Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HAI SIRD
ÚàôÜÆê 2007 / ÂÆô 159 - JUNE 2007 / NO. 159
вڲêî²ÜÆ ÐúØ-Æ
15-²Øº²Î
1991-2006
15th ANNIVERSARY
OF ARS/ARMENIA
A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L P E R I O D I C A L O F T H E A R M E N I A N R E L I E F S O C I E T Y
вزвÚÎ²Î²Ü ä²ð´ºð²ÂºðÂ Ð²Ú ú¶Üàôº²Ü ØÆàôº²Ü
Ð³Û êÇñï
H A I S I R D
вزвÚÎ²Î²Ü ä²ð´ºð²ÂºðÂ Ð²Ú ú¶Üàôº²Ü ØÆàôº²Ü
AN INTERNATIONAL PERIODICAL OF THE ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY
Published by
The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society, Inc.
<
Editor
TATUL SONENTZ-PAPAZIAN
Production Supervisor
JIRAYR BEUJEKIAN
<
ISBN 0-9704934-1-X
´àì²Ü¸²ÎàôÂÆôÜ C O N T E N T S
EDITORIAL – 2
LA FEDERATION EURO-ARMENIENNE – 25
1
E D I T O R I A L
W
e are all aware, that global changes are taking place and the search for a new
world order is causing serious political tremors in a status quo defined and
sustained by a declining ‘unipolar’ hegemony. The Armenian nation, whose past 15
historic years were marked by trying times, commemorates and celebrates losses and triumphs,
that culminated in the reestablishment of an independent, sovereign state after 75 years of total
dependency under a foreign autocratic regime. In a region beset by constant turmoil, our 15-
year-old state still strives for the recognition of its demographic and territorial integrity.
Just when our resurgent Homeland, the Armenian Republic, was mustering all its poten-
tial for the rebuilding of the areas devastated by the 1988 earthquake, it found itself constricted
in the relentless noose of the Azeri-Turkish blockade, aggravated by murderous border clashes,
an acute shortage of grain and fuel, and most of all, the on-going conflict over the status of
historically and culturally Armenian Artsakh.
In those days of confrontation with our determined opponents, the contribution of each
and every Armenian to our common cause had special significance. The ARS, as an experi-
enced, global Armenian organization with numerous regional chapters and countless supporters,
both in the Homeland and the Diaspora, felt deeply the urgency of its commitments and
remained cognizant of the very real needs of the day, and the immediate future.
In this context, the year 1991, as well as the fateful years preceding and succeeding it,
were a frantic time of accelerated accomplishment for our Organization, in a pan-national
context. The successful results that we witnessed wouldn’t have been possible without the total
commitment of all our regional executives, all our entities and their membership and, most of
all, our loyal friends and supporters throughout the Diaspora and the Homeland. With such
backing, the ARS family was effectively able to assume extraordinary responsibilities.
Naturally, there was an accumulative price tag attached to these countless projects — all
necessary, all worthwhile — albeit, way over our means. As a result, today, the Armenian Relief
Society looks to its devoted membership, its loyal supporters and concerned benefactors to
replenish its depleted resources in order to continue its long, uninterrupted service to our nation
whose growing needs cannot be ignored.
We are more than confident, that over the next three years, with the same zeal and
enthusiasm shown over the past decade and a half, all our regions and chapters — as well as
our supporters world-wide — will stand by us and make our fundraising efforts for the ARS
Centennial Fund an unqualified success, allowing us to continue our humanitarian work while
attaining new standards of excellence in our expanding services.<
2
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3
ARS Chairperson’s Address
rd
3 Armenia-Diaspora
at the
M
ost Honorable Presidents of the Republics
of Armenia and Artsakh, Holy Fathers of lieve, that it is time to orchestrate full harmony and put
the Ejmiatzin and Antelias Catholicosates, to use our collective potential in order to bring our
Reverent Memebers of the Clergy, Honorable Minis- best to the strengthening, security and continuous de-
ters and Public Servants, Ladies and Gentlemen: velopment of our Homeland, as well as our people’s
The Armenian Relief Society, as one of the senior physical and spiritual well being.
pan-Armenian organizations, with its 18,000 members Allow us also to repeat once more, that we consider
in 24 countries and its 225 active entities around the the present disarray of our mother tongue a serious
globe, once more extends its warm greetings to this threat to this vital coordination between Homeland
3rd Armenia-Diaspora Conference, coinciding with and Diaspora. An issue discussed many times and yet
the 15th Anniversaries of the 3rd Independent Repub- — for whatever reasons — still expecting resolution.
lic of Armenia, and the foundation of the Armenian The present disorder threatens our literary language, a
Relief Society on Armenian soil. national cultural heirloom sustaining us for sixteen cen-
The Organizing Committee’s Agenda for this Con- turies. This is an undeniably serious challenge, that can-
ference focuses, in a timely fashion, on two issues of not be ignored — neither in the Diaspora nor in the
national importance: First, the present and future pos- Homeland.
sibilities of Armenia-Diaspora, Homeland and abroad Our efforts to inculcate Diasporan youth with love
relations and cooperation; and, second, the issue of of Homeland and nation, to tie them securely to their
implementing a program of growth and development historic, ancestral patrimony — through pan-Armenian
for the rural areas of the Republic. jamborees, camping seasons, conferences, etc. — have
The first issue displays for us a concise, yet pan- come a long way, nevertheless, they need to be more
oramic, picture: Today, our people, scattered through- frequent and result oriented. Today, already, in Yerevan
out the globe — whether in a corner of its historic and throughout the regions, the number of Diasporan
patrimony, making progress every day as a sovereign youth who have come to serve the Homeland has
nation within its narrow boundaries, or as respectable reached an impressive number. We must nurture these
communities in practically all civilized countries of the programs and expand them.
world — carries on the task of keeping alive its na- On the matter of removing obstacles, we would like
tional existence through its vast network of cultural, to mention also the issue of legislating the status of
religious, political, humanitarian, educational and ath- dual citizenship, still pending. One cannot argue the
letic establishments, through its multi-lingual press and fact, that more binding the Armenia-Diaspora ties, the
news media. more forthcoming — as proud citizens of Armenia
Permit us to say, that the planning of the practical — the devotion and commitment of our Diasporan
coordination of all this — the first steps of which people towards the strengthening and continuous de-
were initially taken at the very First Armenia-Diaspora velopment of their Fatherland.
Conference — did not maintain the momentum ex- Proceeding to the second major item on the Confer-
pected by all of us, in view of the expressions of ence Agenda: The coordinated development of Ar–
commitment and enthusiasm displayed during the de- menia’s rural areas, we wish to remind, that the ARS,
bates and discussions at both conferences.
Even making allowances for inevitable difficulties on (Continued on the next page)
4
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Ü»ñϳÛÇë« ²ñó³ËÇ 12 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�ݻñáõÝ ÏáÕ- areas.
ùÇÝ« ÏÁ Íñ³·ñáõÇ æ³õ³ËùÇ« ÇÝãå¿ë ݳ»õ г۳ëï³ÝÇ Naturally, following this and other brief introductory
ë³ÑٳݳٻñÓ »õ ³ÛÉ ·ÇõÕ»ñáõÝ Ù¿ç »õë ѳëï³ï»É words, all of us will have our turn to express our
§êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�ݻñª áñå¿ë ³é³çÇÝ ù³Ûɪ ·Çõ- opinions and discuss in detail not only the major items
Õ³Ï³Ý Ñ³Ù³ÛÝùÝ»ñáõ ³ÙáÕç³Ï³°Ý ½³ñ·³óٳݣ on the agenda but many other important issues, hope-
²Ýßáõ°ßï« ³Ûë ѳÏÇñ× Ý»ñ³Í³Ï³ÝÝ»ñ¿Ý »ïù« ³ñ- fully leading us to clear conclusions, after which, we
ͳñÍáõ³Í ³Ûë ÛáÛŠϳñ»õáñ« »õ ³ÝáÝó ÏáÕùÇÝ ³½Ù³- must get busy working seriously together for the solu-
ÃÇõ Û³ñ³ÏÇó ѳñó»ñáõ ßáõñç« áÉá°ñë ³É ³éÇÃÁ åÇïÇ tions of the issues that have brought us here in the first
áõݻݳÝù ³õ»ÉÇ° Ù³Ýñ³Ù³ëÝûñ¿Ý ³ñï³Û³Ûïáõ»Éáõ« place.
íÇ׳³Ý»Éáõ« ËáñÑñ¹³Ïó»Éáõ »õ Ûëï³Ï »½ñ³Ï³óáõ- We wish this pan-Armenian Conference success
ÃÇõÝÝ»ñáõ ۳ݷ»Éáõ« áñÙ¿ »ïù« å¿°ïù ¿ ³ÝóÝÇÝù Ù»½ through a concerted effort of coordination and coop-
áÉáñ°ë Ñáë »ñáÕ Ñ³Ù³Ñ³Ûϳϳ°Ý eration.
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Éáõñç ³ß˳ï³ÝùÇÝ£ Thank you.
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»ñç»ñë« Ð³Û ú·Ýáõû³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý embers and supporters of the Armenian
³Ý¹³ÙÝ»ñÝ áõ ѳٳÏÇñÝ»ñÁ Éñ³óáõóÇÝ Relief Society recently concluded a two-
г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç ßñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ ÙdzõáñÇÝ week celebration of the ARS Armenia
ѳÛñ»ÝÇù¿Ý Ý»ñë ·áñÍáõÝ¿áõÃÇõÝÁ ÝßáÕ« »ñÏáõ ß³³Ã region’s 15th anniversary of operation within the
ï»õáÕáõû³Ù ïûݳϳï³ñáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁª Ùdzųٳ- Homeland and joined their compatriots to com-
Ý³Ï ÙdzݳÉáí Çñ»Ýó ³½Ù³Ñ³½³ñ ѳÛñ»Ý³ÏÇóÝ»- memorate the coinciding 15th anniversary of the 3rd
ñáõݪ ïûݳϳï³ñ»Éáõ г۳ëï³ÝÇ ¶© гÝñ³å»ïáõ- Republic of Armenia.
û³Ý 15-³Ù»³ÏÁ »õë£ Commemorative tours, celebrations, and visitations
ÊÙ³ÛÇÝ ßñç³åïáÛïÝ»ñ« ³Ûó»ÉáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñ »õ ÙÇûñ- and a day long conference dominated the Sept. 15-27
»³Û ËáñÑñ¹³ÅáÕáí ÙÁ ³é³ÝóùÁ ÏÁ ϳ½Ù¿ÇÝ ê»å- celebration. Activities were based in Yerevan and in-
ï»Ù»ñÇ 15-¿Ý ÙÇÝã»õ 27 ï»õáÕ ½³Ý³½³Ý Ó»éݳñÏÝ»- cluded visits to Artsakh and Javakhq.
ñáõÝ£ ºñ»õ³Ý Ï»¹ñáݳó³Í ³Ûë »ÉáÛÃÝ»ñÁ ÏÿÁݹ- Months in the planning, the tour and anniversary cel-
·ñÏ¿ÇÝ Ý³»õ ²ñó³ËÝ áõ æ³õ³ËùÁ£ ebration were held under the auspices of the ARS, Inc.
²ÙÇëÝ»ñ ï»õáÕ å³ïñ³ëïáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñ¿ »ïù« Þñç³- international Central Executive Board. ARS members
åïáÛïÝ»ñÝ áõ ï³ñ»¹³ñÓ³ÛÇÝ ïûݳϳï³ñáõÃÇõÝ- and friends attended from the United States, Canada,
Ý»ñÁ ï»ÕÇ áõÝ»ó³Ý ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñáÝ³Ï³Ý ì³ñãáõ- France, Argentina, Australia, Italy, Germany, Lebanon,
û³Ý Ñáí³ÝÇÇÝ Ý»ñù»õ£ Ð³Û ú·Ýáõû³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý Syria, England, Cyprus, Greece, Javakhq, Artsakh, and
³Ý¹³ÙÝ»ñ »õ ³ñ»Ï³ÙÝ»ñ »Ï³Í ¿ÇÝ Ødzó»³É ܳ- various regions of Armenia.
ѳݷݻñ¿Ý« ¶³Ý³ï³Û¿Ý« üñ³Ýë³Û¿Ý« ²ñ·»ÝïÇݳۿݫ At the same time, the nine-member ARS Central Ex-
²õëïñ³Édzۿݫ Æï³Édzۿݫ ¶»ñÙ³Ýdzۿݫ Èdzݳ- ecutive Board (CEB) held a full Board meeting, focus-
Ý¿Ý« êáõñdzۿݫ ²Ý·Édzۿݫ ÎÇåñáë¿Ý« Úáõݳëï³Ý¿Ý« ing particularly on its programs within Armenia,
æ³õ³Ëù¿Ý« ²ñó³Ë¿Ý áõ г۳ëï³ÝÇ ½³Ý³½³Ý Artsakh, and Javakhk. The ARS CEB and ARS mem-
ßñç³ÝÝ»ñ¿Ý£ bers and supporters were also present at the Sept. 18-
ÜáÛݳï»Ý« ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñáÝ³Ï³Ý ì³ñãáõû³Ý ÇÝÁ 20 Third Armenia-Diaspora Conference sponsored by
³Ý¹³ÙÝ»ñÁ Édz·áõÙ³ñ ÅáÕáí ÙÁ áõÝ»ó³Ý« Ù³ëݳõá- the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
ñ³³ñ Ï»¹ñáݳݳÉáí г۳ëï³ÝÇ« ²ñó³ËÇ »õ æ³- where CEB Chairwoman Hasmig Derderian pre-
õ³ËùÇ Ù¿ç ·áñͳ¹ñáõáÕ Íñ³·ÇñÝ»ñõ íñ³Û£ ÐúØ-Ç sented the ARS’s message to the hundreds of attending
ÁÝÏ»ñáõÑÇÝ»ñÝ áõ ѳٳÏÇñÝ»ñÁ« ë»åï© 18-20« Ý»ñ- representatives and observers.
Ï³Û ·ïÝáõ»ó³Ý ݳ»õ г۳ëï³ÝÇ Ï³é³í³ñáõû³Ý The ARS Armenia 15th anniversary commemorative
²ñï³ùÇÝ ·áñÍáó ݳ˳ñ³ñáõû³Ý ÏáÕÙ¿ ϳ½Ù³Ï»ñ- activities were organized by the ARS Armenia Re-
åÁõ³Í г۳ëï³Ý-ê÷Çõéù ºññáñ¹ ÊáñÑñ¹³ÅáÕáíÇݪ gional Executive Board. A description of the high-
áõñ ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ³ï»Ý³å»ïáõÑÇ« ÁÝÏÑ© lights of the two-week ARS celebration follows.
Ú³ëÙÇÏ î¿ñï¿ñ»³Ý ïáõ³õ ÐúØ-Ç å³ï·³ÙÁ ѳñÇõ-
ñ³õáñ ÅáÕáí³Ï³ÝÝ»ñáõ »õ ÑÇõñ»ñáõ Ý»ñϳÛáõû³Ý£ Tour of Historical Sites and Events
Ò»éݳñÏÝ»ñáõÝ áÉá°ñ ϳñ·³¹ñáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁ Áñ³Í ¿ñ Members of the ARS 15th anniversary celebration
ÐúØ-Ç Ð³Û³ëï³ÝÇ Þñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ í³ñãáõÃÇõÝÁ£ tour were treated to visits around Armenia, giving the
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Þñç³åïáÛïª Ð³Û³ëï³ÝÇ ä³ïÙ³Ï³Ý first-time visitor
ì³Ûñ»ñ áõ Ú³ïáõÏ Ò»éݳñÏÝ»ñ a superb overall
г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç 15-³Ù»³ÏÇ ïûÝ³Ï³Ý åïáÛï- view of the
Ý»ñáõ Ù³ëݳÏÇóÝ»ñÁ ³éÇÃÁ áõÝ»ó³Ý ³Ûó»É»Éáõ г- country and
Û³ëï³ÝÇ ï»ë³ñÅ³Ý í³Ûñ»ñÁ© ÑdzݳÉÇ ³éÇà ÙÁ »- keeping the re-
Õ³õ ݳ»õ ³é³çÇ°Ý ³Ý·³Ù г۳ëï³Ý ³Ûó»ÉáÕÝ»ñáõݪ peat visitor inter-
áñáÝù ï»ë³Ý áõ ·³Õ³÷³ñ ÙÁ ϳ½Ù»óÇÝ »ñÏñÇ ·»- ested and awed.
Õ»óÏáõû³Ý Ù³ëÇÝ£ ÐúØ-Ç ³Ûë ßñç³åïáÛïÝ»ñÁ ѳ- The tour was or-
Ù³¹ñáõ³Í ¿ÇÝ ºñ»õ³ÝÇ Ø¿Ýáõ³ Âáõñ ÁÝÏ»ñáõû³Ý ganized by Menua
ÏáÕÙ¿£ Tours of Yerevan.
äïáÛïÝ»ñÁ ëÏë³Ý ë»åï© 15-Çݪ ºé³Éáõñ« êûë¿ The tour began on Sept. 15 with a visit to Yerablur,
سÛñÇÏÇ ·»ñ»½Ù³ÝÇÝ áõ ºñ»áõÝÇ ³Ûó»Éáõû³Ù »õ Soseh Mairik’s tomb, Yerebuni, and a driving tour of
ºñ»õ³Ý ßñç³·³Ûáõû³Ù£ ê»åï« 17-Ç ³é³õéﻳݫ Yerevan. On Sept. 17, tourists visited Ejmiatzin cathe-
ëûë³ßñçÇÏÝ»ñÁ ³Ûó»É»óÇÝ ¾çÙdzÍÝÇ Ø³Ûñ î³×³ñÁ dral and monastery in the morning and Sardarabad
»õ í³ÝùÁ« ÇëÏ Ï¿ëûñ¿ »ïùª ê³ñï³ñ³å³ïª Çñ óݷ³- and its museum in the afternoon. The day concluded
ñ³Ýáí£ úñÁ í»ñç³ó³õ ѳÝñ³Í³Ýûà ѻÕÇݳϫ ²½- at the Sundukian Theater with the performance of
·³ÛÇÝ ÄáÕáíÇ ä³ï·³Ù³õáñ »õ г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç “Yes mi Tzar em Tzirani,” by former ARS CEB mem-
Þñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ í³ñãáõû³Ý ³ï»Ý³å»ïáõÑÇ«²Éí³ñ¹ ber and ARS Armenian Regional Executive Chairper-
ä»ïñá뻳ÝÇ §ºë ØÇ Ì³é ºÙ ÌÇñ³ÝǦ óïñ»ñ- son Alvard Petrosyan. Garni’s 2nd century pagan
·áõû³Ùª »Ù³¹ñáõ³Í êáõݹáõÏ»³ÝÇ ³Ýáõ³Ý óï»- temple and Geghard’s ancient monastery were on the
ñ³ëñ³ÑÇÝ Ù¿ç£ ê»åï© 18-Çݪ ³Ûó»ÉáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñ ¶³éÝÇÇ agenda for Sept. 18, along with visits to three schools
´© ¹³ñáõÝ Ï³éáõóáõ³Í ѻóÝáë³Ï³Ý ï³×³ñÇÝ »õ sponsored by the ARS for children with developmen-
¶»Õ³ñ¹Ç å³ïÙ³Ï³Ý í³ÝùÇÝ« áñÙ¿ »ïù« ËáõÙÁ ³Û- tal disabilities.
ó»É»ó ݳ»õ ÐúØ-Ç Ñáí³Ý³õáñ³Í »ñ»ù« ïË»ÕÍ »ñ»- On Sept. 20, the ARS tour group visited Ashtarak,
˳ݻñáõ Û³ïáõÏ« ¹åñáóÝ»ñ£ Mughni, Saghmosavanq, and Amberd, marveling at
ê»åï 20-ÇÝ« ÐúØ-Ç ËáõÙÁ ³Ûó»É»ó ²ßï³ñ³Ï« the ancient architecture. From Sept. 24-27, tourists
ØáõÕÝÇ« ê³ÕÙáë³í³Ýù »õ ²Ù»ñ¹« ÑdzóáõÙáí ¹Çï»- were able to visit Artsakh, taking in the ancient histori-
Éáõ ³ÝáÝó Ñݳõ³Ý¹ ׳ñï³ñ³å»ïáõÃÇõÝÁ£ ê»åï© 24- cal sites and visiting ARS-sponsored ‘Soseh’ kindergar-
27, ËáõÙ¿Ý Ù³ë ÙÁ ³Ûó»É»ó ²ñó³ËÇ ï»ë³ñÅ³Ý í³Û- tens in the various villages throughout the country. The
ñ»ñÁ »õ ÐúØ-Ç §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�ݻñÁ£ ²ñó³- Artsakh trip was follow-ed by a two-day visit to
ËÇÝ Û³çáñ¹»ó »ñÏûñ»³Û ³Ûó»ÉáõÃÇõÝ ÙÁ æ³õ³Ëùª áõñ Javakhq, where the ARS group was able to see the
³Ûó»ÉáõÝ»ñÁ ³éÇÃÁ áõÝ»ó³Ý ï»ëÝ»Éáõ ßñç³Ý¿Ý Ý»ñë fruits of the Society’s labors in bringing educational,
ÐúØ-Ç ·áñÍáõÝ¿áõû³Ý ³ñ¹ÇõÝùÝ»ñÁ ¹³ëïdzñ³Ïã³- medical, and social stability to Javakhq’s population in
ϳݫ ³éáÕç³å³Ñ³Ï³Ý, »õ ÁÝÏ»ñ³ÛÇÝ Ù³ñ½»ñ¿ Ý»ñë£ the form of a clinic, offices, and educational facilities.
ÊáõÙÁ ݳ»õ Ý»ñÏ³Û »Õ³õ æ³õ³ËùÇ Ýáñ »ñÇï³ë³ñ- ARS members were also present for a ribbon-cutting
¹³Ï³Ý ³ÏáõÙÇÝ ³óÙ³Ý ³ñ³ñáÕáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñáõÝ£ ceremony held on Sept. 25 upon the opening of a
long-awaited youth center in Javakhq.
ÐúØ-Ç §Øûñ-áõ-سÝϳݦ ²éáÕç³Ï³Ý »õ
ÌÝݹ³µ»ñ³Ï³Ý λ¹ñáÝÇ Ýáñ CAT-Scan Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Unveils New
ë³ñù³õáñáõÙÇ å³ßïûÝ³Ï³Ý µ³óÙ³Ý CAT Scan Machine at at ARS Mother and
³ñ³ñáÕáõÃÇõÝÁ Child Clinic and Birthing Center
ê»åï© 16-ÇÝ« ÐúØ-Ç ËáõÙÁ ³Ûó»É»ó ÐúØ-Ç ²Ëáõñ- On September 16, the ARS group visited the ARS
»³ÝÇ §Øûñ-áõ-سÝϳݦ ²éáÕç³Ï³Ý »õ ÌÝݹ³»ñ³- Mother and Child Clinic and Birthing Center, as well
Ï³Ý Î»ÝïáÝ« ÇÝãå¿ë ݳ»õ ¶ÇõÙñÇÇÐúØ-Ç ÜÇÏáÉ ²Õ- as the ARS Nicol Aghbalian School, both in Gyumri.
³É»³Ý ¹åñáóÁ£ λ¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ³Ý¹³ÙÝ»ñÁ ¹³- ARS CEB members recessed their meeting to visit the
¹³ñ ³éÇÝ Çñ»Ýó ÅáÕáí¿Ýª ³Ûó»É»Éáõ ѳٳñ »ñÏñ³ß³ñ- former earthquake-stricken area with the group.
Å¿Ý íݳëáõ³Í ³Û¹ ßñç³ÝÇ ½³Ý³½³Ý óճٳë»ñÁ£ The ARS Nigol Aghbalian School was the first stop,
ÊáõÙÇÝ ³é³çÇÝ Ï³Ý·³éÁ ÐúØ-Ç ÜÇÏáÉ ²Õ³É»³Ý where tour buses were waved in by students holding
¸åñáóÝ ¿ñ« áõñ »õ ¹ÇÙ³õáñáõ»ó³Ý -- ¶©Ð³Ýñ³å»ïáõ- bright red, blue and orange papers in the spirit of the
û³Ý 15ñ¹ î³ñ»¹³ñÓÁ ÝßáÕ -- ϳñÙÇñ« ϳåáÛï »õ coming Sept. 21 15th anniversary Independence Day
ݳñÝç³·áÛÝ Ë³õ³ù³ñï»ñ éÝ³Í ³ß³Ï»ñïÝ»ñáõ celebrations. School Principal Khanum Babigian
ÏáÕÙ¿£ ¸åñáóÇÝ ïÝûñ¿ÝÁ« ʳÝáõÙ ä³åÇÏ»³Ý« ³ñÇ greeted the visitors and directed students in singing
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·³Éáõëï Ù³Õûó ³Ûó»ÉáõÝ»ñáõÝ« »õ Ññ³õÇñ»ó ³ß³- and recitations for the crowd. ARS, Inc. CEB member
Ï»ñïÝ»ñÁ ϳï³ñ»Éáõ Çñ»Ýó« ÑÇõñ»ñáõÝ Ç å³ïÇõ« Shakeh Basmajian offered greetings from the CEB
å³ïñ³ëï³Í »ñ·»ñÝ áõ ³ñï³ë³ÝáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁ£ ÐúØ-Ç and praised the schoolteachers and the 300 students
λ¹ñáÝ³Ï³Ý í³ñãáõû³Ý ³Ý¹³Ù« Þ³ù¿ ä³ëÙ³×»³Ý for their dedication to learning and educational im-
÷á˳Ýó»ó λ¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ɳõ³·áÛÝ Ù³ÕóÝùÝ»- provement.
ñÁª ·áí»Éáí áõëáõóÇãÝ»ñÝ áõ 300 ³ß³Ï»ñïÝ»ñÁ Ç ï»ë The next stop was the nearby ARS Mother and Child
Çñ»Ýó óáõó³»ñ³Í ÝáõÇñáõÙÇÝ áõ ³Ûë ¹³ëïdzñ³Ïã³- Clinic and Birthing Center, where the group toured the
Ï³Ý Ñ³ëï³ïáõû³Ý ϳï³ñ³Í Û³é³ç¹ÇÙáõû³Ý£ maternity ward that opened in April 2005. The state-
²ëáñ Û³çáñ¹»ó ÐúØ-Ç §Øûñ-áõ-سÝϳݦ ²éáÕçáõ- of-the-art facility has now overseen the births of nearly
û³Ý áõ ÌÝݹ³»ñ³Ï³Ý λÝïñáÝ ³Ûó»ÉáõÃÇõÝÁ« áõñ 1,500 babies, including one premature week-old infant
ËáõÙÁ ³éÇÃÁ áõÝ»ó³õ ï»ëÝ»Éáõ 2005-Ç ³åñÇÉ in an incubator who was born at 1 kilo and needed to
³ÙëáõÝ ³óáõ³Í سÛñ³ÝáóÁ£ ²ñ¹Ç³Ï³Ý gain a normal weight of 2.5 kilos before going home.
ë³ñù³õáñáõÙáí ³Ûë Ù³ëݳ³ÅÝÇÝ ÅßÏ³Ï³Ý A highlight of the visit was a red ribbon-cutting cer-
³ÝÓݳϳ½ÙÁ ³ñ¹¿Ý ÇëÏ emony to unveil a new
Û³çáÕ Ï»ñåáí Çñ³Ï³Ý³- CAT scan machine and
óáõó³Í ¿ ³õ»ÉÇ ù³Ý 1 500 newly renovated clinic
ÍÝݹ³»ñáõÃÇõݪ »õ ÏÁ space dedicated to scan-
ß³ñáõݳϿ Çñ ³½·³ß¿Ý ning and mammography.
³ß˳ï³ÝùÁ£ ²ñÅ¿ ÛÇᯐ The CAT scan machine
å³ñ³·³Ý Å³Ù³Ý³Ï¿Ý was donated by the
³é³ç Íݳͫ Ù¿Ï ùÇÉû French S.O.S. and ar-
ÙdzÛÝ ÏßéáÕ »ñ»Ë³ÛÇ ÙÁª ranged by Dr. Samson
áñ ³ÝÓݳϳ½ÙÇÝ ËݳÙ- O.Z. Ararat of France.
ùÇÝ ï³Ï« ³ñ¹¿Ý ÇëÏ 2«5 The machine is the only
ùÇÉû·ñ³Ù ÏÁ Ïßé¿ñ Ù³Û- CAT scan machine out-
ñ³Ýáó¿Ý Ù»ÏÝ³Í ûñÁ£ side of Yerevan and will
²Ûó»Éáõû³Ý ³Ù»Ý³ÛÇ- serve the entire northern
ß³ï³Ï»ÉÇ Ù³ëÝ ¿ñ CAT- region of Armenia, reach-
scan-Ç Ýáñ ë³ñù³õáñÙ³Ý ing into Javakhq. There
»õ í»ñç»ñë í»ñ³Ýáñá·- are only six such machines
õ³Í ëïÇÝù³½ÝÝáõû³Ý Chairperson Hasmig Derderian and in Yerevan, a 120 kilome-
Ù³ëݳ³ÅÝÇ å³ßïûݳ- Dr. Samson O.Z. Ararat shake hands ters drive from Gyumri.
Ï³Ý ³óáõÙÁ£ ê³ñù³õá- “This gift will increase
ñáõÙÁ Ýáõ¿ñÝ ¿ñ ýñ³Ýë³Ï³Ý S.O.S. ÑÇÙݳñÏÇݪ ßÝáñ- the flow of patients and the quality of care in the re-
ÑÇõ ýñ³Ýë³Ñ³Û ¸áÏï. ê³ÙëáÝ ú© ¼© ²ñ³ñ³ïÇ ç³Ý- gion,” said ARS Clinic Executive Director Dr. Sevag
ù»ñáõÝ£ ê³ñù³õáñáõÙÁ« ºñ»õ³Ý¿Ý ¹áõñë« ÙdzÏÝ ¿ »õ Avagian. The donation will allow the ARS clinic to ex-
åÇïÇ Í³é³Û¿ г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÑÇõëÇë³ÛÇÝ ßñç³ÝÇݪ ѳë- pand its medical services and reach more patients in a
Ý»Éáí ÙÇÝã»õ æ³õ³Ëù£ ²Ûë ï»ë³ÏÇ ÙdzÛÝ í»ó Ù»ù»- cost-effective manner. ARS CEB Chairperson Hasmig
ݳݻñ Ï³Ý ºñ»õ³Ý© 120 ùÇÉûÙ¿¹ñ Ñ»éáõ ¶ÇõÙñÇ¿Ý£ Derderian and Dr. Ararat shared in the ribbon-cutting
Àëï ²éáÕçáõû³Ý λÝïñáÝÇ ·áñͳ¹Çñ ïÝûñ¿Ý« duties and happily shook hands to commemorate a
¸áÏï© ê»õ³Ï ²õ³·»³ÝǪ ³Ûë Ýáõ¿ñÁ ϳñ»ÉÇ åÇïÇ new step in ARS-provided health care in Gyumri and
¹³ñÓÝ¿ ß³ï ³õ»ÉÇ Ù»Í ÃÇõáí ÑÇõ³Ý¹Ý»ñáõ áõÅáõÙÁ »õ beyond.
åÇïÇ ³ñÓñ³óÝ¿ ßñç³ÝÇ ÅßÏ³Ï³Ý ËݳÙùÇ áñ³ÏÁ£ The CAT scan machine joins another new addition
²Ûë ÝáõÇñ³ïõáõû³Ù« ÐúØÇ ³Ûë ѳÝñû·áõï ¹³ñ- to the ARS clinic’s services: an ambulance. Complete
ٳݳïáõÝÁ åÇïÇ Áݹ³ñӳϿ Çñ ËݳÙùÇ ÍÇñÁª Ùdz- with the ARS’s logo, the new ambulance provides a
Å³Ù³Ý³Ï å³Ñ»Éáí Çñ Ý»ñÏ³Û ïÝï»ë³Ï³Ý Ù³ïã»ÉÇ unique and much-needed service to the inhabitants of
å³ÛÙ³ÝÝ»ñÁ£ the former earthquake region in an area which is sec-
ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ²ï»Ý³å»ï« ÁÝÏÑ© Ú.î¿ñ- ond in population only to Yerevan.
ï¿ñ»³Ý »õ ¸áÏï© ²ñ³ñ³ï ÙdzëÇÝ Ïïñ»óÇÝ ³óáõÙÇ The day ended with a mandatory meeting between
ϳñÙÇñ ųå³õ¿ÝÁª ßÝáñѳõáñ»Éáí ½Çñ³ñ ³éÝáõ³Í the ARS CEB and executive board representatives
³Ûë -- ÐúØ-Ç Ñ³Û³ëï³Ý»³Ý ³ß˳ï³ÝùÝ»ñáõÝ Ñ³- from 15 ARS entities, where information and ideas
Ù³ñ -- Ý߳ݳϳÉÇó »õ û·ï³ß³ï ù³ÛÉÇÝ Ñ³Ù³ñ£ were exchanged in a spirit of cooperation. A question
10
and answer period followed between the CEB and
the regional and chapter representatives. The evening
concluded with a reception for members hosted by
the ARS Armenia Regional Executive.
11
Û³ÝÓݳéáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁ ²ñó³ËÇ §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ-
�ݻñáõ ó³ÝóÁ ï³ñ³Í»Éáõ ݳ»õ г۳ëï³ÝÇ
ë³ÑٳݳٻñÓ ·ÇõÕ»ñáõÝ íñ³Û£ ÀÝÏÑ© î¿ñï¿ñ»³Ý
Ýß»ó ݳ»õ« ÿ ÐúØ-Ç ÙdzõáñÝ»ñÝ áõ ³Ý¹³ÙÝ»ñÁ »õë
Çñ»Ýó ³ÅÇÝÁ åÇïÇ »ñ»Ý í»ñ³Ï³Ý·ÝáõÙÇ ³Ûë
³ß˳ï³ÝùÝ»ñáõÝ£ (î»ëÝ»É ÁÝÏÑ© î¿ñï¿ñ»³ÝÇ
ËûëùÁ Çñ ³ÙµáÕçáõû³Ùµª Ý»ñÏ³Û Ñ³Ù³ñÇÝ Ù¿ç)
13
ï³ë³ñ¹ ï³ññ»ñáõ Ý»ñ¹ñáõÙáíª ÏÝáç »õ Ù³ÝáõÏÇ Çñ³- have existed for a short time and organizations that are
õáõÝùÝ»ñáõ Ñ»ï ³éÝãáõáÕ Ñ³ñó»ñáõ ÉáõÍÙ³Ý ³ß˳- founded and thrive in the community that last.” Re-
ï³ÝùÝ»ñáõÝ Ù¿ç£ ÀÝÏÑ© î¿ñï¿ñ»³Ý ³é³ç³ñÏ»ó Û³Ý- flecting on the Third Armenia-Diaspora Conference
¹áõ·Ý ÉáõÍáõÙÝ»ñ ÐúØ-Ç Ý»ñÏ³Û å³Ñ³ÝçÝ»ñáõÝ ·á- held earlier in the week, Hreshdakian observed, “The
ѳóÙ³Ý Ç ËݹÇñ© áñáÝó ß³ñùÇݪ Ùdzï»ë³Ï ϳÝáݳ- ARS is an excellent example of an organization that
·ÇñÝ»ñáõ ·áñͳ¹ñáõÙª ÐúØ-Ç áÉá°ñ ÙdzõáñÝ»ñáõÝ works together in the Diaspora and in the Homeland.”
ѳٳñ© ÁÝïñáõ³Í »õ í׳ñáíÇ í³ñÇã ïÝûñ¿Ý ÙÁª ÇÝã- Hovhanisyan focused on the important ARS work
åÇëÇÝ »Ý ²ñ»õÙáõïùÇ ß³ï ÙÁ ³ñ»·áñÍ³Ï³Ý ÙÇáõ- that young people are fueling in Armenia today, in-
ÃÇõÝÝ»ñáõ å³ñ³·³ÛÇÝ£ cluding issues focused on the human trafficking of
ìÇ׳³ÝáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÝ áõ ѳñó-å³ï³ë˳ÝÝ»ñÁ ÁÝ- women and children. Derderian introduced bold ideas
óó³Ý ³ÝÏ»ÕÍ áõ ѳٳñÓ³Ï ÙÃÝáÉáñïÇ Ù¿ç£ Ü»ñ- for shaking up the ARS, including one set of uniform
ϳݻñÁ Ëáñ³å¿ë ÙËñ×áõ»ó³Ý ë»ñáõݹݻñáõ ÷áË- by-laws throughout the ARS’s and consideration of an
Û³ñ³»ñáõû³Ý Ñ»ï ³éÝãáõáÕ Ñ³ñó»ñáõ« Ýáñ ·³Õ³- elected, but paid, chief executive officer, similar to an
÷³ñÝ»ñáõ ·áñͳ¹ñÙ³Ý ÙÇçáóÝ»ñáõ ÁÝïñáõû³Ý »õ organizational structure used by some non-profit orga-
Û³é³ç¹ÇÙáõû³Ý ׳ݳå³ñÑÇÝ nizations in the
íñ³Û Û³ÛïÝáõáÕ ³Ûɳ½³Ý Ëáçݹáï- West.
Ý»ñáõ ѳñó»ñáõÝ Ù¿ç£ Ð³Û³ëï³ÝÇ The panel discus-
ÐúØ-Ç »ñÇï³ë³ñ¹ ï³ññ»ñáõ Ý»ñ- sion was lively, as
ϳÛáõÃÇõÝÁ ³ÏÝ»ñ»õûñ¿Ý ËÃ³Ý ÙÁ was the question
»Õ³õ ËáñÑñ¹³ÅáÕáíÇÝ Û³çáÕ ÁÝ- and answer discus-
óóùÇÝ£ ÊáñÑñ¹³ÅáÕáíÁ í»ñç³ó³õ sion that followed.
ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ÏáÕÙ¿ ãáñë Conference attend-
¹³ë³ËûëÝ»ñáõÝ Ûáõß³Ýáõ¿ñÝ»ñáõ ees discussed inter-
³ßËáõÙáí action among the
generations, the
г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç process of imple-
ϳ½Ù³Ï»ñå³Í 15-³Ù»³ÏÇ menting new ideas
ѳݹÇëáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁ to attract new
ê»åï© 22-ÇÝ« г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç members, and the
Þñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ í³ñãáõÃÇõÝÁ ÑÇõñ³ëÇñ»ó Ungh. Anna Mnatsakanian roadblocks mem-
15-³Ù»³ÏÇÝ ÝáõÇñáõ³Í ËÝçáÛù ÙÁ« Coordinator of Special ARS Programs in Armenia bers some-times
ÇëÏ ë»åï© 23-Çݪ Ýáõ³·³Ñ³Ý¹¿ë ÙÁ£ encounter when
¼áÛ· Ó»éݳñÏÝ»ñáõÝ Ù³ëݳÏó»ó³Ý å»ï³Ï³Ý »õ ³ÛÉ they propose bold, but untested methods to the Soci-
ٻͳٻÍÝ»ñ£ ety. The conference was inspired by the testimonials of
²ÝݳËÁÝóó ËÝçáÛùÁ ï»ÕÇ áõÝ»ó³õ Bellagio ׳- young ARS leaders in Armenia. The conference ended
ß³ñ³ÝÇÝ Ù¿çª ÉÇ ³é³ï áõï»ÉÇùÝ»ñáí« »ñ³Åßïáõ- with the presentation of gifts from the ARS CEB to
û³Ù »õ å³ñáí£ ìÇ׳ϳѳÝáõû³Ý ïáÙë»ñ the four panelists.
ͳËáõ»ó³Ý Ç ß³Ñ Ð³Û³ëï³ÝÇ ÝdzõáñÇÝ£ ºñ»ÏáÛÃÁ
í»ñç³ó³õ ѳÛñ»Ý³ëÇñ³Ï³Ý »ñ·»ñáí£ 15th Anniversary Events Hosted by
г۳ëï³ÝÇ ÐúØ-Ç Þñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ í³ñãáõû³Ý ϳ½- ARS Armenia
ٳϻñå³Í Üáõ³·³Ñ³Ý¹¿ëÁ ϳ۳ó³õ êáõݹáõÏ»³ÝÇ The ARS Armenia Regional Executive hosted a 15th
³Ýáõ³Ý óï»ñ³ëñ³ÑÇÝ Ù¿çª ÑÇõñ³ëÇñáõû³Ù ³ï»- anniversary gala dinner on Sept. 22 and 15th anniver-
ݳå»ï« ÁÝÏÑ© ²Éí³ñ¹ ä»ïñá뻳ÝÇ£ Ü»ñÏ³Û ¿ÇÝ Ð³- sary concert on Sept. 23. The events were attended by
Û³ëï³ÝÇ ²é³çÇÝ ïÇÏÇÝ« ¸áÏï© ´¿Éɳ øáã³ñ»³ÝÇ »õ political dignitaries and guests.
ä³ñáÝáõÑÇ ¶³ñáɳÛÝ øáùëÇ£ The gala dinner was held at Bellagio Restaurant and
ÞÝáñѳõáñ³Ï³Ý Ëûëù ³éÇÝ ÐÚ¸ ´ÇõñáÛÇ Ý»ñϳ۳- was an evening filled with food, music, and dancing. A
óáõóÇã« ÁÝÏ© Ðñ³Ý¹ سñ·³ñ»³ÝÁ« ÐÐ ²½·³ÛÇÝ ÄáÕá- raffle was held to benefit the ARS Armenia and the
íÇ Ý³Ë³·³Ñ« îÇ·ñ³Ý Âáñá뻳ÝÁ« гٳѳÛÏ³Ï³Ý night concluded with the singing of patriotic songs.
ÑÇÙݳ¹ñ³ÙÇ í³ñÇã ïÝûñ¿Ý« ܳÛÇñ³ Ø»ÉùáõÙ»³ÝÁ« The concert was held at Sundukian Theater and was
²ñó³ËÇ ÐúØ-Ç ³ï»Ý³å»ï« ÁÝÙÏÑ© Ü¿ÉÉÇ ÔáõÉ»³ÝÁ, hosted by ARS Armenia Regional Executive Chair-
æ³õ³ËùÇ ÐúØ-Ç ³ï»Ý³å»ï« ÁÝÏÑ© γñÇÝ¿ ³¹»- woman Alvard Petrosian. Present were Armenia’s First
õá뻳ÝÁ« »õ ÐúØ-Ç Î»¹ñ© í³ñãáõû³Ý ³ï»Ý³å»ï« Lady, Dr. Bella Kocharian and Baroness Caroline Cox.
14
The Panelists
Y
es, he was here, Raffi was here in Shvanidzor Bek Country! This was Zangezur! This was Siuniayts
in 1881,” said Ashot as we climbed up the Ashkharh! This was where for centuries heroes lived,
foothill; up the steep, narrow, winding path fought and died defending home, hearth and land, and
leading to a row of crumbled and crumbling flat- where they still live today—and the relentless invaders
roofed stone houses turning to piles of stone. “And now are unemployment and poverty.
when he came,” continued Ashot, “Raffi said, ‘You We finally reached the rocky slope, the place where
must build a school in this village!’ and the villagers crumbled and crumbling stone houses were once
did.” home to many. Ashot’s home, abandoned years ago
“This is where I was for a better life in
born, and this is where Yerevan, still stood but
I received my elemen- was on the verge of
tary education!” said collapse, while all that
Ashot proudly, his remained of the house
green eyes sparkling as next to his was the tonir
he raised his arms to (a bell-shaped clay oven
the sky. “And it was in placed in the ground)
these mountains — and a partially standing
during Lenin’s time, wall. That house had
while walking alone one been his relative, Suren
day with my father, Hacobjani
who was a religious Hovhannesian’s (my fa-
man — where I learned ther) childhood home.
from him what to say, I touched the wall,
what not to say… and Meghri school children walked over to where
warning me not to go the tonir room had
to church because I was been, and thought: My
a Gomsomol, a young Communist. I was just nine years father was born here, seven children and their mother
old.” and father had lived here—here, where once a one-
“Ashot, what does Shvanidzor mean?” I asked this room house with a hearth, a tonir room, and a balcony
tall, gentle-voiced man of the mountains. overlooking the dirt road below had stood. This was
“The word, according to the locals,” he began, “ac- where he was orphaned at nine, finished the village
tually has two meanings. The first is, ‘weeping valley’ school, a grades-one-to-four elementary school, and
because of all the blood that was shed protecting our left in 1917 to live with his uncle in Yerevan where, still
land from both Turkish and Persian invaders. The sec- a child, he worked in a shop and continued his educa-
ond is, ‘sweet valley’ because the sun is so intense here tion, eventually earning his teaching degree in 1930
in the southern part of Armenia, it makes our fruits from the Mankavarzhakan Technikum, by attending its
extra sweet.” evening classes.
As I listened to Ashot speak with such fervor in his Children began first grade at age seven, sometimes
voice, such passion in his eyes about this rugged, eight, and while some villages had schools up to grade
jagged land of his ancestors—Weeping Valley, Sweet four, others had schools up to grade seven. Today,
Valley—I looked long and hard at the terrain before villages such as Shvanidzor offer a higher level of edu-
me, so mountainous, rocky, and dry, yet lush in the dis- cation; its teachers have university degrees; and a num-
tance where the river Arax flowed. So, this was Davit ber of the students go on to study at universities and
16
institutes. In schools, first graders learned the alphabet, The educational institutions associated with the mon-
the numbers, adding, subtracting, and multiplication. asteries of Tatev, Gladzor, and Sanahin (all three in
By the second half of the school year they began read- Eastern Armenia) were considered universities; while
ing lessons. the monasteries of Haghbat (in Eastern Armenia),
Traveling by foot from one’s village to a nearby one, Narekavanq and Varagavanq (both in the Van Prov-
or moving to a town or city in pursuit of a better or ince) were considered schools. These monastic centers
higher education was not uncommon as far back as of learning played a major role in preparing teachers.
the 1840s, when the revival of Armenian learning and In addition to the courses mentioned, students also
literature had already begun. In the case of students studied architecture, astronomy, geometry, calligraphy,
who wished to continue their education, and whose history, music, mathematics, painting, and other disci-
families were able to arrange such a move, the student plines. Among the teachers who lectured at these cen-
would be placed with relatives or friends while attend- ters were Anania Shirakatsi and Grigor Tatevatsi.
ing school, or enrolled in a boarding school. Such ar- As Ashot and I began making our way down the
rangements were also the practice in Armenian regions slope, I asked, “How did the women and children
in the Ottoman Empire. carry water from the nearby chaheriz (centuries-old,
“Ashot,” I asked, “Are there any churches in this vil- man-made underground canal which provides potable
lage?” I had not seen any domes. water) all the way up here, every day, all year long?”
“Look over there, on that hill beyond the trees,” he “Stone steps used to line this path,” Ashot said,
replied as he pointed to “making the climb up
one of Shvanidzor’s three and down much easier,
churches nestled in be- but time and the ele-
tween a cluster of houses. th
“The 19 century — a crucial ments have caused them
th
The small 17 century to crumble and the steps
church with a slanted roof
period in the history of the to be swept away just
had no dome. It was the Armenians — marked the revival like the houses. You see,
style in this village of 112 of education and the creation because arable land is
households (as of 2004). of schools and learning centers scarce in this area, we
Not far from the village, have always had to build
there was yet another style for all the people, not just the select our homes up high on
church. Built in the 10th few. This period of enlightenment the hills in order to culti-
century of small stones was met with zeal, idealism, vate the land below for
and mud, the square- food, for our livelihood.
and a sense of renewal.”
shaped church, with two In addition, the vantage
small slits for windows, point and the secret pas-
was built partially under- sages between the houses
ground and had a flat roof. This place of worship served us well during times of danger.”
was not easily noticeable in the rocky terrain where liz- As I looked up at the rocky slope one last time, I
ards and scorpions scurried about, where Turkish vil- thought: Besides the teachers in the pagan temples, the
lages had been built (prior to and during Soviet times) monasteries, and the schools, the rugged terrain, turbu-
between the existing Armenian ones. As I thought lent history, and harsh life of the Armenian people
about the various churches and ancient monasteries I were by far the most demanding and exacting of
had seen throughout Armenia, I began thinking about teachers.
the important roles they — as well as the pagan Walking again on flat land free from rolling pebbles
temples during the pre-Christian era — played in the and stones and thorny weeds, we were greeted on the
history of our people, such as in early education. Dur- side of the road by a sleepy cow, lazily waving her tail
ing medieval times, 10th to 14th centuries, courses such in the air, and chickens clucking and pecking in the dirt.
as medicine, the natural sciences, and philosophy were “Barev dzez,” (Greetings to you) we said to a group of
taught at such monasteries as Tatev (in the Zangezur old and young men sitting in the shade smoking and
region), Gladzor, Haghbat and Sanahin; at Aghtamar, talking, and to some old women sitting on a log, star-
Ani, Sis, and Yerznka, where education at the time was ing into the dusty distance. Somberly, they greeted us
dominated by Christian doctrine. Many who attended too, and we continued on our way. Nearby, a young
these learning centers were laymen. girl about ten or twelve years old sat on a tree stump
17
reading a book. She reminded me of another girl, he came across a young teenage girl sitting near a
who was about her age in 1991, studying in her frigid spring. Raffi asked her, ‘Do you know how to read?’
kitchen in Yerevan during Armenia’s bleak days when “The girl responded, ‘I am not a Tiratsu (one study-
the country was still traumatized by the physical and ing for the priesthood) or a priest that I need to learn
emotional damages caused by the 1988 earthquake, or know how to read.’
and the political and economic upheaval and uncer-
tainty that prevailed. I remembered 1991 and my stu- “Raffi felt strongly that women needed to be edu-
dents in the little blue school house in Jrashen, a village cated for the enlightenment of the nation, and as he
next to Spitak, and how eager they were to learn de- pondered the young girl’s response, he thought to him-
spite the lack of food, water, heat, and electricity. Our self: Poor girl, I will remove the confusion from your
English classes would often be held in a closet where a innocent mind. Reading is more important for you
broken sink, a broom, and a mop were kept. For the than for the tiratsu and the priest. You must educate
entire class period, the lesson would be conducted the new generation, and you must smooth the path for
standing shoulder to our bright future! Yes,
shoulder with coats you must learn to read!
on. The students, It will be then that you
both the younger ones will no longer be a
and the older ones, poor and pitiable crea-
were eager and enthu- ture, and your children
siastic to learn. In the will live good and
mud, in the snow, in happy lives…”
shabby clothes and Soon after Raffi’s re-
shoes, with worn- turn home to Payajuk,
down pencils and he and a friend opened
flimsy notebooks, and a school to provide the
some in poor health, children of the village
they came every day to with a modern educa-
learn English, even on tion. Unfortunately,
holidays. Whether in due to fierce opposition
the villages, towns, cit- from the clergy and the
ies, or the capital, A classroom at Jrashen Prelate, the school was
Yerevan, schools were shut down, and his
open and education dream of opening a
continued despite all adversity. girls’ school never materialized. In 1875, Raffi taught
“See that girl reading over there,” said Ashot pointing history and Armenian at the Aramian School in Tabriz.
to the girl sitting on the tree stump, “she reminds me In 1877, he was invited to teach at a boys’ school and
of a scene from one of Raffi’s (born Hacob Meliq- a girls’ school in the town of Verin Agulis in the
Hacobian, 1835-1888, Persia) writings… He had just Nakhijevan Province of Eastern Armenia. During the
returned home with great excitement and enthusiasm 1600s, eight thousand Armenian families lived in
to Payajuk, a village in the Salmast region of Persia, in Agulis. They had schools and a library.
1856 after receiving his education in Tiflis, Georgia, Emphasis on education for the Armenians in Persia
first at the Garabed Belakhian School (established came in the 1800s, later than for the Armenians in
1846), a private Armenian prep-school, and then at the Eastern Armenia—Yerevan, Nakhijevan, Zangezur,
Russian Gymnasium. The prep-school, specialized in and Karabagh—within the Russian Empire, and espe-
Armenian studies, offered boarding and prepared stu- cially in Tiflis, as well as the Armenians in the Ottoman
dents for the gymnasium (high school.) Learning much Empire.
and exposed to new ideas, curricula, and methods of The 19 th century—a crucial period in the history
teaching other than the harsh, overly pedantic, and un- of the Armenians—marked the revival of educa-
productive Ter Totik Dbrots (village schools run by tion and the creation of schools and learning centers
priests) style of teaching, he was filled with a passion- for all the people, not just the select few. This pe-
ate desire to educate and enlighten his fellow Arme- riod of enlightenment was met with zeal, idealism,
nians. One day, as he was walking around his village, and a sense of renewal.
18
and to preserve the primacy of Grabar (Classical Ar-
menian). Armenians in the Caucasus had very few, if
any, schools before the Russian annexations. With the
existence of the Aghababian, Gogoyan, and Lazarian
schools in Astrakhan, Nor Nakhijevan, and Moscow,
respectively, and the Zharangavorats Seminary in
Ejmiatzin (opened 1813), and the Nersisian Djemaran in
Tiflis, Armenian learning in the Caucasus, or Eastern
Armenia, began to take shape and branch out to the
churches and homes where usually one devoted edu-
cator would teach. By the end of 1836, there were
Children at dancing school twenty-one Armenian church schools.
In Tiflis, the Nersisian Djemaran, or School, was es-
tablished in 1824, and had three grades with 80 stu-
dents the first year. By the 1885-86 school year, it had
n 1810, the Armenian community in Astrakhan,
22
Verse in the Vernacular
and Translation...
ƱÜâ ºê ²ÜºÈàô
Contemporary Armenian poetRY
IJزܲβÎÆò Ð²Ú ´²Ü²êîºÔÌàôÂÆôÜ ²ë³°«
ËݹñáõÙ »Ù«
poeSIE armenienNE contemporainE DZÝã »ë ³Ý»Éáõ«
»ñ ³Ýï¿ñ ÙÇ ûñ«
³Ýë¿ñ« ³é³ÝÓÇÝ«
»ñ Ï»³ùǹ ·Ý³óùÁ
³Ýß»Õ ÁÝóóùáí
ѳëÝáõÙ ¿ ³ñ¹¿Ý
Çñ ׳ϳﳷñÇ
“CANTIQUE” í»ñçÇÝ Ï³Ý·³éÇÝ« »õ ¹áõ«
(ARTSAKH) ³ÝͳÝûÃÇÝ ³ÑÁ
ùá ëñïÇÝ«
áõ½áõÙ »ë ϳéã»É
Dans l’immensité du midi, montent les montagnes,
³Ýó³Í ûñ»ñÇ ç³Ñ¿É ³ñ»õÇÝ©©©
tendant la main aux nuances
àõ Û»ï »ë ݳÛáõÙ
des couleurs de sommets, ÏǽÇã ϳñûïáí
aux pieds d’un énorme soleil à son zénith, áõ ÷ÝïéáõÙ »ë
¿Ý ë¿ñ ûñ»ñÇ ³ÝÇÍ Ûáõß»ñÇ
lentement consumé… ÛáÛëÁ Ñ»é³Ï³Û
Û³õÇï»Ýáõû³°Ý
Ici, les mots de Machtots sont réels ³Ýóñà ³ãù»ñáõÙ©©©
2233
MOTHER
VAHÉ OSHAGAN
May 8, 1999, Hartford
Translated by Tatul Sonentz
2244
LA FEDERATION EURO-ARMENIENNE
FORME LES FUTURS CADRES DE LA DIASPORA D’EUROPE
26 26
Photo By Levon
KO MITAS
SOGHOMON SOGHOMONIAN est né le 26 mai, 1860, à En 1910, Komitas s’installe à Constantinople pour
Kutahia, en Arménie Ottomane, orphelin à l’âge de des raisons pratiques. 1914, l’Europe est en guerre e
onze ans, d’un père cordonnier et choriste à l’église de la Turquie, alliée de l’Allemagne, met au point une
son village, et d’une mère composant des chansons. ultime strategie: ne pouvant, depuis des siècles,
Cet héritage devait nouer les fils de son destin. asservir et convertir les Arméniens vivant dans
Il est envoyé au séminaire d’Edjmiatzine, siège de l’empire Ottoman, les autorités decident de les rayer
l’Episcopat Arménien, pour y etudier. Comme de la surface terrestre. Le 24 avril, 1914, debutent le
l’immense majorité des Arméniens disseminés dans exactions, avec en priorité les intellectuels résidant à
l’empire Ottoman, il ne parlait que le turc. “C’est pour Constantinople. Komitas fut l’un des premiers à
apprendre l’arménien et le chant que j’ai été conduit ici” dit-il à connaître les geôles ottomans. Il est, grâce à sa
son arrivée: quelques années plus tard, il y sera ordon- notoriété internationals, l’un des seuls à survivre apr
né Vardapet (prêtre) sous le nom de Komitas. quelques mois d’emprisonnement. Mais dans quel ét
Doté d’un timbre vocal exceptionnel, il etudie la Son psychisme était atteint. Il partit pour l’Europe o
musique à Tbilisi, puis la théorie musicale européenne il vecut quelques temps avant d’être interné dans un
à Berlin. En 1884, éclatent les premiers massacres asile psychiatrique à Paris. Il y mourut le 22 octobre
préfiguramt l’avenir. Prénomitoiremment, Komitas 1935, après des années de prostration.
prendra son bâton de pèlerin et sillonera tous les KOMITAS est la symbolique arrménienne. Il offrit à
village ou sont réfugiés ses semblables, recueillant sans son people un collier, un collier de diamant qu’il
relâche, jusqu’en 1913, des milliers de chants popu- chercha, trouvant toutes les pièrres precieuses qui le
laires. composent, enlevant toute la scorie qui s’était incrus
C’est tout naturellement qu’il devient le pionnier de tée pendant des siecles. Il a atteint l’originel! Telleme
l’ethnomusicologie. Le patrimoine culturel le plus authentique, que tous les Arméniens s’y retrouvent.
diffusé et rhythmant la vie quotidienne étant le chant Komitas a fait surgir une source contenant l’âme d’u
— chants profanes ou sacrés, memoir d’un people people. Il fut le levain ayant fait monter la pâte.
soumis depuis des siècles aux affres de l’occupation. Ses melodies d’un monde rural sont graves, sincèr
Les paysans Arméniens, toujours fidèles à leur foi, ne authentique et pudique,à l’image du people. Depuis
pouvant communiquer en public dans leur langue, d’autres artistes sillionnent le monde en s’exprimant
avaient transmis de générations en générations leur us dans la langue et avec les formes de leur terre d’a-
et coutumes ancestrales à l’aide de chansons! doption. Comme Charles Aznavourian et Alan
Komitas vint en 1906 à Paris invité par la Société Hovhannes. Comme cet orphelin métamorphosé e
Internationale de Musique. Communiquant le resultat Herbert von Karayan, et tant d’autres de part le
de ses recherches “d’anthropologie culturel”, puis une monde… Tous ont un dénominateur commun: la
thèse sur le rôle de la “musique dans le contexte fidélité à leur racine et l’appartenance à une culture
social”, il fit sensation! “Je m’incline et me prosterne devant apatride. Sans la revandiquer. Modestement. Na-
votre génie” proclame Claude Debussy qui devait turellement.
devenir son ami. ARMAND ARTINIA
27
Berberian
PRELUDE TO POGROM
BY ANNA ASTVATZATRIAN TURCOTT
I
t is a cold afternoon in December, 1988. We are The demonstrators scream and demand that the Ar-
all gathered in Grandma’s apartment in a suburb menians be brought out. Enraged at the lack of re-
of Baku. I have just come home from school – sponse, they throw rocks at the windows, the noise of
what used to be an ordinary, daily ritual, until I see my shattered glass mixes with screams and yelled obsceni-
family huddled in the living room. Outside, the gather- ties. Restless, in search of more accessible victims, they
ing turmoil and rampaging mobs seem to get more move on, skipping our building, looking back and
threatening every day. waiving banners and fists at the shuttered windows,
All five of us, Mama, Papa, Misha, Grandma and I threatening to be back.
are sitting in this room, behind locked doors, shuttered No one in the neighborhood is physically hurt that
windows, in darkness… day, yet, we all brace ourselves for the worst, as ru-
Papa goes to the kitchen and returns with a bunch of mors spread like wildfire, that the Armenians of
knives and puts the pile on a small table in front of Karabagh have gathered an army and have seceded
him, muttering on and on, to no one in particular: from Azerbaijan…
“If they break in, I’ll take a few of them with me…”
I miss school only on ‘horrible’ days. I walk to school
No one speaks; we whisper when we need to. alone, to the dismay of Mama’s colleagues who accuse
Through the cracks in the blinds we see people rushing her of being crazy to let me commute on foot, by
down the street carrying green flags. There are black myself. Mama, at the time, does not believe there is
flags too, obviously hand-made, hastily emblazoned any real danger for me, until the day demonstrators
with “Death!” and “Vengeance!” A man in a black surround my school.
coat appears in front of the crowd, facing it and walk- It is during English class, that we hear the discordant
ing backwards. It is hard to hear what he says, but it sounds of a mob advancing through a street parallel
seems as if he is trying to stem the tide of this mob. In to ours. All of us jump to our feet and rush towards
response, the crowd yells louder and picks up speed. our third floor windows. Our teacher – a close, Azeri
The determined stream pushes him out of the way. friend of my mother — yells and orders us back to
Some of the demonstrators spill into the courtyard of our seats.
the apartment building next to ours, known, for gen- “Don’t you dare go near that window!” she screams.
erations, as the ‘Armenian’ building. As we return to our desks, moving very cautiously,
28
her back hugging the wall, she gets close to the win-
dowpanes. We sit quietly, as she looks out for several MUTED MESSAGE
minutes. She returns to her desk and, with a release of
suppressed excitement, we ask her what is happening.
“They seem to be calling for the upperclassmen to First snow of the year
join the demonstrators gathering at Lenin Square,” she life is muffled like the sounds
replies. She tries to re-start class when screams, yells
and the sound of shattering glass, coming from the made by a string ensemble
floor below, drown her voice. playing to frozen eardrums
It seems, the teachers of the upperclassmen on the
out of sight out of reach to those
floor below are having a harder time containing their
classes. They are reluctant to let their students join the stranded in the lone recesses
demonstration, while the upperclassmen – mostly of a receding lifeline…
Azeri – insist on joining the protesters and yell obsceni-
ties in frustration. One upperclassman jumps from the
second floor window and runs toward the street be- Nothing can speak louder
yond the brick wall that surrounds the school, as the or freeze colder than silence.
headmaster and teachers, yelling at the top of their
voices, entreat him to turn back… no curse emoted or whispered
Probably in fear of parental ire, the student back- can cause the pain that silence can
tracks and returns to his class. This retreat angers the
demonstrators who expect to have the support of the
without emitting a word without
students. They are livid at the teachers for standing in being there – where once a song
the way, so they start pelting the windows with rocks of a shared passion steamed
and crush all the windowpanes of the first floor and
some of the second floor. the windowpanes of this place
Still furious, the mob storms the high brick wall and where I now reside alone
enters the school building. The most aggressive ele-
dismissed sheltered
ments threaten to beat up all who put up any resis-
tance; after all, this was a Russian school, attended by yet… homeless…
most Armenians. A group of burly militants pushes its
way towards the classrooms; it is stopped by teachers
objecting to this forced intrusion. In the ensuing melee, With the meandering flakes
an elderly physical education teacher is manhandled. silence descends like a shroud
Desperate, intimidated, one of the teachers drops to on the passion that was my home
her knees and pleads with the mob, begging the en-
raged demonstrators to leave the building. The mili- for what seemed like eternity
tants answer by slapping her face; undaunted, she per- constant and real –at least
sists and, as a last resort, the teachers promise to lead
the students to Lenin Square the very next day…
from lullaby to taps…
Risking it all, the teachers, dead set against involving
the children in what promises to be a violent demon-
stration of hatred, do not keep their promise (in spite
First snow of the year
of the fact, that the Administrator of the school was a When desire is muffled like
Communist Azeri) and the students are not led to a murmured prayer to gods
Lenin Square.
long departed…
Regardless of all the fuss, numerous students don’t
show up at school during the following weeks, as ————————— Tatul Sonentz
demonstrations and mob action flare up on a daily
basis…< December, 2001
29
Ð³Û ú·Ýáõû³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý
11ñ¹ §êû뿦 سÝϳå³ñ�Ç
´³óáõÙÁ ø³ñ»·³ÑáõÙ
ÐáÏï»Ù»ñ 9« 2006-ÇÝ« ³ñ»ñ³ñ ²ñÙ¿Ý Âá÷áõ½»³ÝÇ, í³ñã³Ï³½ÙÇ
ջϳí³ñ å³ñáÝ Ê³ã³ïñ»³ÝÇ, гÛñ ²Ã³Ý³ëÇ, ²ñó³ËÇ Ð³Ýñ³å»ïáõû³Ý
ÏñÃáõû³Ý« Ùß³ÏáõÛÃÇ ¨ Ù³ñÙݳٳñ½Ç ݳ˳ñ³ñáõÃÛ³Ý Ý»ñϳ۳óáõóãÇ« ÐÚ¸ ²ñó³ËÇ
Ï»ÝïñáÝ³Ï³Ý ÏáÙÇï¿Ç Ñ»ñóå³Ñ ÁÝÏ. Øá뻳ÝÇ, Ïáõë³Ïó³Ï³Ý ÁÝÏ»ñÝ»ñÇ,
»õ Éñ³ïáõ³ÙÇçáóÝ»ñÇ Ý»ñϳ۳óáõóÇãÝ»ñÇ Ù³ëݳÏóáõÃÛ³Ù« ø³ñ»·³ÑáõÙ
³óáõ»ó 17 »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇó »õ ÑÇÝ·³Ý¹³Ù ³ß˳ï³Ï³½ÙÇó ³Õϳó³Í
ÐúØ-Ç 1 1-ñ¹ §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�Á:
11-ñ¹
Ú³ñ·³ñÅ³Ý î¿ñ ѳÛñ, å»ï³Ï³Ý ³Ûñ»ñ, ÑÇõñ»ñ, ³Ûëûñ, Ç Ññ×áõ³Ýë áÉáñÇë, Ù³Ûñ Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�Ç
ÍÝáÕÝ»ñ ¨ ëÇñ»ÉÇ ë³ÝÇÏÝ»ñ, ÃáÛÉ ïáõ¿°ù Ð³Û ú·Ýáõ- ûñÇݳÏáí, ø³ñ»·³ÑáõÙ ÐúØ-Á ³óáõÙ ¿ Çñ Ñ»ñó-
ÃÛ³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý ø³ß³Ã³ÕÇ ßñç³ÝÇ ø³ñ»·³Ñ ·ÇõÕÇ Ï³Ý 11-ñ¹ Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�Á:
Ù³Ýϳå³ñï¿½Ç ³óÙ³Ý ³éÇÃáí« áÕçáõÝ»É Ò»½, á- ÆÝãå¿ë áÉá°ñ ݳϳí³Ûñ»ñáõÙ, áõñ ·áñÍáõÙ »Ý
ÉáñÇ°Ý ³ë»É ³ñÇ ·³Éáõëï ¨ ßÝáñѳϳÉáõÃÇõÝ, áñ ³Û- Ð³Û ú·Ýáõû³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�ݻ-
ëûñ ³Ûëï»Õ »ù, Ù»½ Ñ»ï: ñÁ, ³Ûëû°ñ »õë ÍÝõáõÙ ¿ ÙÇ ÏñÃ³Ï³Ý ûç³Ë, ÙÇ ·áÕïñÇÏ
²Ù»ñÇϳÛÇ ³ÝÏÇõÝ, áõñ å¿ïù ¿
Ødzó»³É ܳѳݷ- ѳۻóÇ ¹³ëïdz-
Ý»ñáõÙ« 1910 ÃáõÇÝ« ñ³Ïáõ»Ý, ³½·³ÛÇÝ
ëï»ÕÍáõ»ó ÐúØ-Á« »õ ѳÛñ»Ý³ëÇñ³-
áñÇ Ýå³ï³ÏÝ ¿ñ Ï³Ý á·áí áõëáõ-
³ç³ÏóáõÃÇõÝ óáõ- ó³Ýáõ»Ý, ÍɳñÓ³-
ó³»ñ»É Ý»Õáõû³Ý Ï»Ý áõ ³×»Ý ³Ûë
Ù¿ç ·ïÝáõáÕ Ñ³Ûϳ- ÑáÕÇ Ùßï³¹³É³ñ
Ï³Ý ·³ÕÃûç³Ë- ßÇí»ñÁª áñáÝù ³Ûë
Ý»ñÇÝ: ï³ñ³ÍùÝ»ñÇ°Ý
гٳÛÝ Ñ³Ûáõ- åÇïÇ í»ñ³¹³ñÓ-
ÃÛ³Ý Ñ³Ù³ñ« ׳ϳ- Ý»Ý Çñ»Ýó í³Õ»ÙÇ
ï³·ñ³Ï³Ý ÷áñ- ÏáãáõÙÝ áõ áí³Ý-
ÓáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÇó ¿ñ ¹³ÏáõÃÇõÝÁ: ²Ûë-
²ñó³Ë»³Ý ³½³- ï»Õ« ÝáÛÝÇ°ëÏ ³Ù¿Ý
ï³·ñ³Ï³Ý ß³ñ- ù³ñ åÇïÇ ßÝãÇ Ñ³-
ÅáõÙÁ« áñÇ ßÝáñÑÇõ Û»ñ¿Ý: ä³ï³Ñ³-
éÝóùáõ»ó ³ß˳ñ- Ï³Ý ã¿°, áñ Ù³Ýϳ-
ѳë÷Çõé ѳÛáõ- å³ñ�ݻñÇ Íñ³-
ÃÇõÝÁ ¨ 1989 ÃáõÇ ·ÇñÁ ÏñáõÙ ¿ êûë¿
³½³ï³·ñ³Ï³Ý ß³ñÅÙ³Ý Ñ»ï, ÐúØ-Á Ùáõïù ·áñÍ»ó Ù³ÛñÇÏÇ ³ÝáõÝÁ, ÙÇ ÏÝáçª áñ Ù³ñÙݳõáñáõÙ ¿ ѳ°Û
²ñó³Ë: ä³ï»ñ³½Ù³Ï³Ý ¨ Û»ïå³ï»ñ³½Ù»³Ý Ñ»ñáëáõÑáõ Ï»ñå³ñÁ: ²Û¹ ³ÝáõÝÁ Ïñ»É Ù»½ ѳٳñ Ù»Í
ï³ñÇÝ»ñÇÝ« ÐúØ-Á« Çñ ³½Ù³ÝáÛÃ, ³½·³Ýáõ¿ñ å³ïÇõ ¿ »õ »ñ³Ëï³·ÇïáõÃÇõÝ, ÇÝãáõ± ã¿« ݳ»°õ
Íñ³·ñ»ñÇ ß³ñùáõÙ, 1998 ÃáõÇÝ« Çñ³Ï³Ý³óñ»ó ß³ï å³ñï³õáñáõÃÇõÝ£
ÍÝáÕÝ»ñÇ ¨ »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇ »ñ³½³ÝùÁª ³ó»ó Çñ ³é³ç- Üß»°Ù, áñ §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�ݻñÇ Íñ³·ñÇ
Ý»ÏÁ‘ êï»÷³Ý³Ï»ñïÇ §êû뿦 Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�Á: ºõ Û³çáÕáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñÁ« ³é³çÇÝ Ñ»ñÃÇÝ« å³Ûٳݳõáñáõ³Í
30
»Ý ë÷ÇõéùÇ Ù»ñ ѳÛñ»Ý³ÏÇóÝ»ñÇ
³Ý߳ѳËݹÇñ ³ç³ÏóáõÃÛ³Ù »õ
ÝíÇñáõ³ÍáõÃÛ³Ù: Ø»Ýù Ù»ñ áÉáñ
³ß˳ï³ÝùÝ»ñÁ ϳï³ñ»ÉÇë«
³é³çÝáñ¹íáõÙ »Ýù Ð³Û ú·Ýáõ-
û³Ý ØÇáõû³Ý Ï»ÝïñáݳϳÝ
í³ñãáõÃÛ³Ý Ññ³Ñ³Ý·Ý»ñáí »õ
áñáßáõÙÝ»ñáí: ê»ñï ϳåÇ Ù¿ç
»Ýù ݳ¨ ÐúØ-Ç Ð³Û³ëï³ÝÇ
ßñç³Ý³ÛÇÝ ÙdzõáñÇ Ñ»ï:
ò³ÝϳÝáõÙ »Ù Û³ïáõÏ Ýᯐ »õ
ßÝáñѳϳÉáõÃÇõÝ Û³ÛïÝ»É ÁÝÏ»ñ
²ñÙ¿Ý Âá÷áõ½»³ÝÇÝ, áñ §êû뿦
Ù³Ýϳå³ñï¿½Ç Íñ³·ñÇ ëï»ÕÍ-
Ù³Ý ÑÇÙùáõÙ ¿ñ »õ ³Ûëûñ ß³ñáõݳ-
ÏáõÙ ¿ Çñ ·áñÍáõÝ¿áõÃÇõÝÁ ³Ûë
Íñ³·ñÇ ýÇݳÝë³õáñÙ³Ý ³ß˳-
ï³ÝùÝ»ñáõÙ, ݳ Çñ ³ÝÓݳϳÝ
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ïñ³Ù³¹ñ»É ¿ Ù³Ýϳå³ñ﻽Ç
ѳٳñ: ÀÝÏ»ñ ²ñÙ¿Ý Âá÷áõ½»³-
ÝÇÝ« Çñ ëñï³ó³õ í»ñ³»ñÙáõÝùÇ
»õ ÝáõÇñáõÙÇ ßÝáñÑÇõ íëï³Ñûñ¿°Ý
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Ý»ñÇ ÏÝù³Ñ³ÛñÁ© ³Û¹ ÏáãáõÙÁ ݳ
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Ýß»É Ý³¨ ø³ñ»·³ÑÇ Ù³Ýϳå³ñ-
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³»³ÝÝ»ñÇ ³ÝáõÝÝ»ñÁ, áñáÝù
å¿ïù ¿ Çñ³Ï³Ý³óÝ»Ý
Ù³Ýϳå³ñï¿½Ç ýÇݳÝë³õáñÙ³Ý
ۻﳷ³Û ·áñÍÁª Ç ÛÇß³ï³Ï
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ìáݳù³ÃÃÇ:
Ú³ñ·»ÉÇ° ù³ñ»·³ÑóÇÝ»ñ,
¹áõù Ñå³ñï³Ý³Éáõ ³éÇ°Ã áõÝ¿ù,
ù³ÝÇ áñ Ó»ñ ·ÇõÕ³å»ïÁ ïÇÏÇÝ
سñÇÝ¿ ä»ïáÛ»³ÝÝ ¿: ²é³çÇÝ Ñ»ñÃÇÝ« Ýñ³°
³é³ç³ñÏáí »õ Ñ»ï³Ùáõ°ï ÉÇÝ»Éáõ ßÝáñÑÇõ ϳ۳ó³í
Ù³Ýϳå³ñ�Á: ÎñÏÇ°Ý ³Ý·³Ù ßÝáñѳíáñáõÙ »Ù áÉáñÇ°Ý Ù³Ýϳ-
ú·ïáõ»Éáí ³éÇÃÇó« áõ½áõÙ »Ù Ó»ñ ¨ Ù»ñ áÉáñÇ° å³ñï»½Ç ³óÙ³Ý ³éÇÃáí ¨ Û³ïϳå¿ë ³ß˳ï³-
ÏáÕÙÇó Û³ÛïÝ»É ËáñÇ°Ý ßÝáñѳϳÉáõÃÇõÝ Ñáí³Ý³õáñ- ϳ½ÙÇ°Ý ó³ÝϳÝáõÙ Ù»Í ·áñÍ»ñ, ß³ï ë³ÝÇÏÝ»ñ »õ
Ý»ñÇÝ, áÉá°ñ ³ÛÝ Ù³ñ¹Ï³Ýó, áñáÝó ³ç³Ïóáõû³Ù« ³ñÇ »ñÃ:
÷áùñÇÏ ù³ñ»·³ÑóÇÝ»ñÇ ³éûñÛ³Ý ÇÙ³ëï³õáñáõ»ó£ Æ Ý߳ݳíáñáõÙÝ ³Ûëûñáõ³Û ÁݹáõÝ»°ù êûë¿ Ù³Û-
سÝÏáõû³Ý ³Ûë ѳïáõ³ÍÁ ÏÁ ¹³éÝ³Û »ñç³ÝÇÏ áõ ñÇÏÇ ¹ÇÙ³ÝϳñÁ ÐúØ-Ç ²ñó³ËÇ Ù»ÏáõëÇ Ù³ëݳ-
áí³Ý¹³Ï³ÉÇóª ³å³Ñáí»Éáí Ýñ³Ýó Û³çáÕáõÃÛáõÝ ×ÇõÕÇó:
Çñ»Ýó áÉá°ñ ³½·³Ýáõ¿ñ Ó»éݳñÏÝ»ñáõÙ: ÞÝáñѳϳÉáõÃÛáõ°Ý:
31
T H E AR S AT T H E
U N I T E D N AT I O N S
ARS Inc., Participates in
United Nations DPI/NGO Conference
The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) was among 540 The project aimed at empowering affected communi-
registered non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) ties and NGOs to facilitate behavior change.
and 1,879 representatives attending the 59th Annual On the evening of Sept. 6, the ARS representatives
UN DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations in attended the conference reception hosted by the
New York from Sept. 6-8. NGO/DPI Executive Committee where they net-
ARS Inc. representatives Valentine Berberian, Harriet worked with other NGO representatives in a more
Kazarian, Carol Jaffarian, Lalai Manjikian, Odeh informal setting. The reception took place on the
Kraskian, and Sossi Essajanian attended the conference fourth floor of the United Nations building with an
which was entitled, “Unfinished Business: Effective imposing view over the Hudson River. A jazz en-
Partnerships for Human Security and Sustainable De- semble set the tone for a relaxing ambiance while del-
velopment.” The conference afforded the group the egates from all over the world conversed and ex-
opportunity to meet with representatives from other changed information related to their respective NGOs.
NGOs and present the ARS’s work in Armenia and On Sept. 7, ARS representatives attended a work-
abroad. shop entitled, “Forgiveness: Partnering with the En-
The ARS representatives attended sessions centering emy,” presented by the American Psychological Asso-
on the UN’s Millennium Development Goals and how ciation. The workshop centered on forgiveness and
countries can achieve financial and ecological reconciliation after violence in such cases as the South
sustainability. The ARS representatives divided into African apartheid, the Rwandan genocide, and the Ar-
subgroups in order to attend as many competing ses- menian Genocide. Many speakers gave specific in-
sions and workshops as possible. stances of people coming to terms with their aggres-
On Sept. 6, ARS representatives attended a work- sors. Panelist Dr. Saths Cooper, a former prisoner of
shop entitled, “United Nations Effective Partnerships Robben Island, described his experience going from
with Civil Society” sponsored by the UN’s DPI/ victim to advocate.
NGO section. Representatives from various UN de- The ARS representatives also attended a Sept. 7 af-
partments, agencies and programs such as the UNEP, ternoon roundtable session entitled, “Human Security:
UNODC, UNU, and ECOSOC, discussed their work Responsibility to Protect and Peacebuilding Commis-
and collaboration with NGOs and civil society, em- sion.” In light of the 2005 World Summit that estab-
phasizing the practices and strategies to achieve the lished an international responsibility to protect popula-
Millennium Development Goals and the constructive tions from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and
engagement between civil society and UN NGOs nec- crimes against humanity, governments have accepted
essary to promote and implement those goals. that they must act earlier in response to crises in their
The ARS representatives also attended a workshop, own countries. Speakers addressed how partnerships
“Mobilizing Youth About the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: between civil society and the State must be reinforced
An Innovative Health Communication Partnership.” to achieve the set goals. The panelists provided ex-
The event presented the International Organization for amples to ensure that the security development goals
Migration-commissioned Art Center College of De- are met. The emphasis was on the following three as-
sign that collaborated on a public awareness campaign. pects linked to human security related to conflict: to
32
prevent, to react/respond, and to rebuild. The speak- cial Council. The ARS is also actively involved in vari-
ers included Juan Mendez, special advisor to the Secre- ous important UN committees, including UNICEF,
tary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, and the UN Committee on HIV/AIDS, the UN Commit-
Eugenie Mukeshimana, a Rwanda genocide survivor. tee on the Status of Women and WANGO.
“Attending the UN/DPI conference has only rein- The 59th Annual DPI/NGO conference addressed a
forced my belief that the ARS has an important role number of pressing issues related to human security
to play on the world stage,” said ARS representative and sustainable economic development. This year,
Lalai Manjikian. “By being an active presence at this once again, the ARS Inc. was represented at the con-
conference and other UN activities, the ARS can en- ference, engaging in the important issues faced by civil
sure its involvement and contribution to the humani- society and establishing contacts with other NGOs so
tarian arena internationally.” important to advancing the ARS’s voice as an impor-
The ARS Inc. has been an active NGO at the United tant UN NGO participant.
Nations for many years, having achieved been recog- The ARS, Inc. was established in 1910 and is a non-
nized as a non-governmental organization nearly 30 profit organization with 18,000 members in 24 coun-
years ago. The ARS, Inc. is a member of UN DPI tries around the world. For more information visit
and has roster status with the UN Economic and So- www.ars1910.org or call (617) 926-5892.<
On April 20, 2006, the Armenian Relief Society, Inc. niversary of the Commission on the Status of
UN/NGO committee hosted a panel discussion en- Women, The Convention on the Elimination of All
titled, “The Power of One: Bringing Hope and Change Forms of Discrimination against Women
Through Volunteerism at the United Nations.” The purpose (CEDAW), the implementation of ad hoc war
of the discussion was crimes tribunals in
two-fold – to celebrate Rwanda and Bosnia, and
the life and legacy of the codification of rape
ARS, Inc. UN/NGO and forced pregnancies
representative Penelope as war crimes by the In-
Giragosian, who recently ternational Criminal
passed away, and to dis- Court. Ms. Scotto also
cuss the ways in which noted that NGOs hold
NGOs help shape policy UN member states ac-
at the UN. countable and work on
Denise Scotto, attorney the ground in countries
and policy advisor and around the world to en-
Vice-chair, NGO Com- sure that pressing social
mittee on Status of and economic issues are
Women, spoke of Ms. addressed, and she
The ARS UN/NGO Panelists
Giragosian’s many con- praised members of
tributions to the ARS NGOs in attendance for
and Armenia as well as their tireless efforts.
her work at the UN on various NGO committees. Meg Gardinier, coordinator of Education and
She stressed that women and women’s rights have Community Partnerships at the US Fund for
come a long way at the UN and that NGOs have UNICEF, also touched on the contribution of NGOs,
been a driving force, citing as examples the 50th An- explaining that NGOs were in consultation with mem-
33
ber states when the UN was forming and that in constant networking, including with passengers in the
terms of children’s rights, NGOs were at the fore- plane on her way to Armenia, to help the Clinic, and
front at the UN Summit on Children in 1990, one of her vision of having the program serve as a model for
the first UN Summits. She explained that NGOs con- other countries. Ms. Jaffarian remembered her last trip
tinued to play an instrumental role in the Special Ses- to Armenia with Ms. Giragosian, who was gravely ill,
sion in 2002 to review the outcome of the UN Sum- how she asked her to continue helping the Clinic after
mit on Children from which emerged A World Fit for she passed on.
Children, the guiding document on socioeconomic and Valentine Berberian of the ARS NGO committee
other issues relating to children, including 21 specific moderated the panel and gave an overview of Penny’s
goals and targets for the next decade for member work at the UN, particularly the studies sponsored by
states to achieve. UNICEF on violence against children and on disabled
On a personal note, Ms. Gardinier recalled how she children in Armenia.
met Ms. Giragosian in the late 1990s and worked with A question and answer period followed during
her on the UN Briefing on Violence against Women which Georgi-Ann Oshagan, Vice-Chairperson of the
and Children and other conferences, as well as advo- ARS Central Executive Board, asked the panelists what
cacy for disabled children in Armenia. She referred to advice they had on getting individuals involved as vol-
an upcoming Summit on the UN Convention on the unteers at the UN. Ms. Scotto noted that it is very dif-
Rights of the Child at the American University, a com- ficult to get individuals to take on specific tasks, and
pletely volunteer effort and a testament to Ms. that it takes many people with different skills to con-
Giragosian’s work. tribute. Ms Gardiner mentioned the US Fund for
Carol Jaffarian, Professor, Graduate School of UNICEF’s online tutorial program and noted, that vir-
Nursing at the University of Massachusetts in Wor- tual volunteerism (i.e., via Internet, email) is the wave
cester, MA, recalled Ms. Giragosian as a mentor, de- of the future.
tailing Ms. Giragosian’s persistence in getting her in- This program honored the memory of Penny
volved in setting up an HIV/AIDS Prevention and Giragosian, a volunteer in the truest sense, who helped
Education program in the ARS “Mother & Child” the ARS and Armenia in countless ways. It also served
Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian, Armenia, to educate those unfamiliar with volunteering at the
given her experience as HIV Clinic Nurse Manager at UN about the work of NGOs — including that of
the University of Massachusetts HIV Clinic. Ms. the Armenian Rrelief Society — and how they can
Jaffarian recounted Ms. Giragosian’s work in getting help. By so doing, Penny’s legacy of selflessness and
the HIV/AIDS program off the ground, helping to giving — which touched the lives of so many — can
secure a grant from the World Aids Foundation, her continue.<
34
BOOK REVIEW
The Armeniad
Visible pages of History.
Text and illustrations by
Boris Baratov
his richly illustrated volume offers a panorama tory of Armenia were plundered by enterprising Euro-
SD. Mr. Balakian, the community considers your book as an and the whole Armenian crisis, as seen through the
original contribution to existing knowledge of the Armenian perception of an American Armenian writer. It was
Genocide. I would like to know what your motivations were in tailor made for me.
writing this book.
PB. My whole career as a writer has been an evolu- SD. Are you able today to measure the impact of this project?
tion from my work as a poet and literary scholar to PB. It is hard to measure the impact of one’s
writing a memoir about growing up as an Armenian project. But as you know, the book is New York
American, which I explored in the process of my Times Best Seller. My sense of writing this book was
journey into history. Both the history of my family and to explore the Armenian Genocide as an international
the Armenian genocide survivors’ story — like my event and not just as an Armenian event. I wanted the
grandmother’s — as well as the larger history of the story to speak to the broadest range of modern his-
Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire and the tory, like a contribution to our understanding of mo-
Armenian genocide. I found myself being very inter- dernity because modern genocide is something unique
ested in reading more and more about this history and that first happened to Armenians, and to understand
I discovered that the American people were deeply the modern era one must understand the history of
involved in efforts to rescue and save lives by sending the Armenian genocide.
relief to the Armenians. The more I read, the more I
was interested, the deeper and richer the story SD. We, the Armenians of Diaspora, believe that the Turks
emerged for me and I began to see that this is a sig- will recognize the genocide. And speaking of that, you are aware
nificant cultural project for the USA. I am trained in that these days the members of the European Union discuss the
American Studies, that’s what my PhD is about, and I possibility of Turkey entering the EU. What are your views on
am thinking that this was in store for me. I believe that this?
the story was waiting for me. I would not have at- PB. Well, I think that the reason that Europe is mak-
tempted to write just another history of the Armenian ing an important issue of the Turkish acknowledgment
Genocide of 1915 — it has been done. What inter- of the Armenian genocide is because if Turkey does
ested me was to write about the Armenian Genocide not develop a capacity of critical analysis of its own
36
history, its path and its own society, then it is not a stand up to Turkey on this issue and exert moral leader-
democratic society, and if it is not a democratic soci- ship and know that by acknowledging the Armenian
ety, it can not enter the EU. The interesting thing is that genocide, the USA will help Turkey to grow up and be-
the Armenian Genocide is an important test for Tur- come a democratic society. I wish we could take that tac-
key to see if it can develop a democratic cultural tic to Ankara because they need help. They act like a child.
mechanism, and until that can happen, I cannot see
how Turkey can join what is essentially a democratic SD. Do you believe that the Turks will agree with this argu-
family of nations. ment — as it is something totally different from what they sup-
port?
SD. Intellectuals like you, from the Armenian Diaspora, have PB. I do not know. I cannot answer that. What I can
an important contribution to make. Do you believe that the Ar- say is, that there is a group of Turkish scholars who
menian Diaspora can play a significant role in its relationship are trying very hard for their government and society
with Armenia? to change, who write about the Armenian genocide
PB. Yes. I think that the genocide of the Armenian openly and honestly. I think that a little bit of light is
people happened mostly to Western Armenians who, coming from them and in the end Turkey has to
today, are what we call the Armenian Diaspora of change on its own.
USA, Europe, South America, etc. So, I believe that
Armenia today is a complex international concept that SD. Do you remain positive that something will change in the
involves the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora, and years to come?
it is not going to be easy — they need to work together. PB. I think that one has to always have the hopeful
view in order to pursue social change. We have seen
SD. As you know, Armenia and Greece have traditionally many changes happen in the world. So, social change
very good economic, diplomatic and political relationships. How happens in its own strange way, and I think that we
do you feel, being once again here in Greece? need to convince Turkey that this is to its benefit. I do
PB. I have said it before, that I always feel that believe, that the most important thing is education. If
Greece is another kind of homeland. I feel a connec- you educate people in depth, I think, that sooner or
tion to the Greek people, to the land and its beauty, its later, it is hard to maintain a big lie, even for the liar.
long history and civilization. Nowhere else in the Yes, it is possible and maybe it is not so far away.
world, I think, there is such an acute understanding of
the Armenian past because Greeks and Armenians SD. How do you foresee Armenia in twenty or thirty years?
share a deep common experience as Christian minori- PB. I would like to see Armenia continue devel-
ties of the Ottoman Empire in the course of centuries. oping economically. I would like to see Armenia
And also, do not forget that Armenians played an im- develop fluent pathways to the west and to the east.
portant role in the Byzantine Empire with many Ar- I think that Armenians are blessed with a great
menian emperors of the realm. Armenians and work ethic, and intelligence in many different areas
Greeks have an intertwined history, and I feel those such as trade, arts, sciences, entrepreneurship; but
vibes when I am here. you need to have luck and maybe it is Armenia’s
time. Obviously, if you told to our grand-parents
SD. What are your views in terms of the recognition of the that there would be Armenia on the map today,
Armenian genocide by the USA? Thirty-nine states have al- they would not have have believed it. So, unimagin-
ready recognized the genocide, but officially, the USA hasn’t yet. able things happen. If Armenia and the Diaspora
Do you believe that in the years to come something will change? work together in complementary ways, though it is
PB. I think, that this is an obscured situation because not always easy, I believe that the new era will bring
the knowledge of the Armenian genocide in the USA a kind of prosperity.
is very broad and people teach regularly in classrooms.
I do think, that there is not any denial in the minds of SD. I presume that you feel very proud of your Armenian
the legislative bodies, and probably not even in the origin…
minds of those in the executive branch. The problem PB. Of course! I am one hundred percent Arme-
is crass pragmatic politics, and I think that mostly the nian!
blockage of the official recognition is coming from
the defense department, because of military bases and SD. Peter, thank you very much.
defense contracts with Turkey. I think, the USA should PB. You are welcome.<
37
THE Hai Sird YOUTH
FORUM: Observations
on the Sixty-Eighth ARS Independence war and its aftermath, or, during times of
relative tranquility, when a nascent Armenian diaspora,
International Convention
and newly-independent Armenian states had to start,
literally, from scratch.
However, although the positive is something to be
proud of and should make every member of the ARS
proud that they belong to a world class organization
whose membership, I may add, is mostly made up of
women, and can easily be considered the largest women’s
philanthropic organization in the entire world, with its 97
long years, comes the negative, as well.
EVERY THREE YEARS, the Armenian Relief Society holds Our organization has reached a point, where the
its International convention. The meeting lasts around a older, experienced members are slowly reaching a stage,
week and, as stated in the ARS Constitution, it is the where they will need to step down from the ranks of
highest body of our organization. leadership positions and allow younger elements —
In October of 2005, the Convention was held in presently small in numbers – to gradually take charge to
Montreal, in accordance with the ARS, Inc. Bylaws, endure the healthy continuity of this outstanding
which specify that 2 out of 3 of these gatherings have organization.
to be held within the limits of the North American It seems, that older, more experienced members want
Continent. As a young woman who has been a member to prove, that they still have what it takes to lead, while
of the ARS since 1995, I was excited with the prospect the youth want to prove, that they too, are ready to lead.
of attending my first International Convention and to I am not saying that the older generation is not capable
see this august body of a great Armenian organization in of continuing the work as they have done for so many
action, listen to the ideas that would turn into years; what I am simply saying is: Allow the youth to
constructive programs through debate, suggestions and work alongside as your equals.
binding resolutions for the next three years of this You may be surprised by their wish to learn and to
organization’s already prolific history. become deeper and deeper involved with the Society,
The week prior to the convention was filled with that we all have come to love. You will discover, that the
plenty of social activities allowing all the members to devotion that you have exists in them as well, and that
interact socially, prior to tackling business. A Saturday together, the young members of this organization and
evening banquet was organized to allow more social the elder ungeruhis can keep the Society viable for yet
interaction, with dinner and dancing and, of course, it another 10 decades, allowing many generations of
served as a fundraiser as well, to launch the newly Armenian women to come in and truly belong to this
conceived ARS Centennial Fund, with the goal to raise great, global family.
several million US dollars within the next four years. The ARS elders seem to have forgotten, that they
Monday, October 10 marked the official opening of were once young and eager to fill positions of
the Convention. Though this was the 68th International responsibility. Today, young women are reluctant to join
Convention, the Society was 95 years old at the time. A the ARS because they feel it is not for them – when, in
fact, that can be stated as both a positive or a negative fact, it truly is the Society that gives the youth endless
assessment. Positive, because the Society has a rich, possibilities to carry the torch, which our mothers and
successful history of continuous assistance to the grandmothers brought, burning bright, into the 21st
Armenian people, be it at trying times, such as the 1915 century – the era that beckons us, today’s youth, as well
Genocide, the earthquake of 1988, the Karabagh as those of many future generations.
3388
The ARS
Sponsor-A-Child Program
Enters a New Era...
W
ith recent substantial dona-
tions, among which, those re-
ceived recently from the Ba-
bikian and Garikian families —
made on the occasion of the Christening of their
children, Megig and David, and Aram, Armen and
Cara – the new ARS Orphans Education Program
is off to an auspicious beginning!
Perhaps a brief recap is necessary. During its 97-
year existence, the Armenian Relief Society has had
a tremendous input into the ongoing efforts to sus-
tain our Diasporan structures that keep Armenian
communities active around the globe. One of the
most important facets of that input is the care of
orphans. In the dark days of the 1915 Genocide’s
aftermath, the ARS collected abandoned orphans
scattered throughout the Syrian desert around Der
Zor, fed, clothed and sheltered them and — cogni-
zant of the importance of an education in the
mother tongue — it supported the establishment
and maintenance of community-run kindergartens,
grade and high schools. It is in these institutions of
learning that thousands of parentless children, sur-
vivors of the first genocide of the 20th century, re-
gained their humanity and identity, their love of David and Megig Babikian, in Yerevan
learning and the desire to serve their stricken na-
tion and all others in need of support and assistance. who strive for higher education, in order to become
Some seventy years after the devastating blow of productive members of society, support themselves
the Genocide, the Armenian nation was hit by the and their families, improving their own as well as
disastrous earthquake of 1988, and the brutal at- their county’s intellectual and economic potential.
tempt of ethnic cleansing of the Armenian enclave of It is the desire – and a cherished goal — of the
Nagorno Karabagh which turned into a protracted Armenian Relief Society, that over the starting de-
war of survival and liberation. United, and deter- cades of the new millennium, not a single orphaned
mined to prevail, the Armenians, utilizing all exist- youngster in the Homeland be allowed to remain
ing structures, supplied the needed food, shelter, without adequate schooling. Educated, self-support-
clothing and medicines to the stricken populations ing individuals are more likely to enjoy the blessings
of a fractured Homeland, a large portion of which of family and home, secure in their own and their
consisted of children who had lost one or both par- county’s present and future.
ents. To make this dream a reality, all those who care to
Responding to the situation, in 1992, the ARS give their financial support are invited to get in
put together a program called “Sponsor-A-Child” It touch with their local ARS offices, and make out a
is time now to ‘sponsor a youth’ – orphans over 18, check to the ARS Orphans Education Program.<
39
²ÞʲðÐÆ ÞàôðæÀ ÐúØÆ Ðºî AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE ARS
Ð²Ú ú¶Üàôº²Ü ØÆàôº²Ü ØƲôàðܺðÀ ºô ÆðºÜò ¶àðÌàôܾàôÂÆôÜÀ
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42
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43
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46
ON THE FIRST THRESHOLD OF
A CENTURY OF DEDICA
CENTURY TED SER
DEDICATED SERVICE
VICE
1910ÐúØARS2010
The Centennial Fund of the Armenian Relief Society
A Centennial Fund for the Armenian Relief Society has been established in recognition of
the oldest and largest Armenian women’s organization to further enhance its humanitarian
activities around the world.
Relief being the middle name of the ARS, during most of the 20 century, ARS programs th
centered on the Armenian Diaspora in order to bring stability to a people devastated by the
1915 Genocide. In 1988, the much needed relief work in the aftermath of the earthquake that
hit Armenia’s northwest expanded forever the mission and duties of the Society.
Service to Armenia soon developed to include assistance to Artsakh and Javakhq with various
programs designed to restore and preserve Armenian presence – both physical and spiritual
– in both of those historically Armenian inhabited regions, with numerous clinics,
kindergartens, schools, community and social service centers, etc.
Today, on the first threshold of its second 100 years, the ARS asks you to join those
who have already contributed to the ARS Centennial Fund in recognition of the Society’s
past accomplishments and in support of its world-wide, present and future
humanitarian endeavors.
YES, I want to help the Armenian Relief Society, Inc. continue its service to the Armenian
people by making a donation to the ARS Centennial Fund.
NAME ............................................................................................................................................................................
ADDRESS ......................................................................................................................................................................
The Armenian Relief Society, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Your tax exempt donation will be
deposited into the ARS Centennial Fund. All donations will be acknowledged by our headquarters
located at 80 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472. You can call us at (617) 926-5892 if you wish to
donate stocks, property, bonds or similar instruments. You may also e-mail us at manager@ars1910.org.
47
48
ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY, INC.
CENTRAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the Years Ended May 31, 2006 and 2005
With Independent Auditor’s Report Thereon
1
49
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION
50
2
51
52
4
5
53
54
6
7
55
56
8
9
57
1580
1591
1602
1613
1624
1635
164
6
Your
Tax-Exempt
Contributions
To World-Wide
ARS Programs
Can Make
A difference
Between
Despair and
Hope…
Contribute Generously!