2019

Dear reader, Սիրելի ընթերցող, Welcome to our Bardez-Partez / Պարտէզ! News and Views from the Armenian Insttute

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The Armenian Insttute is moving to a wonderful new home with 800 sq f of bright space, close to public transport in the Farringdon area (EC1) and space to accommodate our growing library, language classes and cultural actvites.

We are very grateful to the donors who are making this possible through support in kind and funding for the move and the new expenses it entails. Our heartelt thanks also to St Sarkis Church Trust for all our years at Gulbenkian Hall. For more informaton on the space and ways in which you can help, please see the enclosed leafet and our website: www.armenianinsttute.org.uk.

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Welcome to the latest editon of Bardez and what a treat we have inside! 2018 was an incredible year for , and the Armenian Insttute (AI). The Velvet Revoluton hopefully marks a new chapter for our young country (in consttuton alone, as celebrated its 2800th birthday!), and brings the diaspora ever closer together. See pages 6 and 7 for a snapshot of the feeling on the ground! While there has also been great support from the internatonal community, with Armenia being named ’s country of the year, as well as being visited by dignitaries such as Angela Merkel and Justn Trudeau.

AI held a range of events in 2018, from celebratng Hrant Dink at FreeWord, enjoying the dialogue between close friends Antonia Arslan and Siobhan Nash- Marshall, and traversing the landscape of Armenia through the tales of one young man’s trek across the Republic – partly on the new Transcaucasian Trail. We welcomed the wonderful Taner Akçam and his latest scholarly book Killing Orders, supported the launch of our commitee member Susan Pate’s new book on the Armenian Legionnaires, and watched the beautfully crafed short flm by Victoria Butler-Sloss dramatsing an excerpt of her latest book, The Seamstress of Ourfa.

Arda Eghiayan, editor

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Dear Reader, formers from Lancing College, Christopher Walker’s I cannot quite believe how quickly I’m writng the alma mater, as well as some of the late historian’s fourth introducton to the AI’s esteemed Bardez. friends and family, join us for the evening and a When I was frst asked to help with the editng of the moving Q&A. The evening was hosted with the Kings magazine, I had just joined the commitee and to my College Armenian Society (below), and we shame had not been the most actve atendee of the look forward with working with them in the future. various events the AI had laid on; four years later, it is We would like to thank our generous benefactors not just that AI has broadened my knowledge and Richard Anooshian, Diana & Panos Katsouris, Robert understanding of Armenian culture and history – past Houry & Agop Tanielian, Alice & Raf Tanielian, Nyree and ongoing - but I am just more aware of the spread Tanielian & Robert Osterbauer, and Violet & Razmik of that experience throughout my day-to-day. Tatevossian. We also would like to thank Garo Whether it is walking into my local Daunt’s bookshop, Medazoumian FCA, who again has given his and seeing works by Thomas de Waal or Avedis professional tme freely to examine the annual Hadjian displayed on the shelves entcing notes from accounts of the Armenian Insttute and provide my wallet, or atending a presentaton of the the Independent Examiner’s Report to the Charity photographer Ursual Schulz-Dornburg at the Goethe Commission! And, thank you also to our two interns, Insttute, and seeing the beautful shots of Armenia’s Nariné Der Hakobian and Owen Pashigian. suburban bus stops, or seeing the Armenian book Finally, the AI has brought me into contact with many collecton bequeathed by Manoog Parikian displayed wonderful people, some of whom I am honoured to at Eton College, or the excellent Armenia! exhibiton call my friends. We could not do all this work without at the Met Museum in New York (see our review the support from you, our Friends, nor would we pages 12-13). want to. If the AI moto is about making Armenian The Insttute’s 2019 programme has already seen an History and Culture a living experience, I would add excellent lecture by trustee Rebecca Jinks about new that is it also about making that living experience a lines of scholarship in (Armenian) Genocide studies. shared one. We were very fortunate to have a class of sixth Arda Eghiayan

If you would like to contribute in the next issue or send a letter to the Editor, please contact the Publishing Committee on [email protected]. Dear Editor, I read your artcle on in a gif. the latest issue with interest. Mikoyan replied that as an ofcial representatve of the USSR, he could not accept any free gifs as it would Thought you might want to hear the following incident, smack of bribery. So Ford said ok, I will sell you one of which occurred when Mikoyan toured the Ford Factory, our deluxe models for 50 cents. Mikoyan thought about in Dearborn, USA while he was on his three-month it for a second and agreed. He put his hand in his pocket sojourn in the States in 1935. and gave Ford a dollar bill. Ford afer rummaging around Anastas Mikoyan was invited to do a tour of the Ford in his pocket for change, said unfortunately he didn’t Factory in Dearborn, USA by the founder Henry Ford. have any. Ford wanted to impress upon the Armenian how efcient and good value their cars were, so that when Mikoyan replied, “that’s ok I’ll take two!!" Mikoyan returned to the USSR, he might be able to sell Always enjoy reading your bulletn. his cars to the . Afer an impressive tour Kind regards. Malcolm Arconian and good hospitality, Ford ofered Mikoyan a free car as

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Parallel lives two men were involved in by Belinda Keheyan (with Armenian causes, to Bill Hartley) varying degrees – Aznavour In October, Armenia and in fundraising following the vied with each 1988 earthquake and other over how best to Tchakarian lobbying for commemorate the Genocide recogniton. passing of ‘their’ natonal Commentng on the treasure, Charles Aznavour. Meanwhile, the death over passing of both men, French president Emmanuel the summer of another notable French Armenian – Macron said Tchakarian was ‘a hero of the Resistance Arsène Tchakarian – had gone largely unnotced. and treless witness whose voice resonated strongly to Besides the fact that the two died within a few months the very end’. He described Aznavour –‘one of the most of each other, Aznavour the chanteur and Tchakarian important “faces of France”’. the freedom fghter led parallel lives, marked by many Aznavour’s death was marked by the Eifel Tower being striking similarites. lit up in gold on the day of his passing and followed by a Aznavour garnered worldwide fame as a singer and full state funeral. Meanwhile in Armenia, the day of his songwriter – he was named as the ‘Entertainer of the funeral was an ofcial Day of Mourning. Century’ by readers of Time magazine – and was known One queston nags: did these two parallel lives ever for his irreverence and colourful private life. On the cross? other hand, Tchakarian was a commited Communist, What we know for sure is that the restaurant ran by who became a member of the French Resistance, within Aznavour’s parents, Le Caucase, was a magnate for a unit lead by a fellow Armenian and comprised mostly ’ Armenian diaspora and a safe house for hiding of immigrants. Jewish people during the Second World War (in fact Both were born of Armenian parents in the afermath of Aznavour and his sister were honoured by for the genocide and considered themselves as having been ‘risking their own lives’ in the course of harbouring ‘adopted’ by France. While Aznavour was born Jewish people). In other words, Le Caucase was exactly Shahnourh Varenagh Aznavourian, he was dubbed the sort of place that Tchakarian used in the course of Charles by a nurse who couldn’t pronounce his name, his missions for the Resistance. It seems highly unlikely Tchakarian took the moniker Charles as his nom de that the paths of these two giants of twenteth century guerre. ‘Armenia’ did not cross, but I for one couldn’t locate an Both men were made members of the France’s Légion artcle that put the two together. Dear reader, if you are d’honneur and lived into old age: Aznavour to 94 and able to shed any light on this, please, please write to Tchakarian to a mighty 101. Aznavour was in over 70 Bardez and tell us. movies, most notably in Tirez sur le pianist, while Arsène Tchakarian: Dec 21, 1916 – Aug 4, 2018 Tchakarian was the subject of the flm l’Afche Rouge, Charles Aznavour: May 22, 1924 – Oct 1, 2018 which told of the story of their wartme exploits. The

Armenian Diaspora Survey Pilot Project Hosted by An early part of the Armenian Insttute by Susan Pate project which will have a Since January 2018, the Armenian Insttute (AI) has been great impact, was the host of a ground-breaking study: the Armenian research carried out by Diaspora Survey (ADS) Pilot Project, initated and funded Leon Aslanov in the by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundaton, and which I creaton of a have had the privilege of directng. bibliography of over 350 The purpose of the ADS is to gather clear and tangible academic works already informaton about the contemporary diaspora, asking writen about the Armenians about their thoughts on identty and related diaspora in English, Armenian, French, Russian, and issues of belonging, as Armenians and as citzens of Turkish. We are constantly adding to this valuable diferent states. This is the frst tme that such a study resource, and expanding it to include journalistc artcles, has been done on this scale with extensive team-work flms and documentaries about diaspora communites. and expertse behind it. The data and its analysis can be AI has been the administratve home of the Pilot Project, used by scholars for beter understanding and as a serving as a meetng point and work staton for the foundaton for further research. It can also be used by London-based team which also included Aslanov, Dr. leaders of the diaspora and of Armenia for practcal Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian, as administrator, and tech informaton about how to efectvely serve Armenian support from Anieka Sayadian. communites. Contnued overleaf...

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Some sample questons—how In May/June 2018, Unsurprisingly, would you answer? the Pilot Project, , Q. 97. If you were able to distribute sent research history and religion money to support projects for teams into four were important to Armenians anywhere in the world, diferent cites themselves and to what would you choose? Name 3. around the Armenian identty Q.99 Name one Armenian diaspora: Boston, generally – but achievement, in any sphere of life, , Marseille variatons appeared from the politcal to the cultural, and Pasadena. between the cites that makes you proud. Explain why. Using and further Massis Bakery in Watertown, Boston. Photo questonnaires and questons revealed Chloe Barran interviews, the researchers spoke to local diaspora broad variatons in Armenians about their concerns, hopes and attudes. practce. On this queston and others “close family tes”, The partcular cites were chosen to provide variety for “family heritage” and other home-based answers scored this inital phase, each important in its own history and equally high. Although our set of respondents in the situaton but of a smaller size, and thus more practcal four cites seem to be more actve than perhaps a for our frst teams to approach. broader populaton of Armenians, 73% claimed no Now, with substantal results from over 800 actve afliaton with any Armenian politcal party. questonnaires and 200 interviews, there is much to Christanity was believed to be an important part of consider. Given the many million Armenians in the Armenian identty, including Apostolic, Evangelical and diaspora, this is a small percentage of those whom we Catholic respondents across the four communites. 14- hope will take part over tme but the Pilot has helped us 16% atended church weekly or monthly while 70% felt to formulate and reformulate questons. it is important to be married in an Armenian church. Informaton is available on the ADS website but below Some 43% of respondents felt that women should be are a few of the interestng fndings that have emerged ordained in Armenian churches while 30% had no as we begin the process of analysis. opinion. Overwhelmingly, Armenians in each community told us what our purpose was – to listen to them, to give them an opportunity to talk about their past and future as individuals and as Armenians. Our fnal queston tried to probe where this project could go: Q100: What queston is missing from this questonnaire.? How Marseille, Photo Mayda Chavak would you answer it? Many ways of being Armenian were refected in the Q.10 (US) Is the contnuaton of the Armenian Diaspora responses and for those who took part, expressing this important to you? This was answered with a resounding diversity within a common bond was most important. “yes”. The diaspora appears to be a meaningful space Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian takes over as director as the ADS with its contnuaton being marked as “fairly” to “very” moves to a more permanent footng, with the AI important by 94% of respondents, making this the most remaining as its administratve base. Please visit the “unanimous” of answers across the communites. website to see more informaton about the ADS, cites In line with this, in another queston, 84% of visited, some results, and our blogs: respondents felt it was important to help the diaspora www.armeniandiasporasurvey.com. communites of the Middle East. These are both signifcant as so ofen the focus of funding, of study, of general atenton seems to be either the Genocide or Cairo team. Photo Chaghik Filian the Republic of Armenia. In Q.79 respondents were asked: How important is the Republic of Armenia to you? Again, a very positve response followed with “fairly” to “very” important checked by 90% of respondents. A further queston found that 75% have visited at least once and 93% intend to visit (again for some). Q.12 In which ways do you defne your Armenian identty? Respondents were asked to choose 3 from a list of 12.

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Father and Son, Make Music History with Magic awards in parallel with his musicianship. Baton by Nouritza Matossian The Paraorchestra was co-founded in 2011 by Rolf and Hazlewood; an ensembleAI 2000 of — disabled2016 musicians who made such gorgeous music that they were invited to play at the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games. Clarence Adoo a famous trumpet player, paralysed afer a car accident, played in his wheelchair on a no-hands laptop instrument designed for his specifc needs by Rolf for that very concert. Father and son prototyped other instruments, tested and built Hi Note and Touch Chord. The Haptc Baton came on a brain wave to Rolf, and Vahakn developed and refned it through many months and persistent trials. Rolf and Vahakn Gehlhaar Matossian have been working for the last eight years with their company Human Instruments in order to create instruments for disabled musicians and adapt technology that will enable them to play like any other musician. "We want a level playing feld for everyone" Vahakn told On November 8th 2018 at a private concert in Bristol me, and last month they did just that. we witnessed its resounding success as every Internatonal conductor Charles Hazlewood was keen downbeat of the Haptc Baton in Beethoven's Fifh to rehearse and conduct the Haptc Baton with a Symphony was played in perfect unison. Maestro mixed orchestra of sighted and visually impaired Hazlewood and the blind musicians led by South musicians in classical and new music. It would be a Korean virtuoso percussionist Kyongho Jeon were frst. Nowhere else in the world have as many blind elated and gave moving testmonials. "For the frst players sat as equals in an orchestra. Each tme he tme this has made visually impaired players would give a beat or move his baton slowly or briskly proactve instead of reactve!" Hazlewood declared. he would trigger a signal to the musicians in the form of a physical sensaton. They would respond and play in tme with the rest of the sighted orchestra. How was it possible?

Rolf Gehlhaar has been called the father of Interactve Music. Composing a large body of instrumental and vocal works for conventonal instruments and working in electronic music studios, in the last three decades he has created sound installatons. People can make music without touching anything, just by moving about in a specially defned space. The most famous was the Sound Space in the 1985 exhibiton Les Immatériaux The aim is to make the magic baton available at the Centre Pompidou, Paris. It struck Rolf forcibly worldwide to orchestras and conductors so that the while dancing in the space that this was a gif to a large numbers of excellent visually impaired blind person to move safely by their hearing alone. musicians who are now condemned to playing solo Afer that he devoted himself to creatng digital or with small ensembles can join the great orchestras instruments for professional players who had of the world and take their place even as leaders and become disabled. soloists. See the BBC report for more informaton htps:// Vahakn ran his design career and received multple www..co.uk/programmes/w3csww8h

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Writng the Seamstress of Ourfa by Victoria Hamid, culminatng in the genocide of 1915. Butler-Sloss As Iskender retreats into his books and alcohol, losing land, money and business, Khatoun holds their family together by sewing forAI the2000 wives— of2016 the men who persecute them; her creatons incitng, lust, love and fertlity. The family joins the resistance and evades the death marches to the Syrian Desert only to lose everything when exiled by Mustafa Kemal and the birth of his new Turkish Republic. What follows is a tale of love, loss and redempton in the diaspora told by four generatons of women, each becoming angel of the next. Through stories that unfold in magical

The Seamstress of Ourfa is the frst book in a trilogy about my family. It begins in 1895, Ourfa, a thriving, reality, leters, memories, and poetry, Seamstress tells of cosmopolitan city in the Otoman Empire, flled with the universal desire to belong. Turks, Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Maronites and The two questons people ask me all the tme are, “What Jews. A city where the fez mixed easily with straw made you write this book?” and “How long did it take boaters, the veil with abundant, loose hair. Khatoun you?” To me that’s like asking how long a piece of string Khouri (right, with her sewing machine in 1970), a girl of is. The answer to both questons is “I was always writng thirteen, meets her husband, Iskender Agha Boghos. it. It’s been in my head ever since I was born.” Twice her age; a poet, philosopher and a dreamer, he I grew up, as many people of my generaton, hearing adores her but cannot express it in words. Around them, family stories. They began as soon as I was old enough to the Otoman Empire is crumbling, the world heading balance on a knee and contnue today. In my family, days towards war and the Armenian minority subjected to are spent sitng and talking. We talk over food, over increasing repression at the hands of Sultan Abdul chores, while sitng with our dusty feet up in the heat of the afernoon. Sometmes there are long silences that tell a story too. My grandmother was the main teller of the dark tales. Her husband’s infdelites had lef her commited to God and once she learned to read she spent her tme reading the Bible and comparing the gospels to the tragedies that were unfolding on the news each night. I grew up believing Armageddon was coming.

Agha Boghos family: lef to right; Alice, Umme Ferida, a cousin Fehime, Iskender, Solomon, Khatoun and Voghbed

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watching 1.5 million people fle past their door and die. They stayed there untl they were fnally kicked out in 1922 when they moved to , living alongside the people that persecuted them and, later, helped them to safety. When my husband and I moved to America in 1999, he had the work visa and I didn’t. I decided to work on the book – going over the stories I’d translated and turning them into chapters. I wrote everything down, startng with My grandmother nodded with certainty every night as the year 1895 and kept going up to the year 2000, she heard about earthquakes and calamites, one fnger following my great grandmother’s stories with my hooked in the page of her Bible. She was also the one grandmothers, mother and aunt’s and mine. The who talked about the past. My mother and aunt talked earliest chapters, the one’s in Seamstress, were the about everything, but there was enough current gossip most difcult because I only had stories and scraps of to keep them occupied. It was my grandmother who stories and I had so much homework to do. Every tme repeated certain stories over and over like a mantra. someone walked into a room I had to research if they She was the one who gave me the material. would light a lamp, strike a match or fick a switch. Most In the late eightes I went to the Royal Academy of of the people I would try and corroborate dates and Dramatc Arts, and one of my teachers encouraged us events with were already dead or very old. There was to write everything down as fuel for the mind. That litle informaton on the internet. That’s all changed summer, when I went to Cyprus, I began to write down now; everything is easily found on the web. Much my grandmother’s stories. She would talk and I would faster. take notes then translate them into my diary. I’d always But then again, I loved research. Finding photos, heard the tales but now I was writng them. Of course discovering nuggets that they were diferent to my mother’s recollectons - part confrm facts in a dusty memory, part story passed down, a degree of book in a library or embroidery involved by each storyteller. I became bookshop. You can go intrigued by several things at once. down a wormhole on any First of all, the truth of the story. For each person it is subject; food, medicine, diferent. Every one has a diferent perspectve - usually sewing, drugs, sex, war. starring themselves. The storyteller becomes the Love. Family. central player in the tale. Secondly, the way stories Seamstress. A tale of love, were told. The older the stories, the more magical the loss and redempton; of telling. People died of broken hearts, “I heard it shater, friendship between like glass,” and, “He vanished over the roofops,” or enemies and a family of someone inadvertently cursed someone who suddenly extraordinary women died. who survive against all I wanted to explore storytelling and how it is many odds, living alongside layered, part fcton, part fact, part memory, a bit of their oppressors. My ego. I was also struck by the fact that my family family. contnued to live in the Empire for a long tme, despite Photos courtesy of Victoria Butler-Sloss

The Seamstress of Ourfa richly recreates the culture of the Armenian community in Ourfa at the tail end of the Otoman Empire. The eponymous seamstress, Khatoun, creates beautful dresses that leave her customers husbands dizzy with desire, while her sister-in–law Ferida cooks sumptuous feasts to sustain a growing and lovingly described group of relatves and the waifs and strays they adopt. The book is available from the Armenian Insttute.

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The Armenian Revoluton: A change came by Tatana few years who felt der Avedissian the same way as 2018 will go down in Armenian history as the year the me so, when I young fought and took back control of their country. A started doing some small grassroots movement from the oppositon turned research for this into one of the largest protests witnessed in Armenia, artcle I decided the and for once politcal support was pouring in from the best people to ask diaspora, mainly the younger generaton, the expats how they felt about and the disenfranchised encouraged by what they saw the revoluton on the news and on their screens. Many would argue were the very the writng was on the wall but no one believed we people who drove would reach this monumental milestone so quickly and it through their enthusiasm and unrelentng resolve to with such litle struggle. change the directon their country was heading towards Seven months later Armenia has transitoned into a new and take back control of their future. government with a mandate to reform and revitalise its One young Armenian living in London who partcipated economy. in the demonstraton here and watched the acton from In 2017 I visited Armenia for the frst tme and fell afar comments “I was so very proud of the unity our instantly in love with my ‘motherland’ so I went back people showcased, and the clever - genuinely clever two months later to atend the diaspora conference and quirky - ways people began protestng. It sort of organised and hosted by the Armenian government. It 'proved our Armenian-ness' and character as a people if was a fantastc gathering of Armenians, however the that even makes any sense. Kids blocking zebra conference itself lacked any clear vision on how to crossings with their toy trucks, babies with "milk-eatng secure the future of Armenia and its people. Many of us strike' writen on their backs (կաթադուլ), regular were invited to partcipate in ‘meaningful discussions’ workers like barbers, business owners, salespeople and ‘listen to the experts’ talk about the future providing their services out on the street, people prosperity of this beautful country and yet, there didn’t dancing, singing, playing drums. Ah, it was beautful to Photo credits p8 Raf Ouzounian

seem to be a real drive to create impactul change. It watch.” was all fuf, a word which has almost become part of As if singing from the same hymn sheet they have all my daily vocabulary of late; we are surrounded by it, used the same words to describe how they felt about meaningful/meaningless calls for acton with no clear the revoluton and its impact; hopefulness, strategy. One of the main topics of discussion that week empowerment, positvity and interestngly weariness. was how to stop the outlow of Armenians, but no one The protests may have started from the oppositon but was willing to address the big elephants in the room the real heroes are the youth of Armenia who were when discussing this critcal topic; corrupton, nepotsm driven by an innate desire for change. They now talk and lack of economic opportunity. The apparent about returning, investng, working in Armenia; a noton soluton to this and many other challenges seemed to not ofen heard when speaking to them before. be placed on the shoulders of the diaspora; we should Meanwhile the diaspora, young and old stood behind invest in Armenia in order for it to prosper and not the protestors, those with no stakes in the current expect anything in return. While I may love my culture government at least, because they too understood the and its people, that is pure folly and not how the real urgent need for reform. Gone are the days when we world works. I have heard of many burnt fngers in the would be compelled to give money to our ‘motherland’ last 20 years spurred from such noble acts. I lef to secure its future because it became abundantly clear Armenia that September with a realisaton that things that money was not the issue. Like any problem, would never get beter and no amount of money would throwing money at it doesn’t solve the core issues of afect change without radical reform. cyclic poverty, hunger and desperaton. I have spoken to many young Armenians over the last

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Nevertheless, the high of the revoluton is wearing of As one young and people are setling back into reality, realising that student one resignaton and a new government alone will not further noted, change the fate of this land and its people. “There’s a Yes, many feel corrupton is on its way out, but is it belief that really? Some are already feeling the change in their day locking up a to day lives. Valentna Hovhannisyan says her “family few oligarchs massively feels the change,” she goes on to say, “It's a or going afer hard process that has already begun and I think will two-three key contnue. I think even people who used to take bribes fgures for PR have changed.” Others however feel we have not gone and populism is the soluton instead of working to solve far enough. Do we have the right talent leading our the real issues...The view from many of those around me country? Some are concerned by the amount of young seems to be that Pashinyan et al are just playing politcs people taking up posts with litle experience on how to now. The system needs to be overhauled from the roots, run government. Are the elders so inherently corrupt which I hope will come to fruiton this year.” What does that we cannot rely on them? ‘New Armenia’ mean to these young professionals and The real test will be the economy, but reimagining students? For Andre Simonian, an insttutons and changing norms take tme. One big musician, it means, “Hope, and hope was in a deep event can change the course of history but more, a lot coma in Armenia for the past 20 years.” When the more, needs to be done, if we want to secure Armenia’s demonstratons frst erupted, I was very weary because I future. Hayk Bagradjans feels, “The revoluton is not was worried about the instability it would cause for our over yet—the hardest part has just started; thoroughly borders. But as the movement grew, I reminded myself reforming insttutons and changing people’s mentalites that we cannot keep the status quo for fear of a worse is needed.” He thinks, “Complacency is probably the outcome; that’s how autocratc states are created, they greatest risk to the revoluton, hence, we need to keep rely on the fear factor, the unknown! More importantly fghtng for the aims of the revoluton and not forget the young were not interested in party politcs they just about the historical watershed moment we have been wanted change from the dysfunctonal system they had ofered by history.” to work with. In Pashinyan they found a man brave Our biggest challenges can not only be found internally enough to stand up to the previous government so they but externally too, with the infuence of foreign powers, stuck with him whether they liked his politcs or not. border security and regional instability. Lilit Gevorgyan, So what is the immediate impact of the revoluton and a senior economist at IHS Markit stll has concerns. She what is its legacy? American-Armenian Garibyan thinks the old guard have retreated but have not been says, “That the people have power; that is its biggest defeated, “As predicted right afer the revoluton, new legacy.” partes have emerged that are covertly linked to the old Afer interviewing many of these young Armenians I regime, and the Russian capital. Their message is one of realised that none of them are under any illusion, they aggressive conservatsm and pseudo-patriotsm; their know there is a long road ahead before we can feel and ultmate objectve is to hijack constructve critcism with see the benefts of the revoluton but these small wins mud-slinging and contnuous negatve PR campaigns to encourage them and me to keep the momentum going. I discredit the revoluton and bring the old guard back.” cannot wait to go back and visit this ‘New Armenia.’ So like Hayk, for Lilit this is just the beginning.

Photo credits p9 Raf Youredjian

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ARMENIA: Creatng Home by Susan Pate exhibiton space to At the Smithsonian Insttuton Folklife Festval, the other. As one of Washington, DC, June 7 – July 8, 2018. the several curators, I grew up in and around Washington, DC and the Levon was busy Smithsonian museums along the Natonal Mall were a arranging the constant source of inspiraton and adventure. Art, wedding about to history, science – everything was there, all free entry take place. A pair of and family-oriented. In 1967, a new outdoor real newly-weds, also educatonal project began; the Folklife Festval was an members of a dance annual internatonal expositon of living cultural troupe brought from heritage, highlightng the diferent ways of living and Armenia, played bride the diverse pathways of heritage in the . and groom as they, Since then the Festval has grown to include cultures their fcttous from around the world and this year the focus was on families (other dancers and crafspeople), musicians Armenia and Catalonia. and many tourists made their way across the space. In With banners welcoming the crowds, the Armenian the outdoor auditorium, Levon and others explained a secton had several stages, one at each end, two more number of wedding customs, some re-enacted for us. in the middle and a shadow puppet theatre in a small And of course we were all invited to dance in tent. In between these were many booths with artsts celebraton of this “new” family. and cooks demonstratng their crafs. Workshops The Smithsonian had sent a team to Armenia to work throughout each day provided the visitors with with Dr. Abrahamian and others fnding makers of introductons to calligraphy, cooking, woodcarving, crafs, dancers, musicians, puppeteers and cooks to weaving and much more. The stages presented a demonstrate their skills and show the thousands of variety of music from jazz to young kanun players from visitors what they would fnd should they visit Armenia Armenia as well as Armenian American musicians such – or indeed, if they visit an Armenian home in the as Zulal, Ara Dinkjian and Onnik Dinkjian. diaspora. Feastng was a major theme and the curators The stages also hosted informatve talks, wide-ranging and speakers (and now the Smithsonian website) gave discussions and demonstratons of cooking, customs, very interestng summaries of ways in which feastng in and traditons. Interpreters facilitated the the diaspora and in Armenia difer while sharing many communicaton and for the third year, discussions things. Antranig Kilislian, a professional chef, born in included a focus on migraton. The 2018 version was but living now in Armenia as a refugee, spoke and enttled On the Move: Migraton and Creatvity, co- demonstrated how to make lahmajun, showing how presented by the American Anthropological newcomers are changing the foodways of Armenia. Associaton. A discussion about “Armenians in America: Later that day, informaton about traditons of foraging A 400 Year Heritage” took place on the Hyurasenyak and the use of herbs was shared by others on the team. stage. “Sounding Memory: Music and Migraton” A tonir was built in the middle of the open space, brought together musicians from Armenia and providing fresh lavash to the visitors. Pity the poor Catalonia to exchange ideas about their transnatonal cooks, making these in 34 degree weather with high experiences and and a session on “Giving Voice: humidity – typical Washington summer! Language and Cultural Survival” included presentatons Major concerts on a shared stage in the middle of the about Mayan and Armenian languages and cultures. Mall brought internatonally known musicians from On the frst day visitng the Festval, I spoted an old Armenia and Catalonia as well as both diasporas. Most friend, Dr. Levon Abrahamian, an anthropologist at touching was the dancing together as troupes from Yerevan State University, rushing from one end of the Armenia and all over America met and shared their steps. Of course visitors also joined – afer fortfying themselves with – what else – Armenian food and wine at the nearby concessions. The Folklife Festval is a celebraton of diversity and connecton, of heritage, of creatvity and transformaton. It calls itself a “celebraton of cultures across the globe” and in 2018 was a vivid, beautful showcase for Armenia and Armenians. Please see these websites to learn more: htps://festval.si.edu/2018/armenia/ htps://festval.si.edu/blog/2018-folklife-festval/ smithsonian

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Armenians in by Richard Armenians spread from Calcuta into Rangoon, Hong Kong, Gregory Singapore, Shanghai, Manila, Okinawa and other ports. In late 2015, I was clearing out Marcar’s ofspring married into the Apcar, Anthony, my parent’s house when, Joaquim and Emin families. hidden under the stairs, I My great grandfather, Gregory Marcar Gregory, was born discovered Victorian photo in 1851 and educated at Harrow School and Trinity albums. There were hundreds College, Cambridge. He joined the Indian Civil Service and of pictures of my father’s became an opium agent, eventually managing an indigo ancestors in London and India, and opium factory in Ghazipur. He married Edith Sheridan including children in in 1885. He retred to Gunterstone Road, London in 1904 mysterious natonal costumes. and became President of the Armenian United Associaton Curiosity took hold and I of London (AUAL) in 1913. Keen to promote researched a rich vein of understanding of the Armenian people, he translated Armenian heritage, from the Ormanian’s Church of Armenia and Archag Tchobanian’s founding of Calcuta to trading The People of Armenia into English. The Foreign Ofce throughout the Far East. Here appointed him Liaison Ofcer for Armenians in the UK is a tny sample: from 1914. Throughout the 1914-1918 war he lobbied on From 1603 a war was raging behalf of Armenian refugees. Early in 1915 the AUAL between Safavid Persia ruled hosted an “At Home”. The evening ended with the by Shah Abbas I and the presentaton of a large silver cup from the Armenians of Otoman Empire ruled by London and Manchester to the Associaton’s President, Lt Sultan Ahmed I. In 1604, over Col Gregory, “as a slight token of their esteem and 150,000 Armenians were forced from Julfa, the town was respect”. As the situaton in deteriorated, the AUAL razed and the populaton resetled in , a suburb inaugurated The Armenian Refugees’ Relief Fund which of with the Armenian Vank Cathedral. Shah Abbas raised substantal sums. By March 1915, £7,750 8s 10d had calculated that Armenians would beneft the Persian been collected. When he retred in July 1917, as President economy. of the AUAL, Gregory was 66 years old. However, he Job Charnock of the East India Company recognised the remained actve. On 8th June 1918, he addressed the success of these Persian Armenian traders and invited AUAL, with English guests, in London: “To us Armenians them to Calcuta, at the tme of founding in 1689, to the Armenian Queston is the very life-blood in our veins… encourage the development of trading routes. The Our Associaton is essentally of a pacifc character, and Armenian church of St Nazareth, Calcuta, was built in our politcs are neutral… We do not desire autonomy or 1724. By the late 19th century there were 1,300 the setng up of an independent kingdom… What we ask Armenians living in Calcuta, Dhaka and Rangoon. When of the powerful natons of Europe is security of life…the an opportunity arose, they showed themselves to be more elements of justce for all… Our countrymen have than merchants. struggled against heavy odds for centuries, their country An Armenian, Israel Sarhad, was instrumental in securing has been torn from them, their women and children are the "Grand Farman" for the East India Company from the being subjected to the grossest indignites, they have been Mogul Emperor Farrokhsiyar in 1715. Petrus Arathoon, decimated in number and are, at this moment, struggling known as the "Armenian Petrus," was an envoy between under the heel of a fanatcal overlord, and at the point of the Britsh and Mir Jafr during the overthrow of Siraj-ud- death.” dowlah and the replacement of Mir Jafr by Mir Kasim as One son, John, was in the Royal Flying Corps and shot the Nawab of Bengal, Behar and Orissa in October 1760. down and killed in 1918. His other son, my grandfather, Khojah Gregory, son of Khalanthar Arratoon of Julfa and Marcar Sheridan Gregory, became an Executve Engineer younger brother of Petrus Arathoon, was a cloth-merchant of Indian State Railways and was a soldier in both World at Hooghly in West Bengal. He became Mir Kasim’s Wars. confdant. The new Nawab appointed Khojah Gregory as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bengal Army. Ghazipur picnic 1885 My great, great grandfather, Marcar Gregory (aka Margar Grigorian), pictured top, was born in July, 1824 in Shiraz, Persia. By the age of 22 he had joined the Calcuta community and was a dealer in Garnet, and Shell-Lac dye—a tree gum, produced as a result of beetle atack– which was moulded into butons and jewellery and also used as a protectve lacquer. In 1850, he inherited the schooner Elizabeth from his wife, Elizabeth Manook, and traded throughout the Far East. Through the trust provided by bonds from extended family members,

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ARMENIA! Metropolitan Christanity and beyond. Museum of New York On a tour Helen Evans explained her By Nouritza Matossian realisaton that Armenia was one of I look across the avenue to the the most far-reaching cultures for Metropolitan Museum's facade of two reasons. Firstly, the early pillars and half of them are hidden conversion of the naton to by a vast circle with a deep blue Christanity which led to literacy, background, an image of Christ translatons and an intellectual wave suspended above clouds and the jumping ahead of its neighbouring word ARMENIA! with an countries. The second, was the exclamaton mark embracing the success and efciency of Armenian world. This frst exhibiton of traders who travelled the globe and Armenian Arts in the US brought established practces for commerce me fying across the Atlantc for the and trading, thereby developing a opening with great hopes and at network of trade routes. Armenian last I join an excited group of control of these trade routes, which Armenians waitng for the doors to incidentally were used by Marco open. Polo, gave them a pre-eminence and The mission and message of Helen status which contnued untl the C. Evans, curator of Byzantne art Otoman ravages of Europe. and specialist of Armenian Far from being considered an mediaeval manuscripts, is made manifest in that poster. isolated country in the east and cut She feels that has been ignored for too of from Europe, the exhibiton shows that Armenia was long and she has worked and waited a lifetme to create a world power with powerful stone carvings, strong an exhibiton at the MET with only the very best art metalwork, refned textles, embroidery, maps and objects; from the earliest stone sculptures to the rise of illuminated manuscripts, early printed books and Cruciform Khachkar, 1448, Lake Sevan, History Museum of illustratons highlightng the interconnectedness of the Armenians with the courts of Europe, , Persia, Armenia, Yerevan India and the Far East. One hundred and forty sumptuous artefacts, some never seen before, were permited to travel for the frst tme from Armenia, the Holy See of Antelias and San Lazzaro in Venice for this exhibiton, including 4th and 5th century massive stone khachkars and steles, and the fowering of mediaeval arts in silver-work, gold jewellery, and elaborate textles. The quality and range of the objects on show are so compelling that I will return to the show three more tmes. Liturgical objects and vestments of the highest order underline the religious pre-eminence of the styles of silver work and gold, repoussé, fligree, cloisonné set with gemstones on Bible covers, sacred vessels and even the Arm Reliquary of Saint Sahak Partev from Vaspurakan. This, like many other treasures, unfold tragic tales as to how they were saved by Armenians feeing from genocide and brought to safety to the Holy See of Etchmiadzin. The long lost parchment map Tabula Chorographica Armenica, measuring 3.52m x 1.2m, datng from 1691 and richly illustrated in colour, was discovered languishing in Bologna University Library. The excited frst night crowd is too noisy, so I hurry to the end of the show to see it in reverse.

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My favourite object at the ARMENIA! Exhibiton was an exquisitely carved pair of doors datng from 1212 from the now destroyed St Garabed monastery on the Plain of Moush referred to commonly at ‘Msho Sultan Sourp Garabed’. The Monastery was the holiest shrine in Otoman Armenia. Traditon has it, it was built on the most sacred pre-Christan site of Ashdishad, destroyed when Christanity was imposed on Armenia during the fourth century. The doors were thought to have been destroyed during the but were saved and kept in a barn by Kurdish villagers for seven decades, untl they were taken out of Turkey in the late 20th century. It’s a miracle they survived and made an appearance at the exhibiton. Vazken Davidian

The fgures on the lef-hand side of the door, depict the Baptsm of Christ, with Christ half immersed in water and fanked by two fgures, presumably Archangel Gabriel and Saint John the Baptst. Behind Christ is the Hand of God.

Beautful sharagans are heard only in this gallery with of traditons and beliefs maintained of centuries." the illuminated Bibles and artefacts of faith. I would add that the infuences of neighbouring I almost bump into security guards surrounding Nikol countries have been sufused and integrated into the Pashinyan gazing at an open Roslin Gospel in a display decoratve arts and styles of these diferent art forms case. He is soon followed by His Holiness Karekin II who yet the rugged originality and striking distnguishing has lent several important items. marks of Armenian identty shines through all of them. The exhibiton is crucially important in opening up to Through history and untl the present-day, Armenian North America the hidden, and ofen tragic, history of artsts, who have sufered appalling setbacks and Armenians. traumas, have fought back with their best weapon - by “I think for many Armenians, it is viewed as a tragic making art of a deeper, wider and more profound history" said Helen Evans in The Art Newspaper podcast. humanity than their persecutors could ever begin to “I think the exhibiton shows that although Armenians imagine. have frequently been—as other cultures have—atacked by outside forces, they’ve also always revived, and as Armenia! was at the the works in the show indicate, remained a coherent Metropolitan Museum, people with an incredible traditon of art. So, I perhaps , September see it as tragic with great rays of sunshine.” 22, 2018 – January 13, 2019 My long-held convicton that displaying and giving informaton about our arts is the best form of communicaton led me to examine the US reviews. The Reliquary Cross with Relics of Wall Street Journal review wrote: Saint John the Baptst. 14th century and 1670, made in " . . .though Armenia's history is ornate and knoty and Cilicia. Mother See of Holy scarred by exile, disruptons and 20th century mass Etchmiadzin, Armenia killings, and though its lands were batered by Islamic conquest . . . we sense an astonishing consistency, a set

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Gevorg Emin: Centenary Madenataran library where I By Sossi Yerissian worked as a student and could 2019 sees the centenary of read and hold the magnifcent old ; one of the most manuscripts from the 5th to the notable and versatle Armenian 18th centuries.” While he did poets of the 20th century. sufer restrictons as a writer, he Born Karlen Mouradian on 30 escaped the fate of Charents in September 1919 in , Stalin’s purges, and was entrusted the family later moved to with a number of Charents Yerevan where Emin unpublished works. graduated as a hydraulic Emin fought in the Second World engineer in 1940. War, although his experiences While one of the hydroelectric were rarely the subject of his power statons that Emin works; rather, the Armenian designed and supervised was Genocide and his homeland is the stll producing electricity in theme he returned to most ofen. Vartenis well-into his later life, However, as Martn Robbins wrote it is for his eloquent and direct in the introducton to Land, Love, poetry that he is well-remembered. Century, a collecton of Emin’s A chance meetng with the poet poems (English editon), while Emin spoke about the while Emin was at school, led to a fruitul mentorship predicament of Armenia through its landscape and relatonship and friendship, indeed Emin was referred more, “this wouldn’t have gained internatonal interest to as Charent’s ‘son in poetry’. Writng in his preface to in his work, or own him a Soviet State Prize for Land, For you on New Year’s Day’ Emin says: “Today if I write Love, Century (in 1976). His work speaks out of and to instead of building canals and power plants it is due to the deeper human predicament in the century of two things: First the impact of Yeghishe Charents. “Auschwitzes and Der Zors. In a century that is Second, the touches of ancient manuscripts at the “pounding the skulls of the just,” he asks: “Lord, don’t you hear the red news of massacre and blood?”

We

Yet what are we, think, We and our country , If our talk is frank, but we look away? If we’re a ship, we’re aground on barren rock, If we’re clay, we’re flled with tears, If we’re soil, we’re petrifed by fear, And if we’re stone—we cry out in pain, A powerful soul with no body, A rare quality without quantty, A brave ofcer with no army, A worshipper of the past and its ruin

Yet what are we, think We and our country If our talk is frank but we look away? We’re tourist while at home Guests in our own homes A land without a people, A people without a land, Scatered beads, impossible to collect...

Excerpt from Menk, translaton by Martn Robbins, Land, Love, Century by Gevorg Emin 1988. Published by Three Contnents Press. Despite searches, the copyright holder could not be found.

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Emin’s poetry was translated into many languages, and Emin was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1951 and the USSR it was in Russian that poet frst State Prize in 1976 for his poetry. In 1972, he toured the discovered his work to much acclaim. In the foreword to United States with Yevtushenko giving poetry readings. Land, Love, Century, Yevtushenko wrote “Emin’s In 1991, Emin was part of a concert at the Royal Albert mastery lies not only in the smoothness of his lines, but Hall organised by Vanessa Redgrave, at also in a spiritual mastery, a mastery of passionate Conciliaton, and featuring other artsts such as Duran convicton. Immensely interested in everything he Duran and Chrissie Hyde, where the English versions of comes into contact with, Emin might seem gloomy, but his work were read out by Redgrave, and Richard Harris. Ahe and is Bnever Teams bored…Emin’s poetry is full of wisdom and Emin's frst wife was the daughter of the distnguished at the same tme avoids the ratonalistc-didactc Armenian poet . Afer her death, he emphasis which weighs heavily on most of our talented married a writer, Armenouhi Hamparian. He had three poets. In Emin’s wisdom there is a playful inwardness sons. Gevorg Emin died in Yerevan on 11 June 1998 that the reader immediately feels.” having published 15 volumes of poetry.

First Lines, First Prizes and the First Lady by Lilit Avetsyan 719 students from 226 schools from diferent regions of Armenia took part in the 8th year of the Natonal Poetry Recitaton Contest telling stories and expressing their emotons through the English language poems of the greatest Western poets. The numbers exceeded all expectatons of the partcipants and the organisers: this was our biggest annual event so far. The students’ we are already missing some of our alumni who have favorite poems were Stll I Rise by Maya Angelou, If by gone on to bigger and beter things. Emilia Simonian Rudyard Kipling, and I Carry Your Heart by EE from Yerevan is now studying veterinary medicine at Cummings. Thanks to support from donors all over the Cambridge University. Anahit Badalyan, a 10th form world, we were able to launch a Creatve English student from Kapan, will fnish her last two years of high Summer School: a fve-day camp for 60 contest fnalists. school at United World Colleges in . Martn The camp allowed Armenia’s brightest and best pupils Ghazaryan, Lilit Poghosyan and Tatev Telunts from the (forms 7-12) to develop a natonal peer network of area are just some of our students who made it to English enthusiasts and to beneft from career and the third round for Future Leaders Exchange program— academic mentoring. Best of all, the camp setng in and they hope to be studying in the US next year. There Hankavan allowed us to move away from a classroom are lot of success stories from students we expect to see and from the emphasis on memorisaton. Students took again. Diana Mitchyan was a member of European part in yoga, art, music and dancing sessions—and even Youth Parliament Taguhi Torozyan took part in Summer met some rescue dogs! There was much opportunity to Business School 2018 and develop new vocabulary, gain self-confdence and make her team project won the Moonchild new friends. The First Lady Anna Hakobyan was one of a frst prize as the best Start They built a house stream of distnguished visitors. She was impressed that -up idea. Davit Sargysan, with books and fowers this world-class learning experience was being ofered now a 12th former in They made a creature in Armenia. The camp stood out because we had our Kapan, aspires to be with heart and feathers Armenia’s Prime Minister She turned her face in the future. He was to the pale blue moon partcularly delighted to And glanced at the light meet Ms. Hakobyan (lef). of the bright sunshine. We have lots of other She took her frst step would-be computer And opened her wings programmers, doctors And promised to meet the and marketng specialists. moon on her way. These students are the "But is this the path I own poet- in- residence, all the way from Ireland. future of Armenia. wanted, said she

Damian Gorman ran diferent sessions on poetry writng To support the Natonal "Is this the moon that during the fve days inspiring the partcipants “to write Poetry Recitaton Contest atracted me? frst lines of their poems”. and camp, please email Poem by Diana, a student In 2019, we antcipate 1300 students from every marz [email protected] from (region of Armenia) will take part in the contest—and

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Breaking out of the Chaotc Chrysalis by Nouritza biographical study, Matossian lectures, and premiers. I In June 2018, Cyprus PEN Centre of Writers invited me had to marry an inventve to partcipate at their Symposium: Woman in Arts, composer, of course, Rolf Literature, Society. These three words have run through Gehlhaar, and we had two my childhood and sometmes strained the bounds of musical boys, Hagop and the family when I decided to escape to boarding school Vahakn. Motherhood in England away from the taunts: "You are just a girl. brought a deeper One day you will be married." awareness of my Pupa Stage: One of my earliest memories is hiding from Armenian heritage. house chores to read books. My grandparents had My next enigma was sought refuge under the Britsh fag from the Young Arshile Gorky's art and his Turk massacres from Ainteb and Kayseri. They brought Georgian camoufage. centuries-old agonies and fears of persecuton with a Thirty years of sleuthing sub-Islamic code of behaviour. "Don't speak before your revealed the Armenian elders / Cover your knees / Obey your brother." Manoug Adoian, his My modern hard-working parents sent us to Britsh genocide cavalry and his schools, yet the expectaton was, “You will grow up and radical art springing from the ancient bedrock of we will choose a husband for you.” Armenian culture in Van and his poetc soul. Reclaiming The Cyprus independence his true history in my book I was happy when the art movement EOKA against the establishment and press at last identfed him not as colonial regime had shatered Georgian or Russian but as "the renowned Armenian the island. Students threw American artst." Atom Egoyan optoned the book for bombs, soldiers tramped down Ararat and I toured my one woman show, The Double our street, leafets futered Life of Arshile Gorky in over a hundred performances. from the sky, children waved On my trips to diferent diasporas I was warmly fags for freedom, many were embraced, a long-lost relatve welcomed into the great tortured, lessons were Armenian family. interrupted by curfews. News In , Hrant was broadcast in Greek, Turkish Dink arranged for a and English. Greek boys, even Turkish translaton younger than 18 years were and we began a flm sentenced to death to be hanged in the Jail. project together. I But who were we the Armenians? A signifcant flmed our proporton - 60% in my class - never heard a word about conversatons, his our history or language at school. I felt that we did not lecture in London in exist. Only we Armenians spoke all four languages. The 2005, but he was world was not a safe place. This was my chaotc cruelly gunned chrysalis. down in 2007. The Metamorphosis: Boarding school in England, London world lost an University degree in Philosophy, provided by my audacious, gentle colossus of human rights who dared parents against their beter judgement. How liberatng to achieve the unthinkable: friendship and to be in a country where I was not recognised and was understanding with Turks. My quest is more urgent measured only by what I could do. now to complete the flm we had begun along with Flight: My search was for a linguistc analysis embracing other projects of mine. all music. I interviewed leading composers, Boulez, Flying away from home in Cyprus rewarded my buterfy Berio, Stockhausen, and Xenakis. Finally thrilled by the mine with a rich harvest. This migratory mult-cultural scale and power of his music I focused on Xenakis the experience which Armenians all share in one way or most revolutonary, the most ostracised polymath. He another has brought the Diaspora and Armenia closer combined philosophy and music, introduced computers together in what I hope will be a renaissance for our into compositon and harnessed technology. "You country in the near future. understand and love my music, you speak Cypriot Greek like the ancients. You are Armenian, massacred and Adapted from a presentaton given at the Cyprus Pen driven out by the Turks like my family from Asia Minor." Centre of writers Symposium: Woman in Arts, Xenakis became my interlocutor and teacher for the Literature, Society 1 June 2018 next ten years, not just in music but in life ensuing in a

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Three Giants by Nouritza Matossian photographing many notable artsts and public fgures 2018 saw the passing of three of the best-known such as Marc Chagall, Maria Callas, Bertrand Russell, Armenian artsts Alfred Hitchcock and Winston Churchill, however, he will probably be best remembered for his evocatve black- Charles Aznavour, France, 1924-2018 and-white photographs of Istanbul, mostly taken in the Shahnourh Varenagh Aznavourian was born in Paris to 1950s and ‘60s. Güler said, "When I'm taking a picture of Armenian parents feeing the Armenian Genocide, AI 2000 - Aya Sofa, what counts is the person passing by who enduring a childhood of deprivaton. Yet, he became one stands for life." of the most loved and internatonally acclaimed singers Güler won a number of awards for his work including in the world. Aznavour had a repertoire of over 1,000 Turkey's Photographer of the Century, 1999; Master of songs, sold more than 180 million records and appeared Leica, 1962; France's Légion d'honneur; Lifetme in over 70 flms including Ararat. He was a prolifc Achievement Lucie Award, 2009;2016 and Turkey's Grand songwriter and superb actor who became a major Prize of Culture and Arts, 2005. His passing was widely benefactor to Armenia afer the devastatng 1988 mourned, and there are current plans to open a earthquake. As the Ambassador for Armenia in museum dedicated to his work in . Switzerland in 2009 and a delegate to the UN in , he toiled for the acknowledgement of the genocide. Aznavour was mesmerising on-stage, fascinatng on the screen and gentle, humorous and acute of-stage. He was honoured with a state funeral at the Invalides, Paris, by the leaders of his two homelands, France and Armenia. The Eifel Tower was lit up with gold in his honour and his songs played on Avenue d'Léna with his pictures on a giant screen. Aznavour will contnue to beguile and console us with his heart-warming voice and words.

Ara Güler, Turkey, 1928-2018 (right) Aram Terteyan was born into an Armenian family in Istanbul. He changed his name, as required by Turkish law, and afer giving up hopes of becoming an actor, he Chant Avedissian, Egypt 1951-2018 became Turkey’s best-known photographer, gaining the The renowned artst Chant Avedissian was born in Cairo nickname of Istanbul's Eye. In the late 1950s, he became in 1951 to an Armenian family who had escaped the a correspondent for Time-Life’s Turkish branch and was Armenian Genocide. He studied art in then soon receiving commissions for renowned magazines Paris, before returning to Cairo where he began working such as The Sunday Times and Paris Match. with renowned vernacular architect Hassan Fathy at the Around the same tme, he was invited to join Magnum Aga Khan Foundaton, and became inspired by local Photos by Henri Carter-Bresson and he became the frst materials and traditonal art. He developed his famous Turkish photographer to join the American Society of artstc style fusing hieratc motfs of ancient Egypt with Magazine Photographers. In 1968 his work was geometric shapes ofen featuring fat colour cut-outs displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York as from illustrated cinema magazines stencilled somewhat part of the Ten Masters of Color [sic] Photography. ironically onto backgrounds of Pharaonic, Bedouin and Ara travelled extensively throughout his life for Otoman paterns. photographic assignments, as well as meetng and He painted a pantheon of notable Egyptans from Nasser to singers such as Umm Kulthum. His work was exhibited abroad in 25 solo exhibitons between 1969 and his passing, and is part of the collectons at the Natonal Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Insttuton the Britsh Museum, London and Guggenheim . Avedissian shot to fame again when his work Icons of the Nile, a lot of 120 pieces (lef, no.39) sold for $1.5m at Sotheby’s setng the record for a living Arab artst. Natonal identty and cultural heritage had underscored his art and Avedissian ofen mused, "In Egypt I am Armenian, in Europe I am Egyptan and in China no one bothers."

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Talaat Pasha: Father of Modern Turkey, Architect politcal aspiratons and ultmately the dramatc of Genocide, by Hans-Lukas Kieser, Princeton acquital of Soghomon Tehlirian for his murder. University Press, 2018. By Richard Mourad Anooshian Kieser clearly documents “Talaat’s long, strong shadow”. He casts Kemal Ataturk - who from his This is the frst English language power base in Ankara contnued biography of (1874- to implement the central CUP 1921), the leading fgure in the doctrine of the establishment of triumvirate (along with Enver Pasha a homogeneous, Turkish-Muslim and Cemal Pasha) that ruled the late homeland in all of Asia Minor Otoman Empire during , ruled by a strong, single party and the architect of the Armenian authoritarian government - as Genocide. In a major feat of the spiritual child of Gokalp. scholarship, Hans-Lukas Kieser, While Ataturk may have Associate Professor in the School of abandoned the imperialist Humanites and Social Science at the noton of ‘Turan’ stretching to University of Newcastle in Australia, Central Asia and parts of the provides a brilliant and thoroughly Arab lands and desired a break substantated analysis of “who was with the Otoman past, the Mehmed Talaat and why might we philosophy and politcal ideology call him a frst founder of the Turkish remained the same. Kieser very naton-state even before Kemal efectvely evidences this by the Ataturk?” high ofces ofered to loyal young CUP governors and employees in Ankara (including many of Recountng Talaat’s humble beginnings in the “Talaat’s blood-stained young cadre”) and the long Edirne Vilayet, his unfnished educaton that led to leters exchanged between Kemal Ataturk and a junior post in a telegraph company to becoming a Talaat where there appears a clear consensus and partsan and then head of the Commitee of Union meetng of minds. They refer to each other as “we” and Progress (CUP) - an underground revolutonary in the post war shaping and consolidaton of a organisaton, many of whose leaders hailed from Turkish-Muslim state in Anatolia. the Balkans - Kieser argues that Talaat’s lack of higher educaton was compensated by a masterful This long-awaited biography is a thought-provoking skill in politcal manipulaton, intrigue and double- piece of scholarship which complements and dealing. The author convincingly demonstrates further enhances the recent work undertaken in how in consolidatng his power within the CUP, documentng and analysing the historical narratve Talaat allowed members with extremist views to of the late Otoman Empire. Like the scholarship of have the upper hand. These included the military Stefan Ihrig, Kieser provides the reader with a Drs. Nazim and Bahaeddin Sakir and in the diferent perspectve of the already well- ideological sphere, Zia Gokalp, who gave the CUP documented Armenian Genocide from the vantage (and foremost Talaat) a social and politcal point of its chief perpetrator, Talaat Pasha. doctrine. Gokalp promoted the messianic vision of ‘Turan’, a pure, homogenous Turkish-Muslim state, where “the people are the garden and we are its gardener.” Externally Talaat engineered an opportunistc alignment of the Otoman Empire with and the Central Powers. Under the guise of World War I, his policy to end the Armenian Queston once and for all proved to be a precursor to other radicalised policies in Central Europe in years to come. The book provides a thoughtul discussion on the afermath of the war, Talaat’s asylum in Berlin, the contnuaton of his

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The Uncompromising Facts of History: Christopher Following the passing of the renowned historian, J. Walker’s Writngs on Armenia by Rebecca Jinks, Christopher Walker in 2017, the Armenian Insttute Armenian Insttute, by Arda Eghiayan organised a memorial lecture as a tribute to his works. The lecture, writen and delivered by Dr Rebecca Jinks, a lecturer in Modern History at Royal Holloway University, has been published by AI, and is now available for £5. Dr Jinks followed-up the 2017 lecture with a presentaton at Kings’ College London, with the KCL Armenian Society—Afer Christopher Walker: New Approaches to Modern Armenian History and the Genocide. We were very lucky to be joined by the Head of History and Head of sixth-form Enrichment for Lancing College, Christopher Walker’s alma mater, Dr Damian Kearney, and his year 12 class for the lecture. Dr Kearney had kindly searched the school archives for Christopher Walker’s contributons to the school magazine, which showed his obvious literary talents that he put to wonderful use in his historical works.

Lancing College Magazine, Advent 1959, Amateur Dramatc Society “C.J Walker gave a very stmulatng paper on Ibsen, the frst paper to be given since the foundaton of the Society. The paper heightened our enjoyment of the Theatre Royal’s producton of ‘Rosmersholm’ which was brilliantly acted by a cast that included Dame Peggy Ashcrof, Eric Porter and Mark Dignam.”

Also out, is Mr. Five oil producing countries. Gulbenkian's secrecy has meant Per Cent: The Many that this remarkable legacy has remained hidden - untl Lives of Calouste now. Gulbenkian, The Another, recent tome dealing with secret lives, is that of World’s Richest Man, Secret Naton, The Hidden Armenians of Turkey by by Jonathan Conlin. Avedis Hadjian, Hadjian, a journalist who has writen for This new work covers the LA Times and Bloomberg amongst others, was born the life story of in and educated in and Cambridge. Calouste Gulbenkian Researching this book, Hadjian travelled to the towns who, when he died in and villages once 1955 at the age of 86, densely populated by was the richest man in Armenians, recording the world and known stories of survival and as ‘Mr Five Per Cent’ discovery from those for his share of Middle who remain in a East oil producton. For region that is deemed half a century and unsafe for the people through two world wars he brokered top-level oil deals, who once lived convincing governments and oil barons alike of his there. The stories impartality as an ‘honest broker’, and his advice was bring to life sought by Otoman Sultans and alike. The discussions about later recompensed him with Rembrandts from the Armenian identty in Hermitage. Today the companies Gulbenkian created, and Armenian including Royal Dutch Shell and Total, are household relatonships with names. Less well known is the lastng impact the diferent ethnic internatonal accords he negotated had on the groups in modern subsequent fortunes of Iraq, Venezuela and many other Turkey.

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ARMENIAN PUBLIC RADIO - THE ARMENIAN BBC OR GOVERNMENT MOUTHPIECE By Mark Grigorian 8 January 2018 Armenian Insttute Mark Grigorian, Executve Director of Public Radio of Armenia, discussed difcultes facing the insttuton and explored opposing approaches: is PRA a real public service or a mouthpiece of the government? Born in Yerevan, Grigorian graduated from Yerevan State University and later earned a PhD in Philology. He has worked as a journalist since 1993 in a variety of media, including as editor of Svoboda newspaper, Armenian Internatonal Magazine, and the Insttute for War and Peace Reportng in London where he went following an assassinaton atempt in Yerevan. He then worked with the BBC World Service before returning to Armenia in 2014, hostng television programmes. The author of many books, Grigorian is also a cofounder of the Caucasus Insttute in Yerevan.

IN MEMORIAM: HRANT DINK 19 January 2018 Free Word Centre The Armenian Insttute was proud to commemorate the exceptonal life and achievements of Hrant Dink murdered on 19 January 2007 in Istanbul and to afrm his stance against discriminaton. Editor of the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, Dink was the outspoken champion of human and civil rights in Turkey. His lingua franca in free expression opened the foodgates for repressed people seeking out and declaring their true ethnic history and identty. The term "Armenian Genocide", ofcially taboo, became current usage. He was punished by death. The keynote speaker was Maureen Freely, a novelist, journalist and translator, known for her translatons of the Turkish Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, Fetye Çetn and Tuba Çandar's book on Dink, she has also writen about literature, social justce and human rights. As chair of the Translators Associaton and as President of English PEN, she has campaigned for writers and freedom of expression internatonally. We also had guest singer, Suna Alan, perform. The event was organised by the Armenian Insttute in associaton with Artcle 19 and English PEN.

THE TRANSCAUCASIAN TRAIL 14 March 2018 University College London Ricardo Lecture Theatre The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) will be a world-class, long-distance hiking trail more than 3,000 km in length, following the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains and connectng roughly two dozen natonal parks and protected areas in the region. It is currently being built by a small team of hiking enthusiasts with the support of internatonal volunteers and local people in Armenia and . Members of the audience met some of the TCT team members, learned more how the project started, what has been achieved so far and what is planned for 2018 and 2019. They also found out more how they could get involved in building the TCT, or support the project in other ways. As a bonus, the frst person who through-hiked the whole southern part of the TCT (from the south of Armenia to the Black Sea in Georgia) in 2017 also shared his experience from his epic, eight-week-long hike.

KILLING ORDERS: TALAT PASHA'S TELEGRAMS AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE Lecture by Professor Taner Akçam 23 March 2018 Free Word Centre Taner Akçam presented his groundbreaking new book, Killing Orders: Talat Pasha’s Telegrams and the Armenian Genocide, destroying the Turkish government’s denial strategy. Akçam includes a recently discovered document — a "smoking gun" — that points to the Otoman government’s central role in planning the eliminaton of its Armenian populaton. He successfully demonstrates that the killing orders signed by Otoman Interior Minister Talat Pasha, which the Turkish government has long discredited, are authentc. Akçam calls the discovery, which he found in a private archive, “an earthquake in the feld of genocide studies.” The evening's event was introduced by Dr Hratch Tchilingirian of University of Oxford. Akçam holds the Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University. An internatonally recognised human rights actvist, Akçam was one of the frst Turkish intellectuals to acknowledge and openly discuss the Armenian Genocide. His 2012 book, The Young Turks’ Crime Against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Otoman Empire was co-winner of the Middle East Studies Associaton’s Albert Hourani Book Award and one of ForeignAfairs.com’s “Best Books on the Middle East.” His many awards include the Outstanding Upstander Award from the World Without Genocide Organizaton received in 2018. We are grateful to our generous supporters for making these events possible: Diana & Panos Katsouris, Rafy Manoukian, Richard Anooshian, Violet & Razmik Tatevossian, Gagik & Stepan-Sarkissian, Hrant & Vera Margossian.

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HONOURING TANER AKÇAM Wine recepton and book launch 24 March 2018 Nevarte Gulbenkian Hall Many people responded to the invitaton of the Armenian Insttute to join in celebratng the work of Taner Akçam and took the opportunity to meet and speak with him. A presentaton of his latest book, Killing Orders: Talat Pasha's Telegrams and the Armenian Genocide began the evening, followed by a wine recepton. The event was supported by our generous sponsors and by University College London Armenian Society.

SAVING SIGHT IN ARMENIAN BABIES with Dr S Chien Wong 13 April 2018 Medical Society of London Dr S Chien Wong is one of the world's leading consultant ophthalmologists at Moorfelds Eye, Royal Free and Great Ormond Street Hospitals, and has revolutonised eye care in Armenia saving the sight of 1 million or more premature infants and children in the region with his innovatve expert surgery. A super-specialist in complex paediatric vitreoretnal surgery and retnovascular diseases, he is one of only two surgeons in the world in endoscopic vitrectomy for premature infants and young children with complex paediatric vitreoretnal diseases. In 2014 he joined the Armenian Eye Project visitng the country a number of tmes to perform surgery on new-born babies and adults at the Armenian Centre of Excellence for the Preventon of Childhood Blindness. He trains new doctors and introduces novel methods of gene therapy and surgery. The event was organised by the Armenian Insttute in collaboraton with the Armenian Medical Associaton.

TRUTHS AND BETRAYALS: THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND WHY IT MATTERS With Antonia Arslan and Siobhan Nash-Marshall 26 April 2018 Free Word Centre Antonia Arslan and Siobhan Nash Marshall, in conversaton with each other, presented and discussed new perspectves on the denial of the Armenian Genocide, a devastatng example of what we now call “a post-truth” phenomenon. Their focus was on the relevance of this poignant example to today’s seeming tdal wave of “historical engineering.” Professor Antonia Arslan (Università di Padova) is the acclaimed author of internatonal best-seller Skylark Farm (La masseria delle allodole) which was made into a stunning flm, The Lark Farm, directed by the Taviani brothers. Professor Siobhan Nash Marshall (Mary T Clark Chair of Christan Philosophy at Manhatanville College, New York City), is the author of The Sins of the Fathers: Turkish Denialism and the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Insttute is grateful to our generous sponsors, Alice and Raf Tanielian, for making this event possible.

Book launch: THE DARKER SHADOW by R P Sevadjian 10 May 2018 Nevarte Gulbenkian Hall The Darker Shadow by R P Sevadjian is the sequel to In the Shadow of the Sultan published in 2014 and tells of a long journey during the frst months of the Armenian Genocide; twins Bedros and Dzovinar are compelled to leave their home town together with their uncle and his American friends. They travel over difcult terrain and through remote and devastated villages, and form an understanding of the treatment of Armenians throughout the Otoman Empire. R P Sevadjian was raised and educated in Ethiopia before she lef for the UK for her further educaton. She remained in the UK afer the Derg Revoluton of 1974. As well as writng the fnal part of her trilogy, she is researching the work of her father, Bedros A Sevadjian who was jeweller By Appointment to Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

A POETRY EVENING WITH GEVORG EMIN 31 May 2018 Nevarte Gulbenkian Hall This poetry evening was dedicated to the work of Gevorg Emin (1919-1998), a hydraulic engineer turned poet. He was one of the most popular Soviet Armenian poets of the 20th century whose work was translated into many languages. He was considered to be one of the few who freed Armenian poetry from the restrictons of the Stalin era and reinvigorated it afer a long period of stagnaton during which experimentalism was discouraged. Sossi Yerissian led a presentaton of Emin’s life and work followed by readings of his poetry, in Armenian and English. Assadour Guzelian, concluded the evening with his reminiscences of spending tme with Gevorg Emin in Armenia and London. The poet and writer Assadour Guzelian published works include the epic poem Hamo and Fadileh and a compendium of artcles published in the Armenian press over several decades.

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Book launch: THE SEAMSTRESS OF OURFA By Victoria Butler-Sloss 6 July 2018 Chelsea Academy 1895, Ourfa, a cosmopolitan city in the Otoman Empire. Khatoun meets her husband, Iskender, twice her age, a poet and a dreamer who adores her but cannot express it in words. Around them, the Otoman Empire is crumbling, the world heading towards war and the Armenian minority subjected to increasing repression, culminatng in the genocide of 1915. As Iskender retreats into his books and alcohol, losing land, money and business, Khatoun holds their family together by sewing for the wives of the men who persecute them; her creatons incitng lust, love and fertlity. The family evades the death marches to the Syrian Desert only to lose everything when exiled by Mustafa Kemal and the birth of the Turkish Republic. What follows is a tale of love, loss and redempton in the diaspora told by four generatons of women, each becoming the guardian angel of the next. Victoria Harwood Butler-Sloss is Armenian-English from Cyprus. She moved to London at 18, began as a dancer at the Raymond Revuebar and followed that by playing a slew of exotc foreigners on Britsh television. She trained at RADA and spent twenty years as an actress in London and Europe. She married, moved to LA, started a family, contnued to work in voiceovers, and wrote her frst book, The Seamstress of Ourfa. Wines were generously supplied by Makkas Winery, Cyprus.

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE TUITION AT THE INSTITUTE: New tuiton year (September 2018 - June 2019) Armenian Insttute We ofer a wide choice of East and West Armenian language courses and levels, both in group classes and through bespoke one-to-one sessions. Classes meet at our Kensington space either on weekday evening or on Saturdays. Our teachers are all highly experienced natve Armenian speakers. We ofer a friendly and stmulatng environment to help you gain confdence. The emphasis is mainly on oral communicaton with actve student partcipaton.

The Armenian Insttute at the Armenian Street Festval

15 July 2019 North Acton playing felds.

Book launch: THE ARMENIAN LEGIONNAIRES: SACRIFICE AND BETRAYAL IN WORLD WAR I By Susan Paul Pate 27 September 2018 Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust & Genocide Following the devastaton resultng from the Armenian Genocide in the Otoman Empire beginning in 1915, the survivors of the massacres were dispersed across the Middle East, Europe and North and South America. Not content with watching World War I silently from the sidelines, a large number of Armenian volunteers joined the Légion d'Orient. They were trained in Cyprus and fought courageously in Palestne and Cilicia alongside Allied commander General Allenby, eventually playing a crucial role in defeatng German and Otoman forces in Palestne at the Batle of Arara in September 1918. The Armenian Legionnaires signed up on the understanding that they would be fghtng in Syria and Turkey, and, should the Allies be successful, they would be part of an occupying army in their old homelands, laying the foundaton for a self-governing Armenian state. Susan Paul Pate is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at University College London and former Director of the Armenian Insttute. In recent years she has served as Director of the Armenian Museum of America and was Program Manager of the Natonal Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoraton in Washington, DC. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is the author of an ethnography, Faith in History: Armenians Rebuilding Community (1997). The Armenian Legionnaires is available from the Armenian Insttute for £20.

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Book launch: ARMENIAN BANKERS IN THE by M H Bouldoukian 27 October 2018 Nevarte Gulbankian Hall Armenian Bankers in the Otoman Empire is a historical perspectve by M H Bouldoukian, the former Deputy Governor of Banque du Liban. The book tracks and reports on Armenian bankers during the Otoman Empire from the 15th century onwards, providing an overview of the large role Armenians played in the Empire’s economy and their eventual fate afer its collapse. Bouldoukian has extensively researched the history of many of the leading bankers in the Armenian community at the tme including those of Greek and Jewish descent. The evening opened with a short talk on the role Armenians play in the Turkish and wider global economy today. M H Bouldoukian is the author of a number of books, award-winning academic papers on internatonal banking, correspondent banking and banking systems of and Armenia. He has worked in banking for over 58 years for some of the largest internatonal banking insttutons in the world.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA SURVEY: REFLECTIONS ON FINDINGS with Khachig Tölölyan 18 November 2018 Nevarte Gulbenkian Hall The Armenian Diaspora Survey Pilot Project is afliated with the Armenian Insttute and funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundaton. Over 18 months, the team had developed quanttatve and qualitatve methods to learn about communites in the diaspora. Teams were sent to Cairo, Boston, Marseilles and Pasadena where questonnaires, interviews and photographs were gathered. Professor Khachig Tölölyan was in conversaton with Dr Susan Pate, leader of the Armenian Diaspora Survey, Dr Hratch Tchilingirian of the Advisory Commitee, and other members of the team, refectng on the fndings of the recently completed Pilot Project. Prof Tölölyan also shared his thoughts about the evoluton of concepts and lived realites of diaspora. Khachig Tölölyan is Professor of the Humanites in the College of Leters at Wesleyan University, where he teaches literature, history and philosophy. In 1991 he founded, and now co-edits, Diaspora: a Journal of Transnatonal Studies, the leading publicaton in the feld of diaspora studies. Tölölyan is the author of over 100 artcles in Armenian, some collected in Spyurki Mech (1980), is the co-editor of Diaspora, Identty and Religion (Routledge, 2004), and of scholarly artcles on topics ranging from American literature and literary theory to Armenian terrorism and the Armenian diaspora.

UNRAVELLING PARAJANOV'S MASTERPIECE: THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES Screening and talk by Nouritza Matossian 29 November 2018 Asia House “Unlike anything in cinema history” said Martn Scorsese of this flm, "like opening a door and walking into another dimension, where tme has stopped and beauty has been unleashed . . . on a basic level, it's a biography of the Armenian poet Sayat Nova, but before all else it's a cinematc experience, and you come away remembering images, repeated expressive movements, costumes, objects, compositons, colours." In an illustrated presentaton, Nouritza Matossian decoded and discussed this enigmatc cultural jewel on the 18th Century Armenian poet/troubadour and the tormented Armenian genius, Sergei Parajanov. The talk was followed by a screening of the flm. Nouritza Matossian is a writer, actor, flm-maker, broadcaster and human rights actvist. Her biographies of composer , artst Arshile Gorky were made into a BBC2 documentary, Something Rich and Strange and Atom Egoyan's Ararat. She performed The Double Life of Arshile Gorky in 100 shows and made the flm portrait, Heart of Two Natons, Hrant Dink. This event was held in partnership with Asia House. We are grateful to the Embassy of Georgia and Embassy of Armenia for their support.

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News from down under... My name is Isabelle Topalian, I’m 12 years old and I live in Australia. I have never visited Armenia, but I do have Armenian heritage... this is from my dad’s side. I have my Medzmama and Medzbaba who live in England and have taught me many things about Armenia. Recently at school I had a new task. We had to choose a country and try to persuade parents to take a visit to our country in our mini holiday expo. We also presented a speech to our class, promotng our country. Because of my Armenian heritage, that’s the country I chose. My Medzmama and Medzbaba sent our family some lovely books about Armenia. There was Who are Armenians? and Treasured Objects. I displayed these throughout the travel expo and parents and visitors enjoyed learning about Armenia. Some were extremely interested in our unique traditons and culture. This project has made me want to go on a trip to Armenia. I have fallen in love with this amazing country, I am very proud that I am Armenian. Isabelle Topalian

Recent Armenian news that you may have missed… Yerevan celebrated its 2800th birthday...President Emmanuel Macron declared April 24 as the date France will commemorate the Armenian Genocide...the Dutch Parliament recognised the Armenian massacres of 1915 as Genocide...Angela Merkel, Justn Trudeau, Elton John and Emmanuel Macron all visited Armenia in 2018...December 7, 2018 commemorated the 30th anniversary of the devastatng Spitak earthquake which killed over 25,000...Taner Akçam launched a digital archive for documents relatng to the Armenian Genocide...Diana Adamyan (lef) won frst prize in the senior Menuhin Violin competton 2018...Simon Martrosyan won the 2018 weightlifing world ttle for the 109kg division...Yuri Vardanyan, the gold-Olympic medallist and seven-tme world champion in weightlifing 82.5kg class died November 2018...Karen Khachanov beat Novak Djokovic to win the Paris Masters ttle...Artur Dalaloyan the Russian -Armenian gymnast won the men’s all-round and foor ttle at the 2018 World Championships...Evgenia Medvedeva the Russian- Armenian fgure skatng won silver at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang...Ferdinand Karapetan of Armenia won the European Judo Championship in the 73kg class...Alexis Ohanian has launched a new Armenian Brandy, Shakmat

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