Sargsyan Marks 30thAnniversary of

Karabakh MovementYEREVAN (Armenpress) — President of Armenia

Serzh Sargsyan issued a message on ArtsakhRevival Day and the 30th anniversary of theKarabakh Movement, on February 20.In his speech, Sargsyan congratulated the peo-

ples of Armenia and Karabakh.“On February 20, 1988 the extraordinary sitting

of the regional council of Nagorno Karabakh adopt-ed a decision which expressed the will of theArtsakh people to free self-determination. Threedecades ago all Armenians joined Artsakh’s fairdemand and fight. Today we celebrate the 30thanniversary of this historic turning event whichwas declared by the Republic of Artsakh as theArtsakh Revival Day.”“February 20, 1988 was the moment of unity,

determination and national awakening of theArmenian people. Azerbaijan responded to thepeaceful and legal steps of our people by massacresorganized in Sumgait and other places. … We wereforced to wage war. The war initiators were confi-dent that they have a great advantage, by eliminat-ing Armenians and depopulating Artsakh, they willclose the Karabakh issue quickly and permanently.From the distance of three decades today we canconfidently state that the Karabakh Movementsaved hundreds of thousands of lives. TheArmenians of Artsakh, having the support of allArmenians, managed to overcome this difficultexperience with honor.”He continued, “We unconditionally respect the

fundamental human rights because for theArmenian people freedom and human dignity areabsolute values. Long live the Republic of Armenia!Long live the Republic of Artsakh!”

Macron, Trudeau toParticipate at

Francophonie Summit YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The final list of par-

ticipants of the La Francophonie Summit inYerevan is not complete yet, Deputy ForeignMinister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters onFebruary 20. But, he added, “The participation ofthe leaders of two very important Francophonecountries – France and Canada – is certain.” In a January 24 interview with L’Express,

President Serzh Sargsyan said that as a result ofthe summit “we will be able to present Armenia tothe whole world. We will do our best for it to havegreat success. Take into consideration that almosthalf of the world’s states will be in Yerevan, mainlyat the level of heads of state and heads of govern-ment,” the president said when asked what signifi-cance the summit will have for Armenia. The summit is scheduled to take place in October

in Yerevan.

Mirror- SpectatorMirror- SpectatorTHE ARMENIAN

Volume LXXXVIII , NO. 31, Issue 4526

FEBRUARY 24 , 2 018

$ 2.00

INSIDE

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

TracingStolen Art

Page 13

INDEXArts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,3Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 4,5

Exile and WaitingTransformed into FilmThrough the Work ofTamara StepanyanPARIS – Filmmaker Tamara Stepanyan is a true

representative of the new generation of diasporanArmenians. Born in Soviet Armenia, and speaking

Eastern Armenianand Russian, shemoved with her fami-ly to Beirut, Lebanonwhen 11 years oldafter the breakup of

the Soviet Union. She grew up and lived there for20 years, learning Arabic, Western Armenian, andEnglish. Then she moved to France and learnedFrench. Naturally her experiences shaped herworldview and films.Stepanyan said, “I think exile takes a lot from us,

but at the same time it gives a lot. It is a richness. Ithink I am very rich for having lived all this pain ofliving in exile.” She left her grandparents, schooland friends in Armenia to adapt to a very differentenvironment. She went to an Armenian schoolcalled the Yeghishe Manougian College, in Dbayyeh(Metn district) to the east of Beirut.

see STEPANYAN, page 16

By Aram Arkun Mirror-Spectator Staff

MUNICH, Germany (RFE/RL) —A minor kerfuffle broke outbetween Armenia’s president andan Azerbaijani diplomat during apanel discussion at a high-profilesecurity conference in Germany onFebruary 17 as the two men trad-ed accusations over Azerbaijan’sbreakaway Nagorno-Karabakhregion.The sharp words came during a

Munich Security Conference eventfocusing on nations “in-betweenRussia and Europe” that featuredArmenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Moldovan PrimeMinister Pavel Filip, EU enlargement commissioner JohannesHahn, and Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachyov.When the panel moved to questions from the audience, a

first secretary at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Berlin suggest-ed to Sargsyan that Armenia could have played a role inregional energy and transport projects if not for the standoff

over Nagorno-Karabakh.“If there was no policy of

ethnic cleansing of Armeniaagainst Azerbaijan, thenprobably today, Armeniacould have benefitted fromthose projects,” said thediplomat, Sadi Jafarov,invoking an accusation thatBaku frequently levels atYerevan.Jafarov also denounced

what he called the “occu-pation” of Nagorno-

Karabakh by Armenia. As Jafarov packed both commentaryand questions into his turn at the mic, the host of the panel— Ian Bremmer, founder of the Eurasia Group political riskconsultancy — intervened in an effort to let Sargsyan reply.“We don’t have time,” Bremmer said, though Jafarov man-

aged to finish his question.see BERLIN, page 5

“If there was no policy ofethnic cleansing of Armenia

against Azerbaijan, thenprobably today, Armenia

could have benefitted fromthose [energy] projects”

Sadi JafarovFirst Secretary, Azerbaijani Embassy, Berlin

Turkey SummonsDutch Chargé D’Affaires OverGenocide MotionsAMSTERDAM and ANKARA (Combined

Sources) — Turkey summoned the Dutchchargé d’affaires to Ankara on Saturday,February 17, to express its unhappinesswith a pair of proposed bills that would seethe Netherlands recognize as genocide the1915 killing of as many as 1.5 millionArmenians.The four Dutch governing parties have

expressed support for two proposals in thelower house of parliament by the conserv-ative Christian Union party which are dueto be debated inthe upper housein the comingweeks. One recog-nizes the deathsas genocide and asecond calls for aDutch official toattend the coun-try’s formal geno-cide remembranceday on April 24.A majority of

MPs backed a campaign by ChristianUnion MP Joël Voordewind. The bills risk further souring relations

between Turkey and the Netherlands.The relationship between the

Netherlands and Turkey is already tense,since the Netherlands refused Turkishministers access to the country to cam-paign for a 2017 referendum that gavePresident Tayyip Erdogan more power.Talks to repair relations between the

two countries have broken down and theNetherlands on February 5 officiallyrecalled its ambassador to the country.Nearly a dozen other EU countries have

passed similar resolutions to that pro-posed in the Netherlands. French lawmak-ers officially recognized the Armeniandeaths as genocide in 2001.Voordewind said the Netherlands

should take a stand as the home of theinstitutions of international law in TheHague. “We are acknowledging history,”he said. “That is not the same thing ascasting aspersions as Turkey has donetowards the Netherlands.”

see SUMMONS, page 5

MP Joël Voordewind

By Taleen Babayan Special to the Mirror-Spectator

FAIR LAWN, N.J. — The East Coast pre-miere of filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan’s “TheLast Inhabitant,” based on a true story setin a Nagorno-Karabakh village, wasscreened on Friday, February 16, at St.Leon Armenian Church. With original music by Serj Tankian,

the film, which explores the friendshipbetween an Armenian and Azeri man whodeal with their own family problems dur-ing the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict,won the Best Feature award at theScandinavian International Film Festival

and was screened at the VeniceInternational Film Festival. Ara Araz, who organized the event

see SCREENING, page 10

‘The Last Inhabitant’Comes to New Jersey

Director Jivan Avetisyan and NaregHartounian

War of Words Over Karabakh

Armenian MilitaryDelegation Departs for

Moscow YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Major General Tiran

Khachatryan, deputy Chief of Staff of the GeneralStaff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, head of thetactical department of the general staff, departed toMoscow last week, the defense ministry said. During the visit the Armenian delegation will par-

ticipate in the negotiations on preparations for theupcoming Search, Partnership and IndestructibleBrotherhood military exercises within the frameworkof the February 19-22 Collective Security TreatyOrganization (CSTO) Combat Brotherhood 2018 tac-tical strategic joint drills. The delegation will alsoparticipate in the discussions on the 2019 jointreadiness plan of CSTO bodies and the list of 2025joint actions.

Sargsyan Hosts MembersOf Supreme Spiritual

Council YEREVAN (Armenpress) — President of Armenia

Serzh Sargsyan on February 20 at the PresidentialPalace hosted the members of the Supreme SpiritualCouncil, the highest governing body of the ArmenianApostolic Church, whose members are taking part inthe session of the Supreme Spiritual Council in theMother See of Holy Echmiadzin February 20 to 23. The President of the Council is Catholicos of All

Armenians Karekin II and the chairmen are theArmenian Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Istanbul. Sargsyan welcomed the members and highlighted

the importance of the decisions of the council.“I always remember that the Armenian Apostolic

Church is the oldest ever-existing and constantlyoperating structure in the Armenian reality and dur-ing this period the Armenian Apostolic Church justhad an irreplaceable contribution in all spheres ofour people’s life. Having such an experience, ofcourse, I am convinced that you always take stepsthat are perceivable and acceptable for our people. Iam confident you see that the world is rapidly devel-oping, and during this period there are also opportu-nities in line with challenges. Of course, in order tobe able to use these opportunities for the benefit ofour state and people, we need to counter those chal-lenges. I am sure the steps taken by you are directedfor this purpose.” The catholicos presented the issues that will be

discussed at the first session of the SupremeSpiritual Council this year.

French-ArmenianFilmmaker Working on

Artsakh Project YEREVAN (Armenpress) — French-Armenian film-

maker Arnaud Khayadjanian , whose film, “StonyPaths,” was named as the best documentary in theArmenian Panorama competition of the 13th GoldApricot International Film Festival, is going to shoota movie about Artsakh. In an interview, Khayadjanian said he hopes to pre-

sent the film to the public until the end of 2019. “’Artsakh’ is a feature film about love, war and

freedom. At the moment I’m looking for funding inArmenia and France. Last year, I had the honor tomake a documentary about people of Artsakh. I wasso fascinated by the bravery and the cheerfulness ofpeople. Despite their unstable situation and the trau-ma of the past they are standing proudly. I was alsovery impressed by the dynamism and modern mind ofpeople from all generations,” he said. The film will tell the stories of several characters,

and by this choice, the filmmaker says he can talkabout several topics solidarity, humanism, patrio-tism, friendship, mourning and cultural heritage. Khayadjanian was born in 1987 in Valence,

France. In 2014, Khayadjanian adapted a Frenchplay by Laura Desprein into a short film entitled“Bad Girl,” which has been viewed 1.3 million times.The film was shown in 23 international festivals. Lastsummer, he directed “We Are Our Mountains.”

News From Armenia

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R2

ARMENIA

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — PrimeMinister Karen Karapetyan and a visit-ing Russian government memberpraised on Tuesday, Feburary 20, a fur-ther sizable increase in Russian-Armenian trade which reached a newhigh last year, according to official sta-tistics.Armenian government data show

bilateral trade rising by just over 26percent to $1.7 billion in 2017 on theback of an almost 45 percent surge inArmenian exports to Russia. The latterthus remained the South Caucasusstate’s leading trading partner.Karapetyan cited these figures at the

start of a regular session in Yerevan ofa Russian-Armenian intergovernmentalcommission on economic cooperation.He chaired it together with RussianTransport Minister Maxim Sokolov.Sokolov also noted the record-high

amount of Russian-Armenian traderecorded in 2017. “We are happy thatthe volume of shipments of Armenian

products to the Russian is rapidlygrowing,” he said in his openingremarks publicized by Karapetyan’spress office.Russian-Armenian trade plummeted

in 2015 following a sharp depreciationof the Russian ruble which hitArmenian exporters hard. But with theRussian currency subsequently rallyingagainst the U.S. dollar and the euro,Armenian exports to Russia soared by51.5 percent in 2016.Sokolov said that Armenia’s mem-

bership in the Russian-led EurasianEconomic Union (EEU) is a key reasonfor the sharp gains recorded in 2016and 2017. Tariff-free access to the mar-kets in Russia and other ex-Sovietstates making up the trade bloc is alsomaking Armenia more attractive to for-eign investors, he said.Karapetyan stressed in that regard

that Armenia also enjoys preferentialtrade regimes with the EuropeanUnion and the United States and that

Russian investors should capitalize onthat. He also called for Russian invest-ments in a free economic zone whichwas set up on the Armenian-Iranianborder in December.“We are ready to create comfortable

conditions for Russian capital inArmenia,” added the prime minister.Karapetyan visited Moscow as

recently as on February 16-17. TheArmenian government said ahead ofhis visit said he will meet with“Armenian and Russian business cir-cles” to discuss with them “ongoingand prospective projects.” The govern-ment has issued no further statementson the trip.The Armenian premier has been

strongly backed by Russia’s wealthiestethnic Armenian businessman, SamvelKarapetyan (no relation), ever since hetook office in September 2016. The bil-lionaire tycoon has pledged to investhundreds of millions of dollars inArmenia’s energy sector.

Armenia, Russia HailSoaring Bilateral Trade

DILIJAN, Armenia — Applications forthe 2018 Aurora Humanitarian Projectfor UWC Schools and Colleges are nowbeing accepted. The project, a partner-ship between the Aurora HumanitarianInitiative and UWC (United WorldColleges), encourages UWC students todesign projects aimed at creating posi-tive change in communities surround-ing UWC schools and colleges. It isopen to all 17 UWC schools and col-leges worldwide. The winning groupwill be awarded a $4,000-grant towardtheir project’s implementation. “We are committed to motivating

students to care about the communi-ties in which they live and try to bringpositive change around them,” saidVeronika Zonabend, founder of UWCin Dilijan, Armenia. “Our aim is notonly to alert UWC students and alumnito the urgency of specific humanitarianissues but to motivate them to go deep-er, take responsibility, and proposesolutions through innovative and eco-nomically, socially and environmentallysustainable approaches.”This is the second year of the Aurora

Humanitarian Project for UWCSchools and Colleges (AHP). Fifteen ofthe then 16 UWC schools and collegesparticipated in the first year. The pro-ject proposals addressed a broad anddiverse range of humanitarian issuesidentified near their schools and col-leges and often proposed close collabo-rations with local communities. “The Aurora Humanitarian Project

for UWC Schools and Colleges chal-lenges UWC’s diverse student body tothink about concrete ways to makepositive, meaningful and sustainablechange in the world,” said UWCInternational’s Executive DirectorJens Waltermann. “It encourages ourstudents to put the UWC mission forpeace and sustainability into con-crete action through selfless leader-ship, initiative and teamwork - andgives them the chance to learn fromsome of the most well-regardedhumanitarians.”After a highly competitive selection

process, three teams were chosen asfinalists and UWC Robert BoschCollege was announced as the winningteam in 2017 with their DoGood pro-ject addressing the refugee crisis.Thanks to donations from anonymous

donors, the two other finalists,Waterford Kamhlaba UWC (BraveGirlproject) and UWC Mahindra College(Kriya Iron project), also received$4,000 each towards the further devel-

opment of their respective projects.“Being AHP finalists was a truly

incredible experience - very few youngpeople can say that they discussedhumanitarian issues such as therefugee crisis and education with someof the most successful business ownersin the world. The Aurora Prize itself isfar more than the normal humanitarianaward,” said Ravindra, a team memberfrom UWC Robert Bosch College. “I think the most important thing I

could say is that AHP encouraged us toput more thought into BraveGirl, tocreate a structure and a timeline, andmost importantly to visualize theimpact it could have. It’s the vision ofwhat BraveGirl could become thatinspired all our efforts, and I think - Ihope - that through AHP more peoplewill realize it’s possible to turn theirvisions into reality,” said Ike, a memberof the BraveGirl team from WaterfordKamhlaba UWC SA.“I would like to encourage students

to apply for AHP as the chance forlearning through the entire process areincredible. I can honestly say that as an

educator with over 20 years of workingexperience in various fields, the AHP isprobably the best project that I haveever had the privilege of being a partof. It made a massive impact on me and

it is something that I will always cher-ish,” said Kate Doyle, faculty advisor tothe BraveGirl from WaterfordKamhlaba UWC SA. Proposed projects must address a

concrete humanitarian concern identi-fied by the project team which is rele-vant to the UWC school or college’sgeographic location and propose con-crete steps to reduce it in or eliminateit. Projects must be student-initiatedand student-led. Each UWC school orcollege can only nominate one projectto the AHP. The three short-listed finalists will be

selected based on their creativity, sus-tainability, quality of research, impact,commitment, self-reflection and format.The finalist teams will have a chance topresent their projects during theAurora Prize Weekend on June 8-10 inArmenia. The winning project will beannounced after the presentations andwill be awarded USD $4000 towardsthe further development and fundingof the project.Further information is available at

www.auroraprize.com or UWC.org.

UWC Students Will Propose New Humanitarian Projects

Finalists and Selection Committee members of 2017 Aurora Humanitarian Projectfor UWC at the Aurora Dialogues. May 27, 2017, UWC Dilijan, Armenia.

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 3

ARMENIA

By Ruzana Stepanian

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenian law-enforcement authorities have formally launcheda criminal investigation into last week’s violentclash between opposition and pro-governmentmembers of Yerevan’s municipal council.The incident occurred during a session of the

council chaired by Mayor Taron Markarian onFebruary 13. Two female councilors affiliatedwith the opposition Yerkir Tsirani party wereconfronted by their pro-government colleagueswhen they tried to hand Markarian glass con-tainers filled with sewage collected from a dam-aged sewer pipe in the city’s Nubarashen dis-trict. They called the foul-smelling substance a“gift” from Nubarashen residents.The two sides scuffled and shouted insults at

each other. Yerkir Tsirani’s MarinaKhachatrian, slapped a male councilor repre-senting the ruling Republican Party (HHK)after being jostled by him. The latter slappedher in response. Khachatrian and two otherYerkir Tsirani members, including the partyleader Zaruhi Postanjian, were then physicallyforced to leave the council auditorium.Postanjian sent a “crime report” to the

Armenian police. The police also received a sep-arate complaint from the municipal administra-tion which blames the outspoken oppositionistsfor the violence.

A police spokesman, Ashot Aharonian, said onMonday that a criminal case has been opened inconnection with the incident under CriminalCode articles dealing with hooliganism andassault. He said the police have sent the case toanother law-enforcement body, the InvestigativeCommittee, for further investigation.It was not immediately clear which side is

risking prosecution for the high-profile incident

which was witnessed and filmed by manyreporters.In what appears to be a related development,

officials from the Mayor’s Office on Mondaystopped Postanjian from showing a group ofjournalists around the municipality buildingand an adjacent parking lot reserved forYerevan officials and council members.Postanjian and the two other councilors affil-

iated with her party have been unable to parktheir car there since the February 13 incident.The Yerkir Tsirani leader also said that themunicipal administration is refusing to cleantheir room. She further demonstrated purport-ed evidence of staffers playing cards in anotherroom during their working ours.Moments later, the head of Mayor

Markarian’s press service, Artur Gevorgian, toldreporters to leave the building. “No journalisthas the right to enter the municipality buildingand move around it without our special permis-sion, even if Mrs. Postanjian can escort you tothe room allocated to her faction,” he saidbefore telling police officers to usher them out.Postanjian as well as Arayik Harutiunian of

the Yelk alliance, a more moderate oppositiongroup represented in the Yerevan council,accused Markarian of arbitrarily restrictingmedia coverage of the municipal authorities.“This is illegal because they thereby restrict

the work of the city council,” Harutiunian toldRFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).He said Yelk has repeatedly appealed to theMarkarian’s staff but has still not received anywritten rules of conduct for journalists or othercitizens visiting the building.The mayor, meanwhile, met with municipality

lawyers and press officers later in the day toinstruct them to propose ways of “regulatingthe work of media” in the building. It was notimmediately clear what kind of restrictions he isplanning to impose.

Marina Khachatrian of the opposition Yerkir Tsirani party is confronted by pro-government membersof Yerevan’s municipal assembly, 13 February 2018.

Criminal Inquiry Launched into Yerevan Council Brawl

Youth Center inGyumri First of itsKind in Caucasus GYUMRI, Armenia — The Youth House: Open Youth Center in Gyumri will be the

newly established youth Center in Gyumri. Being the first of its kind in the Caucasusregion, it will serve the young Gyumri community with the integrated, empowering andinnovative framework of Open Youth Work. At the “Youth House”, young peoplebetween the age of 13-18 years old will enjoy tailor made activities that are free ofcharge. It will offer for example, English language classes, courses on media and com-puter literacy, guidance in study choice and specialization, and many more activities.Above all, the young people will be empowered to design their own initiatives and activ-ities, and possibly even their own businesses. In the presence of professional youthworkers, local and international volunteers, the young people will learn to enhance theirself-esteem, to develop social skills and to promote further civic engagement. The Gyumri Youth Initiative Center NGO (YIC), the author of the idea and concept

of the Center, has secured the premises of the “Youth House” as the in-kind contribu-tion of Gyumri municipality for 10 years. It is situated in one of the most deprived dis-tricts of Gyumri, in the middle of neighborhoods where many families still live in“domics,” metallic or wooden container homes without basic access to util-ities and decent life conditions. In this neighborhood, and other neighborhoods inGyumri, the legacy of the earthquake of 1988 is still very visible. Almost 30 years afterthis devastating event, young people with their families are still living in “temporaryshelters”. Most of the “domic” districts are situated in the remote neighborhoods ofGyumri, far away from social services or social or recreational facilities. Facing poverty and social exclusion on a daily basis, the young people have no hopes

or aspirations about their future. The low quality ofeducation, which an average Gyumri family can afford,curtails their chances even further. Consequently, it isinevitable that young people end up unemployed or inlow-paid jobs, falling into a pattern of poverty. There is a need to improve the quality of life of

socially marginalised Gyumri youth. Therefore the YIChas undertaken the opening of the “Youth House”, tobridge the gap between the lack of a stable, support-ive environment and personal development and non-formal learning possibilities. Once established, the cen-ter will target those young people of the remote neigh-borhoods who have weakened or severed family and social ties, spend most of their timeon the streets and are inclined to show deviant behaviors.Currently the project is supported by the Gyumri municipality (the premises, esti-

mated worth $25,000) and through the Strong Civil Society Organizations for StrongerArmenia program of the European Union ($53,000). But the young people of Gyumrineed even more support. The center needs an additional $9,000 for co-financing thereconstruction and Center running costs in its first year. Be part of the Youth House project, visithttps://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/youth-house-open-youth-

Center-in-gyumri/x/17671534.

Youth Center beneficiaries

A room inside the center, above left, and the neighborhood of the Youth House, above

T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R4

INTERNATIONAL

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8

EU to Provide 17M EurosTo Armenia for ReformsYEREVAN (Armenpress) — Justice Minister Davit

Harutyunyan on February 20 told those assembled ata press conference that human rights protection is asignificant agenda issue in the Armenia-EuropeanUnion cooperation. “The 2017 2019 action plan under the national

strategy of human rights protection was approved in2017. The program was developed as a result of closecooperation with the civil society,” he said. The minister said the EU will provide 17 million

euros in assistance to Armenia to deal with five sec-tors having to do with human rights. During a periodof five years, the fund will be used for “improvementof the electoral system, prevention of torture, genderequality, fight against discrimination and protectionof children’s rights,” he said.

Putin, Erdogan ExpectedTo Meet in Early AprilMOSCOW (Armenpress) — Russian President

Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart RecepTayyip Erdogan are expected to meet in early Aprilin Turkey, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister BekirBozdag said, RIA Novosti reported on February 20. “The talks between Turkey, Russia and Iran on

Syrian settlement continue. On March 14 a meetingwith the participation of our foreign ministers will beheld in Moscow. A trilateral meeting with the partic-ipation of Iran will be held in Astana on March 16”,the Turkish deputy PM said, adding that the meetingof Putin and Erdogan is planned to be held in earlyApril in Turkey, but the exact date is still unknown.After that, as expected, Russia-Turkey-Iran summiton Syria will take place.

Armenian, LebanesePresidents to Meet

YEREVAN (Armenpress) — At the invitation ofArmenian President Serzh Sargsyan, President ofLebanon Michel Aoun was scheduled to arrive inArmenia on an official visit on February 21, thePresidential Office told Armenpress. During the visit the Lebanese President was sched-

uled to meet with the top leadership of Armenia –the President, the Parliament Speaker and the PrimeMinister. Aoun was also to meet with Catholicos ofAll Armenians Karekin II at the Mother See of HolyEtchmiadzin. At the end of the Armenian Lebanesehigh level talks at the Presidential Palace.

Transliterated LettersDemonstrate False

Portrayal of ArmeniansISTANBUL (Armenpress) — As result of studying

transliterated (Turkish written in Armenian letters)letters, Turkish historian Sukru Ilicak showed thatthe official Turkish historiography doesn’t reflectthe true picture about Armenians who lived in theOttoman Empire, Gazeteduvar reports. Ilicak researched the family letters belonging to

the Kojayan family from Kayseri. The letters werewritten in Turkish, but in Armenian letters. “Theofficial Turkish historiography depicts Armenians asmonsters with weapons in their hands who swore anoath to kill Turks, who were rising against the state.The official historiography says that Armenians areguilty for what happened to them. The study of theseletters however, shows that this is false and thatArmenians are real people in real life, they also getill, love, hate, get concerned over collecting food sup-plies for the winter, make efforts for giving their chil-dren education and repaying debts,” he said. Harutyun Kojayan and his son Karapet left for the

US in 1912-1913 to work and later returned home .The Kojayans maintained correspondence with theirfamily members back in their village. In 1915 thecorrespondence stopped, and it wasn’t until 1918when they received a letter again, notifying themthat their entire family has been massacred. The let-ters were discovered when the US-based descendantsof the Kojayan family began to be interested in theirroots.

International News

By Joshua Keating

ISTANBUL (Slate) — Both BarackObama and Donald Trump have reallywanted to get along with TurkishPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan.There was a time when Obamadescribed his relationship withErdogan as one of the closest andmost trusting of any world leader,before rifts over Syria, Turkey’s drifttoward authoritarianism, and otherissues strained the relationship.Trump has continually laudedErdogan as a friend, even congratulat-ing the Turkish leader after Erdoganwon a controversial referendumexpanding his powers, even as overallUS–Turkey relations have deterioratedsharply.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was

in Ankara, Turkey, last week trying torepair relations that he admits havereached a “crisis point.” Tillerson metfor 3½ hours with Erdogan onThursday, February 15. In an unusualbreak with protocol, he wasn’t accom-panied by an American translator nornote taker, with Turkey’s foreign min-ister serving as translator.The biggest flashpoint at the

moment is Syria, where Turkey isangered by US support for Kurdishfighters that it considers terrorists.Last month, Turkey launched aground incursion into the borderenclave of Afrin, Syria, to dislodge theKurdish militia, the YPG, which itviews as the Syrian branch of thePKK, the Kurdish militant group that’sbeen battling the Turkish governmentfor decades.

Afrin is noncontiguous with themuch larger area to the east controlledby the Syrian Democratic Forces incooperation with the US military. TheUS has worked closely with the SDF,the most effective fighting forceagainst ISIS in Syria. Americanauthorities have, unconvincingly,claimed that the Kurdish fighters inAfrin have no connection to theirallies, even though most SDF com-manders come from the YPG. The UShas done little to interfere withTurkey’s Afrin incursion, but the prob-lem is that Turkey has threatened tosweep east along the border to dis-lodge the Kurds from the town ofManbij, Syria, where US forces are alsostationed. This could put US andTurkish troops in direct conflict.Erdogan has vowed that US troopsthat stand in Turkey’s way wouldreceive an “Ottoman slap.”The Turkish government proposed

this week that the US and Turkeycould jointly deploy forces in Manbij,as long as the YPG withdrew from thearea. Tillerson said that joint workinggroups would be set up to addresstroop deployments.This is something of a break-

through, but the underlying issueremains: Turkey is unwilling to toler-ate a semi-autonomous Kurdish regioncontrolled by the YPG on its border,and the Pentagon is not going to stopcooperating with the one Syrian allythat can put up a formidable fightagainst ISIS. (The latest crisis startedin January, when the US militaryannounced American troops would bestaying in areas liberated from ISIS towork with local forces — i.e., the Kurds,mainly — to establish a border security

force. Tillerson had to quickly dialback that announcement to placateTurkey, to the point that it’s not entire-ly clear what these troops will bedoing now that the fighting againstISIS is starting to wrap up.)Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar

al-Assad is more than happy to watchhis rivals, the Turks and the Kurds,fighting each other while the US iscaught right in the middle.It’s hard to see how this Syrian knot

gets untangled, and it’s not even theonly issue dividing the US and Turkey.Turkey continues to demand the extra-dition of Fethullah Gülen, the exiledcleric that Erdogan’s governmentblames for the 2016 coup attempt, andto criticize the trial of a Turkishbanker accused of evading Iran sanc-tions. The US, meanwhile, is demand-ing that Turkey release U.S citizensand government employees arrested aspart of Erdogan’s wide-ranging crack-down since the coup. These include anAmerican pastor whom the Turkishgovernment appears to be using as abargaining chip for Gülen. WithMichael Flynn no longer availableto whisk him away in the dead ofnight, the Gülen crisis also seems farfrom a resolution — the US govern-ment has found the evidence againstthe cleric unconvincing — andErdogan does not seem likely to letthe issue go.The mistrust runs deep, and not just

between the governments. A pollreleased by the Center for AmericanProgress this week shows 83 per-cent of Turks expressing an unfavor-able opinion of the United States. It’sgoing to take a lot more than a fewmeetings to bridge this divide.

Tillerson Is Trying to Defuse Tensions WithTurkey, but the Rift May Be Too Deep

By Monika Scislowska

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’sprime minister said Sunday, February18, that dialogue with Israel aboutthe Holocaust is necessary and wouldserve as a warning to prevent such“exceptionally terrifying” crimes fromhappening again.Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted his

thoughts after a telephone conversa-tion with Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu. The call wasprompted by a comment the Polishpolitician made that equated Polishcollaborators in the Holocaust toalleged “Jewish perpetrators.”The remark, given Saturday at the

Munich Security Conference, reignit-ed a weeks-long diplomatic disputeover Poland’s new law prohibitingsome statements about theHolocaust. The law reflects the cur-rent Polish government’s approach toWorld War II history, which focuseson Poland’s suffering and heroism.“Dialogue about this most difficult

history is necessary, as a warning. Wewill conduct such dialogue withIsrael,” Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.Jewish leaders in Israel and else-

where condemned Morawiecki’s com-ment as anti-Semitic. Sunday’s tele-phone conversation was the secondone that Morawiecki and Netanyahuhad in three weeks in connection tothe new law.Netanyahu’s office said he told

Morawiecki that “a comparisonbetween the activities of Poles andthe activities of Jews during the

Holocaust is unfounded.” The twoprime ministers agreed to worktogether to soothe the intense feel-ings in both their countries.In a sign of the tension between the

two nations, someone painted blackswastikas, expletives and the word“murderer” on the entrance toPoland’s Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israelipolice said Sunday. They havelaunched an investigation.Morawiecki made the criticized

comment as he was responding to anIsraeli journalist’s question about thenew Polish law, which criminalizesfalsely blaming Poles for Holocaustcrimes that were committed by NaziGermany during its occupation ofPoland. The journalist said his par-ents’ families were reported to theNazis by Polish neighbors and askedif he would be charged if he had relat-ed the story in Poland.“Of course it’s not going to be pun-

ishable, not going to be seen as crim-inal, to say that there were Polish per-petrators, as there were Jewish perpe-trators, as there were Russian perpe-trators, as there were Ukrainian, notonly German perpetrators,”Morawiecki said in response.The president of the World Jewish

Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, issued astatement demanding an “immediateretraction and apology” from Poland.Lauder said that putting Jews in thesame category as the other nationali-ties was “nothing short of an attemptto falsify history that rings of the veryworst forms of anti-Semitism andHolocaust obfuscation.”The spokeswoman for Poland’s con-

servative ruling party, Beata

Mazurek, insisted that Morawiecki“told the truth that is difficult for theIsraeli side to accept.”“There is no need to apologize for

telling the truth,” Mazurek said.In his tweets Sunday, Morawiecki

sought to elaborate on what he wastrying to say.“The Holocaust, the genocide of Jews

committed by Nazi Germans was anextremely terrifying crime. In these ter-rible times, there were individualsamong all nations, who were ready tomake gestures of the greatest mercy,”the Polish prime minister said.“And unfortunately, there were also

individuals, who by collaborating withNazi Germans, showed the darkestside of human nature,” he wrote.Earlier in the day, Morawiecki

spokeswoman Joanna Kopcinska saidthe prime minister’s response to thejournalist’s question was “by nomeans intended to deny theHolocaust.”The spokesman for Polish President

Andrzej Duda said the strong reac-tion in Israel “should not be ignored”but also attributed it partly to inter-nal political tensions in that country.The spokesman, Krzysztof Lapinski,said Morawiecki’s reply was inPoland’s interest and meant toexplain the new law.Poland’s government says the law is

needed to protect Poland from beingslandered for crimes committed byNazi Germans that took place duringthe 1939-45 occupation and to makethe wartime suffering of Poles clear tothe world. Poland lost six million citi-zens during the war, half of themJews.

Polish PM Seeks Dialogue with Israel on ‘Difficult History’

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 5

INTERNATIONAL

BERLIN, from page 1Sargsyan thanked Jafarov for the question

before saying that Azerbaijani’s leadershipneeded to “sober up” and “give up on theirunrealistic expectations” concerning Nagorno-Karabakh.“You want to live freely. I assure you, the

people of Karabakh want to live freely, too,”Sargsyan said. “They want to live in their his-torical land.”He defended a 1991 referendum in Nagorno-

Karabakh to secede from Azerbaijan as a “civ-ilized” and legitimate expression of popularwill, adding that no one can “break the will ofthe Armenian people.”During a speech at the UN General

Assembly in September, Sargsyan accusedAzerbaijan of committing “a number of warcrimes” against civilians and “prisoners ofwar” in 2016.Days prior to this incident, Azerbaijan’s

President Ilham Aliyev again publicly declaredthat Yerevan and other parts of Armenia are“historic Azerbaijani lands,” but was criticizedby Russian officials.Aliyev pledged to “return Azerbaijanis” to

Yerevan, Armenia’s southeastern Syunikprovince and the area around Lake Sevanwhen he addressed a pre-election congress ofhis Yeni Azerbaycan party on Thursday. That,he said, is a “strategic goal” of his regime.Armenia condemned the statement, with

President Serzh Sargsyan saying it shows thatBaku is not committed to a compromise solu-tion to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.“Reports about Azerbaijani President Ilham

Aliyev’s speech at a congress of the rulingparty have certainly been seen in Moscow,”the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman,Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday, February15. “We are well aware that Azerbaijan’s rela-tions with neighboring Armenia are extremelytense. The comment in question will clearlynot help to reduce the tensions.”The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry rejected

the Russian criticism on Friday. A ministryspokesman, Hikmet Hajiyev, said it runs countto Russia’s “strategic partnership” withAzerbaijan.Hajiyev was quoted by Azerbaijani media

saying that Aliyev did not lay any territorialclaims to Armenia and only spoke of an even-

tual “return of Azerbaijanis to their historicallands.”Aliyev has repeatedly made similar state-

ments in the past. In 2014, for instance, hestated that Baku will eventually gain controlof not only Karabakh but also parts of the “fas-cist” Armenian state which he said had beencreated on “historic Azerbaijani lands.”The Russian, US and French mediators may

have referred to the Azerbaijani leader’s latestclaim when they urged the parties to theKarabakh conflict to avoid “inflammatorystatements” after wrapping up their latestregional tour on February 11.Aliyev will be seeking a fourth term in office

in a snap presidential election slated for April11. The ballot will be held two days afterSargsyan completes his second and final pres-idential term. Sargsyan is tipped to becomeprime minister immediately after Armenia istransformed into a parliamentary republiclater in April.Aliyev and Sargsyan pledged to intensify the

Karabakh peace process when they last met inGeneva in October. Their foreign ministersheld follow-up talks in December and January.

War of Words over Karabakh Turkey SummonsDutch ChargéD’AffairesSUMMONS, from page 1The proposals by the conservative

Christian Union Party are due to be debat-ed in parliament in the coming weeks. (Reports from Dutchnews.nl and

Reuters were used in this story.)

ISTANUBL (Reuters) — A German reporterdetained in Turkey for more than a year wasreleased from jail pending trial, even as six otherjournalists and newspaper employees were sen-tenced Friday to life imprisonment by a Turkishcourt.Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for the German

daily Die Welt, was detained as part of a Turkishgovernment clampdown on civil society in thewake of a failed coup attempt in 2016.The 44-year-old, who has both German and

Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Istanbul onFeb. 14, 2017, on terrorism and propagandacharges that he denies. His case and that of fiveother German citizens still held in Turkey for

what Germany considers political reasons badlysoured relations between the two countries.German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed

his release Friday, saying she was happy for Yuceland his family “who had to endure a very difficultyear of separation.”A picture tweeted by lawyer Veysal Ok showed

Yucel outside jail embracing his wife.Germany’s foreign minister later told reporters

that Yucel was on his way to an Istanbul airportand can “freely leave Turkey.”Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the court

appeared to have set no conditions on Yucel’srelease, and insisted it didn’t result from any kindof deal between Berlin and Ankara.“I can assure you there were no agreements, no

quid pro quo and no — as some people call it —deal in this case,” Gabriel said.Merkel, who met Thursday with Turkish Prime

Minister Binali Yildirim, said the reporter’s

release “shows that talks aren’t futile.”But she noted that others, including several

Germans, remain in Turkish custody.“We know that there are other, perhaps not so

prominent, cases of people that are in Turkishjails and we hope they’ll enjoy a quick legalprocess and the rule of law too,” she said.Turkey’s state-run news agency reported that a

court ruled Yucel should be set free pending atrial, after approving a prosecutor’s indictmentseeking between four and 18 years in prison forthe journalist for “engaging in terrorist propa-ganda” and “inciting public hatred and enmity.”Mathias Doepfner, the chairman of Die Welt’s

publisher Axel Springer, said the company was

“endlessly relieved that Deniz Yucel can finally befree after more than a year in detention.” Headded that the case underlined the importance ofpress freedom and the need to continually defendit.Turkey’s official Anadolu Agency reported that

a court in Istanbul sentenced six journalists andnewspaper employees accused of involvement ina 2016 coup attempt to life prison terms Friday.They include Ahmet Altan, the former editor-in-chief of Taraf newspaper, his brother, journalistand academic Mehmet Altan, and prominent jour-nalist Nazli Ilicak.The journalists were accused of links to U.S.-

based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whomTurkey blames for the July 15, 2016, failed coup.Gulen denies the accusation.The defendants were charged with attempts

against Turkey’s constitution and membership ina terror organization.

Deniz Yucel after being released from prison

Turkey Releases Reporter forGerman Newspaper, JailsThree Others for Life

Top German Lawmaker in SecurityRow with Turkey at Munich MeetingBERLIN/MUNICH (Reuters) — A row broke out on Sunday, February 18, between a

leading German politician of Turkish origin and Turkey’s delegation at the MunichSecurity Conference, with the lawmaker being given police protection after what hesaid was a tense encounter with Turkish bodyguards.Cem Ozdemir, co-leader of Germany’s ecologist Greens until late last month and a

critic of Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan,said he was given protec-tion at the conferenceafter police told himTurkish security, stayingin the same hotel, hadaccused him of being a“terrorist.”“(The police) told me

there was a problem withTurkish security, thatthey had pointed out thata terrorist, or a member ofa terrorist organization,was staying (in the hotel)— so me,” Ozdemir toldreporters after returningto Berlin.He said that when he

checked into his Munichhotel on Friday, Turkishbodyguards had cast ner-vous looks and pointed athim. On Saturday morn-ing, a group of officersfrom the Bavarian policewere outside his door toprotect him, he said.Munich police said in a statement they gave protection to a number of people at the

conference, including Ozdemir, but could not confirm what Turkish delegates may havesaid about him.Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported that the Turkish delegation to the conference

was staying at the same hotel as Ozdemir.Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu adamantly denied that Ozdemir had

been targeted in any way, and accused the former leader of the environmental Greensparty of trying to disrupt German-Turkish relations.“This is not true. It’s fabricated,” Cavusoglu told reporters on the sidelines of the

annual conference. “This is outrageous.”He said he had checked with Turkish security whether anyone had been identified

as a possible terrorist, adding: “They said, ‘no, it’s not true’.”Cavusoglu said Ozdemir had played up the issue because he was “losing ground” at

home, adding: “I think that’s why he did it – to be more visible, to (get) some atten-tion.”The episode came after a Turkish court freed a German-Turkish journalist on Friday

pending trial after indicting him for alleged security offences - a move which promisedto lead to an easing of tensions between the NATO allies.Ozdemir last year called Erdogan “a hostage-taker” after Ankara detained two fur-

ther German citizens, taking the total then to 12.Greens lawmaker Claudia Roth told Reuters: “It is clear what the problem in Turkey

is, and that is that anyone who dares to criticize Erdogan’s politics is immediatelybranded a terrorist. If Cem Ozdemir is a terrorist, then I am probably one as well.”

Cem Ozdemir

6

Community News

Kef Time Keghi IIIBenefits KindergartenIn Nor Keghi, ArmeniaDETROIT — A project to benefit school children in Nor Keghi, Armenia was

launched just days after four years of spirited community work to fund class-room renovations achieved this past December by the Nor Keghi Association,

an organization of Detroit Armenians whotrace their roots to the old Keghi province inTurkish occupied Western Armenia.The project’s successful funding goal was

topped at Kef Time Keghi III as more than300 Armenians dined on the legendary staple Pagharch grain meal Keghetzisin the ancestral homeland survived on during the freezing winter months thatswept through the mountainous Keghi region.An elated Richard Norsigian, president of the Nor Keghi Association, said “We

topped our fund-raising goal because the Keghetzi community and friends fromall four Metro Detroit Armenian Churches as well as compatriots from through-out the United States joined our effort,” adding “the association’s boardremained dedicated to achieve success — and we did.”The attending clergy from the four Churches opened the evening program

with a prayer of blessing for the project’s success. The initial project was to renovate the multipurpose room at the Arakelyan

Kindergarten in Nor Keghi, Armenia, for use by the students as well as by theparents and community for various activities. The renovation also includes the

immediate order of newauditorium-type chairs,audiovisual equipment,and a piano. The renovat-ed multipurpose roomwill serve the needs of thecurrent 30 students andthe 30 additional kinder-garten-age children nowwaiting for enrollment.Norsigian visited Nor

Keghi last fall to conferwith local and state offi-cials on the needs for theschool improvements. Hesaid other improvementsin the project also includehallways, doors and stair-

well repairs.In addition, the Nor Keghi Association’s project will be monitored until its

completion by the Paros Foundation, which is headquartered in Berkeley, Calif.,and maintains field offices in Armenia. Norsigian also praised local and state officials in Armenia for welcoming the

support of the project by “Armenians with a DNA link to historic Keghi and nowembracing Nor Keghi.” The naming of Nor Keghi formally known as Pazmavanwas proclaimed on February 12, 1962.As Kef Time Keghi III was winding down after an evening of singing and danc-

ing, the 28 Detroit Armenian musicians who had donated their services and hadbeen taking turns to provide music throughout the night at St. John ArmenianChurch Cultural Hall all took to the stage together to put on a musical showthat rocked the hall as throngs of young celebrants cheered while taking pic-tures with their cell phones.

see KEGHI, page 7

Philadelphia CelebrationTo Honor ArmenianAssembly Trustees PeterAnd Irene VosbikianWASHINGTON – The Armenian

Assembly of America has announcedan evening of celebration in honor oftwo of its guiding figures, Peter andIrene Vosbikian on Saturday, April 28,at the National Constitution Center inPhiladelphia. The evening’s entertain-ment will feature Kevork Artinian andhis Band.Peter Vosbikian was on the Board of

Directors from 2000 to 2006 andserved as chairman in 2002 and 2003.He was on the Board of Trustees andthe Executive Committee from 2007through 2009. During hisChairmanship, Vosbikian encouragedmore delegations of public policy mak-ers and mission trips to visit Armeniaand Artsakh, especially for youngArmenian Americans. He was motivat-ed to expand the Assembly’s govern-ment relations team and increase par-ticipation at advocacy conferences tobuild a stronger, better-informed andactive grassroots network.“Having served alongside Peter on

the Assembly’s Board, we are espe-cially proud to honor Peter and hiswife Irene for their life-time commit-ment to the Armenian people. TheAssembly is fortunate to have had thebenefit of their passion, dedication,and generosity throughout the years,”Assembly Co-Chairs AnthonyBarsamian and Van Krikorian stated.“We look forward to honoring thiswonderful couple and family inPhiladelphia later this year,” theyadded.Peter and Irene are both avid phil-

anthropists, and are strong support-ers of the Armenian Sisters Academy

in Radnor, PA, located in a suburb ofPhiladelphia.Members of the organizing commit-

tee include Assembly Board MembersAlex Karapetian and Bianka KadianDodov, and Celeste Ayjian, Jake DerHagopian and Silva Santerian.“We look forward to reconnecting

with the Philadelphia community, aswell as throughout the tri-state areaand beyond. As an ArmenianAssembly intern alumnus, I am excit-ed to gather everyone for an enter-taining evening where we can enjoythe accomplishments of the Assembly.It is an honor to work alongside sucha great group of people on the HostCommittee for what promises to be anunforgettable night,” Karapetian said.To learn more about the

Philadelphia Celebration, visit theArmenian Assembly of AmericaFacebook Page.

Detroit Armenian musicians donated their time to the Nor Keghi fundraiser.

Nick Pittman, PeaceCorps Volunteer inArmenia, Speaks atNAASR

By Judith Saryan

BELMONT, Mass. — It wasn’t just theArmenian delicacies Nick Pittman tasted at hisfriend Laura Zarougian’s house while growingup in Cambridge that led him to considerArmenia for his Peace Corps service, but theydefinitely came to mind. It was also the chal-lenge of learning a new language and alphabetand discovering a new part of the world, as heexplained in his talk, “Grassroots Developmentin Rural Armenia: Challenges, opportunities,and Lessons Learned,” as part of the NationalAssociation for Armenian Studies and Research(NAASR) and Calouste Gulbenkian FoundationSeries on Contemporary Armenian Issues, heldat NAASR on January 18.Most people don’t realize that Peace Corps

volunteers can now express a preference forwhere they want to serve and apply for an open-ing. A graduate in economics from ReedCollege, Pittman arrived in Armenia in spring

2016 and jumped into intense language andwork training.After a stint in Sarnaghpyur, he settled in

Margahovit in Lori Province in northernArmenia as a community and youth develop-ment volunteer and worked closely with a smallgrassroots NGO that focuses on youth empow-erment. There are a total of 70 Peace CorpsVolunteers in Armenia, all of whom work inrural areas or secondary cities such as Gyumriand Vanadzor, Pittman explained. Roughly onethird are youth and NGO development volun-teers, and two thirds teach English as a ForeignLanguage (TEFL) volunteers.After the mandatory three-month home stay

after training, most volunteers move into theirown housing and work with local partners todevelop and implement projects. Peace CorpsVolunteers are welcomed in rural Armenia sincethey increase opportunities for personaladvancement by bringing valuable skills, suchas English-language education and organiza-tional training. Young people in these commu-nities are eager to get a good education andparticipate in programs the Peace Corps offersin conjunction with local organizations. Manyof these enrichment programs emphasize cre-ative thinking, including the English-languagewriting contest held each year called “WriteOn.”Pittman emphasized that Armenia is rich in

human resources although limited in financialor physical resources. The lack of paying jobsfor villagers across the rural landscape oftenleads to seasonal migration to Russia.

see PITTMAN, page 7

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

The Pagharch is brought into the salon.

By Mitch Kehetian

Nick Pittman at NAASR

Peter and Irene Vosbikian

BELMONT, Mass. — Dr. Hayk Demoyan willgive a talk titled “Between Realism andMythology: Modern Identity and MemoryPolitics of the Armenian World” on Thursday,March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the NationalAssociation for Armenian Studies and Research(NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave. The pro-gram is sponsored by the NAASR / CalousteGulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series onContemporary Armenian Issues and is open tothe public.In this presentation Demoyan will analyze

and discuss modern aspects of identity andmemory politics in Post-Soviet Armenia and theArmenian Diaspora, taking particular note ofthe manipulation and instrumentalization ofhistory and historical markers — old and newsymbols, heroes, historical events, etc., — as wellas their reinterpretation and (mis)representa-tion. For a long time such questions were consid-

ered as taboo within the official rhetoric of boththe Armenian state and some diasporan circles,which tended to downplay existing antagonisticand opposing attitudes and to assert a kind ofArmenia-Artsakh-Diaspora triple unity. In fact,in different diasporan circles there are contra-dictory views towards Armenia and its status as

‘Homeland.’ At the same time, the institutional-ization of Artsakh as a separate political entity,contrary to the initial policies of unification andmerging, as well as the development of paralleldiasporas, create further challenges.Demoyan is the director of the Armenian

Genocide Museum-Institute in Yerevan,Armenia, a position he has held since 2006. In2017-18 he is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at theDavis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studiesat Harvard University. He is the author of 12books, including The Armenian Genocide: FrontPage Coverage in the World Media (2014, inArmenian, English, Russian, and French),Foreign Policy of Turkey and Karabakh Conflict(2013, in Russian), Armenian Sport andGymnastics in the Ottoman Empire (2009, inArmenian) and Western Media Coverage of theNagorno-Karabakh Conflict in 1988-1990 (2008,in English), as well as some 40 academic arti-cles.For more information about this program,

contact NAASR at hq@naasr.org.

7S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 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 NEWS

Kef Time Keghi III BenefitsKindergarten in Nor KeghiKEGHI, from page 6In saluting the musicians who dedicated their

participation, Norsigian said “The closing withall the musicians on stage and the cheeringcrowd easily topped any Super Bowl half timeshow. Abreek Detroit musicians. We thank you.The children of Nor Keghi thank you.”A review meeting to determine the Nor Keghi

Association’s future role in Armenia will be heldat a later date by its Board. Whatever that course of direction, the words

of the legendary William Saroyan rang loudand clear at Kef Time Keghi III. In a salute toArmenians for their survival after the Genocide,Saroyan etched an everlasting tribute in whichhe said ... “Go ahead, burn their homes andchurches, send them into the hot burningdesert to die but whenever two of them meetagain see if they won’t pray and sing again.”They did at Kef Time Keghi III.

PITTMAN, from page 6In less than a year, Pittman had mas-

tered one of the biggest challenges — lan-guage acquisition. Today, he not onlyspeaks Armenian very well, he reads poet-ry in Eastern Armenian and delights inhumorous Armenian sayings. A popularone he shared with the audience was,“Don’t die donkey, spring will come,”which, depending on tone of voice, canmean what you’d expect, that there is noneed to worry, or can mean the exact oppo-site, that something like the bus you arewaiting for will never come.Last June, Pittman was one of the lead-

ers of a project called Border to Border,founded several years ago. Groups of vol-unteers, a mix of Peace Corps and localyouth, hike across Armenia taking differentroutes and stopping along the way to teachclasses focused on healthy living to youth.He and his organization also initiated a

four-day camp in Margahovit named GLAD,Girls Leadership and Development, focus-

ing on mental and emotional health forlocal girls. The curriculum included yoga,journaling, and seminars focused on team-building, business development and entre-preneurship, artistic and creative expres-sion and environmental responsibility. Animportant phase of the project is follow up,which includes a monthly club for campparticipants to review what they learnedand check in with each other on theirhealth, and a monthly seminar at which theparticipants share skills and practices fromthe camp with other village youth.The Peace Corps has also developed pro-

grams targeted for boys including TOBE(Teaching Our Boys Excellence). TheInternet has made communications mucheasier for remote villages and can now beused to teach organizational skills and col-lect data to evaluate the effectiveness ofthese programs, he said.Pittman inspired the audience, as was

evident during the question-and-answersession, when several people asked about

opportunities to volunteer in Armenia. Inaddition to Peace Corps, he describedmany ways to volunteer, chief among themArmenia Volunteer Corps, which acceptspeople of all ages, and Birthright Armenia.He has also worked in Armenia with US-based nonprofits like the Armenia TreeProject. In addition, mentorship programsare springing up, including a newArmenian General Benevolent Union(AGBU) program of cooperation betweenthe Diaspora and Armenia called Bridgesfor CSOs.The positive response to the talk at

NAASR showed the importance of presen-tations like this, offering ways for thePeace Corps in Armenia to connect withthe Diaspora and for the Diaspora to learnabout connecting directly with Armenia. To learn more about Pittman’s experi-

ences with Peace Corps in Armenia and toread more of his favorite Armenian sayingsabout donkeys, check out his blog at(https://nickinarmenia.wordpress.com/)

Nick Pittman, Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia, Speaks at NAASR

Hayk Demoyan

Dr. Hayk Demoyan to Discuss Modern Identity and MemoryPolitics Of the Armenian World AT NAASR

PARAMUS, N.J. — Armenia Fund USAannounced recently the launch of its new“Generations Society,” an initiative with thedual objective of familiarizing the public withthe projects of the non-profit humanitarianorganization and to open its doors in aneffort to create a community of collaborationand networking. The first gathering, slated for Thursday,

March 15, in its Paramus offices, will give

guests the opportunity to learn aboutArmenia Fund’s projects in Armenia andArtsakh, while expanding their networks. Geared toward all generations and ages,

“Generations Society” will have both anafternoon session, which will serve coffeeand stimulating conversation, and an eveningget together featuring live music, wine andcheese.

“I want to welcome our community to

Armenia Fund USA’s offices to engage inconversation, read from newspapers andbooks in our library and meet new friends orreconnect with old ones,” said ExecutiveDirector Lisa Stepanian. “Our space here isnot only to learn about Armenia Fund pro-jects, but to also discuss current events andwhat’s happening here in our community andin our homeland.”In recent years, Armenia Fund USA has

spearheaded projects inthe fields of medicine,education, housing andinfrastructure. Amongthe accomplishments isthe complete reconstruc-tion of the TchaikovskyMusic School in Yerevan,where more than 600 stu-dents are enrolled tostudy music and earn aquality education;Martuni RegionalHospital, which providesmedical care for over25,000 Armenians in theMartuni Region ofArtsakh; ArstakhHousing Project thataccommodates shelter forthe neediest families andthe HyeBridgeTelemedicine program,

which offers medical training seminars. “We would like to educate the community

about our mission and programs and invitethem to join us, while also creating a chancefor everyone to come together,” saidStepanian. During the “Generations Society” dates,

which will be held every third Thursday ofthe month, community members will receivean overview of the work being done whileconnecting with the Armenia Fund USA net-work and the greater Armenian communityin order to cultivate relationships to benefittheir professional and personal lives. The program will rotate monthly with a dif-

ferent agenda, ranging from lectures to cul-tural activities to mentoring programs, withits main focus on strengthening communityboth in the Diaspora and in the homeland. The first session of “Generations Society”

will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and thesecond from 7 to 9 p.m. at Armenia FundUSA offices, 594 Valley Health Plaza. Jazz singer Mariam Vardanyan, a graduate

of the Tchaikovsky Music School and YerevanState Conservatory, will sing selections fromher repertoire at the evening gathering onMarch 15. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-2SbojwHdM) No RSVP necessary. Free park-ing available. For more information visit www.armenia-

fundusa.org/-Taleen Babayan

Guests gather at the Armenia Fund USA offices in Paramus, NJ during a recent event.

Armenia Fund USA Launches ‘Generations Society’

8 S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 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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OBITUARY

COMMUNITY NEWS

LIVERMORE, Calif. — Felice Takakjian-Bedrossian, concert pianist and pedagogue witha long and distinguished career, died peacefullyon February 11 at age 91. Successful debuts atWeill Hall in 1949 and Town Hall in 1953launched her on a concert career that took herthrough North America, Central America,Europe, and Japan under Columbia Artists. Sheserved as Goodwill Ambassador to Germany in1953 and to Japan in 1959, with her recitals

and lecture programs broadcast over RadioFree Europe and Radio Liberation. A native of Oceanside, NY, and graduate of

Oceanside High School in 1944, she earned a

bachelor’s degree in music education from NewYork University in 1948 and an Artist Diplomafrom New York College of Music in 1949. Sheserved on the faculty of the New York Collegeof Music from 1950-1960, of SyracuseUniversity from 1960 to 1963, and of MolloyCollege from 1971-1980. She was a champion of contemporary com-

posers, and her premieres of piano works of theArmenian-American composer Alan Hovhaness

earned critical acclaim.She also served as oneof the organizers of theK h a c h a t u r i a nCompetition in NY,which helped to launchthe careers of distin-guished, Armenianconcert artists.She married in 1960

and continued teach-ing privately in her stu-dio in Freeport, LongIsland until her reloca-tion to California withher husband, Paul, in2013. Her specialtywas teaching pianopedagogy, and her lega-cy is felt and continued

by her many piano students. She is survived by her husband, Paul, and

son, Peter, of Livermore, CA.

Felice Takakjian-BedrossianNoted Pianist and Teacher

NEW YORK — An enthusiastic crowd ofArmenia Tree Project (ATP) and ParosFoundation supporters gathered at the pop-ular Almayass Restaurant in November tokick off a strategic partnership. The twoorganizations are teaming up to improve theprimary school in Rind, a village in Armenia’ssouthern wine region of Vayots Dzor. “The central element of this new partner-

ship is capitalizing on the strengths of thetwo organizations,” explains ATP ExecutiveDirector Jeanmarie Papelian. “Paros has a

proven expertise in renovating schools andcreating a clean, healthy atmosphere for stu-dents to learn and grow. ATP will provide

environmental education to the students andcreate new green spaces around the schoolfor the benefit of the children.”The sold out benefit event in New York cre-

ated a terrific environment for socializingand featured the beautiful voice of Hooshere,who performed and was one of the lead orga-nizers. Guests were able to bid on severalsilent auction items that were donated tobenefit the Rind school including items fromMichael Aram, Eileen Karakashian,Tufenkian Artisan Carpets, Zorah Wines,

World’s First Wines and Simon Ardem.The event was attended by ATP founder

Carolyn Mugar and Paros founder Roger

Strauch. “On behalf of the ParosFoundation and ATP, we would liketo thank the organizing committeecomposed of Anahid Ugurlayan,Hooshere Bezdikian, Lisa Sarajian,and Nicole Vartanian for making thisevent such a huge success,” empha-sized Strauch. “We’re excited aboutthis partnership and hope this pro-ject is the first of many in Armenia.The hard work and dedication shownby our committee was instrumentalin the success of the event and verymuch appreciated.”This project will bring about pos-

itive improvements for the morethan 1,700 people that call Rindtheir home. Armenia’s ambassador

to the United Nations Zohrab Mnatsakaniandelivered a moving appeal, urging people togive the kids of Rind Village a chance to

excel. “Look at their faces. Look at their con-fidence,” he exclaimed while pointing to aphoto of them in classroom. “Let’s supportthese organizations to give these kids theopportunity to do great things!”As a result of the generous support of the

guests, Paros will completely renovate and fur-nish the school’s kitchen and cafeteria, whichwill allow the school to prepare hot meals forthe children. ATP is planting more than 550trees and shrubs at the site, and introducing its“Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree” environmentaleducation curriculum at the school. The treeplanting was initiated the day after the NewYork benefit event, with the remainder of thework scheduled for 2018. The two organizations will report on the

progress of this project as it proceeds in thecoming months. To learn more or to supporteither organization, visit www.armeniatree.orgor www.parosfoundation.org

Armenia Tree Project and Paros FoundationLaunch Strategic Partnership in Rind Village

From left, Hooshere Bezdikian, event co-host, Jason Sohigian, ATP deputy director ,and Anahid Ugurlayan,event co-host

From left, Anthony Barsamian, Ambassador of Armenia to the United Nations ZohrabMnatsakanian, Carolyn Mugar, Roger Strauch and Peter Abajian

BILLERICA, Mass. – The Middlesex Sheriff’sOffice has formally begun a groundbreakingnew initiative designed to reduce recidivismamongst young adult offenders in the NewEngland’s most populous county.The young offender unit is a result of a col-

laboration initiated by Sheriff Peter J.

Koutoujian with the Vera Institute of Justice.The MSO is the first local jurisdiction in thecountry to engage Vera as part of its RestoringPromise Initiative, which partners with stateand local corrections agencies to transform liv-ing conditions for incarcerated young adultsacross the country in order to produce better

outcomes for individuals and communities. “With the launch of this unit, we are reimag-

ining corrections,” said Sheriff Koutoujian.“We are pursuing a better, more effectiveapproach to the way we deal with the individu-als in this critical population with a goal of notjust reducing recidivism, but setting these indi-viduals on a path to a more successful and ful-filling life.”The new PACT (People Achieving Change

Together) program is specially designed for indi-viduals aged 18- to 24. The name was coinedby MSO staff members who will work in theunit.The first group of PACT participants moved

into the repurposed space at the Middlesex Jailand House of Correction on February 5, with asecond group expected to move in later thismonth. Programming in the unit will be specif-ically geared towards addressing issues impact-ing young adult offenders. As part of a review of the Commonwealth’s

justice system in 2016, the Council of StateGovernments Justice Center (CSG) found 18-to24-year-olds released from Massachusetts cor-rectional facilities have higher recidivism ratesthan older offenders. CSG reported 52percentof those released from houses of correction and56 percent of those released by the departmentof correction were re-incarcerated within threeyears.Nationwide, 18- to 24-year-olds comprise 10

percent of the population, but account for 21percent of all individuals admitted to adult pris-ons each year. Additionally, young adults makeup 28 percent of arrests and people in jail, and1 out of 5 people in a prison or jail are betweenthe ages of 18-24.

“With the opening of PACT, SheriffKoutoujian, Special Sheriff [Shawn] Jenkins,and the team at the Middlesex Jail and Houseof Corrections are transforming the current cor-rectional culture away from punishment andisolation, and towards equity, accountability,

restoration, and healing,” said Alexandra Frank,Senior Program Associate at the Vera Instituteof Justice. “Our work through other jurisdic-tions participating in Restoring Promise hasalready demonstrated that reimagining theapproach to interacting with incarceratedyoung adults results in sustainable change forpeople who live and work in prisons and jails,as well as their families and communities. We’reso pleased to build on this and supportMiddlesex Jail & House of Corrections as theyseek to provide meaningful opportunities foryoung adults to be successful.”The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office also engaged

Lowell-based UTEC as part of the new initia-tive. The MSO and UTEC have been workingtogether since 2012 to provide reentry supportfor young adult offenders returning to theGreater Lowell area.“Research on young adult justice has surged

in recent years. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office isthe first local jurisdiction to put some of thesefindings into action, and we’re glad to bringUTEC’s experience to their unit,” said UTECExecutive Director Gregg Croteau. “This is animportant opportunity to innovate for youngadults here in Middlesex County, and to estab-lish a model that can be adapted by other part-nerships too.”In preparation for the unit’s opening, the

MSO and Vera undertook an exhaustive plan-ning and implementation process. The processincluded data collection, collaborative onsiteresearch, immersive three-week training forstaff and visits to the Cheshire CorrectionalInstitution – the first department of correctionfacility to join the Restoring Promise Initiative.

“I want to thank our partners for theirincredible support and our staff for embracingthis shift,” said Koutoujian. “We know we’remaking history with this initiative, but it’s thefuture we’re focused on – the future of theyoung men in our custody, their families andour communities.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Young Offender Unit Opens at Middlesex Jail and House of Correction

WASHINGTON — US Treasury SecretarySteven Mnuchin, during Congressional tes-timony earlier in February before the USHouse Financial Services Committee,agreed – in response to direct questioningby Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA) –to commit Treasury Department officials topursue a new US-Armenia Double TaxTreaty, a long-overdue bilateral accord thatwill remove barriers to the growth of US-Armenia economic relations, reported theArmenian National Committee of America(ANCA).Rep. Sherman was joined by Rep. David

Valadao (R-CA) in collecting theCongressional signatures of their House col-leagues on a letter to Secretary Mnuchin insupport of the Tax Treaty. He referenced thelegislators in his question to the Secretary,asking whether, in response to their calls to

action, the Treasury Department would ded-icate 28 hours (the number ofCongressional signatures collected to date)to negotiating this agreement. SecretaryMnuchin replied in the affirmative, noting:“Yes, I can commit the 28 hours.”

“We are grateful for CongressmanSherman’s policy expertise and persistencein securing the support of SecretaryMnuchin for a mutually-beneficial US-Armenia Double Tax Treaty,” said ANCAChairman Raffi Hamparian. “We look for-ward to the Treasury Department movingforward with this accord, a long-term ANCApriority that will – by removing the threat ofdouble taxation – eliminate a major barrierto the growth of the US-Armenia economicpartnership.”In the wake of the 2015 signing of the

US-Armenia Trade and Investment

Framework Agreement (TIFA) in 2015, theANCA has worked closely with a broadrange of legislators to encourage theDepartment of Treasury to negotiate a newUS-Armenia Double Tax Treaty. InSeptember 2017, the ANCA joined withPaul Korian and Peklar Pilavjian, leadingUS investors in Yerevan’s Marriott hotel, fora series of Capitol Hill and StateDepartment meetings making the case foran updated compact. Internationallyrenowned Tufenkian Artisan Carpets;Triada Studio, the Armenia-based creator ofthe Apple Design Award-winningShadowmatic Game; and PicsArt, theYerevan and San Francisco based makers ofone of the most popular photo-editing, col-lage and drawing apps, are among the manyfirms urging the lifting of barriers to US-Armenia trade through the implementation

of a new double tax treaty.A US-Armenia Double Tax Treaty would

establish a clear legal framework forinvestors and individuals that have businessactivities in both jurisdictions, preventingdouble taxation and facilitating the expan-sion of economic relations. It would alsohelp reinforce the friendship of theAmerican and Armenian peoples, anchoringArmenia to the West, and providing Yerevanwith greater strategic options and indepen-dence in dealing with regional powers.The US has double tax treaties with many

small countries, including Estonia, Jamaica,Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Slovenia.Armenia has double tax treaties with manyadvanced countries, including Austria,Belgium, Canada, China, France, Italy, theNetherlands, Poland, Russia, and the UnitedKingdom.

Rep. Sherman Secures Treasury Secretary CommitmentTo Pursue US-Armenia Double Tax Treaty

By Taleen Babayan Special to the Mirror-Spectator

SADDLE RIVER, N.J. — The 30th anniversaryof the Artsakh Movement brought together 75supporters and community activists for a recep-tion and presentation benefitting the ArtsakhFund of the Armenian Cultural Association ofAmerica (ACAA), hosted at the home of Gregand Meline Toufayan on Sunday, February 11. Organized by the ACAA of New Jersey, the

gathering served as an opportunity to reflecton the origins of the movement, which emerged

on February 13, 1988 during the first demon-strations in Stepanakert that called for themajority Armenian-populated lands to be trans-ferred to the jurisdiction of the Soviet Republicof Armenia. Over the last three decades, fundswere raised not only for the war withAzerbaijan in the 1990s but to continue pro-viding aid to citizens, particularly in the bordervillages. The program opened with a cocktail hour

and a musical performance by pianist, compos-

er and conductor Karén Hakobyan, who playedclassical and jazz selections from Komitas,Gershwin and Kapustin. Serving as the master of ceremonies, Artsakh

Fund member Alex Sarafian reflected on hisexperiences in the late 1980s when the move-ment for autonomy began to unfold. Sarafianprovided a historic sketch of the turbulenttimes as protests in Armenia and Artsakhgained momentum and the consequential needemerged for weapons, ammunition, vehiclesand fuel during the ensuing war as well as aidfor the countless refugees, which were fundedby the greater American-Armenian community. “Whenever we are faced with a dire situation

or calamity, wehave always cometogether to help,”said Sarafian.“This is what hap-pened with theA r t s a k hMovement whenA m e r i c a n -Armenians fromall the organiza-tions and from allcorners of theworld helped thecause.” Setting the

tone for theevening, Sarafiannoted that theevening’s speak-ers “will sharestories today thathave become partof our oral histo-

ry.”In his welcoming remarks, community leader

James Sahagian, active with the Artsakh Fundand a member of ARF Dro Gomideh, said thatover the past 30 years, “there has been a con-tinuation of our national aspiration to live inde-pendently and to live freely.”Sahagian also elaborated on the importance

of advancing towards the mission of “survivingand thriving, economically, politically and mili-tarily.”

Sharing his story as aDiasporan Armenian onthe ground in Artsakhduring the war, HratchKaprielian, who was ini-tially involved in help-ing raise funds, spokeabout his eye-openingexperience in theregion. “I first arrived in June

1992 and there werefour of us in a smalltruck,” recalledKaprelian, a business-man and chairman ofthe Board of theArtsakhbank. “All of asudden, we were in awar.”During the battles, he

remembered how theyfound four brothers anda grandmother whowere stranded anddespite the gunfire and road closures, theyfound a way to safely arrive in Stepanakert. “That was the day we lost Martakert and lost

many of our men,” he continued solemnly, refer-ring to the Azeri capture of the largest town inthe region on July 4, 1992. “I said I wouldrather die here than anywhere else.”Richard Sarajian recalled how quickly the

American-Armenian community mobilizedupon learning about the first demonstrations inStepanakert and the subsequent pogromsagainst Armenians in Sumgait.

“In 1988 there was no Internet, no cellphones, no email blasts,” said Sarajian, formerARF Eastern Region Central Committee Chair.“But in less than 24 hours of the first pogrom,we began demonstrations at the Soviet Missionin New York City.” He observed the unity of the churches and

organizations that came together for demon-strations, numbering up to 3,000 people out-side the Soviet Mission to pass on messages tothen-leader of the Soviet Union, MikhailGorbachev. With the onset of the tragic earth-quake in Armenia a few months later, Sarajian

said it was a “time of major cooperation.” “There is no question the people in Artsakh

truly benefited by the work done here by allthese organizations and groups to help buildinfrastructure,” said Sarajian. “That’s why weare here to continue that work.”Zaven Khanjian, chairman of the Armenian

Missionary Association of America, recounted ahumanitarian trip to Armenia when for the firsttime he heard, through the radio, that theParliament in Stepanakert had declared unionbetween Artsakh and Armenia.

“It was a moment of reckoning and reallymade an impression on my mind,” he said. Along with the AMAA, he soon entered

Artsakh in the early 1990s with humanitarianaid and started camps, schools and after-schoolcenters. He recalled one momentous day whenthe roads were closed in Martakert andGandzasar so they had to take an alternativeroute through the mountainous roads and vil-lages. “Nowhere in my life had I seen such beauti-

ful nature,” said Khanjian.“We have a free and independent Artsakh

and our top priority as a nation should be tosustain the people and populate the land,” saidKhanjian. “A safe and secure Artsakh is a safeand secure Armenia.”Reporting from Artsakh as a freelance jour-

nalist during the war, Antranig Kasbarian spokeabout the effects of the Artsakh Movement onthe Armenian community, for him personally,and for the Armenian nation. As the editor of the Armenian Weekly in the

1990s, Kasbarian spent nights translating newsthat arrived from Armenia’s news agency but hewanted to become more immersed in the cause. “I was accustomed to being active from afar,”

said Kasbarian, “But I really thirsted for on-the-spot involvement.”That thirst led him to Artsakh for periods of

time between 1990 and 1993. Kasbarian remarked that up to the late

1980s, the community was divided along politi-cal and church lines, but Artsakh was “one ofthe instrumental moments to bring our com-munity together.”“We finally got beyond the labels and got to

know each other and realized what brings ustogether is stronger than what divides us,” saidKasbarian, a trustee of the TufenkianFoundation. He emphasized the significance of lending

aid not only during times of crises but to alsofocus on long-range development work, whichACAA has been working on during peacetime.“There is a need for wounded soldiers, dem-

ining and safeguarding the liberated territories,which are the most historically ancientArmenian lands,” said Kasbarian, noting thatthere are fourth-century Armenian churches inthe Lachin Corridor, which provides a passagebetween Armenia and Artsakh. “Without theLachin Corridor, Artsakh becomes an island.”Kasbarian spoke about the current efforts

being made to resettle and develop the strate-gic borderlands of Artsakh, which “require mas-sive investment in resettlement and economicdevelopment so it can never be given back ornegotiated again.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

SCREENING, from page 1along with the support of multiple Armeniancommunity organizations, introduced thefilmmaker, who was present, and remarked onthe importance of the evening’s film as theArmenian community reflects on the 30thanniversary of the Nagorno-Karabakh move-ment. “This is a special film and a special anniver-

sary,” said Araz. “Thirty years ago theNagorno-Karabakh movement was launchedon the world stage capturing everyone’sattention and served as a watershed momentfor the Armenian nation.” Araz thanked the co-sponsoring organiza-

tions and highlighted the work of each, par-ticularly the Armenian Wounded HeroesFund, which provides first aid kits for the sol-diers who defend Nagorno-Karabakh, notingthat half the deaths that occurred during thefour-day war in April 2016 could have beenavoided if they had had proper medical kits.He also touched upon the work of theNaregatsi Art Institute and TufenkianFoundation in Nagorno-Karabakh, illustrat-ing Diasporan support in the conflictedregion. Following the screening of the film (in

Armenian, with English subtitles) whichbrought to life the atrocities of war and ethniccleansing, a discussion took place whereguests interacted with the director andexplored the nuances and layers of the film.Nareg Hartounian, founder of the NaregatsiArt Institute and a long-time supporter ofAvetisyan’s work, served as the translator. After thanking everyone in attendance

along with the organizers and supporters of

the event, Avetisyan shared the latest devel-opments of the film, including its recentacceptance into the Shanghai Film Festival.The universal themes of family and friend-

ships appeal to all people, noted Avetisyan,who elaborated on the friendship of the twomain characters, one Armenian and oneAzeri, who have been longtime friends in thevillage of Khachmach (in Nagorno-Karabakh’sAskeran region). As the Armenian-Azeri warescalates in the early 1990s, the Azeri tries tohelp his Armenian friend and his sick daugh-ter, who was abused by Azeri soldiers, escapetheir village and find safety.“Regardless of their religion or color, you

see two human beings and their similar mis-sion,” said Avetisyan. “What they want to dois save the life of this girl so there is a humaneelement in the film.”He pointed out “as much as you try to

destroy and kill the enemy, you may also needhim for preservation.” Throughout the film,both men turn to each other to give comfortand assistance to one another. Remarking on the friendship during a com-

plex time in Armenian-Azeri relations,Hartounian highlighted Avetisyan’s ability to“tap into the Azeri psyche,” revealing anotherdimension to the film. While the story doesn’t conclude with a

definitive ending, Avetisyan said it’s “left up toyour imagination and interpretation” but didsay that there is “nothing coincidental” in thefilm. “The Last Inhabitant” has been shown in

various countries, including Iran, Lebanon,Italy, Sweden and Greece, among others.While it has been received positively in many

different communities, there has been back-lash from the Azeris, who “have done theirbest to create obstacles and try to discreditmyself and the cast,” said Avetisyan. The cast,he said, which is made up of an internationalbackground of Greek, Persian, Lithuanianactors, “are part of our cause and are on theright side of justice.”All of Avetisyan’s films center on Nagorno-

Karabakh, his birthplace, including hisupcoming “Gateway to Heaven,” whichreceived support from the evening’s ticketproceeds. His previous films include “BrokenChildhood” and “Tevanik,” the latter screenedat St. Leon three years ago. Born in Khachmach, where “The Last

Inhabitant” was filmed, Avetisyan’s familymoved to Gyumri when his father wasappointed head of a textile factory there. Atthe age of 7, he and his family experienced thetragic earthquake there. Their mother badlyinjured, they returned to Nagorno-Karabakhin 1989, but the war began soon after.“He lived in basements to find haven from

the bombs,” said Hartounian. “These trau-matic experiences had an incredible impact onthe filmmaker and are deeply rooted withinhim.”A reception followed the discussion and

gave guests the opportunity to share in con-versation about the film. Co-sponsors of theevent included St. Leon Church, theTufenkian Foundation, SR Socially RelevantFilm Festival, AGBU Ararat, the ArmenianWounded Heroes Fund, the Naregatsi ArtInstitute, the Daughters of VartanSahaganoush Otyag and the Knights ofVartan Bakradouny Lodge.

‘The Last Inhabitant’ Comes to New Jersey

Artsakh Movement Marks 30th Anniversary

Pianist Karén Hakobyan

Hratch Kaprielian

WASHINGTON — On February 19, The DCIndependent Film Festival presented the documen-tary “Sevan The Craftsman” at the CarnegieInstitution of Science. A small number of localArmenians attended the screening of the movie.The film presents the life of Sevan Bıçakçı, an

Armenian jeweler, from his early days as anapprentice to receiving international awardsfrom Honk Kong to London and Las Vegas.Of Armenian descent, Bıçakçı was born in

1972 in Istanbul, Turkey. His nickname is “theKing of Rings.”At the age of 12, his father, who was a the-

ater actor, placed Sevan under the apprentice-ship of Hovsep Catak in the Grand Bazaar ofIstanbul. After serving four years of apprentice-ship, his master died. However, he had learneda great deal about jewelry design and crafts-manship. He then opened a workshop in orderto serve bigger manufacturers as a freelancejewel designer. He worked on his first collectionfor a year before unveiling it in the global mar-ket in 2002. His jewelry designs reflect the Byzantine and

Ottoman styles. Some of Bıçakçı’s famous clien-tele include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elizabeth

Hurley, Celine Dion, Liv Tyler, Mariah Carey,Brooke Shields, Angie Harmon, Kim Raver,Halle Berry, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen,Michelle Monaghan and Tory Burch.Michelangelo once said, “I saw the angel in

the marble and I carved until I set him free.”This is the other-worldly gift of Sevan Bıçakçı.He creates an alternate universe in each one ofhis precisely, intricately and exquisitely hand-made rings, bracelets and pendants. After con-

ceptualizing each design, they are made withimpossibly perfect, minute details balanced withvast beauty. Each piece of his jewelry is a col-laboration of painters, calligraphers, engravers,micro-mosaic masters, sculptors, and gem set-ters. The documentary is produced and direct-ed by Umran Safter, who was present andanswered audience questions.

11S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 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 NEWS

Queens WomanArrested forRunning Visa Fraud Ring

By Christopher Barca

QUEENS, N.Y. (Queens Chronicle) — A RegoPark woman was indicted earlier in February infederal court for allegedly running a visa fraudscheme in which she smuggled Armeniannationals into the United States, charging themthousands of dollars in the process.According to U.S. Attorney for the Eastern

District of New York Richard Donoghue, 47-year-old Stella Boyadjian — an Armenian-born,naturalized American citizen — was arraignedon February 14 on one count of conspiracy todefraud the United States, 10 counts of visafraud, one count of aggravated identity theft,two counts of money laundering and one countof conspiracy to commit money laundering.Two alleged co-conspirators, one from

California and the other from Armenia, havealso been hit with many of the same charges.According to the complaint against her,

Boyadjian and the two other defendantsallegedly recruited Armenian nationals andhelped them obtain P-3 visas, which allow for-eigners to temporarily travel to the U.S. to per-form, teach or coach as artists or entertainersunder a program that is “culturally unique.”None of the people Boyadjian recruited, how-

ever, were performers.Instead, she helped obtain fake dance certifi-

cates and had them pose for photos in tradi-tional Armenian dance garb to make themappear more legitimate during visa interviews.She also allegedly coached them on how to

answer questions that would be posed by immigra-tion officials and created posters of fake Big AppleMusic Awards Foundation shows — complete withdates, times and venues — to serve as proof.According to the criminal complaint and her

LinkedIn page, Boyadjian is the CEO ofBAMAF, a nonprofit Central Asian cultural per-formance and talent promotion organizationfounded in 2010 and based in Queens.In return for her services, Boyadjian alleged-

ly charged each recruit between $3,000 and$15,000, in addition to charging extra feeswhen it came time to extend the fraudulentlyobtained visas.Donoghue’s office did not announce how

much prison time she is facing.

Sevan Bıçakçı Documentary Movie presented in Washington, DC.

From left, Vartiter Marashlian, Alice Ors, Hrip Sivaslian, St. Mary Armenian Church Parish CouncilPresident Onnig Sivaslian, Rakel Chubuk, director Umran Safter, Kevork Marashlian, SonaBakirci,Clara Andonian and Shenny Fahrali

Sevan Bıçakçı with one of his fans, Brooke Shields

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Zaroohi Der Mugrdechian Fresno CA $25.00George & Hasmig Mandossian Burbank CA $200.00Hagop & Sylvia Nazarian Ranc Palos Verdes CA $200.00Berjouhie Long Fresno CA $200.00Dr. Berjouhi Koukeyan Duarte CA $200.00Zaven P. Berberian LaCanada Flt CA $200.00Alice S. Mazmanian Pasadena CA $160.00Jack & Eva Kalfayan San Mateo CA $100.00Krekor Tchakian Canoga Park CA $200.00Varoujan & Elizabeth Gostanian Woodland Hills CA $50.00Sona Minakian La Mirada CA $100.00Vahe & Roozan Varteressian/Avanessian Pacific Palisades CA $200.00

Luther & Arda Derian Los Angeles CA $200.00Mr. & Mrs. Leon Yengoyan San Jose CA $200.00Alexander & Deborah Grigorian Ranc Palos Verdes CA $100.00Rosemond & Arthur Muncheryan San Francisco CA $200.00Dennis & Mary Papazian San Jose CA $100.00 Alec & Zovi Ekmekji Los Angeles CA $100.00Kevork & Silva Keushkerian Pasadena CA $400.00 Ronald Nazeley Los Angeles CA $400.00Sunday School ACHR Newington CT $200.00Alice A. Norsigian Wethersfield CT $200.00Alice A. Norsigian Wethersfield CT $200.00Mary Abrahamian New Britain CT $200.00 Mathew & Lisa Natcharian Avon CT $200.00 Margarethe R. Mashikian Pomfret Center CT $500.00 Michael Ohanian Pompano Beach FL $1,000.00Berj A. Gueyikian Lincolnwood IL $200.00Zabelle N. Vartanian Belleville IL $50.00Mr. & Mrs. KevinGiragosian Homer Glen IL $25.00Mariam Tatosian Evanston IL $200.00Anna Marie Norehad Glenview IL $200.00Heratch O. Doumanian Chicago IL $400.00Dennis A. Corrigan Arlington Hts. IL $400.00 Karen Demirdjian Skokie IL $400.00 Alice Madanyan Palos Heights IL $175.00Vahe Derian Bloomingdale IL $200.00 Ara & Sonya Hacet Prospect KY $1,000.00Mel & Judy Menasian Methuen MA $150.00Sonia Iskandarian Watertown MA $200.00Anoush Y. Balian West Newton MA $200.00Dr. & Mrs. Charles Garabedian Shrewsbury MA $300.00Varoujan & Elizabeth Ganjian Belmont MA $200.00David Boyajian Belmont MA $20.00Jack & Eva Medzorian Winchester MA $100.00Vahe & Anni Bedian Ashburnham MA $200.00James Kalustian ArlingtonMA $200.00Lucie A. Aghdamlian ArlingtonMA $200.00Ozcan Jewelers Inc. Boston MA $200.00Mary I. Omartian Springfield MA $100.00Mariam Kochakian Methuen MA $200.00Carolyn F. & Paul A. Neeson Millis MA $50.00Zevart Hollisian Watertown MA $25.00Zareh & Hasmig Maserejian Belmont MA $100.00John Mirak Foundation ArlingtonMA $400.00Margrit Atinizian Winchester MA $600.00Alice E. Aznoian Methuen MA $300.00 Armen & Nora Adourian Burlington MA $150.00 Gerald F. White LawrenceMA $25.00Harry & Hripsime Parsekian Watertown MA $400.00 Dr. & Mrs. Nishan Goudsouzian Winchester MA $200.00 Jean Shapazian Waltham MA $100.00 Anonymous Waltham MA $60.00 Ted Touloukian S. BostonMA $200.00Mary Omartian Springfield MA $160.00 Sonia Iskandarian Watertown MA $200.00Peter & Charleen Onanian Weston MA $200.00 Michael & Kathleen Casey Andover MA $10.00 Herman & LauraPurutyan Concord MA $100.00 Emma Sogoian Bloomfild Hts. MI $200.00Diana Lee Khachaturian Farmington Hills MI $400.00Armenian Renaissance Association Walled Lake MI $200.00

Since its inception in 2001, TCA Sponsor ATeacher Program has raised $642,900 andreached out to 6,427 teachers and school workers in Armenia and Karabakh.These are the donors for the year 2017, Donation from Canada are in Canadian dollars.

TCA Detroit Chapter Bloomfield Hills MI $2,000.00Robert Ajemian Fund-Mr. Detroit, MI $2,500.00Peter SarkseianMr. & Mrs. Herman Hintiryan Oak ParkMI $500.00Suzanne Hagopian West Bloomfield MI $200.00 Michael Avsharian Ann Arbor MI $25.00Evereg Fenesse Educational Society Novi MI $800.00Knights of Vartan Farmington Hills MI $600.00 Arsen Terjimanian Polytherm Testing & Cons. Clawson MI $200.00

NoreenMasropian Howell MI $500.00 Emma Sogoian Bloomfield Hills MI $200.00 Sarah Dergazarian Midland MI $400.00 Kathryn Ossian Pleasant Rdg. MI $200.00 James Derian Oxford MI $150.00Mr. & Mrs. Howard Atesian Bloomfield Hills MI $500.00 Margaret Aranosian Gattis Concord NH $500.00 Nazik & Oski Sesetyan Paramus NJ $200.00Denis & Anne Orlando Freehold NJ $200.00Martha & Richard Saraydarian Englewood Cliffs NJ $160.00Jane Gahanian Hastings Wayne NJ $50.00Mary I. Gueyikian Marlboro NJ $200.00Nurhan & Victoria Becidyan Paramus NJ $200.00Hagop Vartivarian Englewood NJ $160.00Mark & Christine Badach Wyckoff NJ $200.00 Raffi & Sossy Shekookian Tinton Falls NJ $200.00Raffi Allaverdi Hackensack NJ $200.00 Dr. J.A. Gulekjian Englewood Cliffs NJ $200.00Dr. Lucy B. Borke-Adams Medford NJ $400.00 Armen & BrendaShahinian Franklin Lakes NJ $200.00 Lucy V.Soovajian Union City NJ $250.00 Ara & Rose Akian Belleville NJ $100.00 Hagop Isnar Haworth NJ $100.00 Sonia Hachigian Schenectady NY $100.00Robert Mihran Mooradian Troy NY $320.00Nayda Voskerijian New Hyde Park NY $100.00Robert Mihran Mooradian Troy NY $400.00Joyce Haroutunian Sea Cliff NY $100.00Alice Emirzayan-Costes Staten Island NY $600.00Fr. Karekin Kasparian White Plains NY $200.00J. Mardirossian White Plains NY $100.00 Z. Ken Derian Huntington Station NY $150.00 Michael & Michelle Norehad Bay Village OH $1,000.00 Alice Karabian Philadelphia PA $25.00Hrant & Arlene Jilozian Broomall PA $200.00Mayis & Jemiq Seapan Landenberg PA $200.00 Jacob & Ruth Harpootian East Providence RI $200.00Robert Ouloosian & Family Cranston RI $100.00Zohrab & Arpine Tcholakian Houston TX $200.00Sirop & Maro Bedrosian Houston TX $400.00Karekin Jelalian Vienna VA $320.00 Rita Balian Arlington VA $250.00Sponsor A Teacher donors List from CanadaMr. Harry Yesayan (Toronto) $1000Mr. & Mrs. Souren & Lilian Agemian (Toronto) $480Mr. Antranig Tatossian (Montreal) $320Mr. & Mrs. Armen and Ani Parunak (Montreal) $320Mr. & Mrs. Agop & Takouhi Sirinyan (Montreal) $200Mrs. Diana Hadjetian (Montreal) $200Mr. & Mrs. Hratch & Annie Torikian (Montreal) $160Mr. & Mrs. Avedis and Sima Bahlawanian (Montreal) $160Mr. & Mrs. Avedis and Arsho Djihanian (Montreal) $160Mrs. Sonia Boulos (Montreal) $160Mr. Hovhannes Boyadjian (Montreal) $160Mrs. Aida Baghjajian (Montreal) $160Mrs. Luisa Fazliyan (Montreal) $160Mrs. Nina Arabian (Montreal) $160Mr. & Mrs. Kevork Tutundjian (Toronto) $160Mr. & Mrs. Vahran and Rakel Salibian (Toronto) $160Dr. Isabelle Basmadjian (Toronto) $160Mrs. Suzanne Benlian (Toronto) $160Miss Taline Baltayan (Toronto) $160Mr. & Mrs. Gary & Alice Armen (Vancouver) $160

SPONSOR A TEACHER IN ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH

13T 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, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8

Arts & Living

Author Traces Theft ofChristian Art in Cyprus inWake of Turkish Invasion

NEW YORK — A nation’s cultural cleansing is a destruction of its history, a“rape of its culture,” stated Tasoula Hadjitofi, on Friday, February 2, to an over-flow crowd at the Zohrab Information Center of the Armenian Diocese.

Hadjitofi was born in Famagusta, Cyprus, now occupied by Turkish forces formore than four decades, related her spine-tingling story of orchestrating one of the

most riveting European art traffickingstings since World War II. She hasmeticulously detailed her engrossing40-year detective work in her newlyreleased book, The Icon Hunter: A

Refugee’s Quest to Reclaim Her Nation’s Stolen Heritage.The art sleuth was introduced by Zohrab Center executive director, the Very

Rev. Daniel Findikyan who called her book “a memoir of entry into the interna-tional art trafficking of icon antiquities from the monuments and monasteries ofCyprus, belonging especially to the Orthodox Christians.” These precious relics,many which were disfigured and partially destroyed, have now been restored andreturned to Cyprus, including a priceless 14th-century Armenian manuscriptgospel.

The author used a Power Point demonstration to illustrate what she called the“most beautiful island in the Mediterranean — Cyprus.” She emotionally relatedhow she, at the age of 14, andher family, were forced to flee in1974 when Turkey invaded andoccupied 40 percent of theisland, including her “beloved”home city of Famagusta.

“I woke up to the sound ofplanes roaring, and bombsexploding,” she related. “Manyof my classmates were rapedand killed. During the invasion,my mother was kneeling andpraying for three days. I saw warthrough the eyes of a child.Where was the United Nations?Where were the British and theGreeks who had once occupiedthe island? Where were theAmerican cowboys?”

She went to England, work-ing to pay for her studies, andeventually became a successful

see HUNTER, page 15

New Volume by TanerAkçam Focuses onArmenian Genocide‘Smoking Gun’

WORCESTER — For more than a century,Turkey has denied a role in organizing theArmenian Genocide.

In his new book, Killing Orders: Talat Pasha’sTelegrams and the Armenian Genocide, Turkishhistorian and Clark University’s Prof. TanerAkçam, has identified the “smoking gun” provingTurkey’s involvement in organizing the ArmenianGenocide. While decades of scholarly research hasdecisively established the systematic annihilationof Armenians, the scarcity of direct evidence hasallowed the Turkish government to persist in itsdenial up until now.

Akçam uncovered the original telegram fromthe trials, in an archive held by the ArmenianPatriarchate of Jerusalem. Until recently, thesmoking gun was missing. The story begins in1915 in an office in the Turkish city ofErzurum, when a high-level official of theOttoman Empire punched out a telegram insecret code to a colleague in the field, asking fordetails about the deportations and killings ofArmenians in eastern Anatolia, the easternmostpart of contemporary Turkey.

Later, a deciphered copy of the telegram helpedconvict the official, Behaeddin Shakir, for plan-ning what scholars have long acknowledged andTurkey has long denied: the organized killing ofup to 1.5 million Armenians by the leaders of thecollapsing Ottoman Empire, an atrocity widelyrecognized as the 20th century’s first genocide.

Akçam is an internationally recognized humanrights activist and was one of the first Turkishintellectuals to acknowledge and openly discussthe Armenian Genocide.

Akçam, described as “the Sherlock Holmes ofArmenian Genocide” in a New York Times articlein April 2017, made these landmark discoveries ina private archive. He argues that the documentshe has uncovered remove a cornerstone from thedenialist edifice, and definitively prove the his-toricity of the Armenian Genocide.

“Successive Turkish governments have gone togreat lengths to ensure that evidence of the intentto extinguish the Armenian people could not belocated,” said Akçam. “These findings are ‘anearthquake in the field of genocide studies.’ Theywill make it impossible for the TurkishGovernment to continue to deny the ArmenianGenocide.”

Dirk Moses of the University of Sydney,Australia, says the book is “essential reading forall those interested in Genocide and HumanRights Studies.”

Akçam holds the Robert Aram and MarianneKaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chairin Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark’s StrasslerCenter for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Aninternationally recognized human rightsactivist, Akçam was one of the first Turkish intel-lectuals to acknowledge and openly discuss theArmenian Genocide. He has lectured widely andpublished numerous articles and books, translat-ed into many languages.

His previous book, The Young Turks’ CrimeAgainst Humanity: The Armenian Genocide andEthnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire (2012),was co-winner of the Middle East StudiesAssociation’s Albert Hourani Book Award andone of ForeignAffairs.com’s “Best Books on theMiddle East.”

Akçam’s many honors include the Hrant DinkSpirit of Freedom and Justice Medal fromthe Organization of Istanbul Armenians and theHrant Dink Freedom Award from the Armenian BarAssociation (both in 2015); the ‘Heroes of Justiceand Truth’ awarded at the Armenian GenocideCentennial commemoration in May 2015. TheDiocese of the Armenian Church of America(Eastern) recognized him as a Friend of theArmenians in 2016. In May, he will receive the 2018Outstanding Upstander Award from the WorldWithout Genocide organization.

Killing Orders: Talat Pasha’s Telegrams and theArmenian Genocide, was published by PalgraveMacmillan.

Ara Sarafian To Speak aboutVasbouragan Book

FRESNO — Ara Sarafian, director of theLondon-based Gomidas Institute, will presenta lecture titled “Van 1915: The Great Eventsof Vasbouragan” on Friday, February 23, at7:30 p.m., in the University Business Center,Alice Peters Auditorium, Room 191. The pre-sentation is part of the Spring Lecture Seriesof the Armenian Studies Program. The LeonS. Peters Foundation is a co-sponsor of theevent.

Van 1915: The Great Events ofVasbouragan is the most detailed report onwhat happened to Armenians in the Ottomanprovince of Van in 1915. It was published inYerevan in 1917 and remains one of the mostimportant works ever published on theArmenian Genocide. A-Do [Hovhannes TerMartirosian] personally interviewed eye-wit-nesses, described key incidents in harrowingdetails, and gave a sober analysis of what hadhappened. He pinpointed April 16, 1915 asthe beginning of genocidal attacks againstArmenians.

However, A-Do also related how Armenianswere not passive victims and defended them-selves in many places, most notably in the cityof Van and Shadakh. Much of this book is ablow by blow account of the actual fightingthat took place.

A-Do’s report also covered the formation

of a provisional Armenian government dur-ing the Russian occupation of this region,as well as the great exodus of Armenians tothe Caucasus when the Russians withdrew.

In his presentation at Fresno State, histori-an Sarafian will introduce A-Do’s work in itsbroader historiographical context, beforefocusing on some of the critical details athand. His presentation will include pho-tographs, maps, and diagrams that bring A-Do’s work alive.

Sarafian is an Armenian historian specializ-ing in the late Ottoman Empire and modernTurkey. He was a founding director of theGomidas Institute and is its current director.He has edited and written critical introduc-tions to several of the institute’s publications.

Van 1915: The Great Events ofVasbouragan will be available for sale at thepresentation.

The lecture is free and open to the public.Free parking is available in Fresno State LotsP6 and P5.

For more information about the lecturevisit www.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies.

Author Tasoula Hadjitofi

By Florence Avakian

Ara Sarafian

By Andrew Westrope

AUBURN, Calif. (Auburn Journal) — BarbaraErysian has lived with the story since before shewas 10 years old.

She doesn’t remember the first time she heardit, but the details — a man buried alive, childrenorphaned and starving, a global migration toescape the extermination of 1.5 million fellowArmenians — never left her.

Erysian, a Granite Bay resident, heard thestory from her grandmother Alice Zerahianmany times growing up. It was autobiographical,and always ended with a plea: “Tell your children.Tell your children’s children. Never forget.”

Now 55, Erysian knows she is descended froma survivor of the Armenian Genocide, in whichthe Ottoman Empire targeted a religious minori-ty for annihilation by executions, death marchesand other brutal tactics between 1914 and 1923.Taking her grandmother’s plea to heart, she haslaunched into a years-long process of turningAlice Zerahian’s story into a movie.

Old terror, new headlines

Alice Zerahian immigrated from Armenia toMassachusetts in the early 1920s and thenmoved to Fresno, where Erysian remembersspending time with her on holidays and week-long summer visits. As a math professor at SierraCollege since 2004, Erysian hadn’t had muchoccasion to revisit her grandmother’s story untilshe saw TV reports of ISIS activity in 2013, andit stirred something in her memory.

“I felt that people should know somehow, andunderstand, this persecution is not a new thing— that this has been going on in that region fora very long time,” she said. “As a child I did noteven understand what (my grandmother) wastelling me, but she would tell me the story repeat-edly, and it laid on my heart. Four years ago, Ijust realized that (sharing it) was something Ineeded to do.”

Hoping to reach the widest possible audienceand being skeptical that a book would do it, sheset about writing a screenplay. Erysian had neverattempted such a thing before, so she startedresearching in earnest — not only history, butscreenwriting and storytelling.

Around her grandmother’s story she had topopulate an entire world of missionaries, sup-porting characters, soldiers and antagonists withtheir own backgrounds and struggles. The act of

creation was a challenge, fulfilling the dramaticneeds of a screenplay without compromising thereality of the story that inspired her in the firstplace. She also wanted to respect why the storyresonates without leaning too hard on timeli-ness.

“There’s a lot of animosity still between theTurkish people and the Armenians, because tothis day the Turkish government denies thatthere was a genocide,” she said. “It was impor-tant to me through this process to not make itpolitical — to genuinely make it just her story.”

The Pitch

Every summer, writers descend on The GreatAmerican PitchFest in Los Angeles to woo pro-ducers and investors with their dream projects. Itwas there that Barbara Erysian saw her window.Having spent the better part of two years on writ-ing and research, she flew to Los Angeles in2015 with a completed draft.

The title was simple: “Who Will Remember.”The pitch was quick, by necessity, limited toabout five minutes. The audience each time wastired, having listened to who-knows-how-manylove stories and pipe dreams that day. But whereseven producers passed, an eighth, MaxFreedman, had a vision.

“I work intuitively, so I was struck positivelyabout it. I heard probably 50 or 60 five-minutepitches that day,” Freedman said. “I saw Barbaraapproach my table with her grandmother behindher, which was impossible since her grandmoth-er had long ago deceased, but I could visualizeher grandmother … (Barbara) just said reallyclearly to me what the story was, and I instantlygot it. It just clicked. For whatever reason, it wassomewhat magical, I think.”

More than just a producer, Freedman, 73, is aLos Angeles-based filmmaker who makes hisown movies through MFM Productions, the pro-ducing arm of his filmmaking and publishingcompany. Instantly sold by Erysian’s pitch in2015, he spent most of the ensuing two and ahalf years refining Erysian’s original script.

“The first thing I did was read the script, andI was amazed that someone who teaches mathfor a profession for 30 years could achieve suchpoignancy the first time out,” he said.

Eventually the script scored a rare “recom-mend” rating from Slated, a professional script-analysis company, as opposed to “consider” or“pass.”

The next step was to budget and raise moneyfor the project. As with most films, that’s where

“Who Will Remember” hit its first snag, soErysian suggested making a short film — a proof-of-concept to persuade investors to pay for a fea-ture. Freedman and Erysian had budgeted thefeature version at $14 million, but a 15-minuteshort they could finance themselves for about$13,000.

Write Global, Shoot Local

To assemble the crew Max Freedman tappedStephen Chollet, a two-time Emmy Award-win-ning video producer in Chico who then recruitedmost of the talent behind the camera.

Chollet has done a little of everything, fromindependent films and shorts to documentaries,commercials and corporate videos. But besidesbeing an opportunity for work, he said, the pro-ject intrigued him. It was a learning exercise, ashe didn’t know much about the history of theArmenian Genocide, and he liked that it was adramatic short film with a documentary qualityto it, like recreating history.

“It’s a true family story, and we’re bringingthat to life,” he said. “(It’s about) bringing someawareness to that — as the name of the film says,‘Who Will Remember.’ I think it’s an importantproject.”

Unable to shoot across the globe due to bud-get constraints, Freedman, Chollet and theircrew found what they needed in and aroundErysian’s home in Granite Bay. They recruitedactors from Los Angeles, the Bay Area andMerced, shooting nine scenes in two days atthree locations in January 2018: in Erysian’shouse, at Folsom State Park (the north shorecan pass for a desert, as Erysian pointed out),and on an impromptu set in La Belle Vie in OldTown Roseville.

They also consulted Armenian members of HisHouse Ministries Armenian Church in RanchoCordova to be sure the costumes, props andother details were accurate. The church gave ablessing for the project on Jan. 7, and memberswere present for some of the filming. LusineAleksanyan, a member of the church whose first

experience on a film set was watching the reen-actment of a murder, found it eye-opening.

“It’s a lot of fun, but sad to watch at the sametime, because it really happened,” she said. “I feellike more people need to know what really hap-pened back then … how many people got killed,how women were treated, the kids, the men.”

Lessons from History

One of the ironies of Alice Zerahian’s story isthat she lived into her 90s, got Alzheimer’s dis-ease and forgot everything in the end. But shesurvived the genocide to tell the tale, and hergranddaughter has spent much of the past fouryears contemplating why it’s so important toremember.

“This movie is told from the perspective of ayoung girl and her little brother who survived,and I keep asking myself two questions: one is,why did she survive, or how did she survive thatgenocide … and why me?” she said. “Why do Ifeel so compelled … to tell this story?”

A diminutive figure at 5’1”, perhaps Erysianrelates to her grandmother in that respect. Atleast she marvels at the girl’s mettle in survivingwhat millions of others did not. But Erysiannever really found the answer to “why me,” savea few spiritual insights that amounted to, “Itdoesn’t really matter.” Though she’s not a screen-writer, or “Hollywood,” or even fluent inArmenian, she believes an important story washanded to her by her grandmother, and she’sdoing something with it.

She hopes to see the short film completed byApril 24, in time for a premiere at the CapitalChristian Center’s commemoration of the geno-cide.

“When 1.5 million people are killed for the rea-son (of) their particular culture, religion or eth-nicity, and killed in violent and barbaric ways, Idon’t think that it’s good as a human race for usto ignore those events or deny that they hap-pened,” Erysian said. “I think people shouldknow about those events, so we can learn fromthem.”

14 S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

ARTS & LIVING

Belmont Public Schools’ AsadoorianHonored for Arts Programs

BELMONT, Mass. (Belmont Citizen-Herald) — Belmont Public Schools’ Director of Visualand Performing Arts Arto Asadoorian was honored with an Award of Excellence by the

Belmont Council on Aging on January 25. Theaward recognizes Asadoorian for the intergenera-tional programs his department’s staff and stu-dents have organized for seniors throughout theyear such as parent/teacher chorus and

parent/teacher band, the Belmont High School Jazz Collective concert, BHS MadrigalSingers caroling, the BHS Chamber orchestra and the Senior Dance.

“It’s a real honor to accept the recognition on behalf of the work that our departmentdoes, the teachers and students do. It’s gratifying to know that it’s appreciated when wesend students to the Beech Street Center to perform,” said Asadoorian.

He said it is beneficial for students as well to be part of the intergenerational programs.Superintendent John Phelan, Town

Administrator Patrice Garvin andSelectman Adam Dash were present forthe award ceremony. Phelan thankedAsadoorian’s wife and two childrenbecause he knows how much Arto isout of the house for these programs.

“Your dad’s a big deal. Thank you forsharing your ‘big deal’ dad with thewhole town,” he said.

Asadoorian is a saxophonist, wood-wind specialist and composer. He grewup Shrewsbury but visited Belmontoften while growing up because hismother is from Belmont and his grand-parents lived in Belmont. He recallsbeing a young musician sitting next toolder players.

“As a young musician you feel like ahot shot when you’re playing, then yousit next to an 85-year-old saxophonistwho has been practicing for 60 yearsand realize you keep getting better at itthe longer you do it,” he said.

By Joanna Tzouvelis

Arto Asadoorian (Belmont Citizen-Herald photo)

NEW YORK — Starting with his reading andtalk at the University of Kansas on ThursdayFebruary 23, Pulitzer prize winning poet PeterBalakian will be reading, lecturing, and meet-ing with students at colleges and universitiesand libraries in the coming months. Balakian’sother appearances include Georgia College, theAssociated Writer’s Programs Convention inTampa, San Jose State University, BucknellUniversity, Worcester State University, and theKatonah (NY) Poetry Series.

The following is a list of his appearances:February 23: University of Kansas, Hall

Center, 7:30 p.m.March 7: Georgia College, 11 a.m. Poetry

Reading; keynote lecture 5 p.m.March 8-9: AWP, Tampa Convention Center,

March 8, 3:15; March 9, NoonApril 5: Bucknell University, Janet Weis

Endowed, reading, 7 p.m., Stadler CenterApril 12: San Jose State University, Reading,

Hammer Theatre, 7 p.m.,April 26: Worcester State University, lecture

and reading, 11:30 a.m.June 3: Katonah (NY) Poetry Series, Katonah

Library, 4 p.m. readingBalakian is the author of many books includ-

ing the Pulitzer Prize winning Ozone Journal,and Black Dog of Fate, winner of thePEN/Albrand Award. He is the Donald M and

Constance H. Rebar Professor of theHumanities in the department of English atColgate University.

Peter Balakian

Balakian to Go on Lecture Tour in US

Barbara Erysian’s Movie Tells Story of ArmenianGenocide, Grandmother’s Survival

15S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

ARTS & LIVING

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Eggplant Appetizer with Garlic Tahini and Mint

INGREDIENTS1 large eggplant, washed, cut into 1/4 inch slices3-4 tablespoons tahini4 cloves garlic, mashed1 1/2 cups plain white or Greek yogurt (more to taste)1/2 medium cucumber, chopped or diced2 tablespoons chopped fresh mintJuice of 2 large lemons (more to taste)Sea or Kosher salt, red pepper, black pepper, and dried herbs to tasteOlive oilFinely chopped tomatoes, green onions and flat-leaf parsley as garnishChopped fresh basil and mint as garnishOlives, lemon wedges, roasted peppers, Armenian lavosh or pita bread, and slicedcheese

PREPARATION:Lightly brush eggplant slices with olive oil and choice of dried herbs. Grill for 5

minutes on each side until eggplant is cooked and skin is charred or bake in a 400degree oven until eggplant is browned and tender. Remove eggplant fårom grill oroven and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine the tahini, garlic, yogurt, cucumber,mint, lemon juice, salt, red pepper, and black pepper with some olive oil untilingredients are smooth. Adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice or olive oil togain the taste and consistency desired.

Chop or mash eggplant slices, add to the blender or food processor, and blenduntil ingredients are well mixed. Add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt to taste.Cover and chill for 1-2 hours before serving or serve at room temperature.

Place eggplant mixture in a bowl and top with chopped tomatoes, green onions,and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with olives, lemon wedges,roasted peppers, Armenian lavosh, pita bread, sliced cheese, and chopped freshbasil and mint.

Serves 4-6.*Christine's recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunset

magazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

Recipe Corner

by Christine Vartanian Datian

HUNTER, from page 13entrepreneur, and started a family. Her life’swork of becoming the “art Sherlock” was justbeginning. During the Turkish occupation ofCyprus, hundreds of churches were desecratedand destroyed, and thousands of religious iconswere stolen, sold or destroyed. Greek placenames were changed.

“In every war, there is the pillaging of histo-ry of a country or region. Greed, power andmoney dominate. It has been so from the earli-est times of mankind and it continues today,”she said. “There is no greater loss than one’sculture,” she stated. “Every penny that I haveearned is to be used to chase, find and retrievethe icons around the world.”

During her intensive work, she worked close-ly with Archbishop Chrysostomos I of theOrthodox Church of Cyprus, as well as Dutchart dealers, Canadian sellers and German detec-tives and police, at times forced to play “cat andmouse.” She was targeted by art traffickers.Fearing for herself and her family’s life, shefinally had to pay for private security.

The four-decades-long journey finally all cul-minated in the dramatic and climactic arrest ofTurkish art trafficker Aydin Dikmen byInterpol, leading to the recovery of $60 millionof stolen icons and other treasures fromCyprus, and from around the world.

During a robust question-and-answer session,the speaker detailed more of the history ofCyprus, and emotionally spoke of her return

trip to Cyprus. “I used my cultural heritage asmy right to go home. I walked into the crystalclear sea to see my city, now destroyed andempty, even though Turkish soldiers werepointing guns at me. I shed all my 40 years intothat water.”

Hadjitofi and her assistant Dr. MarinaMkhitarian have established the “Walk ofTruth” non-governmental organization, inefforts to continue the work of tracking downand preventing the art smugglers, war profi-teers and terrorists who today are continuing tosteal countless cultural from artifacts from vul-nerable war-torn countries, including Syria,Iraq, Afghanistan, and several African nations.

“The Walk of Truth gives me a platform tocontinue the idea that culture can be what con-nects us, not what divides us. The cultural his-tory of the world belongs to each of us which iswhy we must all contribute to protect it,” shedeclared with emphasis.

At the reception following her presentation,attendees lined up to have the author sign herbook. All proceeds from the sale of “The IconHunter” will benefit the Walk of Truth NGOwhich raises awareness and rallies govern-ments, political figures, museums, and culturalorganizations in stopping art trafficking andprotecting cultural heritage in war torn coun-tries and areas of conflict.

The Icon Hunter: A Refugee’s Quest toReclaim Her Nation’s Stolen Heritage is avail-able on Amazon.

Author Traces Theft of Christian Art inCyprus in Wake of Turkish Invasion

FORT LEE, N.J. — Hundreds of Armenian-American youth will gather once again in a showof solidarity on the eve of the Times SquareArmenian Genocide Commemoration for aremembrance event held on Saturday, April 21, atCity Perch here. Singer Elie Berberian will makea special appearance.

This annual event, sponsored by the Knightsand Daughters of Vartan, is now in its fourth yearand unites Armenian youth and young profes-sionals from the New York metro area to observethe Armenian Genocide and also have a chanceto network and spend time with their fellowArmenian peers.

“As the next generation we need to make surewe have a strong presence every year in TimesSquare to commemorate the ArmenianGenocide,” said Jirair Khorozian, a member ofthe Knights of Vartan. “By hosting this event theday before the commemoration, we’re able tospread the word and gain enthusiasm for all of usto be present in Times Square.”

An integral member of that next generation isElie Berberian, who has succeeded in connectingwith his generation of Armenian youth while alsohonoring the musical traditions of the past.Berberian himself encourages all Armenians toplay a part in their cultural preservation.

“Every nation outside of its roots is suffering,”said Berberian in a recent interview. “There hasto be more effort. Instead of saying “it’s dark,”light a cultural candle in your house. Whereveryou walk, let flowers bloom.”

The evening will feature music, drinks and foodalong with camaraderie and dialogue. TheKnights and Daughters of Vartan, an interna-tional organization that has been sponsoring theTimes Square Commemoration in New York Citysince 1985, welcomes the attendance of allArmenians at the youth event and the commem-

oration on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 2 pm to4 pm in Times Square, where noted politiciansand elected officials will pay tribute to the mar-tyrs of the Armenian Genocide and also speak ofrecent developments regarding recognition.

“We are fortunate to inherit such meaningfuland influential events such as the Times SquareCommemoration,” said committee memberTaleen Babayan. “It’s our duty now to showstrength in numbers and come together in har-mony and conviction.”

The event will be 8 p.m. to midnight at CityPerch (2023 Hudson Street). Visit 100yearsand-beyond.eventbrite.com for tickets and more infor-mation.

-Taleen Babayan

Knights Organize Youth Festivity withElie Berberian on Eve of Times Square

Elie Berberian

Celebrants from last year’s event.

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, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 816

ARTS & LIVING

STEPANYAN, from page 1In the beginning, it was quite difficult. Aside

from the issue of languages, she said, “All myfriends were asking, are you Tashnag [adherentof the Armenian Revolutionary Federation]?Are you Hnchag [adherent of the SocialDemocratic Hnchagian Party]? I said, what thehell is that? I am just Armenian. They asked me,are you Homenetmen or Homenmen[Armenian sport associations affiliated respec-tively with the two aforementioned political par-ties]? I answered, I don’t know. They said, oh,you are Homenmen then; you are a traitor…Iremember I went home crying.”

It was not all bad. She said, “There were alsonice kids who were supportive andhelpful…This kind of openness to other cul-tures, religion, race made me somebody who Iam. I gained a lot. My trips, my searching [for]homes, because something that is importantfor me is to establish home where I am. I real-ize that I was 11-years-old when I lost myhome. Since then, I am searching for a newone. I guess I can say I found it here.”

Stepanyan grew up surrounded by art, as herparents were both artists, and her mother a cel-list. Her mother’s cousin or “uncle,” EdgarBaghdasaryan, himself a filmmaker, providedher first introduction to cinema. Stepanyansaid, “I was 6 years old when he made a filmcalled “Khagher” [Games]. I acted in it. We wereall children and it was a war film. We were allwarriors, prisoners. … I was really fascinated bythe ambience — the light, the darkness, the mys-terious world that cinema could create. Themoment that he would say silence, and action,he was entering into another dimension, anoth-er world. I did not want him to say cut, becauseit would become so dull.”

By coincidence, a museum dedicated to filmdirector and artist Sergei Parajanov was nextdoor to Stepanyan’s house, and she grew upplaying in this museum with all the dolls andother objects he had created. At the time,Stepanyan admitted, she did not know who hewas or his cinema. She went to his funeral at theage of six because her parents were great admir-ers of his. However, Stepanyan said, “In someunconscious way, it had a great effect on me.”

She studied communication arts at theAmerican University of Beirut, with an empha-sis on radio, television and film, and made sev-eral films there, including “The Needle” and“The Last Station.” Trips to participate in theBusan International Film Festival in SouthKorea in 2007, and in the Den DanskeFilmskole exchange program in Denmark in2012 had an important effect on her.

In Beirut Stepanyan was studying fictionnarrative in the classic sense, but friends per-suaded her to go to the documentary film pro-gram in Denmark because it was extraordi-nary. She said, “It is true that it changed mylife… it really changed me because there Iunderstood that cinema is cinema…What isimportant is to say is that it is something thatcomes from inside…Look at what is inside youand then think of how you want to express it.The form will come later.”

Her new film, “Those from the Shore” [inFrench titled “Ceux de Rivage”] which will beshown soon in the Boston area, can be con-sidered one of its fruits. Stepanyan said thatthough it is a documentary, there are fictionalelements in it. She said, “I like to explore thisthin line between the two. It is about issuesthat bother me, that want to get out. My lan-guage of exploring is cinema.” It is an 84-minute black-and-white film in French andArmenian, which she co-wrote with her hus-band, Jean-Christophe Ferrari. “Those fromthe Shore” is a slow moving and melancholydocumentary portraying the travails of agroup of Armenian immigrants to France.Tellingly, the only use of color in this dark filmis in a brief section of reverie about the nativevillages of some of the immigrants.

When asked about the tempo and length,she responded, “Of course I could have cutthis film down to 60 minutes, but then itwould have been massacred...Some people

have said that it is long and slow, but that isthe voyage to which I am inviting you. It is asif I give you my hand and say, ‘come, do youwant to accompany me on the street.’ Everyfilm has its own rhythm. I also follow my owninterior rhythm because I am a very instinctu-al person.”

She said that though this film was aboutArmenians, it was not only about Armenians,but about what is happening in the worldtoday. And it is not only about the refugee cri-sis, but, she said, “really to approach from theinterior the human feeling of what it means towait. How do we wait? In this waiting, what dowe lose? What do we gain?”

She said that she does not intent to explain,but rather to give an opening to create somecivility about what is happening in the world.She said that it is not so much about giving amessage to the world, but rather about sensi-

tivity. In other words, though there is a politicalelement in her work, it is not in a direct way.

Stepanyan first became aware of Armenianrefugees in France when she happened to seetent dwellers in Lyon near the train station.She said, “I was very affected. I did not knowthat people lived in the streets. In Francethere are a lot of people who are homeless.”And when she heard the children speakingArmenian, she said, it was so painful. She said,“I needed to find out why these people werethere. Then, as the subject grew deeper in me,I needed to know how they endure it.”

She went to Marseille to shoot the film, andsome organizations there helped connect herwith Armenian refugee families. For her, shesaid, “The beauty of documentary filmmakingis a kind of dialogue created between me andthese people. It is something we share for life.These relations are constructed and they stay.They invited me into their lives and I invitedthem into my life.”

She filmed for over a year and a half,because she said that to understand waiting,she needed time to observe these people. Herfilmmaking process is based on a lot of impro-visation. She said that she writes a film threetimes. “First I write the film on paper, then Iwrite the film through shooting, taking in allthe improvisations, and then I write in edit-ing,” she said. She developed this method ofworking on her own.

The film has many visual references to thesea and to waves. Stepanyan said, “For me, thesea brought Armenians to Marseille a hundredyears ago after the Genocide. Boats broughtArmenians to Marseille. For me, today, the seais bringing a lot of immigrants from every-where in the world.” This sea is not just blueand lovely. It can, Stepanyan said, turn blackand deaf. The Armenians who go to the shoreare waiting, meditating and expecting.

A visit by the Armenian refugees to theChateau d’If resonates symbolically. In the1844 French adventure novel The Count of

Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, the titlecharacter Edmond Dantès is framed for acrime he did not commit and unjustly sen-tenced to prison in the Chateau d’If, an islandfortress from which no political prisoner couldescape. Stepanyan explained that this visit washer idea. In the Soviet Armenian educationsystem, it was obligatory to read this novel (intranslation). So all the Armenians were inter-ested in this prison and Stepanyan arrangedthe visit when she had a team of cameramenready (normally she prefers to film alone,using digital equipment).

Much of the dialogue is in Armenian, as therefugees often remain with each other.Funding for the film came from the regionaround Marseille, and the region in the southwhere her producer comes from. ThoughStepanyan works in France, she is also is stillconsidered a filmmaker of the Arab world

because of her years in Lebanon, and so shealso received funding from Arab sources,including the Doha Film Institute of Qatar. Inits turn, the film, she says, is an open one. Sheplaced an Arabic poem in the film, for exam-ple, because it is universal.

Aside from Parajanov, Stepanyan’sArmenian influences include ArdavaztPeleshian. She said, “There is something veryArmenian in me. At the same time, there issomething very international. I moved somuch and grew up in so many cultures andlanguages and literatures.”

However, at present, Stepanyan said, “I amvery sad to say that I don’t think there is anArmenian school of filmmaking. If there is, Iam very sad to say that it is very poor andmediocre, though there are some very talent-ed filmmakers.” When people start to do films,they leave the country, and there are so fewprofessionals left to teach in Armenia, largelybecause of the low incomes.

Stepanyan explained further that “Arts havea very tiny place in Armenia. If you are a busi-nessman, and have a shop, then you have agood income, and even if you work as a secre-tary, you have a better salary than a professorin a university. It is absurd.”

Stepanyan says that Armenian themesremain close to her heart, and she continuesto think much about Armenia. She said, “I crya lot about Armenia. It is my country, my lan-guage, my literature.” Her parents, she felt,were the two biggest lovers of Armenia shehas ever seen, and now she has transmittedthis love of Armenia to her daughter, who isfour years old, she said. “Films,” sheexclaimed, “are my way of remaining in con-tact with my homeland. I want to fight for it inmy own way. I don’t fight with arms…my armsare my films.”

Armenia, Stepanyan said, has been support-ive within its means of her work. There is a cin-ema center fund which gave most of themoney for her prior film, “February 19,” her

short fiction narrative shot completely in atrain. She intended it to be a meditation onlost love.

Stepanyan said that of her work so far, thisfilm “is the most special to me, I think,because the process was so insanely interest-ing. It was not at all a classical way of writinga film. It was a lot of thinking, experimenting,trying, talking, doing, writing, erasing, and theprocess, I shot over four nights int eh train,and, I don’t know…it was a way for me tobreathe. I was going through a very difficulttime in my personal life.” In the end, she said,“I felt I had come out of an expedition to theNorth Pole, or something as unique.”

The film also opened a lot of new paths forher. She explained, “First of all, because of thisfilm, I met my husband. And secondly, inArmenia, I won an Oscar for the best short,and in a way, it was my way to enter the cine-matographic world.”

Stepanyan is working on two new projects.“The things I see, I read, I hear…lead to docu-mentary ideas,” she said. One is a film on a far-away village in Armenia, and the effects of sea-sonal emigration. The other fictional narra-tive, she said, “is about how much we knowthe person we love, and how far we can knowthe person we love.” It too is connected withArmenia, as a voyage film, but it is also aboutdeath. Both films are French productions,with French producers.

Though she generally works alone, she isalso very loyal to her collaborators. Part of italso is, as she said, “I am a control freak.” Inher first films, she worked with Cynthia Zaven,an Armenian-Lebanese composer who com-posed music for her short film “Embers,” herfirst documentary. She said, “I trust the peo-ple I work with. I know what I want. I knowCynthia would do something great.” While“Those from the Shore” had ready-mademusic from Charles Ives that fit well, butCynthia also composed for “February 19,” inwhich music has an important role. Stepanyansaid, “I had talked with her the whole nightabout the film. I left in the evening, and in themorning she came to me and gave me a disk,and said, there is your music.” She had com-posed all through the night.

She said that she has the same relationshipwith her cinematographer, Tamam Hamza, aSyrian who used to live in Armenia but now isin Canada. Stepanyan said, “Sometimes Idon’t even tell my cinematographer what Iwant — he just knows.” Her producer broughthim from Canada to France to work with her,and she will ask for him again in Armenia, aswell as for Cynthia and her editor. Stepanyansaid, “It is a family, and this relation, this is avalue for the film. It is teamwork.”

Making films is more a passion than a job forStepanyan. Musing, she said, “For me, cinemais almost a sacred art form. I look at it as some-thing very precious and important in my life...Ittakes time. It takes time, like good cooking, toslowly choose the ingredients and cook.”

Boston-area residents can see Stepanyan’s“Those from the Shore” on Sunday, March 11at 3:30 p.m. at the third annual Global CinemaFilm Festival at the Studio Cinema (376Trapelo Road in Belmont). There is a possibil-ity that Stepanyan may be present to discussher film in person.

Award-winning documentarian Raouf Jacobexplained why the festival chose to show thisfilm: “‘Those From The Shore’ is a timely andurgent piece that speaks directly to the mil-lions of immigrants and refugees around theglobe seeking asylum in places near and far.The director uses her lens to create an obser-vational study of the human condition whenwe are forced to remain still, as we livebetween different worlds, between two lives;moreover, as we live in a hostile world. From atechnical standpoint, ‘Those From The Shore’is a cinematic contribution that showcases theongoing evolution of the documentary form.Carefully composed and beautifully pho-tographed, it is a piece of visual art that sim-ply makes us care.”

Exile and Waiting Transformed into FilmThrough the Work of Tamara Stepanyan

Tamara Stepanyan

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, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8

MARCH 1 — The Armenian Memorial Church ofWatertown will hold its annual Lenten kufte supperon Thursday evening, at 6:30 p.m. in the church hall.Gourmet dinner features the delicious home-made lentilkufte, salad and Syrian bread. The popular tahine bread,also homemade, will be the dessert. This special dinneralways attracts a full house. Tickets are $18 for adultsand $10 for children 10 and under, and will be availableat the door or by calling the church office at 617-923-0498. 32 Bigelow Ave., Watertown.MARCH 4 — 2:30 p.m.: Hasmik Khalapyan, “Women’sActivism During the Western Armenian Renaissance,1860-1914” at the NAASR Center, Sun., 395 ConcordAve., Belmont, MA. Presented by the ArmenianInternational Women’s Association (AIWA) and theNational Association for Armenian Studies & Research(NAASR). The program is open to the public.Contact: hq@naasr.org or 617-489-1610.MARCH 8 — 7:30 p.m.: Hayk Demoyan, “BetweenRealism and Mythology: Modern Identity andMemory Politics of the Armenian World,” Thursday, atthe NAASR Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont,. The pro-gram is sponsored by the NAASR / Calouste GulbenkianFoundation Lecture Series on Contemporary ArmenianIssues and is open to the public.Contact: hq@naasr.org or 617-489-1610.MARCH 8-11 —The Global Cinema Film Festival ofBoston (GCFF) announces its 2018 Official Selections.The 3rd annual global event will be held at the StudioCinema, 376 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA. Festival kicksoff on March 8, at 6 p.m. with Red Carpet Event and filmscreenings until 10 p.m. Film screenings will continuefrom Friday, March 9, through Sunday, March 11, 2018from 12 to 11 p.m. For info visit @ www.worldwidecine-maframes.com. globalcinemafilmfestival@gmail.comMARCH 11, 2018 — “Jazz and Art for YerazArt” onSunday, 5 p.m., at Anoush’ella Saj Kitchen, 35 W NewtonSt., Boston. More information will follow.MARCH 13 — Armenian Business Networking (ABN)Winter Business Networking event, Tuesday, 6:30p.m., the Sheraton Commander in Cambridge. StephenDemirjian guest speaker from The Achieve Instituteshares methods on creating greater personal and worklife success. This event is free of charge. RSVP: armenian-businessnetwork@gmail.comMARCH 16 — Program to combat domestic violence inArmenia, Papken Suni Agoump, 76 Bigelow Ave.,Watertown, 7 to 9 p.m. Maro Matosian, executive direc-

tor of the Women’s Support Center, Armenia. AdvanceRSVP required Email Lenna.garibian@gmail.com. Thisfundraising event is sponsored by the Friends of the WSC.Donations to the WSC will be made via the TufenkianFoundation and are tax-deductible. Learn more atwww.womensupportcenter.org.MARCH 18 – Book Presentation by Adrienne G.Alexanian, Forced into Genocide, Memoirs of anArmenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army,Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Charles and Nevart Talanian CulturalHall, Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston,145 Brattle St., Cambridge. This book is a riveting mem-oir of Yervant Edward Alexanian, an eye-witness to themassacre and dislocation of his family and countrymen inOttoman Turkey during WW I, while he served as a con-script in the Turkish Army. Reception and Book Signing tofollow Presentation. All are welcome! Log ontohttp://www.htaac.org/calendar/event/527/ for furtherinformation.MARCH 22 — 7:30 p.m.: Siobhan Nash-Marshall, “TheSins of the Fathers: Turkish Denialism and theArmenian Genocide,” Thursday, at the NAASRCenter, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont. The program is opento the public. Contact: hq@naasr.org or 617-489-1610.MARCH 23 — Sirusho - Live For the First Time InBoston! Friday. A World Music Awardnominee, Sirusho combines Armenian traditional instru-ments with modern compositions. This is Sirusho’s firstconcert in Boston and she will perform with SNDC.Sponsored by the Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston.8 to 10.30 p.m., Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass.Ave., Boston. For tickets visit www.berklee.eduAPRIL 11 — A recap on the status of the documentaryproject “Neighbors in Memory,” accompanied by apanel of community members shedding light on the stateof Armenian-Turkish relations as they live and witness it.Wednesday, 7 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 204 Mass. Ave.,Arlington. Screenings, discussions and refreshments. Formore information: gonca59@gmail.comAPRIL 21 - MAY 13 — Off-Broadway production by PanAsian Repertory Theatre of Joyce Van Dyke’s play,“Daybreak:” the lyrical story of two Armenian womenfriends, survivors from 1915, who are transported withtheir families into the 21st century future. StarringLorraine Serabian as Victoria. Performances at theBeckett Theatre, 410 W. 42nd St., New York, Tuesdaysthrough Sundays; weekend matinees; discount tickets forseniors, students and groups. For tickets and informa-tion: Telecharge: www.telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200. Or contact the theatre: info@panasianrep.org,(212) 868-4030.

MAY 5 — Saturday, Kentucky Derby Watch Party, Funand festivities to support Armenia Tree Project, At the ele-gant/historic Gore Place in Waltham. Details to followMAY 5 — Save the date! Annual Meeting, ArmenianInternational Women’s Association (AIWA). Detailsto follow. Contact: info@aiwainternational.org or 617-926-0171.MAY 11 — Welcome His Holiness Karekin II, SupremePatriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, toCelebrate with Rev. Father Mampre A. Kouzouian on the60th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood.Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston, 145Brattle Street, Cambridge. Hrashapar Service in theSanctuary followed by a Celebration in the Charles andNevart Talanian Cultural Hall. Details forthcoming.APRIL 14 — Saturday, St. James Great Gatsby Gala! ARoarin’ 20s Celebration! Live Jazz & Armenian Music,Passed Hors D’oeuvres, Mezza and Dessert Stations andmore. St. James Armenian Church – 465 Mt. AuburnStreet, Watertown, 8 p.m., Tickets $100. Purchase onlineat www.stjameswatertown.org orcontact info@sthagop.com.

MARCH 16 — The Cultural Committee of the Sts. Sahag &Mesrob Armenian Church presents new and exclusivescreening ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL “THE NATION’SPAST & PRESENT” Presented in English. In Egavian CulturalCenter, 70 Jefferson Street, Providence, RI 02908. Donation$ 10, Friday, at 7 pm - “Our Yerevan – Capital of Armenia”(Matenadaran, Museums, Cascade, Ani Plaza hotel, modernarchitecture, Vernisazh,… )

MARCH 10 — Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Benefit theatricalpresentation for the teachers of Knights of VartanSchool in Armenia. Taleen Babayan’s “ Where Is YourGroom? II” At Northern Virginia Community College,Annandale Campus, Ernst Community Cultural center,8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale. Tickets $30. Bycredit card go to paypal.me/DaughtersofVartanUS or callTakuhi at (301) 219-4041.

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 photo

may be sent with the listing no later than Mondays at noon.

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

RHODE ISLAND

ARTS & LIVING

WASHINGTON, DC

FRESNO — Violinist Levon Chilingirianwill be joined by cellist Suren Bagratuni andpianist Karén Hakobyan in a concert to beheld on Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m. in theConcert Hall on the Fresno State campus.The concert, part of the Philip LorenzMemorial Keyboard Concert Series, is co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program

of Fresno State, the Thomas A. KooyumjianFamily Foundation, and the OrpheusChamber Music Ensemble.

This concert brings together three oftoday’s most prominent Armenian musicians:violinist Chilingirian, cellist Bagratuni, andpianist/composer Hakobyan. These three col-leagues have received international acclaim

for their activities as performers,pedagogues, competition jurors, andrecording artists.

Chilingirian is the founder of theChilingirian Quartet and also a pro-fessor and Chamber Music Artist inResidence at the Royal Academy ofMusic and professor of Violin andChamber Music at the GuildhallSchool of Music and Drama, both inLondon.

Bagratuni was the winner of thesilver medal at the 1986International TchaikovskyCompetition while still a student atthe Moscow Conservatory. He hasgone on to a distinguished interna-tional career as a soloist, recitalistand chamber musician. He is cur-rently professor of cello at MichiganState University.

Armenian-American pianist andcomposer Hakobyan has emerged as

a versatile force on the international musicalscene. Since his Carnegie Hall debut at theage of 17, he has been performing in majorconcert halls in Armenia, Argentina, Mexico,Germany, France, Japan and the UnitedStates.

The trio will perform Haydn’s Trio in CMajor, Hob.XV:27, Beethoven’s Trio in B-flatMajor, Op. 97 “Archduke” and Babadjanian’s

Trio in F-sharp Minor.General tickets for the Concert are avail-

able for $25 per person, for seniors $18 perperson, and students $5 per person. Ticketreservations for the Concert may be made bycalling the Armenian Studies Program.

Tickets may also be purchased online atthe following website: http://www.keyboard-concerts.com/special-events.aspx.

Chilingirian-Bagratuni-Hakobyan Trio to Perform at Fresno State

Suren Bagratuni

Levon Chilingirian

Karén Hakobyan

18 S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 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

Armenia’s Voice and ConcernsReverberate in Europe

COMMENTARY

By Edmond Y. Azadian

While Armenia is undergoing an internal political transfor-mation, it has to preserve its international relations and projectits voice and concerns in international forums. There is no peaceon Armenia’s borders nor in Karabakh. Soldiers and civilianscontinue falling victim to ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan.

No justifiable reason nor explanation was offered as to whyAzerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev decided to hold a snap pres-idential election in April rather than its normal time in October.It is obvious that whenever those elections are held, the Aliyevdynasty’s rule for perpetuity is a foregone conclusion.

In the course of the election campaign, the New AzerbaijanParty held its sixth congress to feature its new and old candi-date, Aliyev. It was not enough to hear the Azeri president’s con-tinued bellicose comments threatening tosolve the Karabakh conflict through force; heraised the ante at the said congress by furtherextending his territorial ambitions to Yerevan,Zangezur and Sevan, which he claimed hadbeen historic Azeri lands and that it wasBaku’s “strategic goal” to regain those terri-tories. He was reading from a prepared textand thus his comments could not be con-strued as a slip of the tongue in a heatedmoment.

After a backlash to this outrageous claim,one member of parliament representing theNew Azerbaijan Party, Rasim Musabekov,tried to reinterpret Aliyev’s claim to mean thereturn of Azeri people to their homes in thoseterritories. It was an awkward justification,especially when the counterpart of the claimwas absent. Indeed, if ethnic Azeris wish toreturn to their homes in Armenia, how aboutthe fate of Armenians who were expelled fromBaku, Sumgait and Ganja during the pogromscommitted by Azerbaijan?

Aliyev certainly meant what he said becausehis rhetoric needed that tenor for his domesticaudience.

This new escalation of warring words wasinterpreted in contradictory ways in Armenia.Many tried to dismiss it as election propagandabut others took it very seriously and began sug-gesting strategies to counter the rhetoric. Someeven believed that since Aliyev has been refer-ring to Yerevan, maybe Azeri forces are pre-pared to attack from Nakhichevan, reinforcedby Turkish forces. Some hawks in Armenia even recommend apreemptive strike before the Azeri forces have made a move.

In this day and age, strategic planners have to take into con-sideration the domino effect of their actions.

In any war scenario, Armenia needs to keep in mind theTurkish factor. During the first conflict, Turkey was not part ofthe equation. Besides, first and foremost, Yerevan needs a nodfrom Moscow, as Armenia cannot face the combined forces ofAzerbaijan and Turkey on its own. Neither can it fight a warwithout at least the strategic participation of Russian forces.

It was perhaps this sudden development in the Caucasus thatprecipitated President Serzh Sargsyan’s trip to Munich to par-ticipate in the security conference in that city. For many years,Armenia’s participation has not been on the presidential level.

In the introductory segment of his speech, Armenia’s presi-dent stated that being situated at the crossroads of major pow-ers offers challenges and opportunities. He was certainly refer-ring to the tensions existing in general between the EuropeanUnion and Turkey and in particular between Germany andTurkey. Last year, Turkey’s arrogance vis-à-vis Germany helpedthe passage of historic legislation in the German Bundestag rec-ognizing the Armenian Genocide. Simultaneously, a side showalso emerged when the Netherlands decided to consider two res-olutions in the parliament. One recognizes the ArmenianGenocide, while the other makes mandatory the participation ofa Dutch government representative at the Genocide commemo-ration in Armenia.

This, of course, angered Ankara, leading Turkey to recall itstop diplomat from Amsterdam. The ritual has to be repeatedevery time a country recognizes the Armenian Genocide, onlyfor relations to revert back to normal.

While Armenians overestimate their lobbying efforts regard-ing resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide, we shouldnot underestimate Turkey’s role in forcing its opponents to retal-iate and to hit where it hurts most. Turkey accused the

Netherlands of taking that initiative with election considera-tions in mind.

A case in point is the vote which was taken last week in theIsraeli Knesset, which debated and then defeated a motion onthe recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

For some time now, relations between Israel and Turkey havebecome strained. Perhaps, the administration of embattledPrime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu decided to send a signal toTurkey to improve their relations.

It is common practice to use third-party issues to send mes-sages or to settle scores between adversaries. Armenia’s presi-dent was certainly referring to those opportunities in his speech,where he laid out broadly Armenia’s foreign policy. He made areference to Helsinki final act where the principles of Karabakhresolution are enshrined, namely the right to self-determinationand preservation of territorial integrity. He cautioned diplomatsnot to separate those principles for the sake of convenience.

He took also the opportunity to expose the recent territorialambitions of Azerbaijan, which he called “delirium,” and invitedthe world community to react to that kind of arrogance. “WhenEurope is silent in view of those outrageous claims, they mayhave dire consequences,” he warned.

He also referred to the Berlin Wall, which fell even as Turkey’sblockade of Armenia has continued. Armenia, he said, expressedits good will by signing protocols to normalize relations withTurkey, but Turkey reneged by bringing in last minute precon-ditions since the latter had been hoping that Armenia wouldnever agree to go forward. For all practical purposes, the proto-cols are dead because Armenia cannot wait forever for the rati-fication of the protocols by the Turkish parliament.

The entire exposé by Sargsyan was crafted in a conciliatoryand constructive tone, not to give the impression that Armeniawas at the gates of Europe airing its grievances. The presidentalso outlined Armenia’s positive role as a bridge between theEurasian Economic Union and the European Union. Armenia’sparticipation simultaneously in both structures has not ham-pered cooperation; on the contrary, it has spurred industrializa-tion and modernization in the region.

He intimated that currently Armenia is in negotiations with itspartners to build a transit corridor between the Persian Gulf andthe Black Sea. Once that project is complete, it will serve notonly participants but all countries in the region, he said.

He concluded his remarks by stating the cooperation betweenthe EU and EEU is in the interest of all parties.

Currently the Middle East and Caucasus are reshaping andshaping, it is time for Armenia to pursue its place in the worldassertively.

While soft-peddling in Europe and for that matter, on theworld scene, the country is building and modernizing its armedforces to forestall another blitzkrieg from Azerbaijan.

Armenia is exercising President Roosevelt’s advice by talkingsoftly and carrying a big stick.

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S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 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 Admits that Turkey Is the‘Continuation’ of the OttomanEmpire

For many decades, Turkish officials have outright deniedthe occurrence of the Armenian Genocide. In recent years,however, some Turks have made the excuse that today’sTurkish Republic is not responsible for the genocide, since itwas committed by the Ottoman Empire — a defunct state.

With this pretext, the issue is no longer whether genocidewas committed or not, but who is responsible for it. Thosewho use this justification, claim that the Republic of Turkeyis neither the successor nor the continuation of the OttomanEmpire, but a new and separate state.

This argument has gradually grown weaker as TurkishPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan began speaking and actingas an Ottoman Sultan.

Two weeks ago, the Turkish leader made matters worse forhis country when he, according to the Times of London,asserted that “modern Turkey is a ‘continuation’ of theOttoman Empire — a direct contradiction of [Mustafa Kemal]Ataturk’s ideology, which cast the Imperial era as backwards,stale, and to be discarded and forgotten rather than celebrat-ed.”

By stating that Turkey is a “continuation” of the Ottoman

Empire, Erdogan effectively concedes that today’s Turkey isresponsible for the actions of the Ottoman Empire. In otherwords, the Republic of Turkey, which inherited the OttomanEmpire’s assets, also inherited its liabilities.

To confirm his allegiance to the Ottoman dynasty, Erdoganattended a ceremony earlier this month to mark the cente-nary of the death of Sultan Abdulhamid II, the “Red Sultan,”who has been rehabilitated by the current government.Erdogan conveniently ignored the fact that the Red Sultanhad ordered the killing of 300,000 Armenians from 1894 to1896 — also known as the Hamidian massacres.

“The descendants of one of the last Ottoman sultans are tobe given Turkish citizenship, ending almost a century of out-cast and ostracism,” notes the Times’ article, which continues:

“Abdulhamid II ruled from 1876 to 1909, and was muchmaligned in Kemal Ataturk’s modern Turkish republic for hisauthoritarianism, anti-Westernism and clampdowns on themedia. Yet, in the era of President Erdogan he has been reha-bilitated. A television series, ‘Payitaht,’ which depicts the lifeof Abdulhamid in glowing terms, has been lauded by Mr.Erdogan as essential viewing for Turkish youths to find outabout their country’s history… ‘We see Sultan Abdulhamid IIas one of the most important, most visionary, most strategic-minded personalities who have put their stamps on the last150 years of our state,’ Mr. Erdogan said. ‘We should stop see-ing the Ottomans and the Republic as two eras that conflictwith one another.’ Abdulhamid died in 1918 and at celebra-tions for the centenary this week, Turkish foreign ministerMevlut Cavusoglu said that he would personally oversee thegranting of citizenships to the family.”

Arrogantly, Erdogan then warned that U.S. soldiers inNorthern Syria would soon receive the “Ottoman slap,”according to Reuters. He was “referring to a half-legendaryTurkish martial move that involves a potent open-palm hit,resulting in a one-hit knockout or even skull fractures anddeath.” An illustration published by a pro-Erdogan Turkish

media outlet shows President Donald Trump receiving an“Ottoman slap” by President Erdogan. Furthermore, Reutersquoted Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu stating thatWashington was backing the YPG [Kurdish forces in Syria]because it shared the same “Marxist, communist, atheist” ide-ology.

Professor Alfred de Zayas, an international law expert,explained in an essay titled, “The Genocide against theArmenians 1915-1923 and the relevance of the 1948Genocide Convention,” that a successor state is responsiblefor the crimes committed by its predecessor regime.Moreover, a state that is a continuation of a previous entity iseven more responsible because there is no difference betweenthe two, as admitted by Erdogan two weeks ago.

In addition, in his study Alfred de Zayas quoted ProfessorM. Cherif Bassiouni: “In international law, the doctrine oflegal continuity and principles of State responsibility make a‘successor Government’ liable in respect of claims arisingfrom a former government’s violations.” De Zayas concludedthat “the claims of the Armenians for their wrongfully con-fiscated properties did not disappear with the change fromthe Sultanate to the regime of Mustafa Kemal.”

Finally, Professor de Zayas affirmed that “the principle ofresponsibility of successor States has been held to apply evenwhen the State and government that committed the wrongswere not that of the ‘successor State.’ This principle was for-mulated, inter alia, by the Permanent Court of Arbitration inthe Lighthouse Arbitration case.”

President Erdogan, by affirming that today’s Republic ofTurkey is the continuation of the Ottoman Empire, has inad-vertently admitted that Turkey is responsible for the genoci-dal, territorial, and economic damages caused by theOttoman Empire to the Armenian people. Erdogan’s confes-sion should be presented as evidence when demands ema-nating from the Turkish Genocide of Armenians are submit-ted to the World Court.

What Is‘Armenian’ In ArmenianIdentity?By Hratch Tchilingirian

HE DEBATE on “Armenian identity” has a longhistory and is an ever-evolving discourse, espe-cially in the Diaspora. At least in the last 100years since 1915, along with efforts to build com-munities in dispersion, there have been hierar-chies of identity and canonical approaches to def-initions of “Armenian,” especially as articulated,rationalized and promoted by elites, institutionsand political parties in the Diaspora and in

Armenia. This essay is not a study of identity per se, but aboutone of the aspects of identity – the “Armenian” bit of it.

Definitions of ethnicity encompass “all ascriptively-basedgroup boundaries, including based upon race, religion, lan-guage, and/or region.” Generally, scholars argue that “charac-teristics such as religion, language and region are viewed asascriptive rather than cultural because they are typicallydefined for purposes of ethnicity,” which refer to ethnic lin-eage and ancestral customs rather than current practices orlocality of a person or a group. Therefore, “while individualsmay adopt new languages, lapse or change religions, or altertheir places of residence, it is much more difficult for them tochange their ethnicity, even when ethnicity is based upon suchcharacteristics.”

Contemporary scholarship and theories of ethnicity haveshown that “ethnic boundaries” — patterns of social interac-tion that reinforce self-identification of a group and outsiders’confirmation of the group’s distinctions — are socially con-structed. They are “not predetermined by biology or customs,but malleable and responsive to changes in the surroundingsocial environment.” As such, ethnic boundaries are socialmediums through which members associate with the largergroup. Culture and geography are the two most emphasizedelements in most of the literature on ethnic identity research.The cultural element is generally “viewed as a social construc-tion involving insiders and outsiders mutually acknowledginggroup differences in cultural beliefs and practices.” The other

is employed to define the geographic origin of ethnic groupsand, as such, “social origins that are foreign to the host soci-ety.” The geographic element has a largely objective basis, butis also partly subjective.

In the Armenian case particularly, on one hand, there are ahost of assumptions on identity and “politically correct” defi-nitions, expectations and interpretations of “who is anArmenian;” on the other, new self-defined and actualized“Armenian identities” are prevalent among post-genocide thirdand fourth generation Armenians spread around the world.These include, for example, not only hyphenated Armenians(American-Armenian, Lebanese-Armenian, Russian-Armenian,etc.), but also percentile-Armenians (half, quarter, 1/8Armenian, etc.) and, recently, the more openly discussed cate-gory of “Islamized Armenian” identity.

In short, identity is not a fixed notion; it is an evolving con-cept depending on the social, political, and cultural environ-ment, among other aspects, in which Armenians find them-selves. For instance, the case of the Armenian communities inthe Middle East provides a glimpse of the fact that identityconstruction, preservation and extension are not only a mat-ter of internal group self-definition, externalization and inter-nalization. In the Middle East, identity is also imposed from avariety of sources that include state and social structures,political processes and religious-cultural conditions. On onehand, identity markers for both the majority host society andthe minority communities are state-defined, socially construct-ed and objectified. On the other, what might be termed the‘soft othering’ of Christians and other non-Muslim groups bystate and religious discourse reinforces the ‘differences’ and‘incompatibilities’ of the ‘others’ in the mind of the larger soci-ety.

Generally Arab states impose, for instance, a national cur-riculum on Armenian or minority schools and draw socio-polit-ical (and legal) boundaries around non-Muslim communities.The state grants citizenship and a passport to an ethnic or reli-gious “other,” yet limits or bans careers in high level civil ser-vice for minorities. The imposition of ethnic-religious identityis also systemic, overriding individual choice. For example,should an Armenian person declare him/herself to be an athe-ist or is not a member of any church — and does not speak thelanguage — in legal records that person would still be classi-fied or labelled by the State and its institutions as an‘Armenian Christian.’ As a member of a non-Muslim group,there is virtually no choice except to be identified by one’s‘birth group’ or ethno-religious affiliation. In other words, theperson always remains as the ‘other’ vis-à-vis the dominantethno-religious group, with its attendant implications.

There are intergroup influences on identity construction aswell. Referring to the post-genocide first generation Armeniansgrowing up in the Middle East, Yervant Pamboukian, a leadingintellectual, teacher and former editor of Aztag newspaper inBeirut, said: “We lived our childhood in a period when we con-stantly heard about the sufferings and persecution” that hisparents’ generation had been subjected to. “A great weight wasput on us, to secure the rebirth of the nation. It gave usstrength as the nation was going to be reconstructed by the

children of the survivors of the Genocide, the generation ofthose whose lives were worn out in the orphanages.”

In the 21st century, the perceptual and functional under-standing of identity is changing, especially for an ever mobileand globalized Armenian Diaspora. Here, it is important tomake a conceptual distinction between “Armenian identity” —the ascriptive aspect described above — and “Armenianness” —the cultural aspect — which at times are used interchangeably.One could compare Armenian identity to an “ethnic passport,”which one possesses to be identified with a group or a coun-try; it is granted, acquired or self-claimed.However, Armenianness is what one does with that ethnicpassport, how far and deep one travels into the “Armenianworld” or into a world made of “things Armenian” — that is,the process by which one finds venues, opportunities, causesor reasons to actualize the wishes, desires, feelings, and think-ing that are driven by one’s sense of identity. Put in anotherway, identity is the structure (the hardware), Armenianness isthe agency (the software). While all Armenians who are orclaim to be Armenians are fully Armenian, some Armenianschoose to “travel” or explore more than others into the“Armenian world.” As such, Armenian identity “cannot bedescribed exhaustively” and “in its totality,” like Foucault’sconcept of “archive of a society, a culture, or a civilization,” —that is, the systems of enunciability, functioning, formationand transformation of events or things.

The distinctions between various types of Armenianness arenot absolute, for instance, between traditional and symbolicArmenianness, as Anny Bakalian, in her seminal study ofArmenian Americans, suggests. However, there are differencesin perceptions, emphasis and expectations. The traditionalistsadvocate that speaking Armenian and being immersed in eth-nic subculture are essential preconditions of “beingArmenian.” Conventionally, the Church, political parties, vol-untary associations and other collective structures havedefined the structural parameters of Armenian identity andhave advocated an essentialist form of collective expressions ofArmenianness. In this thinking, Armenian identity is anascribed status, that is, if one is born of Armenian parentageor has “Armenian blood,” they are automatically considered amember of the larger Armenian nation. In this traditional per-ception of identity, the idea of choice is not taken into consid-eration — an aspect of modern life so prevalent among and sig-nificant for the newer generations of Armenians.

Between the traditional and symbolic views, there are yetother perceptual varieties which define Armenianness througha set of qualities rather than just origin. A good example ofthis is the “definition” that Peter Balakian’s mother provides,when he describes the type of woman she expected him to goout with. “A woman had to qualify by being jarbig, whichmeant she had to have energy, wit, vitality. She had to beachgapatz, open-eyed, so that nothing could get past her, forshe was keeper of the gate, the protector of things sacred: fam-ily and husband. If a woman wasn’t jarbig and achgapatz –clearly my mother thought she possessed these qualities inabundance – she wasn’t worthy, she wasn’t in the existentialsense, ‘Armenian’.”

see IDENTITY, page 20

T

IDENTITY, from page 19In the 21st century, Armenian identity is a

matter of choice for the vast majority of thethird and fourth post-genocide generation ofArmenians in the Diaspora, who participate incommunity life voluntarily rather than as a mat-ter of obligation.[10] This choice is expressedthrough a sense of pride in one’s heritage, feel-ings toward people and things Armenian, andinvolvement with other Armenians. For the newgenerations, as Bakalian explains,Armenianness is “voluntary, conscious, ratio-nalistic, segmental, transitory, sporadic, that is,symbolic. Sentiment and convenience becomethe modus vivendi for maintenance of almost allaspects of Armenianness. Feelings run high,but when it comes to behavioral participation,convenience is the key.” SymbolicArmenianness is more to do with emotionsthan genetic origins. Seen in its positive dimen-sion, it provides valuable psychological functionin today’s increasingly individualistic and high-ly mechanised world. It provides a sense of root-edness and belonging. Indeed, practicing one’sArmenianness is not dependent only on partic-ipation in traditional community life, but thereare myriad of other choices in today’s ultra-con-nected world where symbolic ethnicity could belived or experienced.

In the past, the elites and institutions hadinfluence and possessed authority in the dis-course on identity. For instance, in the postWWII period, Armenian political parties had,arguably, a dominant position in community lifein the Diaspora. Their ideological discourse wasdisseminated through party newspapers,schools, clubs and youth programs they ran.Although positions were sharply contested byrival parties, Khachig Tölölyan explains that “itwas enthusiastically celebrated by [their] adher-ents and profoundly resented by [their] oppo-nents, and the struggle served as the generatorof polemics in which notions of diaspora wereimplicitly and explicitly elaborated.” Indeed, inthe ideological discourse of one of the largestparties, the ARF, the Diaspora was a “tempo-rary and transitory” condition. The Partypreached an “eventual return to the homeland”and “declared [it] essential and inevitable.”Community institutions, like the ARF, had astrong influence on identity construction and,as Tölölyan describes, “even on the poems wewould memorize, the songs we sang, and the

books and newspapers we read.”In sharp contrast, the 21st century is increas-

ingly becoming a “world of self-reference” —that is, a world where trust in organizations,institutions or governments are increasinglydeclining and one’s own position and beliefs areconsidered more relevant than other sources.The conventional sources of institutionalauthority and influence, therefore of trust, arenot taken for granted anymore. Top-down tradi-tional influence on discourse and identity is ina process of reversal and is becoming more hor-izontal than vertical.

Institutions that are relevant to identity seemto be losing effectiveness under the weight ofthe enormous complexities of these changes. Inthis age of social media and rapid technologicaladvancements, people no longer rely “on a fewwell-informed opinion shapers,” such as news-paper columnists, political actors, party orchurch leaders, but increasingly use, forinstance, social media, peer-driven media,search engines, “where content is shaped by thesearch preferences of other users, or directlycurated by friends or family.” Studies show that“peer voices today are more powerful than theopinion of traditional authority figures.” This isa world where “a person like yourself” is ascredible as “an academic expert” and far morecredible than, say, a community leader or gov-ernment official. For sure, in the 21st century,there are more “informed Armenians” than“masses of followers.” Armenians in their 20sand 30s are highly educated, socially and pro-fessionally well-connected, news and mediasavvy, and economically comfortable.

What is ‘Armenian’ aboutArmenian Ident it y in the 21st

century?

I shall try to explore this rather conceptuallyrisky question by looking at the question ofwhat is “Armenian” about Armenian culture.My approach is informed by the hypothesisthat, in the Diaspora, culture — in the widestsense — serves the role of land for a country,even as it includes the imagined or real home-land in it.

From an anthropological/sociological per-spective, culture could be defined as everythinglearned, actions, beliefs, behaviors that aremaintained and transmitted through symbolsand objects, not genes. Culture denotes all the

knowledge, technologies, values, customs,behaviors and characteristics common to themembers of a particular group or society.Through culture, groups define themselves,conform to society’s shared values, and con-tribute to society. Organizations and socialinstitutions, such as the family, education, reli-gion, work, so on, play important roles as theyprovide clusters of rules and cultural meaningsassociated with specific social activities.

So, what is “Armenian” about Armenian cul-ture?

To answer this question, one could look intothe various domains of culture: literature,music, architecture and visual arts to see whatit is in these cultural traits or domains thatmake them “Armenian.”

In this short essay, I shall take only one areaand provide a sociological reading of Armenianfolk music as observed and analyzed byKomitas (Father Komitas Soghomonian, 1869-1936), a priest in the Armenian Church, whowas an ethno-musicologist, singer, choir direc-tor, music teacher and composer. Komitas spentyears in villages and towns collecting Armeniansongs and dance music and attempted to pene-trate into the depth of this significant culturaldomain. I chose to focus on folk music becausethis genre is most relevant to the problematicsof cultural production and identity in theDiaspora.

Komitas explains that, in general, Armenianfolk music could be divided into two branches:Eastern and Western Armenia. “Westernmelodies are broad and complex, rich and seri-ous, bright and brisk; Eastern melodies arecompact and simple, unsophisticated and light,prosaic and peaceful.”[18] Indeed, one couldmake similar observations on other culturalaspects of East and West.

More important for the discussion here, themusic of the “common people,” or as Komitascomments, the peasants’ music of both Westernand Eastern Armenia “is extraordinarily richand complex and condenses the entire innerand outer life of the Armenian. Each song is thegenuine echo of his rustic heart and the clearmirror of his soul. Each song depicts a broadslice of life confined within a small frame.”

He identifies six genres of folk music:Peasant, Ritual, Epic, Ballads, Ditties, andAntounis. These songs related to virtually allaspects of life. They reflected the social-culturalcontext of peasants and enforced connectionswith everyday life, rituals and traditions.Singing, as Komitas puts it, “is routine” for thepeasant “as bread and water.” He explains thesignificance:

Villagers adhere strictly to the prescribed useof the different types of songs. Each song mustbe learned or sung in its proper place and time.They will sing work songs during work, anddomestic songs while at home, and so forth. Novillager will sing a threshing song when athome, for the place to sing the threshing songis on the threshing floor. Therefore, villagerswill most often refuse to sing songs that a non-peasant may request, for it is strange to them tobe asked to sing songs when neither the timenor the place is appropriate. Each song is tiedto the moment in village life and is related tojust that moment. The peasant cannot compre-hend, create, or utilize a song that is removedfrom that moment.

In modern times, new technologies, e.g. CDs,DVDs, MP3 have influenced and continue toimpact music making and performance, andhave altered the social (sociological) dimensionof music. The idea of live music has been alteredor modified by the reality of recorded music;even at some “live” concerts artists sing withplayback, where voice is live, but music isrecorded.

In the 21st century, the 20-30 years olds —unlike the ones described by Komitas — do notsing at functions anymore; they listen to musicand dance to recorded music; the song does nothave anything to do with the occasion or thegathering, or any particular relevance toaspects of daily living, but is rhythmically rele-vant to the dance. Rhythm or tempo is moreimportant than the words or meaning of thesong itself. Thus, today music listened to (orused) during social gatherings or “clubbing” isnot expressions of daily life, or community ritu-als, but reproduced and reshaped, mixed and

matched to consumer needs and expectations.In the past, as Komitas notes, “the peasantgives more attention to the words of the songthan to the tune and, not surprisingly, the textsof the songs live longer than their melodies.”Today it is the opposite in most cases.

Komitas draws a delicately nuanced and elab-orate definition of what “the Spirit of NationalFolk Song” is: The spirit of national music is theaggregate of patterns that a nation instinctive-ly employs in singing. It is the particular move-ment of pitch and tone, it is the relationshipbetween those tones and the phonemes of thelanguage (grammatical expressive accent, musi-cal accent). The spirit of national music is therational articulation of the text and the corre-sponding improvised melody, which is the artic-ulation of the heart. [It] is the choice of tonecolor (nasal, guttural, or chesty sounds). [It] isthe genres of songs, and so on... All thingswhich have an immediate association with asong, provided that they are immediate, non-artificial, intrinsic reflections of the internaland external life of the folk, express the spirit ofnational music.

Clearly, the relationship of word/text tomelody, to rituals/occasions, memory and cre-ativity is significant. In the 21st century, onewould ask what are the connections, the rela-tionships, the occasions in diasporic life thatwould make a piece of music, “Armenianmusic?” Is it the composer or the musician whomakes the song “Armenian” or is it the “con-nections” a piece of music makes that definethe song? These are questions that, I believe,need further exploration.

Music, as observed by Komitas in the life ofthe villagers, is one of the domains of culturethat contains some of “the codes” as it were, ofArmenianness. While in the past, communalsinging was part of living out one’s daily life asan Armenian, today this medium has lost itsfunctional meaning in the lives of new genera-tions of Armenians dispersed globally. If forArmenian peasants, culture in the form ofmusic and dance was as natural and organic asgoing about their daily chores and life, in the21st century Diaspora it is a matter of planning,choosing, adapting and performing. In short,beyond being and feeling Armenian, it requiresthinking.

In conclusion, even as it is impossible todescribe exhaustively and in its totality what“Armenian” is in Armenian identity, I suggest, itis the connections, the relationships, the occa-sions in diasporic life in the 21st century thatmakes a piece of music or a painting, or litera-ture or a bowl of harissa “Armenian.” It is thememory, thought and message that a culturalobject or creation represents that makes it“Armenian” by connecting it to a meaning sys-tem that is larger than an individual’s personalworld.

Over two decades ago, Anny Bakalian sug-gested that the generational changes in theDiaspora indicated that Armenians are moving“from being to feeling Armenian.” I would addthat, in the 21st century, what is “Armenian” inArmenian identity is what you think Armenianis — as such, one could say the process hasmoved from feeling to thinking Armenian.

While the dream of an eventual return to thereal or imagined homeland might still bedreamed by many, the vast majority ofArmenians in the Diaspora will continue to beintegrated into their societies, even as Armeniawill probably remain to be a source of revital-ization of Armenian identity in dispersion.

The realities of the 21st century require anew thinking and understanding of identityfrom the perspective of the specific places andcontext where Armenians live rather than onthe basis of the rigid binaries of the dominantdiscourse.

Finally, a broader understanding of“Armenian identity” would benefit from a pro-cess of de-ethnicization of identity in order tofully appreciate its Armenianness[23] — that is,rather than essentialist or substantive defini-tion of identity, a more functional and open-ended definition would provide a better catch-ment for the varieties of Armenian identities inthe 21st century.

(Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian is a scholar atUniversity of Oxford [www.hratch.info].)

S A T U R D A Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R20

What Is ‘Armenian’ in Armenian Identity?