Author: Bedik Zaminian

Asbarez: ANCA Leaders Press Congress to Appropriate Artsakh Aid, Pass Genocide Bill, Replace Madrid Principles

Bedik Zaminian
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23 hours ago

Eastern Primate Archbishop Tanielian and ANCA National Board Members Join in Calling for Decisive Congressional Action on Pro-Armenian Issues

WASHINGTON—As Senate and House Committees prepare their Fiscal Year 2020 foreign aid priorities, Armenian National Committee of America national leaders were joined by Eastern Prelate Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian and a broad array of community advocates, in urging the Senate and House action to expand aid to Armenia and Artsakh, broaden the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, and establish a permanent, principled policy of U.S. remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

“Our endeavors in Washington are driven by the relentless work of thousands of local activists who share the ANCA’s commitment to advancing our pro-Armenian federal advocacy agenda,” said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian. “Our effectiveness in backing increased U.S. aid for Armenia and Artsakh, calling out the failed Madrid Principles, and ending U.S. complicity in Ankara’s Genocide denial is the direct result of the selfless contributions of time, energy, and resources by regional leaders, chapter organizers, and local advocates across America. I thank each and every one of our backers,” Hamparian added.

During in-depth discussions with Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Bob Menendez (D-CA), ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian and National Board Member Ani Tchaghlasian, both New Jersey natives, thanked the Senator for spearheading the Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.150), which currently has 16 cosponsors. Sen. Menendez questioned U.S. Ambassador to Turkey designate David Satterfield on his understanding of the history of the Armenian Genocide, and faced with the nominee’s refusal to properly characterize the crime, noted, “We cannot ultimately move to the future if we cannot recognize the past as a simple reality.”

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Satterfield nomination on Thursday, May 2, sending his nomination to the full Senate. ANCA leaders also encouraged Sen. Menendez to support expanded aid to Artsakh, prioritizing the ongoing de-mining effort through The HALO Trust and additional funding for humanitarian and developmental programs, including the expansion and modernization of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center, a regional clinic serving children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.

In discussions with House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), ANCA leaders stressed both Artsakh and Armenia aid priorities, with a special emphasis on assistance for Armenian and other minority refugees who have sought safe haven in Armenia from Middle East unrest in Syria and Iraq. As a key member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Rep. Fortenberry plays a pivotal role in writing the FY2020 foreign aid bill, which will be up for Subcommittee consideration on May 10th and full house consideration in June.

ANCA leaders thanked Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) for her leadership in 2018 in advancing legislation promoting Armenia reforestation efforts with incentives, including U.S. debt-forgiveness, in return for increasing Armenia’s forest cover to at least 12 percent of its total land mass within 10 years. During the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Commemoration, Rep. Clark announced plans to re-introduce the ANCA-backed measure, noting how both reforestation and advancing a principled genocide policy are forward-thinking actions. “Planting trees is an optimistic statement for the future. We don’t plant trees for ourselves. We do it to provide shade to the generations to come and provide resources for those generations. And when we look at genocide, it’s not just about looking back, but looking forward and ensuring that we don’t repeat the atrocities of the past.”

Talks with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone focused on the Artsakh Travel and Communication Act – a measure to remove barriers to increased travel to Artsakh as well as the implementation of common-sense proposals to reduce tensions at the Artsakh and Armenia lines of contact with Azerbaijan. In an interview with the ANCA’s Raffi Karakashian in April, Rep. Pallone noted that “It makes no sense to have this travel and communications restriction because we should try to have as much contact as possible with the people there so that there is an understanding of what the people of Artsakh and the government face.”

Discussions with House Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Adam Schiff (D-CA) focused on expanding bi-partisan support for the measure (H.Res.296), which currently has over 95 Congressional cosponsors, and efforts to secure a timely House floor vote for the measure. Rep. Schiff spoke passionately about the importance of a clear and permanent U.S. policy on the topic during remarks at the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide observance as well as the March for Justice Rally held on April 24th in Los Angeles and at local genocide commemorative events.

Artsakh assistance and stronger U.S.-Armenia economic ties through the negotiation of a new tax treaty took center-stage in discussions with senior House Foreign Affairs Committee member, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA). Rep. Sherman, who was the first U.S. House member to spearhead U.S. aid to Artsakh efforts in 1997, pressed U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green on continuing Artsakh de-mining efforts in FY2020. Responding to Rep. Sherman during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Administrator Green confirmed ongoing funding for Artsakh de-mining.

“Now, more than ever, our community’s longstanding tradition of civic-spiritual partnership represents a vital key to engaging effectively with America’s leaders. Together, we are more than the sum of our parts,” stated Hamparian. “Collectively, we powerfully reaffirm our shared commitment to the principles of faith and freedom, and – at the level of policy – materially strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and the national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian nation.”

Among those joining Archbishop Tanielian, Hamparian, and Tchaghlasian in the meetings were ANCA leaders George Aghjayan, Programs Director Tereza Yerimyan, Eastern Region Executive Director Aram Balian, and Rev. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of the Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda, MD.

Izmirlian Foundation, Teach for Armenia and Gradarak team up to support the school in Choratan

Bedik Zaminian
MediaMax, Armenia
May 9 2019
Izmirlian Foundation, Teach for Armenia and Gradarak team up to support the school in Choratan

Izmirlian Foundation has announced it will donate USD 10,000 to Teach For Armenia educational foundation and USD 15,000 Gradarak educational and cultural NGO. The parties have signed a trilateral agreement on May 8, which will bring a new English teacher and a new library to the school in border village of Choratan in September.

 

Around the table

 

“The amount of the donations has been confirmed, so we only need to transfer it and the rest is just about technicalities,” Izmirlian Foundation Country Director for Armenia Lusine Galajyan says, placing her hand on the file with the signed agreements.

 

“Should we contact you or somebody else in the process?”, asks Teach For Armenia (TFA) founder Larisa Hovannisian.

 

“Yes, with me. But let’s go over all the stages now,” responds Lusine.

 

Lusine Galajyan

Photo: Mediamax

 

Gradarak is to oversee the first stage starting from June and a TFA fellow will take over in September, when the second stage begins.

 

Photo: Mediamax

 

In the middle of the discussion, Choratan school deputy principal Hasmik Kalantaryan enters the room.

 

“The construction works will begin in the library on July 1,” Hasmik tells Lusine.

 

“Do you want to hear something curious? Our first fellow, Margarita, worked in Choratan. After she completed her tenure, we called our conference room “Choratan” as a joke,” Larisa says, laughing.

 

Larisa Hovhannisian

Photo: Mediamax

 

Lydia and Astghik 

 

Izmirlian Foundation wanted to carry out the program in the school that needed assistance the most. They traveled to different villages before finally stopping at Choratan in Tavush marz.

 

According to the newly signed agreement, the teacher assigned to Choratan will be funded for two years. It is extremely important for the school to have an English teacher.

 

“We have two fellows from TFA at the moment. We had an English teacher before and when she retired, we faced hard facts. We searched for a teacher in neighboring villages but didn’t find anyone in the end,” explains Hasmik Kalantaryan.

 

Hasmik Kalantaryan

 

 

“How would you estimate the level of English in the school?”, Lusine asks.

 

“The children started speaking English as well as Russian after Lydia and Astghik (the TFA fellows – Mediamax) arrived. They also take the kids to excursions, organize events, and work with children from adjacent communities. It will be difficult for our students to say good-bye,” adds the Choratan school deputy principal.

 

Library of the future

 

Larisa Hovannisian is certain that good education is crucial for the children living in border villages of Armenia.

 

“We don’t want the parents to make the hard choice of moving to town because it is the only way to solve the problem of education for their children,” says Larisa.

 

The Choratan school library serving 105 students is a small, plain room with just a few books at the moment. It has no books included in the curriculum at all. The revival and re-equipment of the library begins in July.

 

Co-founders of Gradarak Arusik Zeynalyan and Hayk Zalibekyan visited the school two months ago.

 

“Is there much work to do?”

 

Photo: Mediamax

 

“The same amount as in our previous projects. The process of creating a school library is the same anywhere: prepare the design, draft the budget… The most difficult part is actually when you need to equip the library with new books, organize workshops, engage the children,” explains Hayk.

 

“We really want to build a network of the libraries we created, so that children from different communities can connect with each other. It is very important for us,” concludes Arusik Zeynalyan.

 

Lusin Mkrtchyan 

Photos: Emin Aristakesyan




Robert Kocharyan: I’ll join struggle against new leaders

Bedik Zaminian
Panorama, Armenia
May 8 2019

Armenia’s imprisoned former president Robert Kocharyan told Reuters powerful opposition forces were coming together to challenge the ex-Soviet state’s new leadership soon, and that he hoped to be among them, Reuters reports.

Kocharyan, who was president from 1998 to 2008, was arrested last year, charged with acting unlawfully by introducing state of emergency in March 2008, following a disputed election. At least ten people were killed in clashes between police and protesters.

The 64-year-old ex-president was arrested in July after peaceful protests drove his former ally and successor, Serzh Sarksyan, from power and propelled opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan into the prime minister’s job in May, last year.

Critics have accused Kocharyan and his former allies of cracking down on democracy, corruption and mismanagement during their time in power Armenia. They have denied those allegations.

Writing from the detention center where he is being held, Kocharyan told Reuters the charges against him were politically motivated, and accused Pashinyan’s government of selectively applying the law to keep him in jail.

Pashinyan bolstered his authority in Armenia as his political bloc won early parliamentary elections in December last year. The My Step Alliance, which includes Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party, won 70.4 percent of the vote.

Kocharyan said that new politicians and opposition parties were emerging in Armenia.

“This process will certainly lead to the creation of a powerful political force capable of challenging the authorities very soon,” he said in written answers to questions sent by Reuters earlier this week.

Asked if he would be personally involved in the emerging opposition, he replied: “Yes, of course.”

But he did not give details about what form that involvement could take.

Looking back at the mass protests last year that led to power change in the South Caucasus country of about 3 million people, Kocharyan said they were caused by “accumulated discontent in the society and desire for change”, but were not a revolution.

“I would not call it a revolution as fundamentally nothing has changed in the country, except for the appearance of a big share of aggression in the society, and populism and dilettantism in the leadership,” he said in written answers to questions the Reuters had sent to him.

Kocharyan also defended the decisions he took during the 2008 protests.

“Order was restored only after the introduction of the state of emergency and thanks to it,” he said. “Not doing that would have meant official inaction on the part of the president.”

Declaration of Ombudsman on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day

Bedik Zaminian

May 3, 2019

Dear Journalists,

I extend my congratulations on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.

Fundamental changes in our society brought about last year showed how important the role of the press and journalists is. Responsible journalism and professional principles rooted in your activities are of utmost importance.

With your responsible work, you promote transparency of public authorities and officials, as well as public accountability. The work of journalists is crucial for shaping the public discourse and state policy priorities.

The role of the journalists is also key in promoting dissent and ensuring an atmosphere of solidarity in the country. There are important guarantees to overcome the challenges the country faces, as well as to ensure smooth transitions.

Unfortunately, wrong perceptions and stereotypes regarding the activities of journalists still exist. In reality, the presumption of journalists’ lawfulness and decency should be the core around which the attitude towards journalist activity should be formulated.

You bring positive changes in our country with your responsible activities.

 

 

Arman Tatoyan

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia




Syrian-Armenians: Homesick in the Original Homeland

Bedik Zaminian
Enab Baladi
May 3 2019


Afandi Abu Saow, Armenian Christian, standing near the remains of an Armenian church I Raqqa, which received several aerial attacks during the prayers – 24 February, 2018 (NurPhoto)


On April 24, Armenians around the world commemorated the victims of the genocide that the Ottoman Empire is accused of committing against them in 1915.

Armenians estimate the numbers killed in this genocide to be around 1.5 million. However, the Turkish government refuses to abide this accusation, claiming it has evidence and documents which demonstrate that hundreds of thousands, both Turks and Armenians, were killed during the Ottoman Empire’s war against Russian forces which sought to occupy eastern Anatolia.

Despite the substantial divergence between what Armenian and Turkish memories have reserved of that era, it is certain that many thousands of victims fell, and that more survivors underwent the tragedy of displacement which, in the case of many of them, has led them to then settle in Syria.

 

Armenian presence in Syria dates back to the Byzantine era, as they have had a vast empire that lasted from 321 BC to 428 AD. The influence of this empire reached northern Syria, and took the city of Antioch as one of its four capitals.

The Roman advance towards Armenia then led to the re-emigration of its people towards the Syrian north, as they settled in Aleppo, Kilis, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş and Antioch, where they remained until the Mongol invasion.

Armenians then left these areas, establishing a new empire in Cilicia, which lasted nearly a hundred years. When this empire crumbled, they returned to Aleppo, forming the Armenian Diocese there during the fifteenth century.

Armenians then continued to flock to the Syrian areas during the Ottoman rule, but the largest influx thus far only took place in the early twentieth century.

According to the Armenian Ministry of the Diaspora, the number of Armenians in Syria is estimated at around 100,000, with more than 60,000 residing in Aleppo alone. Other sources estimate their numbers to be between 60,000 and 80,000.

Granted Syrian citizenship and becoming equal in rights and duties with the rest of the Syrian people, Armenians have become part and parcel of the Syrian community.

“Generation after generation, Armenians have integrated into Syria, and they consider it their home country, while retaining their Armenian identity,” said Armenian-Syrian actor Gerard Aghabashian to Enab Baladi.

Armenians have also established several churches in Syria, the oldest of which is the Forty Martyrs Cathedral in Aleppo, dating back to 1491 AD. Armenians began converting to Christianity since the early third century AD, and most of them followed the Orthodox denomination.

Armenians have also owned private schools and institutes that teach the Armenian language, as well as many publications and magazines in their mother tongue.

Aghabashian said that Armenian integration into Syrian society varies from one region to another, depending on the diversity of its population. “Sometimes Armenians can only be known through their distinctive names, and in other regions they self-segregate and integrate to a much lesser degree. However, this does not negate the fact that they consider themselves Syrians.”

Armenians have continuously had a prominent presence and participation in various fields within Syrian life, from politics and the military, to culture and art.

As for their customs and traditions, Agabashian added, Armenians have retained some distinctive foods from their Armenian heritage. However, they are prepared differently from what’s common in Armenia today.

They are also known for special religious holidays, and for their commemoration the Armenian genocide.

After the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, the proliferation of violence, insecurity and poor living conditions, many of the Armenians of Syria have been forced, like their fellow nationals, to leave their homes and seek safety outside Syria.

According to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 14,000 Syrian Armenians have returned to Armenia, and obtained asylum or the Armenian citizenship.

Moreover, thousands of Armenians have also left for Lebanon, Europe or America, reducing their numbers in Syria by half or more, with no accurate statistics as to the numbers of those who remained.

Apart from the varying dialects spoken by Armenians of the Diaspora and those living in Armenia, Syrian-Armenians also face a difference in some social and cultural customs in Armenia.

Aghabashian visits Armenia frequently. His impression of Syrian-Armenians there is that most of them “feel alienated, and regard Armenia as a foreign country. They also face difficulties in integrating into local Armenian society.”




The Blessing of the Canterbury Khachkar

Bedik Zaminian 
PRESS RELEASE
Programme of Armenian Studies
LONDON
Contact: Dr Krikor Moskofian
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.progarmstud.org.uk
 
A century after the violence of the Armenian Genocide, a message of
peace and survival is laid in the Memorial Garden of Canterbury
Cathedral
by Susannah Moody (London)
A hand-carved Armenian stone has been placed in the grounds of
Canterbury Cathedral in a moving gesture of commemoration and
collaboration between the Armenian and Anglican Churches.
The cross-stone, known as a khachkar, has been an icon of the Armenian
Christian tradition for over a thousand years. The Canterbury Khachkar
is believed to be the first to be carved in England and is the result
of an extraordinary project by Vartan Moskofian and Brigadier John
Meardon, members of Canterbury's stone sculpture group Pure Form.
In what Meardon described as 'a very Armenian idea', the pair designed
the two-metre tall khachkar, sourced a block of reddish tuff from an
Armenian quarry, transported the block back to Canterbury and carved
it using traditional tools for the Cathedral. On Saturday 2 March the
khachkar was washed with water, wine and chrism and consecrated in the
Memorial Garden by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of the UK and
Ireland, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan.
Moskofian and Meardon have dedicated the khachkar to the Cathedral in
recognition of the humanitarian efforts of Randall Davidson,
Archbishop of Canterbury from 1903 to 1928. From the outset of the
Armenian Genocide in 1915, which claimed the lives of over 1.5 million
Armenians and displaced an entire generation, Davidson spoke out
against the atrocities. He raised awareness of the massacres and
deportations and brought them to the attention of the British people,
as a public voice against the horrors. In memory of his support,
flowers were laid on Davidson's grave in the Cathedral cloisters and
the current Archbishop Justin Welby gave a blessing.
The Canterbury Khachkar is carved with a large cross, flanked by two
peacocks, symbols of pride and eternal life. Beneath the cross are the
steps to heaven and a line of Armenian script written by the poet
Taniel Varouzhan which reads "and I go towards the source of the
light." Taniel Varouzhan was tortured and killed in 1915 at the age of
31.

North Valley ACF Armenian Center to be Named ‘Melkon and Angel Melkonian’

Bedik Zaminian
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6 hours ago

Melkonian family with Rev. Razmig Khachadourian and North Valley ACF chair Vache Donoayan

Mr. & Mrs. Varant and Hoori Melkonian make a generous contribution

The Armenian Cultural Foundation North San Fernando Valley chapter announced that it will name its community center the “Melkon and Angel Melkonian” Youth Center, after a generous contribution from the couple’s son and daughter-in-law, the well-known activists and benefactors, Mr. & Mrs. Varant and Hoori Melkonian.

Mr. & Mrs. Varant and Hoori Melkonian

The donation was announced during a March 2 banquet, prompting ACF leaders to announce the naming of the center in honor of the benefactors’ parents. An official naming and honoring ceremony will be held in June.

North Valley ACF leaders extended their gratitude to Varant and Hoori Melkonian for their generosity and unwavering support to the organization.

Varant and Hoori Melkonian were the sponsors the Armenian Youth Federation Artsakh Chapter office, which is named after them.

For decade, the North San Fernando Valley Armenian Cultural Foundation chapter has been working hard to bring together members of the Armenian community.

Seated: Hoori Melkonian (left) with Angel Melkonian. Standing: Vahe and Silva Melkonian with North Valley ACF chairman Vache Donoyan

Years later, the ACF North Valley chapter purchased a community center on Chatsworth Street, which has served as the home for various organizations, among them the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Arshavir Shiragian Gomideh, the AYF Artsakh, the AYF Junior Hrair Maroukhian and the Armenian Relief Society Lori chapters, as well as the headquarters for the local ANCA chapter.

From l to r: Vahe Melkonian, North Valley ACF Chairman Vache Donyan and Hoori Melkonian

Some years back the hall of the center was named “Titizian Hall,” following a generous contribution from local activist George Titizian.

Lynne Tracy: The settlement of the Karabakh conflict will have a positive impact not only on Armenia, but also on the entire region

Bedik Zaminian
Arminfo, Armenia
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. In the recent few months, there have been positive shifts in the process of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne  Tracy stated on the air of Radio Azatutyun.

According to her, several successful meetings took place between the  Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan, which can  be assessed positively and constructively. “We see that the number of  incidents on the line of contact of troops has decreased. And this is  all due to contacts between the leaders of the two countries. And we  would like this dialogue to continue. But, this is a difficult  negotiation process, and we will continue to work with the parties to  the Karabakh conflict, find a peaceful solution to the problem, “she  said, adding in this context that from the US point of view,  resolving the conflict will have a positive impact not only on  Armenia, but also on the entire region – on its development and  prosperity.

Graphic works by Carzou and Jansem on display at the Modern Art Museum of Yerevan

Bedik Zaminian
Panorama, Armenia
April 6 2019
Culture 16:17 06/04/2019 Armenia

The Modern Art Museum of Yerevan opened an installation entitled “The Masters of the XX Century Graphic Art” showcasing artworks from Vardges Boyajyan’s personal collection. The exhibition features graphic works by Jean Carzou, Jean Jansem, and Edgar Chahine, including originals and illustrated books. Among the items on display is the painting “Communication” by Carzou commissioned by UNESCO.

As the Museum Facebook page reports, some exhibits are displayed for the first time. The exhibition opened in the scope of Francophone events will last until April 28.

Through USC, Armenia’s Public Servants Collaborate with City of Los Angeles

Bedik Zaminian
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9 hours ago

USC Policy Fellows attending a meeting with Councilmember Paul Krekorian at LA City Hall

How can a university support the efforts of a new government? How can the Diaspora participate in Armenia’s development? These are the questions that the USC Institute of Armenian Studies is asking, and a partial answer has been found in a new program called USC Policy Fellows.

Within the framework of the Los Angeles—Yerevan Sister City relationship, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies initiated the USC Policy Fellows Program, in collaboration with the office of Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Armenian government, through the office of Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan.

The Program selects and places mid-career professionals from Armenia in policy planning positions throughout the City of Los Angeles to learn from and contribute to the process of improving lives in both cities. In addition to their work with the City of Los Angeles, the fellows benefit from the unique positioning and academic resources available at the University of Southern California.

From l to r: Silva Sevlian (USC), Lusine Dayan, Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Andranik Tevosyan

“This fellowship brings public servants from Armenia to observe, engage with, learn from and contribute to the work of various L.A. city departments,” said Salpi Ghazarian, director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies. “It’s a program that bridges the intellectual capacities of the university, the administrative and governance capacity of the City of Los Angeles, and the new, exciting needs of the government of Armenia.”

Joining the Spring 2019 cohort are Lusine Dayan, assistant to the chief of staff to Armenia’s prime minister, and Andranik Tevosyan, consultant in the Asset Management and Investment Implementation Department for the Water Committee in Armenia.

“The city has its long and independent history of governance. This is a wonderful opportunity to dive into the processes going on in Los Angeles, to become a part of them and to have a chance to gain knowledge and implement it in Armenia,” Dayan said.

For the next few months, she is working in the Emergency Management Department in Los Angeles.

“The thing I love about this program is that you are not restricted,” she adds. “If you are interested in different fields, you can always ask questions and find answers.”

USC Policy Fellows Lusine Dayanand Andranik Tevosyan in Los Angeles

Tevosyan, who is working in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said his goals are to learn how the city of Los Angeles operates and maintains its water, how the city carries out its investments and how it takes care of its assets.

“To learn from such a big company, where just one department has more than 900 people, is a big opportunity,” he said.

The Program’s inaugural fellows, Anna Aktaryan and Davit Shindyan, arrived in the Fall of 2018. They spent their semester working with the city’s planning and public works department and sanitation department, respectively.

“I imagine being able to scale this program so that there are many more public servants engaging with LA City government and USC faculty, and taking that experience back to Armenia. I also imagine that a similar program is repeated in other places around the world, and the scale and speed of integrating into systems of good governance improves. At the end of the day, that is what any population expects of its government, and any government expects of its intellectuals and higher education institutions,” said Ghazarian.

Established in 2005, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies supports multidisciplinary scholarship to re-define, explore and study the complex issues that make up the contemporary Armenian experience—from post-genocide to the developing Republic of Armenia to the evolving diaspora. The institute encourages research, publications and public service, and promotes links among the global academic and Armenian communities.