-70s, became the biggest Yazidi temple in the parks. It includes a sculpture interested in the Yazidi religion and culture in world, and only the third mod- and tombstone for the Yazidi his later adult life. “Our language is so complex. ern temple outside of Iraq. war hero Janghir Agha, who led For example, we have a different word for how “We’ve come to sing sacred victorious battles against the humans sit, how dogs sit, how lions sit – and songs and play music to conse- Turks in Armenia in 1918. And many other animals” he says. “The more I crate the temple. There are no a monument to the “Armenian learn, the more it fascinates me.” sacred singers in Armenia, and Yazidi Friendship” brings Today, Sloyan maintains relations with Iraq’s that’s why we’re here,” says together the symbol of a Yazidi Lalish Brigade, a Yazidi militia that is support- Qewwal Ziad. peacock with a Christian cruci- ed by the Iran-backed paramilitaries, known as Event organizers estimated fix. the Hash’d Al Shaabi. The brigade’s leader, Ali that over 20,000 people attend- A new monument com- Serhan Issa, was among the official guests from ed the opening day, from for- memorating the genocide of Iraq at the opening. mer Soviet Union countries as 2014 was unveiled on the Building the temple in Armenia was essen- well as Europe. A delegation opening day. It is the sculp- tial, Sloyan says. from Iraq included members of ture of Yazidi activist Nadia “Armenia is the safest country in the world the Yazidi spiritual council and Murad, a former Isis captive for the Yazidi people. I’m happy I built it here, Yazidi military men. and Nobel Peace Prize facing Mount Ararat. My grandchildren will Representatives of the Statues line the walkway outside the temple (RFE/RL photo) Laureate. Visitors placed also be proud.” Armenian church, government white flowers at the foot of “This is an important and historic day for the officials, army veterans and the the sculpture and prayed. Yazidi people,” says Barfa Tamoyan, an Armenian- heads of Yazidi organizations in the US and Christian iconography in their homes. The new temple is also part of a wider trend born Yazidi now living in France. Despite the heat Germany also attended. In the home of Armenian Yazidi villager Murad in post-Soviet states, whereby successful busi- of the opening day, she wears a voluminous black For the visitors from the Yazidi diaspora com- Usoyan, I spotted images of the Virgin Mary. “She’s nessmen from the diaspora build religious edi- ball gown and velvet heels to mark the special occa- munities of the former Soviet Union, this the Khatuna Fekhra, our Yazidi angel,” he explains. fices in their home towns and villages. The eco- sion. “We have built a temple in a country that is encounter with the Iraqi qewwals could be the “Our religions have many parallels.” nomic and political vacuum following the col- not our homeland. I hope we’ll have temples in first in generations. Throughout the morning, Further, economic hardship in post-Soviet lapse of the Soviet Union, as well as lawlessness Europe in the future.” people approached them to take group pic- Armenia is weakening the community’s presence. and organized crime, spelt extreme poverty for In the gardens, well-known Yazidi bands from tures. As they processed inside the temple, Like many Armenians, Yazidis began migrating to most and riches for the very few. Over 200 new Russia and Germany played ceremonial songs, crowds gathered to film the ceremony. Russia and Europe after the collapse of the Soviet churches are said to have emerged in Armenia while crowds continued to pour in an out of the Yazidis have no holy book, and the religion’s Union. By 2011, the Yazidi population of Armenia since the 1990s. temple, filming the event on their phones, and sacred texts were passed on orally by members of had dropped by 30 percent. Today, many isolated The temple’s sponsor, the Moscow-based taking selfies and group photos with friends their religious castes, who keep the details of the villages in which Yazidi traditions were preserved businessman Mirza Sloyan, who owns a shop- and family. religion a secret. In the past, this oral tradition was are mostly empty. ping mall in Moscow, was born near Aknalich. In lyrics composed for the opening day, preserved by close-knit tribal communities. But “If we don’t build temples outside of Iraq, we “This enormous building is my latest project,” Aydin Amara sings, “Come to the temple to a today this religious knowledge has weakened as a will lose our religion and our culture,” says he says, pointing back towards the temple that place of prayer and worship. To the Yazidi tem- result of ongoing migration, modernity, and con- Ruslan Jawoyan, an Armenian-born Yazidi liv- was still under construction, just days before ple, from which heaven blows.” flict in Iraq, Syria and Turkey. ing in Moscow, who was at the opening. the opening. (This article was edited for space considerations.) In Yazidi creation stories, the world was created On the week of the opening, a small temple- by light. As such, followers pray facing the sun, like shrine was inaugurated in the isolated vil- believing sunlight to be an emanation of God. Their lage of Sorik on the Armenian-Turkish border, Telephone (617) 924-7400 archangel, melak el tawus, takes the form of a pea- and another religious building was nearing cock. They do not accept converts, and are required completion in the village of Riya Taza in the to marry within the religion in accordance to the Aparan region of Armenia. Aram Bedrosian strict caste system. Their population numbers Yazidi temples consist of one or two conical today, estimated to be around 700,000 globally, are spires, or quba, each representing a Yazidi saint Funeral Home, Inc. dangerously dwindling. or angel. The spire has 12 or 24 ridges, and it Until recently, Yazidis did not build temples ends in a circle symbolizing the sun. The tem- Continuous Service By The Bedrosian Family Since 1945 outside of their heartland in Iraq. As well as the ple’s base is rectangular or square, with either MARION BEDROSIAN temple at Lalish, hundreds of smaller shrines a flat or vaulted roof. 558 MOUNT AUBURN STREET also exist in Iraq close to Yazidi villages. Hussein Hajji Othman, an Iraqi Yazidi writer PAUL BEDROSIAN “For a religion that does not have a book, who has come to Armenia for the opening, explains WATERTOWN, MA 02472 LARRY BEDROSIAN these shrines helped preserve the religion, serv- the spiritual significance of this architecture. ing as points of confluence and pilgrimage for “The temples are built from the ground to their communities,” explains Tyler Fisher, of the sky. The bottom has four corners, repre- the University of Florida, who researches the senting chapters of peace. Above it, the spire reconstruction of Yazidi temples in Iraq. simulates the sun beams. Everything above the Now scattered, Yazidis of the former Soviet spire is sunlight. Yazidis say that the sunlight is Union are the first among the community’s goodness, it is the source of life.” ever-growing diaspora to build modern temples. With its eight spires, the temple at Aknalich devi- GiragosianF UNERAL H OME A smaller temple with a single spire was first ates from this traditional model. A central spire James “Jack” Giragosian, CPC opened in Aknalich in 2012. This was followed symbolizes the Yazidi archangel Melak Tawus. It is Mark J. Giragosian by a temple and religious center in Tbilisi, the surrounded by seven smaller spires, each dedicated Funeral Counselors capital of Georgia, which opened in 2015. to an angel. At the top of the entrance is the elab- 576 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472, TEL: 617-924—0606 These three temples were recognized by the orate stone carving of a sun – a modern invention www.giragosianfuneralhome.com Yazidi high spiritual council in Iraq, according made specifically for this temple. to their organizers. The temple’s Yerevan-based architect, Artik Yazidi living in Anatolian provinces of the Ghulyan, was influenced by ancient Armenian Ottoman Empire – which today is eastern churches, whereby a central dome is surrounded by Turkey – began migrating to Armenia in the a series of smaller ones. Ghulyan introduced mod- 19th century. And then in 1915, entire Yazidi ern elements, such as a series of triangle-shaped Nardolillo Funeral Home villages fled genocidal campaigns against non- motifs along the outer walls, which symbolize sun Est. 1906 Muslim minorities of the collapsing Ottoman rays. “It recalls the ancient Mesopotamian cultures Empire, settling in Armenia. of Iraq,” he says. John K. Najarian, Jr. Up to 1.5 million Armenians are thought to have The spire of Yazidi temples is topped with a Rhode Island’s Only Licensed Armenian Funeral Director been killed in these campaigns. Under the Soviet brass icon, which is traditionally shaped as a Union, religion was banned, but Kurdish-speaking crescent moon or a hand. However, all eight 1278 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 942-1220 communities of Armenia and Georgia, who were spires at Aknalich are topped with a brass sun. 1111 Boston Neck Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 (401) 789-6300 predominantly Yazidi, received support to develop Inside are seven large sun-shaped chande- their culture, language and folklore. liers, and the icon of a peacock made of semi- www.nardolillo.com The absence of buildings for worship was par- precious stone. Colorful satin fabrics were laid S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 7 COMMUNITY NEWS Gala Banquet to Honor Jack Medzorian ASA Announces Awards BOSTON — The Knights and Daughters of Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association Vartan in Boston are inviting the public to join (CYSCA) and has been instrumental in bringing them on Sunday, November 17 in honoring Armenian students to America to both visit and PROVIDENCE, R.I. The Armenian •Matthew Agostino Brunelli, Ashburn, Jack Medzorian for a lifetime of service to study. Student Association (ASA) Gold Medal VA, he will be attending Bridgewater Armenians, both here in the Jack Medzorian has also Award is recognized as the highest College United States and especially in served the National Association Scholastic Award within the ASA. Any •Amara E. D’Antuno, Mapleville, RI, Armenia itself. for Armenian Studies and member of the ASA who is an undergrad- Burrillville High School, she will be Ararat Lodge Number 1 and Research (NAASR) where he uate student and is at least a sophomore attending Salve Regina University Arpie Otyag Number 9 will serves on the Board of in an accredited college or university with- •Ava Samara Gallagher, Hampton NH, host the event which will be Directors, the Armenian in the United States is eligible for consid- The Governor’s Academy, she will be held in Keljik Hall at the Saint General Benevolent Union eration for this award. attending Rensselaer Polytechnic James Cultural Center in (AGBU), tThe Counsel of Selected to receive the award this year Institute Watertown, beginning at 5 Armenian Executives and the is Matthew Madanian Reppucci of •Olivia C. Kooloian, North Providence, p.m. The gala celebration will Armenian American Veterans of Belmont, Mass. He is a biopsychology RI, North Providence High School, she include dinner followed by a Greater Boston, formerly the (pre-med) student at Tufts University. will be attending Catholic University program of anecdotes, enter- Cpl. Paul Mesrobian AMVETS Applications for the Gold Medal Awards •Rebecca Anne Masoian, Pawtucket, tainment and tributes from Post 41, of which he is a found- can be obtained at: www.asainc.org. RI, Tolman High School, she will be Armenia. The party will come ing member. He is also a former Deadline for submitting applications and attending Johnson & Wales University just two days after Medzorian superintendent of the Saint documentation is March 15, 2020. •Mark E. Shaghalian, Cranston, RI, celebrates his 93rd birthday. James Armenian Church ASA Silver Medal Awards Cranston West High School, he will be As a Knight of Vartan, Sunday School. The ASA Silver Medal Award attending Bryant University. Medzorian has served in He and his wife have four Committee selected eight (8) high school numerous positions including Jack Medzorian children. Their son David is a seniors to receive the Silver Medal Award. The Silver Medal Awards are given twice as Lodge Commander or member of Ararat Lodge and • Aram Barsom Assadourian, Hoboken, annually to high school seniors who have Sbarabed. He and his wife Eva their daughter Ruth is a mem- NJ , High Tech High School, he will be demonstrated outstanding scholastic abil- have together made nearly 100 trips to ber of Arpie Otyag. attending Villanova University ity. Armenia since 1972, many of which have been All friends are invited to come and join in the •Sareen Nairi Balian, Chevy Chase, Applications for Silver Medal Awards for humanitarian purposes in which they deliv- festivities on November 17. Tickets may be pur- MD, National Cathedral School, can be obtained at: www.asainc.org. ered medical equipment, educational supplies chased by going to https:// Washington, DC, she will be attending Deadline for submitting applications and and funding to rural areas where such squareup.com/store/knights-of-vartan-ararat. Columbia University; documentation is May 1, 2020. resources were and are badly needed. For further information contact David He is also a co-founder with his wife of the Medzorian at [email protected].

Armenian American Veterans of Greater Boston Banquet Honors Harry Keshishian VETERAN, from page 5 Haroutunian then introduced Harry Keshishian, who was a mentor to Haroutunian when he was a teenager, in building scale mod- els of flyable airplanes. Keshishian told about his experience in during World War II. He is a gentle, modest person with a strong love for his national heritage and comrades in arms.

Jack Medzorian (David Medzorian Photo)

Harold Partamian (David Medzorian Photo)

Haroutunian read off the names of the mem- bers who had died during the past year and asked for a moment of silence in their memory. These deceased brothers were: Jack Achmakjian, Jack Eordikian, Elliot Vanetsian, Nishan Berberian, Edward Orchanian, Sr., Samuel Zouranjian, Charles Kasparian, and Peter Talanian. — Jack Medzorian 8 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS Akçam, Honored By Knights and Daughters of Vartan, Calls for Creation of Genocide Research Center

like the Armenian General Benevolent Union, By Aram Arkun Facing History and Ourselves, and various Mirror-Spectator Staff scholars and intellectuals from around the world.

FAIR LAWN, N.J. — Historian of the Academics and Clergy Praise Akçam Armenian Genocide Taner Akçam was honored Prof. Thomas Kühne of Clark University at a banquet organized by the Knights and praised Akçam’s work, and pointed out the par- Daughters of Vartan Times Square Armenian allels in their work, with him a German study- Genocide Commemoration Committee on ing the Holocaust and Akçam a Turk studying October 25 at St. Leon Armenian Church’s the Armenian Genocide. Kühne was chairman Abajian Hall. of the Clark search committee which ended up Akçam holds the Robert Aram and Marianne choosing Akçam. Kühne addressed the latter Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar and said, “In you we had identified a perfect Endowed Chair of Armenian Studies at Clark candidate for the position…what better way to University and is one of the first Turkish schol- fight Turkish denial than to appoint a Turkish ars to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and write extensively on it. Dr. Vartan Abdo served as master of cere- monies at the well-attended event. Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, gave the invocation, while guests were welcomed by Hirant Gulian, ban- quet chairman and organizer. Gulian said, “People often ask me why are you so ardently working for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The Republic of Turkey will never recognize it.” He said that he would respond, “Nothing pursued, nothing gained. …The world will forget the Armenian Genocide only if we let them forget. Our cause is alive, we are alive, and we are determined to Dr. Taner Akçam, left, being thanked by Bishop Daniel Findikyan, with Dr. Mary Papazian, seated at achieve our goal and believe me, we will.” right (Vartan Esenyan photo) As part of this effort, Gulian stated, “Today we have translated [Akçam’s 2018 book] Killing Orders into 10 languages. There are 5 more to Honoring Legacies of Andonian and go. That means over 800 million people have Guerguerian the opportunity to read Killing Orders in their Master of ceremonies Abdo praised Gulian’s Dr. Thomas Kühne (Vartan Esenyan photo) respective languages. Our goal is to reach four dedication to the Armenian cause and the sup- billion people – b for billion — by 2021, and port of his wife Ruby before the memories of without your help, we cannot do it.” This out- Aram Andonian (1875-1952) and Rev. Krikor scholar. This award today proves the wisdom of Guerguerian (1911-1988) our choice.” were honored. Andonian, Professor Eric D. Weitz of the City College of journalist and historian, New York said that Akçam was a great friend escaped the deportations and teacher, who trained as a sociologist but and managed to obtain became a great historian. As such, unlike the and publish telegrams by denialists opposing him, he bases his work on Talat Pasha and other evidence and sources. Weitz coined the phrase Young Turk leaders after “the Sherlock Holmes of Armenian Genocide the war. He directed the research” when talking to a New York Times Armenian General reporter, and never imagined, he said, that it Benevolent Union’s Dr. Vartan Abdo (Vartan Esenyan photo) would become so popular. Boghos Noubar Pasha Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Library in Paris between Legate and Ecumenical Director of the Eastern 1928 and 1951 and saved based largely on the latter. Diocese of the Armenian Church of America in most of these telegrams A video presentation was screened with Washington, DC, proclaimed his thanks to the during World War II’s excerpts of Akcam’s speech at the Armenian many Turks who are suffering and working for German occupation of Genocide Centennial commemoration at Times peace and justice. He then exclaimed that Paris. Rev. Guerguerian Square in New York in 2015, expressing his Taner Akçam deserves to get the Nobel Peace Dr. Edmund Guerguerian receives certificate from Kevork Oflazian, found and preserved many shame and apology for the terrible crime of the Prize. left, and Tigran Sahakyan, right (Vartan Esenyan photo) documents pertaining to genocide and condemning its denial, and high- Khatchig Mouradian, the first doctoral stu- the Armenian Genocide, lights of the messages about Akçam published dent of Akçam at Clark University, said that one which now are being digi- in the commemorative booklet the Knights of the things that really moved him is the reach will include India, China and Japan. He tized and made available online (https://com- published for this banquet. The booklet acknowledgment of the role of mentors and said he believed that the day was coming when mons.clarku.edu/guerguerian-archive/). includes messages from Minister of Foreign scholars who had paved the way, such as the Republic of Turkey would recognize the Abdo asked all to rise in honor of these two Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Zohrab Andonian, Rev. Guerguerian and Vahakn Armenian Genocide. senior scholars. Dr. Edmund Guerguerian, Mnatsakanyan, US Senator Charles E. Dadrian, in Akçam’s case. In turn, Mouradian Gulian announced that Dikran Cherchian, 99- nephew of Rev. Guerguerian, was given a cer- Schumer, US Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., said he was happy to acknowledge Taner years-old, was present. He is the son of Vahram tificate of recognition by Tigran Sahakyan, co- New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy, US Akçam’s help to him. Scholars like Akçam, he Cherchian, who taught art classes in the chair of the Times Square Armenian Genocide Ambassador John M. Evans, Gladys Berejiklian, said, do not just produce new scholars, but also American Robert College in Istanbul and creat- Commemoration Committee, and Kevork Premier of New South Wales, Australia, provide an example of engagement in the life of ed the famous signature of Mustafa Kemal Oflazian, Vice Grand Commander of the Armenian church leaders at the highest levels the community and world, shaping society Atatürk. Cherchian came to the stage to con- Knights. Dr. Guerguerian kept his uncle’s files starting with Catholicos of All Armenians around them. gratulate Akçam in person. for decades. Akçam’s book Killing Orders was Karekin II, leaders of Armenian organizations CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Hirant Gulian (Vartan Esenyan photo) Dr. Khatchig Mouradian (Vartan Esenyan photo) Dr. Ümit Kurt (Vartan Esenyan photo) Dr. Eric Weitz (Vartan Esenyan photo) S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 9 COMMUNITY NEWS

Making Food Functional: Concord Native out to Transform Nutrition Bar Industry

find a good nutrition bar on store shelves that met her By Rob Fucci requirements. She wanted a bar that was functional, tasty and healthy. She often searched for a bar that would fuel her brain, but those typically came away with an unappeal- CONCORD, Mass. (Concord Journal) — Sophie Gechijian ing taste. admits her first days as an entrepreneur were quite scary. “There are tons of bars on the market,” she says, “but no The Concord native, who works as an electronic trader in one seems to be satisfied with the current offerings.” Boston, felt she could make a difference for those who crave nutrition bars. But without a background in business, she What’s that name again? knew it could be a rough road. Concord native Sophie Gechijian is an admitted math “I decided to jump in and start teaching myself,” she says. nerd. “I’m figuring out every hurdle and challenge as they come.” So when it came to time to name her nutrition bar busi- Those first hurdles and challenges happened on October ness, she used that math background she honed as a stu- 2018 when she launched her nutrition bar company, f(x) dent at Northeastern University. foods. Pronounced “function foods,” Gechijian said the goal “It’s a calculus term,” she says of f(x), which is pro- is to make nutrition bars that “serve a greater function than nounced “function foods.” “I was thinking about a name I just filling you up.” wanted ... the whole purpose was to have a snack with a bet- The Concord-Carlisle 2012 graduate says it was hard to ter function than just filling you up. The math nerd in me wanted to spell it in the calculus way. I learned a lot of people don’t’ think that way.” The explanation of the company name can be found on the nutrition bar packages. Gechijian began making her bars in 2018 in her parents’ kitchen. During nights and week- ends, she researched and experimented with ingredients, bringing in samples of her granola bar recipes to work for her coworkers to cri- tique each day. Sophie Gechijian From there, she rented commercial kitchen space and now outsources production, which allows her to scale and grow her distribution. Her second product is Heart Food, which is similarly Despite continuing to work her 8-to-5 finance made with only cardiac-friendly ingredients. job, she’s able to put in 25-30 hours for f(x) Her ultimate goal, she says, is to create a national brand foods, which has allowed her to expand the and disrupt the nutrition bar industry. business. “I am selling in over 20 places around Boston in compa- Her first product was Brain Food. She says nies, fitness studios, coffee shops, boutique markets and it’s a soft and chewy bar made with just 11 online,” she says. “It doesn’t feel like work because it’s so ingredients known to fuel your brain properly. much fun to build my own company.” An f(x) bar and some of the hearty ingredients that go into them The main ingredients include almonds, dark To learn more about f(x) foods, visit https://fx- chocolate and coconut. foods.com/.

Akçam, Honored By Knights The encouragement of Vahakn Dadrian in Turkey. Dink was murdered because he was played a key role in Akçam’s academic develop- an Armenian and because he spoke the truth, And Daughters of Vartan ment, Papazian said, and also led to Papazian Akçam said. and her husband Dennis hosting him during his The denial policy of over a century must be FROM PREVIOUS PAGE first weeks in Detroit. eliminated, Akçam exclaimed. As an academic, Dr. Ümit Kurt, another student of Akçam at Papazian explained, “The wonderful thing his duty is to wage a “war of enlightenment” Clark, thrilled the audience by speaking in about Taner, as I said, is that it never was about against this by advancing existing and creating Armenian. Kurt acknowledged Akçam’s person- him. It was never about the accolades. Taner new institutions. There is a huge denialist al guidance and help from the very start of his would actually be more comfortable going industry operated by the Turkish government doctoral career. He stressed Akçam’s personal through life without the accolades we are giv- which exploits universities. The side of truth is warmth, morality and humanitarian nature. His ing him. He is a truly humble man who is doing badly underfunded. pleasant nature and encouragement made Kurt the work because it is the right work to do, An Armenian Genocide research center is want to work all the harder. because the story has to be told, because truth badly needed for the truth to prevail, Akçam Dr. Mary Papazian, president of San Jose still is the foundation for building a just and said. There are many Armenian history chairs, State University, California, was the keynote honest society….It is our obligation as a com- Clark has a great program, but there is not even speaker. She said that it was not a foregone con- munity to say thank you, but it is not a thanks one Armenian Genocide research institute in clusion for someone like Akçam to come to the that he is seeking.” North America in an American university. In place he is at today. His sense of justice led him, Papazian concluded that Akçam’s work can comparison, roughly 250 Holocaust programs when young, to work for the Kurds in Turkey, eventually bring harmony and peace to the cur- and institutions exist. rent Republic of Armenia, when Turkey accepts While denialism can not only be defeated aca- the truth concerning the Armenian Genocide demically and it must be politically defeated, and no longer fear Armenians. Akçam said, the power of knowledge is critical too. The creation of a research center is the nec- Akçam Gives Thanks, Calls for essary next step in this process, he concluded. Creation of Research Center Akçam took the podium to thank all those Award and Conclusion who organized the banquet, starting with Taner Akçam Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan Hirant Gulian. He said that ironically the cele- Steven R. Adams and Vice Commander bration of his work that night was a byproduct Hoplazian presented Akçam with the Lifetime of the Turkish government’s longstanding poli- people along the way that he was able to stand Achievement Award. cy of denial. Furthermore, the silence of the before the audience this night. Bishop Daniel Findikyan, Primate of the majority of the Turkish people makes his voice The first person Akçam mentioned was Diocese of the Armenian Church of America in contrast strong, he said. He continued, Professor Vahakn Dadrian. He then noted (Eastern) gave the closing remarks and bene- emphasizing that he longs for the day that Dennis and Mary Papazian, Fatma Müge diction. He thanked the Knights and Daughters truth-telling is no longer anything out of the Göçek, Greg Sarkissian, Stephen Feinstein, Eric of Vartan for their leadership in the Armenian ordinary. Weitz, his colleagues at Clark University and Church, and stated that Akçam’s award was a Akcam said the simple answer to why he does the creators of the chair he holds now. The sup- very well-deserved distinction, not only on the what he does was his father, who said that if port and love of the Armenian community have basis of his scholarship but because all his work you see injustice, don’t ignore it—you must be energized him, he said, over the years, along has been in service to the truth. He said that, the first one to speak out. His father also would with numerous friends in Turkey whose names “We also know that it is his fearless commit- say that if you are not willing to pay the price he could not mention for the sake of their safe- ment to the truth that sets him apart from oth- for what you have written, don’t write it. ty. Akçam continued to name many Armenian ers.” Dr. Mary Papazian (Vartan Esenyan photo) Akçam said that he was arrested five times as individuals and organizations whose support Findikyan concluded: “Seeing such an indi- an activist for social justice in Turkey and expe- were important for him. vidual gives us hope that the larger problems of rienced torture. When he began to research the He highlighted the name of Hrant Dink, who history confronting us and confronting all peo- and for true democracy. This led to prison, and Armenian Genocide, he received death threats, wanted to live in Turkey as a fully equal citizen ple can be approached indeed in a spirit of his famous escape to Europe, where he contin- was subjected to physical attacks, and even in of Armenian background together with Muslim truth and generosity, and that those larger ued his education. He chose to do serious aca- the US had to deliver lectures under police Turks. Dink wanted the truth of the Armenian problems can ultimately be resolved. Professor demic work to bring the truth out in the open. guard as the inevitable price for standing up for Genocide acknowledged and some measure of Akçam, the Armenian people will always honor As always, he wanted to bring about a better his beliefs, as his father taught him. He said justice achieved, Akçam said, so that a shared your dedication and conviction and we will Turkey. that it was thanks to the help of many, many future could be created for Armenians like him always cherish your warm spirit of friendship.” 10 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS NAASR Unveils New Headquarters

OPENING, frompage 1 for people to come in and use the building for study purposes. Of course, the building will host the Mardigian Library, one of the top five Armenian libraries open to the public in the diaspo- ra, with 40,000 books and rare periodicals dating to the 1800s, as well as unique personal archives of prominent scholars, early Armenian-Americans, and religious leaders, including Father Krikor Guerguerian’s archive of rare Ottoman documents. These books and documents will not be allowed out of the building but can be accessed by scholars on site. The building also features a modern auditorium seating 155. As the wind was picking up and the sun was setting, Gregorian spoke briefly, joking that he did not want to be responsible for the assembled catching pneumonia. He praised Ed and Pamela Avedisian, who had provided the majority funds for the new building and asked that it be named for Gregorian. He said he

Dr. Vartan Gregorian

years since Armenians have been in the US, they are now fully establishing themselves and becoming truly part of the fabric of Yervant Chekijian speaks at the opening. the greater community. (A full interview with Vartan Gregorian will appear in next week’s issue.) had just come back from Armenia, where he had visited the Designer and sculptor Michael Aram spoke next, explaining the school the Avedisians are supporting for grades 4-12, in one of meaning behind his intricate statue placed outside the new build- the poorest neighborhoods in Yerevan. All expenses are paid for ing. He added that he used the “idea of eternity and how it related the students and in turn, those students are excelling. to NAASR’s mission.” “Ed and Pam are my heroes,” he said. Aram said that he used the traditional Armenian Arevakhach eternity design, along with laurel leaves, pea- cocks and circles in the sculpture, in the center of which is a round box that serves as a “per- sonal time capsule,” with loving notes to and from his children. “It is my realization that love is eternal,” he concluded. Several members of the clergy offered prayers NAASR Executive Director Sarah Ignatius before the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Jack Medzorian and Van Aroyan, the oldest members of the NAASR board, as well as the children and nieces and nephews of Gregorian and Aram. Several guides offered tours of the building. The three-story building has many long windows offering natural light as well as glass walls. In addition, a room will feature the University of Southern California (USC) Shoah Archives, which include testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivors. According to Ignatius, the rare books will Nancy Kolligian unveils a memorial dedicated to NAASR founder Manoong Young move to the building on November 18 and the staff will be fully moved in by the end of November. Since the demolition of the previous He praised other “heroes,” Carolyn Mugar of the Armenia Tree building, NAASR staff have used the Watertown Project and his fellow Aurora Prize founders, Noubar Afeyan and offices of the AGBU. Ruben Vardanyan and their UWC Dilijan College, which is for “I have looked at architectural renderings for two years but to grades 11 and 12, and has students from 80 countries. actually see it come to life was overwhelming. I was ecstatic. It is He encouraged greater investment in Armenia. “We have almost unreal,” Ignatius said after the event. invested all over the world except Armenia,” he said. A light reception was held with food from anoush’ella. Gregorian noted it was especially appropriate that in the 400 ALL PHOTOS BY JIRAIR HOVSEPIAN

Ed and Pamela Avedisian

Michael Aram surrounded by his family, including husband Aret Tikiryan and their two children, Anabel and Thadeus, and Aram’s From left, David Ignatius, and his father, Paul Ignatius, with parents, Anita and John Wolohojian. They are joined by NAASR’s Anthony Barsamian and Armenia’s Ambassador to the US Ani Babaian. The Michael Aram sculpture outside the new building Varuzhan Nersesyan S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 11 COMMUNITY NEWS 12 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS AMAA 100th Annual Meeting Banquet Inspires, Impresses

By Florence Avakian

WALTHAM, Mass. — The 100th anniversary of any gathering is impressive; the weekend of October 18 to 20 the Armenian Missionary Association of America’s (AMAA) 100th Annual Meeting Banquet was especially noteworthy as it celebrated the Armenian Evangelical Church and the 173rd anniversary of its founding. Its significance was marked by the presence of hundreds of members, friends and faithful who came from as far away as Australia, Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Greece, France, and the East and West Coasts of the United States. The highlight of the extraordinary weekend was the grand Banquet on Saturday night, October 19, which began with a cocktail recep- tion, followed by a delicious dinner in the ele- gantly decorated ballroom. The more than 300 guests present were warmly welcomed by Banquet Co-Chair Michèle Simourian both in English and Armenian. Skillfully running the program was Master of Ceremonies and Banquet Co-Chair John Banquet Co-Chairs John and Michèle Simourian Simourian, who with the right touches intro- duced the prominent individuals present, including Armenia’s Ambassador to the US He pointed out the enormous contributions to be true Christians, and citizens, and have nious and hard-working” banquet committee, Varuzhan Nersesyan, and Rev. Antranig Baljian, of the AMAA in the last 100 years, including been exposed to all the studies of an exemplary the AMAA staff and all involved individuals for representing the Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy during the devastating 1988 earthquake, dur- education.” the successful weekend and Banquet, AMAA of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, ing and after the birth of the independent Delighting the audience, two acclaimed world Executive Director and CEO Zaven Khanjian Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian. Armenian republic, the time of Artsakh’s fight class musicians, tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan, asked Stephen Papazian, the moderator of the Following the singing of the National for liberation, and its creation for a better and mezzo soprano Victoria Avetisyan, who had Armenian Church of the Martyrs of Worcester, anthems, and the invocation delivered by Rev. future providing shelter, food and education in started the banquet program with the to come forward to receive a “Sugar Sculpture” 24 countries. American and Armenian anthems, sang several donated by Linda Khachadurian. “And during the recent Armenian and international favorites, including Revealing the main challenge of his position, tragic war in Syria, the the soul stirring Pari Arakil, Habanera, Solo Zaven Khanjian stated “a challenge that I strug- AMAA has been ready to sup- Mio and Hayastan. port any Armenians willing Manucharyan who has sung at the to settle in Armenia in the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln aftermath of Turkey’s recent Center and other concert halls in the US, Italy attack on the north of Syria,” and Ireland, brought the house down with his he explained. rendition of Pari Arakil dedicated to Armenia’s All these activities demon- symbolic beloved bird (the crane). The couple’s strate that the AMAA is a dramatic singing of Hayastan was another “unique and deeply national crowd pleaser. Armenian institution,” the AMAA Vice President Dr. Michael Voskian Armenian diplomat stated. paid tribute to the history of the Armenian “With such a great heritage, Evangelical Church which he revealed has and rigorous determination, grown and consists of 124 churches and five the AMAA will continue con- unions in Armenia, North America, the Near fidently in its mission in the East, France and Eurasia. 21st century,” he stated to Representing the Armenian Evangelical thunderous applause. Churches around the globe is the Armenian Evangelical World Council, with its President Serving 24 Countries Rev. Joël Mikaélian who was asked to come for- AMAA President Dr. ward by Dr. Voskian. Armenia’s Ambassador to the US Varuzhan Nersesyan Nazareth Darakjian who Also honored were Rev. Dr. Avedis AMAA Vice President Dr. Michael Voskian paid spoke about coming to the Boynerian, host of the Armenian Memorial tribute to the history of the Armenian Evangelical US 43 years ago following Church, as well as Rev. Stephen Carlyle of the Church: Dr. Avedis Boynerian, Pastor of the Armenian “the horrors of the Lebanese civil war,” expand- first Armenian Evangelical Church in North Memorial Church in Worcester, MA, ed on the AMAA’s powerful history which today America established on January 1, 1892 the Ambassador Nersesyan was introduced. serves the Armenian Community in 24 coun- Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester. gle with is the difficulty in conveying a well- Nersesyan recalled the founding of the tries with a yearly budget of more than $10 mil- All were presented with special plaques. deserved gratitude to righteous men and AMAA in Worcester 101 years ago following the lion. women who fly on the wings of goodness in life, Armenian Genocide when “hundreds of thou- This generation has capabilities that far True Faith and who instead, faithfully direct it to God.” sands of Armenian men, women and children exceeds those in 1918, he stated. “Our work is During the joyous evening, a female guest Khanjian also announced that a symposium were still roaming in the deserts in Syria, not done as long as there is hunger for God’s suddenly passed out, and was immediately will soon take place in Armenia on the post- Lebanon and the Middle East, suffering from work, as long as there are children who are attended to by attending doctors until the Genocide endeavor to save the remnants of the hunger, poverty and the lack of any minimal thirsty for education, and as long as there are ambulance came. As this was happening, sever- survivors. It is being organized by the conditions of life.” families or individuals for whom finding daily al small groups of badvelis (pastors) sponta- Armenian Genocide Museum Institute bread is a daily challenge. May God make us neously rose making small circles with their Foundation, and is sponsored by the Armenian worthy of this mission.” arms on each other’s shoulders, bending their Missionary Association of America. A video of the Khoren and Shooshanig heads, and silently praying for the ill woman. “It will honor and bring to light the many Avedisian High School in Yerevan’s Malatia- Expressing deep appreciation to the “inge- heroes who miraculously embraced the Sebastia district was shown, a school totally orphaned Armenian children and widowed funded by the AMAA that has been tuition-free mothers with shelter, healing, food, education for more than 580 students. and lovingly shielded them from the killing One of the graduates of the Avedisian High fields of Der El-Zor,” he said. School, Lucine Mnatsakanyan, was invited by He remembered that today anguished civil- Dr. Darakjian to come forward, and accept the ians in the towns and villages in Syria, deporta- Leadership in Energy and Environmental tion is once again taking place, leaving behind Design (LEED) certificate and the glass plaque all they possess. “But the clear victims are the for the Avedisian High School in honor of the Syrian people, including the progeny of the Avedisians who were not present. Avedisian Genocide survivors. High School is the first building in the Republic “The AMAA has faced the spiritual and of Armenia to achieve this status and was also humanitarian challenges of our people, and we awarded the LEED Earth Designation, given have collectively and positively answered the only to the very first building project in each call, and through your righteous giving will developing country to satisfy the USGBC continue to make it happen,” he said in conclu- LEED criteria. AMAA Executive Director/CEO presents sion to a standing ovation. Avedisian High School Alumna Lusine Mnatsakanyan, who is now a third-year stu- Stephen Papazian, the Moderator of the The closing prayer and Benediction by Mnatsakanyan and AMAA President Dr. dent at the American University of Armenia, Armenian Church of the Martyrs of Worcester, Mikaélian, and the singing of God Bless Nazareth Darakjian paid tribute to the great attributes of the with Linda Khachadurian’s “Sugar Sculpture” America brought an extraordinary and inspir- Avedisian High School, saying, “We are raised ing banquet and weekend to a close. 13 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Arts & Living

Celebrating BOOKS Armenian Art and Artifice Church Music In Armenian And Musicians Manuscript Eastern Diocese Holds Illustration Sacred Music Festival By Arthur Hagopian By Gevik Anbarchian JERUSALEM — The advent of Christianity and its adoption as a state religion by Armenia EVANSTON, Ill. — Armenian Church musi- provided an unparalleled opportunity for the cians from throughout the United States gath- resurgence of artistic fervor among the newly ered at St. James of Nisibis Armenian Church converted, resulting in the creation of some of here on October 4-6, for an innovative weekend the country’s most elaborate works of art, par- of lectures, workshops and performances of the ticularly in the domain of miniature illustration. Armenian Church’s sacred music. The event The artists set about their joyous task with was organized by the Sacred Music Council of abandon, evident in the masterpieces that they the Eastern Diocese with the blessing of have bequeathed to us down the ages, their Bishop Daniel Findikyan, Primate. Vatche Ghanimian and Mariette Soudjian brushes delving not only into the pages of the “Our goal is to revive the tradition of mag- gospels, but probing into the non-biblical nificent, faith-inspiring Armenian sacred music domain, including the apocryphal, as well. within our parishes,” the Bishop said at the Scholars of various nations have pored over outset of his own presentation on Saturday the rich legacy, but the quest is far from over, morning, “I’d like to see the festival become a as a leading scholar, the late Dr. Nira Stone, regular part of our church calendar, being held points out in a newly released volume, Studies several times a year both regionally and nation- A Groom for in Armenian Art, published by Brill, Leiden, the ally throughout the Diocese.” Netherlands, embodying “collected papers” Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, pastor of St. written earlier. James and Chair of the Sacred Music Council, The 262-page hardcover book, which is edit- spearheaded the organization of the weekend ed by Nira’s husband, leading Armenologist together with a small committee led by Deacon Larry and Wendy Farsakian, with the eager Our Times participation of a number of his parishioners. “Father Hovhan, himself a musician by train- ing, immediately understood my goals for the LOS ANGELES — A revolving door of humorously offbeat yet lifelike characters charmed their way into audience’s hearts during the most recent production of “Where Is Your Groom?” II which was staged for the greater Los Angeles commu- nity on Sunday, October 6, marking a six-year run gracing stages from its debut at The Players Theatre in New York City’s Greenwich Village all the way to the land- mark Alex Theatre. Similar to the previous 15 sold-out performances in different cities across North America, this production entertained the packed audience while tackling a con- temporary subject relevant to the Diaspora. Focusing on the themes of Armenian social norms and the potentially thorny issues of assimilation and mixed marriages, the comedy that’s written, directed and produced by Taleen Babayan, encouraged dialogue for a community at a crossroads through endless humor and hijinks. “Every ethnicity and age can find laughter and fulfillment in this play’s profes- sional production and story, even my young niece and nephew who are still talk- ing about it,” said audience member Dr. Sharis Simonian. “The play was completely transgenerational, impact- ing my parents who are immigrants, as Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan leading instrumen- well as my husband, a third-generation tal workshop. Armenian-American, whose family members immigrated before and dur- weekend and took up the initiative with great ing the genocide.” enthusiasm,” Findikyan explained. While the play takes place in the Michael Stone and medievalist Asya Bereznyak, “This weekend demonstrates how much our present-day, it speaks to the universal is lavishly peopled with reproductions of diocese can do if we bring together our wealth societal customs and traditions in manuscript pages and paintings, a large num- of talent,” Khoja-Eynatyan said. order to convey a timely message ber in full color, but a few unfortunately bereft The Festival began Friday evening with a through theater — a notion that of their original splendor. reception for parish choir directors and clergy Harout Soghomonian is familiar with A detailed index helps facilitate one’s search, hosted by the Primate, followed by Vespers and (l-r) Taleen Babayan, Vartan Nazerian as a native of Beirut, Lebanon, where and an exhaustive bibliography points the way dinner. After dinner, the weekend got off to a and Nora Nazerian he was a fixture in the theater scene to further study. joyous start with a prelude performance by St. during a time when the community “The essays here display the great range of James’ Narek Bell Choir, an ensemble that needed the arts the most. her interests and expertise. in them she pre- Khoja-Eynatyan formed last year as a way for “I’m happy to see original Armenian theater continuing in the Diaspora, espe- sents new discoveries and sheds new light on the children of his parish to better connect cially in the United States,” said Soghomonian, an actor, musician and comedian neglected artistic traditions,” remarks with the Church. who played the family patriarch. “It’s important to be forward-thinking in Armenian Christina Maranci, professor of art history, Deacon Rubik Mailian, music director of St. theater so our voices are heard during critical times.” Tufts University. John Armenian Church in Southfield, Mich,, By bringing the community together through a multitude of audience members “Her studies demonstrate a keen eye for presented a keynote lecture-recital entitled, and the 22 cast and crew from all backgrounds and ages, a symbiotic relationship divergences from iconographic convention and “Gomidas Vartabed at 150 Years: His was created by artistic members that centered around the core purpose of pre- their potential relation to nonbiblical textual Contribution to Armenian Sacred Music.” This serving a cultural heritage in the modern world. traditions,” he adds. year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth “I was lucky to have creative freedom with the character Taleen wrote and she Stone’s work has opened up and illumined a of Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935), a celibate ultimately gave me something that doesn’t come along that often,” said actor and very broad field of research, a field in which her priest and ethnomusicologist who traveled the comedian Haig Hovnanian, who played the role of the Armenian-American priest. untiring efforts have established firm founda- Armenian countryside recording and notating “Being able to work with such an amazing cast and crew who brought their talents tions, in the words of Armenian art historian the myriad of folk songs that had been passed to life was truly wonderful to be around.” Anna Leyloyan-Yekmalyan. She is fascinated by down orally for centuries. As a clergyman, he Echoing his sentiments, actress and make-up artist Helen Kalognomos, who one particular manuscript, from Kaffa in the also transcribed many sharagans (hymns), and see GROOM, page 14 Crimea, called “Desert Fathers of Egypt,” and composed several versions of the Armenian not only because it is the only copy among see WORKSHOP, page 16 see MANUSCRIPTS, page 15 14 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARTS & LIVING

The cast of “Where Is Your Groom?”

Chris Kioudjian, Harven Danielian, Liza Iskenderian, Aleen Khanjian, Asdghig Abadjian, Aleen Vartkessian, Arees Setrak, A Groom for Our Times Hratch Mkhjian, Hannah Pollock and Arevig Abadjian, a congeniality and chemistry was GROOM, from page 13 in-laws to the hapless ex-boyfriend to the zany The clever and spirited production reveals conveyed through the script that reflects the portrayed the wise and au-courant grandmoth- priest partake in the themes of immigration and substantial layers throughout its nearly two- prevalent times while honoring the past. er, noted she had a “great time performing with cultural assimilation through satire. hour performance that brings to light ques- “Taleen is one of the few, if not the only our wonderful cast and hope more people have “I’m grateful to have grown up in a viable tions about the ethnic experience in America young Armenian-American writer, director and the opportunity to see the play.” Diaspora where I was exposed to Armenian the- from all standpoints. Through the stellar cast producer of our times,” said Vartan Nazerian, This show marked the third performance in ater productions,” said Babayan. “This play not California this year, following productions in only merges the experience of both American Pasadena and Fresno, where the story of an and Armenian theater, it also gave us a chance Armenian family in America, determined to pre- to learn about different Diasporan communities serve their ethnic heritage, unfolded. A slew of by taking the production on the road while humorous characters, from the eccentric future leaving our own imprint on the genre.”

(l-r) Harout Soghomonian, Alina Simonian, Sharis Simonian, Andre Simonian and Arpi Simonian

and crew, featuring Harout Soghomonian, President of the Nazerian Group, a supporting Maro Ajemian, Mariette Soudjian, Helen sponsor of the production. “Her dedication to Kalognomos, Mary Basmadjian, Mardik the Armenian family and cultural life are unique (l-r) Mado Iskenderian, Helen Kalognomos, Harout Soghomonian Iskenderian, Vatche Ghanimian, Henry and unparalleled. We look forward to more of Abadjian, Haig Hovnanian, Joseph Hovsepian, her productions.”

A scene from Where Is Your Groom (l-r): Maro Ajemian, Mado Iskenderian, Harout Soghomonian, (l-r) Maro Ajemian, Chris Kioudjian, Harout Soghomonian Mariette Soudjian, Joseph Hovsepian, Mary Basmadjian & Vatche Ghanimian S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 15 ARTS & LIVING Art and Artifice in Armenian Manuscript Illustration

MANUSCRIPTS, from page 13 perhaps of the symbolic importance of the particularly opportune time with the recent Hetoum II’s Lectionary copied in 1286, the several others known to us to be illustrated, color “in the context of monastic spirituality.” announcement of the discovery of a 1,500-year- great fish is shown vomiting its victim with with over 500 small paintings by the monk and The manuscript was written at a time of old Byzantine church near Jerusalem contain- such force that it is expelled outside the frame artist Thaddeus Avramenc of the fifteenth cen- divergent political upheavals and instability. ing what Antiquities Authority sources describe encompassing the sea, and encroaching onto tury. The medium of spotless and pure representa- as “some stunning” mosaics. the colophon, clear out of the text, as pioneer The rich and artistic illuminations are highly tion in white is perhaps meant to reflect a She notes that significantly, animals por- Armenian art historian Sirarpie der Nercessian original and creative, a fact that, however, poses poignant quest for salvation in those troubled trayed in the mosaics she has studied, like the points out in her definitive work, ”Armenian problems for scholars, according to her. times. one in Musrara outside the walls of the Old Art.” The frame that was a barrier was broken “The originality of the illuminations in the The data Stone collected from apocryphal City, are illustrated in a most naturalistic way. in order to create a sense of movement and 1430 manuscript enhances its intrinsic value texts has allowed her to propose a new (One exception is the 6th Century medallion drama. while at the same time creating those problems approach in the study of illustration and icono- close to the Musrara site, crafted by Yevsdat or Some of the paintings in the manuscripts are that generally accompany such uniqueness,” grpahic reading of gospel or other biblical Eustathius the priest, which did not contain also characterized by simplicity both of style Stone notes. images that are enriched with new elements, any human or animal illustrations, but rows of and iconography. “We often feel some discomfort where we are Leyloyan-Yekmalyan observes. text, perfectly preserved). ”In spite of the wealth of color there is no suddenly confronted by an artistic work that “Through the light cast by apocryphal texts, Stone dwells at length on the relationship attempt at naturalism, even a stylized natural- does not belong, at first glance, to any readily she was able to show the legitimacy and deep- between text and illustration. Some illustra- ism. There is no attempt to convey depth or per- recognizable school, style, atelier or other cate- er symbolic meaning of unusual figures and tions, such as those in various sorts of Psalters, ception although this is typical of Armenian gory.” other elements that previously had been mis- are tied to the text that stands at their side and manuscript painting from earlier periods,” she This warrants further study, she urges. understood or simply ignored,” she adds. in fact themselves form part of that text. writes. Although gold remains the paramount medi- In her lifelong quest, Stone has had occasion Sometimes the illustration are taken out the But the simplicity of execution and style con- um of pictorial illumination, the incomparable to visit the sites of many of the mosaics uncov- text itself and set in the margin. In one espe- trast with the richness of these paintings. Desert Fathers is noted for the conspicuous ered in the Holy Land, and her analysis of these cially powerful rendering of Jonah and the The Desert Fathers’ paintings reveal both use of white in the pictorial style, a reflection sites, particularly Shellal, near Gaza, come at a whale in the royal manuscript called King eastern and western influence, as seen in the faces of the figures which are elongated, the hair fair and sometimes even the eyes light. Stone’s discoveries, revelations and insights have enriched our knowledge, appreciation and connection with the national treasures of the Armenian people, an accomplishment rare in scholarship. Guest Recipe Her passing is an incalculable loss for Recipe Armenology, but her name and efforts remain enshrined in Armenian culture as a witness of that people’s unique, creative identity. And Armenian scholarship is comforted by the thought that her husband, Michael Stone, will Corner be there to continue the work. Survivors Testimony by Christine Vartanian Datian And ‘The Promise’ at Vezirian Family’s Yalanchi Recipe Ararat-Eskijian Museum When it comes to making stuffed grape leaves (“yalanchi”), most Armenian families have their MISSION HILLS, Calif. — The Ararat- own unique recipes. Robyn Kalajian at thearmeniankithen.com reports that Vivian Vezirian- Eskijian Museum (AEM) and USC Shoah Hovsepsian, a cousin from the ‘Dikranagerdsi’ side of her family, was happy to share her fami- Foundation are sponsoring a presentation, ly’s recipe that was handed down to her by her beloved mother, Victoria Vezirian. Robyn adds “The Promise: Contextualized with Testimony,” that Vivian thinks this recipe originally came from her maternal grandmother, Gadar Najarian, on Sunday, November 10, at 4 p.m. at the who was from Dikranagerd. Ararat-Eskijian Museum/Sheen Chapel 15105 Vivian prepares fresh grape leaves in the following manner: She picks them when they’re Mission Hills Rd. young and tender, parboils the leaves until they change color, drains and cools them, then takes This unique presentation invites the general a bunch, stacks and rolls them, squeezing out excess water. She then puts the stacks of leaves public to watch key scenes from “The Promise” in zip lock freezer bags. She says they store indefinitely. She always dates the year the leaves extended with audiovisual testimony of sur- are picked and uses the older batches first. When ready to prepare grape leaves, Vivian puts the vivors and witnesses to the Armenian Genocide. frozen leaves in cold water until thawed; drains excess liquid and lets the rolling begin. Through an interactive guided viewing with Dr. The late Victoria Vezirian and her daughter, Vivian Vezirian-Hovsepian. Carla Garapedian and Sedda Antekelian, Education and Outreach Specialist, Armenian Genocide Education at USC Shoah Foundation, INGREDIENTS attendees will 3 lbs. finely chopped onions learn about sig- 2 cups olive oil nificant details 1 1/2 cups rice (Carolina rice is the best to use in this recipe, Vivian suggests) about the pro- 1 can tomato paste (12 oz.) duction of the Juice of 3 lemons, to taste film and how tes- 1-2 tablespoons paprika timony extends the historical 1 tablespoon allspice understanding 3/4 cup pine nuts, to taste of the Armenian Salt and pepper, to taste G e n o c i d e Few dashes cayenne pepper beyond the film. 1/2 large bunch parsley, finely chopped Garapedian is 80-100 fresh grape leaves (jarred grape leaves may be used if fresh are unavailable) the associate producer and PREPARATION historical consul- In a large pot, sauté onions and rice in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent, for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasional- tant of “The Dr. Carla Garapedian ly. Add more oil or lower heat if mixture sticks or appears like it is burning. When onions are limp, add remaining ingredients except the Promise,” 2016. grape leaves, stir, and cook for another 10 minutes. Garapedian is an Remove pot from stove, stir, and cool ingredients completely, about 20-25 minutes. (Drain any oil from pot into a bowl for later use.) accomplished and renowned filmmaker, award- Remove stems. Lay one grape leaf on a flat work surface, shiny side down. Place two teaspoons of filling at the stem-end of the leaf, winning director of the film “Screamers,” writ- depending on the size of the leaf. Spread filling about three-quarters across the width of the leaf. Start rolling the leaf from the stem end er and broadcaster. Garapedian continues to away from you, then fold each side of the leaf over the filling and continue to roll away from you. Fold leaf firmly, but not too tightly, so produce film and documentaries, consults on leaf will not unravel during cooking. diverse projects and programs and serves as an Line torn or leftover grape leaves on the bottom of a baking pan or large pot to buffer grape leaves from direct heat of the oven or active advocate and researcher. stovetop. Arrange grape leaves not more than three layers deep. Drizzle grape leaves with any drained oil from pot. Add warm water to Sedda Antekelian is the education and out- fill baking pan or pot about 3/4 full. reach specialist, Armenian Genocide education Cook on top of the stove on medium heat or bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about one hour, until most of the liquid is at USC Shoah Foundation. Antekelian develops absorbed. Check if rice is fully cooked, and remove from oven to cool completely. testimony-based educational content for educa- Refrigerate entire baking pan or pot overnight for best results. Serve grape leaves at room temperature with fresh lemon wedges. tors and students and leads educator training Drizzle with olive oil and more lemon juice, if desired. workshops on how to teach with testimony in Yield: Approximately 80-100 grape leaves. the classroom. Antekelian has experience in the educational sphere for over eight years. *Recipe and photos contributed by Vivian Vezirian-Hovsepian and Robyn Kalajian at thearmeniankitchen.com. See an informative how- Free admission and open to the public. to-stuff-and-roll grape leaves video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiNsQyPUJ64 For more information call the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at Eskijian@ararat-eskijian- museum.com. 16 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARTS & LIVING

Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church Hosts Cultural Program

HAVERTOWN, Penn. — On October 6, Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church of Havertown hosted the Inter- Communal Committee’s October cultural program. This year, the Committee invited cellist David Bakamjian and actor Nora Armani to present “Evocations of Armenia,” a program co-created by the two for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2008. During the hour-long performance, voice and cello, in turn

Philadelphia area Inter-Communal Committee at Armenian Martyrs’ Congregational Church, Havertown

Nora Armani and David Bakamjian with the music of Komitas (in recognition of the 150th Bakamjian is a performer and dedicated teacher based in anniversary of his birth) and 20th-century composer Alan New York. He has recorded on classical and baroque cello, Hovhaness, whose works challenge the virtuosity of any musi- has performed as soloist and principal for various orchestras and together, captivated the nearly 100 people in the audi- cian. Bakamjian performed these with sensitivity and skill, and offers chamber music workshops for adult amateurs. ence with various examples of Armenian musical and literary giving rich context and beauty to the stories and poetry that Armani is a published poet, playwright and filmmaker. She heritage. Ancient chants and secular songs were interspersed Nora Armani shared throughout the program. divides her time between New York and Paris. Eastern Diocese Holds Sacred Music Festival

WORKSHOP, from page 13 focusing on visualization and technical exercises perform sacred music. Karinne’ Andonian, choir conductor at Holy Divine Liturgy, the Soorp Badarak (“Holy for key choral skills such as phonation, posture Sevag Derderian, Chair of the Association of Trinity Armenian Church in Cheltenham, Sacrifice”). and breath support. Armenian Church Choirs of the Western Diocese Pennsylvania, found it encouraging “to learn Tragically, on April 24, 1915, Gomidas Vartabed “It’s a fantastic initiative to bring our com- (AACCWD), focused on weaving the thread of ways to help our choir members grow in their was among the more than 200 Armenian intellec- munity together through musical education and sacred music into the lives of our youth. The musical and spiritual expression. It’s been vali- tuals and community leaders who were deported studying our musical tradition,” she observed. AACCWD has developed an innovative Sunday dating and encouraging to my own expression of by the Turkish authorities from Constantinople to Also participating was the Very Rev. Mamigon School music curriculum, that includes a set of the Badarak as a conductor.” holding centers in Angora (Ankara) in what Kiledjian, the Diocesan Instructor of Sacred instructional videos, to teach our young people For John Paklaian, subdeacon at St. Gregory marked the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. Music. He led a series of workshops and tutorials the hymns of the Badarak. the Illuminator Armenian Church in Chicago, While he escaped execution, Gomidas was afflict- on the history and role of the organ in the Before dinner, attendees rehearsed two key the festival was a continuation of an endeavor he ed with traumatic neurosis. He was eventually Badarak. He also spoke about techniques to hymns of the Gomidas Badarak, Hayr Mer (“Our had begun as a child. “As someone who grew up moved to Paris in 1919 and died in a psychiatric in the Armenian Church and learned from an clinic in the Paris commune of Villejuif in 1935. early age our liturgical music tradition, I have His ashes were transferred to Yerevan the follow- always sought a better understanding of the ing year and buried in the pantheon that was interaction between altar servers, choir members named after him. and the organist during Badarak. This festival The festival continued in earnest on Saturday was helpful in raising the level of consciousness morning with morning worship followed by of those who serve the Armenian Church Findikyan’s keynote address entitled, “When through song. We were blessed to have such Armenians Sing with the Angels,” in which he wonderful presenters!” spoke about the power of the liturgical tradition, Pat Der Matosian-McCoy of the host parish with its combination of music, theology and described the experience as, “A wonderful oppor- prayerful poetry, to create a sacred space that tunity to work on our singing and learn new draws us into communion with God and with vocal techniques. Daniel Srpazan’s keynote was one another, “a space where we can perceive the particularly instructive and inspiring.” true mystery of God’s presence in our midst.” Varya Petrosyan, parent of two Narek Bell He recalled his experience in Rome as a doc- Choir performers, sees Khoja-Eynatyan’s initia- toral student when, “My Catholic Jesuit profes- tive as a great way to encourage kids to attend sors often stated publicly in the classroom that church. “Children feel they have a role and a pur- the Armenian Church’s liturgical tradition is the pose at church, and coming to church becomes most sublime in all of Christendom. For many more natural. Parents don’t have to convince reasons — antiquity, simplicity, theological them to attend, especially as they get older.” sophistication — but in addition because of the Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan conducting St. James’ NAREK Bell Choir. Khoja-Eynatyan considers the weekend a great beauty and power of our sacred music, our litur- success. “Every generation has to do its part to gical music. I was usually the only Armenian in preserve and add to the rich history of music in the classroom.” assist altar servers, the choir and even the cele- Father” (i.e., the Lord’s Prayer) and Soorp, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and we were The day continued with a variety of simulta- brant to stay in tune with the organist. He fur- Soorp, (“Holy, Holy”), in preparation for blessed that St. James could host the first gath- neous workshops for vocalists, altar servers, ther discussed the role of organ improvisation in Sunday’s episcopal Badarak. ering of this festival.” choir members, choir directors and organists. the Badarak. The evening concluded with a screening of the A number of individuals made contributions to Deacon Rubik presented a fascinating workshop “It was inspirational to be part of this first documentary, “Singing in Exile,” featuring the make this first Sacred Music Festival possible: on the aging voice, or what he prefers to describe such festival, especially as it coincides with the AKN Armenian Choir of Paris, which is reviving Bishop Daniel (In memory of Diramayr Ursula as “the evolving voice.” He detailed what singers one-hundred fiftieth anniversary of Gomitas an ancient style of Armenian sacred chant. The Findikyan), Haig and Nadine Ariyan (In memory can do to maintain their voices in spite of age- Vartabed’s birth,” Kiledjian said. screening was followed by a question-and-answer of Levon Ariyan), Melanie Dadourian (In related changes in such things as posture, In other sessions, Khoja-Eynatyan surveyed session via Skype from Paris with Aram and Memory of Haig Dadourian), Der Hovhan and breathing and sound production. the numerous digital resources that the Sacred Virginia Kerovpyan, co-founders of the AKN Yn. Narine Khoja-Eynatyan (In Memory of Dn. “You shouldn’t become disheartened by the Music Council has recently created, including Choir, which was organized and moderated by Socrates Boyajian), Komitas Choir of St. John’s natural aging process. Just like the muscles you sharagans with full musical notation and audio Deacon Kavork Hagopian, choir director and Armenian Church (Southfiled, MI), Dr. Sam work out at a gym, the human voice can be main- recordings, as well as the Giragatsooyts, which organist at St. James. Mikaelian, Hayr Simeon Odabashian (In memory tained by various exercises that become even provides choir directors and others with all of Clergy and lay people alike expressed much joy of Diramayr Zabel Odabashian) and the Tatosian more vital as a person ages. Nutrition and regular the musical and liturgical variables for each for attending the weekend festival. “I was moved Family. The Festival was also supported by the exercise are also key to maintaining your voice.” Sunday of the year. he and his son Alexander, by the enthusiasm of the participants and their Bishop’s Ministries Fund of the Diocese. New York-based Argentinian-Armenian mezzo- both trained percussionists, later offered a ses- eagerness to learn as much as possible,” said Fr. soprano Solange Merdinian conducted a vocal sion for instrumentalists, in which they explored Avedis Kalayjian, Pastor of St. Mesrob Armenian (This article is the more detailed version of training and technique workshop for singers how other musical instruments might be used to Church in Racine, Wisconsin. a piece that ran in the October 19 issue.) S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 17 ARTS & LIVING CC AA LL EE NN DD AA RR

School 35th Anniversary Celebration. Keynote speak- CALIFORNIA er: Dr. Diran Apelian, Professor of Engineering & Former MICHIGAN NOVEMBER 23 — Join the Armenian EyeCare Project Provost, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Distinguished for its annual Gala celebrating another year of great Professor, UC Irvine. Entertainment: singer Artur NOVEMBER 16 — The Knights of Vartan, Nareg- accomplishments in Armenia. Held at the beautiful Hakobyan (Mister X). Emcee: Lisa Gulesserian, Ph.D., Shavarshan Lodge #6 and the Daughters of Vartan, Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, at 6:30pm. Evening Harvard’s Preceptor on Armenian Language & Culture.@ Zabelle Otyag #12 will celebrate their respective 100th begins with stunning cocktail reception and silent auc- The Westin Hotel Waltham-Boston. 6:30pm Cocktails / and 70th organization anniversaries. Featuring: Kevork tion followed by an exquisite five-course dinner, live 7:30pm Dinner and program. More to follow… Artinian and his All Star Band at St. Mary’s Cultural Hall, Armenian music by the Hosharian Brothers Band, a live NOVEMBER 21 — Third Thursdays! Classic Groove with 18100 Merriman Rd, Livonia. This is a fundraiser auction and more! Tickets are $450/person if reserved by special guest, John Berberian on Oud, 7 p.m. recep- Dinner/Kef Dance to celebrate Knights and Daughters as Oct. 10; $500/person after Oct. 10; and $250/person for tion, 7:30 p.m., concert at the Armenian Museum of well as a chance for future members to observe how our those age 35 & under. All proceeds to benefit the AECP’s America Adele & Haig Der Manuelian galleries, 3rd floor, community puts our heritage on display. All proceeds to many sight-saving programs in Armenia. To RSVP or for 65 Main Street, Watertown. Classic Groove draws on the fund renovation of school gymnasium, Knights of Vartan more information, call 949-933-4069, email info@eye- versatility of its members to perform a diverse mix of #106, Elementary School, Yerevan, Armenia. For careproject.com or visit eyecareproject.com/gala music for all occasions. Classic Groove’s repertoire ranges Reservations Contact: Laura Lucassian, (248) 376-3794, from R&B to Top 40, Smooth Jazz, Latin, Country, Swing, Cost $75 per person, $40 after 9:30 pm FLORIDA Middle Eastern, show tunes, male and female duets, Blues, and Motown. They are thrilled to have a special NEW YORK DECEMBER 7 — Saturday, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. The guest musician, John Berberian on the oud for this per- Women’s Guild of St. David Armenian Church in formance! This performance was made possible thanks NOVEMBER 15 – Book presentation by Adrienne G. Boca Raton, invites all members, spouses & friends to to the Dadourian Foundation. Members free. Non-mem- Alexanian, editor of her father’s memoir Forced into their Annual Christmas Luncheon & Fashion Show at the bers $15. (The museum’s elevator is in the process of Genocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army - Fordham University Armenian Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort, 2019 NE 2nd Street, being upgraded and is currently out of service.) NOVEMBER 22 and 23 — Saints Vartanantz Armenian Society, Fordham University, 113 West 60th St. N.Y., N.Y. Deerfield Beach, FL, to enjoy an afternoon of fellowship, 10023CANCELLED – Room 602 – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. For information delicious food, and exciting fashion provided by Mario Church, Annual Food Festival and Bazaar, 180 Old – [email protected] Book sales/signing following the pre- Pucci, among others. For reservations (deadline Nov. Westford Rd., Chelmsford. Food and Pastries, and Vendors, sentation. All proceeds from the sale of the books will be 29th) and additional information, please call Diane Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. donated to St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. Azarian (401) 556-3886, Ginny Kyvelos (781) 789-9169, Live Armenian Music and Dancing, Friday – 6 to 8 p.m. NOVEMBER 15 — Community forum on “Diaspora or the church office (561 994-2335. Narrated Slide presentation about Sts. Vartanantz Church Cooperation with the Republic” Friday, 6 p.m., DECEMBER 13, 14, & 15 — Friday, Saturday, & Sunday history followed by a Sanctuary Tour – Saturday, 11 a.m. Fordham University, 113 West 60th St., Room 602. - Friday - 6pm to 10pm; Saturday - 9am to 10pm; Tavloo Tournament - Sartuday, 2 p.m. For information, Moderator Harold Takooshian of Fordham University; Sunday - 1pm to 6pm; - St. David Armenian Art & Food please call 978-256-7234. Also, possible to include the fol- Allen E. Berber on engineering and science; Dr. Lawrence Festival, 2300 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, FL. Join us for lowing picture and short article on the bazaar. V. Najarian, medicine and healthcare; Ani Kalayjian, men- an afternoon of delicious homemade Armenian food, NOVEMBER 24 — Second Sundays Cultural Series: tal health and trauma; Alkesandr V. Gevorkyan, eco- fun, fellowship, raffles, and children’s activities while you Painting Mt. Ararat. 2-4 pm at the Armenian Museum nomics, with discussant Lernik Essayei. Hosted by the shop for Christmas gifts at our vendors. For more infor- of America Adele & Haig Der Manuelian galleries, 3rd Fordham Institute. All are welcome. Refreshments mation, call the church office at 561-994-2335. floor, 65 Main Street, Watertown. Sunday. Led by Artist- served. Admission is free and there is ample parking on the in-Residence Arevik Tserunyan, attendees will learn about NOVEMBER 17 and 24 — Art show sponsored by St. church grounds. artist Martiros Saryan and his depiction of Mt. Ararat to Gregory Enlightener Armenain Church of White guide their own recreation. Members $28. Non-members Plains. Two Sundays, 12-12.30, Creative art by five local MASSACHUSETTS $35. To register, call Education Coordinator, Garin artists for viewing and purchase. 1131 North St., White Habeshian at 617- 926-2562, ext. 103 or email at Plains. NOVEMBER 8 and 9 – Annual Autumnfest Bazaar [email protected]. Limit 12 per class. sponsored by the Armenian Church at Hye Pointe, at (The Museum’s elevator is in the process of being RHODE ISLAND our new location 1280 Boston Road, (Rte. 125) Haverhill, upgraded and is currently out of service.) For more infor- Friday 12 – 7 pm and Saturday 12 – 7 pm. Lamb, Losh, mation visit: https://www.armenianmuseum.org/classes NOVEMBER 17 — Armenian Historical Association of Chicken Kebab and Kheyma. Dinners served all day. DECEMBER 1 — A cappella Christmas Concert by Rhode Island presents Ruth Thomasian, Founder and Pastry table, Armenian cuisine, gift baskets, raffles for Boston Jazz Voices to Benefit the Armenia Tree President of Project Save Armenian Photograph Archives, cash and prizes. For more info, visit www.hyepointear- Project. 5 p.m. at the Jenks Center, 109 Skillings Road, Inc. Program titled “A Look at Ourselves: Armenians menianchurch.org or call (978) 372-9227. Take Rte. 495 Winchester. The venue has plenty of free parking. Event through the Camera’s Eye.” Sunday. Refreshments at N to exit 48, bear right at the end of the ramp. will feature an a cappella performance, refreshments, raf- 12:30 pm Lecture 1:00 pm. AHARI located at 245 NOVEMBER 9 — Armenian Women’s Welfare fle, and silent auction. Tickets are $30 each and a family Waterman Street, 5th floor conference room Providence. Association, Annual Luncheon, honoring Carolann four-pack of tickets is available for $100. Tickets available The AHARI Museum will be open from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Najarian, MD with AWWA Founders Humanitarian via Eventbrite at www.armeniatree.org/acappella Everyone is invited to bring family photos for Ruth’s “ Award on Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. at Belmont Country DECEMBER 6 and 7 — Friday and Saturday, Trinity Antiques Road Show” evaluation after the presentation. Club,181 Winter St., Belmont. Tickets may be purchased Christmas Bazaar, Friday, 12 noon-9 p.m., Saturday, [email protected] online at www.eventbrite.com/d/ma—boston/awwa/ or 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater November 30 — Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Church by contacting Stephanie Ciccolo at sciccolo@armenain- Boston, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge. For further infor- ACYOA Alumni - Providence Chapter - 48th ANNUAL nursing.com or 617-522-2600 ext. 101, Complimentary mation, contact the Church Office, 617.354.0632. HOLIDAY KEF. Evagian Cultural Center, 70 Jefferson St., valet parking available. DECEMBER 8 — Candlelit Labyrinth Walk: In Peace & Providence. 8:30 PM - 1 AM. Featuring Johnny Berberian, November 9 — An Evening with Fr. Vasken Kouzouian: Harmony “Boston’s Newest Holiday Tradition.” Sunday, Mal Barsamian, Jay Baronian, Kenny Kalayjian.. Cash Bar, Celebrating 25 Years of Ministry, 6:30 p.m., Cocktail 4:30-5:30 p.m., Armenian Heritage Park on The Raffle, Coffee, Dessert — Adults $25, Students $20For Reception; 7:30 p.m., Dinner and Celebration, Samberg Greenway, Boston. Meet & Greet. Celebrate. Walk the reservations contact Rena Megrdichian (401)573-5731, Conference Center, MIT, Chang Building (E52), Floor 7, Candlelit Labyrinth. Tie a Ribbon with Your Wish on the Dorothy Martiesian (401)749-0269 or church office 401- 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Donation is $100 per per- Wishing Tree. Enjoy Hot Chocolate & Luscious Cookies. 272-7712 [email protected] Sponsors & Donations son. Seating is by advance paid reservation only. RSVP appreciated [email protected] accepted if you cannot attend. Purchase tickets online at https://aneveningwithfr- DECEMBER 15 — Christmas Holiday Concert – Erevan vasken.eventbrite.com or through the Church Office, Choral Society and Orchestra, 3:00 p.m., Church 617-354.0632. Sanctuary, Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater NOVEMBER 10 — Second Sundays! Traditional Boston, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA. Save the Armenian Dance Lessons. 2-4 pm at the Armenian date; details to follow. For further information, call the Museum of America Adele & Haig Der Manuelian gal- Church Office, 617.354.0632, or email [email protected]. Mirror- leries, 3rd floor 65 Main Street, Watertown. On the sec- DECEMBER 31 — Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston ond Sunday of every month, join experts Gary and Susan invites the community to welcome the New Year Lind-Sinanian for a workshop on Armenian dance in our together, at its New Year’s Dinner-Dance celebration. St. Spectator staple program of the Second Sundays Cultural Series! James Church’s Charles Mosesian Center/Keljik Hall, 465 Calendar items are free. Entries should not Gary and Susan have collected over 100 village dances Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown. Entertainment will be pro- and shared these with the community for the last 42 vided by popular singer Arabo Ispiryan and his band from be longer than 5 lines. Listings should years. Learn Armenian dances performed at American Armenia, and community’s very own DJ Rams! Cocktail include contact information. Items will be hour is at 7 pm, with dinner served promptly at 8 pm. And picnics and traditional dances from the old country. edited to fit the space, if need be. A photo Members free. Non-members $15. Register online or call of course, there’ll be dancing ‘til 2am! Donation: Adult - Education Coordinator, Garin Habeshian at $125; children (5-12): $75 For tickets please call Alina may be sent with the listing no later than 617.926.2562 Ext. 103 today! For more information visit: Ashjian (617) 852-1816 or Mike Demirchian (617) 240- Mondays at noon. https://www.armenianmuseum.org/classes 8266 or go online SNDCNYE2020.eventbrite.com Tickets NOVEMBER 16 — St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary are advance purchase only. 18 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY Mirror Visible and Invisible Factors that Led Spectator To House Victory

forgive Samantha Power’s transgressions, although Rabbi By Edmond Y. Azadian Shmuley Boteach had taken her to task in the Jerusalem Post (November 5, 2019) for breaking her pledge. EstablishedEstablished 1932 1932 Many factors contributed to generate such a powerful momen- AnAn ADL ADL Publication Publication At long last, one branch of the United States government rec- tum for the passage of the resolution, some of them obvious, ognized the Armenian Genocide. while others are subtler. Indeed, the House of Representatives adopted HR 296 with Of course, the two Armenian advocacy groups, the Armenian an overwhelming number of votes (405-11). For more than 35 National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of

EDITOR agonizing years, the hopes of the Armenians were hanging over America, worked relentlessly to educate the legislators and gal- Alin K. Gregorian the unstable political relations between the US and Turkey. The vanize their grassroots forces. latter’s continuing bullying and threats and the US’s hesitation But all these factors and organizations were in motion before, ASSISTANT EDITOR made the passage of the resolution all the more valuable. yet nothing had resulted. The fact of the matter is that other Aram Arkun The significance of the resolution is enhanced even more political developments came to empower the movement and

ART DIRECTOR because of its inclusive content: it sums up all the previous leg- wrench success. One was the deterioration of American-Turkish Marc Mgrditchian islative and commemorative acts, including the United States relations. government’s May 28, 1951 to the International Court of Turkey’s authoritarian rule at home only cost that country a Justice, President Reagan’s Proclamation 4838, House Joint slap on the wrist; it was President Erdogan’s arrogance and chal- Resolution 148 of April 8, 1975 and others, as well as the fact lenge to the White House that brought the situation to a head. that 49 out of 50 states have extended recognition, as have 30 Ankara, in its drive to carve a security zone inside Syrian ter- SENIOR EDITORIAL COLUMNIST: countries and the European Union. ritory, began slaughtering the Kurds, including members of the Edmond Y. Azadian These items expand the political and legal scope of the mea- YPG forces who had valiantly fought alongside US forces in sure to universal parameters. defeating ISIS. That infuriated the American public and CONTRIBUTORS: It was also very dramatic to watch one representative after President Trump, who resorted to puerile arguments to dis- Florence Avakian, Dr. Haroutiun another giving testimony and arguing for the passage of the res- count the contributions of the Kurdish forces. He imposed sanc- Arzoumanian, Philippe Raffi Kalfayan, olution, reverberating the voices of Ambassador Henry tions on Turkey and lifted them within 24 hours. Yet, on the Philip Ketchian, Kevork Keushkerian, Morgenthau, US Consul Leslie Davis (who wrote The same day as the Armenian Genocide vote, the House concur- Harut Sassounian, Hagop Vartivarian, Naomi Zeytoonian Slaughterhouse Province), sometimes with emotional overtones. rently passed another resolution to impose its own sanctions, again with an overwhelming bipartisan support. CORRESPONDENTS: We have mentioned that this combination of factors Armenia - Hagop Avedikian led to the passage of the resolution. However, each fac- Boston - Nancy Kalajian tor has a relative potency; we mentioned the deteriorat- Los Angeles - Taleen Babayan ing US-Turkish relations and Turkey’s defiance of Berlin - Muriel Mirak-Weissbach NATO’s leadership in purchasing Russian military hard- Contributing Photographers: ware. Jirair Hovsepian We have also to factor in the Turkish-Israeli relations. President Erdogan is intoxicated with power. No one can challenge his harsh authoritarian rule at home but his intoxication has blinded him as he has crossed some red The Armenian Mirror-Spectator is published lines in his foreign policy. weekly, except two weeks in July and the first week of the year, by: It may sound ironic, but the fact that the passage of the resolution is indirectly Mr. Erdogan’s gift to the Baikar Association, Inc. Armenians. In order to trace that intricate combination 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509 of politics, we have to further delve into Middle Eastern Telephone: 617-924-4420 affairs. FAX: 617-924-2887 First, Israel has punished all authoritarian rulers in the www.mirrorspectator.com region which have posed existential threats through the E-Mail: [email protected] US’s military muscle — Libya, Iraq, Syria and now Iran is For advertising: [email protected] on the radar. That policy can work also in reverse to reward Israel’s Political pundits and the general public have been wondering friends. why the resolution passed now, at this very moment, after dan- Turkey has challenged Israeli hegemony in the Middle East. It gling for 35 years. has opposed independence for Kurdistan from Iraq, citing con- One explanation is that the stars were in proper alignment to cerns over Iraq’s territorial integrity, as if Turkey cared about SUBSCRIPTION RATES : yield a positive result. Those stars are certainly the political fac- any nation’s territorial integrity. (Cyprus and Syria provide tors which were almost always at odds to force friends and foes ample evidence to the contrary. ) in Congress to confess that “it is not the time to pass the reso- On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was U.S.A. $80 a year lution in order not to offend our ally Turkey.” the only head of state to call for Kurdish independence because But as Rep. Adam Schiff stated in his testimony, it is always Israel has set up shop in autonomous Kurdistan, having its intel- Canada $125 a year the right time to recognize the Armenian Genocide. ligence, military and political assets there, close to the Iranian Several times in the past, the votes were lined up and were Other Countries $190 a year border. And yet, Turkey is worried that an independent tantalizingly close to passage but once Nancy Pelosi, the Kurdistan will inspire and inflame all Kurds in the region, includ- Speaker of the House, delayed the vote. Another time, the White ing the 25 million in Turkey, to fight for independence. House intervened through President Bill Clinton to Republican The Kurds in Syria were about to carve out another © 2014 The Armenian Mirror-Spectator Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert; the two were at odds with autonomous enclave in Syria, near the Turkish border. That is Periodical Class Postage Paid at Boston, MA each other on all issues except when it came to holding a vote why Erdogan took the risk of routing the Kurds from their his- and additional mailing offices. on the Armenian Genocide. toric habitat under the guise of creating a safe zone. ISSN 0004-234X Later on, Mr. Hastert’s cover was blown to reveal him as a cor- As the Kurds were chased out, they were chanting slogans rupt official on the payroll of the Turkish government. including “Long Live the Kurdistan-Israeli Friendship.” That was Samantha Power, President Obama’s ambassador to the more than a symbolic gesture. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The United Nations, is part of the story. She had endeared herself to Armenian Mirror-Spectator, 755 Mount Auburn Therefore, Israel lost another base in Syria. St., Watertown, MA 02472 the community as a humanitarian, publishing her powerful In the meantime, Turkey has been supporting the book, A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, Other than the editorial, views and opinions Palestinians, Hamas in Gaza, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily on the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust and the Cambodian and Islamists in Libya. reflect the policies of the publisher. genocide. That book also propelled her all the way to the White It was also on the wrong side in the standoff between Qatar House, despite her run in with another powerful woman, Hillary and Saudi Arabia, siding with the former, while Israel supports Clinton. the Saudi Kingdom. To top it all, Turkey sent its warship to the Ms. Power had convinced the Armenian community through Eastern Mediterranean to disrupt oil and gas exploration by a a letter that Barack Obama would recognize the Armenian consortium set up by Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Cyprus. Copying for other than personal use or Genocide if elected, which of course, turned out to be false. Turkey’s claim was based on defending the supposed rights of internal reference is prohibited without Her opinion piece in the New York Times (October 29, 2019) Northern Cyprus, a country illegally carved out of Cyprus, by express permission of the copyright comes belatedly to absolve her as she writes: “I have written invading Turkish forces in 1974. Thus, it is clear that the increas- owner. Address requests for reprints or about the Armenian Genocide and argued for recognition, back issues to: ing Turkish-Israeli tensions have been impacting Israel’s transat- including (unsuccessfully) as a member of the Obama lantic relations. Administration. I have joined Armenian-Americans at numerous It is a fact that every time the Genocide resolution was Baikar Association, Inc. commemorative events.” brought to the House floor, Israeli advocacy groups, certainly in 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472- Given the Machiavellian nature of realpolitik, Armenians can continued on next page 1509 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 19 COMMENTARY

Presidents have done since Pres. Reagan. tle between the Armenian American community and the 4. “Resolution 296 will allow Armenians to file lawsuits in Turkish government and its paid lobbyists as to which side US courts against Turkey demanding restitution for damages has more political clout in Washington. The overwhelming suffered during the Genocide.” This is not true. As mentioned victory (405 to 11 votes) is a clear indication of the smashing above, two similar Congressional Resolutions were adopted in defeat of Turkey and the total victory of Armenians. My Turn 1975 and 1984 and neither one helped Armenians win a sin- 8. The Turkish government has wasted tens of millions of gle lawsuit against Turkey in US courts. dollars over the years hiring high-powered American lobbying By Harut Sassounian 5. “After the passage of Resolution 296, if the US Senate firms in a failed attempt to block the approval of Armenian adopts the counterpart Resolution (SRes.150), and if Pres. Genocide Resolutions by the US Congress. It is impossible to Trump signs it, then the Resolution becomes a law.” This is misrepresent genocide as a humane act no matter how many Genocide Resolution: A Major untrue, since both the House and Senate versions are “stand billions of dollars Turkey spends on lobbyists! Victory, But Facts Should not Be alone” Resolutions. Should the Senate version also be adopt- 9. Turkey’s defeat also sends a message to the Turkish pub- ed, the Resolution will not go to Pres. Trump for his signa- lic that the taxes they have paid are being squandered by Ignored ture, since the House and Senate versions were not submit- their government to deny the undeniable. ted as a “Joint Resolution.” 10. Some have made the excuse that Congress took advan- On October 29, 2019, Armenian Americans scored a major Nevertheless, none of the above clarifications are made to tage of the souring relations between Turkey and the United victory in the halls of US Congress. For the first time in 35 minimize the value of the adoption of Resolution 296 on States to pass Resolution 296. While this is true, there are years, the US House of Representatives adopted Resolution October 29, 2019. Here are the reasons why this Resolution several counter-arguments: 296 affirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide. was a major victory for the Armenian Cause: a) Congress is a political body; hence all its deliberations I used the term affirming because contrary to many 1. After trying to pass a genocide resolution in the House and decisions are of a political nature; Armenian and non-Armenian commentators, this was not the for 35 years, it is a major accomplishment for the Armenian- b) If it weren’t for the diligent efforts of Armenian-American first time that the United States has recognized the Armenian American community to be able to finally score such a victo- organizations and the Armenian community, there was no Genocide. In fact, this was the fifth American governmental ry. It is not possible to continue demanding that the guarantee that this Resolution would have appeared on the recognition. As I have reported dozens of times in past years, Armenian public support a cause for decades without a con- agenda of the House of Representatives. Since the US the United States Government first recognized the Armenian crete result from time to time. This victory will energize Congress was unhappy with Turkey’s invasion of Northern Genocide in 1951 when it sent an official document to the Armenian-Americans to continue their commitment to the Syria, the House of Representatives would have been satis- International Court of Justice (World Court) presenting the Armenian Cause and work harder to attain greater accom- fied by passing a Resolution on October 29, 2019, placing Armenian Genocide as an example of genocide. The US plishments. sanctions on Turkey for its barbaric attacks against Kurds. House of Representatives recognized the Armenian Genocide 2. While the passage of Resolution 296 does not obligate However, because of Armenian activism, the House also in two Resolutions adopted in 1975 and 1984, and Pres. the President of the United States, it will increase the pres- adopted on the same day the Resolution on the Armenian Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation on April sure on him to properly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide Genocide. 22, 1981 mentioning the Armenian Genocide. in his April 24 statement. c) We cannot be so naive as to expect that any government Among the misrepresentations made by various commen- 3. Resolution 296 also makes it more difficult for the would defend the Armenian Cause if doing so would have tators were statements like: Turkish government to continue its denials of the Armenian been contrary to its own interests. It is perfectly reasonable 1. “The October 29, 2019 recognition of the Armenian Genocide. that the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide happened Genocide by the House of Representatives was the first time 4. Paradoxically, the harsh reactions of the Turkish lead- to coincide with Congress’s anger at Turkey for other reasons. in a century that the United States has recognized the ers to the adoption of Resolution 296 helped remind the In fact, the more Armenians can find reasons to match their Armenian Genocide.” It was not! In fact, the text of Turkish people and others worldwide about the Armenian interests with those of other countries, the more successful Resolution 296 itself lists all the previous US recognitions of Genocide. they will be in their pursuit of the Armenian Cause. the Armenian Genocide and describes it as affirmation, not 5. Thousands of articles, TV reports, and social media For the next step, I hope the US Senate will shortly pass recognition. posts on the adoption of Resolution 296 helped further pub- Senate Resolution 150. This is important, since the US Senate 2. “Resolution 296 set a policy on the recognition of the licize the Armenian Genocide around the world. Over 100 has never adopted a Resolution acknowledging the Armenian Armenian Genocide by the US government.” It did no such years after the Genocide, the cry for justice remains alive Genocide. And maybe next year, the Armenian Genocide thing. This Resolution, like the others before it, is a non-bind- thanks to the activism of Armenians and their supporters. Resolution could be reintroduced, but this time as a “Joint ing Resolution, expressing simply the will of Congress. It is 6. The passage of Resolution 296 is another step in Resolution,” which would mean that should the Resolution not a law and it has no legal consequences. Armenia’s struggle to pressure Turkey and the world com- pass both Houses of Congress and the President signs it, the 3. “Resolution 296 obligates Pres. Trump to use the term munity to take further steps to undo the damage caused by Armenian Genocide would become US law, not just a “non- genocide in his next April 24 statement.” It does not. The the Genocide, albeit delayed over a century! binding” Resolution. This would obligate all future American President can still use other euphemisms to describe the 7. Beyond setting straight the historical record, the effort Presidents to use the term Armenian Genocide in their April Armenian Genocide, if he wishes to, as he and other US over the passage of the genocide resolution is a political bat- 24 statements or on any other occasion.

government will not give away that prize easily Visible and Invisible because it may come in handy in case of anoth- LETTERS er confrontation. Factors that Led to At the present time, SR 150 sponsored by Senators Robert Menendez and Ted Cruz, has House Victory garnered 20 votes in the Senate. With 18 When Power Counted for Genocide Recognition Democrats and 2 Republicans on board, it from previous page seems the resolution, at this time, does not To the Editor, coordination with their government, were mobi- enjoy bipartisan support. They say that if you can afford to lose money you’re not really gambling. By the lized to stop the momentum. Turkey has never Armenians around the world hailed the passage same token, if you’re not willing to suffer the consequences by telling the truth then failed to mention that Jews will be safe in of the House resolution jubilantly. President Armen you can’t call yourself a principled person. Turkey as long as they keep to the government Sarkissian and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Ambassador John Evans, a career diplomat, paid the ultimate price when he defied line. thanked the US House of Represenatives just as the U.S. policy by calling the mass murder of 1 ½ million Armenians by its real name, This time around, many Jewish organizations Turkish government predictably reacted angrily. Genocide, and was then relieved of his position as U.S. ambassador to Armenia which who formerly had opposed the resolution, sup- President Erdogan’s communications director was also the demise of his career. He truly sacrificed for his principles by speaking ported the Armenians. The Anti-Defamation Fahrettin Altun stated: “Those who voted for this truth to power. League, the Jewish American Resource Council resolution will be responsible for the deterioration Samantha Power, one of the most prolific advocates for recognition of the Armenian and other Jewish organizations were publicly of a critical relationship in a turbulent region.” Genocide, had the opportunity to distinguish herself in the same way in her position supportive of the passage of the bill and indeed Turkey’s parliament also condemned the resolu- as Director of Human Rights in the Obama administration but chose not to use the advocated for it. It was obvious that the Israeli tion while the Foreign Ministry protest had cited word genocide declaring that she was afraid she “would cause a diplomatic rupture.” government had released all the stops. We another resolution, mistakenly criticizing another The reality is that she might have been fired, a sacrifice she wasn’t willing to make in should recognize and appreciate the fact resolution about forced abortions. Erdogan himself, order to keep her promise to our people and hence being considered principled. So because that was the most powerful factor talking to his AK party members, stated that too, when Power realized that Barack Obama used her to garner Armenian votes by which eliminated the hesitation of all the mem- “These efforts … were passed by the House of making the false promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected President and bers of the House, even if it was an unintended Representatives, using a negative atmosphere then reneged, she could have publicly invoked the words Armenian Genocide but consequence. formed against our country among the American instead chose to sell out by accepting the position of U.S. ambassador to the United The reaction in Israel was also favorable. The public. In a sense, they were being opportunistic.” Nations and kept silent. The question is was Power duped as were Armenians or did Times of Israel states that “two prominent He also shed some doubt on his scheduled forth- she knowingly, as Senior Advisor to Obama during his first campaign, promote a false Israeli politicians on both sides of the aisle inde- coming visit to Washington. narrative to garner Armenian votes? pendently call for Jerusalem to acknowledge In response to Turkey’s reaction, Samantha Her opinion piece in the New York Times, albeit well written, gives a comprehen- the Armenian Genocide after the US House of Power wrote, “When bullies feel their tactics sive background about events regarding genocide recognition, and is a rationalization Representatives overwhelmingly voted to rec- are working, they generally bully more.” And in when she says that she “tried” to get the administration to officially recognize the ognize the World War I era crime.” conclusion, she added, “If Mr. Erdogan turns Armenian Genocide. However, Samantha Power had no problem referring to Hillary The reference is to Yair Lapid, a longtime sup- further away from a relationship that has been Clinton as a “monster” which resulted in her departure from the Obama administra- porter of recognition, who says “I will continue immensely beneficial for Turkey, in favor of tion but as a human rights activist stopped short of fulfilling her promise to the to fight for the Israeli recognition of the deepening ties with Russia and China, it will Armenian people by using the word genocide. It seems that many of our people give Armenian Genocide,” and former Likud not be because the House voted to recognize her a pass because we don’t have a plethora of non-Armenian advocates championing Minister Gideon Sa’ar. the Armenian Genocide. It will be because of our cause and unlike other ethnic/religious groups, we’ll take what we can get...an There are statesmen and scholars who gen- his own repressive tactics are coming to resem- example of selective ethics on both our parts. I hope to see the day when principled uinely wish to have Israel recognize the ble those of Russian and Chinese leaders. The powerful people on both sides of the aisle are in the majority and considerate it a Armenian Genocide. But the Israeli government House vote was overdue. Now the Senate and badge of honor to freely advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide just has held the Genocide issue like sword of President Trump should follow suit. The facts because it’s the right thing to do as opposed to recognition being a retaliatory tool Damocles over Turkey’s head and it brings it to of what occurred a century ago demand it.” either against Turkey or between political parties. the floor of the Knesset every time it has an Let us find out if this time around the stars Adrienne Alexanian interest to extract from Turkey. Therefore the are aligned, again. New York, New York 20 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Charents’ Iconic Creation Becomes Accessible in 35 Languages

CHARENTS, from page 1 directly from its original Armenian. “The pro- Charents was merely 23-24 years old when he cess of finding the translators was quite tough,” wrote this great poem. It was dedicated to his she admits. “We had to keep the correct format first wife Arpenik, who died when she was 27. and the word count so the poem sounds right. The creation story behind the poem is The translators also had to have a decent unknown, but it was always obvious to every- knowledge of Armenian literature, history, one that Charents’s love for Armenia was above Charents, and have the spirit of the poem inside everything else. As only one example of this, themselves.” Charents volunteered to fight against the Turks The task that awaited them seemed to be

Armen Charents (Charents’ grandson)

book needs to be like a gift, a present that will what some of the translators had to say about change lives. It has to be a serious book, that by “Yes Im Anoush Hayastani” and the translation having it in your hands you could feel the same process through video recordings. It did not power and energy as that radiating from a prayer really matter whether the specialists were book. This all belongs to Charents. We had to Armenian or of other nationalities. They all stat- make sure that all these things will become real- ed one thing collectively: this poem is a true ity and a part of the ‘Yes Im Anoush Hayastani” definition of an immense love for a homeland, Gohar Charents, Tigran Mansourian, Hratch Djerrahian book. Every single one of us realized that imag- lovely Armenia, and it also sparks a fire of inter- ining [and] speaking about these things are very est towards this country. different from working and making them come It is unbelievable how strongly Charents was when he was just 17. He dedicated his whole quite difficult one, but very promising. Gohar true. It was only a week ago, when I first held attracted to literature from a young age. A life to his country and his people, and his writ- told us that the design of the book was as this book in my hands and I felt ings from prison indicate that he was still think- important as its contents. This is precisely why it, that I had the right feeling ing about his people at the very last moments the team that worked on the creation of the about it. So I thought to myself, of his life. Unfortunately, he did not manage to book chose Martiros Saryan’s paintings that and said, ‘it is good!’ It is defi- do everything he planned in his lifetime for his portrayed Charents’ “summer sun” and “Nairi nitely worth it! This book has a country, yet his legacy is an indelible part of maidens,” and placed them next to every trans- Armenian literature. lation as a visual representation of the passion His granddaughter, Gohar Charents, started and beauty of Armenia. Gohar Charents, Tigran the presentation by telling the story that “Yes Im Anoush Hayastani” is undoubtedly Mansourian, Armen Charents inspired the creation of the book. It turns out considered to be a masterpiece, but how does that four years ago, a young Indian tourist the Armenian nation perceive and see it? entered the house/museum of Charents (where Saryan once expressed his thoughts about the poem by saying, “‘Yes Im Anoush Hayastani’ is both a prayer and an oath. You can whisper it in your mind or sing it on the streets as a hymn to freedom. And, final- ly, it is the stamp of affirmation and per- petuation of the Armenian race. Charents is immor- tal. In order to bring such an opus to the world you have to be at least a semi-god.” Another noted The cover of the book representative of the Armenian Mariam Movsisyan (Representative of Aurora Forum/Chief Communications nation, the writer crucial mission to travel from generation to gen- proof of this statement is a story that happened and Marketing Officer of Idea Foundation) William Saroyan eration, and besides, it is important for Armenia when he was but a five-year-old boy. His father said, “I love the sun- to have something, a gift, to give to our visitors, gave him money to go and buy some new shoes savouring words of a part of ourselves, our souls and true emotions for himself, but instead he went to a bookshop Gohar works), and approached her to ask about ‘Yes Im Anoush Hayastani’ … to this day I con- that Charents depicted in the poem.” and bought a book. When Charents returned different translations of “Yes Im Anoush sider it the most beautiful song about our coun- The entire event was emotional. All the beau- home, his father was not very happy about his Hayastani.” Not long after, he showed transla- try, our soil, and our history, a prayer close to tiful words and thoughts managed to reach son’s choice, and told him, “You totally lost tions of the poem done by him and his Indian Hayr Mer [Our Lord]. everyone’s hearts and play on the most gentle your mind and ate it with bread! You are going friend into Hindu and Bengali. Gohar admitted Participating at the event with a very similar strings of love and patriotism. It got even more to remain barefoot now!” that it was quite a big surprise for her, since she idea about “Yes Im Anoush Hayastani,” the emotional when Khachik Vardanyan, the Charents could not say a word, and left the has never heard of the Bengali language before, sponsor of the book, Hratch Djerrahian, spoke founder of Bookinist, one of the most popular house silently. He went out to the yard and told but he told her that it was one of the most about the role he foresaw for it. bookstore chains in Armenia, who played a sub- his friend about what happened. He proudly widespread languages in India. “First of all, we are all aware that this book is stantial role in the creation of the book, was stated, “I would rather have my feet barefoot, The young tourist also explained the reason more than a reference point of greatness. It is about to start his speech. He stopped for a than my brain.” behind their desire to know and understand like a prayer book for us,” he declared. He moment and wiped away his tears with his Could this little boy imagine that one day one better what the poem was about. The Indian asked the audience if they agreed, and the hands. Then, after apologizing, he started of his creations would become so iconic for his boy once asked his Armenian friends to guide answer of the crowd became obvious through telling us about the effect the process of the cre- nation? On the very last page of the book, him to find the most beloved poem by their cheers. ation of the book had on him. behind the back cover, there is a short but pow- Armenians, and the answer he received was Djerrahian continued: “In reality, we all must He said: “It is a call of spirits; it is a prayer erful message concluding the book in the best “Yes Im Anoush Hayastani.” This inspired have this book in our households as a prayer for millions of Armenians. We have decided possible way: “The iconic poem for all Gohar and planted a fresh idea in her mind, to book. But we also have to believe that this great- that the only benefit we want from this pro- Armenians…” find the best translators all around the world in ness is not only for Armenians, but everyone else ject is, with the help of Aurora, to awaken As composer Tigran Mansourian said, “There order to give the opportunity to understand the in the world. So how can this happen? Once, we humanity and love towards it. This is why I could be absolutely no doubt that “Yes Im poem to more than 30 different nations around had a meeting and a discussion with some of our want to thank every single person that played Anoush Hayastani” has the most appropriate the world. She determined to find translators friends, Khachik Vardanyan, a close friend, and a role in the creation of the book and made lyrics worthy of becoming the new national who were Armenian, since she felt that the best Gohar Charents, about the book that was about it special.” anthem of Armenia. What is left to do now is to way of achieving this was to translate the poem to be born. We all came to an agreement that the During the event we all had a chance to hear find a deserving melody.”