Newsletter # 3 An Interview with the CHINAHAY President of the Armenian Community of China, Mr. Henri Arslanian The Armenian Community of China to Offer a Scholarship to Study at NEWSLETTER # 3 Armenia’s AUA Celebrations of Armenian Independence Day Armenian Students’ Union in China: Opportunities and Perspectives from Students’ Viewpoints ChinaHAY Commemorates Genocide Centennial Nanjing: Armenians in China Commemorate Armenian Genocide Centennial, Show Solidarity with China’s Nanjing Massacre Shanghai: Armenian Cultural Evening Dedicated to the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide Beijing: Andin: Armenian Journey Chronicles, an award-winning documentary by Ruben Giney The Armenian Community of China Jack and Julie Maxian Hong Kong Armenian Centre 11/F, Block A, Tonic Industrial Centre, 26 Kai Cheung Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENTArmenians have OF been THE active ARMENIANin China from the 17th century to the 1950s, when most of COMMUNITY OF CHINA, MR. HENRI ARSLANIAN Interviewed by Anahit Parzyan them left. We used to have Armenian communities in major cities like Tianjin or Shanghai but also in less expected places like Tibet or Inner Mongolia. There was even an Armenian Church in Harbin in Northern China, while the Armenian Relief Society had a chapter that was run out of the Armenian Club of Shanghai. Armenians have also been extremely successful in China. For example, one of the most significant individuals in the history of Hong Kong is a gentleman by the name of Sir Paul Catchik Chater, who was an Armenian orphan from Calcutta, India. He become such a leading figure in business and politics that to this day many buildings and streets in Hong Kong are named after him and companies he started are still active and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 1. Please tell us a bit about the community and its main So in a way, we are not new to China but are simply goals. walking in the footsteps of our ancestors. The Armenian Community of China has three main 2. How do you think the Armenian Community of pillars: to unite and bring together individuals of China is different from some of the other Armenian Armenian heritage living in China, to share with the Communities globally? world at large the remarkable history of Armenians in Although Armenians have been active in China for China and to be the natural bridge between Armenia and centuries, we had the rare opportunity in 2013 to set-up China. a proper organizational structure for the governance of We are a relatively young community that is totally our community. We had the chance to start with a blank independent with no religious or political affiliations, sheet of paper and build what we believed should be the built on the pillars of independence, transparency and model for an Armenian community of the future -- a governance. We aim to become a best-in-class Armenian version 2.0. We looked at many communities and organization, a role model for the next generation. organizations globally and decided to keep what we believe worked best, while changing and innovating as Many Armenians in Armenia and in the diaspora are not needed. We always kept in mind the long-term interests aware of the fact that we have a very active and fast of not only our community but also of the generations to growing Armenian community in China. Our group is come. composed of hundreds of Armenians from For example, my mandate as President of the community all around the world, mainly living, studying or working is limited only to 2 years and our constitution forces me in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and to step down after my term to ensure that we always Hong Kong. We even opened our first Armenian centre have new individuals with new energy and new ideas to two years ago in Hong Kong. lead the organization. Also, despite our small size, our 2 accounts are audited by Ernst and Young and are 4. Earlier this year, the Armenian Community of China publically available on our website so that every member had some very unique events surrounding the April 24 of our community knows exactly where each dollar is Genocide commemoration events. Can you tell us more spent. about it? What was the reaction of the media on this topic? In addition, we make a very active effort to integrate the non-Armenian partners and spouses in our community. Like all Armenian communities in the diaspora, the Over the past decades many Armenians stepped away Armenians in China wanted to organize some events from community life, often because they felt their around April 24, while being sensitive towards our non-Armenian partners were not welcome. We want to Chinese hosts. For that reason, we decided to organize change that completely. Women are also actively some cultural events in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing involved in the leadership of our community, with where our Chinese friends had the opportunity to get almost half of our board of directors composed of acquainted with Armenian culture, art, music and, of women. course, history. Our main remembrance event took place in Nanjing, which is where China experienced the sad Gandhi famously said, “be the change you want to see in episode of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre – an event, which the world”. We have done just that but in the context of has many similarities with the Armenian genocide. building our Armenian community. 3. What are the ties between ChinaHay and other communities of Asia? Armenian communities are growing very fast, not only in China but also across Asia. For example, there are also relatively active communities of various sizes in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. All the leaders of all the communities across Asia have quarterly conference calls where we update each other of the initiatives and projects that we are each leading in our respective jurisdictions to ensure that we are properly synchronized and can work together when possible. This ensures， that we are all connected and The Armenian Community of China visited the Nanjing can work together when need be, for example the recent Massacre Museum and laid flowers in remembrance of initiatives to restore the old Armenian Churches in the victims of all Genocides and massacres, including the Myanmar and Bangladesh. Armenian Genocide and the Nanjing Massacre. By having our remembrance events held in Nanjing, we wanted to show solidarity with our Chinese friends, show sympathy for the atrocities they have gone through as well and be thankful to them for being so welcoming over the past centuries towards Armenians. We also had a number of cultural events from exhibitions of Armenian artists in Nanjing, Armenian dance performances in Shanghai, documentary viewings in Beijing and remembrance dinners in Hong Kong. A documentary on the Armenian Genocide translated into Chinese is now even available on Chinese social media websites. 3 Our commemoration events across China were covered supporting Armenian and Chinese academics currently in the Armenian media globally. To our surprise, they researching old Armenian history in China. were covered in the Turkish media as well, to highlight We also want to solidify the links between Armenia and our active Armenian community in China. We took it as China and we do this in multiple ways. For example, a compliment! dozens of Chinese university students are now enrolled 5. What are some of the ongoing projects for the in Armenian language courses offered in Beijing. We Armenian Community in the coming year? even helped promote videos in Mandarin Chinese talking about tourism in Yerevan, videos that are now posted on Chinese social media platforms. We also believe in building professional links within our community. For example, we have a very successful annual Armenian academic conference in China where all the Armenian academics living and working in China come together to connect and find ways to work together. We also have a number of professional groups – from one that brings together Armenians in Finance in Asia to another that brings together the dozens of Armenian students across China. We are working on a number of projects within our 6. What would be your advice to anyone who wants to community. For example, we have between 70 to 90 learn more about the Armenian Community of China or students from Armenia coming every year to study in the Armenian history in China? China. However, there are very few Chinese students A great resource is our community going to Armenia. We are launching a scholarship this website, http://www.chinahay.com or our Facebook year in partnership with the American University of page. They contain not only updates about our Armenia where the Armenian Community of China will community but also information and links about cover the travel, healthcare and living costs of Chinese Armenian history in China. students willing to go and pursue graduate studies in Armenia. We believe that these students can then be a natural bridge between Armenia and China. It is also the right moral gesture to give back to our Chinese friends who have been welcoming Armenians for centuries. We also have a number of ongoing initiatives aimed at sharing the inspiring Armenian history in China and Asia with the global community. For example, we have an ongoing fellowship with the Gulbenkian Foundation, 4 Armenian Community of China to Offer Scholarship to Chinese Students to Study at Armenia’s American University of Armenia September 29, 2015 Yerevan, Armenia The Armenian Community of China and the American University of Armenia Signed a Memorandum of Understanding YEREVAN, Armenia – On September 29, 2015, the the generosity and openness of the Chinese nation Armenian Community of China signed a towards Armenians over the past centuries.