Mirror-Spe RMENIAN ctator · 2017-11-30 · scout who played a key role in the early careers of...

By Florence Avakian Special to the Mirror-Spectator

PARAMUS, N.J. — More than 250 friendsand supporters of the Tekeyan CulturalAssociation (TCA) on Saturday, November18, celebrated its 70th anniversary in grandstyle. The event was held under the aus-pices of Eastern Diocesan PrimateArchbishop Khajag Barsamian at theTerrace at Biagio’s.Guests included Armenia’s Ambassador

to the United Nations ZohrabMnatsakanian and his wife IrinaIgitkhanyan, philanthropists and sponsorsof this anniversary, Nazar and ArtemisNazarian, and TCA leaders EdmondAzadian and Hagop Kassardjian.Representatives of several organizationswere present, including the ArmenianDiocese, Armenian Missionary Associationof America, Armenia Fund, the ArmenianGeneral Benevolent Union and theArmenian National Committee of America.Following a reception and the singing of

the American and Armenian nationalanthems by Jeny Sarian, the Very Rev.Oshagan Gulgulian of Sts. Sahag and St.

Mesrob Armenian Church of Wynnewood,Penn., offered the invocation, adding, “I amalso a Tekeyan member and a graduate ofthe Vahan Tekeyan School in Beirut.” Jerry Misk, a TCA Greater NY member,

was master of ceremonies, offering insightand a unique style.In warm remarks, Hilda Hartounian,

chairperson of the TCA Greater NY, wel-comed all present and stated that membersand friends had traveled from Armenia,Lebanon, Egypt, France, Argentina, Canadaand throughout the US for this event. Shestated that the TCA’s “goal and mission hasbeen and always will be to proudly promote

see GALA, page 10

Hayastan All-ArmenianFund’s Telethon RaisesMore than $12 Million LOS ANGELES — The annual Thanksgiving

Day fundraiser by the Hayastan All-ArmenianFund Telethon raised more than $12.5 millionthat it plans to mostly spend on the support ofagricultural-development projects in Nagorno-Karabakh.Armenian Fund raised almost $15.5 million

during last year’s televised fundraiser earmarkedfor the reconstruction of war-ravaged communi-ties in Nagorno-Karabakh and other local infra-structure projects.The focus of the 2017 telethon is support for

two major agricultural-development projects inNagorno-Karabakh: the drilling of deep-waterwells and construction of irrigation networks;and the installation of solar power stations.An anonymous Armenian-American entrepre-

neur made the single largest donation of $2.5million. He was followed by Russian-Armeniantycoon Samvel Karapetian, who donated $2.25million. Armenia’s Copper-Molybdenum Plantdonated $350,000, Armenia-based businessowner Samvel Aleksanian contributed $200,000for the cause and the Vardanian family donated$125,000. The Valex Group donated $100,000.Several families from the United States, Iran andArmenia provided hefty donations ranging from$50,000 to $100,000. Thousands of Armeniansfrom around the world also made smaller contri-butions, ranging from a few dollars to severalthousand dollars.In recent years the fund has partly financed

the construction of a second 116-kilometer-longhighway connecting Nagorno-Karabakh toArmenia.

Vatican Stamp DepictsPope Francis BeforeYerevan Genocide

MemorialVATICAN CITY (Public Radio of Armenia) — The

Vatican issued stamps last month commemoratingthe Pope’s 2016 trips. Designed by Daniela Longo,one the stamps depicts Pope Francis in front of theArmenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.Pope Francis visited the Tsitsernakaberd

Memorial on June 25, 2016 accompanied byArmenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan andCatholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.Within the framework of a three-day visit to

Armenia Pope Francis denounced the “ideological-ly twisted, planned genocide of Armenians startingin 1915.”The stamp series commemorate the Pope’s 2016

trips to Mexico, Poland, Greece, Armenia, Georgia,Azerbaijan and Sweden.

Mirror- SpectatorMirror- SpectatorTHE ARMENIAN

Volume LXXXVIII , NO. 20, Issue 4514

DECEMBER 2 , 2 017

$ 2.00

INSIDE

The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932NEWS IN BRIEF

Watertown of Yore

2

INDEXArts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,4

Legendary Jazz Producer, TalentScout George Avakian Dies at 98NEW YORK (New York Times) — George Avakian, a record producer and talent

scout who played a key role in the early careers of Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, KeithJarrett and Bob Newhart, among many others, died on Wednesday, November 22,

at his home on the Upper West Side ofManhattan. He was 98.His death was confirmed by his daughter,

Anahid Avakian Gregg.Over the course of a career that began

when he was in college, Avakian was involved in virtually every facet of the musicindustry. He helped popularize the long-playing record; organized the first jazz reis-sue series, preserving the recorded legacies of Louis Armstrong and other pioneers;and introduced Édith Piaf to American audiences.

see AVAKIAN, page 6

From left, Louis Armstrong, the songwriter W.C.Handy and George Avakian in the 1950s. Mr.Avakian helped popularize the long-playing recordand organized the first jazz reissue series, preserv-ing the recorded legacies of Armstrong and otherpioneers. (Columbia Records photo)

By Peter Keepnews

Martin Luther andThe Armenians

By Muriel Mirak-WeissbachSpecial to the Mirror-Spectator

BOCHUM-LINDEN, Germany — This year2017 Germans celebrated the 500th anniver-sary of the beginning of the ProtestantReformation. Dubbed as “Luther Year,” ithosted hundreds of commemorative events,lectures, special church services, festivities,concerts and exhibitions throughout thecountry. Few would have thought that “Armenia in

Luther Year” could have been among thecelebrations. And yet, on November 11, theEvangelical Church in Bochum-Linden host-ed just such a festive gathering. Together

see LUTHER, page 4

EU, ArmeniaSign LandmarkAgreementBRUSSELS (Combined Sources) — The

European Union and Armenia signed anagreement aimed at significantly deepeningtheir relations at a ceremony here on Friday,November 24, held on the sidelines of theEastern Partnership Summit.Signatures to the document entitled the

Comprehensive and Enhanced PartnershipAgreement (CEPA) were put by HighRepresentative of the European Union forForeign Affairs and Security Policy FedericaMogherini and Armenia’s Foreign MinisterEdward Nalbandian.The signing ceremony took place in the pres-

ence of European Council President DonaldTusk and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

see AGREEMENT, page 2

From left, Vartan Ilanjian, Edmond Azadian, Very Rev. Oshagan Gulgulian, Ani Kassardjian,Vartan Nazerian, Berta Baghjajian, Amb. Zohrab Mnatsakanian, Daniel Youssefian, Dr. ArshavirGundjian, Hagop Kassardjian, Hilda Hartounian, Nadia Gundjian and Irina Igitkhanyan

Tekeyan Cultural Association of Greater NYMarks Platinum Anniversary with Gala

YEREVAN — On November 28, Insupport of Armenia’s efforts to movetoward a fully inclusive education sys-tem, and as part of the US Embassy’sprogram to bring select American litera-ture to Armenian audiences, theArmenian version of New York Timesbestselling novel Out of My Mind bySharon Draper was presented at theArmenian General Benevolent Union(AGBU) center.With Draper leading a discussion of

her writing process, her motivations increating the story of Melody (a brilliant11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy,which makes communication very diffi-cult) and her experience as an educatorherself, audience members also had theopportunity to ask their own questionsand share their experiences with theauthor.The book is recommended for chil-

dren ages 10 and up and for grades 5-8. “A story like this reveals the heart of

those students, like Melody, who arebeing welcomed in classrooms allaround Armenia,” said US EmbassyDeputy Chief of Mission Rafik Mansourat the launch. The book’s message ofcompassion and appreciation for theunique talents of all members of societyresonated deeply with those who havealready read the book. Copies will beavailable for the general public at the USEmbassy and at its American Corners inYerevan, Charentsavan, Kapan, Gyumriand Vanadzor, along with select univer-sity libraries. Copies will also be distrib-uted to NGOs working on social inclu-sion projects, educators attending theworkshops, and more.Draper will also be meeting with fac-

ulty and students at various Armenianeducational institutions to share herexperiences and learn more aboutArmenian educational approaches to

social inclusion. She will lead a creativewriting workshop for young writers, andhold discussions with teachers.Draper is a professional educator and

English teacher, as well as an accom-plished writer. She has been honored asthe National Teacher of the Year, is a

five-time winner of the Coretta ScottKing Literary Awards, and is a New YorkTimes bestselling author.Out of My Mind was translated by

Professor Armenuhi Avagyan, PhD, andpublished by Asoghik Publishing Housein Yerevan.

Armenia Ready toIncrease Trade with Iran YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Prime Minister of

Armenia Karen Karapetyan received on November 28the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of IranMohammad Javad Zarif. Greeting the guest, Karapetyan noted that

Armenia-Iran relations are on a high level, and the25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomaticrelations between the two states is being marked thisyear.Karapetyan particularly noted that Armenia and

Iran have great potential to develop trade and eco-nomic partnership and despite this year’s increase inexport-import, the current indicators do not reflectthe real potential for the development of bilateraleconomic relations. “I am very happy Armenian-Iranian business forum

opened in Yerevan today, while the session of theArmenian Iranian intergovernmental joint commis-sion is scheduled in December. In October I had arather promising visit to Iran and we reached agree-ments over developing partnership in various fields.The Government of Armenia is extremely interestedand is ready to raise trade turnover to a new level,”Karapetyan said. Zarif noted, “Your visit to Iran was very important

and was a success. We perceive Armenia as a goodneighbor. Our relations have a much longer historythan 25 years, and those relations are a valuable cap-ital for the two states, from which we should be ableto derive benefits.”

First Stage of MeghriFree Trade Zone to Open

December 15 YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The opening of the

first stage of Meghri’s free trade zone scheduled forDecember 15. A delegation led by Minister of Economic

Development and Investments of Armenia SurenKarayan visited the Meghri free trade zone this week.Karayan toured the region accompanied by ChiefAdvisor to the Prime Minister of Armenia GagikMartirosyan. Karayan got acquainted with the construction

works of the first stage of Meghri free trade zone andthe existing problems, giving adequate instructionson site. The works are in the completion phase.

Armenia to HostFrancophonie SummitYEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) — Foreign

Minister Edward Nalbandian of Armenia discussedthe country’s plans and preparations for the YerevanSummit of La Francophonie during the Brusselsgathering of the Eastern Partnerships Program lastweek.Armenia is set to host the 2018 Summit of the

International Organization of La Francophonie(IOF) which is a major event that would bring toYerevan numerous high-level delegations fromFrancophone countries. By a Decree of the presidentof the Republic, an Interagency Commission, headedby the prime minister of Armenia, was created forcoordination of preparations for the Summit.According to the preliminary schedule, the summit

will be held on October 11-12. 2018. October 7 isscheduled for the Permanent Council of LaFrancophonie, October 8-9 for the sessions of theFrancophonie Ministerial Conference.“We would like to continue the Madagascar

Summit initiative and encourage the participation ofyouth in the meetings of statutory bodies of LaFrancophonie to be held in Yerevan. We would likefor this high-level meeting to become a major unify-ing event through cultural programs, among memo-rable events of which will be the gala concert withthe participation of prominent French-speakingsingers scheduled for October 11,” Nalbandian said.The general theme of the summit, is suggested as

“Living Together.”“We are convinced that it can contribute to the fur-

ther strengthening of unity of our societies,” theminister explained.

News From Armenia

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AGREEMENT, from page 1In her remarks after the signing of

the document Mogherini said that theCEPA “is based on our common com-mitment to democracy, human rightsand rule of law.”“This agreement is the first of this

kind that is concluded with a party thatis also a member of the EurasianEconomic Union. It will now be veryimportant to implement it,” the EU’sforeign policy chief said.Nalbandian, for his part, described

the “wide-ranging and ambitious docu-ment” as “our joint endeavor thatopens a new chapter in the bilateralrelations between the Republic ofArmenia and the European Union.”“The Agreement establishes a solid

legal basis for strengthening the politi-cal dialogue, broadening the scope ofeconomic and sectoral cooperation,creating a framework for new opportu-nities in trade and investments andincreased mobility for the benefit ofour citizens,” the top Armenian diplo-mat said.According to Nalbandian, “it is

important that the Agreement reaf-firms the stated commitment of theEuropean Union to support the effortsand approaches of the Co-Chairs of the[Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe] OSCE MinskGroup for the peaceful settlement ofthe Nagorno-Karabakh conflict basedon the norms and principles of inter-national law, in particular, non-use offorce or threat of force, equal rightsand self-determination of peoples, andterritorial integrity.”“Armenia is determined to further

develop and strengthen a comprehen-sive cooperation with the EU in all

areas of mutual interest based on thisAgreement,” Nalbandian stressed.The ceremony became one of the

focal points of the EU’s EasternPartnership summit that broughttogether the leaders of six EasternEuropean and South Caucasus nationsin the Belgian capital on November 24.Since the launch of the Eastern

Partnership program in 2009 Russiahas regarded it as a potential threat toits geopolitical interests in the post-Soviet territory.In the case with Armenia, officials in

both Yerevan and Brussels have repeat-edly stated that the deal does not con-tradict Yerevan’s allied relations withMoscow nor jeopardize Armenia’smembership in the Eurasian EconomicUnion, a Russian-led trade bloc thatalso includes Belarus, Kazakhstan andKyrgyzstan.Russian pressure exerted on Yerevan

is widely believed to have scuttled amore ambitious Association Agreementwhich Armenia and the EU nearly final-ized in 2013. President Sargsyan pre-cluded that accord with his unexpecteddecision to join the Russian-led cus-toms union less than three monthsbefore the planned initialing of the doc-ument.Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan

Volynkin told local Arminfo newsagency that “Armenia is a sovereignnation” and “has the right to participatein any pacts and associations that donot breach its existing commitments.”Meanwhile, German Chancellor

Angela Merkel, who also attended thesummit in Brussels, acknowledgedRussia’s “central role” in countries likeArmenia and Azerbaijan as she spoketo Deutsche Welle earlier on Friday.

Unlike the Association Agreementthat Yerevan negotiated but did notsign with Brussels four years ago, theCEPA does not make Armenia part of a“deep and comprehensive free tradearea” with the EU. Still, the 350-pagedocument commits Yerevan to “approx-imating” Armenian economic laws andregulations to those of the EuropeanUnion.The new EU-Armenia agreement will

open new doors and give a new qualityto the relations between the bloc andthe country, European Union’s ambas-sador to Armenia Piotr Switalski saidon November 27, adding that he is“very optimistic” about the deal.“We are now focused on working to

have the agreement implemented inthe best possible way,” Switalski said.Under the agreement, Armenia takes

up a number of responsibilities, includ-ing anti-corruption fight, judicialreforms, free competitive relations forbusiness.Switalski also announced that the

EU plans to provide Armenia with upto 170 million euros ($200 million) infresh economic aid by 2020. “But thisdoes not include those opportunitiesthat have been opened up by thisagreement,” he said. “I hope that wewill be able to use those funds very effi-ciently.”Speaking at Friday’s signing ceremo-

ny in Brussels, the EU’s foreign policychief, Federica Mogherini, said theCEPA “will broaden the scope of ourrelations.” “It will now be important toimplement it in full, so it can deliver itsfull benefits,” she said. “We will worktogether on implementation and onmonitoring the implementation we willbring forward.”

EU, Armenia Sign Landmark Agreement

Orbelian and Hvorostovsky RecordingNominated for GrammyYEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) — Armenian-American conductor

Constantine Orbelian has been nominated for Grammy Award together withthe late Russian opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky.Constantine Orbelian conducted the St. Petersburg State Symphony

Orchestra and the Russian folk music ensemble Style of Five for DmitriHvorostovsky’s latest album “Russia Cast Adrift,” which will compete for aGrammy in the “Best Classical Solo Vocal Album” nomination.“Russia Cast Adrift” is the world premiere orchestral recording of neo-

romantic composer Georgy Sviridov’s song cycle set to the vivid and mov-ing poetry of Sergei Yesenin.Another album featuring Constantine Orbelian featuring American tenor

Lawrence Brawnlee singing with the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, wasnominated for a Grammy in 2015.The Recording Academy announced the 2018 Grammy nominations on

November 28. The awards ceremony will be held at New York’s MadisonSquare Garden on January 28.

Conductor Constantine Orbelian with the late opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovksy

US Embassy launches Armenian translation of best-selling novel Out of My Mind

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Armenia Reelected asUNESCO Member

YEREVA (Public Radio of Armenia) — Armenia hasbeen reelected as member of the UNESCOCommittee on Protection of Cultural Property in theEvent of Armed Conflict for the period of 2017-2021.Ten countries were competing for six vacant seats

in the Committee. The six countries elected as aresult of voting include Italy (48 votes), Armenia (44votes), Cambodia (43 voters), Japan (42 votes), ElSalvador (39 votes), Egypt (32 votes).The statutory meetings for the 1954 Hague

Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property inthe Event of Armed Conflict and its two 1954 and1999 Protocols is taking place in Paris on November27-30.The Committee is composed of 12 state parties to

the Second Protocol to The Hague Convention of1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in theEvent of Armed Conflict.

Smbatyan to ConductMalta Philharmonic

VALETTA, Malta (Public Radio of Armenia) — OnDecember 15, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra willperform headed by the Artistic Director andPrincipal Conductor of the State Youth Orchestra ofArmenia Sergey Smbatyan. The concert will takeplace at Valletta’s St. George’s Square.The first half of the concert will feature two works

by the great Romantic-era composer, FelixMendelssohn, starting with the Overture to AMidsummer Night’s Dream which he wrote when hewas just 17.This will be followed up by Mendelssohn’s only vio-

lin concerto. Acclaimed violinist Esther Yoo will bethe soloist, performing on a 1704 Stradivarius,which has been lent to her by a private collector.The music from what is arguably the world’s most

popular ballet – Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” –will be the highlight of the concert.Smbatyan and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra

have worked together before. This year the orchestraperforms headed by Smbatyan for the second time.The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in

1968, celebrates its 50th anniversary next year andis the leading musical collective of the country, thebearer and the developer of the traditions of theMaltese performing art. It has annually about 70 con-certs in Malta, as well as tours in other countries

Sharmazanov PraisesArmenian Particpation

In World War IIST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Armenpress) — The

Armenian parliamentary delegation led by ViceSpeaker Eduard Sharmazanov visited thePiskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery on November28. He put a wreath on the monument eternalizingthe memory of the victims of Leningrad Blockadeduring the years of World War II, also known as theGreat Patriotic War, and paid tribute to the memoryof the innocent victims. The Armenian parliamentarians also laid flowers

on the monument eternalizing the memory of theArmenians who sacrificed their lives for the defenseof Leningrad. The members of the delegation high-lighted the contribution of the Armenian people tothe victory in the Great Patriotic War. Sharmazanov noted, “The victory in the Great

Patriotic War is not only the greatest victory of ourfriendly Russian people, but also of the Armenianpeople. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians left forthe front line during the first days of the war. I amthe grandson of Soviet soldier Petros Avagyan, whovoluntarily left for the front line and I am proud thatmy grandfather was among those who shaped theheroic victory of Stalingrad. “Thousands of Armenians defended Leningrad

from fascism. The skies of Leningrad were defendedby Nelson Stepanyan, the sea by Admiral Isakov, theHermitage by Hovsep Orbeli, and the cultural life byVahram Papazyan. The contribution of heroArmenians in overcoming the Leningrad Blockadeand in victory of Great Patriotic War is indubitable.”

International News

BERLIN — “Millions on The Move:Need for Development and Integration,”a conference spearheaded by AuroraDialogues Berlin, is intended to explorehow the European Union, and Germany,can contribute to humanitarian solu-tions by supporting development andintegration. It will be held on December4-5, at the Robert Bosch StiftungRepresentative Office here. The confer-ence is a joint effort of the AuroraHumanitarian Initiative, the StiftungMercator, the Robert Bosch Stiftungand the Global Perspectives Initiative.The program of the discussions will

cover the root causes of the refugee cri-sis and the efficiency of varying respons-es to it such as humanitarian relief, edu-cation and social integration.“If we accept flight and migration for

what they are: a joint humanitarianobligation – there is no doubt that wecan overcome the issues together.People are not born refugees, but aremade refugees. They flee violence andpersecution; they flee out of fear fortheir lives. Being a refugee means beingvulnerable and having to put your trustin the help of others,” said NorbertLammert, former president ofBundestag. “It is significant that Aurora

Dialogues, as an important internation-al platform for thought provoking dis-cussion on some of the most pressinghumanitarian challenges, is expandingits geography,” said Ruben Vardanyan

on behalf of the Aurora HumanitarianInitiative co-founders. “We began inYerevan, to put into action our grati-tude to those who saved Armenians dur-ing that mass movement of people, afterthe genocide, in 1915. Today, we are inBerlin, in grateful partnership withthose who are doing so very much toraise awareness about today’s immenseproblems and seeking solutions. We willtake the learnings from the past confer-ences and continue to set ground fordiscussions in different locationsaround the world.”The speakers of the Aurora Dialogues

Berlin — humanitarians, academics, phil-anthropists and business leaders — willaddress the state of the global migra-tion crisis and look at the role of differ-ent state and non-state actors, as well asdevelopment programs and solutionsthat can make a difference.“The Robert Bosch Stiftung is

pleased to welcome humanitarian, civilsociety and business leaders in Berlin.Our aim is to expand our focus andactivities in the areas of migration, inte-gration and inclusion in Germany andEurope. Therefore, we are looking for-ward to different perspectives aiming toidentify solutions and facilitate actionin society,” said Prof. JoachimRogall, president andCEO of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. “Our partnership and Aurora

Dialogues Berlin will bring uniqueexpertise and a solution-oriented

approach to the current migration crisisthrough more sustainable and compre-hensive development and integrationpolicies. I believe this is an importantstep for bringing humanitarian crises tothe world’s attention,” said IngridHamm, founder and CEO of GlobalPerspectives Initiative. “Open-mindedness, respect and toler-

ance are at the heart of our canon ofvalues. Especially when facing complexchallenges like migration and integra-tion these values need to be upheld.Through our partner organization, theExpert Council of German Foundationson Integration and Migration, StiftungMercator aims to contribute to aninformed public debate and policies thatare based on the best available evidence.Aurora Dialogues Berlin brings togeth-er perspectives from a variety of fields,which all are relevant to addressing themulti-faceted nature of these issues,”said Winfried Kneip, executive directorof Stiftung Mercator.In keeping with the spirit of the

Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity,the Aurora Dialogues shine a light onthe people who are working to addresstoday’s atrocities in a real and substan-tial manner and seek to identify ideasthat will deliver tangible change. Now inits third year, the Dialogues encouragecollaborative conversations to explorethe importance of learning from thepast, acting in the present, and fosteringa better future.

Aurora Dialogues on Global RefugeeCrisis to Be Held in Berlin

By Katie Zavadski

NEW YORK (Daily Beast) — Jurymembers for a high-profile trial relatingto Turkey’s evasion of US sanctions onIran will not be named in court, a fed-eral judge suggested on November 21.Judge Richard Berman took the

unusual step of suggesting concealingjurors’ identities after noting that indi-viduals involved in the case have beencontacted by “third parties” seeking tointerfere with the trial of accusedTurkish sanctions violators.“I guess it’s hearsay for sure, but I’ve

heard of people involved in this casebeing approached inappropriately bythird parties. And that even includescourt interpreters,” Berman said, imply-ing that the individuals representedTurkish government interests. He addedthat he will refer such behavior “to theappropriate authorities” if it continues.At issue is a case whose tentacles

reach to the very highest levels of theUS and Turkish presidential administra-tions. Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iraniangold trader, is accused of orchestratinga scheme that would allow Turkey tobuy Iranian gas in violation of US sanc-tions. Prosecutors say Zarrab co-defen-dant, Mehmet Atilla, worked at aTurkish state-owned bank and helpedconceal those plans. They are chargedwith conspiracy to commit bank fraudand violating US sanctions.Before the trial was set to begin next

week, the case took an unusual turn.Zarrab’s attorneys have stopped publicfilings in the case, and Atilla’s lawyershave indicated they believe Zarrab is nolonger a defendant. As The Daily Beastreported last week, there are some indi-cations that Zarrab is potentially coop-erating with another criminal investiga-

tion into former national security advi-sor Michael Flynn, who allegedly dis-cussed a $15 million plot to free Zarraband kidnap an exiled Turkish cleric liv-ing in Pennsylvania, Fethullah Gulen,for the Turkish government.Meanwhile, the Turkish government,

including President Recep TayyipErdogan, is concerned because theZarrab trial arises from the sameactions as a govern-ment corruption scan-dal in 2013. Top-levelministers were implicat-ed for taking bribes inthe corruption probe,and an audio tape sur-faced allegedly showingErdogan telling one ofhis sons to hide money.The revelations

about attempted inter-ference in the Zarrabtrial come amid a con-certed media blitz byTurkish state-con-trolled media to taintthe public image of the case. Mediareports by state-owned publications saythe US prosecution is orchestrated byFethullah Gulen, the cleric living inexile who was a one-time Erdogan ally,and has now become a popular Turkishscapegoat.Turkish media has accused Judge

Berman and Preet Bharara, the formerUS Attorney for the Southern Districtof New York where Zarrab is indicted, ofbeing linked to Gulen. They’ve claimedthe US criminal case is simply a dupli-cate of the 2013 charges, which theTurkish government says were fabricat-ed by Gulenist sympathizers to bringdown Erdogan.Most recently, Turkish prosecutors

have launched an investigation inBharara and his successor, Acting US

Attorney Joon Kim, and demanded toknow how they acquired evidence to beused in the prosecution. They have alsoimplied that Zarrab isbeing denied access to legal counsel.“I am aware that there is a lot of press

coverage of this case and a lot commenton the media,” Berman, the judge, saidTuesday. “I certainly believe, as I’m sureyou do, in free speech.”

Instead of playing “armchair quarter-back” through the media, Berman sug-gested that Turkish authorities con-cerned about the case against Atillacooperate with his defense team andmake witnesses available for question-ing.Defense lawyers, however, initially

objected to Berman’s suggestion foranonymizing the jury, saying the unusu-al step would be “highly prejudicial”and imply that Atilla was a threat totheir safety.“There have been no written threats,

as far as I’m aware, especially from Mr.Atilla,” said Victor Rocco, a defenseattorney.“Safety wasn’t even on my radar,”

Berman countered. “I’m concernedwith the integrity of these proceedings.”

Reza Zarrab

Judge Hints Turkish Government Contacted PeopleInvolved in US Trial of Accused Crook

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LUTHER, from page 1with the Armenisch-Akademischer Verein1860 e.V., the oldest Armenian association inGermany, the Church of Christ parish pre-sented a program of lectures and music.Pastor Rolf Schuld, who coined the title,spoke of the connection between two themesthat are very close to his heart. In his wel-coming remarks, he pointed to the warm rela-tionship his parish has developed withArmenia over many years. Since the con-struction of the bronze sculpture, “Ode toPeace – Pulsar” by artist Albert Vardanyan in2006, this Protestant parish feels so closelybound to Armenia that, especially over thepast years, various concerts, exhibitions andother events commemorating April 24 havetaken place in the community center, in coop-eration with the AAV. And the parish is alsoknown in Armenia: outside the Berlin ArtHotel in Gyumri, which hosts artistic activi-ties, one can admire the same statue repre-senting “Pulsar” – an ode to peace. SculptorVardanyan comes from Gyumri.

Luther in Mesrob’s Footsteps…The intimate links between Armenia and

Luther reach back centuries, as Prof. ArmenuhiDrost-Abarjan illustrated in a wonderful addresstitled, “Invention of the Armenian Alphabet andBible Translations in the Mother Tongue in the5th century.” Drost-Abarjan is professor of Armenian

Studies at the Halle-Wittenberg University. Since “Luther Year” has been recognized as

a celebration not only of the German Reformer,but of Christianity as a whole, it is fitting toconsider other figures as well, whether co-thinkers or forerunners, whether relativelyunknown or world famous. In this context one must place the figure of

the great Mesrop Mashtots (360-440) who,almost 1,100 years before Luther, translatedthe Bible into the vernacular, thus contributingto the development of an Armenian national lit-erature. But, she added, it is not only in this

pioneering work of language creation that theyare similar; there are also cultural, political andreligious aspects that are comparable. Bothfought to defend their “heathen tongues” —Armenian and German — in contrast to thesacred languages of the scriptures.Drost-Abarjan noted that the early

Reformers, in establishingtheir own theological stancesand concepts of the church,looked to the experience ofthe autocephalous churches,those that had become inde-pendent of the Roman orByzantine churches. Whenthey sent envoys to theOrient, to contact representa-tives of the autocephalouschurches, they soon becameaware of the Armenians, whohad translated the Bible intoArmenian (grapar) in the 5thcentury, using the alphabetinvented by Mesrop. In 1520Luther wrote about the“Greeks and many otherswho hold mass in their ownlanguages,” and ThomasMünzer, his contemporaryand comrade-in-arms, men-tions the Armenians by nameas among these “many oth-ers.” The methods used byMesrop and by Luther, toconduct the necessaryresearch to craft a vernacularwere also strikingly similar,Drost-Abarjan showed. She sketched a concise

yet thorough overview ofthe history of the Armenianlanguage, stressing the roleit has played in shaping thepolitical, economic, socialas well as religious and cul-

tural life of the people. Thus, it became clearwhy Armenians attribute such a profoundand emotional meaning to the language andthe church, and how a veritable “book cult”could develop, as institutions like theMatenadaran testify. And with the language of the church came

music: it was a happy coincidence that the tal-ented soprano Lusine Arakelyan fromGyumri and Yerevan was in Germany at thetime, and could accept the invitation to per-form at the event. Singing a cappella, she pre-sented by Mesrop Mashtots the sharaganMegha Kes Ter and by Komitas Krunk. Herrich, powerful delivery overwhelmed theaudience. “When have we ever heard suchsinging here?” asked one listener, “A voicethat sends tremors through you.”Prof. Ute Gause, professor of evangelical

theology (Church History) at the RuhrUniversity in Bochum, then spoke on “TheSignificance of Martin Luther’s BibleTranslation into German,” the sensationalachievement which has been at the center ofthis year’s celebrations. As a musical tribute,soprano Andrea Kampmann sang choralesfrom Martin Luther, accompanied on thepiano by Martina Fleischer. In his concluding remarks, Azat

Ordukhanyan, president of the AAV, spokeabout the activities that his association hasorganized in the Church of Christ inBochum. These included the commemorationof the 500,000 Armenian victims of WorldWar II, and the planting of 155 trees that hehad brought from Armenia to Bochum in2015. They have been planted in various loca-tions, including the graveyard for war prison-ers and forced laborers in the Bochum ceme-teries, the Jewish cemetery and in front ofmuseums and schools. In 2015, he noted, itwas the first time that a German institutionhad commemorated the victims of the geno-cide, “The Friends of Nature from Bochum-Linden”. (See “Armenian Trees Planted inGermany to Bear Fruits of Friendship andReconciliation,” May 25, 2015 and “Armeniaand Germany Renew a Thousands-Year-OldFriendship,” September 17, 2015).

(Material for this article was provided byHeide Rieck-Wotke, a co-organizer of the event.)

Martin Luther and the Armenians

A stamp commemorating the 500th anniversary of the ProtestantReformation

LONDON — Haro Bedelian, trustee of the Armenian House, London,on November 10 received the insignia of Commander of the MostExcellent Order of the British Empire, CBE, a grade within the Britishorder of chivalry, from Prince William for services to Engineering andCharity.

Prof. Bedelian, Past Executive Vice President of the WorldFederation of Engineering Organizations, was awarded the CBE inthe Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The award was presented to himby Prince William at a Ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Bedelian is an independent consultant, formerly deputy chiefexecutive of Balfour Beatty and chief executive of TransmancheLink, the Anglo French Channel Tunnel Contractor.

He has been a vice president of the Institution of CivilEngineers and is a fellow and past council member of the RoyalAcademy of Engineering. He is a Visiting Professor of CivilEngineering at Portsmouth University and an Honorary Fellow of St.Catharine’s College, Cambridge University.

GENEVA — The Society for OrphanedArmenian Relief (SOAR), the only non-profitorganization whose singular mission is to pro-vide humanitarian assistance to orphanedArmenians worldwide, hosted the inaugural“Child Protection in Armenia” Forum inGeneva, Switzerland, on November 17. Theforum preceded SOAR’s Eastern HemisphereChapter Meetings on November 18 and 19.Several years ago, the Armenian government

committed to a plan of deinstitutionalization,whereby institutionalized children housed inboth state orphanages and boarding schoolswere made eligible for reunification. In

response to this mandate, SOAR created itsServices to Children in their Own Homes(SCOH) Fund, which assists previously institu-tionalized children at serious risk for reinstitu-tionalization through home-based services.SOAR staff members work with families to setgoals and build on strengths to create a safeand stable home environment for the children.Because there are multiple key stakeholders

in the child protection arena in Armenia,SOAR offered to host the inaugural “ChildProtection in Armenia” Forum to bringtogether child protection experts and interest-ed parties to address the emergent needs ofinstitutionalized and recently reunified chil-dren. Attendees included SOAR’s ExecutiveBoard Chairman, George S. Yacoubian, Jr.,SOAR staff from Armenia (HripsimeMuradyan, Alina Karapetyan, and ZoyaTorosyan); Mother Arousiag Sajonian (OurLady of Armenia Center); Ashot Kocharyan(SOS Children’s Villages, Armenia); JaneBuchanan (Human Rights Watch); JeffreyParetchan and Ani Manukyan (USAID); ArtakShakaryan and Aaron Greenberg (UNICEF);Hana Solarova (Lumos); Mihra Antonyan(FAR); Ryan Hanlon (National Council onAdoption); Robin Sizemore (SOAR andHopscotch Adoptions); Varduhi Sahakyan(Armenian Embassy in Geneva); Lou andYolanda Mazzola (Gulamerian ArmenianOrphan Fund); and Chapter Presidents andrepresentatives from 21 SOAR Chaptersaround the world.Today, SOAR aids approximately 2,000

orphaned Armenians across 38 institutions inArmenia, Artsakh, Istanbul, Javakhk, Lebanonand Syria. Headquartered in the suburbs ofPhiladelphia, SOAR has more than 400 volun-teers in 115 Chapters and 6 Junior groupsaround the world. For more information about SOAR, visit

www.soar-us.org.

SOAR Hosts Forum in Switzerland

12 Die in BatumiHotel Fire BATUMI, Georgia (Armenpress) — A

fire broke out on Friday, November 25night at Hotel Leogrand, the GeorgianInterior Ministry said. The report indi-cated that identification of the deadwas underway. Somewhat earlier, theministry had put the number of thedead at 12. Participants in Miss Georgia 2017

beauty pageant made up most of thecustomers staying at the hotel at thetime of the accident. The ministry said the rescuers and

hotel staff had managed to evacuatemore than 100 people from the build-ing, including guests and hotel employ-ees. Spokespeople for the directorate ofthe beauty pageant said that all the 20contestants were having dinner at thehotel at the time the blaze broke out.

5S A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

Community NewsConventional,Digital, and OnlineResources of theArmenian Genocide

By Shoghig MissirianSahakian

WASHINGTON — The Knights and Daughtersof Vartan held their regular monthly public dis-cussion titled “New Ways of Learning About theArmenian Genocide. Conventional, Digital, andOnline Resources” on Tuesday, November 14, atSt. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church CulturalHall.

The guest Speaker was Dr. Rouben P. Adalian,director of the Armenian National Institute(ANI). Close to 30 guests attended the programand enjoyed hearing about ANI.

Master of Ceremonies Malvina Brown present-ed the speaker to the audience.

Adalian began his discussion expressing hisgratitude to the members of the ArmenianCommunity Centennial Committee as well as theWashington metro-Armenian community at largefor their tireless efforts organizing events lead-ing up to the commemoration and celebration ofthe centennial of the Genocide. Adalian wasespecially elated to have seen the younger gen-eration involved and engaged throughout theweek-long activities in May 2015.

The question Adalian posed was: “It’s been100 years; what’s next?” He continued assuring

the audience that the hard work put in for thecentennial celebration paid off.

Adalian moved on to present ANI’s role andthe impact its website has created within thegeneral public, our elected officials, the media,educators on all levels and much more. He pro-vided statistics on the number of visitors toANI’s website and what was being analyzedbehind the scenes of ANI’s website. In 2013ANI’s website had 2 million visitors. The num-bers started rising every year and reached thepeak in 2016 with 6 million hits. Statistics indi-cated the visitors were mostly from English-speaking countries; the US, the UnitedKingdom, Australia and Canada. The team atANI realized there was an audience in Turkeythat needed access to the information in theirlanguage, including the Islamized Armeniansand Armenians who did not speak Armenian.Hence, access to the information in Turkish lan-guage was added to the website and so far hasrecorded 10,000 visitors.

Adalian added that ANI’s website has realizedthat one of its goals is actively participating inspreading the historic data about the Genocide

see ANI, page 7

Ethiopian Prince PraisesEthiopia-Armenia Relations atAssembly Holiday ReceptionWASHINGTON — The Armenian Assembly of America and its Capital Region

Council hosted its Annual Holiday Reception this month, with special guestPrince Ermias Sahle-Selassie of Ethiopia. Prince Ermias spoke highly of thebilateral relations between Ethiopia and Armenia that dates back centuries.

“At this point, it is both important and gratifying to know our two people —Ethiopia and Armenia — have been colleagues longer than most of the nationson this planet. Indeed, the Imperial Family has taken note of the active tradeand civil relationships between Ethiopians and Armenians, extending back tothe 3rd Century AD. Moreover, Armenians and Ethiopians share a rich and his-toric connection as members of the same branch of Orthodox Christianity, aswell as perhaps lesser known stories of the invaluable Armenian contributionsto Ethiopian history,” Prince Ermias said.

Prince Ermias, president of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, recalled the storyof his grandfather, Emperor Haile Selassie I, and his encounters withArmenians. In 1924, when the emperor was visiting Jerusalem, he came acrossa marching band of 40 Armenian youngsters. When he asked who they were,he was told that they were all orphans who had escaped Ottoman Turkey dur-ing the Armenian Genocide. After listening to the band play, the Emperor was“struck by the band’s musical talent.” Thereupon the emperor asked for per-mission from the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem to adopt and bring themusicians to Ethiopia.

The Armenian musicians were then known as the “Arba Lijoch,” which means40 children in Amharic, and were trained in Ethiopia by musical director KevorkNalbandian. Nalbandian was an Armenian Genocide survivor, originally fromAintab. The Armenian musicians came to form the Royal Imperial Brass Band,beginning a tradition in modern Ethiopian music of heavily using brass instru-ments. Amazed by their progress and skill, Emperor Selassie asked Nalbandianto compose a national anthem for Ethiopia. On November 2, 1930, theEmperor’s coronation day, the Arba Lijoch unveiled the Imperial National

see ETHIOPIA, page 9

Armenian Assembly Capital Region Council Co-Chair Doris George, ArmenianAssembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Armenian Ambassador to the USGrigor Hovhannissian with his wife Victoria, Armenian Assembly Board MemberAnnie Totah, Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie of Ethiopia, Armenian Assembly CapitalRegion Council Co-Chair Clara Andonian, and Artsakh Permanent Representative tothe US Robert Avetisyan with his wife Elvina

St. NersessSeminary CampusDonors Honored

ARMONK, N.Y. — On a brisk autumn eveningon November 10, more than 75 guests gath-ered at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary for theconsecration of an exterior cross, two dedica-tions and a celebratory dinner. It was also theone-year anniversary of the consecration of theArmonk campus by Karekin II, SupremePatriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Before a crowd of naming donors, boardmembers, seminary faculty and staff, seminari-ans and clergy, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,Primate of the Eastern Diocese and Presidentof the St. Nersess Board of Directors, blessedand consecrated the new exterior cross as partof the seminary’s campus. The cross was donat-ed by Carol DerBoghosian in memory of ArturKosian.

Following the consecration, the guestswalked to the Founders Garden which wasdonated by the late Deacon Charles Pinajianand his wife, Grace. The latter was present withher son and daughter, Paul Pinajian and LynnBeylerian and her family, and together they wit-nessed the archbishop officially dedicate andbless the garden, which honors the lateArchbishop Tiran Nersoyan, the founder of St.Nersess. Lynn Beylerian later shared her feel-ings about the evening, saying: “We are soproud of our new St. Nersess Seminary cam-pus and happy to have been able to help. Thisevening was a wonderful tribute to many. Oursincere gratitude to Der Mardiros [Chevian] forhis outstanding leadership.”

Finally, the guests traveled to the Facultyand Guest Apartments in the HekimianBuilding, where Apartment 2 was dedicatedand blessed by the Primate. This studio apart-ment was donated by George Papalian and hislate wife, Catherine. Papalian was present withhis son, Richard, for the ribbon cutting andblessing.

Following the consecration and dedications,everyone gathered in the Arsen KeleshianDining Hall for a reception before making theirway to the Theological Center atrium wheredinner was served. The Rev. Mardiros Chevian,dean of the seminary, welcomed the guests andthanked the naming donors for their contribu-tions to St. Nersess. “If not for you, we wouldnot be where we are today,” he commented.

see SEMINARY, page 8

Armenian Assembly Development Director Nazanee Topian, Armenian AssemblyPublic Affairs Associate Danielle Saroyan, Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie ofEthiopia, Armenian Ambassador to the US Grigor Hovhannissian, ArmenianAssembly Grassroots and Development Associate Mariam Khaloyan, ArmenianAssembly Intern Program Director Joseph Piatt, and Armenian Assembly ExecutiveDirector Bryan Ardouny

During the presentation

Abp. Khajag Barsamian consecrating the newexterior cross.

AVAKIAN, from page 1He made his most lasting mark as a jazz pro-

ducer with Columbia Records in the 1950s. Hebrought Brubeck and Davis to the label, help-ing to transform them from artists with a loyalbut limited audience to international celebrities.He signed Johnny Mathis, then an unknownjazz singer, and oversaw his emergence as achart-topping pop star. He persuaded LouisArmstrong to record the German theater songMack the Knife, an unlikely vehicle that becameone of his biggest hits. And he supervised therecording of Duke Ellington’s performance atthe 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, which revital-ized Ellington’s career.

George Mesrop Avakian was born on March15, 1919, in Armavir, Russia, to Armenian par-ents, Mesrop and Manoushak Avakian. His fam-ily moved to the United States shortly after hewas born. His younger brother, Aram, became arespected film editor and director.

An avid jazz fan and record collector, Georgewas a sophomore at Yale and already a pub-lished jazz critic when he persuaded DeccaRecords to let him record the guitarist EddieCondon and other musicians who had been fix-tures of the Chicago scene a decade earlier.Those sessions, in 1939, produced “ChicagoJazz,” a package of six 78 RPM recordings thatis widely regarded as the first jazz album.

“When I saw how much alcohol EddieCondon and his guys drank and abused theirhealth,” Avakian told Down Beat magazine in2000, “I was very alarmed and became con-vinced they couldn’t possibly live much longer.So, I persuaded Jack Kapp at Decca to let meproduce a series of reunions to document thismusic before it was too late.

“They were only in their mid-30s. But I was20. What did I know about drinking?”

Columbia hired Avakian in 1940 to assembleand annotate a comprehensive jazz reissueseries, something no record company hadundertaken before. Working one day a week for$25, he compiled anthologies of the work ofArmstrong, Ellington, Bessie Smith and others,establishing a template that the industry con-tinued to follow into the CD era.

In 1946, after five years in the Army, Avakianbecame a full-time member of Columbia’s pro-

duction staff.While overseeing the company’s jazz opera-

tions, he wore many other hats as well. He wasin charge of pop albums and served as a one-man international department, releasing Piaf’srecord “La Vie en Rose” and other importantEuropean records in the United States.

He also played a significant role in establish-ing the 33�-RPM long-playing record as theindustry standard, supervising production ofthe first pop LPs shortly after the format wasintroduced in 1948.

Avakian later worked briefly for the WorldPacific label before joining the Warner Bros.movie studio’s newly formed record subsidiary,where he was in charge of artists and repertoirefrom 1959 to 1962.

With a mandate to get Warner Bros. Recordson solid financial ground by delivering hits, hetemporarily shifted his focus from jazz. Hebrought the Everly Brothers to the label andsigned a young humorist named Bob Newhart,who had been working as an accountant inChicago and moonlighting as a radio performerbut had never performed for a live audience.

Newhart’s first album, “The Button-DownMind of Bob Newhart,” became one of the best-selling comedy records of all time.

In 1962, Avakian joined RCA Victor Records,where he was in charge of pop production butalso had the opportunity to renew his involve-ment in jazz, producing critically acclaimedalbums by Sonny Rollins, Paul Desmond andothers.

Tiring of the day-to-day grind of the recordbusiness, Avakian became a freelance managerand producer in the mid-1960s. His first clientof note was Charles Lloyd, a saxophonist andflutist whose freewheeling style had attracted ayoung audience and who became one of thefirst jazz musicians to perform at the FillmoreAuditorium in San Francisco and other rockvenues.

The pianist in Lloyd’s quartet was KeithJarrett, and Avakian worked with him as well,helping to lay the groundwork for his break-through as one of the most popular jazz musi-cians of the 1970s.

By the late 1990s, Avakian had come full cir-cle: He returned to Columbia Records to super-

vise a series of jazz reissues. This time the medi-um was CD rather than vinyl. And this timemany of the recordings being reissued had orig-inally been produced by Avakian himself.

Avakian was married for 68 years to the vio-linist Anahid Ajemian, a founding member ofthe Composers String Quartet. She died in2016. Aram Avakian died at 60 in 1987.

In addition to Gregg, Avakian is survived byanother daughter, Maro Avakian; a son, Greg;and two grandchildren.

In 2014, Avakian and Ms. Ajemian donatedtheir archives, including unreleased recordings

by Armstrong and Ellington, to the New YorkPublic Library for the Performing Arts atLincoln Center.

Among the many honors Avakian receivedwere a Trustees Award for lifetime achievementfrom the National Academy of Recording Artsand Sciences in 2009 and a NationalEndowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award foradvocacy in 2010.

Receiving the NEA award, he said at the time,was “a culminating honor that confirms mylong-held belief: Live long enough, stay out ofjail, and you’ll never know what might happen.”

6 S A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

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PHILADELPHIA — Kirkor Yilancioglu, age83, passed away suddenly on Friday, November17, 2017.

He was born March 18, 1934 in Istanbul,Turkey to the late Bedros and NivartYilancioglu. He grew up his in Turkey. In 1957,he graduated from Robert College in Istanbul,then was granted an education visa to come tothe US to study at the University of Delaware.He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engi-neering from the University of Delaware in1959. He then was sponsored and received hiscitizenship through DelDOT.

His nearly 60-year career in civil engineeringstarted with the DelDOT Highway Department-North District, where he held increasing respon-sibilities as a civil engineer, chief of survey, areaengineer and North District engineer.

He worked in the construction/engineering ofthe Delaware Turnpike (during which he metPresident Kennedy)/I-95, I-495/WilmingtonBypass, and numerous other Delaware highways.

He loved his occupation so much that afterretiring from DelDOT in 1988, he resumedworking for Century Engineers in Dover. Forthe last 29 years, Yilancioglu worked as chief ofsurveys at Century Engineers.

His expertise and knowledge enabled him tocontribute to numerous high-profile projects,including the SR1 Relief Route, Roth Bridgeand, most recently, the Route 301 MiddletownBypass project.

Even at 83, Kirk drove daily from NorthWilmington to Middletown for work. Because ofhis accomplishments, respect from peers andcontributions to Delaware’s highway system, in2005 he was inducted into the American

Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) — FirstState Section Hall of Fame.

Kirk and his wife Mary were married for 50years. They loved spending time with their fam-ilies, enjoyed traveling the world, and spendinglazy weekends at Cape Henlopen and Rehobothbeaches. While providing for his family, he lovedteaching his sons how to fish, watching themplay little league baseball while crackingpeanuts in left field. He enjoyed fishingDelaware’s coastal waterways. He, also lovedbackgammon, crossword puzzles and sudoku.

He is survived by his sons, Peter and Ara, hisbrother, John (Onnik) Yilanjian, brothers- and -n-law, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aswell as his grandchildren, Mark and NatalieYilanjian.

Krikor ‘Kirk’ YilanciogluInducted Into Engineering Hall of Fame

Rose (Varjian) MuggeridgeFormer Volunteer at Armenian Mirror-Spectator

WATERTOWN — Rose (Varjian) Muggeridge, 91, originally from Franklin, thenWatertown, passed away on November 19 at Carlton Willard Village in Bedford.

She was born and raised in Franklin, Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Armeniaand her mother was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide.

Through the International Institute of Boston she met and later married David JohnMuggeridge, an Englishman. He predeceased her in 1959. They had one son, John David,who lives with his wife Karen inSouthborough. Rose’s two granddaughters,Jacqueline of Boston, and Diana ofWashington, DC, were the light of her life.

Her younger sister, Helen Katziff, is retiredand currently lives in Sarasota, Fla. One sis-ter, Mary, and three half-brothers, Archie,Greg and Harry, predeceased her.

Muggeridge lived most of her adult life inWatertown. In addition to working for morethan 40 years at the Unitarian UniversalistAssociation and Beacon Press in Boston, shefound time to volunteer at the Boston Centerfor the Arts, Parents Without Partners andtaught English as a second language in theBoston Public schools.

Her mother was a survivor of theArmenian Genocide. Rose worked closelywith the Armenian Museum in Watertownsince its inception. She also volunteered with the Armenian Women’s WelfareAssociation, and the Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

Rose enjoyed traveling both domestically and abroad. She loved flower arranging, for-eign films, and listening to music — especially the big bands. No family gathering wascomplete without her contribution of cheoreg, string cheese, yalanchi, boereg, lamejunand pilaf.

A memorial service and collation will be held at the Armenian Museum of America inWatertown on Saturday, December 9 at 2 p.m., with visiting hours beginning at 1p.m.

Arrangements were made by the Giragosian Funeral Home.

Legendary Jazz Producer, TalentScout George Avakian Dies at 98

OBITUARY

GLENDALE — On Saturday, November 11,the Armenian Engineers and Scientists ofAmerica (AESA) celebrated its 34th anniversarywith a gala at the Armenian Society of LosAngeles Banquet Hall which drew crowd ofnearly 280 attendees. Amongst the attendeeswere Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian andCouncil Member Zareh Sinanyan.

In keeping with AESA’s spirit of bringingtogether Armenian engineers and scientists tonetwork, collaborate and build a better com-munity, the gala was designed to recognizeprominent figures in the science and tech com-

munity. Two of the organization’s active mem-bers introduced the organization and its pur-pose, and were joined by the AESA’s presidentand Glendale City Council member, VrejAgajanian, with congratulatory remarks.

The director of the Cosmic Ray Division atYerevan Physics Institute (YerPhl), Prof. AshotChilingarian, was awarded the prestigiousVictor Hambartsumyan Award. AESA’s serviceaward was granted to AESA’s long-time mem-ber, co-founder of Green Armenia, and advisorto the Minister of Nature Protection of theRepublic of Armenia, Areg Gharabegian. Albert

Eisaian, co-founder and CEO of IntelinAir, Inc.was granted the Person of the Year Award.Varag Gharibjanian, an engineering and man-agement at Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT), was the recipient of 2017scholarship award donated by Dr. Shant andAni Kenderian.

The organization’s past presidents were alsorecognized.

A raffle drawing and musical entertainmentfollowed the award ceremony.

The financial sponsorship support from NewYork Life, Glendale Water and Power, Adventist

Health Glendale, Hybrid Systems, CordobaCorporation, Novadontics Dental Implants,ConnectTo Communications, and numerouslocal businesses made this gala possible. HaroutBronozian, long-time member and supporter ofAESA, donated $10,000 towards AESA projects.

AESA is a non-profit and leading organiza-tion that cultivates and empowers Armenianengineers and scientists in the United Statesand Armenia through its networking, commu-nity service, and professional developmentevents. Visit us at www.aesa.org for more infor-mation and to become a member.


COMMUNITY NEWS

ANI, from page 5and reaching out to all age groups, includingstudent and teachers. The website is being usednow as a teaching tool and is appealing toyoungsters. The systematic translation of thekey documents posted on the website by pro-fessionals have to date not been contested asthey were all based on American accounts ofwhat was happening to the Armenians livingunder the Ottoman Empire rule. Exploitingincontestable evidence extracted from around37,000 pages from the National Archives, metic-ulously studied over the course of two years,

Adalian succeeded in producing a treasuretrove of documents that have yet to be chal-lenged as presenting false information.

Adalian pointed out that one mission ANI hadto accomplish was to prove to the public and gov-ernmental officials in the US and around theworld the Armenian Genocide happened basedon evidence as recorded by non-Armenians. Heassured the guests in attendance that Armeniansare winning the battle already with documentsretrieved from the National Archives for the pur-poses of reconstructing the history and giving anaccount of the genocide by using reports by citi-

zens of this country. Adalian covered the next phase of ANI’s web-

site, which was being “interactive.” During hisresearch of more than 20 years, Adalian said hesensed the need for a reliable governmentalsource document to present Armenian life. Hewanted to have a tool that would offer high-lights and not overwhelm students searchingfor the information. Consequently, by keepingclose tabs with technology he created down-loadable documents within ANI’s website to beused as tools for parents and teachers. He esti-mated 50,000 copies of these documents have

already been in circulation for various purposesby the individuals who had accessed them.

Adalian ended his presentation by posing thequestion: How do we continue telling our storynow that our survivors are no longer with us?

Adalian received a standing ovation from theattendees for his unyielding labor in affirmingthe genocide and not arguing whether it hap-pened or not, a philosophy to which he justlyclaims ownership.

The evening concluded with a receptionwhere Adalian patiently answered the atten-dees’ numerous inquiries.

Dr. Rouben Adalian, Director of the Armenian National Institute with Dikranouhie Otyag inWashington DC

Conventional, Digital, and OnlineResources of the Armenian Genocide

AESA Gala Puts Spotlight on Cooperation

From Left: Razmik Gharakhanian, Albert Eisaian, Vrej Agajanian, John Shirajian

From Left: Prof. Ashot Chilingarian, Vrej Agajanian, Dr. Ara Chutjian

From left, Vrej Agajanian, Varag Gharibjanian, Razmik Gharakhanian

Areg Gharbegian online from Armenia, with his son Raffi accepting Service Award from AESA


Fr. Mardiros Chevian welcoming guests.

SEMINARY, from page 5“Everyone here is like a stockholder who

has made an investment in this institution.”he added.

Next, Richard Papalian, who is the trea-surer of the Board of Directors, gave afinancial summary of the seminary.

After a question-and-answer period, theevening ended with Barsamian’s closingremarks. He thanked the board members,the faculty members and everyone presentfor supporting the seminary. “We are secur-

ing the future of the Armenian Church forthe younger generations to come,” he stat-ed.

“It’s great to see the new campus fulfill-ing the vision of those who helped plan it,along with the donors and workers whohelped make it possible. The future isbright for St. Nersess, and I encouragethose who have not yet been able to visitthe Armonk campus to do so,” proclaimedStephen Mekenian, a former board memberand campus donor.

St. Nersess Seminary Campus Donors Honored

COMMUNITY NEWS

MISSION HILLS, Calif. — The Ararat-Eskijian-Museum and the National Associationfor Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)present “The Massacre in Sasun (1894) and theOttoman Colonization of the Mountains” by Dr.Owen Miller Postdoctoral Fellow, Consortiumfor Faculty Diversity, Union College on SundayDecember 3, at 4 p.m., Ararat-EskijianMuseum/Sheen Chapel, 15105 Mission HillsRoad.

In the late summer of 1894, several battal-ions of Ottoman soldiers were ordered into themountains of Sasun, south of the fertile plainsof Moush, in current day southeastern Turkey.The entire Armenian population of the regionwas regarded as rebellious and one to twothousand men, women, and children were mur-dered. The 1894 violence in Sasun has beenviewed quite differently by scholars who workwithin Ottoman Studies and those inArmenian Studies. The former usually presentit as the first major rebellion of Armeniannationalists against the state, while the latter

present the 1894 events as the first majorepisode of Ottoman State mass violenceagainst its Armenian populace. In his research,Miller has shown that the Ottoman governorrelayed intentionally false reports that thou-sands of Armenian villagers in Sasun hadrebelled against the state. After establishingthat the Sasun massacre took place, he showsthat there was a concerted effort made both bylocal and central Ottoman authorities to coverit up.

In this lecture, Miller will examine what hasbeen unaddressed by prior accounts of theseevents along with a detailed account of why theviolence took place, and how it is remembered.

Miller is a Postdoctoral Fellow, Consortiumfor Faculty Diversity, at Union College for 2017-2018. He is a graduate of the University ofCalifornia, Santa Cruz, and holds a master’sdegree and doctorate from ColumbiaUniversity. His 2015 dissertation was titled“Sasun 1894: Mountains, Missionaries andMassacres at the End of the Ottoman Empire.”

Dr. Owen Miller to Speak on SasunMassacre at Ararat Eskijian Museum

LOS ANGELES — Nearly 200 supporters andfriends of the University of Southern California(USC) Institute of Armenian Studies gathered atthe Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills in appreciationof USC Provost Michael Quick’s and VicePresident for Strategic and Global AffairsAnthony Bailey’s travels to Armenia this pastspring to open the “End of Transition: 25 Yearsafter Soviet Collapse InternationalConference.”This evening of appreciation, whichtook place on Sunday, November 19, highlightednot only the USC administration’s support of theInstitute but also the extensive array of pro-

gramming and research the Institute has under-taken in 2017.

The evening’s attendees included ProvostQuick, Vice President Bailey, Dean of DornsifeCollege Amber Miller, as well as two of the fourmembers of the Institute’s Academic Council –USC Professor of Public Policy Dan Mazmanianand the holder of the USC Turpanjian Chair inCivil Society and Social Change ProfessorManuel Pastor. Two members of the Institute’sHonorary Council, philanthropist GeraldTurpanjian and Ambassador John Evans, werealso in attendance. Canadian-Armenian actor,producer, and activist Arsinée Khanjian wasamong the distinguished guests.

The evening was hosted by Varant and HouriMelkonian. The Chair of the Insititute’sLeadership Council, Charles Ghailian, welcomedthe Institute’s donors and supporters.

“This banquet concludes a very productiveyear for the Institute. The Institute’s supportersand donors saw first-hand the outcome of theInstitute’s research and programming aroundNagorno-Karabakh, Republic of Armenia, andthe Diaspora. The Institute plans to do this andmuch more in 2018,” said Salpi Ghazarian, direc-tor of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies.

The Institute’s current and upcoming visionand mission were outlined during the evening –its commitment to expanding and supportingopportunities for students and young profession-als; addressing the immediate challenges of the

Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora; and cre-ating a platform to investigate and understandthe post-genocide experience.

Maral Tavitian, recent graduate of the USCAnnenberg School for Communications andJournalism who left for Armenia to work forCivilNet Online Media upon graduation, spokeabout her participation in the Institute’sUndergraduate Retreat and her journey to areporting career in Armenia with the Institute’ssupport. Tavitian recently returned to USC, withCivilNet, to report live from Innovate Armenia, anupbeat, outside-the-box festival that explores what

it means to be Armenian in the21st century and celebrates inno-vation and innovators.

In addressing the challenge ofgood governance in Armenia,the Institute held the “CelebrityDiplomacy: RedefiningDiaspora’s Role in Armenia”program in January 2017, threemonths before Armenia’s firstparliamentary elections under asemi-presidential system.Actress and activist ArsinéeKhanjian spoke on November19 about the need for a moreengaged Diasporan communityin Armenia and how theInstitute’s engagement with thecountry has been a constructivestep in that direction.

Provost Michael Quick and Vice PresidentAnthony Baily related their experiences inArmenia underscoring how the trip helped thembetter understand the challenges that theInstitute chooses to tackle through research andprogramming.

In 2017, the Institute supported the researchof over 40 young scholars from around the worldwho were investigating topics related to eitherthe Nagorno Karabakh and the region orArmenia’s transitional processes since the col-lapse of the Soviet Union.

The Institute will continue to support researchand embark on new larger projects in 2018. Oneof these will be the collection, documentation, anddigitization of the archives of the DP communitywho came to Los Angeles at the end of World WarII. Several members of the community, and pro-ject donors, were present at the banquet.

During the evening, Institute Director SalpiGhazarian announced that in the framework ofthe Los Angeles – Yerevan Sister City relation-ship, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies andthe office of Councilmember Paul Krekorian willwork together to select and place young people– students or recent graduates – in policy plan-ning positions throughout the City of LosAngeles to learn from and contribute to theprocess of improving lives in both cities. This willserve as a pilot for possible broader future col-laboration.

USC Institute of Armenian StudiesConvenes an Evening of Appreciation

Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian

ETHIOPIA, from page 5Anthem, Marsh Teferi, which was Ethiopia’sofficial anthem from 1930 to 1974. Prince

Ermias told the audience that theseArmenians became known as the “forerun-ners in the modernization of mainstreammusic in Ethiopia.”

Assembly Board Member Annie Totahexpressed her gratitude to Prince Ermias, herpersonal friend, for his kind words about theArmenians. “We thank you so very much forjoining and educating us about the situationin Africa, and thank you for having presentedto us the history about Armenians inEthiopia. Emperor Haile Selassie welcomedus — the Armenians — and we have an ideal,mutually beneficial and fantastic relationshipbetween both countries,” Totah said.

More than 100 guests attended the recep-

tion, including Armenian Ambassador to theUnited States Grigor Hovhannissian and hiswife Victoria and Artsakh PermanentRepresentative to the US Robert Avetisyanand his wife Elvina.

In his remarks, Hovhannissian noted thatEthiopia has a special place in the hearts ofArmenians. He also recognized theAssembly’s advocacy work, as well as thegrassroots activism and dedication of itsmembers.

“We are very mindful and cognizant of thetremendous effort that the ArmenianAssembly of America has been makingtowards the development of Armenia andtowards building and strengthening relations

with the United States,” Hovhannissian stat-ed. “You have many, many dedicated mem-bers, and Armenia is blessed to have themamong its most committed friends.”

Assembly Executive Director BryanArdouny briefed the audience on theAssembly’s accomplishments this past yearand explained the challenges ahead. Heemphasized the continued efforts to increasemembership in the Congressional Caucus onArmenian Issues, which is currently at 113,as well as urging Members to withdraw fromthe Turkish and Azeri Caucuses. BothArdouny and Totah encouraged the audienceto contact their Representatives and educatethem on the importance of strengthening US-Armenia and US-Artsakh relations.

Following the speeches, Dr. Naira Babayan,a member of the Armenian Assembly, per-formed an Armenian musical selection,including Krunk (Stork) and Six Dances byKomitas, and Dance of Sasun by A.Arutiunian.

“We would like to especially thankAssembly Capital Region Council Co-ChairsClara Andonian and Doris George with HostCommittee Members Naira Babayan, NadyaCarson, Natalie George, Anahid Ghazarian,Takuhi Hallajian, Anahid Nishanian, andMarguerite Satian for donating and hostingthe reception, as well as our volunteers KyraChamberlain and Nicole Merullo, who arecurrently with George WashingtonUniversity’s Armenian Student Association,”Totah added.


COMMUNITY NEWS

Ethiopian Prince Praises Ethiopia-Armenia Relations at Assembly Holiday Reception

FRESNO — The Republic of Artsakh will be asafer place in the future, thanks to the efforts ofCentral Valley Congressman David Valadao (CA-21st). Earlier this year, Congress adopted anamendment by Valadao to continue providinglife-saving funds for the removal of land minesaround the villages of Artsakh.The Hanford-based representative who serves on the HouseAppropriations Committee was in Fresno totalk about the measure and his recent trip toArmenia and Artsakh during a communitygathering held at the Garo and Alice GureghianArmenian Cultural Center and sponsored bythe Central California branch of the ArmenianNational Committee of America (ANCA).

“Whenever a member of Congress wouldhave an issue with (the amendment), the simplequestion was ‘what issue is there with removingland mines that are blowing up farmers,”remarked Valadao in emphasizing the humani-tarian purpose of his resolution. “I mean, who’sgoing to argue against that?”

The Valadao amendment will provide $1.5million in US assistance to help the HALOTrust in its goal to eradicate mines, bombs, andother munitions that were laid during the peakof the Artsakh-Azeri conflict in the early1990s.Since 2001 when the internationalhumanitarian organization began its mission inArtsakh, the HALO Trust has removed over aquarter-million explosives from the countryside,thus bringing otherwise fallow land back into

agricultural production. Along with the makingthe country safer and more productive, the de-mining operation employs hundreds of locals,who have an intimate knowledge of the land-scape.

“These folks spend a lot of hours diggingaround a little land mine just to find it, secureit, and essentially blow it up….To have theopportunity to see them and go through theexperience…made me proud to support that,”said Valadao, who co-chairs the CongressionalArmenian Caucus.

The event also featured ANCA ExecutiveDirector Aram Hamparian, who gave somebackground on US assistance to Artsakh whileemphasizing the significance of the amend-ment. The uphill battle to secure funds for theregion began shortly after the 1994 cease-fireagreement, at a time when the StateDepartment still regarded Artsakh as part ofthe Republic of Azerbaijan. Hamparianexplained that US appropriations in generaland the Valadao’s legislation in particularachieve multiple objectives at various levels.Most obviously the funds serve a humanitarianpurpose in creating a safer environment for thecivilians and especially the children of Artsakh.Additionally, there is the political dimension ofsuch assistance. Even though the United Statesdoes not officially recognize the Republic ofArtsakh as a sovereign county, such funds areadministered in Stepanakert and not by the Azeri authorities in Baku—an implicit but clear

acknowledgement by the US that Artsakh iseffectively a functioning and autonomousArmenian state.

Perhaps most encouragingly have been thestatements of US Secretary of State RexTillerson about the de-mining amendment, whoaffirmed that his department “remains focusedon completing the demining as quickly and asthoroughly as possible.” Hamparian recalledthat appropriations for Artsakh were viewedreluctantly if not negatively by previous admin-istrations. Tillerson’s comments may signal amore constructive approach by the StateDepartment on the question of Artsakh’s self-determination.

During the question and answer part of theprogram, Berj Apkarian, Armenia’s HonoraryConsul in Fresno, expressed his gratitude to thevalley congressman, adding that his visit toArtsakh made an important statement to otherUS lawmakers. As in the past, this year’s con-gressional delegation—which also included rep-resentatives Jackie Speier (CA) and FrankPallone (NJ), Anna Eshoo (CA), Tulsi Gabbard,

(HI) and James Sensenbrenner (WI) as well asANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian — wasadvised by the State Department not to travelto Artsakh for fear of reprisals by the Republicof Azerbaijan. Following their tour of Artsakh,Valadao, Pallone, and Gabbard were added toAzerbaijan’s infamous blacklist, which currentlycomprises hundreds of international officials,dignitaries, journalists, and celebrities whohave openly traveled to the region.

“I didn’t think being in (Artsakh) would getme blacklisted by another country for doingsomething that most people would consider asa good thing,” commented Valadao.

As part of the congressional delegation’s tourof Armenia, Valadao made various stops inYerevan, including the Armenian GenocideMonument (Tsidzernakabert) and the AmericanUniversity of Armenia, where he was impressedby the initiative of the college’s business stu-dents.

The event was emceed by Debbie Poochigian,former Fresno County Supervisor and long-time supporter of the Central Valley’sArmenian Community.

From left, Rep. David Valadao, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, and former FresnoCounty Supervisor Debbie Poochigian

Valadao Discusses Lifesaving Demining Effort in Artsakh at ANCA Presentation

From left, Rep. David Valadao and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian


COMMUNITY NEWS

GALA, from page 1cultural and educational activities in all com-munities around the globe, as well as our moth-erland, Armenia.”

Honorary Chair of the TCA Greater New YorkCommittee Hagop Vartivarian, and Hartounianparticipated in presenting the evening’s hon-orees Nazar and Artemis Nazarian with theLifetime Benefactor Award, an etched crystalplaque, for their generosity, which has includedschools, hospitals, churches, camps and build-ings built by them from Armenia to the farthestcorners of the Armenian world.

To thunderous applause and a standing ova-tion, the couple graciously accepted the honor.Daughter Seta, speaking for the family, statedin a short and eloquent phrase, “Our parentshave taught us how to live and give,” whichbrought on lengthy applause.

Hagop Kassardjian, chairman of the TCAFounders Committee of Lebanon, as well as aleader in the AGBU and the ArmenianDemocratic Liberal party, and elected twice tothe Lebanese Parliament, spoke in Armenianabout the TCA’s beginnings, history and lead-ers. He said that in the last few years inLebanon, the Yervant Odian theatrical grouphad been formed, and emphasized that the TCAis an important institution for the diaspora, andfor the future.

Aram Arkun, TCA executive director of theUS and Canada, and assistant editor of theArmenian Mirror-Spectator, spoke about thelegacy and bequest to the TCA of ADL leaderand intellectual Dr. Nubar Berberian, on thefirst anniversary of his death. A video detailingthe history and founders of the TCA showingthe many personalities involved, was shown.

To the delight of the audience, artist NoraAzadian, who had been a student of the leg-endary poet Vahan Tekeyan, a close friend ofher grandfather, recited with powerful emotionand passion, Tekeyan’s soulful and heartfeltpoem “Hayou Hokeen.” It was rewarded with a

lengthy standing ovation. Noted author and editor, founding member

and Chairman of the TCA Central Board of theUS and Canada Edmond Azadian, in an elo-quent keynote address in English and

Armenian, spoke about the main componentsof the organization. “Words have power andpoetic words have torrential power which caninspire and move masses of human beings. Thatis why the words of the poet Vahan Tekeyan

reverberated in space and time, motivating mul-titudes and guiding them by means of the idealswhich had molded his persona and his her-itage.”

It was two years after Tekeyan’s death that

Tekeyan Cultural Association of Greater NY

Standing, from left, Khoren Kalinian, Mr. and Mrs. Kassardjian, Ambassador and Mrs. Mnatskanian, Vartan Nazerian, Berta Baghjajian, NarKhatchadourian and Hagop Vartivarian; seated from left, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Edmond and Nora Azadian, and Dr. Arshavir and NadiaGundjian

From left, Seta Nazarian, Artemis and Nazar Nazarian, and Claudia Nazarian

From left, Saro, Nairi, Hilda, Nanor and Aram Hartounian

Members of the organizing committee of the TCA Greater New York

From left, Dr. Arshavir Gundjian, Edmond Azadian, Hilda Hartounian and Mihran Minassian


Celebrates Platinum Anniversary with Gala

Carmen and Ed Gulbenkian

Maral and Sarkis Jebejian

Karen Kakoyan, left, and Daniel Youssefian

Nila and Nazareth Festekjian

From left, Vartan Ilanjian, Edmond Azadian, Mihran Minassian, Hilda Hartounian and HagopVartivarian

Seated, from left, Olympia Jebejian, Shahe Jebejian, Hratch Kouyoumjian, Dr. Tavit O. Najarian,Sossi Najarian and Lena Kalayjian; Standing, from left, Seta Jebejian, Sona Khanjian, ZavenKhanjian and Barkev Kalayjian

From left, Edmond Azadian, Dr. Arshavir and Nadia Gundjian, Hagop Vartivarian, Very Rev.Oshagan Gulgulian, Ani and Hagop Kassardjian and Nora Azadian

From left, Kevork Marashlian, Edmond Azadian and Daniel Youssefian

the TCA was founded in 1947, he related, anddetailed the many missions of the organization,including education, the publication of severalliterary magazines, daily and weekly newspa-pers, literary and scholarly books, and the pro-motion of literature, the arts, music, dance, the-ater, and the bringing of that culture to thediaspora.

“Today, the poet’s voice resonates louderthan ever, even far beyond the boundaries ofour people, to touch mankind,” Azadiandeclared. On behalf of his people and mankind,Tekeyan passionately implored: “Tear down allfortresses and impregnable walls. And lanceyour wrath against the barricades of armoredignorance. Divide the world’s wealth evenly.Let crowds through the entrance to your pas-tures stampede at the last fall of the last tower– But, O lord, let them break no trees, norcrush a single flower.”

Before the benediction, closing remarks weredelivered by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. “Itis our encounter with writers like VahanTekeyan, as well as the artists, musicians andcultural forces of our heritage that led us intoa deeper appreciation of the Armenian identity,as well as a deep desire of our younger gener-ation to know their identity as Armenians. Thisis the great influence the Tekeyan CulturalAssociation has had on our community. Thisenduring mission must continue and expandwell beyond the 70th anniversary.”

During the evening a silent auction featuringvaluable prizes had been held. At the conclu-sion of the memorable event, the lucky winnerswere announced, and then the crowd enthusi-astically took to the floor dancing to the catchybeats of Elie Berberian and Ensemble, joyous-ly concluding a momentous and historic eventthat will long be remembered.

Members of the TCA Mher Megerdichian theatrical group


COMMUNITY NEWS

By Nancy Kalajian Special to the Mirror-Spectator

WATERTOWN — At 88, Bob Sanasarian jauntily walksthrough the streets and byways of East Watertown to recollectthe shops that once were, in many buildings that still are. Witha keen memory for names and places, my pen can hardly keepup with his recall of shops, fruit-ripening facilities, cleanersand of course, his family’s Ideal Market. With a penchant forstorytelling, a gift for elaboration, and quick wit, Bob couldkeep even the sleepiest audience awake for hours.

A lifelong resident of Watertown, Sanasarian is a weekly pres-ence at St. James Armenian Church in Watertown, both as a choirmember on Sundays for the past 73 years and as a volunteer atBingo on Tuesdays. He may well hold the record for longevity inthe choir; he recalls that the only time he couldn’t be in churchwas many decade ago when he would be “on call” for duty dur-ing a nearly 12-year stint in the US Naval Air Reserves. But nomatter which way he would he would go, he would always go inthe direction of St. James when he was in town.

Indeed, a film starring Bing Crosby could well be theanthem of his life. As a youthful usher at the one-screenCoolidge Theatre in East Watertown, he still remembers tinydetails from the film “Going My Way” that he viewed scores oftimes, all week long. In those days, only one film was viewedat a time, and that film could play for weeks at a time.

“In one scene from the film, they are setting a table. BingCrosby has a fork in his hand. He pokes around the food a lotwith his fork but never puts the fork to his mouth,” reminiscesSanasarian, imitating the star, with a gleeful smile.

Growing up in Watertown meant lifelong friendships amongand between people from various ethnic and cultural back-grounds. According to him, the East Watertown neighborhoodincluded mostly Irish, Italians, Greeks and Armenians. Many ofthe Armenians stuck together for play, work and church.Indeed, in testament to the notable presence and deeds of

Armenian immigrants in East Watertown, there is a signnamed “Missak and Sarkis Parsekian Square” in the immedi-ate vicinity. “The older Armenian men — not the young people— would sit on boxes or old fruit and vegetable crates onNichols Avenue and would play tavloo,” shares Sanasarian.“They would set up the tavloo table on one crate and thenwould sit on the other crates. On Quimby Street, we playedtag, and hide and seek. Our neighbors included HarryParsekian and his family. By the way, I now sing in the choirwith Harry’s wife [Hrip] — she’s an alto.”

“On my summer vacation when I was about 16, I worked onshoes at Hood Rubber and made a grand total of $60 for thesummer. Then I was learning to drive and got in a little caraccident with my aunt’s borrowed car and it costs $60 to fixthe car so that was it for the $60. At Hood Rubber, we roughedup the inner part of the sole and buffed the soles so thecement would stick to the canvas sneaker.” Bob also cleanedthe frames and rubber off the windows on military parapher-nalia.

Some years ago, filmmaker Roger Hagopian made a film onHood Rubber that even included Sanasarian’s reminiscences

of his work there. “The odor was bad. The Armenians joked alot with one another. Mrs. Gulbankian and Mrs. Mouradianworked on the cutting machines and they nicknamed me‘Bobby.’ There was camaraderie for the war effort. There weremany huge buildings from Nichols Avenue to Arsenal Street.There was even a Goodrich store on Bigelow Avenue wherethose apartments are now and at that time Hood made someof their products.”

Immigrants in Watertown

With such a profound influence on the immigrant commu-nity when everyday goods were expensive, it was no wonderthat many young residents lined up to try Hood Rubber’s “testsneakers. They were testing for wear ability. The sneakers werefree and would be used for two or three weeks. The companywould evaluate them for extended use. I never got sneakerssince I never got there quick enough. My mom would say thatsneakers weren’t good for you, that leather shoes were better.But look, I have rubber sneakers now,” said Sanasarian with achuckle.

Shops were a place for immigrants to connect, andSanasarian’s family played an integral part in that part of com-munity life.

“Ideal Market on Dexter Avenue was bought by my fatherfrom a couple moving to California; they later came back fromCalifornia and wanted to rebuy the Ideal Market but my father,Aram, didn’t sell it back to them. The couple then opened acompetitive market nearby on Nichols Ave. and called it calledthe New Deal Market. My father’s business went down a bitbut then my father moved the Ideal Market to Mt AuburnStreet in 1940.”

Walking down Mt. Auburn in East Watertown is a trip downmemory lane as my guide points out significant sites. “Acrossthe street from what is now Giragosian Funeral Home, start-ing from Lloyd Road, there was Lloyd’s Pharmacy, IdealMarket, Berberian’s Armenian Shoe Repair, Charlie’s BarberShop and at the corner of Irma Road and Mt. Auburn Streetwas the Ivy dry cleaning shop,” he continued. “After some

years, my dad closed the Ideal Market and went to do weldingat Fore River in Fall River with Mr. Atamian, the Mt. AuburnGrill owner, and an Italian guy. They wore Navy clothes sinceit was a navy contract they were working on.”

Soon Aram Sanasarian was able to buy a family home onCarver Road East, and later worked at the commissary atHood Rubber.

“When my father closed the Ideal Market on Mt. AuburnStreet, Kirk Kaloustian’s mother and father opened a grocerystore, elongating three stores into one; they used the spacethat was the Ideal Market, the shoe repair, and the barber shopand they called it Kay’s Market, and they were in business fora long time. Kirk Kaloustian’s mother was a beautiful lady,”Sanasarian reminisces.

“Back then, there was a gas station on the corner ofArlington Street and a bowling alley next door to the MountAuburn Grill. When we were young, we worked at the bowlingalley and would set up the pins — we would take turns, jumpup when the pins fell down and then put the pins back up.”On the stretch between Elton Avenue and Melendy Avenuewas Victoria Spa, a men’s haberdashery, a bar, Nahigian’s gro-cery store and Gelesian’s five-and-dime store. Near MelendyAvenue was the Atlantic Gas Station owned by the Kaloostiansand a luncheonette/diner run by two Armenian women (nowMassis Bakery), a few other shops and Scott Cleaners on thecorner of Mt. Auburn Street, just before Dexter Avenue.”

Indeed, according to Sanasarian’s recollections, most of thebusinesses on Mt. Auburn Street in East Watertown seemed tohave had some Armenian connection. For example, he recallsthat under the building that now houses the Post Office waswhere the Patapanians ripened bananas and tomatoes andthat his cousin Billy Derderian’s grandfather owned the

Tribute to Old Watertown Bob Sanasarian Walks Down the Memory Lane

Bob Sanasarian sit ting at a coffee hour at St. James ArmenianChurch in Watertown

NANCY KALAJIANPHOTO

Bob Sanasarian pointing to where his family’s Ideal Market oncestood on Mount Auburn Street, close to Lloyd Road.

Near the original location of Ideal Market near the corner of Nichols and Dexter Avenues. Long ago, tavloo was played outside in this area.

NANCY KALAJIANPHOTO

NANCY KALAJIANPHOTO

S A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 13

COMMUNITY NEWS

Watertown Builder’s Supply on Arsenal Street.

Dexter and Nichols

A short drive away to the corner of Dexter Avenue andNichols Avenue brings up the Dexter Spa, a popular landmark.“Mr. Chapazian had a printing shop right on Dexter Avenuenext to the Ideal market. Then there was Dickie Bakalyan, partof the Junior Rat Pack; he went to California. He had an olderbrother, Willie, my friend. They lived in an attic apartment ina three-story building on Dexter Avenue. Dexter Spa was onthe opposite corner of Nichols Avenue and Dexter Avenue.Then they moved across the street. Behind the Dexter Spa,where JKT Garage once sat, you can now find an empty lot. Inthe same block of Dexter Avenue was a printing shop, thenIdeal Market. Barber Toros had a shop across the street at #57Dexter Avenue. With an entrance on Nichols Avenue, theSevan Club — on the second floor above the Ideal Market —had connections to the Progressive Party,” he recalls. Decadesago, Sanasarian even recalls seeing a movie there from theTsarist days, with memorable scenes of an uprising andRussian soldiers shooting the protesting people.

A grocery store was on the corner of Dexter and HazelStreets and diagonally across is where three sons lived on thefirst floor. These young men served in the Korean War andWorld War II. Their family bought a market across from theIdeal Market. Peter and John Airasian owned a textile shop onthe second floor on Dexter Avenue; there was a garage down-

stairs. “Then they opened a stitching shop on Cypress Street— my mom even worked there. Then the shop moved toKondizian Street and it became Eastern Clothing. Lots ofArmenian girls worked there,” shares Sanasarian with a glim-mer in his eyes.

Working in the printing/offset business kept Bob busy formany decades. Starting off at the Quincy Ledger newspaper,he soon joined Harvard Engraving. Three of the four ownersincluded Harry Sarkisian, Vahe Boyajian and Mr. Semerjian. (Ifa reader knows the name of the fourth, let us know.) TheBoston-based Armenian-owned business was on the secondfloor of High Street and later moved to the 7th floor at 79Essex St. “My father used to play cards with Mr. Semerjian atthe AYF Club. In those days, you needed a little pull to get in,to make a connection to get a start in the photo engravingfield,” he confides.

Working by day as an engraver at the Christian ScienceMonitor, Sanasarian took on a part-time evening job as aphoto engraver at the Boston Herald, first with letter pressand later offset.

Worcester and Beyond

Now mind you, Sanasarian’s knowledge isn’t just focused onWatertown; he can easily tell you a thing or two aboutWorcester or even Albuquerque. “My uncle, Dr. SempatParetchanian (Pachanian), delivered Fr. Dajad Davidian and alot of Armenian babies born in the Worcester area. Sam,Sempat’s son, opened the Spud Nut donut shop on PleasantStreet in Worcester. He used dehydrated potato flour to makethe donuts. Sam went to Albuquerque, New Mexico where heopened a Spud Nut shop there and produced flour and pro-vided it for his own shop and other donut shops. By the way,Sam was married to Ronaldine Ekserjian from Scotland; her

sister, Nadine, was in the French Parliament. Sam andRonaldine’s two daughters, Bonnie and Nadine, still live inNew Mexico. One of Ronaldine’s brothers was in the BritishAdmiralty while her other brother was a brigadier general inthe Scottish army,” Sanasarian recounts with a proud grin.

As far as his family’s roots and history, Sanasarian recounts,“My Uncle Vahakn Jerian was a Gamavor, in the FrenchForeign Legion. The French gave Adana to the Turks. Mymother and family were in Cyprus. My oldest aunt’s husband,Dr. Sempat Paretchanian, was from Marash. He had come tothe US, attended Yale University and became a doctor. He wasa US citizen. He went back to Turkey, opened a practice inAdana and then cured and treated my grandmother. There hefell in love with my Aunt Sirvart. Adana was given back toTurks so my uncle was asked to treat Turkish soldiers. Theysaid, ‘We’ll care for your family,’ so he served as a doctor inthe Turkish army. The wounded came in droves. He went tothe front and there was a British war ship there. Turkish sol-diers were walking on the beach and were getting popped off.My uncle was wondering why there were so many Turkish sol-diers wounded or killed. ‘Why don’t they dig in and protectthemselves?’ he asked a Turkish officer. ‘Don’t worry, there’smore to take their place,’ the officer replied. They were socruel to their own people. My grandmother went to Cyprusand then to America and my grandfather Manoog went toLebanon; his eyesight and sight was later saved with eyesurgery at Mass General,” he said.

“Bob is close to us. We’re also Vanetsi and he even knowssome Vanetsi words. He’s more than a friend — he’s a kind,peaceful and helpful man,” confides Vartan Krikorian ofWatertown.

The offspring of two regions in Armenia, Bob Sanasarianwas born in Everett, Mass., just before Christmas 1928, toAram Sanasarian of Van who came to the US in 1912, andVartouhi Jerian of Adana, who immigrated here in 1920 viaCyprus. Vartouhi initially lived in Lowell but soon moved toWatertown where she was very active in the Armenian com-munity, became chairwoman of the Senior Women’s Guild ofSt. James and baked a lot.

Sanasarian shares, “Everything she cooked was delicious.The senior ladies still use a lot of her recipes to this day.”

Indeed, I first met Vartouhi, a sweet and outgoing woman,on a tour bus by the Pyramids when she attended a largeanniversary celebration in Egypt in the early 1980s in honorof the founding in Egypt of the AGBU.

In his early years, Sanasarian attended two Protestantchurches; one was an Armenian Protestant Church onArlington Street in Watertown. “I went to St James as soon asthey started the Sunday School, and I’ve been there eversince,” says Sanasarian with a chuckle. “I started to sing, as abass, in the choir decades ago.”

In fact, in recognition of his continued heartfelt dedicationto the St. James Armenian Church community, he was hon-ored with a Parish Service Award at their 83rd Anniversaryand Name Day Banquet in 2014. “He’s one of the kindest andmost devoted church goers and choir members I’ve everknown,” said parishioner George Tarvezian Jr.

Besides singing for the church choir, Sanasarian sang withthe Armenian Choral Society (ACS) for many years. Under thedirection of Siranoush Der Manuelian, ACS sang at various

events, colleges and even private families. A highlight of manyearlier summers was when ACS members from one Rockportfamily invited members of the Choral Society to congregateand perform there at their Victorian ocean-side home.

When asked about the block on the corner of MountAuburn and School Streets, Bob of course chimes in, “Wherethe St. James Cultural Center now stands were two homes: myfriend Aram Horhorouny’s family had a yellow house, and thenthere was the Campbell Estate with an iron fence, on the cor-ner of School and Mt. Auburn Streets. Aram’s father, Joe,invented a noiseless and flash-less machine gun, and heworked at the navy yard. He was a machinist, had lots of inven-tions and he received commendations for his work. In thegarage below the house, Joe had his workshop where heinvented many things. There was the valve for the b29 airplane- oil valves were made out of brass in the beginning and latermade with aluminum to make them lighter. Joe paid Aram andI to tab the grooves, then Joe would check each one with agauge to make sure we went deep enough and that they wereperfect since they were going into a plane so he would checkeach one very carefully.”

Korean War Veteran

Sanasarian joined the US Naval Air Reserves starting in1948. The Korean War started in 1950. Bob describes himselfand others in his squadron as “weekend warriors.” Sanasarianwould report one weekend a month but the squadron as a

whole was never activated. One memorable time was when heserved on the FDR carrier for a week.

In the Torpedo Bomber Squadron (TBM), he usually report-ed to Weymouth where blimps were kept. In his role as an aer-ial photographer, he used K20, K25 and F56 (that weighedabout 50 pounds) aerial cameras and a Speed Graphic landcamera. Bob shares, “I was in one plane, opened the hatch,and took a photo while in mid-air of an individual pilot in oneplane in the squadron, then continued to take photos of theother pilots in their planes. So, there could be 12 planes in thesquadron and I usually would fly with the commanding officerin the lead plane. We also used the F56, would take the pho-tos, and later develop the film, take prints and match them upto overlap so then you would have a panoramic, topographicpicture of the entire landscape.”

Residing in Watertown his whole life, the Sanasarian familylived on Arlington Street, subsequently moved “to theZakarian house” on Quimby Street, then bought the house onCarver Road East. As to his immediate family, Sanasarian’sparents, sisters Audrey and Arpie, and one nephew, havepassed away but he spends a lot of time with his niecesRoxanne Baker and Joy Morgan and nephew Kevin Baker.

“My family had a big influence on my life, especially mymother, father, Uncles Vahakn Jerian and SempatParetchanian. I am proud of my mother. She was a hard work-er and provided a good model for me to follow.”

While Sanasarian has followed in the steps of his close fam-ily members, he has also moved in his own direction continu-ing to make a solid mark on this community.

(There were extensive names and places to research and/orcross check for spelling in the writing of this piece and thewriter apologies in advance for any unintentional correctionsthat might be needed.)

The Hood Rubber Plant in 1910

14 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RS A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7

Arts & Living

Armenia’s AcademyAwards SubmissionImagines End of War

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Armenia’s foreign-language film submission to theAcademy Awards for this year invites viewers to imagine a world without war,according to its director.Anahid Abad, the director of “Yeva,” said at the Iranian premiere of her debut

movie on Thursday, “The world without any war is much more beautiful, even forwarmongers.” The film tells the story of a young woman who escapes her influential in-laws

with her daughter, Nareh, after her husband’s tragic death and takes refuge in avillage in the Karabakh region.Criticizing war, Abad said its consequences are long lasting. “I was not directly

in the frontline of any war, but war was a part of my life,” said Abad.Abad has a long track record working in Iranian cinema as an assistant director.Her film is a joint production between the National Cinema Center of Armenia

and the Iranian Farabi Cinema Foundation in Tehran, where the Iranian premierewas held.The foundation also submitted Iran’s foreign-language film entry to the

Academy Awards for this year, another anti-war film by a female director, NargesAbyar’s “Nafas (Breath).”Alireza Tabesh, the managing director of the foundation, told the Associated

Press that both countries submitting anti-war films by female directors this yearwas “an invaluable coincidence.”“Launching co-production projects with countries in the region... is one of the

main goals of this foundation,” Tabesh said, “It offers the opportunity of enteringinto new markets and enables film producers to share their visions.”

Armenian SopranoHaroutounianMakes SumptuousRecital Debut in SF

By Joshua Kosman

SAN FRANCISCO (San Francisco Chronicle)— Lianna Haroutounian’s back-to-back Pucciniperformances with the San Francisco Opera inrecent years — a formidable 2014 companydebut as Tosca followed two years later by adelectable appearance in the title role of“Madama Butterfly” — served notice that theArmenian soprano was an important new pres-ence on the operatic scene. Her contributions toboth of those productions were marked by amemorable combination of vocal splendor andtheatrical finesse.On Saturday, November 25, Haroutounian

returned to San Francisco to make her USrecital debut in Herbst Theatre and demonstrat-ed that those successes were no kind of fluke.In a sumptuous and expressive program,

superbly accompanied by pianist TamaraSanikidze, Haroutounian brought her artisticpowers to bear on a range of repertoire, includ-ing Italian and French opera, Russian songs andArmenian folk melodies as crafted by the musi-cal priest Komitas. Each segment of the recital

seemed to open up a window on some new cor-ner of her artistry.It’s not as though the triumph of this pro-

gram could have come as much of a surprise.But the operatic stage and the vocal recital, inspite of their considerable overlap, draw onsomewhat different combinations of skills, andsuccess in one arena doesn’t necessarily trans-late to the other.Yet Haroutounian wasted little time in demon-

strating that the same qualities that had madeher appearances at the War Memorial OperaHouse so memorable — rich-hued vocal tone,expansive breath control, a knack for shaping amelodic phrase into something at once grandand intimate — were in play here as well.The event was not sponsored by any of the

standard local presenters, but rather by whatseems to have been an ad hoc committee assem-bled from among the luminaries of the BayArea’s Armenian community. It was certainly awelcome addition to the musical calendar.Haroutounian’s particular gift, at least on this

occasion, was to smuggle the big gestures of theopera house into the confines of the recital hall.In the three lyrical showpieces by Bellini thatanchored her opening set, she spun out thecomposer’s extravagantly broad-beamedmelodies without a hitch. The results, especiallythe apostrophe to the moon, Vaga luna, weresimultaneously buoyant and probing, clothed inan air of serene grace.

see DEBUT, page 17

Upcoming CandlelitLabyrinth WalkTops off Year ofOriginal ProgramsBOSTON — Lucas Cowan, public art cura-

tor of the Rose Kennedy GreenwayConservancy, spoke recently at a HUBweekevent and had the following to say about theArmenian Heritage Park on The Greenway:“Every day the Park is filled with families,children and adults...Just as the sculpturalelement changes yearly and is reconfig-ured...this place grants permission for con-templative thought, meditation and solace...”So many are visiting, spending time at this

“gem on the Greenway” (Boston Globe 2015).Some relax on a bench or read, and someenjoy lunch or share a moment with a friendor colleague. Many walk the labyrinth — adaily ritual to quiet the mind — and most mar-vel at the abstract sculpture, returning eachyear to view its newest sculptural shape, andall pause to read the inscription on thereflecting pool.On Sunday, December 17, the annual

Candlelit Labyrinth Peace Walk will wrap upa series of programs at the park for the year.All are invited to enjoy the sparkle of the parkin the evening from 4:30 to 6 p.m., considered“Boston’s Newest Holiday Tradition” (Metro,2015). Many will walk the candlelit labyrinth,some will tie a colorful ribbon with a wish onthe Wishing Tree and all will enjoy hot choco-late and delicious cookies, hosted by theBostonian Hotel. At 5:45 p.m., Ladies First,an a cappella group from Wellesley HighSchool, will perform. Although there is nocharge, an RSVP is appreciated by emailhello@Armenian HeritagePark.org. During the year, programs are varied and

interesting to build community, to cometogether on common ground. Several pro-grams are supported by one of the Park’sendowed funds; most all depend on generousgifts-in-kind. Some are featured programs dur-ing ArtWeek Boston and HubWeek. Most pro-grams are offered in collaboration with lead-ing organizations and institutions amongthem Age-Friendly Boston, The BostonianHotel, The Bostonian Society/Old StateHouse, City of Boston, The Eliot K-8Innovation School/Boston Public Schools,Faneuil Hall, Faneuil Hall Marketplace,Friends of Christopher Columbus Park,Greenway Conservancy, Hollister Staffing,Labyrinth Guild of New England, MEM TeaImports, Museum of Fine Arts,NorthEndWaterfront.com, Sharon MerrillAssociates, US District Court Massachusettsand Webster Bank. Friends of the HeritagePark, open to all, plan and implement many ofthe programs. The Friends is an initiative ofthe Armenian Heritage Foundation.Dedicated volunteers also oversee the Park’scare and the annual reconfiguration of theAbstract Sculpture. Each new year begins with the annual recon-

figuration of the abstract sculpture. Everyyear, during a Sunday morning in late Marchor early April, the sculpture, a split rhomboiddodecahedron, is reconfigured into a newsculptural shape, symbolic of all who werepulled away from their country of origin andcame to these shores, establishing themselvesin new and different ways. A crane lifts andreconfigures the two halves, made of steel andaluminum, under the direction of A&AIndustries, fabricator of the abstract sculpture,their generous gift-in-kind. The park’s Charlesand Doreen Bilezikian Endowed Fund sup-ports the annual configuration. During April, the annual April 24 Genocide

Commemoration at the Park, planned by theMassachusetts Armenian GenocideCommemoration Committee is a “remem-brance that both honors and commemorateslives lost...and to reflect on the lessons it

see LABYRINTH, page 16

Anahid Abad

In this frame grab from “Yeva” film and provided by Farabi Cinema Foundation onFriday, Nov. 24, actress Narine Grigoryan is seen in the title role as Yeva

Soprano Lianna Haroutounian

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Erevan ChoralSociety and Orchestra will usher in theChristmas season with its Christmas HolidayConcert on Sunday, December 10, at 7 p.m., inthe Sanctuary of Holy Trinity ArmenianChurch of Greater Boston, 145 Brattle Street,

Cambridge. This year’s concert, under the direc-tion of Composer Konstantin Petrossian, MusicDirector and Conductor, will feature the VocalQuartet the Bostonians, and open with theArlington High School Madrigal Singers, direct-ed by Madalyn Kitchen.

The program will consist of a variety of tra-ditional Armenian and Western sacred and hol-iday music, and will include three special songs:Yegeghetzin Haygagan (The Armenian Church)and Aghotk (Prayer) (US Premier), which arededicated to the memory of the Very Rev.

Oshagan Minassian, founder anddirector of the Erevan ChoralSociety, and to his devoted moth-er, Diramayr Sirvart Minassian,and Hor Hor dedicated to theheroic liberators of Artsakh.The Bostonians is a repertory

company of outstanding vocaland instrumental artists foundedin 2003, by renowned singer,teacher and impresario RichardConrad. Now led by baritonePhilip Lima, they are known forsonorous singing and virtuosoplaying and have enjoyed praisefor their eclectic programs rang-ing from opera to cabaret,American favorites to Armenianclassics. In addition to PhilipLima, the quartet is comprised ofNouné Karapetian (soprano),Roselin Osser (mezzo) andMichael Calmés (tenor). This isthe Bostonians second perfor-mance at Holy Trinity’sChristmas Concert, having per-

formed in 2015. The Arlington High School Madrigal Singers,

founded in 1990, is an auditioned ensemblecomprised of students in Grades 9-12. The“Mads” have performed in European Tours thathave taken them to Italy, Greece, Hungary,Austria and Switzerland, and this comingFebruary, they will again be touring in Italy andSwitzerland. They generally perform inArlington and the Greater Boston area, includ-ing events such as Boston’s 9/11Commemorative Ceremony in 2014 and atFenway Park in 2016. Students of Holy Trinity’s Armenian School

will also participate with recitations intermin-gled in the program. The public is invited to attend this free con-

cert, which is a gift to the community. For further information, contact the Church

at email [email protected], or log ontowww.htaac.org.


ARTS & LIVING

Atom EgoyanReceives LifetimeAchievement AwardAt India Film FestivalTORONTO — Acclaimed Canadian Armenian

filmmaker Atom Egoyan was bestowed theLifetime Achievement Award at the 48thInternational Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017which began on November 20, United News ofIndia reported.An accomplished director, writer and produc-

er, Egoyan has made a mark in the mainstreamand alternate cinema all over the world.His work is often credited for exploring dif-

ferent themes that carry a rich amount of emo-tions and effective use of Technology.Born to Armenian–Egyptian parents, Egoyan

started to study Armenian history.He has directed 15 full-length films thereafter,

several television episodes, and a few shorter pieces.

His debut film, “Next of Kin,” won a majorprize at the International Film FestivalMannheim-Heidelberg.His commercial breakthrough came with the film

“Exotica” (1994) for which he won accolades.For the film “The Sweet Hereafter,” he

received two Academy Award nominations forbest director and best adaptation.His film “Ararat” was the first feature film on

the Armenian genocide and received criticalacclaim and appreciation for taking a boldstand on this sensitive topic.It won Best Film on Human Rights by The

Political Film Society of Hollywood.Celebrated as one of the best Contemporary

filmmakers on the international scene,Egoyan’s brilliant depiction of his artistic andflawless scenes and capturing the emotions ofthe audience is widely appreciated.This year, at IFFI 2017, three of the best films

by Egoyan will be screened, “Exotica,” “TheSweet Hereafter” and “Remember.”

Atom Egoyan

Erevan Choral Society and Orchestra

Erevan Choral Society and Orchestra Christmas Holiday Concert on December 10

LABYRINTH, from page 14holds for our lives today.” Speakers includedthe Primate of the Armenian Diocese(Eastern) Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, for-mer US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans,Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujianand performances by Sayat Nova DanceCompany and violinist Sammy Andonian.Also in April is the annual Walk Against

Genocide at the Park, planned by theMassachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur. Thewalk starts at the New England HolocaustMemorial and proceeds to Armenian HeritagePark. Speakers at both sites focused on thegenocides during the 20th and 21st centuries. On the first Saturday in May, Experience

Public Art, an ArtWeek Boston featured pro-gram, was held at the park. The two-part pro-gram opened with World LabyrinthDay: Walk as One at 1 p.m. followed by thereception to view the abstractsculpture’s new configuration. On May 6, sev-eral walked the labyrinth under the mist,some under umbrellas, joining people incities and towns in 35 countries world-wide,all participating in World Labyrinth Day, theinternational initiative of the LabyrinthSociety. The reception to view the 2017 con-figuration of the sculpture was to follow withWGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen offeringremarks, if it were not for the rain. Tea andDesserts were to have been hosted byEastern Lamejun and MEM Tea Imports. ArtWeek Boston is the annual award-win-

ning festival that features unique and cre-ative experiences.In early June, Let’s Party @The Kitchen

was held at the Boston Public Market to ben-efit the Park’s year-round care. The eveningfeatured four Chefs preparing a signaturedish — Bedros DerVartanian, EasternLamejun Bakers; Andrew Janjigian,American’s Test Kitchen and Cook’sIllustrated; Jason Reed, Vicki Lee’s andNathan Kibarian, Bastille Kitchen. Wines were provided by Tutunjian Estate

Vineyards; hand-roasted nuts were courtesyof Fastachi. Wendy Semonian, publisher ofthe Improper Bostonian was the evening’smistress of ceremonies. During June, July and August and in col-

laboration with Age-Friendly Boston, theinaugural Tea & Tranquility series was heldon the third Wednesday of the month from

5:30-7 p.m. Many working and living in down-town and greater Boston came together tomeet and greet, walk the Labyrinth and enjoyTea & Desserts, hosted by the BostonianHotel and MEM Tea Imports. For first-timewalkers, an introduction to walking aLabyrinth was offered. September is the month for the annual.

Sunday Afternoon at the Park is a delightful

afternoon on Sunday, September 17 for allages. WCVB TV5 Cindy Fitzgibbon wasemcee, joined by her young son. GregKrikorian’s All-Star Ensemble played as manydanced, including the Red Sox’s Wally theGreen Monster and his little sister, Tessie.Face painting “for kids by kids” was new thisyear and also a highlight: HP Hood ice creamsandwiches. In celebration of the immigrant experience

on Thursday, September 21, the welcomereception for new citizens following the nat-uralization ceremony at Faneuil Hall washeld at the park. Funded by the Anna andNoubar Afeyan Fund, the annual welcomereception is in keeping with a key theme ofthe park to acknowledge the history ofBoston as a port of entry for immigrants

worldwide and celebrate contributions to therichness of American life and culture. Thisyear, Judge Indira Talwani, US District Courtof Massachusetts presided over the natural-ization ceremony at Faneuil Hall and, at theinvitation of Judge Rya Zobel (retired),offered the welcoming remarks during thereception at the park. Talwani was intro-duced by Koutoujian. Each new citizen

received a gift from the BostonianSociety/Old State House, the Museum ofFine Arts Boston and GreenwayConservancy.During October, Celebrating Public Art!

two HUBweek featured programs were heldat the park. HUBweek, founded by theBoston Globe, Harvard, MIT and MGH,“brings together the most creative and inven-

tive minds in art, science and technology.”The two-day program opened on October 10

with the fourth annual “Reducing andManaging Stress: Walking the Labyrinth.” KipHollister, president and founder of HollisterStaffing and Hollister Institute, introduced thebenefits of walking a labyrinth, or meditativewalking. David Calusdian, president of theBoston-based Sharon Merrill Associates offeredthe introduction. A networking reception fol-lowed at Hollister Staffing, 75 State St. TheOctober 11 program, “Geometry as Public Art:Celebrating the Immigrant Experience,” fea-tured Greg Kerkorian, principal, GB KerkorianPartners Insurance; Lucas Cowan, public artcurator, Greenway Conservancy; Don Tellalian,AIA and Morgan Atkins, coordinator of cultureand school climate for the Eliot K-8 InnovationSchool, Boston Public School in the North Endwith three students who shared experiencesthrough poetry and verse. A reception followedat the park hosted by the Bostonian Hotel andMEM Tea Imports.Inspired by the visits of school children to

the park, a team of educators from Friends ofHeritage Park have developed an innovativeschool-based curriculum — Geometry asPublic Art: Telling a Story. The curriculum isdesigned to spark greater awareness of geom-etry as art and to celebrate what unites andconnects us, while building common ground.Presently, the curriculum is being piloted bythe fourth-grade classes at the Eliot Schoolin the North End.Fundraising continues to fully endow the

park’s Endowed Fund for Care so that thepark is impeccably maintained year-round.Contributions may be made on-line atArmenianHeritagePark.org or by mail with acheck, made payable to the ArmenianHeritage Foundation, to Lucy Hoosian,Secretary, Armenian Heritage Foundation,22 Richards Road, Watertown, MA 02472.Contributions are tax-deductible to theextent of the law.

T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RS A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 716

ARTS & LIVING

Bulgur, Beef, and Vegetable BurgersINGREDIENTS1 cup fine grain bulgur1 pound lean ground beef or lamb1 medium red or white onion, minced1 medium egg, beaten2 large cloves garlic, minced2 cups water or low sodium chicken or vegetable broth2 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato puree2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped (optional)1/2 cup parsley, finely choppedSea or Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, dried sweet basil, or Aleppo pepper to tasteFinely chopped green onions, mint, green and red bell pepper, parsley, tomatoes andcucumbers as garnishFresh spinach, Romaine lettuce or chopped greensOlive oil, unsalted butter or canola oilYogurt, sour cream, lemon wedges

PREPARATION:In a medium pot, bring the water or broth to a full boil, add the bulgur, stir, cover,

lower heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until bulgur and liquid have beenabsorbed. Remove pan from heat and let cool 10 minutes.In a large bowl, combine the bulgur with the ground meat, minced onions, egg,

garlic, tomato paste, walnuts, parsley, salt, pepper and choice of spices, and knead afew minutes until smooth. Add a few drops of water if mixture is too dry. Form mix-ture into small patties (round or oval shape) and fry in oil or butter until goldenbrown on both sides. Place patties on a tray or platter and generously sprinkle with chopped green

onions, mint, bell pepper, parsley, tomatoes and cucumbers. Serve immediately withspinach, Romaine lettuce, Armenian bread, pita bread or cracker bread, and assort-ed cheeses, olives, roasted vegetables, and condiments. Serve with yogurt, sour cream and lemon wedges on the side, if desired.Serves 4-6.

*Christine's recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunsetmagazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

Recipe Corner

by Christine Vartanian Datian

Upcoming Candlelit Labyrinth Walk Tops off Year of Original Programs

A previous candlelit walk at the Armenian Heritage Park (Photo courtesy of northendwaterfront.com)

17T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RS A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7

DECEMBER 1 and 2 — Trinity Christmas Bazaar, Friday,12-9 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Holy TrinityArmenian Church of Greater Boston, 145 Brattle St.,Cambridge. Featuring delicious Armenian dinners, a lacarte menu and take-out meals; booths and vendors –perfect for doing your Christmas shopping; Armeniangourmet foods, delicacies and pastries; raffles, and more.Activities for Children, Peter Adamian Hall: Friday, 7-9p.m., All Aboard “The Polar Express” Pajama Party, rec-ommended for children ages 5 and older; Saturday, 11a.m., Children’s Entertainment. Visit with Santa,Saturday, 1-2 pm, and have your photo taken too.Charles and Nevart Talanian Cultural Hall. For furtherinformation, contact the church office at 617.354.0632,or log onto http://www.htaac.org/calendar/event/449/

DECEMBER 7 — Panel: “Environmental Security andStatecraft in Armenia,” at NortheasternUniversity, Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Co-sponsored by theNAASR/Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Serieson Contemporary Armenian Issues and NortheasternUniversity Armenian Club. At 220 Shillman Hall,Northeastern University, 115 Forsyth Street,Boston. Contact NAASR at [email protected] for more infor-mation.

DECEMBER 10 — Christmas Holiday Concert, Erevan ChoralSociety and Orchestra, 7 p.m., Sunday, Church Sanctuary,Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston, 145Brattle St., Cambridge. This year’s concert, under thedirection of Composer Konstantin Petrossian, music direc-tor and conductor, will open with the Arlington HighSchool Madrigal Singers and feature the vocal quartet theBostonians. The program will consist of traditionalArmenian and Western sacred and holiday music. Thepublic is invited to attend this complimentary concertwhich is a gift to the community. For further information,call the Church office, 617.354.0632.

DECEMBER 14 — NAASR Christmas Open House,with 7:30 lecture by Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy,“Operation Nemesis, Justice, and Inter-GenerationalTrauma: How Resistance Promotes Resilience,” Thursday,6-10 p.m. at the NAASR Center, 395 Concord Ave.,Belmont. All items in the bookstore will be 35 percent ormore off. Contact NAASR at [email protected] for moreinformation.

DECEMBER 17 — Candlelit Labyrinth Peace Walk,Armenian Heritage Park on The Greenway, Boston,

4:30 – 6 pm. Quiet holiday reflection and celebration. Tiea ribbon with your wish on the Wishing Tree. HotChocolate & Cookies, hosted by The Bostonian HotelBoston All are invited. RSVP appreciated, pleaseemail [email protected]

DECEMBER 17 — St. James 86th Anniversary NameDay Celebration. Sunday. Abp. Khajag Barsamian,Primate, Presiding. Honoring Michael G. Yapchaian,Parishioner of the Year, and Nishan & Margrit Atinizian,Diocesan St. Vartan Award Recipients. 10 a.m. DivineLiturgy. Name Day Banquet to follow. Keljik Hall. St.James’ Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center. $45per person. $10 for children 12 and under. AdvancedReservations Required – purchase tickets online atwww.stjameswatertown.org. 465 Mt. Auburn Street,Watertown [email protected]

DECEMBER 2 — Nor Keghi Kef Time III Pagharch Dinnerand Dance Fundraiser for Nor Keghi School inArmenia, 6.30 p.m. St. John Armenian Church Hall,Southfield. Continuous music by an assembly of Detroit’sAll-Star Armenian Musicians will again entertain attendeesto the third “Pagharch” feast that residents of the historicArmenian district dined on for centuries at the start of thewinter season in mountainous Keghi district. The govern-ment of Armenia on Feb. 1962 renamed the region ofAshdarag to Nor Keghi to honor the history of Keghizeesof historic Western Armenia. Funds raised will help indevelopment of the school’s multi-purpose auditorium.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017-MARCH 14, 2018 — Armenian FilmFestival “The Nation’s Past & Present” Sponsored byCultural Committee of the Sts. Sahag & Mesrob ArmenianChurch, in Hanoian Hall, 70 Jefferson Street, Providence.Wednesday, October 11, , at 7 pm, “Garni, Geghard”Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at 7 pm, “Armenia”(Yerevan, Echmiadzin, Khor Virap, Zvartnots, Sevan, Dilijan,Lori) Wednesday, January, 24, at 7 pm “Country ofArmenian Kings - 2” (Ani, Kars, Edesia, Musaler)Wednesday,February, 21, at 7 pm, “Country of Armenian Kings - 3”(Cilicia, Kharbert, Adana, Zeytoun) Wednesday, March, 14,2018, at 7 pm. All presented in English, donation of $10.

Calendar items are free. Entries should not be longerthan 5 lines. Listings should include contact information.Items will be edited to fit the space, if need be. A photomay be sent with the listing. Items should be sent no

later than Mondays at noon.

CC AA L E N D A RL E N D A RMASSACHUSETTSMASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

RHODE ISLAND

The Christmas Holiday Concert by theErevan Choral Society and Orchestra, willtake place at 7 p.m., on Sunday, December10, at the Church Sanctuary, Holy TrinityArmenian Church of Greater Boston, 145Brattle St., Cambridge, Mass. This year’sconcert, under the direction of KonstantinPetrossian, will open with the ArlingtonHigh School Madrigal Singers and featurethe vocal quartet the Bostonians. The pro-gram will offer traditional Armenian andWestern sacred and holiday music. Thepublic is invited to attend this free concert.For further information, call the Churchoffice, 617.354.0632.

ARTS & LIVING

GLENDALE — The Armenian AmericanMuseum and Cultural Center honoredCalifornia State Senator Anthony J.Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) at a spe-cial community reception with donors andsupporters on Thursday, November 16.Earlier this year, Portantino successfully

spearheaded an effort leading to the State

Legislature investing an additional $3 millionin the historic cultural and educational cen-ter developing in the City of Glendale.Governor Jerry Brown signed the 2017-2018state budget in June with $3 million ear-

marked for the Armenian American Museum,bringing the State’s total funding commit-ment to $4 million.“I am honored to have the opportunity to

represent the 25th Senate District which ishome to a large and vibrant ArmenianAmerican community,” stated Portantino.“The Armenian American Museum is a his-

toric project thatwill proudly cele-brate the Armenianculture and history.It deserves our sup-port and I am verypleased that ourState’s investmentwill help make theproject a reality.”A r m e n i a n

American MuseumGoverning Board Co-Chairs ArchbishopM o u s h e g hMardirossian andRev. Berdj Jambazianaddressed the audi-ence and deliveredpassionate remarkson the importance ofthe project for the

future of the community. Co-Chairs ArchbishopHovnan Derderian and Bishop MikaelMouradian discussed the vision for theArmenian American Museum in a video mes-

sage and highlighted how it will serve as abridge between the Armenian American com-munity and the many diverse communities ofSouthern California.City and Museum officials have been work-

ing collaboratively to prepare for the upcom-ing ground lease agreement consideration bythe Glendale City Council. Museum ExecutiveCommittee Chairman Berdj Karapetian,Committee Member Zaven Kazazian, andArchitect Aram Alajajian presented the latestproject developments with donors and sup-porters at the reception.

SWA, an urban design and architecturalfirm, was hired by the City to develop plansfor the open space that will connect theDowntown Central Library, Adult RecreationCenter, and proposed Museum site. SWAplans to present its recommendations to Cityofficials and the public at the upcoming CityCouncil meeting on December 5.City of Glendale and Armenian American

Museum officials anticipate the signing ofthe ground lease agreement and ceremonialgroundbreaking ceremony to take place in2018.

State Sen. Anthony J. Portantino

Armenian American Museum Honors Calif. State Sen. Portantino at Reception

DEBUT, from page 14There was a similar expressive urgency

in her final set of arias by Cilea, Mascagniand Gounod, only now ramped up to anew level of theatrical intensity and rhyth-mic vigor. Io son l’umile ancella fromCilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” boasted awelcome luster, matched by the glitteringbrilliance of the Jewel Aria from Gounod’s“Faust.”The Armenian melodies, collected and

reframed by Komitas in spare but eloquentarrangements, brought out Haroutounian’smost plain-spoken and vivid singing. And in

a series of songs by Tchaikovsky andRachmaninoff — dedicated, in a moving ges-ture, to the memory of the late baritoneDmitri Hvorostovsky, who died on November22 — Haroutounian found a splendid balancebetween subtlety and ardor.Sanikidze made a gallant partner through-

out, and also took a moment in the spotlightfor a ravishing account of a Chopin Nocturne.The recital ended with a string of fourencores, including Ebben ... ne andrò lontanafrom Catalani’s “La Wally,” and, of all things,George Gershwin’s Summertime, deliveredwith wit and warmth.

Soprano Haroutounian Makes Recital Debut in SF

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18 S A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMENTARY

Established 1932

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EDITOR

Alin K. Gregorian

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Aram ArkunART DIRECTOR

Marc Mgrditchian

SENIOR EDITORIAL COLUMNIST:Edmond Y. Azadian

CONTRIBUTORS:Florence Avakian, Dr. HaroutiunArzoumanian, Taleen Babayan, DianaDer Hovanessian, Philip Ketchian,Kevork Keushkerian, Harut Sassounian,Hagop Vartivarian, Naomi Zeytoonian

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1509

Soviet Armenia ReduxCOMMENTARY

By Edmond Y. Azadian

There is a euphoria generated by the prospect of celebrating thecentennial of the First Republic in 2018. However, this November29 reminds us of another centennial arriving in 2020, that of thecreation of the Soviet Armenian Republic, under the most con-troversial turn of historic events.While Turkish Kemalist forces under Kazim Karabekir were at

Armenia’s border, threatening to overrun the country, the gov-ernment in power, controlled by the Armenian RevolutionaryFederation (ARF), decided to sign the Treaty of Alexandropol,placing the country under Turkish tutelage. In the meantime, thesame government was negotiating with the Communists over apower-sharing deal, where Gen. Dro (Drastamad Kanayan) andHampartsoum Derderian would represent the ARF on theRevolutionary Committee.At a distance of 98 years, it is a challenge to understand what

was in the minds of those leaders when they engaged in a doubledeal. Since the incoming government was not a party to theAlexandropol Treaty, the latter was rendered invalid. Thus,Armenia was safe from the prospect of Turkish domination. Assoon as the Soviets took over, they declared the treaty defunctand saved the last remnant of historic Armenian territory, whichthey also expanded to its current dimensions.In this way, Soviet Armenia became part of our history and in

terms of longevity, it far exceeds the First Republic.Soviet Armenia was a hybrid state; it was a republic by itself but

was part of a larger federated unit, the Soviet Union.While thinking about and preparing for the celebration of the

First Republic’s centennial, many people have forgotten the 70 years

of Soviet Armenia, which cannot be taken out of our history.Now that the winds of the Cold War have subsided and the exis-

tence of the Soviet Empire relegated to the ash heap of history, itis incumbent upon us to make a sober evaluation of the SecondRepublic which laid the foundations of Armenian culture, scienceand technology, raising the level of its achievements to that of thehighest international standards.Incidentally, the industrial and the technological base which

was created during that period was wasted during the first fewyears of the Third Republic, ruled by an amateurish leadership.Our ethnic pride would not allow us to admit that the three con-

secutive republics came into existence but through our heroicpolitical struggles. However, reality is different. World events andregional political developments helped Armenians to seize theopportunity and create a sovereign or semi-sovereign homeland.That historic fact does not obliterate or devalue the heroic lib-

eration and self-defense movements that Armenians have con-ducted from Zeitun to Shabin Karahissar, from Van to Sardarabad,from Cilicia to Karakilissa.Based on a false gospel, the Soviet system turned out to be hell

for its citizens. It was a historic experiment conducted at theexpense of millions of lives; an experiment which Armenians alsoshared in. The West fought furiously to contain the ideologicalpower of the Communist Utopia from engulfing the globe. Thatexperiment, especially its promise to bring equality to all, turnedout to be a hoax and thus it eventually collapsed under its ownweight.It was not enough that Armenians had lost two thirds of their

population in their historic homeland; they had to pay their dues

during World War II in defense of the Soviet Homeland, by sacri-ficing another 300,000 lives from their male population.In addition to those sacrifices, Armenians had to endure Stalin’s

terror, losing the cream of the crop of the Armenian intelligentsia.With all the evils associated with the Soviet system, Armenia

enjoyed a number of advantages that it had missed throughouthistory.As part of a monumental global economy, Armenia was able to

develop its industrial base, not only on the consumer level but alsoin cybernetics and space technology. The development of scienceand technology reached unprecedented levels.The Soviet education system proved to be on the highest level

at the time. Victor Hampartzumyan, the Alikhanyan brothers andGrigor Gurzakyan explored the universe and the stars and placedArmenia’s name at the cutting edge of physics and astronomy.A very serious scholarship took deep root in Armenia; Ajarian,

Mananian, Chahukyan, Gharibian and Malkhasyants developedworld-class scholarship and historiography. Aram Khachaturian’sSabre Dance was performed throughout the world. Works bySarian, Minas Avetisian and Kochar were on display in museumsaround the world. The literary creative impulse propelled writerslike Mahari, Hrant Matevossian, Silva Kapoutikian, Shiraz andBakunts to the pan-soviet summit and beyond.Armenia became a center of attraction for many Armenians

around the world and many repatriated voluntarily to the revivedhomeland led by writers and artists like Kochar, Ara Sargsyan,Sarian, Avedik Issahakian, Vahan Totovents, Zabel Yesayan andothers.In addition to repatriation, one evil aspect of Soviet system

became a blessing in disguise: Soviet citizens were not allowed toleave their country. That ban contributed to the enhancement ofArmenia’s ethnic profile.

After centuries of turbulenthistory, Armenian found peaceand stability, where life waspredictable. There was fullemployment, free educationand healthcare, free vacationpackages and retirement bene-fits.Today, in our independent

republic, the questions inevery family’s mind are wherethe next meal will be comingfrom and what the future willhold for their children.Today, when Armenia is a

free and independent republic,Armenians are confused as tohow to use that freedom. Afterwasting the economic base ofthe Soviet era, that freedomhas led to depopulation.While Soviet Armenia was

prospering, the worldArmenian community wasdeprived of sharing the culturedeveloped in the homelandbecause it was shielded by anIron Curtain. It was destinedthat the Armenian Democratic

Liberal (ADL) party should take the leadership role in piercingthat Iron Curtain to bring Armenia’s living culture to the diaspo-ra, at the expense of being called “communist agents,” “fellow trav-elers” or “Soviet sympathizers.”The only purpose that the ADL had for reaching out to Armenia

was to bring out the music, literature, dance and culture to thediaspora and to develop a spiritual unity for the world Armenianpopulation. Similarly, the ADL reached out to the center of theArmenian faith to keep the spiritual unity between the Diasporaand Armenia.Many ADL leaders, editors and rank and file members suffered

the consequences of their patriotic stands; they were subjected toverbal abuse, physical injury and even death. But the endeavorpaid off eventually. When Armenia attained independence, the twosegments of our people were not alienated from one another.Lo and behold, an ironic development came to prove that the

people who labeled the ADL a Soviet tool turned out to be on theKGB payroll themselves. Indeed, the Soviet KGB General OlegKalugin published lists of names of Soviet agents in the west. Andthe two most ardent ARF leaders from the Middle East were onthat list.The past is present; whatever the Third Republic inherited from

Soviet Armenia, it has been building on that legacy.Today, when the Soviet empire is gone, we can call a spade a

spade, without any fear of being labeled as an agent. Thus, thepatriotic ADL policy has been vindicated.Soviet Armenia is part of our history and its legacy has to be

evaluated objectively and its patriotic leaders should enjoy the his-toric respect they deserve.

S A T U R D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMENTARY

19

My TurnBy Harut Sassounian

Erdogan Keeps AlienatingEveryone, IncludingDistinguished Foreign ScholarsTurkish President Erdogan is a ‘blessing’ to all those who

are opposed to Turkish autocratic rule and massive viola-tions of human rights. Not a day passes without the Turkishgovernment behaving brutally against scholars, humanrights activists, non-governmental organizations, journalists,and political opponents. Erdogan has done more harm toTurkey’s image around the world than anyone else since theOttoman Turks’ implementation of the 1915ArmenianGenocide.The latest manifestation of Turkish intolerance of free

speech and academic freedom was displayed when theUniversity of Michigan’s Workshop for Armenian TurkishScholarship decided to hold a conference at the EuropeanAcademy in Berlin, Germany, on September 15-18, 2017.The conference was co-organized by the University ofMichigan, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, andLepsiushaus Potsdam, under the auspices of Dr. MartinaMünch, Minister for Science, Research and Culture of theState of Brandenburg in Germany.Prominent multinational scholars, including Turkish aca-

demics, were invited to participate in this important confer-ence. However, the Turkish Council of Higher Educationprevented the travel of distinguished professors from Turkeyto attend the conference on “Past in the Present: EuropeanApproaches to the Armenian Genocide.”Prof. Beth Baron, president of the Middle East Studies

Association (MESA), sent a highly critical letter to PresidentErdogan and Prime Minister Yildirim in September onbehalf of its 3,000 members worldwide, describing Turkishefforts against the conference as “an assault on the academ-ic freedom of scholars in Turkey and a disturbing newinstance of a broader trend of stifling scholarship on topics

deemed taboo by your government…. The events surround-ing the WATS conference in Berlin represent anotherdepressing instance of your government’s failure to respectbasic human rights’ protections under Turkish law despiteTurkey’s clear international obligations.”Radical Turkish politician Dogu Perincek announced that

the conference would “serve imperialism and the interests ofKurdistan” and called the Turkish participants ‘traitors.’Other right wing nationalists and pro-government media inTurkey also denounced the conference.MESA’s President sent copies of her critical letter to:

President of the Turkish Parliament; Justice Minister ofTurkey; President of the Turkish Higher Education Council;Chair and Vice Chair of the European ParliamentSubcommittee on Human Rights; High Representative ofthe European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy;Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy andEnlargement Negotiations; Council of Europe Commissionerfor Human Rights; Committee on Foreign Affairs of theEuropean Parliament; United Nations High Commissionerfor Human Rights; United Nations Special Rapporteur onthe promotion and protection of the right to freedom ofopinion and expression; United Nations Special Rapporteuron the right to education; Turkey’s Ambassador to theUnited States; and United States Ambassador to Turkey.Not surprisingly, several weeks later, neither President

Erdogan nor the Prime Minister had responded to theMESA letter!In addition, a statement was issued by the WATS

Organizing Committee on Sept. 18, 2017, describingAnkara’s refusal to allow Turkish scholars to attend theBerlin conference “an attack on free speech and academicfreedom, indeed, to extend such intellectual repressionbeyond the borders of Turkey. We share the concern of theMiddle East Studies Association (MESA) of North Americathat such actions seriously and scandalously damage schol-arship and the free exchange of knowledge.”WATS stated that the conference came “under sustained

attack by Turkish ultra-nationalist political circles in Turkeyand Germany. Long-time deniers of the Armenian Genocidein the international arena declared that the conference will‘serve imperialism and the interests of Kurdistan’ andframed the Kurdish issue as forming ‘the second Israel,’clearly an anti-Semitic slur.”WATS also declared that “Turkey has been hurt by the

current atmosphere of intimidation and threats as evidencedin the treatment of the scholars who wished to attend the

WATS conference in Berlin…. We… call on the Turkish gov-ernment to restore the academic freedoms that have beenand are being violated in Turkey. We demand as well thatthe Turkish state desist from interfering in intellectualexchange and expression outside of Turkey.... Such interfer-ence infringes on the democratic order in Turkey and inhosting countries. The events surrounding the WATS con-ference in Berlin demonstrate one more instance of theTurkish state’s refusal to respect basic human rights’ pro-tections both under Turkish law and Turkey’s clear interna-tional obligations.”Finally, Dr. Fatma Muge Gocek, professor at the University

of Michigan (originally from Turkey) and co-organizer of theBerlin conference, wrote a commentary in the Washington-based Ahvalnews.com Turkish website on Nov. 10, 2017,titled: “Harassment of Turkish academics in the West shouldbe stopped.”Professor Gocek wrote: “I have been constantly harassed

by the Turkish state because of my work. This harassmenthas taken the form of online slander campaigns, anonymousthreats traced back to Turkey, and people at my talks plant-ed by the Turkish state who try to challenge and demeanme. I have encountered this harassment both in the UnitedStates and in Europe, despite the fact I have only given lec-tures at universities. Once, the FBI had to be called in toinvestigate a personal threat I received. This situation, whichwas already bad and completely antithetical to the freedomof expression and opinion, has become worse this year.”Professor Gocek further stated that the Turkish protesters

who came to the Berlin conference “not only heckled andfilmed participants, but also tried to break into our meeting.Finally, Turkish newspapers reported our activities as abizarre conspiracy to attempt to control Turkey and create asecond Israel there.”Professor Gocek concluded her critical commentary by

calling on Western countries to take action against Turkey:“What is most disturbing for me is not only the persistenceof Turkish state violence in Turkey, but its extension outsidethe country, as I have experienced in Europe and the UnitedStates. It is time for the West to take an effective standagainst this escalating harassment on its own soil. I believethat such harassment differs from terrorist violence only bydegree as both intend to challenge, undermine and destabi-lize Western norms and values. Only by taking an effectivestand against foreign state harassment would the West beable to contain the lack of accountability for violence thatexists within such authoritarian countries like Turkey.”

The Boston Globe ran the following editorial in its November22 edition about Peter Koutoujian, the sheriff of MiddlesexCounty, about the work he is pioneering in one jail in Billerica,Mass.Early next year, one of the most important criminal justice

reform experiments in the country will spread to a stately brickjailhouse in Billerica.The Middlesex Jail and House of Correction will become one

of the first in the nation to create a dedicated, service-rich cellblock for young men.Inmates, ages 18 to 24, will gather in peace circles to talk

through conflict. They’ll learn how to budget for rent and trans-portation. And they’ll get the chance to hold their children dur-ing visiting hours.Jurisdictions in Massachusetts and across the country would

be wise to track the unit’s progress, and join in a crucial re-imag-ining of our criminal justice system.Get Arguable with Jeff Jacoby in your inbox:The idea is that 19- and 20-year-olds are fundamentally differ-

ent than 35- and 40-year-olds — less mature, yes, but also moremalleable, and better positioned to change.If you’re looking to challenge Massachusetts’ reputation as a

bastion of liberalism, this jail is a good place to start.

It’s an idea borne out by decades of neuroscience research,which shows the brain is still developing into the mid-20s. AndMiddlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, who is launching the unit,understands that research intuitively.He calls himself a “recovering young adult,” who was adrift as

a young man and didn’t get serious until his mid-20s. Of course,Koutoujian didn’t descend into criminality when he was castingabout. And he’s not arguing that young men who rob or stealshould escape punishment. But he makes a compelling argumentfor treating them differently behind bars.Koutoujian says it only makes sense to keep impressionable

young offenders away from the older inmates they mix with now.“They’re learning all the wrong things in here,” he said, in arecent jailhouse interview. And tailored services, he says, canmake a real difference. A separate unit he established for militaryveterans is showing strong early results and garnering nationalattention.

For this new project, Koutoujian is leaning heavily on the VeraInstitute of Justice, a New York-based organization that helpedcreate the nation’s first comprehensive unit for young adults ata tough prison in Cheshire, Conn., known as “The Rock.”The Cheshire unit hasn’t had a single fight between prisoners

or attack on a guard since it launched early this year, and just afraction of the disciplinary issues that normally arise amongyoung adults in prison.Alex Frank, a senior program associate at Vera who has

worked on both the Connecticut and Middlesex projects, saysany serious effort to reduce mass incarceration in this country“requires a focus on young adults.”Eighteen- to 24-year-olds account for 10 percent of the

American population but 21 percent of prison admissions, shenotes. And their recidivism rates are much higher than for otherage groups. Whatever we’re doing now is clearly failing.There are plenty of new approaches to consider. In San

Francisco, the district attorney and probation chief started aYoung Adult Court for 18- to 24-year-olds a couple of years ago.And Massachusetts lawmakers may add 18-year-olds to thestate’s juvenile justice system, which is more rehabilitative thanthe adult system.For now, though, the most expedient approach may be creat-

ing the sort of separate cell block Koutoujian is preparing tolaunch in Middlesex in February.Staff are still working out the details. But the unit will house

about 50 to 100 prisoners on a bi-level cell block wrappedaround a central meeting area with white, yellow, and bluelinoleum floors.And UTEC, an impressive, Lowell-based organization

already working to rehabilitate some of the toughest youngmen in the region, will play a central role. Gregg Croteau, theexecutive director of the nonprofit, says his group will aim tosmooth the transition to the outside — offering job trainingin jail, for instance, followed by work at a UTEC-run cafe afterrelease.In the end, it’s that transition that will matter most. Success

will be measured in lives turned around and communities madesafer. It will take time to see if the Middlesex young-adult unit cando all that. But Koutoujian gets credit for trying somethingsmarter and bolder than what we’ve got now.

Boston Globe Editorial Singles Out KoutoujianFor Work with Young Offenders

The Armenian Case and EuropeanJudiciary: BeyondStatementsBy Philippe Raffi Kalfayan

INCE the beginning of the 21st century,the judicial remedy for Armenian claimshas become familiar and reparation stud-ies and researches proliferate. The pan-Armenian political terminology conse-crated it. Various initiatives contributedto this process: the New York Life and

Axa Insurance settlements in 2004 and 2005. Themost recent attempt, with a good amount of publici-ty, is the Catholicosate of Antelias’ claim for the resti-tution of Holy See properties of Sis (Kozan), inTurkey, first before the Constitutional Court ofTurkey and afterwards before the European Court ofHuman Rights (ECHR). The application has been suc-cessively declared inadmissible by both courts on thesame grounds: the non-fulfilment of the rule impos-ing the exhaustion of domestic judicial remedies.One columnist reported the comments and inter-

pretations of the plaintiff and of one of his lawyers. Iwill not comment on their assertions. However, Ideem it is important for people on this side of theAtlantic to better understand the features, rules andlimits of the European Court. Indeed, mostArmenians perceive this rejection as another judicialdefeat; some see a kind of fatalism, others a plot orevidence for the existence of corrupt powers, whileothers question the skills of the legal team. But onemust look beyond statements and biased communica-tion, with a view to play down the decision, balancecertain unhappy observations, and also recall somefeatures and limits of the ECHR. This will be mymodest objective.The rules of procedure do not depend on the politi-

cal situation in a country or the degree of respect forsee JUDICIARY, page 20

S

JUDICIARY, from page 19the rule of law. Presuming that it is a loss oftime and hopeless to go before the lower juris-dictions and deciding instead to apply directlyto the Constitutional Court of Turkey has beenthe wrong move by numerous plaintiffs inTurkey those last two years. The massive flowof arrests or dismissals from posts in differentcircles because of their alleged connections toFettulah Gülen or to the PKK, all allegedlythreaten the national security or the govern-ment of the Republic of Turkey. The moveshave also created a back log of applications atStrasbourg, panicking the Registry of theCourt.First, it must be recalled that the ECHR is not

a supreme court but a subsidiary court to nation-al court systems, whose mandate is limited to theapplication and interpretation of the European

Convention of Human Rights (“Convention”)signed by the 47 member-countries of theCouncil of Europe. Individual applications mustbe grounded on alleged violations of theConvention and of its protocols. The ECHR cre-ated a real dynamic between the national courtsand itself: pilot (this is the word tokeep) European judgments pushed the nationalsystems to make their laws compatible, and,more, leading them to adopt amendments totheir domestic laws by necessity of compliance.However, this virtuous cycle is now over: the

parties are now showing some political resis-tance and asking for a wider margin of inter-pretation. Some countries have adopted mea-sures to restore their judicial sovereignty inorder to not enforce all judgments (Russia,Italy); others think about leaving theConvention (Great Britain in the aftermath of

Brexit). In general, a decision of a foreign orinternational court cannot be enforced on theterritory of a state without the consent of itsjudicial or political authorities. The ECHR judg-ments are legally binding but the Committee ofMinisters of the CoE, which monitors theenforcement of judgments, cannot take mea-sures of coercive nature. For an example,Turkey refused so far to enforce the judgmentin the interstate case Cyprus vs. Turkey (2014).Second, since the alleged coup in July 2016,

the Turkish Grand National Assembly approvedon July 21 a State of Emergency as provisionedin its Constitution and informed the Council ofEurope (CoE) and the ECHR that measurestaken may involve derogation from its obliga-tions under the Convention, as allowed inArticle 15. The declaration has since beenrenewed every three months and approved by

the Committee of Ministers of the CoE. Third, Turkey has been the best “client” of

the ECHR since 1959, and they have developeda working relationship with the court. Turkeycontributes 10 percent of the total budget ofthe ECHR. The economic factor is far frommarginal in this relationship. Moreover, of theECHR’s 672 Registry staff members, 44 areTurkish nationals. The ECHR actually fears awithdrawal of Turkey from its system.As far as admissibility of cases is concerned,

the filter is composed of one judge, when it con-cerns the rule of procedure, or by a committeeof three judges or a Chamber, when it concernsthe merits. The procedural admissibility is veryformal, and the exhaustion of domestic reme-dies is the first fundamental criteria. There maybe special circumstances dispensing the appli-cant from the obligation to avail himself or her-self of the domestic remedies available. Onesuch factor may be that of national authoritiesremaining totally passive in the face of seriousallegations of misconduct or infliction of harmby state agents, for example where they havefailed to undertake investigations or offer assis-tance. On the contrary, mere doubts on thepart of the applicant regarding the effectivenessof a particular remedy will not absolve him orher from the obligation to try it (cf. ECHRPractical Guide on Admissibility Criteria). Thealleged political considerations or “deals” don’tintervene at this stage.In 2016, 36,579 applications were declared

inadmissible, among which the single-judge for-mation accounted for 30,998 cases. As regardsTurkey, there has been an enormous flow ofindividual applications in 2017: 16,851 havebeen declared inadmissible by a single judge forprocedural reasons. Thus, the Sis properties’case was a mere drop in the ocean.Beyond the political chaos in Turkey, one

must admit that the substantiation of Anteliasapplication, whatever creative and complex theengineering is, arrives at an impasse in Turkeyand in Strasbourg. On the one side, theConstitutional Court admits cases related tofacts that occurred after 2012 (date of the insti-tution of individual complaints mechanism),and on the other, the legal team’s reasoningimplies the interpretation of the Treaty ofLausanne into Turkish law (only a nationalcourt can do that), before claiming the allegedviolation of right to property in light of theConvention’s First Protocol. If the first stage isnot completed, one could hardly imagine theECHR accepting to review such a case, where itinvolves an interpretation of Turkish laws. Itwas tempting to give it a try and force its fateat ECHR to gain time. But this is not a race.

(Philippe Raffi Kalfayan of Paris is a lawyerand an accredited expert on the

CoE since 2003.)


The Armenian Case and European Judiciary: Beyond Statements

NEW YORK — On November 16, theAGBU Performing Arts Department (PAD)held the annual Armenians in Film: 6 ShortFilms at the Francesca Beale Theater in theFilm Society of Lincoln Center, in New York.In its third year, the event featured works byyoung Armenian filmmakers.

“We are committed to supporting ourartists on the highest level,” said MichaelSarian, PAD coordinator, emphasizing thesignificance of showcasing works ofArmenian artists in iconic venues. “Thisfamous venue attracts many film enthusiastsand tourists, providing our artists more expo-sure,” added Sarian.The program included six short films: “A

Void” by Raffi Wartanian; “Echoes ofSurvival” by Avo John Kambourian; “ForeignSounds” by Eric Shahinian; “Levon: AWondrous Life” by Emily Mkrtichian andAnahid Yahjian; “You Can’t Go Home Again”by Ovsanna Gevorgyan and “Worn” by GarenBarsegian.Haunted by the issue of Armenian identi-

ty, Kambourian featured Armenian Americanartists — oud player Ara Dinkjian, painterJackie Kazarian, photojournalist Scout

Tufankjian and others — in his documentaryseries, showing how Armenian culture hassurvived through their works. “I’m excited to bring my film Echoes of

Survival to the AGBU Performing ArtsDepartment’s annual film screening series atLincoln Center,” said Kambourian. “I could-n’t think of a better platform to showcase mywork, which deals with the journey of artistsin our communities. I’m humbled to be fea-tured among such talented filmmakers aswell.” Guests also enjoyed the special screening

of “Children of War.” Composed of four 60-second films, it tells human rights storieswithout dialogues. All movies are finalists ofthe human rights challenge presented byOscar-winning director Terry George andCreative Armenia, an innovative nonprofitproduction organization.A panel discussion moderated by Garin

Hovannisian, Creative Armenia’s foundingdirector and co-writer and director of thefilm “1915,” concluded the evening. ActorsAra Wolland and Tamara Sevunts, as wellas Scout Tufankjian, along with five film-makers, joined the discussion and shared

their experiences of working on their pro-jects. “These short films put on display thetalents of six very different filmmakers,”

said Hovannisian. “They represent a newgeneration of voices and visions to our cul-ture.”

Director Garin Hovanissian moderated the post-screening panel discussion. (Left to right) GarinHovanissian, Eric Shahinian, Raffi Wartanian, Ara Wolland, Tamara Sevunts, OvsannaGevorgyan, Garen Barsegian, Avo John Kambourian and Scout Tufankjian.

AGBU Holds Annual Film Screening by Armenian Filmmakers at Lincoln Center

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