Category: 2019

Keynote Speech at Mount Vernon Naturalization Ceremony

Karakhanian Suren
Center for Immigration Studies
July 4 2019
By Mark Krikorian on July 4, 2019

Congratulations, Americans!
 
You’ve come a long way since you first got here. Whether you came on foot or by bus, or a ship or by airplane, you arrived here as strangers — many of you didn’t know the language, some didn’t have any friends or family here, and all of you were at least a little bit nervous about starting a new life in a new country.
 
Back in the 1600s, when George Washington’s great-grandfather John Washington crossed the ocean, newcomers who didn’t die of disease or insects or what have you in the first year — were considered “seasoned,” and so they were thought  likely to survive and build a new life for themselves.
 
Although dangerous disease isn’t the problem here it once was (though Lord knows the insects are still bad), new immigrants still have a lot to learn, and can have some awkward and embarrassing experiences along the way. My grandfather, for instance, came to this country as a teenager before World War I. He arrived in Boston, and a relative outside the city told him to go to the train station and take the first “car” — meaning the streetcar — to their town. But his relative, like many of you, was already using English words in his Armenian, and used the English word “car,” meaning train car. Unfortunately, my grandfather didn’t know any English, and thought his relative had meant the Armenian word pronounced “car,” which means rock or stone. My grandfather somehow got to his relative’s house, knocked on the door, and said “Hi, here’s the rock — what’s it for?”
 
Those kinds of problems are behind you now — you’ve learned how to find an apartment, file a tax return, and open a bank account. But as comfortable as you’ve been living in America, until a few minutes ago you weren’t Americans. When you had breakfast this morning, you were Polish or Vietnamese or Burkinabe or Peruvian — but you’ll have lunch as Americans. Not many countries in the world allow that kind of thing; an Irishman, after all, can’t move to China and become a Chinese; a Mexican become a Nigerian. And yet each of you, from whatever country, has now become an American, as good as any other.
 
This matter of taking American citizenship, becoming part of the American people, is not like changing your clothes or buying a new car. Instead, this is a permanent and very serious thing you do, more like getting married or starting a family.
 
In the Jewish faith, a person who converts is considered to have been present in spirit when Moses came down with the Ten Commandments 4,000 years ago, even though that person’s ancestors were not physically there. In a non-religious version of this idea, once you took your oath of citizenship, you become present in spirit, along with all other Americans, at the defining events of your new nation’s history:
 
The Indian immigrant who became an American this morning was present in spirit when GeorgeWashington signed the Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787, even though that immigrant’s ancestors weren’t in the room and weren’t even in the country;
 
The Salvadoran immigrant who became an American today was present in spirit at the Battle of Gettysburg, where our Union was saved 156 years ago yesterday, even though her own ancestors, like my own, were not among the soldiers;
 
And the Danish  immigrant who became an American today was present in spirit at Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, even though his ancestors weren’t there either.
 
You’ve now been adopted into America’s family. This family isn’t tied just by blood relations, but also by common ideals, a common language, a common history, and common culture of many parts — what President Lincoln called the “mystic chords of memory.” That history is now your history, as well.
 
We welcome you as our newest countrymen. We entrust part of our nation’s future to you. We ask only that you love America, cherish America, honor her, protect her, embrace her, salute her, hold her dear. God bless you, and God bless America.
 


Russian tour operators have higher demand of tours to Armenia following suspension of flights to Georgia

Albert Nalbandian
Interfax
July 4 2019
Russian tour operators have higher demand of tours to Armenia following suspension of flights to Georgia

 MOSCOW. July 4

Several Russian tour operators’ demand of tours to Armenia has increased 45% over the past two weeks, however, that country cannot replace Georgia for tourists, the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) told Interfax on Thursday.

“Russian tour operators have a higher demand of tours to Armenia in the last two weeks. The sales rose from 10% to 45% as compared with the previous season” that is linked to Russia’s temporary ban on the flights to Georgia, according to the ATOR.

In general, Armenia and Georgia can be compared in terms of hotel booking prices and the prices of excursion programs, while tourists can travel to Armenia with Russian national passports that is convenient for tourists, the association said. “Another matter is that Armenia has no outreach to the sea, and, respectively, beach resorts. Lake Sevan is a highland and cold lake, the vacationing season lasts only about two or two-and-a-half months there, while the base of hotels is scarce there,” it said.

Armenia can distract no more than 10-20% tourists for its excursions and city tours from Georgian resorts in the future, according to tour operators.

“People were mainly travelling to Georgia for excursion tourism, but such changes as those in the beach tourism are impossible here. All beaches are alike, while all cities are different. Georgia has interesting churches, cities, fortresses, gorges, while the range of excursions is slightly less in Armenia, these are mainly ancient churches and monasteries,” according to the association.

The tour operators had a 75-85% share of summer excursion and city tours to Georgia, while beach holidays were 15-20% of bookings, according to the ATOR.

“Some tourists, whose flights to Georgia should have taken place after July 7, rebooked their tours to Turkey, Tunisia, Bulgaria, the Dominican Republic, and Montenegro. Some of them changed Georgia for Armenia, but the majority of them cancelled their trips at all,” the ATOR said.

Armenian hoteliers have also not been active in the Russian market due to Russia’s temporary ban on the flights to Georgia. “It’s noteworthy that Armenian partners demonstrate almost no special activity, namely, special offers and marketing campaigns. Abkhaz hoteliers are not active, too,” it said.

Putin signed an executive order on June 21 to temporarily ban Russian airlines from performing flights to Georgia after July 7. The presidential decree included a recommendation for Russian tour operators and travel agents to refrain from selling Georgia holidays. The Transport Ministry also banned Georgian airlines from making flights to Russia after July 7.

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Russia’s position on Karabakh unchanged – Foreign Ministry, in comments on ambassador’s contacts in Armenia

Hagop Kamalian
Interfax
July 4 2019
Russia’s position on Karabakh unchanged – Foreign Ministry, in comments on ambassador’s contacts in Armenia

MOSCOW. July 4

A meeting between Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin and members of the organizing committee of the forum titled Strategic Union Armenia-Artsakh was a routine event and does not mean that Russia has changed its stance on Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

“We are dealing with routine contacts as part of the ambassador’s communication with sociopolitical forces in the host country. I’d like to stress that this is part of his direct duties,” Zakharova said at a news briefing on Wednesday.

Kopyrkin’s meeting with members of the Dashnaktsutyun party on June 26 was initiated by Armenia and addressed a broad range of issues, including Nagorno-Karabakh, “although this subject was not a key one,” she said.

“Our diplomats had not been informed that representatives of the Strategic Union Armenia-Artsakh forum would come together with the leadership of this political organization,” she said.

“Therefore, this very contact and this meeting cannot have the political tint that the press attributed to it, and Russia’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement has not changed in any way and cannot change; it is formulated in Moscow and is communicated locally by ambassadors and [other] diplomats,” she said.

The Azerbaijani authorities were informed about this meeting, she said.

Local media had said earlier that members of the organizing committee of the Strategic Union Armenia-Artsakh forum met with Kopyrkin on June 26 and handed him a document outlining the objectives and the final declaration of the forum, which had been held in Stepanakert back on May 7.

Azerbaijani media said in commenting on the matter that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Mikhail Bocharnikov on June 28.

Music: Armenia’s Garni Museum-Reserve to host concert marking 150th birthdays of Komitas, Tumanyan

Greg Madatian
Panorama, Armenia
July 5 2019
Culture 10:59 05/07/2019 Armenia

Armenia’s Garni Museum-Reserve to host concert marking 150th birthdays of Komitas, Tumanyan
A concert marking the 150th birthday anniversaries of prominent Armenian composer Komitas and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan will take place at Garni Historical-Cultural Museum-Reserve located 28 km east of the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

The jubilee concert initiated by National Center of Chamber Music is scheduled for 14 July, at 8:30pm, the center said.

Three leading Armenian music groups – the State Chamber Orchestra of Armenia (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Vahan Martirosyan), the State Chamber Choir of Armenia (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Robert Mlkeyan) and Hover State Chamber Choir (Director Sona Hovhannisyan) – will perform during the concert.

The music groups will perform under the baton of conductors Vahan Martirosyan and Robert Mlkeyan. Several soloists will also take part in the event. The concert program features compositions by Komitas, Vache Sharafyan and Melik Mavisakalyan.

Music: Lara Sarkissian brings traditional Armenian instruments into the club on PENINSULA

Baghdasarian Karlen
FACT Magazine
July 5 2019
Lara Sarkissian brings traditional Armenian instruments into the club on PENINSULA
                                  
By Henry Bruce-Jones, Jul 5 2019

The Club Chai co-founder explores the classical sounds of Armenia.

Lara Sarkissian, aka FOOZOOL, has debuted on London-based label All Centre, with a new EP.

On PENINSULA, Sarkissian explores sounds and instruments native to Armenia through two propulsive tracks, incorporating Armenian percussion and duduk woodwind into her rhythmic compositions.

The EP follows last year’s DISRUPTION, released via Club Chai, which had a similar focus on classical Armenian sounds and mythology.

PENINSULA is out now. Check out the cover art and tracklist below.

Tracklist:

01. ‘PENINSULA’ [Feat. Mesrop]
02. ‘BTWN EARTH + SKY (Parts 1 & 2)’



Kocharyan supporters protest outside government building, demand his release

Baghdasarian Karlen
Panorama, Armenia
July 4 2019

A group of supporters of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan are staging a protest outside the government building in downtown Yerevan, while the Cabinet members are holding a regular meeting. They insist that Kocharyan is arrested illegally and demand his release from custody.

“So far, no court or prosecutor has been able to substantiate any of the grounds for his arrest. Factually, Kocharyan has never avoided the investigation, has never obstructed justice; there has been no such attempt,” one of the protesters said. “Meanwhile, the courts guided by the logic of the authorities do not want to put up with that idea.”

He stressed no Armenian citizen, including government officials, are insured against possible judicial proceedings which should be conducted by a fair court.

“A person is arrested only because some narrow circles want it. I reiterate that Kocharyan will not avoid the investigation, but unlike the prosecutors and the court that copied down their motions, I can justify my opinion,” he said, reminding the ex-president has voluntarily appeared before the court and turned himself in to the law enforcement agencies, has never opposed to “shameful decisions” or hindered the investigation.

Demonstrators held up posters with Kocharyan’s photo that read: “My hero must be in freedom.”

The Yerevan Court of Appeals ordered Kocharyan to be re-arrested on 25 June, pending the outcome of his trial on criminal charges related to the March 2008 post-election events. 

 



Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict: Israeli journalists visit the frontlines

Emil Lazarian
Jerusalem Post
July 4 2019
Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict: Israeli journalists visit the frontlines

By Arye Gut
July 4, 2019
The Israeli journalists’ visit to Azerbaijan was fruitful and creative. Despite the complicated geopolitical environment, Israel and Azerbaijan have a strong and powerful partnership. Political dialogue exists at the highest level, annual economic turnover is $3.5 billion and the energy sector is a strategic pillar of the relationship.

 Although nearly 90% of the population is Shia Muslim and the official religion is Islam, the country is politically secularist. Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told us, “In the context of the Muslim world, Azerbaijan today has exceptionally positive and constructive relations with Israel in the areas of trade, energy and economy. Azerbaijan maintains good relations with Israel. Historically, Jews lived in peace and harmony in Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, and these contacts between the Jews living in Azerbaijan and Israel remain robust today.”

    

 
Azerbaijan is also home to a number of other ethnic and religious groups, including Christian and Jewish communities. Even when the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict broke out some 30 years ago, the Azerbaijani society continued to preserve peace among ethnic groups.

In Baku, the capital and largest city, we observed the majestic Heydar Mosque, whose four minarets rise to a height of 95 meters. When the sun illuminates this architectural gem, it is not difficult to channel the spiritual power of the universe. Two imams met us there – Shiite and Sunni, as well as representatives of different religious denominations, including the head of the Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan, Milikh Yevdayev, and Robert Mobili, the head of the Albanian Catholic Church. Harmony can exist between people of all religions, they tell us.

“The reason it works lies in the fact that Azerbaijan has always been a unique place for multiculturalism,” explains Ravan Hasanov, head of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism.

Conflict with Armenia
 The real test for Azerbaijan’s tradition of tolerance, we learn, was sparked by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. At that time, the Republic of Armenia invaded and occupied some 20% of Azerbaijani lands, including Nagorno Karabakh and seven adjacent districts, resulting in an estimated 30,000 Azerbaijanis killed and nearly a million persons displaced. Azerbaijanis feel that the attacks, committed with genocidal violence and savagery, constitute one of the great tragedies of the late 20th century.
In Khojaly, for example, some 613 Azerbaijanis were killed, 487 were wounded and 1,275 civilians were taken hostage.
We were among the few Israeli and foreign journalists to visit the front-line zone – a military zone of contact overlooking the lands that have been occupied by Armenia for more than 27 years. Just three years ago, the spot where we stood was a place of hostilities and war. We learned that in April 2016, the Azerbaijani army responded to military provocation, ensuring the safety of its citizens by striking the Armenian armed forces.

We visited the “Maraga” monument erected in the village of Maraga in 1978 by the Armenians to mark the 150th anniversary of their resettlement from Iran to this part of Azerbaijan. It was explained to us that when the recent conflict flared up in the late 1980s, the Armenians destroyed this monument, as it proved they are not indigenous to the area. The remains of the monument have been restored and are protected as evidence that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of the ancient, historic land of Azerbaijan.

Meeting with Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Defense
During the visit to Tartar and Cocug Mardzhanly, we met with soldiers of the Azerbaijani army, who related that Azerbaijan has a military advantage over Armenia, in both manpower and in weaponry. As we visited soldiers from the Lalatapa Hill and gazed over this valley, we noted that the Lalatapa dominates a vast territory. During hostilities in 1993, the Armenians seized the mountain peak, creating a fortified position, but Azerbaijani soldiers and officers liberated the fortified complex in a brief but hard-fought battle. Our hosts explained how the fighting unfolded and the outpost was recaptured.

Azerbaijan Deputy Minister of Defense Lieut.-Gen. Kerim Veliyev told us, “International organizations sometimes display double standards with regard to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We must increase the level of readiness and combat capability of the Azerbaijani Army in order to be prepared liberate the lands we feel are unjustly occupied. We do not want bloodshed, but our army is able to liberate the lands if all other avenues fail.

“The clashes of April 2016 prove that this conflict can be resolved,” continued Veliyev. “Azerbaijan supports a peaceful settlement based on the norms and principles of international law. However, if the issue is not resolved peacefully, then we will take advantage of the right to secure our territorial integrity by other means. The Azerbaijani Army is prepared to ensure the liberation of the occupied territories.”

MEETING WITH children of Azerbaijan’s Tartar region, who suffer from regular Armenian fire. (Credit: Courtesy)

Ashagi Abdurahmanly
At the village of Ashagi Abdurahmanly, we were exposed to a sad picture of devastation: destroyed homes, schools, kindergartens and scorched earth – a ghost village in which time and life seem to have stopped.

Umud Mirzoyev spoke to the group about the fate of his village.
“In our hometown, we see the shocking ruins of houses and other buildings destroyed and burned by Armenian vandalism. They demolished and defiled our cemetery. You can see how they shot point-blank at photos on the graves, as though they feared even those Azerbaijanis who have gone to another world. This illustrates the anger, hatred and fear of the invaders.”

As we continued the tour, Mirzoyev added, “My school was here; my home was here. Here were the most fertile fields with delicious grapes. Now these fields have been turned into a minefield. Here I fulfilled my father’s will. When he was dying, he asked me to bury him in our village, on our land,” said Umud, and so I did.”

Cocug Mardzhanly
Next, we visited the famous Cocug Mardzhanly village, another victim of the geopolitical dispute. We were told that this Azerbaijani village was destroyed by Armenian occupants, but after defeating the Armenian forces there, the Azerbaijani government restored the village. Against this backdrop, a guide told us, “Azerbaijanis want the world to know about the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories and the problems of the million refugees and displaced persons. They want the world to note the catastrophe that befell the Azerbaijani people, as well as the restoration and rehabilitation of these territories.

Meeting with Ali Hasanov
During our visit, Azerbaijani representatives voiced their appreciation to many nations for their support. A common theme was that Azerbaijan is a strong, independent state – a leader in the South Caucasus region. With its various geo-economic and transport-cooperation projects, it contributes to the expansion of the borders of peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.
Ali Hasanov, the Azerbaijani president’s assistant for public and political affairs, had special praise for his country’s relationship with Israel.

“Israel and Azerbaijan cooperate in political, economic, and military/technical spheres. Benjamin Netanyahu, in his first term as prime minister, was the first senior Israeli official who visited Azerbaijan in 1997 and met with President Heydar Aliyev.
“The special relationship between our two nations took off after that historic visit,” said Hasanov. “In a high-profile official visit to Azerbaijan in December 2016, Prime Minister Netanyahu further demonstrated and expanded the close ties between Baku and Tel Aviv. We acknowledge and appreciate the warmth and respect that Netanyahu has for our country and its president.

“I also want to note that 65% of the oil consumed in Israel comes from Azerbaijan, which is the most important buyer of Israeli high-tech products. Israeli specialists have been working in Azerbaijan for many years in various fields. There is a large community of Azerbaijanis in Israel who are well integrated into Israeli society and represent our country with dignity and respect. Various ties – including family connections – also link the Jewish communities in Baku, Quba, and the unique Jewish Qirmizi Qesebe village, with both Israel and Azerbaijan.”

Hasanov concluded, “We will continue to work on strengthening and deepening the relations between Israel and Azerbaijan.”

Last meeting with Hikmat Hajiyev
Our final meeting in the capital of Baku was with Hikmat Hajiyev, head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department.

Hajiyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s unique status and the strategic importance of relations between Azerbaijan and Israel.
“Since the restoration of state independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has developed a special relationship with Israel. Israel was one of the first countries to recognize our independence. We have excellent economic, political, military, cultural and trade relations. There are direct flights, which highlights the excellent and stable relations.

”Azerbaijan is a responsible member of the international community. I always jokingly say that if you look at the map, my country looks like a bird flying from west to east. Therefore, if you tear off one wing, it will not be able to fly. This is why we say that we need both wings.”

Clearly, strategic ties with Israel and a just resolution of the territorial conflict with Armenia are high on the list of priorities of this reliable and important ally.

This article was written in cooperation with Hope for the Future Association for Emigrant Jews of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus.


Fake letter surfaces alleging Armenian PM’s readiness to surrender Karabakh

Ekmekjian Janet
JAM News
July 4 2019
JAMnews, Yerevan
Artur Xachatryan
July 4, 2019

The author of the letter is unknown – experts believe the letter was prepared outside Armenia

A fake letter has emerged online, claiming to be written by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Security specialists have already revealed that the document is fake, however it is unknown who wrote it. The letter is being handled by the National Security Service of Armenia for further investigation.


In the letter, PM Pashinyan allegedly writes about Armenia’s readiness to deepen cooperation with NATO, which is, however, hampered by the “presence of Armenian troops in the disputed territories with Azerbaijan. This obstacle will be removed within one year.”

Pashinyan allegedly promises:

“A national referendum on the question of the advisability of Yerevan’s further supporting Nagorno Karabakh will be held, within the framework of a plan to withdraw the Armenian armed forces from the conflict zone and transfer control over the territories to the Azerbaijani side.”

Samvel Martirosyan, an information security expert, was among the first to report that the fake letter had appeared on the internet.

Martirosyan says that from a technical point of view, the letter was prepared professionally, but notes the English in which the letter was written is not perfect.

Samvel Martirosyan stated that the author of the letter, most likely, is not from Armenia:

“There are ‘foreign’ traces. There are several options, but I will not name them now, since I have no evidence. But it is obvious that the letter was not composed in Armenia. Here, even the most vicious opponents of Pashinyan note on forums that the letter is a fake.”

Later the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia confirmed that the letter is indeed fake.

While there are no public doubts about the lack of credibility of the letter, recent official statements on the position of Armenia in regards to the resolution of the Karabakh conflict further confirm this view.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan stated at a weekly briefing that Armenia would not accept a one-sided compromise:

“We do not believe in the possibility of progress in terms of truce violations. The assumption that Armenia may negotiate under threat is fraught with error. Armenia will not make unilateral concessions that threaten the security of Artsakh. The option of unilateral concessions is impossible.”

Another fact that opposes the statements in the letter is that on July 3, the Armenian Foreign Minister went to Karabakh.

Spokeswoman Naghdalyan said that Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan meets with the leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh before and after meetings with his counterpart, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan. The purpose of these meetings is to involve Stepanakert officials as much as possible in the negotiation process.

At the moment, the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh are not represented at the negotiating table. PM Nikol Pashinyan insists on their return to the negotiation process immediately after being elected prime minister, but Azerbaijan has come out categorically against the idea.

https://jam-news.net/fake-letter-surfaces-alleging-armenian-pms-readiness-to-surrender-karabakh/



Sharjah Ruler receives condolence letter from Armenian president

Dabaghian Diana
WAM News Agency, UAE
July 4 2019

    A-AA+

    SHARJAH, 4th July 2019 (WAM) – H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Thursday, received a letter from President Armen Sarkissian of Armenia, condoling His Highness on the death of his son Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi.

    Sheikh Sultan received the condolence letter at Al Badee Palace in Sharjah from Mher Mkrtumyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

    WAM/Hassan Bashir/Binsal AbdulKader

    The American – Armenian Connection: Guarding the Christian Civilization – Part 1

    Emil Lazarian
    Liberty Nation
    July 4 2019


    United in a unique mission, Armenians and Americans both benefited from merging their heritages.

    By: LN Readers Speak Out


    This first in a two-part series considers the rich history of Armenians in America and the close connections of their Christian heritage.

     “Probably Armenia was known to the American school child in 1919 only a little less than England … of the staunch Christians who were massacred periodically by the Mohammedan Turk and the Sunday School collections of over fifty years for alleviating their miseries …” President Herbert Hoover

    Every country and its people have a unique mission, formed on the basis of its historical development. The American nation was created by deeply religious Christians who saw their destiny as building the country of God on Earth. Christian, traditional, and conservative values are the country’s true foundation.

    Early Armenian family settlers.

    The entire Christian world sees in America something more than just a country – it sees hope. I am deeply convinced that, in this sense, America and Armenia have much in common. It is vital to know that Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as the state religion. For centuries, Armenians waged countless wars, defending their right to remain Christian. Not a single neighboring state having numerical superiority could tame and enslave the small but essential Christian outpost.

    Armenian heritage in America has a vibrant history. The first Armenians appeared on the territory of the modern United States in 1630. Thus, historian Samuel Morison, in his 1930 book Builders of the Bay Colony, identified Armenians among the first thousand settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Many British industrialists of Armenian origin moved to America and invested in urban construction, farming, and more. While listing the names of prominent British manufacturers in 1908’s Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606-1898, William MacDonald mentioned Jack Sadurian and Stefan Tarrien, who made significant contributions to the development of agriculture in South Carolina. Despite their limited presence, Armenians in the United States served in high positions in society and held substantial financial resources. From 1840 to 1911, due to the support of American Christian missionaries serving in their country, many Armenians from the Ottoman Empire were given the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.

    However, Armenians who left for America did so quite reluctantly, preferring to live in their historical homeland. Therefore, most of them moved to the United States only to get an education or bring goods, such as jewelry, carpets, and spices, to sell. Groups of young students and graduates created the first Armenian organizations in New York, Detroit, and Boston, Watertown, and Worcester, MA. These were largely cultural and educational gatherings, where Armenians aimed to preserve their national identity. At numerous clubs established in universities, local Armenians met, spoke to each other in Armenian, and discussed topics related to history, culture, and traditions. According to historians, from 1870 to 1894, 40 Armenians were admitted to Yale, Princeton, Clark, and New York universities as well as to Andover and Amherst colleges. Student Christopher Seropian was among them, and he is credited with suggesting the idea of using the color green on the American dollar.

    First known Armenian settler in America – John Martin

    By 1875, three-fifths of the 75 Armenians living on the U.S. Atlantic coast had returned to Armenia after their graduation ceremonies to serve as lawyers, doctors, and other specialists in their homeland. However, the rest remained in America, making contributions in such fields as economics, science, journalism, and more. A graduate of New York University, Khachig Oskanian worked as a journalist for The New York Herald and was elected the president of the New York Union of Journalists. It is noteworthy that in 1868, an article published in The Cincinnati Enquirer stated that Oskanian planned to create an Armenian colony in the United States he intended to call New Ani, after the capital of medieval Armenia. By the way, the city of Ani was called “the city of one thousand and one churches.” According to Oskanian’s plan, that project would strengthen relations between Americans and Armenians because these nations were the defenders of the Christian civilization.

    In 1895 and 1896, the first large group of Armenians came to the shores of America, fleeing the massacres in Western Armenia, where Sultan Abdul-Hamid responded with cruelty to demands for reforms. Despite their low salaries, these early immigrants sent money home to their families until they could return. In many respects, that group of people lived with uncertainty about the future of their families in America and the homeland they had left behind. Like other immigrants, Armenians mostly arrived on ships to the port of New York City and were inspected for admission on Ellis Island. Depending on where their families or other contacts were, some remained in that city. Others traveled to Boston and other industrial cities in New England. It became clear the heritage of Armenians and Americans would be forever entwined.

    Part 2 of this series looks at how Armenian immigrants and their children quickly absorbed into American life, contributed greatly to American society, and never forgot their homeland when it was in need.

    Arthur Ghazinyan, Ph.D., is a regular contributor to Forbes and The American Thinker and is the head of the European Studies Center in Yerevan, Armenia.  



    https://www.libertynation.com/the-american-armenian-connection-guarding-the-christian-civilization-part-1/