Members of Chicago’s Armenian-American community demonstrating in Daley Plaza in Downtown Chicago to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh

CHICAGO, Ill.—More than 100 Armenian-Americans gathered in Daley Plaza in Downtown Chicago to honor the 32nd anniversary of the Republic of Armenia’s second Independence Day. Community members marked the occasion by demonstrating to raise awareness for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh.

The program began with Very Rev. Father Boghos Tinkjian of All Saints’ Armenian Apostolic Church in Glenview offering opening prayers. Armen Alexanian, co-chair of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of IL, served as master of ceremonies. Chicago “Ararat” Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Chapter member Aleena Surenian and Hagop Soulakian, chairman of the Chicago Christapor Gomideh of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), offered their reflections on the importance of the anniversary and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. Both provided a voice of hope and reason for the activists and demonstrators. Students from the Taniel Varoujan Armenian school–the next generation of the Armenian-American community– and dozens of other supporters and allies joined the demonstration. 

Students of the Taniel Varoujan School leading the Armenian Independence Day event in Chicago

Surenian reminded the crowd of the importance of Armenian independence. She spoke of ancient kingdoms and struggles and compared them to the uncertain situations Armenians faced to secure their independence first in 1918 and then again in 1991: numerous genocidal neighbors, an indifferent international community and a resolute will for a free and independent Armenia. Noting the importance of community activism and the power of the American voter, she encouraged the crowd to “be politically active and to continually [pressure] the U.S. government to do the right thing for Armenia… and to work together.” 

During the demonstration, Ken Hachikian, co-chair of the ANC of IL, was interviewed by WBBM Radio – one of Chicago’s largest commercial all-day radio stations – and took the opportunity to inform the public about the ongoing humanitarian crisis. He urged community members to rally behind and join local organizations, such as the ANC of Illinois, in alerting U.S. lawmakers to the crisis and urging immediate action to alleviate the humanitarian effects of starvation, ethnic cleansing and genocide on the Armenian population of Artsakh.

Soulakian shared the turbulent history of the Armenian nation, comparing it to the ongoing crisis in Artsakh, and reminded the crowd to be persistent and vigilant. He called on members of the community to become ANCA Rapid Responders and to continue pressuring U.S. lawmakers to sign onto key pieces of legislation. Soulakian noted the importance of remaining hopeful and spoke of the importance of the Armenian Diaspora, which he called “a beacon of hope, strength for our homeland.”

Prominent community member Honorary Consul Oscar Tatosian spoke about the pride all Armenians should have about the 32nd anniversary of the second independence of Armenia. He also spoke about the tragedy unfolding in Artsakh as the world has stood silently by. He called upon all Armenians in the Diaspora to unite in helping their fellow Armenians in distress in Artsakh.

An impressive 25-foot Armenian tricolor hoisted above in Delay Plaza in Downtown Chicago

On this occasion, a 25-foot Armenian flag was raised over the City of Chicago public plaza, to the strains of Mer Hairenik, as a symbol of the community’s solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Armenia and Artsakh. Following the flag raising, the AYF led a protest march at the plaza, criticizing Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions in Artsakh, aided and abetted by Turkey. The students of the Taniel Varoujan School and other community members were active participants in the protest.

“We were honored to be able to do our part in raising awareness for the ongoing genocide in Artsakh. With heavy hearts, we protested to the Chicago community and asked our neighbors, friends and lawmakers to stand on the justice page of history, as we continue to advocate for our brothers and sisters entrenched in the mountains of Artsakh with clear uncertainty on what the future holds,” said Alexanian. “It is our duty to be the voice for the voiceless, and I am proud that we had the opportunity to show both the Chicago community and our next generation of Armenian-Americans, the students from Taniel Varoujan Armenian School, the importance of activism and fighting for your roots and right to exist.”

On the heels of the Weekly’s conversation with Nyree Derderian, chair of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Central Executive Board, the Armenians of Artsakh, already enduring the disastrous outcome of Azerbaijan’s months-long blockade and subsequent attacks, suffered more deaths and injuries from a fuel blast. True to its more than 100-year history of devotion and service to the Armenian people and homeland, the ARS immediately extended condolences and expressed readiness to help.

The ARS is scheduled to hold its quadrennial international convention in Yerevan in a few weeks. While there was initial concern regarding the safety of the delegates and guests, in light of Azerbaijan’s attacks on Artsakh and the unrest in Yerevan, the board decided to move forward with the convention. In the four years since this board was elected, the ARS has sprung into action for Armenians in need five times: Lebanon for economic strife, globally for the pandemic, Lebanon for food shortages, Lebanon for relief from the explosion, and Artsakh beginning with the 2020 war, in that order.

“If we as the Armenian Relief Society are in solidarity with the people and are on the ground, our convention can not only serve to assess our activities for the last four years, it can turn into what we do best, which is reaching out and providing humanitarian assistance,” Derderian said.

The organization has been planning and preparing to meet the needs of the Armenians from Artsakh prior to their arrival in Armenia by the thousands. The ARS will conduct an assessment of the primary and secondary needs of those arriving in Armenia. In contrast to the 2020 war, explained Derderian, the Armenians from Artsakh are being “forcefully deported” with no concrete plan for their future. “The approach needs to be different from helping someone who has been stricken by war with the hope of returning,” Derderian said, explaining that there must be respect and understanding of what the people are bringing with them and what they have left behind.

During the 2020 war, the ARS promised to provide assistance to 1,000 displaced families from Artsakh, amounting to $1 million in aid, through its “Stand with an Artsakh Family” program. Donors pledged $250 per month for four months. According to Derderian, the ARS was ultimately able to assist more than 1,000 families through the generosity of its members and supporters. In fact, she said that over the last three years, the ARS has spent approximately $6 million on projects in Artsakh with humanitarian aid, as well as providing assistance through shipments from afar under the ARS name.

Derderian noted that for the first time in three wars, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is physically registering every Armenian from Artsakh arriving in Armenia through Kornidzor. This will provide critical information for the ARS, which is in contact with the ICRC, to determine the assistance needed, both immediately and in the long term.

Derderian was quick to note the natural and immediate instincts of ARS members, sharing a story from besieged and blockaded Artsakh at the beginning of the Azeri attacks on September 19. ARS members sheltering in their office in Stepanakert found the means to get some flour. They knew that the ARS Soseh Kindergarten in Stepanakert was being used as a shelter – one of the purposes for which it was built. They put their lives at risk to acquire the flour and make bread to provide nutrition to those in the shelter.

“We have maintained constant contact with our members in Artsakh from the start of the blockade as much as possible without putting them at risk,” Derderian said. Conversations with ARS members in Artsakh always end with reassurances and motivation for their fellow ARS members globally. “They were asking us to continue to struggle for them. The fact that they have not lost hope when all seems lost means that we don’t have the right to lose hope,” Derderian said. “We have to do everything in our means possible, and impossible, to make sure that they come out of this situation feeling like someone cares.”

With that mission firmly in mind, the ARS immediately issued a call to help the Armenians of Artsakh forcibly displaced from their homeland.

There are also thousands of students from Artsakh who are currently studying in Armenia who feel abandoned and have lost contact with their families. The ARS is initiating a plan to provide aid to those students.

While the ARS is conducting its needs assessment, Derderian noted that the organization always provides immediate sustenance. “We are A to Z,” she said, stating that the ARS will find those displaced from their homes in Artsakh a place to live, provide food and medical attention. “We are a volunteer force to be reckoned with,” Derderian stated. She remarked on the adept ability of ARS members to raise funds and spread the word, often better than organizations with more resources than the ARS.

In the last few days, the Central Executive Board held an online meeting with all of the ARS entities’ executive boards to discuss the current situation in Artsakh and Armenia and what the role of the ARS globally is to support the people during this critical time. The ARS in Armenia is “organized on the ground and putting steps forward to have the readiness to reach out to the Artsakhtsis coming into Armenia,” Derderdian said.   

“The ARS has been doing this for 113 years. We have a mechanism that works and are always learning from that mechanism,” Derderian said. “If you want to donate to the people of Artsakh, donate to the ARS – an organization you can trust to bring programs to fruition.”

BOSTON, Mass.—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Eastern Region will recognize the accomplishments of its 2023 ANCA Leo Sarkisian summer interns – Olivia Abajian (NY), Vahagn Boudakian (NY), Tsoline Gevorkian (MA), Emma Lopez (CT), Ruby Topalian (MD) and Nver Saghatelyan (MD) –  at this year’s 17th Annual ANCA Eastern Region Endowment Fund Awards Program, United for Artsakh, at the Royal Sonesta Boston Hotel on Saturday, October 7, 2023. 

Founded in 1986, the ANCA LSI program is named in memory of the late ANCA Eastern Region community leader Leo Sarkisian. LSI provides students from both the eastern and western U.S. and Canada with an opportunity to participate in a six-week intensive program in Washington, D.C., designed to give them the tools to advance issues of concern to the Armenian-American community on the federal, state and local level. Now in its 36th year, the program has hundreds of alumni worldwide.

During their six-week stay in the nation’s capital, interns participated in various activities carefully planned by the ANCA office in Washington, D.C. In fact, in three days, interns visited 535 offices encouraging members to cosign a letter led by Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) to cease all military aid to Azerbaijan – their efforts acquired 54 cosponsors for the letter, setting the course for what the rest of their internship would entail. The remaining weeks would encompass multiple lectures by several key members of Washington’s Armenian-American political elite, who offered the interns their experiences in a variety of fields, encompassing state government, journalism, lobbying, consulting and ambassadorship. 

Interns for the LSI program are selected through a competitive application process, with their acceptance being based on several criteria, including academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and community involvement. Interns are provided with room and board in the ANCA Aramian House, donated by generous sister donors Martha and Sue Aramian and Margo Aramian Regan.

The Eastern Region interns from this year’s internship all shared a collective focus on advancing the Armenian Cause in the political, economic and social realms of society as they brought a wealth of experience from their professional and educational backgrounds. The interns shared a range of passion, encompassing the collective fields of government and politics, international relations, psychology, sociology, political science, international studies, economics, and Middle Eastern and European languages and cultures, all of which form a strong foundation for the next generation of activists and the future of the Armenian-American community. 

“The many talents and accomplishments of our youth, as well as their drive and motivation, make me confident in the future of the ANCA and Hai Tahd. I have the pleasure of recognizing the interns at this year’s awards dinner and hope my words will continue to empower them and encourage our youth to join the tireless fight for justice for Artsakh, Armenia and the Armenian nation,” said Steve Mesrobian, ANCA Eastern Region Board member.

The future of the region – this year’s ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship interns – will be honored at the 17th Annual Awards Program, United for Artsakh at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Saturday, October 7.

The 2023 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Eastern Region interns recognized at the Awards Program are Olivia Abajian, Vahagn Boudakian, Tsoline Gevorkian, Emma Lopez, Ruby Topalian and Nver Saghatelyan.

Olivia Abajian is a current freshman at the University of Maryland, majoring in government and politics with a concentration in international relations. Abajian is the editor-in-chief of the Terrapin Yearbook and a member of Phi Sigma Sigma. Bringing her Armenian background onto campus, she is also a member of UMD’s Armenian Students Association and an active member of the AYF-YOARF “Hyortik” Chapter at home.

Vahagn Boudakian, who is pursuing a major in political science with a minor in psychology at Brooklyn College CUNY, actively contributed to refugee relief efforts following the 2020 war and contributed to the war efforts. He is hopeful to employ the new skills acquired from the internship to “further the cause of Armenia’s progress.”

Tsoline Gevorkian, a lifelong member of the AYF, currently serves as the treasurer of the Middlesex County West AYF Chapter. At the University of Vermont, she studies psychology and sociology as a rising junior. Gevorkian credits the internship for allowing her to gain more knowledge about American politics and giving her more confidence toward one day hosting her own AYF educational lecture. It was more important – and a source of pride – that she could spend her summer “fighting for our brothers and sisters in Artsakh and for an Azad Angakh Miatsyal Haiastan.”

Emma Lopez, who recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in political science, wore many hats at her local Armenian Students Association, where she served as vice president, secretary and social media manager. At her home parish, St. George Armenian Church, she is an active member of the local ACYOA, where she also regularly volunteers in community events. She looks forward to using her new skills and experiences to enrich her home community. 

Nver Saghatelyan, a student at John Hopkins University, is majoring in international studies and economics. He saw the internship as an opportunity to familiarize himself with the dynamics of American politics and to bring his new lessons back home to Armenia and Artsakh, where he hopes to use these experiences to “challenge the status quo and contribute to peaceful resolutions in contrast to the ongoing tensions and violence.”
Lastly, Ruby Topalian, a rising sophomore at Trinity College Dublin, is pursuing a dual bachelor’s program through Columbia University. At Trinity College Dublin, she studies Middle Eastern and European languages and cultures, especially focusing on Arabic and Italian. At Columbia, she studies political science. According to her, the internship reconnected her to her Armenian heritage, and as an editor on multiple campus publications, she looks forward to leveraging her position to encourage her peers to become educated about Armenian-American issues, hoping that her efforts will create more activists for the Armenian Cause.

Hosted by the ANC of Eastern Massachusetts, the evening will feature a cocktail reception and silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. and a seated dinner and an awards program at 7 p.m. During the dinner presentation, the region will present deserving honorees with awards, including the inaugural ANCA Eastern Region Excellence in Education Award to Houry Boyamian; the inaugural ANCA Eastern Region Advocacy Award to Dr. Michael Rubin; the ANCA Eastern Region Vahan Cardashian Award to lifelong activists Joseph Dagdigian of the ANC of Merrimack Valley and Barkev Kaligian of the ANC of Eastern Massachusetts; and the ANCA Eastern Region Freedom Award, which will be presented to Congresswoman Katherine Clark. 

“While the evening will be appropriately somber given the current situation in Artsakh, we are depending on our community to fully support the ANCA Eastern Region’s fundraiser, which will be dedicated to the people of Artsakh and the work we must do together for the continued existence of Artsakh and Armenia,” said Ara Nazarian, ANCA Eastern Region Endowment Fund Awards Program committee chair. 

For more information about this year’s Awards Program and to purchase tickets, please visit https://givergy.us/ancaer or email [email protected].

Fuel storage facility near Stepanakert explodes (NKR InfoCenter, September 25)

YEREVAN—Amidst the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and Azerbaijan’s national policy of the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population, forcing thousands to flee their homeland, a powerful explosion ripped through a fuel storage facility near Stepanakert on Monday.

Hundreds of people were lining up at the fuel facility where the blast occurred, because they had been promised fuel –  a scarcity during the over nine-month long blockade – for their cars in order to move to Armenia. 

As a result of the explosion, 290 patients were admitted to different hospitals with various degrees of burns. According to the Ministry of Health of Artsakh, at least seven patients have died in the hospital. Dozens are still in critical condition. 13 unrecognized bodies were transferred to the Bureau of Forensic Examination. Many people are considered missing, because they were burned as a result of the explosion. 

Former State Minister and Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan reported that on Tuesday, 168 patients wounded in the fuel depot explosion were evacuated to Yerevan – 96 by Armenian and Russian helicopters and 72 by Armenian ambulances with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross. There are 68 confirmed deaths. Meanwhile, the bodies of 125 soldiers who gave their lives protecting Artsakh were transferred to Armenia on Wednesday. According to consolidated data from requests to information centers in Artsakh, the fate of 105 Armenians as a result of the explosion is unknown. 

Weekly contributor Siranush Sargsyan said that the situation in Artsakh’s hospitals following the explosion is “catastrophic.” “Shortages of medical staff, panic, people trying to find their loved ones from the blast,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The explosion took place hours after the second round of talks between Azerbaijani officials and Artsakh representatives was held Monday in the town of Ivanyan, just north of Stepanakert. The first round was held last week in Yevlakh, where an agreement was reached on the withdrawal of the remaining units and servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia from Artsakh, the disbandment and complete disarmament of the Artsakh Defense Army, and the removal of heavy equipment and weapons from the territory of Artsakh.

The agreement was reached 24 hours after Azerbaijan launched an assault on Artsakh on September 19, heavily shelling civilian settlements and infrastructure. Azerbaijan’s military offensive and bombardment of civilians claimed many lives, enabled mass displacement and triggered turmoil across the region. 

Another major humanitarian crisis is looming on the horizon. As of Wednesday afternoon, about 50,000 Armenians have been forced to flee their homes in Artsakh in the fear of living under Azerbaijani rule, among a population of 120,000. Although Azerbaijan has made numerous statements about the “peaceful integration” of ethnic Armenians into Azerbaijani society, decades of conflict and atrocities and recent events have proven otherwise. 

Multiple videos circulating on Telegram channels show inhumane acts carried out by Azerbaijani soldiers against ethnic Armenian civilians, soldiers and establishments. Two Azerbaijani soldiers fired at a 13th-century monastery in the village of Charektar in the Shahumyan region of Artsakh, Caucasus Heritage Watch reported on X on Wednesday. “Such attacks are a direct violation of the International Court of Justice’s provisional measure on Armenian cultural heritage and must be investigated and brought to justice,” the organization said in a statement.

Artsakh search and rescue operation searches for people’s remains (NKR InfoCenter, September 26)

While the ethnic cleansing policy of Azerbaijan continues to threaten the lives of the ethnic Armenians remaining in the region, thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes, only taking items of importance – leaving their family homes and their livelihood behind. In order to honor his memory and prevent its desecration by Azerbaijan, citizens have reportedly removed the monument of the national hero Monte Melkonyan in the Martuni region of Artsakh and plan to take it with them to Armenia.

The mass exodus of Armenians from Artsakh is only the start of another serious humanitarian crisis. As families flee to save their and their children’s lives from another genocide, traffic jams on the road to Kornidzor have already caused the death of an elderly man. 

Following long hours of travel, Armenians from Artsakh must go through the checkpoint illegally placed by Azerbaijan on the Hakari Bridge at the entrance to the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor to reach the registration and first aid centers that have been set up by the Red Cross and local organizations.

The small village of Kornidzor in Armenia’s southernmost Syunik region has become the first stop on the way of the forced migration of Armenians from Artsakh. Due to the shortage of fuel and buses, thousands of people arrive in Armenia sitting in the back of trucks. 

The first point of registration for the people of Artsakh was in the town of Goris until Tuesday night, when humanitarian organizations announced that due to the high volume of individuals coming from Artsakh, the resources in Goris have reached capacity, and the new point of registration will now be in Vayk. 

Volunteers on the ground in Syunik advise all Armenians to register their problems in detail at the registration points including medical, psychological and domestic. They also advise that all individuals request a medical examination and that those who are collecting aid send warm clothes that can be distributed to the people during registration ahead of the cold winter months. 

As this humanitarian crisis unfolds, the Armenian Weekly will continue to follow developments and provide firsthand reporting on families displaced from Artsakh.

House destroyed by Azerbaijani shelling in Berqadzor of Askeran region (Artsakh Ombudsman, September 24)