Change Service Requested Service Change FRESNO, CA FRESNO, Fresno, CA 93740-8001 CA Fresno, Permit No. 262 No. Permit 5245 N. Backer Ave. M/S PB 4 PB M/S Ave. Backer N. 5245 PAID and Armenian Students Organization Students Armenian and U.S. Postage U.S. Armenian Studies Program Studies Armenian Non-Profit California State University, Fresno University, State California HYE SHARZHOOM th Armenian Action 29 FA| <ARVOUM Year December 2007 Vol. 29, No. 2 (100) Ethnic Supplement to The Collegian When is the Right Time? House Elbrechts Donate Collection of Photographs of Delays Vote on Armenian Genocide Armenian Churches to Armenian Studies Program Program Web site, making them pressure intensified on some repre- Opinion available to the world. Part of the sentatives to withdraw their sup- Elbrechts’ goal has already been BARLOW DER MUGRDECHIAN port. accomplished: the 157 images have ADVISOR The most commonly heard rea- been digitalized at CSU Fresno son for opposing the resolution was, under the direction of University On October 10, 2007, the House “It is the wrong time to consider the Photographer, Randy Vaughn- Foreign Affairs Committee nar- resolution.” The argument was that Dotta and will be available soon on rowly passed a resolution condemn- passage would damage relations the Fresno State web site – ing the Armenian Genocide of 1915. between Turkey and the United armenianstudies.csufresno.edu. Passage of the resolution by the full States or that the United States mili- The Elbrechts’ first trip to Tur- House would mean officially rec- tary interests in Iraq would be sub- key included not only the obliga- ognizing the Armenian Genocide. ject to increased danger. The war in tory sights of Istanbul, but also a Opposition to the resolution had Iraq is a “bad time” to consider a trip on public buses to the eastern primarily come from the White Genocide resolution. part of the country to see the “real House and the State Department, It has been ninety-two years Turkey.” There they chanced upon along with lobbying by the Turkish since the Armenian Genocide. the magnificent Church of the Holy government. The Turkish govern- When will it be the right time? Cross on Aght’amar Island in Lake ment had hired former U.S. Con- According to the arguments made Van. Built in the tenth century by gressman Richard Gephart, and by the Turkish lobby and certain an Armenian King Gagik Ardzruni, others, to lobby against passage of diplomatic circles, there never Anne and Richard Elbrecht in front of the walls of the first- the church is an architectural mar- the Resolution. would be a right time. century city of Anazarbus, situated below the 12th-13th century vel, its exterior walls covered with Congressional supporters of the The same type of argument was Armenian fortress of Anavarza. Photo: Courtesy Richard Elbrecht. intricate carvings of scenes from Resolution called for a vote on the made in 1990 in a Senate debate the Bible and Armenian history. House floor for full consideration and later in 2000 by President BARLOW DER MUGRDECHIAN Anne Elbrecht on what has become Several hundred miles north of and passage. Although more than Clinton. There would never be a ADVISOR a passion – photographing and Aght’amar, the Elbrechts visited 225 Congressmen had earlier right time if it were up to the perpe- documenting Armenian churches the medieval Armenian city of Ani, signed on as supporters (more than trators, the Turkish government. A 1987 vacation to Turkey was in the historic homeland of the Ar- with its world famous cathedral the 218 majority needed to pass), the beginning of a twenty-year od- menian people. As an outcome of SEE GENOCIDE PAGE 6 yssey that has taken Richard and their visits with Dr. Dickran and numerous churches, all in a Kouymjian, Berberian Professor of state of ruin due to recurring earth- David Kherdian Presents New Book Forgotten Bread Armenian Studies and Director of quakes and human neglect. Since then, they have visited and photo- Pilibosian; Sarkis Manavazian read the Armenian Studies Program, graphed churches in Kars, Mren, “My Escort,” “Orange Secret,” and they have decided to donate their Dogubayazit, Van, Moks, “They Bring Me Raisins,” by archive of 157 photographs, Diyarbakir, Urfa, Tarsus, Sis, Archie Minassian; Gina Jelladian “Churches of Historic Armenia: A Kayseri, Kharpert, Malatya, read “May I Have This Dance,” by Legacy to the World,” to the Arme- Merzifon, Shabin Karahisar, Diana Der Hovanessian; and Arman nian Studies Program at California Gireson, Trabzon, and the Oltu- Kalamkarian read “Dead Visitor” State University, Fresno, where the Penek Valley. by Leon Serabian Herald. photographs will become a perma- Der Mugrdechian then intro- nent part of the Armenian Studies SEE ELBRECHTS PAGE 8 duced Mark Arax, whose two es- says, one on Saroyan and the other Dr. Levon Zekiyan Visits Armenian on A.I. Bezzerides, are included in Forgotten Bread. Arax is an author Studies Program in November and award winning former journal- ist at the Los Angeles Times and is the author of two books, In My Father’s Name The King of and Photo: Dennis Shamlian California: J. G. Boswell and the L. to R.: Sarkis Manavazian, Pateel Mekhitarian, Barlow Der Making of a Secret American Em- Mugrdechian, David Kherdian, and Mark Arax. pire. Arax discussed his own feelings STAFF REPORT Kherdian is personally familiar as a writer and as someone who has with many of the seventeen authors read the works of many of the writ- Forty years ago David Kherdian represented in the anthology. Wil- ers in the book. In discussing For- conceived an idea to gather together liam Saroyan was a close personal gotten Bread, Arax characterized the works of Armenian-American friend and in fact his early mentor Kherdian’s role as “A selfless act… writers, and that idea came to frui- who suggested to Kherdian to fol- a labor of love.” He then read an tion in 2007 with the publication of low his heart and do what he liked excerpt from his own biographical his new book, Forgotten Bread: to do best—write. sketch on A.I. Bezzerides, part Ar- First Generation Armenian Ameri- Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, menian and born in Fresno, who can Writers. of the Armenian Studies Program, was a writer and later one of Photo: Barlow Der Mugrdechian The Armenian Studies Program gave a brief background of the book, Hollywood’s best screenwriters. Dr. Levon Zekiyan from Venice, Italy paid a visit to the Armenian invited Kherdian, who was on a before introducing four members Arax called Kherdian’s work, Studies Program and Fresno State, November 14-15, to meet nation-wide speaking tour, to of the Armenian Students Organi- “An excavation of the past,” and with students and to introduce the Armenian Language Sum- Fresno State on November 14, zation to read some of the poems added, “The work was totally un- mer Program in Venice in August. L. to R.: Karine Frnzyan, Dr. where he had the opportunity to from the new book. expected. A lot of these poems and Levon Zekiyan, Knar Mekhitarian, Suzy Lopez, Kevork discuss Forgotten Bread before a Pateel Mekhitarian read “With Boghossian, and Pateel Mekhitarian, at the new Armenian large audience. the Bait of Bread” by Helene SEE KHERDIAN PAGE 7 Students Organization booth in the Free Speech Area. 2 Hye Sharzhoom December 2007 Armenian Studies Program California State University, Fresno Book/Video/CD/Archival Gifts Dr. Dickran Kouymjian and the Armenian Studies Pro- Armenian Studies Program gram would like to thank the donors, authors, and pub- lishers for the following books, periodicals, videos, and Spring 2008 Schedule of Courses archival gifts either offered personally or to the Program. Course Units Time Day Instructor Nicholas Afanasiev, The Church of the Holy Spirit, translated by General Education Vitaly Permiakov; edited with an introduction by Michael Plekton. Arts & Humanities, Area C2 Foreword by Rowan Williams (Indiana: University of Notre Dame • ArmS 20 Arts of Armenia 3 DGT CAMPUS D Kouymjian Press, 2007). A gift of the publishers. (Class #37073) Karabet Akbiyikian, for the banner depicting the Armenian alphabet. The Flower of Paradise and other Armenian Tales (Connecticut: • ArmS 20 Arts of Armenia 3 DGT CAMPUS D Kouymjian Libraries Unlimited, a member of Greenwood Publishing Group, (Class #37567) 2007), edited and with a foreword by Virginia Tashjian; translated • ArmS 20 Arts of Armenia 3 DGT CAMPUS D Kouymjian and retold by Bonnie C. Marshall. A gift of the publisher. (Class #37685) Archpriest Fr. Hovsep Hagopian, for his gift of his CD The Mystery of Holy Etchmiadzin, Where is Your Faith?. Arts & Humanities, Area C1 Gohar & Hagop Samarjian, for a collection of Armenian books. Martin Tourigian, for the music book of his original compositions. • Arm 1B Elementary Armenian 4 10:30A-11:35A MWF B Der Mugrdechian Nerses Virabian, Mortsvadz Tsegh Me [A Forgotten Race], a gift of (Class #35411) the author (2007). Arts & Humanities, Area IC L’Années de l’Arménie : 26 Catalogues • Arm 148 Masterpieces Arm Cult 3 9:00A-9:50A MWF B Der Mugrdechian Compilé par Dickran Kouymjian (Class #35413) 2006 Maxime Yevadian, Enluminures symboliques d’Arménie. Dentelles de • ArmS 108B Arm History II 3 9:30A-10:45A TTh B Der Mugrdechian pierre, d’étoffe, de parchemin et de métal, Musée de Montélimar, Lyon, 2006, 167 pages. (Class #32375) 2006-7 Les douze capitales d’Arménie, Centre des monuments nationaux, La • ArmS 121 Armenian Painting 3 DGT CAMPUS D Kouymjian Conciergerie, 15 décembre 2006 – 22 avril 2007, photographies de Zaven (Class #37689) Sargssian, texte par Mourad Hasratian et Claude Mutafian, Paris : Cofimar, 2006, 64 pages. • ArmS 120T Armenian Church 1 5:00P-9:50P Friday B Der Mugrdechian 2007 Dans les montagnes d’Arménie.