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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to reappoint two Armenian-American community leaders with long-standing involvement in the Armenian National Committee of America and its Western Region affiliate.

Jack Hadjinian was reappointed to the Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs by L.A. serving County Supervisor Hilda Solis’ District 1.

Vasken Yardemian was appointed to another term to the L.A. County Economy and Efficiency Commission. He will represent Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s District 5.

Last year the Board of Supervisors appointed Ashod Mooradian to the L.A. County Consumer Affairs Advisory Commission. He, too, represents Solis’ District 1.

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LOS ANGELES — A night of celebration, legacy, and community spirit marked a historic milestone for AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School as nearly 900 guests gathered for its 50th Anniversary Gala, raising over an extraordinary $4 million in support of the school’s future.

Held in the elegant Los Angeles Ballroom at the Fairmont Century Plaza, the gala brought together an esteemed audience of supporters, families, alumni, AGBU Central Board members from across the globe, dignitaries, and community leaders, all united in celebration of five decades of educational excellence and impact.

The evening featured a thoughtfully curated program, with eloquent Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Edrick Dorian, a former student from the early days of St. Peter AGBU Day School.  Under the direction of Arick Gevorkian, the middle school students, accompanied by Emmy Bejanyan, set the tone with their beautiful performances of the National Anthems, while Alec Van Khajadourian and Sarkis Demirjian delivered masterful piano performances.

The evening’s invocation was delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Father Shnork Demirjian.

During the program, AGBU MDS honored distinguished members of our community whose dedication and service to our school span decades: Bedros and Anna Oruncakciel (Lifetime Legacy Award), Principal of Demirdjian Middle & High School, Anahid Nalbandian Pezeshkian (Lifetime Service Award), Director of Artemis Nazarian Preschool, Tagoush Khodabakhshian (Lifetime Service Award), and Dr. Raffi Svadjian, Class of  1993 (Distinguished Alumni Award). Certificates of recognition were presented to all our honorees by Congressman Brad Sherman and Councilmember Adrin Nazarian. 

Additionally, President of AGBU, Sam Simonian, and Honorary President, Berge Setrakian, honored long-time supporter and Central Board Member, Sinan Sinanian, with a heartfelt surprise tribute, bestowing upon him the AGBU Boghos Nubar Award, the highest honor AGBU bestows upon community members who elevate others and work tirelessly in service of society.

Longtime benefactor Christine Simone was recognized for her enduring generosity and unwavering support, highlighted by the naming of the Manoogian Simone Collaborative Learning Center Complex in her honor. The school also proudly announced that, through Alex Demirdjian’s generous contribution, the DHS Expansion will continue to carry the Demirdjian family name.

“This milestone celebration was not only a reflection of our past achievements, but a powerful testament to the strength and unity of our community,” said Chairman of the Board, Kevork Zoryan. “Together, we are building the foundation for the next 50 years of impact at AGBU MDS.”

Guests were immersed in the rich history of MDS through a beautifully presented Heritage Library exhibit showcasing memorabilia spanning the decades, including vintage uniforms, photographs, and treasured artifacts. The display sparked a deep sense of nostalgia and pride, highlighting the school’s enduring legacy.

Head of School David Ghoogasian, on behalf of a grateful school community, expressed his profound gratitude to all who have contributed and continue to contribute to the success of AGBU MDS, past and present, emphasizing the dedication of the faculty and staff, pride in the students, and enthusiasm toward what is yet to come.

AGBU MDS Board of Trustees AGBU Central Board

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible Gala Committee and 50th Anniversary Chair, Ailine Vakian, Class of 1992, and Gala Chair, Zanni Kalaydjian, for their tireless efforts and leadership.  Their passion, fundraising efforts, and dedication to the event ensured we had an impeccable program. We are equally grateful to our Class of 2005 alumna event planner, Lusine Vartanian of Event Du Jour, for elevating the evening with exceptional creativity.

Adding to the evening’s energy, a vibrant silent auction and Student Council-led raffle engaged attendees and raised over $70,000 in additional support of the school’s mission.

Student Council Heritage Library

Proceeds from the evening will support the school’s strategic expansion initiatives, as well as the establishment of an academic endowment to invest in innovation of curriculum and instruction. 

Centered around the theme “Imagine the Possibilities,” the gala cast a bold vision for what lies ahead, while honoring the Changemakers, the early visionaries whose belief in the school laid the foundation for its success. Their foresight and dedication transformed possibility into reality, paving the way for the next generation to dream even bigger.

As AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School looks ahead to a new chapter of expansion and growth, the 50th Anniversary Gala stands as a defining moment, honoring its legacy while advancing its vision for the future.

https://asbarez.com/agbu-manoogian-demirdjian-school-raises-4-million-at-50th-anniversary-gala/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQrHc1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeI9l24QsxqwmJ-lW4m8Y0GNg6nSwfqmxcvwAmJ37In90Ed0Q1LNM1EZ452Uo_aem_i1benxOMz6AhKtLY5n_I0w

The Armenian Studies Program and the Fresno State CineCulture program are presenting the Fresno premiere screening of the film “Armenians, The Hidden Grandmothers,” at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27. The screening is free and open to the public and will be held in the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center, 5010 N. Woodrow Ave. (west end of the SaveMartCenter), on the Fresno State campus.

Director Alexandra Routhiau Mikaélian, French of Armenian origin, made a promise to her grandfather, to find the members of their family in Turkey based on a simple name, Shahimé, this sister he was never able to meet. From this journey through time in search of the living, Alexandra will lift the veil of one of the most deeply rooted taboos in Turkish society, those for which you still risk your life.

This story is the story of these millions of Armenians and Turks, those we call the “hidden Armenians” or the “remnants of the sword,” descendants of women and children converted and forcibly integrated into the Turkish population during the Armenians genocide. For the first time, we tell the missing stories of these women, victims of the genocide, the Armenian grandmothers who passed on their stories by whispering.

As the writer and lawyer Féthiye Cetin, who appears in the film, explains: “Every Turk discovers that he may have Armenian blood in his veins and every Armenian, including in the diaspora, realizes that he may have Muslim cousins in Turkey.”

111 years after the events of 1915, it is time to open the book of this common history in a documentary but above all the doors of silence, to finally be able to wound together and build bridges towards reconciliation.

Alexandra Routhiau Mikaélian is a French writer, director, and producer of Armenian descent. After ten years as a journalist for French national television channels, she attended “La Fémis school” and began creating and producing her own documentaries. Now as a documentary filmmaker, she focuses her work on the memory of the Armenian diaspora. A form of film therapy framed by the intersection of family stories and universal History. Beyond emotions, her cinema pursues the dream of making films that bring people together and build bridges between peoples.

For more information about the film screening contact the Armenian Studies Program at (559)278-2669, visit the Facebook page @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or  the CineCulture website.

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Continuing his campaign against Armenia’s opposition forces ahead of the June 7 elections, Prime Minisdter Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday warned that Armenia could face imminent war if some opposition forces, whom he claimed were controlled from abroad, win the elections.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting, Pashinyan did not name specific parties, but insisted that these groups sought to “revise” what he called the recently established peace.

“I want to say this very directly, without any pretense, that [if the opposition wins it will be a war with the loss of not only territory but also sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said at a press briefing.

He said he expects his Civil Contract party to garner enough votes to form a parliamentary majority, which would allow the processes underpinning regional peace to become fully irreversible.

“We expect to achieve a constitutional majority as a result of these elections because that is what will guarantee that, particularly in the context of regional peace, we will make the processes fully irreversible,” Pashinyan said.

He accused certain opposition forces of preparing a “new war with Azerbaijan.” He claimed some of those forces “do not even understand what statements they are making,” implying that these statements were written in a foreign country.

“These parties and circles first say that they are not against peace, and secondly, they say that if they come to power, they will start revising peace.”

In response to a follow-up question about why these forces want to trigger a new war, Pashinyan said that aim is to keep Armenia as “peripheral state, as it was during their time they were in power.”

“They see that Armenia has become independent and have a problem with that because they are determined not to allow Armenia to be independent. Yesterday or the day before, I saw some pictures saying ‘Strong Peace,’ or headlines saying, ‘Forgive us, Artsakh, we will do… whatever.’ What is all this about? It is about subjecting peace to revision, and any attempt to revise peace is war—immediately. Or they say, ‘Ararat is ours,’ ‘Dadivank is ours.’ That is war!” Pashinyan said.

Responding to a question about what these forces would gain from a war, Pashinyan emphasized that “they would gain the status of leaders of an outpost, not a country, because history has shown this to be financially profitable for them.:

“They will also preserve the billions they have in certain countries because they were told: if you don’t solve the problem, what is formally registered in your name will no longer exist. These main forces—the three who operate from that position—have billions in Russia and Belarus,” Pashinyan said.

During a speech at the European Parliament last week, Pashinyan referenced “oligarchs from Russia and Belarus” when telling European lawmakers about what he perceived as foreign threats to the upcoming elections.

The European Union’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that the EU will send a “hybrid rapid response” team to Armenia to weigh in on potential threats ahead of the June 7 elections.

Speaking to journalists in Brussels following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Kallas said that “supporting the resilience of democracy in the region remains of paramount importance.”

“We will not leave Armenia alone in the fight against external interference. Democracies under pressure can rely on Europe,” the diplomat assured, recalling that Yerevan had requested assistance.

The mission will be comprised of nine to 14 experts and will arrive in April, according to a document obtained by Azatutyun.am, which reported that the EU personnel will help authorities counter hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation.

The team is expected to stay in Armenia for 10 to 15 days, Azatutyun.am reported on Tuesday.

The experts are expected to assist Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office and the National Security Council in developing crisis management plans and regulatory mechanisms to address cyberattacks and foreign information interference.

https://asbarez.com/pashinyan-claims-opposition-poses-a-threat-of-war/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQrHntleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeDJiKYHPemqeDiqQ4IDt_olwQ50Ow8ul39KgzRAzA5pEUa1BF8qcF6gLpO2s_aem_TcVAY_DqVp8dqJwWsG6xow

The ARF Western Region convened its Diaspora Conference at the Beshir Mardirossian Youth Center in Burbank, California, over the weekend of March 14–15. The two-day internal working conference brought together distinguished diaspora scholars, educators, community leaders, and ARF members for a structured dialogue dedicated to one purpose: honest and substantive reflection on the diaspora’s present realities and future direction.

The conference did not seek to produce declarations or headlines. Participants engaged across nine thematic sessions covering the historical characteristics of the diaspora, Armenia-Diaspora political dynamics, Armenian education and language, diasporic identity and culture, the Armenian Cause in the 21st century, and the possible goals of diasporic nation-building itself.

What emerged most clearly was that the Armenian diaspora cannot be understood only as a sentimental extension of the homeland, nor merely as a loose collection of communities trying topreserve memory and identity. The discussions pointed instead to a more demanding and complex reality: if the diaspora is to remain meaningful, it must be approached as a multilayered, multicenter transnational network, self-aware, and evolving, with responsibilities that go beyond institutional maintenance.

This was visible in the very structure of the conference. Education was discussed not simply as a pedagogical issue, but as a question tied to language continuity, identity formation, and long-term communal resilience. Youth was examined not only as a demographic category, but as the site where questions of belonging, leadership, and future commitment will ultimately be decided. Discussions on the Armenian Cause were not limited to inherited formulas, but opened the door to preliminary rethinking about mission, scope, and relevance under new realities. Crucially, the agenda made clear that these themes are deeply interconnected — a diaspora that weakens in language and culture will eventually weaken in political clarity; one that does not cultivate young leadership will struggle to sustain its institutions.

The final group discussions were especially important in this regard. By dividing participants into working groups around language, identity, educational structures, youth, leadership preparation, and the rethinking of the Armenian Cause, the conference began moving from diagnosis toward possible direction. No final doctrine was announced, and none was expected. But that was precisely the point. The value of the conference lay not in manufacturing artificial consensus, but in helping identify the real questions, tensions, and priorities that require further work.

What made this conference significant was not merely its agenda, but its premise. At a moment when both Armenia and the diaspora are navigating profound and simultaneous transformations — geopolitical, demographic, generational, and cultural — the relationship between the two can no longer rest on inherited assumptions. The fall of Artsakh, the reconfiguration of Armenia’s alliances, the accelerating assimilation of diaspora communities, and the emergence of a generation that relates to Armenian identity on its own terms have all converged into a single urgent question: what does it mean, in 2026, to be part of one Armenian world — and what kind of partnership that world actually requires.”

The conference follows directly from the public debate-discussion held on March 12 at the Krikor and Mariam Karamanoukian Glendale Youth Center, which explored Armenian diaspora nation-building opportunities before a wider community audience, and two preparatory articles published in Asbarez that framed the stakes and the educational agenda of the gathering. Taken together, these three moments — public debate, press preparation, and internal conference — represent a deliberate sequencing: understand before acting, and reflect before declaring. 

This conference should be seen as a beginning rather than a conclusion. The issues placed on the table are too large, too layered, and too consequential to be exhausted in one weekend. In the coming period, public articles will be shared reflecting on the major the key questions and challenges that deserve wider communal consideration. The conversations held over these two days were internal in process, not in purpose — their work belongs to the broader Armenian world. What was discussed in Burbank will not stay in Burbank.

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· MARCH 19, 2026