The Conference Program

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Conference Program 7-8 OCTOBER 2016 HRANT DİNK fOUndatıoN ANARAD HıGUTYUN BuıLDıNG - HAVAK HALL www.hrantdink.org Friday October 7 III IV REGISTRATION I II V 08.30-09.00 Diaspora Identities Diaspora Identities Conceptual Post-Genocide & Spatiotemporal & Spatiotemporal ‘Armenian’ as OPENING REMARKS Discussions Expressions Dimensions - I Dimensions - II National Identity 09.00-09.30 Rakel Dink Panel 1 Panel 2 Panel 3 Panel 4 Panel 5 HRANT DINK FOUndation 10.15-11.00 11.15-12.30 13.45-14.45 15.00-16.15 16.30-17.30 Meguerditch Meguerditchian CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR HAMAZkayin ARMENIAN Meguerditch Meguerditchian Melissa Bilal Hratch Tchilingirian Ferhat Kentel Ardaşes Margosyan EDUcationaL AND CULTURAL SOCIETY Hratch Tchilingirian Mehmet Karasu, Harout Ekmanian Carel Bertram Suren Danielyan What is ‘Armenian’ in Armenian Melek Göregenli, The Right to the Narrative: Armenian Americans and Vulnerability of Fundamental KEYNOTE SPeecH Identity? Remziye Yeşilyaprak Armenians of Aleppo in the Anatolian Identity: Identity Issues in Armenia 09.30-10.15 1915 in the Eyes of Young Last 100 Years The Encounter with Home Razmik Panossian Harutyun Marutyan People: Comparing Turkey and Khachig Tölölyan Homelands and Diasporas: Elli Ponomareva Rubina Peroomian Year 1990’s 24 April Walk and Armenia The Dilemma of Identities in Building a Multilocal National Diaspora Identity Construction Armenian-American or the Expressions of Overcoming Contemporary Discourse Identity Deanna Cachoian-Schanz in the Armenian Community American with Armenian Roots? the Genocide Victimhood In the (Un)Space: Transnational of Tbilisi The Post-Genocide Conditions COFFEE BREAK Rouben Galichian Armenian Feminist Dialogues and Circumstances in America 11.00-11.15 Maral Kurkjian Identity through 2600 Years Between Identities, Belongings and the Dynamics of Identity Identity Construction of of Maps and Mother Tongues Armenian Adolescents in Konrad Siekierski Association for the Study of France: The Effects of Cultural Armenians in Romania Today: Sociology of Memory and Socialization in School and in Diasporic Interventions and Culture Family Contexts Institutions in the Making of The Formation of Genocide Community COFFEE BREAK Memory and Subjectivity of 14.45-15.00 Anna Ohannesian Charpin the Fourth Generation After Descendants of Armenians the Genocide: A Comparative in South Jordan: Analysis of the Youth in Turkey, Questioning Armenian Identity Armenia and Diaspora COFFEE BREAK Anita Toutikian 16.15-16.30 Armenian Art and Collective Identity from 1915 to 2015: Evolutionary Stages of Depatriated Armenian Diaspora Art with Special Focus on Lebanon LUNCH BREAK 12.30-13.45 Saturday October 8 IX VI VII VIII Identity Religious Limits of Armenians in Armenians in Representations Armenian Identity Turkey - I Turkey - II in Literature Panel 6 Panel 7 Panel 8 Panel 9 09.30-10.30 10.45-11.45 13.00-14.15 14.30-15.45 CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR Aras Ergüneş Ohannes Kılıçdağı Hülya Adak Rubina Peroomian Christopher Nicholas Sheklian Hrag Papazian Mehtap Tosun Murat Cankara The Conundrums of Secular Armenians and Other Reconstructing the Self and Between ‘Us’ and ‘Them’: Law for Ethno-Religious Identity Armenians in Turkey Reclaiming Identity via Collective (A) Testimony in the ‘Other’s’ Memory: Dersim Armenians Language Arda J. Melkonian Emre Can Dağlıoğlu ‘Not Armenian’? Armenian September 12th Regime and Pınar Karakılçık Nareg Seferian Evangelical (Protestant) Clergy the Re-Shaped Identity of The Country of the Enemy and Coming to Terms with Armenian- Challenging Definitions of Armenians in Turkey the Language of Grandmothers: American Identity: The Armenian Identity “Çok afedersiniz Türkçeyi Testimonies of Michael Arlen, Jr. Ararat Şekeryan Türklerden eyi konuşuruk” and Peter Balakian in ‘Passage to Anatolii Tokmancev From Rebirth to Death: Ararat’ and ‘Black Dog of Fate’ Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenian Intellegentsia and Mahir Özkan Armenia: Nationalism in a Lost Anthems of Western The Hemshin People and Arto Vaun Strictly Non-Nationalist Sect Armenia, 1918-1919 Armenian Identity What is Given, What is Made: The Multilingual Poet Between COFFEE BREAK LUNCH BREAK Eden Naby Worlds 10.30-10.45 11.45-13.00 Sharing Identity Preservation in the 21st Century: Siranush Dvoyan Assyrians and Armenians The Process of Modernization in French-Armenian Diaspora COFFEE BREAK Literature 14.15-14.30 COFFEE BREAK 15.45-16.00 Current Practices, Moderator Future Directions Karin Karakaşlı Closing Forum Razmik Panossian 16.00-18.00 Silva Kuyumcuyan Arus Yumul Vatche Papazian.
Recommended publications
  • Jousour Bridges and Return
    Jousour, issued by the LPDC represents an array of opinions and perspectives on issues pertaining Palestinian refugees affairs in Lebanon. It aims to expand the realm of rational dialogue between the Lebanese and Palestinians beyond stereotypes and dogmas while contributing to the development of common relationships in a positive and constructive manner. This supplement is distributed for free with An-Nahar, Al-Liwa’a, and The Daily Star. Special Supplement Issue 1, October 2018 The “Deal of the Century” and the UNRWA Crisis: Challenges and Choices Photo by: Haitham Mousawi Lebanon, an asylum 70 Years, from Compassion The “Other” Through Both To Refugees and Displaced To Controversy Pal. and Leb. Eyes Amine Gemayel Tarek Mitri, Abbas Zaki, Husein Abu Elnaml Pernille Dahler Kardel Ziad Sayegh Asaad Shaftari Hasan Mneymneh On “Bridges” Chairman of the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee e issue this newspaper supplement to introduce the Lebanese and attempting to break free of the chains of the past, including the Lebanese attitudes WPalestinian public opinion to the importance of examining the problematic toward the Palestinians and the Palestinian attitudes toward the Lebanese, under and complex difficulties the joint relations suffer from. These relations have a direct and honest approach. The writers – Lebanese and Palestinian – that extended over the span of this 70-year-old asylum, marked by much serenity and participated with us on this project rely on those fixed principles, considered overshadowed by misunderstanding and controversy that peaked in the years of the Civil War and bloody internal strife. The Lebanese and Palestinian people points of convergence for the Lebanese and Palestinians alike.
    [Show full text]
  • Der Hakob Celebrating Badarak at the Tomb of Christ
    Սուրբ Երրորդութիւն Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church LOOYS Cheltenham, PA Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, Pastor Spring 2018-02 Der Hakob Celebrating Badarak at the Tomb of Christ Upcoming Events Hours of Worship - Morning Service: 10:00 AM Read what’s been happening at our - Divine Liturgy: 10:30 AM church and be a part of what’s Church School coming up! - Language Instruction: 10:15-11:15 - Christian Education: 11:20-12:15 Pray Until Something Happens www.holytrinity-pa.org Contact Information Holy Trinity Armenian Church 101 Ashmead Road, Cheltenham, PA 19012 www.holytrinity-pa.org Items for inclusion in the Sunday Messenger or requests for Requiem Services or Special Prayers should be sent to the church office by Wednesday for the upcoming Sunday. For all emergencies, please contact Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan at the church 215-663-1600 (cell 917-213-8658). CHURCH INFORMATION Office Telephone: 215-663-1600 ACYOA Jrs. Kitchen: 267-282-4594 Ella Hanamirian (Co-Chair) Pastor: Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan Christine Grigoryan (Co-Chair) [email protected] Mariana Majian (Parent Advisor) 215-758-2664 Church Secretary: Maggie Miller LADIES of HOLY TRINITY [email protected] Elizabeth Barone (Coordinator) 610-449-2236 REGULAR SUNDAY HOURS OF WORSHIP Lorraine Damerjian (Treasurer) 215-572-8465 Morning Service: 10:00 AM INTERCOMMUNAL Divine Liturgy (Soorp Badarak): 10:30 AM Ara Shakarjian 215-886-1904 Church School: 10:15 AM Tanya Paretchan 215-947-4394 PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS Emily Movsesian 734-277-2753 John Hanamirian (Chair) 215-431-0589 COFFEE HOUR COORDINATOR Larry D.
    [Show full text]
  • International Armenian Cultural Education As a Strategy for Language Maintenance
    Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 2(2) ISSN 1339-4045 (print), ISSN 1339-4584 (online) Copyright © 2014 SlovakEdu “It’s not important where you are, it’s important what you are”: International Armenian Cultural Education as a Strategy for Language Maintenance Anke al-Bataineh, INALCO Paris, France [email protected] Abstract This article draws on ethnographic and interview data to document a case of transnational cultural education in a diasporan context. The activities of the cultural and educational arm of an Armenian political party are described in terms of their curricular, extracurricular and social variety, and in terms of their transnational organizational structure. The author regards two important theories, Fishman’s (1965, 1991, 2001) domains model and Ethnolinguistic Vitality Theory (Allard & Landry, 1986, 1992; Giles, Bourhis & Taylor, 1977) as complementary in their contributions to the understanding of language maintenance as opposed to language shift. These frameworks are applied to analyze the language maintenance value of the organization’s programming, and to identify weaknesses in the current model. Challenges for the organization itself and for other communities who may wish to implement such a model for language maintenance or revitalization are discussed, and areas for further research are identified. While the model’s strength lies in its immersive teaching, especially of extracurricular subjects, a significant weakness is found in the application of a maintenance model of cultural education to situations where language revitalization is needed. Keywords Ethnolinguistic vitality, domains of language use, language maintenance, revitalization, Armenian diaspora Introduction The increasing global problem of language endangerment has created an urgent need for language maintenance and revitalization programs, and for research into the efficacy of various models for these programs.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of Armenian Immigration to Southern California Daniel Fittante
    But Why Glendale? But Why Glendale? A History of Armenian Immigration to Southern California Daniel Fittante Abstract: Despite its many contributions to Los Angeles, the internally complex community of Armenian Angelenos remains enigmatically absent from academic print. As a result, its history remains untold. While Armenians live throughout Southern California, the greatest concentration exists in Glendale, where Armenians make up a demographic majority (approximately 40 percent of the population) and have done much to reconfigure this homogenous, sleepy, sundown town of the 1950s into an ethnically diverse and economically booming urban center. This article presents a brief history of Armenian immigration to Southern California and attempts to explain why Glendale has become the world’s most demographically concentrated Armenian diasporic hub. It does so by situating the history of Glendale’s Armenian community in a complex matrix of international, national, and local events. Keywords: California history, Glendale, Armenian diaspora, immigration, U.S. ethnic history Introduction Los Angeles contains the most visible Armenian diaspora worldwide; however yet it has received virtually no scholarly attention. The following pages begin to shed light on this community by providing a prefatory account of Armenians’ historical immigration to and settlement of Southern California. The following begins with a short history of Armenian migration to the United States. The article then hones in on Los Angeles, where the densest concentration of Armenians in the United States resides; within the greater Los Angeles area, Armenians make up an ethnic majority in Glendale. To date, the reasons for Armenians’ sudden and accelerated settlement of Glendale remains unclear. While many Angelenos and Armenian diasporans recognize Glendale as the epicenter of Armenian American habitation, no one has yet clarified why or how this came about.
    [Show full text]
  • Non-Arab Women in the Arab World
    File Intro File Intro Ross-Nazzal and Aglaia Viviani have provided an historical provides a bridge to the last section of this issue, dealing vantage point from which to understand the way American with mixed marriages and the thorny topic of patrilineal cul- and British women viewed Palestine and Egypt in the mid tural and citizenship rights. 19th century. Sharon Nagy has aptly juxtaposed the historical and current Some of the weaknesses of this issue’s first section are experience of Western and South East Asian women who made up for through the inclusion of powerfully individual have married into upper, middle and lower-middle class testimonials by both indigenous minority women and families in the Arabian peninsula during the last several Western women with a wealth of personal experience in decades. Rima Habib and Lina Abou-Habib provide an the Arab world. Diane King reflects on her work research- activist’s insight into the struggle to find local support for ing the ethnic and gendered oppression of the women of the human rights of Arab women who have married non- Iraqi Kurdistan during the dark days at the end of the nationals and thus seemingly forfeited their children’s cul- Non-Arab Women regime of Saddam Hussein. In her view, Kurdish women are tural identity. far from being the “helpless victims” they are often por- trayed as by well meaning Western NGOs. A good friend The articles in this issue have opened the debate on who from my native Austria, Ingrid Jaradat Gassner describes the decides the nature of ethnic and gender identity in the process of becoming Palestinian over a period of almost region.
    [Show full text]
  • Ceramics Lab for People with Special Needs
    FEBRUARY 27, 2021 MMirror-SpeirTHEror-SpeARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXXI, NO. 32, Issue 4674 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 IN BRIEF Erdogan to Attend Grey Wolves School Groundbreaking in Shushi ISTANBUL (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Turkish and Azerbaijani Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev, respectively, are expected to attend the groundbreak ceremony for a school funded by Grey Wolves leader Devlet Bahçeli in Shushi, an Armenian city in Nagorno-Karabakh that has come under Azerbaijan's control in the recent 44-day war, media reports from Turkish reveal. Yusuf Ziya Günaydın, an aide to Bahçeli, broke the news last week, Hurriyet reports. The Grey Wolves are closely linked to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which has a political alliance with Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). The Grey Wolves are regarded as the militant wing of the MHP and are known for causing havoc throughout the world. Prosecutors in Turkey To Strip Immunity of MPs, Including Paylan A throng of demonstrators on Saturday, February 20 ANKARA (Bianet) — The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has prepared summaries of pro- Dozens Detained at Anti-Government Protest in Yerevan ceedings for nine lawmakers from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), seeking to lift their leg- islative immunity. YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Dozens of members and supporters of The high-rise was cordoned off in the morning by scores of riot The HDP lawmakers, along with 99 other defen- an Armenian opposition alliance were detained on Tuesday, police that kept protesters at bay and enabled Pashinyan to enter dants, are facing life sentences for having allegedly February 23, as they attempted to stop Prime Minister Nikol it and hold a meeting with senior officials from the Armenian organized the deadly “Kobane protests” in Kurdish- Pashinyan from entering a government building in Yerevan.
    [Show full text]
  • THE ARMENIAN Mirrorc SPECTATOR Since 1932
    THE ARMENIAN MIRRORc SPECTATOR Since 1932 Volume LXXXXI, NO. 36, Issue 4678 MARCH 27, 2021 $2.00 38 Senators Urge President Biden to Recognize Genocide WASHINGTON — A total of The Senators noted President we are reminded daily of the pow- these victims, and we stand firm- 38 Senators, led by Senate For- Biden’s record on affirming the Ar- er of truth, and of our shared re- ly against attempts to pretend that eign Relations Committee Chair- menian Genocide and highlighted sponsibility to stand against hate this intentional, organized effort man Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), his April 24 Armenian Genocide — because silence is complicity.” to destroy the Armenian people urged President Joe Biden to of- Commemoration Day statement in In the letter to President Biden, was anything other than a geno- ficially recognize the truth of the 2020, wherein he stated: the Senators also stated: “We cide. You have correctly stated Armenian Genocide, reported the “It is particularly important to join the Armenian community in that American diplomacy and for- Armenian Assembly of America speak these words and commemo- the United States and around the eign policy must be rooted in (Assembly). rate this history at a moment when world in honoring the memory of see RECOGNITION, page 20 Sen. Bob Menendez Mission Eurasia Brings Turkey Prosecutes Humanitarian Aid and HDP Party, Attempts Evangelism to Refugees To Ban Paylan’s From Artsakh War Political Activity By Aram Arkun ISTANBUL (Combined Sources) Mirror-Spectator Staff — Since March 17, a political crisis DETROIT — The disaster of the 2020 has erupted in Turkey.
    [Show full text]
  • ART WORK HAMAZKAYIN English HAMAZKAYIN ARTWORK
    CONTENT EDITORIAL 1 IN TUNE WITH THE TIMES CULTURAL ACTIVITIES 2-13 HAMAZKAYIN COMBINES THE TRADITIONAL WITH THE REFRESHING AND THE INNOVATIVE THE HAMAZKAYIN THEATRE GROUP OF NEW YORK HAMAZKAYIN’S MOZAIC V CONCERT THE EREBUNI DANCE ENSEMBLE AND THE HAMAZKAYIN DANCE INSTITUTE A WEEK DEDICATED TO SOS SARGSIAN LITERATURE MUSIC HAMAZKAYIN EVENTS LECTURES EXPANSION DANCE ART THEATRE MOVIES EDUCATION 14 MELANKTON AND HAIG ARSLANIAN DJEMARAN THE ARMENOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF HAMAZKAYIN THE MARSEILLE DJEMARAN FORUM HAMAZKAYIN CENTRAL BOARD PROJECTS 15 GOAL-ORIENTED PROJECTS AND NEW AREAS OF ACTIVITIES HAMAZKAYIN INSTITUTIONS 16-25 ARSHAK AND SOPHIE GALSTAUN COLLEGE (SPECIAL REPORT) AN ARMENIAN ENVIRONMENT IN SYDNEY CURRENT TOPIC 26-28 ORGANIZING THE DIASPORA HAMAZKAYIN ARCHIVES 29 THE NATION IN THE WHIRLWIND OF LETTERS HAMAZKAYIN PUBLICATIONS 30 Editor: Loucig Guloyan-Srabian Design: Unicess Cover: Araz Kelian Layout: Ani Pehlivanian-Sarkissian Printing: Hamazkayin Vahe Sethian Publishing House EDITORIAL IN TUNE WITH THE TIMES In keeping with its mission of struggling for the survival of the Armenian homeland and the nation Hamazkayin aims at preserving, developing and spreading Armenian culture and education. In 2013 the Society celebrated its 85th year of dedicated service. Long-lived organizations may develop over time distinctive positive or negative characteristics. A positive example would be the accumulated experience, if, of course, a significant amount of experience is transmitted from one generation to the next. On the other hand, negative characteristics, such as misplaced self-confidence built up over time, could also be a determining factor. The 85-year-old Hamazkayin does not claim to be experienced; it does not claim to be free from neg- ative aspects.
    [Show full text]
  • Middle East University for Graduate Studies
    Language Maintenance among the Armenians of Jordan By Raeda Al-Nahar Supervisor Prof. Bader S. Dweik This Thesis was Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master's Degree of Arts in English Language Department of English Language and Literature Faculty of Arts Middle East University for Graduate Studies April, 2009 ii Middle East University for Graduate Studies Authorization Form I, Raeda Al-Nahar, hereby authorize Middle East University for Graduate Studies to supply copies of my thesis to libraries or establishments or individuals upon request. Signature: Date: iii iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to all my family members especially my father and my mother whose full support gave me the opportunity to pursue the highest level of education. It is also dedicated to my beloved husband, Waddah Al-Shboul, who taught me not to give up and gave me the strength and the courage to keep me moving forward and achieve my goals. He also supported me in various ways towards the completion of my thesis and believed that I could do this even when it seemed impossible. v Acknowledgement I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Bader Dweik for his patience, support, inspiration and persistence which were the driving force that enabled me to complete this project, not to mention the valuable time he spent in reading my thesis over and over to see this work through. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis committee members, Prof. Riyad Hussein, Prof. Hamid Al-Hajjaj and Prof. Mahmoud Kanakri who are sincerely dedicated to their work for their invaluable guidance and comments especially Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Armenian Church News
    Volume 1, Issue 16 Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland 27 November 2015 Armenian Church News Ecumenical Prayers at St. Yeghiche Church for the victims of the Paris Terrorist Attacks After the Sunday Divine Liturgy on 22nd November, a prayer service was held at St. Yeghiche Armenian Church in solidarity with the French people. The prayer service was organised In this issue: jointly by the Diocese of the Armenian Church and Armenian Prayer Service for the Victims of the Paris Attacks Community Council. During the Memorial Service participants Lecture on St. Gregory of prayed for the victims of the Narek Sherrington, representing His recent attacks in Paris, as well as Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Historic Photography those in Beirut, Baghdad, and Archbishop of Westminster, and His Exhibition at the Armenian Sharm el-Sheikh. The incense- Genocide Museum Grace Bishop Mor Athanasius filled church was almost full. Touma Dakkama, Primate of the Article about Armenian Attending this mournful event Syriac Orthodox Church, also made Genocide in WalesOnline were hierarchs from the Syriac speeches in solidarity with the and Coptic Orthodox as well as Manchester Parish: New French People. His Grace Bishop Deacon’s Training Catholic Churches. Angaelos, preached on how we can Programme deal with evil and how we After the introduction speech by Cardiff Parish: Pilgrimage to overcome it only by the grace of St. Davids Harry Hagopian, in English as well God. At the end of the service the as French - as a sign of respect for Hamazkayin Celebrates 25 hierarchs blessed the congregation.
    [Show full text]
  • History Stands to Repeat Itself As Armenia Renews Ties to Asia
    THE ARMENIAN GENEALOGY MOVEMENT P.38 ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION AUG. 2019 History stands to repeat itself as Armenia renews ties to Asia Armenian General Benevolent Union ESTABLISHED IN 1906 Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միութիւն Central Board of Directors President Mission Berge Setrakian To promote the prosperity and well-being of all Armenians through educational, Honorary Member cultural, humanitarian, and social and economic development programs, projects His Holiness Karekin II, and initiatives. Catholicos of All Armenians Annual International Budget Members USD UNITED STATES Forty-six million dollars ( ) Haig Ariyan Education Yervant Demirjian 24 primary, secondary, preparatory and Saturday schools; scholarships; alternative Eric Esrailian educational resources (apps, e-books, AGBU WebTalks and more); American Nazareth A. Festekjian University of Armenia (AUA); AUA Extension-AGBU Artsakh Program; Armenian Arda Haratunian Virtual College (AVC); TUMO x AGBU Sarkis Jebejian Ari Libarikian Cultural, Humanitarian and Religious Ani Manoukian AGBU News Magazine; the AGBU Humanitarian Emergency Relief Fund for Syrian Lori Muncherian Armenians; athletics; camps; choral groups; concerts; dance; films; lectures; library research Levon Nazarian centers; medical centers; mentorships; music competitions; publications; radio; scouts; Yervant Zorian summer internships; theater; youth trips to Armenia. Armenia: Holy Etchmiadzin; AGBU ARMENIA Children’s Centers (Arapkir, Malatya, Nork), and Senior Dining Centers; Hye Geen Vasken Yacoubian
    [Show full text]
  • ARMENIANS in ALEPPO: BETWEEN a ROCK and a HARD PLACE Arda Jebejian Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, University of Nicosia
    ARMENIANS IN ALEPPO: BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE Arda Jebejian Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, University of Nicosia In the lore of the Armenians, Aleppo symbolizes survival. They arrived here after spending months walking under the scorching desert sun of Deir Zor. During those long marches from Turkey to Syria, they witnessed the death of their children from thirst, hunger, and disease, the cruel raping of their mothers, wives, and daughters, and the brutal torture of the remaining men, mostly the elderly, for the majority of the young males had already been massacred in Turkey. Having witnessed those atrocities and survived them was overwhelming for many survivors. Even before the 1915 massacres, Armenians had lived in Aleppo for centuries. The 40 Martyrs Church, a 15th century Apostolic Church, is known to be one of the oldest churches in the diaspora. However, it was the settlement of thousands of survivors of the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century that laid the foundation of Aleppo‟s contemporary community. Native Arabs in Syria rescued, sheltered, and supported the displaced, homeless, orphaned, persecuted, sick, starved, and traumatized Armenians. They were granted citizenship with all rights and privileges. It is safe to say that the Arabs played a significant role in the survival of the Armenian diaspora, as thousands of refugees spread to all parts of the Middle East, Europe, northern America and Australia, after first settling in Aleppo. Within a generation, according to Keith David Watenpaugh, Associate Professor of Modern Islam, Human Rights and Peace at the University of California, Davis, the Armenians “went from being penniless refugees, a population made up mostly of women and children survivors, to very much a middle class… involved in all forms of trade, education, medicine, dentistry, and also more traditional professions like carpets and jewelry making.
    [Show full text]