Agbu news magazine oct22

Armenian General benevolent Union

September 2014

The Road Ahead Steering Armenia on the Path to Prosperity

Plus

A New Direction The Dilijan International School Brings a United World College (UWC) Campus to Armenia

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Armenian General Benevolent Union Established in 1906

Central Board of Directors President Berge Setrakian Vice Presidents Sam Simonian Sinan Sinanian Treasurer Yervant Demirjian Secretary Berge Papazian Honorary Member His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of all Armenians Members United States

Noubar Afeyan M. Michael Ansour Carol Bagdasarian Aslanian Joseph L. Basralian Nazareth Festekjian Arda Haratunian Sarkis Jebejian Levon Nazarian Dickran Tevrizian Yervant Zorian Argentina

Ruben Kechichian

Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միութիւն Mission To preserve and promote the Armenian heritage through worldwide educational, cultural and humanitarian programs.

Annual International Budget Thirty-six million dollars.

Education 25 primary, secondary, preparatory and Saturday Schools; scholarships; American University of Armenia; Armenian Virtual College (AVC).

Cultural, Humanitarian and Religious AGBU News Magazine; the AGBU Humanitarian Emergency Relief Fund for Syrian Armenians; athletics; camps; concerts; dance; films; lectures; mentorship; publications; radio; scouts; summer internships; theater. Armenia: Holy Etchmiadzin; Arapkir, Malatya and Nork Children’s Centers and Senior Dining Centers; Sevan Theological Seminary; Ultrasound Center. Karabakh: Chamber Orchestra; AUA Extension—AGBU NKR Program.

Centers, Offices, Schools, Chapters & Young Professionals Argentina: Buenos Aires, Córdoba; Armenia: Yerevan; Australia: Sydney, Melbourne; Austria: Vienna; Belgium: Brussels; Brazil: São Paulo; Bulgaria: Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna; Canada: Montreal, Toronto; Cyprus: Larnaca, Nicosia; Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo, Heliopolis; Ethiopia: Addis Abada; France: Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, St. Chamond-St. Étienne, Valence, Vienne; Germany: Hamburg; Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki; Iran: Tehran; Iraq: Baghdad; Italy: Milan; Lebanon: Beirut, Zahlé; Netherlands: Almelo; South Africa: Johannesburg; Switzerland: Geneva; Syria: Aleppo, Damascus, Kamishli, Kessab, Latakia, Yaccoubieh; Uruguay: Montevideo; UAE: Dubai, Sharjah; United Kingdom: London; United States: Boston, Canoga Park, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Fresno, Glendale, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pasadena, Philadelphia, Providence, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Washington, DC.

France

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Vahe Gabrache Syria And Armenia

Vasken Yacoubian United Kingdom

Joseph Oughourlian Council of Trustees Sarkis Demirdjian Richard Manoogian Nazar Nazarian Louise Manoogian Simone Karnig Yacoubian In Memoriam Boghos Nubar, Founder Alex Manoogian, Honorary Life President 2 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

Founder and first president Boghos Nubar (1906-1928), Calouste Gulbenkian (19301932), Zareh Nubar (1932-1943), Arshag Karageusian (1943-1953), Alex Manoogian (1953-1989), Louise Manoogian Simone (1989-2002), Berge Setrakian (2002-present).

Editorial

T

he vast and complicated challenges currently facing Armenia—on both domestic and international fronts—have rarely before been at one time so numerous and their consequences so uncertain. As the government prepares to formally accede to the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, at home it has to contend with the ongoing need to reform the pension system, stimulate a struggling economy, and curb unemployment and emigration. While the path ahead may seem daunting, both the country’s leadership and society as a whole are showing encouraging signs of progress that provide hope for Armenia’s future prosperity.

In this issue of AGBU News Magazine, we explore some of these socio-economic challenges, with a look at the extent to which the six-month-old administration of Hovik Abrahamyan is up to the task, the efforts made to boost Armenia’s IT industry, and a critical analysis of two decades of cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The eyes of the world, including Armenia, however, remain focused on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq and Syria. The brutal campaign of atrocities and gross human rights violations perpetrated by ISIS to drive out and seemingly eradicate entire religious communities from their historic homelands—including tens of thousands of Syrian Armenians—continues to further destabilize the region and inflict suffering on ethnic and religious minority populations. Human rights organizations estimate the

broader three year conflict has claimed the lives of more than 191,000 people, and internally displaced more than six million others who are now left without a home.

ISIS militants are said to control a stretch of land in Syria and northern Iraq comparable to the size of Belgium—an area marked also by the destruction of a growing number of schools, buildings, and churches. Indeed, the recent desecration of the sacred Armenian Holy Martyrs Church and Genocide Museum in Deir-ez-Zor reminds us all of the precious religious and rich cultural heritage that is also now imperiled by the ongoing civil war.

Left unchecked, the threat posed

by ISIS jeopardizes not only regional stability, but also global security. The international community, while at first slow to react, is proving that the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities is not being ignored. To date, more than 50 countries, including Armenia, have agreed to support an anti-ISIS military campaign.

The call for a united response predicated upon a moral obligation to prevent crimes against humanity was echoed by President Serzh Sargsyan in September in a strongly worded address to the United Nations General Assembly. In this spirit of duty and compassion, we continue to reach out to Armenians in need of our assistance. Again, I urge our membership and global Armenian family to continue to support and contribute to the ongoing relief efforts and humanitarian aid in Syria and Iraq.

Berge Setrakian President

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Armenian General benevolent Union

September 2014

Volume 24/Number 2 www.agbu.org

03 Editorial 06 Features 06 Under New Management Hovik Abrahamyan inherits challenges of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) membership and pension reform 11 Twenty Years of Cease-Fire Bullets still fly in land of frozen conflict 16 An Engine for Economic Growth Armenia’s IT Industry Looks to Regain Engineering Prominence 20 Armenia as Good Neighbor Middle East Turmoil Affords Opportunity for Diaspora and Homeland Collaboration 24 In Pictures 28 Education 28 Building a Community The Dilijan International School brings a Global Community to the Armenian Countryside 32 From the AUA Newsroom The American University of Armenia, the Ministry of Defense and AGBU Collaborate on an Officer Training Program 34 Matenadaran Institute The Matenadaran Institute Launches an AGBUFunded Scholarship Program 36 Nubarian Library An Invaluable Research Center Helps Forge Academic Ties Around the Globe 40 AGBU Endowments 2013 40 Donor Articles Harry & Satenig Gray Family Aram A. & Luz Papasian Memorial Lucille Makarov Memorial 54 AGBU 54 Highlights 58 Youth Programs 72 Young Professionals 74 Alumni Spotlights Eddy Anemian 76 AGBU Chapters, Schools, People & Events 90 Bookstore

AGBU News Magazine is published by the Central Board of the Armenian General Benevolent Union: 55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112. Tel:212 319-6383 Fax: 212 319-6507/08.

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AGBU News Magazine Contributing Editor

Daniel Halton Editorial Staff

Randa Akda, Anita Anserian, Alex Basmagian, Christopher Edling, Clayton Erwin, Artoun Hamalian, Hrant Kamalyan, Vahe Kiljian, Ani Manoukian, Jennifer Manoukian, Karen Papazian AGBU Section

Talia Jebejian Bouldoukian Contributors

John Hughes, Julia Hakobyan Art Director

Levi Nicholson Communications advisor

Lara Messerlian

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This publication of the Armenian General Benevolent Union is mailed free of charge to members and donors of the organization. If you are not a regular contributor and wish to continue receiving the AGBU News Magazine, please send a minimum contribution of $25.00 in the envelope enclosed in this issue. The AGBU News Magazine is circulated in twenty-eight countries around the world. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 5

Under New Management Hovik Abrahamyan Inherits Challenges of Eurasian Economic Union Membership and Pension Reform

Not long after Armenia’s Parliament appointed him to lead the new government, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan stepped out of his office to face a crowd of protesters opposed to the controversial pension reform act. If the public gesture was intended to show that the new prime minister was willing to listen to detractors, it also emphasized the contrast between Abrahamyan and his predecessor, former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who during his six years in office reportedly never confronted a protester.

Unlike his predecessor, Abrahamyan comes to the post as an experienced political leader and consensus-builder. As speaker of the parliament and deputy prime minister, Abrahamyan often found himself in the crosshairs of political wrangling among all parties. He had the duty to listen to arguments contrary to his own and to find a workable compromise when possible. President Serzh Sargsyan described Abrahamyan as a “prime minister acceptable to all.”

In the first few months of his tenure, he has promised to “continue reaching out for cooperation” and has already shown a willingness to put a new face on the position of prime minister. In May, he announced the creation of a “Prime Minister’s Club,” a 6 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

conciliatory measure he declared would allow the government to consider our previous prime ministers’ experience and knowledge, which will help in realizing the reforms. President Sargsyan affirmed that the idea would “create a circle of trust among former heads of government, regardless of their differing political views.”

In both the short and long-term, Abrahamyan’s government faces critical choices when it comes to the future of Armenia. After years of what critics contend added up to economic mismanagement and poor policymaking, there is a pressing need to implement social and economic reforms to reverse the country’s high rate of unemployment and ongoing brain drain in order to put Armenia on a path towards econom-

ic success. Abrahamyan, however, must first clear a more immediate hurdle: reforming the controversial pension law that has already cost one prime minister his job.

Resigned or Pushed Out? After six years in office and months of speculation, Tigran Sargsyan resigned as prime minister on April 3, after his government’s pension reform was defeated in the Constitutional Court. While opinions vary as to why he resign with four years left in his term, many political observers concluded that Hovik Abrahamyan formed a new cabinet in early May 2014, consisting mainly of previous ministers from the Tigran Sargsyan administration.

Previous spread: Photograph courtesy of Republic of Armenia Ministry of Defense

By Naira Hayrumyan and Suren Musaelyan

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Photograph courtesy of The Press Office of Government of Armenia

long sought to take over the post of prime minister. Tigran Sargsyan was constantly aware of the threat posed by the parliament speaker, although this rivalry was carefully hidden from the public. Abrahamyan’s closeness to Tsarukyan and, therefore, his indirect communication with Robert Kocharyan, was an obstacle to the fulfillment of Sargsyan’s dream…one can say that the appointment of Abrahamyan became a sort of success for the pro-Kocharyan wing in power.”

Sargsyan’s resignation has also been tied to his pro-Western foreign policy. A longtime advocate of the Western economic system, Sargsyan increased lending to Yerevan on the part of international financial institutions. He published a number of Op-Eds— some in Russian newspapers—arguing against Armenia’s accession to the Russianled Customs Union given differences in economic orientation, and the absence of shared borders with any of the Customs Union’s existing member states: Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

In what was seen as a landmark foreign policy reversal, however, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan (no relation) announced last year that Armenia would instead join the Customs Union, cementing its ties to Russia on whom it depends for military and economic support. This may have proved too much to bear for former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who had spent the past four years negotiating an association agreement with the European Union that was now rendered incompatible by the accession talks with the Customs Union.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who resigned on April 16, is known as a technocrat who advocated for financial reform and the promotion of information technology (IT).

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Finally, Sargsyan made it a priority to develop Armenia’s banking system, and some analysts contend his Western-style reforms caused discontent among Armenia’s powerful oligarchs—wealthy businessmen who either hold political office or have strong ties to the political establishment. As a result of Sargsyan’s new policies, these oligarchs were forced to switch to an electronic reporting system, pay taxes and accept control mechanisms that did not exist before.

In one of his first acts in office, Hovik Abrahamyan—an economist by training and successful businessman—abolished Sargsyan’s luxury tax, declared the ceremonial expenses of top officials confidential after they had been public information under Sargsyan, and revoked the statutory audit of large enterprises. All measures, some say, indicate the oligarchy may have also played a role in Sargsyan’s resignation.

Tigran Sargsyan Facebook page

Sargsyan was likely pressured to leave early.

Some link Sargsyan’s resignation to his ongoing rivalry with former President Robert Kocharyan, who is rumored to be contemplating a return to politics. The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), led by business tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan, is believed to be Kocharyan’s main political support base. The party formed an informal coalition with three other minority factions in the National Assembly: The Armenian National Congress (ANC), led by Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktsutyun) and the Heritage Party, led by U.S.-born former Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi Hovannisian. This coalition, often referred to as the Quartet, criticized Prime Minister Sargsyan over his failed economic and social policies. Fueled by widespread protests, the Quartet vowed to initiate a vote of no confidence against Sargsyan at the end of April.

As opposition to Sargsyan’s government gained more traction, some argue that the pressure to find a figure more acceptable to the pro-Kocharyan forces intensified, resulting in the appointment of then Parliament Speaker Abrahamyan as part of a power play to regain political control. At least two of the Quartet factions—the PAP and Dashnaktsutyun—have long been considered loyal to Kocharyan, who is believed to be closely linked to Abrahamyan.

According to Armen Khanbabyan, writer for the Moscow-based Armenian newspaper Noyev Kovcheg: “Hovik Abrahamyan, who once was deputy prime minister, had

Vahram Baghdasaryan /PHOTOLURE

The Road Ahead In addition to grappling with Armenia’s economic challenges, Abrahamyan must negotiate Armenia’s smooth entry into the Customs Union and Eurasian Economic Union, all the while balancing political harmony with the interests of the country’s powerful business oligarchy.

The government will be able to solve the first issue only if it can agree that its position on Nagorno-Karabakh is consistent with the stance of the Customs Union’s existing member states. To manage the second issue, Abrahamyan is also expected to temper any discord that may have arisen between the government and opposition parties. Prior to Sargsyan’s resignation earlier this year, some parliamentary opposition forces considered impeaching him, largely making their case on the public discontent sparked by his policies. They pointed specifically to the pension reform act, which they claim exacer-

bated the brain drain of the most productive members of the society. In an already small nation of 3 million, every year another 70,000 people on average leave in search of better opportunities.

To date however, Abrahamyan’s new policy initiatives have garnered little consensus.

On May 22, five of the six parliamentary parties boycotted voting on Abrahamyan’s new government program. Notwithstanding, it passed in the National Assembly as the ruling Republican Party of Armenia has a majority in the 131-seat body and mobilized all of its members to vote. The program that needed at least 66 “for” votes was approved by a vote of 70 to 1, with 2 abstentions. All minority factions, except for a few individual lawmakers, opted out of the vote.

Abrahamyan described his program as “realistic, demanding, and attentive” and suggested that the opposition had boycotted out of fear of betraying its constituents rath-

Formed through social media, “Dem.am” (I’m Against) has led public opposition to Armenia’s pension reform laws. er than on principle. At the same time, Abrahamyan conceded that the government simply does not have the financial resources to implement some initiatives. Foreign investments fell last year by more than a third. The challenge of stimulating economic growth in a country with a 16.8 percent unemployment rate in 2013 is further compounded by the current pension system.

Pension Reform Abrahamyan inherited the issue of pension reform from his predecessor and it remains the central source of social division in Armenia today. Former Prime Minister Sargsyan’s pension act, implemented in January, was ruled partly unconstitutional three months later. Both supporters of the controversial www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 9

legislation and its numerous opponents agree that the current national pension system in Armenia needs to be reformed, but are unsure of what steps are needed.

Before Armenia became independent in 1991, there were up to five working citizens for each pensioner, providing for generational solidarity. Over the years, however, that ratio changed dramatically due to a number of factors, including an outflow of the population, a decrease in the number of jobs and other demographic and social changes. As a result today, there are now only two workers to support one senior citizen, a ratio specialists deem too low to sustain the system in the long-term.

To ensure the long-term viability of the pension system, government officials mandated that optional regular pension contributions would now have to be made compulsory. Under a series of laws passed in 2010,

said they supported the new plan. The majority of people indicated a lack of trust in the government and pension funds, as the main reason why they did not want to participate in the system.

A group of young professionals, including many with high-paying jobs in the information technology sector, staged the first protests against the funded pension law in late 2013. Instead of having to contribute 5 percent more to the pension scheme, they felt their money would be better spent repaying student loans or investing in homeownership.

The main grievance of most protesters, however, revolved around their constitutional rights. The small group of protesters rapidly grew into a larger movement calling itself “Dem Em” or “Dem.am” (I’m Against).

During several large protests in Yerevan between January and March, they argued that

claimed would be acceptable to broad layers of society by providing what he called “maximum flexibility.”

“I am confident that pension reform should have a mandatory component in our country,” he stated. “But we must find a way that will promote people’s participation in the process.”

Davit Manukyan, one of the active members of the Dem.am movement, agreed with the prime minister on the point that any reform, even a painful one, should first of all be accepted and acknowledged by society as necessary. But he insisted the reform in its present form is unacceptable due to the element of compulsion.

“We will continue to press for a solution that will exclude compulsion and not require people to make pension contributions against their will,” said Manukyan. “This is exactly what the Constitutional Court demands.”

While far from resolving the issue, Abrahamyan has at least brought a measure of calm, as the complex matter of pension reform continues to fuel division and debate.

Soon after being appointed prime minister, Hovik Abrahamyan faced protesters rallying against pension reform. drastic changes were introduced in the pension system, including a mandatory cumulative retirement plan beginning in 2014 for all citizens of Armenia born after 1973.

The reforms meant that all working citizens born after that year must contribute to their future pensions themselves. Five percent of their monthly salaries would be deducted and transferred to an individual account at one of several pension funds licensed by the state, with the government doubling the sum of the transferred money. Government leaders at the time—including Sargsyan—acknowledged that the change would be painful.

According to a recent Gallup International Association survey, nearly 87 percent of respondents aged 18-41 were opposed to the pension reform, while only 7.5 percent 10 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

a salary constitutes personal property and as such it is unconstitutional to force people to give up their property.

In early April, the Constitutional Court partially agreed, ruling that portions of the Law on Funded Pensions were indeed unconstitutional. The court gave the government and the National Assembly until September 30 to amend the law to conform to the Constitution. However, the court also convened that until that date, the provisions in question would be considered valid.

The court’s unusual decision only added to the confusion among both employers and employees, until the government cancelled the penalties for not complying, thereby suspending the compulsory component of the pension regime.

After consulting with political representatives, including the four minority factions in the National Assembly, Abrahamyan announced a shift toward what he called a new “compulsory, but not forced” formula he

Since taking office, Abrahamyan has also taken measures aimed at strengthening small and medium-sized businesses. Specifically, in late June, the government dramatically cut revenue tax by more than half—from 3.5 percent to one percent.

According to the National Statistic Service, there were 19,022 retail-trading centers in Armenia in 2012. In 2013 that number fell to 1,7091. In one year alone, more than 1,500 stores and 400 stands shut down, with the majority of owners complaining they could no longer afford to pay the taxes.

“It’s a fact that many have closed their businesses and some have left,” said Karen Chilingaryan, head of Consumers Consulting Center. “However, there is now hope that this trend will decrease.”

To help offset the rising cost of electricity, the Abrahamyan-led government also announced that it would raise social benefits for vulnerable families by 1,000 drams (about $2.50) to cover the expected 800-dram increase in electricity costs. The government is also planning to raise the minimum wage, as Armenians struggle against across-the-board price hikes for essentials.

In the middle of implementing these social and economic reforms at home, the government is facing the added challenge of structuring itself against the unknown of how domestic and foreign relations might shift when Armenia becomes a Eurasian Economic Union member.

Vahram Baghdasaryan /PHOTOLURE; ArmeniaNow/Nazik Armenakyan

Stimulating Economic Growth

Twenty Years of Cease-Fire Bullets Still Fly in the Land of Frozen Conflict

By Gohar Abrahamyan

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southeast to reach Stepanakert, about 200 miles away, fueling passionate patriotism and determination. No Armenian army existed at that point, but a group of Armenian fighters, including Melkumyan, were ready to take up arms in a bid to take back their land.

“I kept guard on the border right from the beginning of the war,” recalled Melkumyan, now 54. “Back then we went to war without the slightest idea of where we were going, with hunting rifles against machine guns. It was our will—nobody forced us to take up arms—but how could we not? How could I not protect my two-year-old child, my aging parents?”

After years of intense fighting, a ceasefire was proclaimed on May 12, 1994. While the agreement signaled the war was over, it failed to put an end to the conflict.

Eighteen years later, Melkumyan was tending to his vineyard in the border village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur in the Tavush province, when an Azeri sniper’s bullet pierced his leg, leaving him crip-

Vachik Melkumyan survived fierce fighting during wartime, but he was crippled by a sniper’s bullet while tending his vineyard 18 years after he returned from battle. pled. Like many other farmers in neighboring border villages, Melkumyan carries the evidence of a tenuous cease-fire that continues to inflict casualties today as surely as the war itself.

“During all the years of active hostilities, I received not a single wound or injury. And now, during the time of so-called peace, while working in my vineyard, I was turned into an invalid, because of a hostile bullet.”

Melkumyan now relies on crutches to walk, but his physical suffering is compounded by the loss of his livelihood— about 4,000 square meters of land that produced grapes and vegetables that he sold in markets.

“I worked day and night. The soil was very fertile,” Melkumyan remembered.

“We were gathering crops to last an entire

ArmeniaNow/Nazik Armenakyan

I

n May 1994, Vachik Melkumyan pointed his rifle Into the air and fired a victory shot into the empty Karabakh sky. The 34-year-old Armenian soldier and his comrades had just heard the news that Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a cease-fire. The war was over—or so it seemed.

Like so many of his countrymen, Melkumyan rallied behind the call to reclaim Armenia’s lost land. Josef Stalin had transferred Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan in 1923 and for nearly 70 years, the territory remained under Azeri rule as one of several disputed ethnic enclaves throughout the vast Soviet Union.

But when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) began to fall apart in the late 1980s, Armenians renewed their claim of ownership over the tiny, rugged and fertile land called the “Black Garden,” an area the size of the state of Rhode Island.

In 1988 the Karabakh Movement sprang from Freedom Square in Yerevan and spread

year. Our relatives would come from Yerevan, we would slaughter a pig and a sheep and hold a huge feast.”

Villagers such as Melkumyan have learned the painful lesson that harvest season makes them easy targets for snipers on the Azeri front, no more than 500 meters away. Nearly every harvest season since the conflict began, Armenian peasants have been killed or wounded while attempting to gather crops. One of the latest reported victims was 30-year-old Navur Kosakyan, who was shot in the chest by a sniper while farming in the Tavush province last October. Those who still tend the land now do so under the cover of darkness.

AGBU

Indefinite Cease-Fire During six years of war, both sides suffered thousands of casualties. No official count has been released, but various international agencies estimate the toll to be around 25,000 deaths, with as many as 4,000 still missing. While for the most part the cease-fire put an end to both sides’ advances to claim or re-claim territory, it ushered in a “frozen conflict” marked by ongoing uncertainty and anxiety.

On May 5, 1994, in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek, Parliament leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh signed what later became known as the “Bishkek Protocol,” which called for a cease-fire effective May 9. The same day, Vladimir Kazimirov, Russia’s representative to Nagorno-Karabakh drafted a ceasefire agreement for an indefinite period of time. It was signed by the defense ministers of the three principle warring parties: first, Azerbaijan’s Mamedrafi Mamedov; then, Armenia’s Serzh Sargsyan on May 10; and on May 11 in Nagorno-Karabakh by Army Commander Samvel Babayan. All parties agreed to cease hostilities and vowed to observe a cease-fire that would go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on May 12.

Vahan Papazyan, the foreign minister of Armenia from 1993 to 1996, recalled that more than 10 attempts had been made before reaching that final cease-fire agreement. There had been one or two-week periods of cease-fire beforehand as a result of previous Russian-mediated negotiations between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Azerbaijan always was the main party to reject a cease-fire, trying to take back what it had lost by military force,” Papazyan said in a recent interview. “ [By 1994] the state of affairs was such that with Russia’s active mediation, Azerbaijan finally

Rally in support of Nagorno-Karabakh, 1988. agreed to cease hostilities indefinitely.

Many claim today that if the political leadership did not sign the cease-fire, ‘we would have done this, we would have done that.’ But the truth is that both parties were exhausted and for months our military leaders had been persistently telling our country’s leadership that a cease-fire should be signed.”

The former diplomat noted that despite the tragic loss of so many lives over the past two decades, the cease-fire is still observed in one way or another, and that in itself, he insists, is one the greatest achievements of Armenian diplomacy.

“Not only was the trilateral cease-fire established, which spared many young lives, but in December of 1994 in Budapest during the OSCE summit, a resolution was adopted assigning Armenia, NagornoKarabakh and Azerbaijan as the negotiating parties in this issue. This format was kept for two and a half years and was terminated in 1998 after the state turnover in Armenia, when the new leadership made claims that it could successfully represent both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

That is the main reason, I believe, why there is no progress in the negotiations today,” said Papazyan.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group—co-chaired by France, the United

States and Russia—is tasked with reaching a peaceful settlement to the ongoing conflict and has repeatedly urged both sides to actively negotiate a lasting peace. After 20 years, however, that prospect feels as distant today as it has ever been.

In its annual report for 2013, OSCE acknowledged that the search for a lasting and comprehensive political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains “one of the most complex challenges” in the OSCE region, which includes most of the northern hemisphere.

During the first four months of 2014, Armenian armed forces suffered six losses due to cease-fire violations. Ministry of Defense spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan confirmed that every year up to 10 Armenian soldiers are killed on the line of contact—the point where Armenian and Azeri soldiers can see one other from their trenches and bunkers.

Land Bought by Blood “Oh, I was so incredibly happy, as if the world were mine, when my husband came home and told me that finally a cease-fire agreement had been signed,” said Aghavni Ghukasyan. “I had two sons and I wished at least for them to grow up and live in peace.

But years passed and both my sons went into the army. The elder has returned… and…well, I am still waiting for my younger son’s return…”

20-year-old Narek Margaryan never www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 13

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and have succeeded in keeping the balance due to the power of our army, which is essential. It is historically unprecedented when we can protect ourselves on our own,” said Sargsyan.

When the Soviet Union collapsed and Russian forces left the country, Azerbaijan

“Azerbaijan always was the main party to reject a ceasefire, trying to take back what it had lost by military force” was left without an army. Independent Armenia, meanwhile, had made it a priority to establish a military force. Less than six months after independence in January 1992, the Armed Forces of Armenia were officially formed and quickly grew from the few thousand remnants of the Soviet army service to 50,000.

As Deputy Chief of the Commonwealth of Independent States from 1992 to 1996,

Vagharshak Harutyunyan was responsible for and helped unite the various military forces that would become the Armenian army. He argues the result is independent Armenia’s greatest achievement. “As the Soviet Union still existed and armed subdivisions were allowed only within the national security structure, that’s where it started forming… we were defending our borders, while at the same time sending detachments to Karabakh to protect the local population.” According to Harutyunyan, the willingness to fight and the patriotic spirit among the men who enlisted was very strong, helping the army overcome an opponent that had significantly more military machinery.

A New Role The effect of a twenty-year cease-fire has substantially changed the culture within Armenia’s military. During that time, the army has faced several internal challenges. Reports by soldiers of young men being subjected to abuse by officers and conditions akin to gang warfare within the ranks have also changed the way many now see the army. Many parents, in particular, now con-

AFP/Karen Minasyan

came home. He was shot dead by a sniper on January 25, 2010.

Every year on that day Ghukasyan leaves for Nagorno-Karabakh, considering it her duty to spend at least a few days a year on the land her son paid for with his life.

“After my son’s death many visited me angry and frustrated and said ‘we did not need that never-ending war, we did not need those damned lands, let them concede and be done with it.’ But believe me, no parent of a son who fell in this fight would ever agree to give up even an inch of that land. My child’s blood is now mixed with that soil, my son’s blood is in that land.” said the late soldier’s mother.

Manvel Sargsyan heads the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, and from 1992-1995, was the permanent representative of Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1994, as an advisor to the Nagorno -Karabakh Republic’s foreign minister, he also took part in the postwar negotiations. Sargsyan insists the war never really ended; it was only suspended due to the strength of the Armenian army. “We were able to create the most important thing—a viable army—

sider conscription a prison sentence. The result is that families who have the means find ways to get their sons exempted from conscription, usually by bribing officers to forge documents. According to Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office leader Artur Sakunts, the Armed Forces, established and proven in the challenges of war, have now become “the captive and the victim of the authorities’ disgraceful leadership.” Furthermore, contends Sakunts, the army “is now forced to face the challenges of migration and the monopolization of the economy when there is no economic growth or social welfare, which has resulted in large-scale emigration…a cause for deep concern, since young men with health issues are conscripted, leading, in turn, to increasing deaths in the army.”

It is a challenge the government has so far refused to acknowledge, at least not publicly.

In his January 28 army address, President Serzh Sargsyan had only the highest praise for the country’s armed forces.

“For two decades now, our army and the entire Armenian people have lived in a state of neither war, nor peace, it is a particularly difficult situation for any army and for every sol-

dier and officer. Nonetheless, all this while our army has fulfilled its mission with honor.”

The people of Tavush’s border villages of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar, Chinari and Movses share this faith. Despite frequent enemy fire and extreme poverty, they guard the state border and said that regardless of issues within the army, it still has their unconditional trust.

Every family in this border area has a soldier among them: some are conscripts, while others are contract-based servicemen, the most common type of employment in the region.

For the past two years, the state has been providing assistance by offering land and water subsidies to households on the border in areas where military activity hinders farming. Such support is critical to the farmers in these villages who risk their lives to provide for their families. On June 18, 2008, Chinari village residents Levon Petrosyan, 21, and Rafik Saghoyan, 50, were killed by Azeri snipers while working in the field.

The economic impact of these ongoing attacks is plainly visible in places like the once busy road from Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur to

Armenian soldiers in Niagorno-Karabakh on patrol in the trenches on the border with Azerbaijan.

Aygepar. Blocked now due to intense sniper fire, the villagers were forced to abandon the vineyards that used to line the road. Just like Vachik Melkumyan, shot in his field while farming, Aygepar village resident David Gabrielyan was forced to give up farming after being wounded by sniper fire on February 20, 2013. The same fate awaited 30-year-old Navur village farmer Hayk Kosakyan just seven months later.

“We are not border villages, we are borderguard villages. Today, if not for Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar, Chinari, Movses, tomorrow there wouldn’t be Ijevan, the next day there wouldn’t be Yerevan,” said Melkumyan.

He then took his 18-month-old granddaughter into his arms. “She is too young still and knows nothing of shootings and guns, but my daughter-in-law grew up in a city and is not used to the sound of gunshots,” he said. “The poor thing jumps up with fear every time she hears them. How can youth stay in these villages? And even if they do, how can they stay safe?” www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 15

16 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

An Engine for Economic Growth Armenia’s IT Industry Looks to Regain Engineering Prominence

By Sara khojoyan

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nformation technology (IT) has long been a major driving force for economic growth and job creation in Armenia. Promoting technological innovation and boosting productivity was a priority for the government of former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, helping to make the industry one of the most successful and fastest-growing in the country. Under Hovik Abrahamyan’s new administration, IT continues to grow and outperform other sectors of the economy.

While Armenia may lag behind many other countries when it comes to technology in general, economists say the country’s progress in the IT sector is nonetheless promising. Earlier this year, Armenian engineers proudly showed off the first Android tablet designed in Armenia—the ArmTab. In a country with limited sources of revenue and scarce natural resources, there are high hopes for the potential of the IT sector.

In the 1980s, thousands of skilled engineers transformed Armenia into an IT powerhouse, ranking above all of its 15 Soviet neighbors. The country became known as the “Silicon Valley of the Soviet Union.” But with the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist

The NUR Project’s “One Laptop Per Child” program is among initiatives that promote getting Armenian youth better access to online education. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 17

Republics (U.S.S.R.) in the early 1990s came economic hardship that overshadowed Armenia’s technological potential.

At the end of the 1990s, there were 35 to 40 computer-programming companies and Internet providers operating in Armenia, employing nearly 1,000 professionals.

In the following decade, however, technological ingenuity flourished, serving as a major driving force for job creation. By 2010, the number of IT companies had grown fivefold. Global technology giants like Microsoft, D-Link, National Instruments, Synopsys, Mentor Graphics, Nokia, Intel, IBM and GFI Transnational are all doing business in Armenia.

There are currently 11,000 professionals employed at more than 380 IT companies in Armenia, with total revenue of nearly $380 million. Between 2008 and 2013, the IT sphere saw 22.8 percent average annual growth. To underscore the importance of that growth to the Armenian economy, consider that just three days after his appointment in April, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan held a meeting with IT representatives—his first as the country’s chief executive.

Armenia celebrated the birth of the ArmTab tablet in February. The tablet’s maker, ArmTab Technologies, describes it as world-class quality at an affordable price, ideal for use in both the boardroom and the classroom.

Established in Yerevan’s Free Economic Zone, ArmTab Technologies is run by founder Vahan Chakarian. Its parent company, Technology and Science Dynamics (TSD), got its boost not from China, where most IT manufacturing takes place, but from an American company headquartered in Washington State named Minno.

TSD designs and assembles the tablets with materials imported from Minno’s supply chain in China. The company also writes and maintains the tablet’s software, providing technical support when needed.

The company says ArmTab tablets are geared towards both local and regional markets, and Minno-brand tablets will also be exported from Armenia worldwide.

The company retails its tablets in specific markets—Orange Telecommunication carries Minno in its retail stores in Armenia and college bookstores offer Minno in the United States. Minno targets sales to schools, retail franchises, trade show/meeting organizers and healthcare facilities.

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A student celebrates the release of ArmTab, which officially launched in February 2014.

ArmeniaNow/Nazik Armenakyan; Previous spread: Vahram Baghdasaryan /PHOTOLURE

Armenia’s First IT Baby

Photograph courtesy of Press Office of Government of Armenia

“Armenia’s technical depth, intellectual capital and work ethic will enhance our product’s quality,” said Eric Ryan, one of Minno’s founders. “The Armenian government’s commitment to technical education, entrepreneurship and foreign trade, coupled with favorable terms in the Yerevan Free Economic Zone, make the country an attractive base for production.

It’s time for Armenian brands to extend the country’s technical influence into international markets.”

Working with local software companies and educational content partners, ArmTab Technologies have also agreed to supply tens of thousands of educational tablets to Armenian grade schools beginning in early 2015.

Before 2005, Armenia-based IT companies were mostly completing orders from outside the country and 80 percent of the production was destined for export. Now, however, the percentage of exports has dropped to 60 percent.

Bagrat Yengibarian is the director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF), which was formed in 2002 as part of a World Bank initiative to support the development of technology. He points out there is a strong commitment among international and government bodies to advance the IT industry in Armenia.

“What we have achieved by now in Armenia is amazing to us as it is,” he noted.

“However, something new took shape over the past three-to-four years and we are now building an entirely new strategy on that foundation. Locally manufactured products appeared here, world IT companies are now conducting research here.”

“Our objective now is not only to provide a workforce, but also to spur entrepreneurship and the establishment of new companies. The state is assisting us in that matter financially and by creating a venture fund,” added Yengibarian.

The vast majority of entrepreneurs with bright ideas struggle to come up with the necessary $30,000-$50,000 in startup costs as Armenian banks refuse to grant loans to newly-founded companies.

Without a venture fund for successful pilot projects, these ideas would never progress.

Banking on “Surprise Engineering” According to Karen Vardanyan, executive director of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), doubling Armenia’s current IT growth rate would require developing infrastructure, such as

incubators and technoparks; fostering close cooperation with the military; and changing public opinion about the engineering profession through early IT education in schools. UITE approaches each through forums, expositions and competitions designed to enhance the profile of the IT industry.

“Armenian IT needs to have three features: quality, creativity and adaptability,” said Vardanyan. “I believe flexibility separates Armenian IT specialists from their foreign colleagues, since the field is changing rapidly in Armenia and we have to give to our clients more than they ask for. We have dubbed this concept ‘surprise engineering’ and we hope it becomes the Armenian IT brand within the next five years.”

On December 6, 2013, the first Armenian tablet (ArmTab) was presented to government officials at a regular meeting of the industrial council.

Vardanyan’s other objective is for Armenia to be among the world’s top 20 most innovative countries, a goal he has been working towards for the past 14 years.

“Many may see this as wishful thinking,” he acknowledged. “But we believe we can achieve it and we are working hard to move in that direction.”

Preparing capable IT specialists is the principal challenge for the IT industry today. By his estimates, Armenia annually needs some 2,000 new employees in the IT sector with four to five years of professional experience and average monthly salaries of $1,200-$1,500.

“The more IT workforce we create, the more businesses we found and the more jobs we will have,” said Vardanyan.

To overcome this challenge, UITE is proposing to create “mentality and education” programs in public schools. The organization furthermore is seeking to open robotics

or engineering clubs in 50 schools, with the goal of reaching all regional schools within three to four years. Students selected from these clubs would receive help to continue their IT education at the university level on the condition they agree to work in their home regions for the minimum IT salary (around $400 to $500 per month) upon graduation.

Through IT development in the different regions of the country, Armenian authorities are trying to ensure territorially balanced economic development. There are already Armenian IT companies in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Stepanakert, Goris and Kapan operating for American clients.

In June, Gyumri hosted the opening of its first technopark, which is the centerpiece for the technological development plan of Armenia’s second largest city. It will operate as an incubator for both existing and yet to be established labs and companies.

“Who would have guessed that D-Link would open its research center in Gyumri’s technological park and would construct a building right next to the technopark?” asked IT specialist Bagrat Yengibrian. “If someone had told me, I would not have believed it nor would I have thought that the Digital Pomegranate company would select Gyumri rather than Yerevan,” he said as he listed the companies who have put their trust in the technopark’s prospects for success.

Gyumri’s technopark is the first and most vivid example of a local IT environment. Plans are underway to build others in Vanadzor and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The biggest token of Armenia’s success is its smallness. In today’s IT world, demand is shifting from programming in general to niche programming, geared specifically towards math, physics and biology. Because Yerevan is so small, there is a dense concentration of specialists. A good programmer and a good biologist can easily find one another and meet a niche programming need,” explained Yengibarian. “We are now taking this ‘Yerevan effect’ to the different regions of Armenia.”

Despite a relatively low IT growth rate compared to some of its neighbors, Armenia is proving that it can offer highquality technological solutions to the world as global leaders in the industry continue to open branches and offices in the country. And both business leaders and politicians hope that this growth in the IT sector will give a badly needed boost to other areas of Armenia’s struggling economy in the long-term. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 19

Middle East Turmoil Affords Opportunity for Diaspora and Homeland Collaboration

By John Hughes and Gayane Mkrtchyan

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hile armenia faces domestic challenges arising from issues such as constitutional reform, energy tariffs and the implications of membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, the tiny republic is

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not entirely isolated from events that threaten to redefine the broader regions of the postU.S.S.R. and the Middle East.

The ongoing war in Syria continues to threaten the country’s large Armenian community centered in Aleppo and Kessab, where AGBU and other diasporan agencies have focused aid efforts over the past few

ArmeniaNow/Nazik Armenakyan

Armenia as Good Neighbor

months, reaching out to support those in dire conditions.

The non-Muslim population of Iraq— which includes a few thousand Armenians—is also under threat by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an extremist Islamist group. The group’s language of terror had a chilling tone for Armenians in particular, as militants warned Christians and other non-Muslim minorities to convert to Islam, pay a fine or be executed. In its attacks, ISIS militants have persecuted and killed both nonMuslims and Muslims who reject their hardline brand of Islam.

In the process, ISIS has gained control of vast portions of Syria and Iraq, notably Mosul—Iraq’s second largest city that has historically been home to a majority of the country’s non-Muslim community, including Assyrians and Armenians. Before the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, the number of Iraqi Armenians was estimated to be around 20,000. That estimate has dwindled

The Iskandarian family of Aleppo has moved three times—to Kessab, Beirut and Yerevan —to escape war in Syria.

to around 8,000, as many have fled to Syria, Jordan, Armenia and the West.

Although Iraqi Armenians have not been singled out by ISIS, the country’s Yezidi population, which has a strong Armenian connection, has been the target of what some international observers have called a genocide.

Yezidis—originally from northern Iraq— are defined mostly by their pre-Islamic religion, which incorporates elements of Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Although their religion sets them apart from Armenia, they are nonetheless linked to the country in that the largest Yezidi population in the former Soviet Union is located in Armenia.

Since the fall of the U.S.S.R., much of the Yezidi population fled to Europe. However, as many as 40,000 Yezidis currently remain in Armenia. They mostly work as shepherds and live in the tented compounds that dot the foothills of Mount Aragats during grazing season.

It has become customary for Armenian

officials to congratulate the Yezidi community when they celebrate the New Year each April 16. This summer, however, Armenia acknowledged its relationship to the community by approving aid to northern Iraq, where the Yezidi population was under siege in the region of Sinjar.

President Serzh Sargsyan approved plans to send about $50,000 in aid to the Iraqi Yezidis, while Yezidi leadership in Yerevan called on Armenia for continued moral support.

When ISIS attacks on the Yezidi community began, dozens of Yezidis in Armenia began staging demonstrations outside Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan’s office, pleading for the country to intervene. Parliament Deputy Zaruhi Postanjyan also appealed to the prime minister to grant asylum to Yezidis seeking refuge in Armenia.

Continued Concern for Syria The ongoing civil war in Syria has reduced the once 80,000-strong Armenian community to about 50,000. Among those who

fled, some 12,000 moved to Armenia.

Those remaining in Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia, Kessab and elsewhere continue to struggle to survive three years after the violent conflict began.

ISIS militants have furthermore desecrated Armenian landmarks, such as the Holy Martyrs Church in Deir-ez-Zor, which contains the remains of victims of the Armenian genocide. The church served as a revered pilgrimage site for Armenians living in Syria and neighboring countries. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were reported to have died during the march to Deir-ez-Zor, which was ordered by Ottoman authorities in 1915.

In Syria’s largest city of Aleppo, Armenians continue to pack up their belongings and leave for the suburbs of Yerevan or for Kashatagh in the embattled province of Nagorno-Karabakh. Those who have chosen to remain in Syria have grown accustomed to life in a war zone.

“In the past when people heard the sound of a bomb explosion, they would rush inside.

Now people walk in the streets and will continue on their way even after hearing a bomb explode somewhere,” says Hakob Mikaelian, head of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Aleppo chapter. “People have reconciled with reality. The atmosphere of fear was great during the first year of war, but people have become accustomed to their fears and have found ways to live safely. For example, we choose safer streets or stay in rooms that don’t have windows facing the street ... otherwise our whole life would have become stagnant.”

After the incursion into Kessab, attacks on ethnic Armenians in Syria continued in late May and June, when anti-government forces launched missile strikes on the oldest Armenian neighborhood in Aleppo— Nor Kyugh. The missile strikes and bombings caused major damage to the majority of Armenian buildings in the quarter, notably three schools (Karen Yeppe School, Zavarian College, Sahagian School of Aleppo) and three kindergartens (Zvartnots School, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church kindergarten and Holy Trinity Church kindergarten). Homes, offices and shops belonging to Armenians were either partially burned or completely destroyed in the attacks. There have also been numerous incidents of looting and attacks on an Armenian nursing home in Aleppo, the www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 21

“The Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical Churches, Hunchakian, ARF (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) and Ramkavar parties, AGBU and Armenian Relief Cross of Syria joined forces right from the beginning. They sounded the alarm that a charity should be set up for the homeless and unemployed, so that aid could be provided to them once a month. A central body was formed. Each

“None of the students has been deprived of the opportunity to attend school. It is important that our structures remain firm and carry out their mission.” union made a contribution for the relief effort to commence. AGBU made a decision to raise an additional $1 million to aid Syrian Armenians—a move that was received with great enthusiasm,” says Mikaelian.

A separate body was formed within AGBU to organize aid to 2,700 families.

For three years, 500 of those families have been visiting AGBU for essential aid. For the New Year, they are given wool blankets

The Abelian family has settled in Yerevan, and home is a photo on a computer laptop.

22 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

and warm clothes and on Easter, sweets are also provided.

“2,700 is a variable number, because some emigrate. New people become poor and submit applications. When they come to get the aid, we also treat them to sweets, coffee and tea. We also provide medical care,” added Mikaelian.

AGBU Deputy Director Hovig Eordekian says that the Union’s humanitarian assis-

tance and aid efforts have two components: organizing aid for Armenians in Syria and creating assistance programs for Syrian Armenians who have moved to Armenia.

“The programs are carried out with contributions raised through a number of major fundraisers organized by AGBU. Today these amounts have exceeded $1.9 million. Different chapters in different countries also organize fundraisers to provide support to Syrian Armenians. All this has been continuous and the number of donations keeps rising,” he says.

Eordekian attaches a particular importance to the continuing existence of AGBU Lazar Najarian—Calouste Gulbenkian School, which is the Union’s largest school in the diaspora.

“None of the students has been deprived of the opportunity to attend school. It is important that our structures remain firm and carry out their mission,” he says. “At this moment, the number of students has dropped from 1,500 to 700, but the school works, people receive salaries.”

Armenians in Aleppo have also learned to cope with everyday difficulties, surviving without electricity, running water, and fuel for several months. Schools and unions that once used to have wells had to reopen them. People who once owned businesses now earn their living by selling fruits or barbecue meats in the street.

While prices for food items in Syria have tripled. One kilogram of meat used to sell for $12, now it costs $36.

Still many Armenians in Aleppo, like Mikaelian, insist they are not about to leave their native city. “We certainly will continue to stay and live here, because we cannot leave our institutions. Syrian Armenians have established institutions that are necessary for their existence.”

ArmeniaNow/Nazik Armenakyan

National Shelter orphanage, the Gulbenkian maternity hospital and various cultural centers.

The bombardment of Nor Kyugh killed 22 people and injured 77 to varying degrees.

Mikaelian reported residents of the first and second districts of Nor Kyugh had to move to the quarter’s safer third and fourth districts as a result of the strikes.

“Many moved to live in the Suleimaniyeh and Villas areas where the functioning schools and clubs are located. It is there that the only functioning church—Surp Asdvadzadzin (Church of the Virgin Mary)—is located,” he says.

The war forced the Aleppo Armenian community to make many adjustments, but the community is determined to carry on with their lives. So while the war rages, classes continue in Armenian schools; theater and dance performances are staged and sporting events and concerts are held.

Only two of the 10 Armenian community clubs in Aleppo—Kermanig Vasbouragan and Tekeyan Cultural Association—are closed.

Mikaelian says that it was only possible to revive community life through a combined effort.

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No Longer Just a Resort Town Popular with Tourists, Dilijan is Transforming into a Modern Financial Center

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urrounded by lush evergreen forests, Dilijan is proving to be more than a resort town in the Tavush Province known for its natural beauty. The newly-built modern campus of UWC Dilijan combines a center for academic excellence with a philosophy that aims to unite people and cultures from all over the world to work for peace and a sustainable future. The international co-educational boarding

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school will play an integral role in helping transform the small resort town of 15,000 into a major financial hub, where the government has already moved a part of the Central Bank of Armenia and developed new infrastructure to accommodate new investors. The school also plans to work with public and private organizations to develop the area in a harmonious and sustainable manner.

photograph courtesy of the RVVZ Foundation

Armenia’s Little Switzerland

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1. What We Love: Dilijan is a resort town nestled in Tavush Province known as the Armenian Switzerland. In his Dictionary of Armenian Proper Names, linguist Hrachia Adjarian defin- ed Dilijan as meaning “heart and soul.”

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1. Artisans are busy hand-making their crafts in little shops along the charming Sharambeyan Street, in the historic ‘old town.’

2. Many significant financial and cultural institutions have been recently constructed such as the the International School of Dilijan, and the Dilijan theater.

3. For those who enjoy breath- taking views, sweeping ever- green forests, and fresh air, the visit from Yerevan is well worth it.

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John Puddefoot; photograph courtesy of the RVVZ Foundation

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Building a Community

Opened in September 2014, the Dilijan International School Offers State-of-the-Art Learning Atmosphere with Environmentally Friendly Facilities to Students from Over 40 Different Countries

W

hen Russian writer Maxim Gorky visited the Armenian town of Dilijan roughly a century ago, he wrote: “The most striking impression of the valley is its gentleness…The air is unusually transparent and seems to be colored by dark-blue shade. It seems that mountains envelop and guard this valley with animated love and tenderness.” Fifty years later, the sylvan setting was a popular retreat for Soviet painters, writers, musicians and filmmakers—a source of creative rejuvenation where curative mineral water and inspiration sprang forth eternally.

Today, Dilijan’s dense forests and alpine climate have earned

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it the nickname “Little Switzerland” by the locals. While the Soviet artists have moved on, Russian business magnate Ruben Vardanyan and his wife Veronika Zonabend have divined a new fountain of imagination in the gentle valley.

UWC Dilijan, an international boarding school, known colloquially as the Dilijan School, welcomed its inaugural class of 100 students to the newly-constructed campus in September.

96 students from 48 countries, including 10 Armenian nationals—are enrolled in the school’s two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. By 2017, the Dilijan School aims to add a Cambridge IGSE three-year course, expanding the

Danil kolodin

By Christopher Edling

school to a five-year university preparatory academy with 650 students by 2023.

The Dilijan School is one of only two educational centers in Armenia to offer the rigorous IB curriculum (the other is Quantum College in Yerevan), an internationally-standardized program that requires study in six subjects (language & literature, foreign languages, social studies, experimental science, mathematics, arts); a thesis-style “extended essay;” a philosophy course in the Theory of Knowledge; and 150 hours of volunteer service. Capitalizing on the proximity to Dilijan National Park, the school also provides an array of green extracurriculars– climbing, hiking, horticulture, recycling, environmental science and meteorology—in addition to traditional activities like debate, drama, and sports.

The school is one of 14 UWC colleges. The first UWC college was founded in Wales in 1962. Currently, UWC has schools across the globe from Costa Rica and Swaziland to Singapore and Norway. For Dilijan co-founder Veronika Zonabend, the UWC was an obvious choice for the prep school.

“We decided the school should be international because the future is global understanding of cultures and the ability to live where you want,” Zonabend recounted of the school’s formative phase, which began in 2006. “UWC was most in line with that mission.”

Conceived and built by local architects and designers, the modern campus is situated on over 88 hectares of land, partially located within Dilijan National Park.

While the scope of the Dilijan School is international, Zonabend says the impetus for the project originated close to home. “[Ruben and I] were trying to find a good international school for our kids, and we saw that there are no options in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries.”After signing up an international board of advisors, including Ralph Townsend of Winchester College and the Carnegie Corporation’s Vartan Gregorian, the husband-and-wife team began scouting out an ideal location.

“I am often asked, ‘Why Dilijan?’” says Zonabend, who cites the town’s natural beauty, climate, and location between capital cities Yerevan and Tbilisi as the primary reasons for its selection.

“But the better question is, ‘Why Armenia?’ We were trying to decide between Russia and Armenia, and in the end we felt that the impact would be bigger in a small country.” Zonabend adds that Armenia appeals to three major demographic markets— CIS, the Middle East, and the Armenian diaspora—all of whom have a high demand for quality education.

After finalizing the school’s locale, the board hired an architect to visit 50 schools in various countries and design a campus informed www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 29

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by both modern techniques and traditional Armenian style. The result is a collection of stone-andglass structures with angular skylights, irregular windows, and wavy rooftop gardens that, when seen from above, make the buildings virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding woodland.

The Dilijan School will be led by John Puddefoot, who founded the IB-based Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad in 2011 and previously spent over 25 years as an administrator, honorary chaplain, and mathematics teacher at Eton College in the United Kingdom. A graduate of Oxford University, Puddefoot worked in insurance before obtaining a degree in theology, serving in the Anglican Church, and then went on to pursue a career in education. Puddefoot is responsible for an international faculty comprised heavily of fellow UK educators, as well as staff from Armenia, the United States, India, Argentina, Bulgaria, and other European countries.

While the Dilijan School attracts teachers and students to Armenia from other countries, Zonabend and Vardanyan have also championed UWC committees, which will help send Armenian students abroad. “This year, 22 Armenian students got placements in UWC schools, which is a big number for a country with three million people,” Zonabend noted. “12 of those students

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With spacious, brightly-lit common areas and classrooms, the Dilijan International School has the capacity to house up to 650 students, and approximately 60 academic staff.

went abroad and gained an understanding of the wider world, which is very worthwhile.” The school’s co-founder calls this a “double effect:” exposing Armenian students to other cultures while building a global community within Armenia.

“We have kids coming who never knew that Armenia existed,” Zonabend explains. “When some students got their placement in Dilijan, they looked at the map to see where Armenia was located. After having a great experience in the country, however, they will go out and become ambassadors for Armenia.”

In this way, Zonabend and Vardanyan envision the school not only as a top-tier educational institution, but also as a development project for Dilijan and Armenia. As an initiative of the couple’s RVVZ Charitable Foundation, the Dilijan School follows in the footsteps of previous endeavors such as the Tatev Tourism Project, which helped build the world’s longest aerial tramway and dramatically increase tourist traffic to Goris and the Vorotan Valley. With Dilijan School students volunteering in the community and plans for more development projects, Zonabend and Vardanyan hope to replicate their Tatev success and put Dilijan on the world map.

“This is the first project in CIS where people from around the world will send their children because of the education,” beams Zonabend, whose two younger children, she says, are already dreaming of attending the Dilijan school. “At first, most people didn’t believe we could do this. People usually go to the US and Europe to study abroad. Now, these people are coming to us.”

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A Partnership for Progress

The American University of Armenia and the Ministry of Defense Collaborate on an Officer Training Program

By Sara Khojoyan

photograph courtesy of the American University of Armenia (AUA)

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n April 2014, the American University of Armenia (AUA) and the Armenian Ministry of Defense, with financial support from the AGBU, launched a series of initiatives to provide valuable educational resources to support military officers, servicemen, and non-military civil servants working within the Ministry of Defense These programs include management and leadership training for officers enrolled in graduate studies at the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute; training in leadership for junior officers; English courses for language teachers at the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces; training for conscripts during their two-year military service; training and professional development for civil servants and military personnel at the Ministry of Defense; and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students admitted to AUA from the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces.

The basic training for junior officers aims to build leadership skills with an emphasis on cultivating confidence and adaptability, problem solving, informed decision-making, and developing experience in the full spectrum of operations. It is at this critical point that officers and officer candidates acquire basic leadership skills and learn unit and situational tactics so that they may assume the responsibilities that come with a higher rank.

For more than a decade, large-scale reforms have been planned in the realm of military education in Armenia. Since 2008, the Ministry of Defense sought new ways to elevate military education to levels on par with contemporary global standards. With this goal in mind, a partnership with the AUA was deemed a natural next step.

The collaboration between AUA and the Ministry of Defense began in 2013 with the design and implementation of leadership courses for military officers at the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute. The success of a pilot program led to the renewal and expansion of AUA’s collaboration with the Armenian Ministry of Defense within the framework of an agreement sponsored by AGBU. At the helm of the leadership program is Dr. Arpie Balian, the director of the AUA’s Extension Program. Referring to the techniques used in the program, Dr. Balian says this training “is aligned with the military values instilled in soldiers from the very start. Infusing interactive teaching and discussion into each of the leadership modules, we facilitate a process whereby participating majors and lieutenant majors are able to develop their individual and unique leaderDr. Armen Der Kiureghian assumed the position of interim president of the American University of Armenia (AUA) in July 2014, and has been closely involved in the conception and implementation of the military education program.

ship attributes and skills. In the process of acquiring new and more advanced leadership skills, participants assess their own strengths and weaknesses going forward in their military careers.”

Hrachya Petrosyants, a military affairs expert formerly with the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute and the Department of General Army Tactics, is helping coordinate the leadership program. Addressing the practical benefits that the Captains, Majors, Lieutenant-Colonels and Colonels will reap from the course, Petrosyants says: “It is important that they [the officers] are able to relate to another way of thinking, especially in the field of management. We still have stereotypes inherited from Soviet times and it seems to many people that some things cannot be done any other way.

What’s important here is to learn how to think differently and see alternative ways to make decisions at the managerial level.”

Along with Balian and Petrosyants, AUA President Armen Der Kiureghian has also been closely involved in the conception and implementation of the military education program.

“We are an American University in Armenia. We are one of this country’s universities and we want to be integrated in all aspects of life in Armenia, so we value the opportunity to offer training and courses to the Ministry of Defense,” notes Der Kiureghian.

The program has done more than improve military education, it has also played an essential role in strengthening English language skills in Armenia. Sofya Shamyan, an English teacher at the Pokr Mher Military Educational Complex for Cadets, says she benefitted immensely from the English training for language teachers course in early 2014 and is already applying the techniques she learned.

“Thanks to the program, our teaching has become more effective. Our students learn more and have more opportunities to participate in various competitions. We are also equipping our army cadets and future officers with a higher level of knowledge,” says Shamyan.

Ani Meliksetyan, who has served in the Armenian Peace Keeping Brigade for the past five years, echoes Shamyan’s sentiments, noting that the course has allowed her to improve and develop her English. “As peacekeepers, we often travel abroad to attend NATO gatherings,” says Meliksetyan. “Now we can represent Armenia in the best way possible thanks to our great command of English.”

By improving their language skills, not just their military knowledge, future generation of officers are becoming better ambassadors for the armed forces in Armenia, both abroad and at home, where it is hoped their success will attract greater numbers to consider careers in the military. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 33

n io at uc Ed

Anchoring the Past to the Future

The Matenadaran Institute Launches an AGBU-Funded Scholarship Program

O

n a bright day in April, the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan was buzzing with youthful energy. The Institute, more commonly referred to as the Matenadaran, is a bastion of Armenian history, boasting an impressive collection of over 100,000 manuscripts, books and documents from as early as the eighth century. But on that day, it was not the glory of the past, but the promise of the future that was on display.

This promise was pinned on the eight young researchers who had gathered in the hallowed halls of the Matenadaran for a ceremony in their honor. These bright specialists of art history, art theory, world history and historiography were selected to be the first recipients of an AGBU-funded scholarship organized in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sci-

34 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

ence of the Republic of Armenia and the Matenadaran. This program is designed to provide young researchers with the financial support they need to preserve and restore the precious examples of Armenian cultural heritage housed in the Matenadaran and to make use of the Institute’s wealth of resources in their own research.

Among the attendees gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of these gifted young minds were prominent figures in the political and cultural circles of Yerevan, including Hrachya Tamrazyan, the director of the Matenadaran; Manuk Mkrtchyan, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia; Ashot Ghazaryan, the vice-president of operations at the American University of Armenia as well as the former director of AGBU Armenia; Vardi Keshishyan, the head of the international relations de-

Retlaw Snellac Photography

By Jennifer Manoukian

partment at the Matenadaran; and Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan, the head of the Arabic manuscripts research department at the Matenadaran.

At the awards ceremony, Hovig Eordekian, the interim director of the AGBU office in Armenia, congratulated the students and emphasized AGBU’s enthusiasm for the program.

Addressing the crowd, he commented: “When the Matenadaran’s leadership first approached AGBU with the idea for this partnership, we did not hesitate to pledge our support. We knew it would strengthen an already productive partnership between our organization and the Institute, one that is of strategic importance, because it promotes the development of Armenian studies in Yerevan and globally.”

The recipients of the AGBU scholarships—Hrant Ohanyan, Anoush Sarkissian, Vera Sahakian, Ovsanna Keshishian, Narek Hakobyan, Sona Baloyan and Siranoush Fahradyan—will work in a variety of capacities at the Matenadaran. Some will devote their efforts to study and preserve Armenian and Arabic manuscripts in the art history and manuscript centers, while others will lend their expertise to the Institute’s digitization and cataloguing projects.

This new scholarship program is one of the many ways AGBU has supported the Matenadaran over the years. In the 1990s, when the fledgling Republic of Armenia was plagued by an en-

The Matenadaran is a bastion of Armenian history, boasting an impressive collection of over 100,000 manuscripts, books and documents from as early as the eighth century. ergy crisis following independence, AGBU and its benefactors helped the Matenadaran install the air conditioning, fire prevention and security systems it needed to protect its resources.

AGBU has also sponsored a number of the Madenataran’s publications, including the third volume of its catalogue of manuscripts, which was published in 2007.

Upon receiving his certificate, scholarship recipient Hrant Ohanyan commented on the great impact that AGBU scholarship will have on him and his fellow academics.

Holding his award, he said, “AGBU’s assistance is not merely financial. It shows us that our work is critical to the Matenadaran and to the field of Armenian studies as a whole. We are so proud and excited that AGBU has decided to invest in us and our research.”

AGBU’s investment represents not only its commitment to the professional successes of these budding scholars, but also its commitment to instilling a deep appreciation for Armenian history and culture in the generation that will lead the Armenian community into the future. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 35

n io at uc Ed 36 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

AGBU’s Nubarian Library A Cultural and Historical Treasure

By Boris Adjemian

E

stablished in 1928 by AGBU founder Boghos Nubar, the AGBU Nubarian Library in Paris, France has compiled one of the world’s foremost collections of Armenian and Ottoman contemporary history over the years. Thanks to the longtime directorship of Aram Andonian (from its inception until 1952), the library now boasts an impressive collection of more than 42,000 books on Armenian history, nearly 1000 periodicals dating back to the 19th century and 10,000 original rare photographs. It also brings together several important collections of great historical value, such as the Armenian National Delegation archives, a portion of the archives of the Patriarchate of Istanbul and a vast number of survivor accounts that were painstakingly collected by Andonian to allow scholars to document the history of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

The Nubarian Library is an invaluable resource for countless researchers, academics, and master’s and PhD students, as well as the numerous visitors seeking precious details about their genealogy and family history each year. Library staff are frequently approached by documentarians, movie producers and journalists interested in Armenian history and diasporan communities. In the past few months, the library has welcomed visitors from Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon, the United States, Egypt, Italy, Great Britain, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Australia. It is the only institution in the diaspora accessible to the public with such a rich archival collection documenting Armenian and Ottoman history. From its inception, Nubar and the other founders insisted that the library be built in Paris in order to attract visitors from both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The impressive collection contained within the Nubarian Library is of irreplaceable value to the Armenian diaspora scattered across the globe.

A History of Research The Nubarian Library’s role as a research center took hold in the late 1980s under the leadership of historian Raymond Kévorkian. Over the years, it attracted not just those interested in contemporary history, but also anthropologists and historians of art, music, politics and the medieval period. In that capacity, the library participates in numerous projects that link institutions in Armenia with the diaspora.

Staff frequently work in partnership with other heritage and cultural institutions in France, including the Center for Armenian Heritage in Valence and the National Center of Armenian Memory in Decines, and elsewhere in Europe, such as the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. The library’s diverse publications contribute to research literature and help foster important ties within the academic community.

AGBU

A New Journal In September 2013, the Nubarian Library published the first edition of Contemporary Armenian Studies, an academic journal that examines current issues facing Armenians both at home and in the vast

AGBU Nubarian Library in Paris boasts an impressive collection of more than 42,000 books on Armenian history, nearly 1000 periodicals dating back to the 19th century and 10,000 original rare photographs.

diaspora. Published in French and English, the multidisciplinary journal examines political, historical, cultural and geographical challenges in Armenia, the Caucasus, Turkey and the Middle East.

With its special themed issues, the journal also seeks to explore broader subjects involving international relations, nationalism, diaspora communities, cultural memory, heritage and genocide.

The quarterly review replaces the Journal of Contemporary Armenian Issues, of which 15 issues were published between 2004 and 2012. The revised name and new look is intended to rebrand the magazine as a more academic journal. To achieve that goal, a new editorial committee has been appointed to meet regularly to define the aims and content of the journal in addition to an international committee of researchers, including Vincent Duclert, Vahe Tachjian, Taner Akçam, Yves Ternon, Bernard Heyberger, Ug˘ur Ümit Üngör, Beatrice Giblin, Sevane Garibian, Hamit Bozarslan and Michel Bruneau.

An Editorial Evolution All submissions to Contemporary Armenian Studies will now be anonymously evaluated by two other readers before being accepted for publication. The decision to publish articles in both French and English is intended to encourage more collaboration between researchers from different countries with similar areas of interest. In order to help fulfill the journal’s mission to build upon the existing body of literature and disseminate that knowledge more widely, Contemporary Armenian Studies will also soon be published online as part of the revues.org database which already publishes webbased versions of more than 400 social science journals in French as well as in other languages. This editorial evolution will help the journal contribute more substantively to the field of Armenian studies, already well-established in Europe and France in particular, but lacking, for the past several years, an academic journal specifically dedicated to contemporary Armenian affairs.

Not Just for the Academic Community As part of its mandate to inform and educate, Contemporary Armenian Studies will continue to target the general public to help as broad a readership as possible—not just the academic community—better understand the issues and themes the new journal seeks to explore in each issue. The first issues have already included original research, such as Taline Papazian’s study on political sovereignty in the South Caucasus in the 20th century, Astrig Alamian’s look at Armenian volunteers in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, Emmanuel Naquet’s article on the mobilization of intellectuals during the Dreyfus Affair in support of the Armenian cause and Laurence De Cock’s analysis of the inclusion of the Armenian genocide in the French secondary school curriculum. The upcoming issue will feature a thematic review of the similarities between the Jewish and Armenian experience in the 20th century, including interviews with Israeli historian Shlomo Sand and diaspora specialist Khachig Tölölyan.

Note: This article was originally published in the May 2014 issue of Nouvelles d’Arménie

www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 37

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014

W

e express our sincere gratitude to the countless donors from around the world who have very generously established endowments at AGBU. Our donors are the heart and soul of the organization. Beginning in 1910, the growing endowments today permanently secure the funding of ongoing and new AGBU projects. Many of our endowments have been established through individual bequests or donations, or from gifts made in memory of loved ones. Most of our current contributors continue to add to their established endowments regularly.

The annual income generated from these funds support and expand educational, cultural, religious and humanitarian programs serving an estimated 400,000 Armenians in thirty coun-

tries. AGBU endowments fund the annual programs of the organization or are specified for scholarships, schools in Argentina, Armenia, Canada, Greece, Lebanon and the United States (California, Michigan); Camp Nubar; summer internships, and international athletic games. In Armenia, endowments have been established for the American University of Armenia, Sevan Seminary, Yerevan State University, the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, as well as the Nork, Arapkir and Malatya Children’s Centers and Senior Dining Centers.

Designated dates denote the inception of each fund. New or additional donations since our last printing in October 2013 are designated in red. The following list does not include accrued interest, only original gifts.

Endowment donors as of August 31, 2014.

1910 Egypt Setrag Tavitian Memorial 1911 Turkey His Holiness Sahag II Khabayan

Memorial 1912 Egypt Kevork Sarkissian Memorial 1913 Syria Msgr. Nerses Danielian Memorial 1913 Egypt Hagop Kirkyasharian Memorial 1913 Turkey Samuel Topalian Memorial 1914 Egypt Arakel Berberian Memorial 1915 USA Mardiros Kazandjian Memorial 1918 Ethopia Mirza Marcar Memorial 1919 Turkey Devlett Dadrian Memorial

$ 802

2,524 18,364 6,089 24,280 834 1,021 7,162 2,677 9,591

1920 Egypt Gadarineh Limongelli Memorial 1921 France Tarouhi Agopian Memorial 1921 France Mikael Samuelian Memorial 1922 USA Krikor Boghosian Memorial 1922 France Raphael Margossian Foundation 1924 USA Dr. John Arschagouni Memorial 1924 Iran Nigoghos Mordjikian Memorial 1924 France Boghos Nubar Memorial 1924 France Marie Nubar Memorial 1925 France Meguerditch Allahverdi Memorial 1925 Egypt Nishan Kazazian Memorial 1925 Egypt Garabed & Krikor Melkonian

Memorial 1926 France Noemi Capamadjian Memorial 1926 France Atanik Eknayan Memorial 1926 Turkey Leon V. Semerdjian Memorial 1927 USA Gabriel Boyadjian Memorial 1929 Switzerland Marthe Bonaime Memorial 1929 Egypt Akabi Cheridjian Memorial 1929 France Paul Esmerian Memorial 1929 Switzerland Adrienne Oundjian Memorial 1929 USA Hagop A. Sarraf Memorial

60,981 238,150 18,100 16,013 627,325 6,794 12,593 84,800 89,942 17,116 8,937

1930 Switzerland M. Leon Roman Dundess Memorial 1930 France Serope Sevadjian Memorial 1932 USA Manoug Aslanian Memorial 1932 USA Rev. Khoren Lazarian Memorial

13,995 147,439 10,000 8,814

40 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

4,647,021 565,780 38,839 11,210 1,613 2,500 11,420 138,350 38,759 10,000

1932 USA Rev. Dirair Marcarian Memorial 1933 Switzerland Aroussiag Der Zakarian Memorial 1933 Belgium Takouhi Djanikian Memorial 1934 Egypt Agopjan & Ohanik Bondjoukian

Memorial 1934 France Hetoum Setian Memorial 1936 Palestine Stepan Kargodorian Memorial 1936 Egypt Vagharchag Topalian Memorial 1936 USA Rev. Arsen Torossian Memorial 1937 USA Peter Hovanessian Memorial 1937 Greece Megerditch Pavletzian Memorial 1938 India Peter M. Crete Memorial 1938 USA Avedis G. Eprikian Memorial 1939 England Mardiros M. Apcar Memorial 1939 Syria Avedis Ekmanian Memorial 1939 France Oussoumnassiratz Society 1940 USA Stephen Berberian Memorial 1940 Egypt Bedros Gumuchian Memorial 1942 USA Serop Verdanian Movsesian Memorial 1943 Egypt Garabed Hekimian Memorial 1943 USA Bedros H. Markarian Memorial 1943 USA Haik Vemian Memorial 1945 USA Moses H. Lucinian Memorial 1945 Egypt Sophie & Zarouhi Manissalian

Memorial 1946 USA AGBU Milk Fund 1946 Australia Haroutiun G. Balakian Memorial 1946 USA Dr. Joseph Johns Memorial 1946 Greece Aram Schahinian Memorial 1948 France Simon & Eranouhi Kaiserlian Memorial 1949 USA Napoleon Hantzian Memorial 1950 Egypt 1950 England 1951 Syria 1951 USA 1951 USA 1952 USA

$ 5,823 14,060 22,892

48,067 237,000 1,600 95,000 10,270 2,051 360 6,885 22,617 27,085 700 1,560 19,520 23,970 16,708 11,230 509,321 17,965 10,500

16,393 81,542 35,068 4,393 308,172 1,576,203 151,583

Hagop & Arousiak Avakian Memorial 4,305 Archbishop Matheos Indjeian Memorial 5,503 Hagop Hamalian Memorial 725 Dr. Vartkes Migrdichian Memorial 1,104,653 Kevork Moonedig Memorial 1,812 Charles G. Aramian Memorial 19,928

1952 England Arakel M. Julian Memorial $ 6,388 1952 France Zareh Nubar Memorial 49,979 1953 USA Hagop Atchabahian Memorial 20,082 1953 USA Mardiros & Makrouhi Bulbulian Memorial 38,000 1953 USA Peter Kazarian Memorial 45,000 1953 Turkey Assadour Maniassian Memorial 4,458 1954 USA AGBU Educational Endowment 2,176,345 1954 USA Haig & Annik Lemonjian 10,552 1954 USA Hrant & Violet Lemonjian 10,552 1954 USA Stephen I. Mouradian Memorial 3,613 1954 USA Albert Serabian Memorial 7,500 1954 USA Dr. Nerses Tullian 5,276 1954 USA Walter H. Vartan 10,300 1955 USA Haig Boyajohn Memorial 7,000 1955 USA Dikran & Haiganoush Diradourian Memorial 19,557 1955 USA Antranik & Alice Gurdjian 256,389 1955 USA Hovannes & Repega Issacoulian

Memorial 13,000 1955 USA Garabed Kazarossian Memorial 25,000 1955 USA Elizabeth Khantzian Memorial 10,268 1956 England Karnig & Arto Funduklian Memorial 47,655 1956 USA Serpouhi A. Karagheusian Memorial 100,000 1956 USA George Shamlian Memorial 1,000 1956 USA Hagop G. Topalian Memorial 31,019 1957 USA Aristakes Habeshian Memorial 6,000 1957 USA Aram A. Handjian Memorial 1,482,888 1957 USA Dr. Moses & Mrs. Makrouhie

Housepian Memorial 50,500 1957 USA Aram H. Mugardichian Memorial 15,052 1957 USA Avedis K. Sarafian Memorial 8,553 1958 USA Hagop Chopourian Memorial 7,513 1959 USA Asadoor Der Bedrossian Memorial 24,721 1959 USA Garabed & Haiganoush Ohanian Memorial 11,748 1960 Lebanon AGBU Intellectuals & Teachers 16,570 1960 USA John H. Balian Memorial 4,249 1960 USA Seth H. Vakas Memorial 13,443 1960 USA Haiganoush Varzhabedian Memorial 4,757 1960 USA Hermine Zohrab Memorial 10,034 1961 USA Vahan Bedrossian 10,000 1961 USA Nazareth Boyajian Memorial 6,613 1961 USA Mateos Mouradian Memorial 1,500 1961 USA Peter J. Tarzian Memorial 14,245 1962 USA Stephan & Heghine Yazijian

Clarkson Memorial

20,931 1962 USA Parsegh Karamanian Memorial 5,144 1962 USA Paul Klijian Memorial 59,108 1962 USA Bedros Sahag Merakian Memorial 60,000 1962 France Meguerditch Torossian Memorial 37,450 1963 USA Boghos & Nazlie Jafarian Memorial 5,700 1963 USA Hagop Nalbandian Memorial 5,000 1964 USA Melkon & Negdar Aijian Memorial 70,000 1964 England Stepan Hagop Astardjian Memorial 25,000 1964 England Agop Ohan Couyoumdjian Memorial 14,559 1964 USA Setrak & Azniv Der Bagdasarian Memorial 5,000 1964 USA Avedis Garabedian Memorial 71,954 1964 USA Setrak Iskenderian Memorial 51,414

1964 USA Mourad M. Kazarian Memorial $ 47,639 1964 USA Diran & Eugenie Patapanian Memorial 18,651 1964 USA Khatchig H. Tertsagian Memorial 176,466 1965 Switzerland Leon Handjian Memorial 148,988 1965 France Souren Hanessian Memorial 724,541 1965 USA Haig & Haigouhi Kashian Memorial 20,000 1965 USA Krikor H. Koutnouyan Memorial 309,595 1965 USA John Mooradian Memorial 21,000 1965 USA Raymont Paul 26,801 1966 USA Steven Avyan Memorial 121,906 1966 Switzerland Haik Demir Memorial 39,927 1966 USA Araxie Dilsizian Memorial 10,123 1966 England Aznive & Astra Funduklian Memorial 53,653 1967 USA Andon Andonian Memorial 15,801 1967 Italy Siran Dilsizian Memorial 6,000 1967 USA Aghavni Soghikian Memorial 28,895 1967 England Levon Tashdjian Memorial 1,033,204 1967 Greece Hagop & Madeleine Tchavouchian

Memorial

35,823 1967 Greece Zkon Tchavouchian Memorial 39,837 1968 USA M. H. Aram Memorial 151,000 1968 USA Nushan & Victoria Asadorian

10,000

Memorial 1968 Syria Violet Jebejian Memorial 2,398 1968 USA Armen R. Manougian Memorial 25,000 1968 Syria Ourfa Ladies Union of Aleppo 2,878 1968 USA Maksoud Sarkissian Memorial 94,828 1968 USA Mardiros Yorganjian Memorial 120,514 1969 France Dicran & Ardem Atamian Memorial 26,450 1969 USA Richard K.Gregory & Alice Karakashian

Memorial

132,069 1969 USA Makrouhie Jedidian Memorial 16,700 1969 USA Aram Jerahian Memorial 2,000 1969 England Aram N. Karagheusian Memorial 53,853 1969 USA Sam Saroyan Memroial 4,387 1969 USA Arshague & Evelyn Toprahanian

Memorial

231,035 1969 USA Ghazar Yesseian Memorial 34,474 1970 USA Puzant Beshgeturian Memorial 11,164 1970 USA Aghaeg & Elizabeth Dagavarian Memorial 190,700 1970 USA Nishan & Mildred Dagavarian Memorial 317,385 1970 France Kevork Nalbandian Memorial 21,700 1970 Switzerland Vosgian Zegelian Memorial 15,400 1971 USA Gaidzag & Mihran Chapian Memorial 251,416 1971 Greece Hagop Jamjian Memorial 20,000 1971 USA Arshavir Nersessian Memorial 10,432 1971 USA Massis N. Thomason Memorial 7,270 1971 USA Leon Toutgalian Memorial 48,976 1971 USA Nvart Zahimen Memorial 8,745 1972 USA Suren & Virginia Fesjian Memorial 429,552 1972 USA Mike Garabedian Memorial 4,500 1972 USA Harry Katcherian Memorial 41,785 1972 Uruguay Missak & Arpine Kouyoumdjian Memorial 1,085,405 1972 USA Eliza Melkon Memorial 196,790 1972 USA Aram & Rose Mendikian Memorial 10,000 1972 USA/Lebanon Levon & Satenig Nazarian Memorial 1,936,526 www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 41

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 1972 USA Armen & Vartanoush Soultanian Memorial $ 82,325 1972 USA Hovnan & Edward N. Tashian Memorial 448,009 1972 USA Yenofkian Brothers Memorial 455,011 1973 USA Anonymous “MM” 95,589 1973 USA Mourad & Elizabeth Bedrosian, Krikor

& Marina Egoyan Memorial

11,845 1973 USA Nicholas & Berj Der Manuelian Memorial 12,151 1973 USA Harry Hairabedian Memorial 20,678 1973 Italy Yervant Hussissian Memorial 500,000 1973 USA Gadarine Kulhanjian Memorial 18,795 1973 Ethiopia Sarkis Melikian Memorial 25,000 1973 USA Mard & Rose Peloian Memorial 200,000 1973 France Hovannes Telian Memorial 52,700 1973 USA Kissak Vrouyr Memorial 20,012 1974 USA Grant V. Athanas Memorial 20,000 1974 USA Hrant Bardoony Memorial 108,325 1974 USA Haig Berberian Memorial 258,520 1974 USA Alan Fenner Memorial 125,868 1974 England Nazar D. Funduklian Memorial 56,155 1974 France Krikor Hurmuzian Memorial 23,400 1974 USA Nazareth Jedidian Memorial 57,826 1974 Lebanon Zabel & Elmast Movsessian Memorial 74,655 1974 USA Minni Pap Papazian Memorial 17,045 1974 USA Edward H. Touloukian Foundation 571,814 1975 USA Hagop B. Barsamian Memorial 17,082 1975 USA Joseph Bastian Memorial 29,444 1975 USA Hampartsoum S. Kaloyan Memorial 10,580 1975 USA George Marderosian Memorial 8,488 1975 USA Louis N. & Aznif Melikian Memorial 35,044 1975 USA John Gregory Moskoffian Memorial 18,986 1975 USA Esther Solakian Memorial 54,314 1975 Iran Hovanes & Vartouhie Ter Hovanesian

Memorial

261,600 1976 USA Hagop & Mariam Arzoumanian Memorial 1,601,163 1976 France Garabed Avedikian Memorial 54,650 1976 USA Karnik & Sirarpi Babayan Memorial 12,000 1976 Cyprus Sirouhi Benlian Memorial 19,141 1976 USA Kazar Chutjian Memorial 54,200 1976 Belgium Hovhannes & Yeghisapet

Doudouyan Memorial

60,000 1976 USA Mardiros & Haiganoush Hagopian Memorial 26,742 1976 France Gabriel Hamparzoumian Memorial 109,700 1976 USA Ardashes Lajikian Memorial 4,052 1976 USA Louis Mugerdichian Memorial 512,913 1976 USA Mary A. Neghosian Memorial 38,247 1976 USA Edward G. Nishan Memorial 50,000 1976 USA Mariam Baltaian Sarkissian Memorial 10,250 1977 USA AGBU Alumni “Sanootz” 61,365 1977 Venezuela Anonymous “V” 1,683,952 1977 USA Michael & Marion Avsharian 11,000 1977 USA Mihran Exerjian Memorial 10,000 1977 USA Mathew O. Najarian Memorial 5,200 1977 USA Satenik & Adom K. Ourian Memorial 45,000 1977 USA Nerses Papazian Memorial 57,783 1977 Austria Victoria Tchertchian Memorial 39,787 1978 USA Hagop & Mary Booloozian Memorial 481,177 1978 USA Marderos Chebolian Memorial 13,815 42 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

1978 USA Edward & Larry Egavian Memorial $ 20,000 1978 USA Garabed Ehikian Memorial 8,411 1978 USA Sarkis Fereshetian Memorial 5,000 1978 France Garabed & Ara Hodaghian Memorial 47,900 1978 Lebanon Gulbenk & Nver Juknavorian Memorial 17,412 1978 USA Hovannes & Hnazant Khashkhashian

Memorial

20,000 1978 USA Haigaz Mekhalian Memorial 5,000 1978 USA Manoog & Mary Aharonian Savajian

Memorial

40,200 1978 USA Edward & Marguerite Shabazian Memorial 8,825 1978 USA Charles & Arshalous Shukloian Memorial 5,000 1978 USA Stephen G. Svajian & Haroutun

Najarian Memorial

16,697 1978 USA Tashjian & Lamson Memorial 111,048 1978 USA Haigaz Tomboulian Memorial 71,806 1979 USA Vahan Beloian Memorial 16,076 1979 USA Dr. Avedis M. Casparian 819,982 1979 Turkey Zareh & Koharig Davuloglu Memorial 15,000 1979 USA Dickran K. Deyrmanjian Memorial 398,310 28,000 1979 France Mannig Ghazarossian Memorial 1979 USA Haroutune K. Goekjian Memorial 85,671 1979 USA Vahan & Srpouhi Jirian Memorial 5,000 1979 USA Panos & Katherine Killabian Memorial 27,318 1979 USA Stephen Hakemian Mathews Memorial 145,138 1979 France Nevart Mavian Memorial 58,800 1979 Uruguay Manuel Melikian Memorial 14,143 1979 Monaco Arsene Papazian Memorial 377,000 1979 USA John & Araxie Samelian Memorial 14,879 1979 USA Mihran & Parantzem Sherbetian Memorial 110,195 1980 Lebanon Vahram Abdalian Memorial 88,551 1980 USA Dr. Gregory H. Adamian 21,862 1980 USA Clark Dinjian Memorial 11,100 1980 USA Avedis Don & Armine Donelian Memorial 21,680 1980 France Haroutiun Gasparian Memorial 47,600 1980 Italy Haig Ghazarossian Memorial 725,000 1980 USA Beatrice Krikorian Memorial 10,568 1980 USA Harry & Ethel Mangurian Memorial 93,981 1980 USA Edward & Helen Mardigian 270,000 1980 South Africa Minas Missak Memorial 994,100 1980 USA Dikran Missirlian Foundation 18,542 1980 USA Alice & George Philibosian 20,000 1981 USA Krikor Aivazian Memorial 11,988 1981 USA Arthur & Eliza Avedian 13,059 1981 USA Anita Bishop 3,900 1981 USA Thomas O. & Alice Dakessian Memorial 557,370 1981 USA Esther Eksouzian Memorial 6,000 1981 USA Charles Garjian Memorial 33,361 1981 USA Harry Kurkian 5,000 1981 USA Mihran & Mary Melekian Memorial 29,284 1981 USA Krikor N. Roupenian Memorial 583,849 1981 USA Hmayak & Mayda Semerjian Memorial 113,555 1981 USA David B. & Lois Shakarian 263,365 1981 Austria Nerses Zohrab Memorial 61,283 1982 USA AGBU Friends of Alex & Marie

Manoogian School 17,559

1982 USA AGBU Friends of Camp Nubar 1982 USA Aintab Union 1982 USA Napoleon S. Alajaian Memorial 1982 USA Arsen Artinian Memorial 1982 USA Harry V. Babaian 1982 USA Silas Bozigian Memorial 1982 USA Aznive Georgian & Hagop Kaprielian

Memorial 1982 USA Hirair & Anna Hovnanian 1982 France Mourad Karaguesian Memorial 1982 Cyprus Hovhannes, Zartar, Hagop &

Makrouhi Koushian 1982 USA Marie Kupelian Memorial 1982 England Norma Kurkjian Memorial 1982 USA Paul C. Manoogian Memorial 1982 USA Marshall H. Medzorian Memorial

$ 372,165 53,145 306,614 25,481 50,250 50,000

8,200 110,000 7,500

60,526 6,813 341,032 5,000 10,000

Dedicated to Country, Family and Heritage $100,000 Harry & Satenig Gray Family Endowment Established by Grant H. Gray it was february 19, 1945, the day that the United States Marine Corps 5th Division landed in Iwo Jima during World War II. Thrust deep into fierce fighting immediately, Grant Harry Gray rushed out of his foxhole to evacuate a wounded comrade through heavy enemy fire to the beach and survived. The last day of the battle, March 26, was Grant’s 22nd birthday. If it were not for the kindness of his commanding officer who let him stay back during the final attack, he would never have returned home. The commanding officer was shot dead immediately after entering combat. Grant continued to serve with distinction for the rest of the war and disarmed Japanese garrisons in the Pacific and the Japanese naval base at Sasebo afterward. For his act of bravery he earned both the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Presidential Unit Citation, and was recognized by the Secretary of the Navy.

Far from the horrors of war, Grant was born into the caring Armenian home of Harry Gray (b. 1889 in Harpoot, Ottoman Turkey) and Satenig Juskalian (b. 1900 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts)

in Providence, Rhode Island; their other son was J. Harry. Grant was a hard worker from early on, taking a job as a paper boy in grade school. The family moved to Fresno, California, to live with Satenig’s parents when he started high school. He worked on his grandparents’ raisin farm, among other afterschool jobs. One of his favorite youth pastimes was body surfing.

The Grays returned to Rhode Island after the war; Grant soon completed his degree from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and went on to earn an advanced certificate from MIT. He started his own company, Crantex Bandage, which he later sold; a job with the Navy in Newport followed. In the meantime, Harry, an AGBU member, owned a grocery store and Satenig was a homemaker and seamstress, retiring from the Outlet Company as the head of ladies’ alterations in 1970. They were very involved with the local Saints Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Church. One day, a mutual friend suggested that Grant meet Barbara Joy Rustigian (b. 1929 in Pawtucket) at church. She was active in Armenian youth programs and worked for the Providence Gas Company. A loving marriage began in 1952 and the couple had two children: Gary and Priscilla. After they started elementary school, Barbara took a nursery teaching position in Cumberland, a job she enjoyed until her retirement in 1987.

In 1956, Grant changed paths and began working in finance with Brown Brothers, Harriman & Co. in Boston. He started his own investment company 19 years later and cultivated a number of major corporate and personal business relationships. He was also an inventor, developing a geo-thermal project that was purchased by a major corporation.

As focused on his family as he was on his fruitful careers, Grant adored his wife and children. Priscilla said, “He was a great dad, great husband, a great Marine and a great man. As a child, I waited for his ’58 Chevy to pull in every day at 6:15 PM and would run to him. He always put his briefcase down to hug me. My father was also disciplined; when he said something, we did it.” Family vacations were regular trips to the West Coast, an area very dear to Grant. He spoke often of his love for the raisin farm and his happiness while living there.

As a war veteran who enlisted because he wanted to serve his country, patriotism was an important value to Grant. He and Gary built a wooden flagpole in their driveway to fly the American flag.

Priscilla added, “I was only three-years old, but I would click my heels and salute it every time I walked by, just like my father.”

Gary remembers him as a “wonderful young father, always playing baseball or helping us with our homework. He taught us that family is the most important unit and we should always support each other.” Grant also devoted considerable time to volunteering; he served within many local organizations, particularly on the Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Church’s finance committee, where his opinions were highly valued. He was a longtime AGBU member, as well.

Grant had a keen interest in Armenian affairs and history, and initiated the Grant H. Gray Revocable Living Trust with AGBU. When he passed away in 2013, the Trust distributed $100,000 to establish the Harry & Satenig Gray Family Endowment in support of the organization’s mission of preserving, promoting and perpetuating the Armenian heritage. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 43

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 1982 England Maryam Moutafian Memorial $ 134,556 1982 USA Zabelle Aram Panosian Memorial 756,939 1982 Cyprus Hovhannes Sheohmelian Memorial 137,340 1982 USA Joseph Tahmazian Memorial 27,000 1982 Canada Sone Torosian Memorial 4,770 1982 USA Armenouhi Boyajian Yeretzian Memorial 87,712 1982 Cyprus Lucy & Garabed Zartarian Memorial 120,000 1983 France AGBU District Of France 413,544 1983 Lebanon Garabed Ohanes Berberian Memorial 140,603 1983 USA Cayane Boyajian Memorial 34,458 1983 France Gabriel & Eugenie Chakarian Memorial 69,300 1983 USA Chunkoosh Compatriotic Union 11,899 1983 Lebanon Yervant & Alice Demirdjian Memorial 57,571 1983 Lebanon Garabed & Eugenie Der Stepanian 4,745 1983 England Vahe G. Funduklian Memorial 513,150 1983 USA Rev. Nuchan & Mrs. Gladys

Hachian Memorial

52,071 1983 USA Takvor & Zabelle Kafesjian 20,575 1983 Lebanon Manuel Khatchadourian Memorial 3,894 1983 USA Nishan M. Minassian Memorial 22,618 1983 USA Hagop Mukhjian Memorial 44,078 1983 Lebanon Vahan Jacques Pascal Memorial 42,711 1983 Lebanon Nigoghos & Mary Tekian 36,711 1983 USA Harutune & Kohar Topalian Memorial 12,949 1983 USA Sisag Varjabedian Memorial 33,307 1984 USA Edward N. Alexanian Memorial 25,000 1984 England Haig & Syrvart Artan 13,035 1984 USA John Ayvazian Memorial 40,500 1984 USA Martin & Newart Baloyan Memorial 36,444 1984 USA Peter Marcus Boghosian Memorial 50,000 1984 USA Sarkis M. Casparian Memorial 250,783 1984 USA Leon & Matilda Giridlian Memorial 15,417 1984 USA Edward & Mary Jerjian 25,177 1984 USA Krikor Kasabian Memorial 109,662 1984 USA Sarkis & Vava Katchadourian Memorial 102,170 1984 New Zealand Nevart & Hasmig Krikorian Memorial 307,920 1984 USA Garabed Ovanesian Memorial 40,959 1984 USA Harry Papelian Memorial 20,792 1984 USA Hrand Vakilian Memorial 13,569 1984 USA Arshag Vassilian Memorial 28,837 1985 USA AGBU Detroit Men’s Chapter 13,050 1985 Switzerland Garabed, Hagop & Artine

Agopian Memorial

100,000 1985 USA Mr. & Mrs. Souren Aprahamian 5,000 1985 USA Madeline Cashian Memorial 9,435 1985 USA Margaret Gayzagian Memorial 196,398 1985 England Lucas & Rose Gregory 20,928 1985 USA Mardiros & Margaret Hatcherian 10,000 1985 USA Mihran & Rosemary Hoplamazian 52,350 1985 Switzerland Dickran Kelekian Memorial 329,100 1985 USA Alice Krikorian Memorial 189,316 1985 USA Dikranouhi Maronian Memorial 44,500 1985 USA Mr. & Mrs. Albert Papoyans 5,000 1985 USA Sahag & Satenig Sahagian Memorial 100,561 1985 USA Mushegh & Arshalooys Shamalian

Memorial

181,302 1985 Greece George & Ivy Sharigian Memorial 12,000 44 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

1985 Greece Takouhi Torigian Memorial 1986 USA Anonymous “BP” 1986 USA Kevork & Verjin Arslanian 1986 Lebanon Ashod Badmakrian Memorial 1986 USA Caesarian Benevolent Association Inc. 1986 Lebanon Sarkis & Beatrice Chekerdjian Memorial 1986 USA Aram Hejinian Memorial 1986 USA Dikranouhi Hoplamazian Memorial 1986 England Serope Kardash Memorial 1986 France Sarkis Kassabian Memorial 1986 USA Kegham Y. & Dickranouhi M.

Koltoukdjian Memorial 1986 USA Parantzem Margosian Memorial 1986 USA Hemayak & Rahan Mateosian 1986 Lebanon Matilda Nakkashian Memorial 1986 USA Nigoghos A. Nigosian Memorial 1986 Austria Garbis Papazian 1986 USA Mihran Toumajan Memorial 1986 Austria Noubar Vartian Memorial 1986 USA Zakeyan & Dumanian Family Memorial 1987 USA AGBU Friends of Ararat Magazine Ghevont & Siranoush Bakalian 1987 USA

Memorial 1987 USA Vartkess & Rita Balian 1987 USA Dicran Berberian Memorial 1987 USA Arthur Dadian Memorial 1987 Turkey Bedros Hintlian Memorial 1987 England Boghos P. Jelebjian Memorial 1987 England Ena Berjouhi Kenadjian Memorial 1987 USA Arthur Kradjian 1987 France Hagop Krikorian Memorial 1987 USA Vartouhi, Asadour, Armen & Aram

Mirjanian Memorial 1987 USA Parsek K. Parsekian Memorial 1987 USA Louise Salverian Memorial 1987 USA Rose Shafer Memorial 1987 USA Mihran M. Simidian Memorial 1987 USA Wilhelmina Suren Memorial 1987 USA Haroutun Tchertchian Memorial 1988 USA AGBU Athletic Games 1988 USA AGBU Chicago Chapter 1988 USA AGBU Detroit Women's Chapter 1988 Lebanon AGBU Hovagimian-Manougian

School/Ara Topdjian 1988 USA Mildred Dagavarian Memorial 1988 France Hovannes Gulbenkian Memorial 1988 USA Dikranouhi & Karnig Hajinlian

Memorial 1988 USA Sam Hakemian Memorial 1988 USA Rouben & Achkhen Iguidbashian

Memorial 1988 USA Arthur Janigian Memorial 1988 USA Kevork Keklikian Janjigian Memorial 1989 USA Martin & Varsenig Apkarian 1989 Germany Agop Azarian 1989 USA Mr. & Mrs. Karnig Bahadurian Memorial 1989 USA Henry Bahlavooni Memorial

$ 9,576 96,702 15,000 33,127 18,490 354,525 2,444 5,103 5,596 70,600

436,300 14,010 30,000 24,891 194,148 56,920 24,427 50,000 101,424 52,541

347,235 450,000 40,220 130,000 10,000 698,905 23,545 10,000 130,000

14,000 387,933 53,006 6,050 643,018 259,976 14,050 75,000 343,335 50,000

65,046 95,030 66,800

149,158 75,000

35,090 25,000 10,000 17,150 10,000 10,000 84,500

1989 USA Walter Baronian Memorial 1989 USA Avedis O. Boyajian & Rev. Arsen

A. Georgizian Memorials 1989 USA Rose Yessaian & Christopher

Costa Memorial 1989 Lebanon Anna Der Vartanian Memorial 1989 Syria Levon Hagopian Memorial 1989 USA Ronald Jameson Memorial 1989 France Haig Kasbarian Memorial 1989 Canada Krikor & Neouver Keldjian 1989 USA Mirjan Kirian Memorial 1989 USA Leon Kirk Memorial 1989 USA Charles H. Kouzoujian 1989 USA Sarkis Mekjian Memorial 1989 Egypt Melkonian Fund Memorial 1989 Syria Krikor Meutemedian Memorial 1989 USA George & Gula Mutevalian Memorial 1989 Belgium Michael Nazarian Memorial 1989 USA Mihran Nazarian Memorial 1989 USA Alice Pakrad Memorial 1989 USA Antranik & Angele Poladian Memorial 1989 USA Dorothy A. Poladian Memorial 1989 USA Oksin Sinamian Memorial 1989 USA Karl & Emma Sogoian 1989 USA Onnig & Peruze Tabibian Memorial 1989 Syria Yesayan Foundation 1989 USA Victoria Zamanigian Memorial

$ 22,000

2,257

14,953 21,224 41,087 7,525 127,686 179,861 20,020 15,000 20,000 37,898 119,444 1,561 23,277 30,300 51,781 165,650 259,900 41,971 45,011 15,000 13,000 1,340 25,033

1990 USA AGBU Women’s Central Committee 13,000 1990 USA Anonymous “HAG” 653,309 1990 Greece Anonymous “KI” Memorial 323,984 1990 USA Baidzar & Haroot H. Arootian Memorial 12,511 1990 Syria Yenova Betian 7,603 1990 USA Harry Demerjian Memorial 25,000 1990 USA Vahe, Nerses & Mary Gulesserian

Memorial

498,264 1990 USA Gabriel Injejikian 100,000 1990 USA Onnig & Hrant Isbenjian Memorial 1,005,327 1990 Syria Krikor Kasarjian 1,200 1990 USA Lucille Kasbarian Memorial 120,235 1990 Greece Arshag & Azniv Kirazian Memorial 591,586 1990 England George & John Kurkjian 4,709 1990 Egypt G & K Melkonian Memorial 197,868 1990 USA Arthur Moorad Memorial 72,351 1990 USA Esther K. Parseghian Memorial 96,321 1990 USA Nishan & Mary Shimshirian Memorial 56,495 1990 Austria Saruhi Vartian 10,000 1990 USA Stephen & Chouchane Yeghiayan

Memorial 50,000 1991 USA Mihran & Elizabeth Agbabian 55,000 1991 USA AGBU Melkonian Alumni 112,660 1991 USA Yervant Minas & Patricia Aghajanian

Memorial

715,389 1991 France Arsilia Akian Memorial 654,786 1991 USA Fimi Avedisyan Memorial 10,712 1991 USA Astghig Nassibian Balikian Memorial 25,000 1991 France Antranik Demirdjian Memorial 35,549

1991 USA Armen & Nelly Der Kiureghian $ 12,000 1991 France Simon Derderian Memorial 14,795 1991 USA Keghanoush Douzaklian & Leon

Bedighian Memorial

69,182 1991 Lebanon Armen & Salpie Haroutunian 54,296 1991 USA Arshalouis Tavrejian Hartune

Memorial

320,277 1991 USA Dick & Mary Horigian Memorial 100,155 1991 USA Artemis Karagheusian Memorial 20,457 1991 USA Albert H. Mouradian Memorial 7,409 1991 USA Barkev Nalbandian Memorial 10,185 1991 Switzerland Simon Arman & Pinna Papazian

Memorial 1,000,000 1991 France Margaret Simonian Memorial 32,740 1991 USA Ara Solickian Memorial 11,334 1991 USA Armen L. Tertsagian Memorial 10,000 1991 USA Helen & Hagop Zakarian Memorial 6,600 1992 Lebanon AGBU AYA Lebanon 176,134 1992 Canada David Asher Memorial 54,378 1992 USA Edmond Azadian 10,000 1992 France Michel Baghdassarian Memorial 91,149 Yvonne Kashian Banks Memorial 17,678 1992 USA 1992 USA Nevart Couyoumjian Memorial 45,000 1992 Lebanon Sarkis & Seta Demirdjian 253,147 1992 USA Hagop S. Derderian Memorial 100,000 1992 Egypt Levon Donigian 5,370 1992 USA Flora & Diane Galoostian Memorial 45,000 1992 Switzerland Karakashian Family 892,447 1992 USA Adrine A. Kenadjian Memorial 10,000 1992 USA Kegham & Haigouhi Kradjian Memorial 27,870 1992 Lebanon Haig Mardirian Memorial 57,568 1992 USA Hrant Melikian Memorial 10,000 1992 USA Nazar & Artemis Nazarian 100,000 1992 USA Armand O. & Marylin Norehad 10,000 1992 USA Prof. Parounag & Angele Tomassian

Memorial

25,162 1992 USA Barry & Margaret A. Zorthian Memorial 34,754 1993 Canada Altounian Brothers Memorial 907,743 1993 USA Ruben & Marion Barsamian 6,100 1993 USA Krikor & Sylvia Galbedian Memorial 68,224 1993 USA Nerses Galbedian Memorial 34,112 1993 USA Aram Hashashian Memorial 11,241 1993 USA Stepan & Haiganoush Kabasakalian

Memorial

28,651 1993 USA Haig Kanjian Memorial 100,000 1993 Canada Alice Nemzar Khashmanian Memorial 80,409 1993 USA Dr. Levon Kurkjian Memorial 17,275 1993 USA Marie Manoogian Memorial 257,622 1993 USA Leon S. Peters Foundation 212,000 1993 USA Rev. Toros Sahagian Memorial 10,000 1993 USA Osep & Nadya Sarafian 30,000 1993 Egypt Garabed Sarian Memorial 11,696 1993 USA Mannig Simidian Memorial 10,000 1993 USA James B. & Mary Sinclair 26,400 1993 USA Abraham Soghigian Memorial 226,411 1993 Cyprus Nerses Tamamian Memorial 58,193 1993 Italy Hagop Dirane Topalian Memorial 12,335,902 www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 45

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 1993 USA Ovsanna K. Vartivarian Memorial $ 3,189 1993 Cyprus Ohanes Vekilian Memorial 23,500 1993 USA Haig B. Yardumian Memorial 10,000 1993 USA Satenig Yardumian Memorial 10,000 1994 USA AGBU President’s Club Summer

Intern Program

402,895 1994 Greece Garabed Andonian Memorial 474,873 1994 France Armenag Arabian Memorial 95,449 1994 USA Harold A. Arsenian Memorial 55,488 1994 USA Susan Avakian Memorial 10,575 1994 USA Mary Aydenian Memorial 257,777 1994 USA Dickranouhi & Armen P. Baltian Memorial 120,790 1994 USA Dickran S. Chobanian Memorial 10,000 1994 USA Choulian/Zovickian Memorial 10,000 1994 USA Gregory Mark Gargarian, Ph.D. Memorial 25,500 1994 USA Gaspar A. Goshgarian 100,100 1994 USA George Gurdjian Memorial 350,000 1994 USA Seda Voskanian Haroutunian Memorial 59,158 1994 USA Vicki & Raffy Hovanessian 20,000 1994 USA Peter Hiak Jacobson Memorial 100,000 1994 USA Albert H. Jamentz Memorial 50,000 1994 USA Loosazine Kazanjian Memorial 11,690 1994 USA Gerald A. Kearns 449,677 1994 Canada George Makinisian Memorial 76,427 1994 USA Manoogian Manor 1,000,000 1994 USA Manoogian Simone Foundation 2,950,000 1994 USA Valentine Mazloumian Memorial 10,000 1994 USA Mr. & Mrs. John C. Nicholls, Jr. 50,949 1994 Greece Mgrditch Papazian Memorial 143,769 1995 France Krikor Aghekian Memorial 59,112 1995 USA Francois S. & Suzy Antounian 17,040 1995 USA John Aranosian Family 48,500 1995 USA Armenouhi Bagdasarian Memorial 34,100 1995 USA Leo & Elaine Bakalian Memorial 10,115 1995 USA Dickran Barsam 14,000 1995 USA Melkon & Soorpoohi Chiefgian Memorial 1,000 1995 USA Sarkis & Nora Dadourian Memorial 113,500 1995 USA Digranaguerd Reconstruction Union 31,924 1995 England Epram & Alice Djirdjirian Memorial 324,245 1995 USA George K. & Lucy L. Eguinlian Memorial 358,697 1995 USA Arthur K. & Araxse Enjaian Memorial 49,080 1995 USA Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. 85,000 1995 USA Dr. & Mrs. Samuel Haig Jameson 151,287 1995 USA Nishan & Arshalous Janigian

Memorial

3,000 1995 USA Dickran & Haigouhi Kashian Memorial 90,902 1995 USA Khachadourian Brothers Memorial 746,811 1995 USA Anthony Kushigian Memorial 3,203,776 1995 USA Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Memorial 457,727 1995 USA Wayne B. Lyon 150,000 1995 Switzerland Khosrof & Varsene Mansourian

Memorial

25,000 1995 USA Puzant & Marie Markarian Memorial 76,940 1995 USA Victor Menayan 100,000 1995 USA Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc. 20,000 1995 USA Richard G. Mosteller 150,000 1995 USA Gregory M. & Maritza M. Mugar 12,000 46 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

1995 USA Nevart R. Najarian Memorial $ 10,000 1995 USA Agop Jirair Ovanessian Family 56,000 1995 USA Rouben & Nina Terzian 25,000 1995 USA Jack S. Torosian 125,000 1995 USA Samuel Valenti III 150,000 1995 USA Mr. & Mrs. Hagop Vanerian 8,786 1995 Venezuela Esteban & Sada Zarikian 125,500 1995 USA Zartarian Foundation 9,500 1996 USA Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis Acopian 2,045,000 1996 USA AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School 183,527 1996 USA Amar Murad Andranigian Memorial 384,042 1996 USA Antranig Berberian 132,500 1996 USA Zaven P. Berberian 85,045 1996 USA Artine & Rose Boyajian Memorial 9,905 1996 USA Nelly Boyajian Memorial 7,733 1996 USA Leon Chahinian 93,000 1996 USA Mr. & Mrs. Shavarsh Demirdjian 25,000 1996 USA Donchian, Hajeian & Chirkinian Memorial 85,500 1996 USA Peter B. Gabrielian Memorial 497,750 1996 USA Richard & Beatrice Hagopian Memorial 100,000 1996 Belgium Christophe H. Hatchikoff Memorial 250,000 1996 USA Melkiset & Isgouhi Jamgotch

Family Memorial

160,694 1996 USA Dirouhi B. Jingozian Memorial 244,305 1996 USA Girar K. & Hasmik Kaprelian 34,151 1996 USA Alice Kashian Memorial 10,000 1996 England Mac John Lucas Memorial 302,428 1996 USA Alex Manoogian Memorial 1,026,300 1996 USA Masco Corporation 60,000 1996 USA Richard Nalbandian Memorial 28,035 1996 Lebanon Noubar Nazarian Memorial 95,534 1996 USA Vahe Nishanian Memorial 50,125 1996 USA Astrid Papazian 15,000 1996 USA Elizabeth Phillian Memorial 6,358 1996 USA Aram Sander Memorial 35,000 1996 USA Boghos & Arusiag Sanoian Memorial 10,000 1996 USA Henry P. Sanoian & Nancy Manoogian 25,000 1996 USA Sam & Sylva Simonian 112,000 1996 USA Leon & Shake Tokatlian 10,000 1996 USA Charles G. Uligian 75,294 1996 USA G. S. Ani Vapurciyan 11,766 1997 USA AGBU Detroit Chapter 6,000 1997 USA AGBU Friends of AUA 468,625 1997 USA AGBU Orange County Chapter 3,000 1997 USA Grace Alexanian Memorial 25,000 1997 USA Mable V. Altoonjian Memorial 20,000 1997 USA Arabkir Union Inc. 487,314 1997 USA AUA Mihran Agbabian 311,400 1997 USA John J. Bandeian Memorial 263,383 1997 USA Johnny O. Barber Memorial 70,000 1997 USA Joseph L. & Jacqueline S. Basralian 130,200 1997 USA Akhayeg Bedrosian Memorial 11,000 1997 USA Antranik & Sheny Bobelian 26,975 1997 USA Eli Y. & Zavart Demirdjian

Bogosian Memorial

8,745 1997 USA Budakian Family 20,919 1997 USA Cafesjian Family Foundation 635,000

1997 USA Harry T. Chouljian Memorial $ 80,000 1997 USA Vahe & Aline Donikian Memorial 7,625 1997 USA Kevork B. Garmirian Memorial 37,300 1997 USA Dr. Assadour Gulvartian Memorial 11,152 1997 USA Roxie Hagopian Memorial 261,216 1997 USA Rev. Fr. Carnig A. Hallajian 319,592 1997 Egypt Sarkis Hovagimian Memorial 255,139 1997 USA Col. Manuel Hovnanian Memorial 17,900 1997 USA Avedis V. & Yerchanig Janjigian Memorial 27,110 1997 USA Noubar & Anita Jessourian Memorial 244,537 1997 USA Garabed & Tourvanda Jooharigian Memorial 5,000 1997 USA Mark & Rose Kandarian Memorial 100,837 1997 USA Kazazian Family 73,539 1997 Cyprus Boghos Kerbeykian Memorial 36,340 1997 USA Varujan & Sirpuhi Kesenci 2,500 1997 USA Elizabeth Kondazian Memorial 664,159

Sharing a Love for Knowledge Lucille Makarov Memorial Totals $16,089 someone close to Lucille Makarov once said she probably saved General Motors Research (GMR) millions of dollars in patent defense during her three-decade tenure in the company’s Computer Science (CS) Department. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Detroit’s Wayne State University in 1953, Lucille started her career as a specialized librarian at GM, supporting 180 scientists who were discovering cutting edge technology in the automotive industry.

Her former supervisor and friend Steve Holland recalled, “The GMR CS Department was both unique and famous in the world as one of the hotbeds of what was then an emerging field. One exceptional aspect of this department was that it had its own library and its own librarian—Lucille Makarov. Because computer science itself was still in its infancy, researchers there had some difficulties in finding required information. All one had to do was tell her what you wanted to know and she would work magic in finding it. She was relentless and effective. But it went beyond just that. Lucille came to learn what was important to you and would share things with you that you

didn't even know to ask for. She was good at her job and she loved it.”

Lucille’s dear friend and neighbor Marty Wunsch remembers her as a voracious reader and learner, as well as a socially engaging and generous woman who always got the job done.

She lived simply, but was always ready to bestow a box of chocolates, fruit basket or floral arrangement to express appreciation. “She greeted you with excitement and pleasure, remembered birthdays, and sent cards frequently,” said Marty.

“I always admired Lucille’s positive attitude. She was inspiring, uplifting and her smile was contagious,” said her friend Elena Martinovici.

A universal memory shared by all who knew her: receiving articles she knew the individual would enjoy reading. Steve added, “For two decades after Lucille retired, I continued to get clipped articles from her on a regular basis—the last one probably three months before her death. I enjoyed her support as a true friend for over 40 years.”

During the final ten years of her life, Lucille would sit in her kitchen all day holding court—friends and neighbors of diverse ethnic backgrounds dropped by to discuss politics, current events and everything in between, exchange books, take her to medical appointments or just spend time together. She even hosted the occasional party. Her fellow retirees from GM brought her to their reunion every three years.

Next-door neighbor Khushnam Sidhwa said, “I loved to visit frequently; Lucille was one of the most intellectual persons I have ever met, always reading books on dense subjects.

The tiny TV mounted over her refrigerator was on all day so that she could watch every news and educational channel.

With a tremendous zest for life, her passion for knowledge went beyond all limits.”

“Lucille lived with joy, affection, determination and the desire to learn. She inspired us to reach out and touch others the same way she touched us, and to remember that these qualities know no end in age,” said Marty.

Her parents, Oscar and Josephine Kachadoorian, were both widowed during the Armenian Genocide and found a new life with each other when mutual acquaintances suggested they sail to America together. They married and arrived to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where Lucille and her twin sister Susan were born in 1928. Josephine also bore two more daughters: Mary and Ann. When Mary moved to Michigan after marriage, the family followed and Oscar worked at Masco, the company started by AGBU Lifetime President Alex Manoogian. One night at a party, Lucille met Nicholas Makarov, a muscular and engaging man from Bled, Serbia, who would soon become her husband. A draftsman by trade, Nicholas also played the guitar, sang and dabbled in art. They enjoyed having parties of their own over the years until his death in 1999.

Lucille Makarov died peacefully in late 2013. Her bequest to AGBU totals $16,089 and will benefit the numerous educational, cultural and humanitarian programs the organization continues to administer worldwide. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 47

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 1997 USA Hagopos & Imasd Kurkjian Memorial $ 10,822 1997 USA Yeranouhie Mamourian Memorial 15,000 1997 USA Hagop & Takouhy Mangerian Memorial 122,075 1997 USA George & Marge Manoogian 69,521 1997 USA Meghrigian Family Scholarship 100,000 1997 USA Hagop Mendikian & Rose Mendik

Meschke Memorial

412,120 1997 USA Anush Nazarian & Suzanne Toufayan 28,400 1997 USA Satenig Ouzounian Memorial 54,653 1997 USA Soukias & Koogas Ovagimian,

Khachadour N. Magarian Memorial 10,000 1997 USA Avedis H. & Azadouhie Piandarian Memorial 19,000 1997 USA Grace & Charles Pinajian 123,969 1997 USA John S. & Mariam Rahanian Memorial 10,000 1997 USA Dorothy Sahroian Robinson Memorial 112,601 1997 Switzerland Varujan & Silva Sahakyan Memorial 3,128,365 1997 USA Elmas M. Saraf Memorial 9,587 1997 USA Dr. & Mrs. Sarkis M. Shaghalian 50,000 1997 USA Iva Shaljian Memorial 2,904,766 1997 USA Queen P. Essayan Silva Memorial 10,000 1997 USA David & Louise Simone 72,500 1997 USA Zabel and Tavit S. Soultanian and

Zallakian Family Memorial

19,028 1997 USA Leon & Zarmig Surmelian Memorial 3,558,109 1997 USA Berge Tatian 25,500 1997 USA Kevork & Pamela Toroyan 5,200 1997 USA Loussentak Vartanian Memorial 22,490 1997 USA Vartkes Yeghiayan Memorial 4,008 1997 USA Zeronian Family Memorial 148,488 1997 USA Israel & Vartouhi Zokian Memorial 13,815 1998 USA Dr. & Mrs. Daniel H. Abdulian 28,500 1998 USA AGBU General Fund 477,187 1998 USA Norair M. & Elizabeth M. Ajamian Memorial 198,908 1998 USA Yervant & Marie Akian 10,000 1998 USA Nvart H. Alexanian Memorial 174,495 1998 USA Hrant Altunian Memorial 10,000 1998 USA Mr. & Mrs. Robert Apelian 27,750 1998 USA Kaspar, Soultan, Paul & Johann Apkarian 50,000 1998 USA Armand P. Avakian 5,000 1998 USA Aram & Berjouhie Balekjian Memorial 10,775 1998 USA Dr. & Mrs. George Bannayan 47,500 1998 USA Sarkis & Ruth Bedevian 1,420,500 1998 USA Rev. Fr. & Mrs. Bob J. Bethoney 2,000 1998 USA Sarkis Bogosian Memorial 206,067 1998 USA Jack O. Charshafian Memorial 11,935 1998 USA Hagop & Hranoush Dabanian Memorial 10,000 1998 USA Mr. & Mrs. Zaven Dadekian 20,000 1998 USA Frederick Danelian 38,222 1998 USA Vagharshag Danielian Memorial 38,000 1998 USA Art Darian Memorial 144,035 1998 USA Kerop & Amalia Der Avedisian 10,000 1998 USA Kevork & Nazeni Deukmedjian Memorial 9,855 1998 USA Garo N. Dorian 5,390 1998 USA Dr. Pauline Goodian Memorial 974,107 1998 USA Dr. Pauline Goodian & Dr. Yervant

Harrian Memorial

324,687 1998 USA Mariam & Boghos Goodian Memorial 324,687 48 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

1998 Switzerland Arshalouys Goudian Memorial 1998 USA Ashod Hadjian 1998 USA Michael & Katherine Halebian 1998 USA Norair Hovaghimian Memorial 1998 USA Mr. & Mrs. Krikor Istanboulli 1998 USA Maria Jinishian Memorial 1998 USA Charley Kademian Memorial 1998 USA Hagop & Anna Kalaydjian Memorial 1998 USA Shahan Karakash Memorial 1998 USA Dr. & Mrs. Artine Kokshanian 1998 USA John & Theresa Korenian 1998 USA Terenik & Rita Koujakian 1998 Canada Kurdian-Manoukian 1998 USA Azniv A. Malootian Memorial 1998 USA Ruby Markarian 1998 China Hagop Maxian 1998 USA Jeffery & Mary Parsigian 1998 France Daniel Saglamian 1998 USA Mr. & Mrs. Antranig Sarkissian 1998 USA Sarkis Soultanian Memorial 1998 USA Sarkis Spanjian Memorial Scholarship 1998 USA Vartan G. Telian Memorial 1998 Switzerland Hagop Tellalian Memorial 1998 USA Arshag & Isgouhi Barsamian

Topalian Memorial 1998 France Marie Veledian 1999 USA AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian

Student Council 1999 USA Noubar & Maro Agopian 1999 USA Jane M. Alexanian Memorial 1999 USA Zauvart Alexanian 1999 USA Anonymous “K” 1999 USA Marie K. Ansourian Memorial 1999 USA Noubar & Anna Ashjian Memorial 1999 USA Haratune & Avedis Avedisian Memorial 1999 USA Bedros & Nvat Ayvazian Memorian 1999 USA Aram & Arpina Aznavorian Memorial 1999 USA Osky Balderian Memorial 1999 USA Albert & Tove Boyajian 1999 USA Fred R. & Hazel W. Carstensen Memorial 1999 USA Mr. & Mrs. Levon Cepkinian 1999 USA Armenette A. Christie Memorial 1999 USA Gesaria Compatriotic Benevolent Assoc.

1999 USA Dr. & Mrs. Vicken Gulvartian 1999 France Edouard Yervant Gureghian 1999 USA Kaspar & Kohar Hagopian Family 1999 USA Raymond & Mildred Hagopian 1999 USA Arshavir & Arpik Jagaspanian Memorial 1999 USA Dr. Aram Janigian Memorial 1999 USA Haroutune Kenadjian Memorial 1999 USA Richard & Jane Manoogian Foundation 1999 USA Hagop & Iroula Manuelian 1999 USA Margos & Elizabeth, Andranic, Knaric

Clara & Grace Margossian 1999 USA Serop & Vartoohie Mashikian Memorial 1999 USA Mr. & Mrs. Varto Mazmanian 1999 USA Dr. Diran O. Mikaelian

$ 2,000,000 70,000 105,000 25,000 60,000 10,000 52,641 6,798 50,000 13,950 20,056 12,000 33,640 57,535 10,000 26,000 60,000 222,636 9,000 14,815 40,000 40,000 315,200

12,950 175,320

5,000 29,094 74,931 20,000 47,579 20,730 130,068 5,000 184,867 335,777 58,096 110,000 13,000 5,000 105,609 5,000 5,136 26,800 111,293 18,000 10,000 191,282 131,810 400,000 20,170

120,000 25,000 7,838 47,149

1999 USA Suzy Minassian Memorial 1999 USA Arthur Musurlian 1999 USA Mr. & Mrs. Edward Nahabet 1999 USA Harry Orbelian 1999 France Togo Pachaian 1999 USA Lucy J. Parsek Memorial 1999 USA Mr. & Mrs. Edward Peters 1999 USA Vera Roopenian Memorial 1999 USA Nubar Sayarman Memorial 1999 USA Leon & Victoria Shaldjian Foundation 1999 USA Minas Shirvanian Memorial 1999 USA Knarik & Sirarpi Sislian 1999 USA Dr. Krikor Soghikian 1999 USA Nishan Tamezian 1999 USA Avedis & Loussazine Tcheurekdjian 1999 USA Berj Topjian Memorial 1999 USA Sarkis & Zarouhi Touloukian, Arsine

Selian Memorials 1999 USA Astine Vartanian Memorial 1999 USA Haiganoush Agnes & Haig R.

Yazijian Memorial 1999 France Souren, Ara, Tzolak Yeramian Memorial 1999 USA Krikor Youredjian

$ 5,120 4,523 5,000 2,000 111,976 10,000 12,000 121,484 53,610 1,943,771 7,095 22,000 25,000 27,000 22,300 29,534

197,718 10,975 1,006,921 360,300 6,224

2000 USA AGBU Friends of Children's Centers 362,085 2000 USA AGBU Southern California

Youth Activities

69,505 2000 USA Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ajamian 60,255 2000 USA Adrienne G. Alexanian 25,000 2000 USA Araxie C. Anjoorian Memorial 10,000 2000 USA Anonymous “OC” 10,000 2000 England Hoseb & Lilly Arathoon Trust 205,146 2000 USA Ardemis, Arpy & Armenoohy

Arsenian Memorial

79,141 2000 USA Yervantouhi, Khoren & Michael Asdoorian 112,199 2000 USA Mr. & Mrs. Jim Avakian 97,285 2000 Syria Nourhan Balian 2,000 2000 USA Ara & Georgette Boyajian 16,123 2000 USA Dickran Bozajian Memorial 25,000 2000 USA Gosdan Bozajian 25,000 2000 Canada Kevork Cachaznouni Memorial 112,633 2000 USA Aram & Sarkis Chapian Memorial 51,900 2000 USA Ara & Valerie Cherchian 47,350 2000 France N. Dedeyan 11,205 2000 USA Nazaret & Meliné Demirjian Memorial 42,000 2000 USA John & Stella Eshkonian, Krikor &

Mariam Eshkonian, Mary Eshkon Magmer Memorial 50,000 2000 USA Drs. Garabed & Peter Fattal,

Nora Gibbs, Corinne Farrell 42,519 2000 USA Loulou Fermanian Memorial 10,250 2000 USA Sarkis Gabrellian Memorial 10,000 2000 USA Flora & Valarshak Mackertich

Galoostian Memorial

50,000 2000 USA Murad Guchigian Memorial 24,500 2000 USA Beatrice A. & Burgess Charles

Harpoot Memorial

10,000

2000 USA Isabelle Aranosian Hodgson $ 5,000 2000 USA Clara Ignatius Memorial 10,000 2000 USA Hagop Daniel Janoyan Memorial 10,400 2000 USA Dikranouhi Jernukian Memorial 5,000 2000 USA Berj B. Kalaidjian 7,000 2000 USA Arpcase Kilerjian Memorial 71,842 2000 USA Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation 80,435 2000 USA Bartloff Kosrofian Memorial 348,071 2000 USA Novart & Arsen Markarian Memorial 10,267 2000 USA John & Paris Minosion Memorial 83,591 2000 USA Noubar & Dikranouhi Mkhsi-Kevorkian 10,000 2000 USA Dertad Y. Mooradian Memorial 25,000 2000 USA Leon A. Najarian Memorial 7,500 2000 USA Ohannes & Zabel Najarian Memorial 22,000 2000 USA James & Servart (Guregian)

Parechanian Memorial

55,755 2000 USA Asdine & Barkev Sagatelian Memorial 642,086 2000 USA Linda Shahinian 5,000 2001 Canada AGBU Montreal Educ Aid 6,540 2001 Canada Armenag Aprahamian Memorial 143,633 2001 USA Vartan A. Arkanian Memorial 164,929 Azniv Arslanian 7,412 2001 France 2001 USA Sarkis & Susan Arzoumanian 10,000 2001 USA Mr. & Mrs. Ara Barmakian 19,000 2001 USA Norma Der Mugrdechian Memorial 17,300 2001 USA Dr. & Mrs. Heratch Doumanian 26,500 2001 USA Educational Society of Malatia 50,403 2001 USA Seroon Egavian Memorial 52,454 2001 USA Paris, Garbis, George & Jerry Essayian,

Rose B. Vereen, Agnes B. Solline Memorial 80,744 2001 England Katherina Ghazarian Memorial 336,250 2001 USA Armenak & Iskoohi Andrias

Ghoukassian Memorial

10,000 2001 USA Toros & Zabelle Gosyan Memorial 376,563 2001 USA David M. Horne Memorial 5,000 2001 USA Buck Hovsepian Memorial 775,477 2001 USA Howard Family Philanthropic Fund 15,000 2001 USA Mardo & Seta Kaprealian 10,000 2001 USA Sculptor Bruce Sanoian Kueffer Memorial 5,000 2001 USA Madeline Manoogian Memorial 5,000 2001 France Andre Manoukian Memorial 659,415 2001 USA Katherine & Avedis Miridjanian Memorial 37,000 2001 USA Hagop J. Nazerian Memorial 20,715 2001 USA John & Grace Brady Nicoll Memorial 36,702 2001 USA Angelina Ohanian Memorial 5,000 2001 USA Arpeen Mangerian Sullivan 51,434 2001 USA Jorge Tchinnosian 5,000 2001 USA Aspet & Zevart Vartenissian Memorial 513,057 2001 USA Christina & Araxie Zorian Memorial 32,632 2002 USA AGBU YP 179,349 2002 USA Jack & Ani Anserian 34,000 2002 USA Yertvart Arzumanyan Memorial 727,171 2002 Syria Alexan Attarian Memorial 5,490 2002 USA Hratchia & Adrine Chamlian Memorial 10,000 2002 USA Simon A. Cholakian Memorial 115,922 2002 USA Mr. & Mrs. Vartan Hartounian 11,000 www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 49

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 2002 USA Jeffrey S. Kerbeykian Memorial $ 10,052 2002 USA Boghos Mekhedjian Memorial 7,400 2002 USA Maritza Parechanian Mousaian

Memorial 10,200 2002 USA Narthooe Nahigian Poloshian Memorial 14,500 2002 USA George H. Shahbazian 4,000 2002 France Anahid & Kourkin Stepanian Memorial 177,054 2002 USA Vartkes & Berjouhi Tamzarian 50,000 2002 USA Bishop Papken Varjabedian Memorial 60,033 2002 USA Jacqueline Yedibalian 5,000 2002 USA Victor Zarougian & Judith A. Saryan 121,050 2003 France Marie-Louise Le Roy Agabekian 2,135,643 2003 USA AGBU Friends of Armenia Education 82,102 2003 USA Souren Aghajanian Memorial 3,919 2003 USA Anonymous “AK”, NY 3,000 2003 USA Nevart Balekjian Memorial 10,000 2003 USA Rafi H. & Zela K. Balouzian 18,500 2003 USA Bart G. Baron Memorial 2,250 2003 France Zadour Berberian 44,555 2003 USA Arshalouys Chakrian Memorial 10,000 2003 Syria Enkrid Chemkerten 3,560 2003 USA Chomaklou Compatriotic Society Inc. 60,000 2003 France Simone Djarikian 179,414 2003 USA Leah Garabedian Memorial 25,000 2003 USA Paul & Rose Hachigian 100,380 2003 USA Hairapetian & Hairapetian 55,000 2003 USA Dr. Leo Hamalian Memorial 6,075 2003 USA Armen & Gloria Hampar Family 60,000 2003 USA Arsen B. Haroutunian Memorial 5,000 2003 USA Mardiros Iskenderian Memorial 20,045 2003 USA Puzant H. Jeryan Memorial 6,241,428 2003 USA George V. & Aznive Kaplan Memorial 20,000 2003 USA Roupen & Verjine Karakhanian Memorial 27,000 2003 USA Krikor & Nevart Kiladjian Memorial 2,215 2003 USA Harry & Suzanne Mangoian 11,566 2003 USA George Mekjian 20,000 2003 USA Karekin Melidonian Memorial 11,530 2003 USA Mike Partayan 144,000 2003 USA Mugerditch & Marie Selvian Memorial 25,000 2003 USA Stephan Ter-Poghossian Memorial 30,000 2003 USA Peter G. & Elizabeth Torosian

Foundation

10,000 2003 USA Drs. Yervant & Rita Zorian 11,500 2004 France AGBU District Committee of France 103,504 2004 USA Haiganoosh Mengushian Ajemian

Memorial

594,333 2004 USA Dorothy B. Avakian 20,000 2004 USA Ohannes & Veron Aznavoorian Memorial 25,000 2004 Egypt Parsegh Balekdjian Memorial 107,220 2004 USA John Basmajian Memorial 363,404 2004 USA Carl B. & Gladys L. Dockmejian Memorial 97,998 2004 USA Greta M. & Drs. John H. & Leo R. Doumanian 10,000 2004 USA George & Mary Esajian Memorial 10,000 2004 USA Krikor & Aghavni Geogerian Memorial 5,000 2004 USA Raffi George Memorial 13,000 2004 Egypt B. Hekimian & Melkonian Memorial 137,000 2004 USA Krikor Imirzian Memorial 7,595 50 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

2004 USA Roy G. Kelegian Memorial $ 5,995 2004 USA Richard R. Markarian Memorial 100,000 2004 USA Andon & Vartanoush Noraian Memorial 5,000 2004 USA George & Agnes Noraian 5,000 2004 USA Vicki, Gary & Nora Noraian 5,000 2004 USA Garnik & Hilda Ohanian 9,500 2004 USA Mary Mangerian Onanian & George

Mangerian Memorial

70,000 2004 USA Mary Mangerian Onanian Memorial 91,597 2004 USA Hampartzum & Turvanda Kurkjian

Parechanian Memorial 5,555 2004 Canada Sahin Satin 30,157 2004 USA Olympia Jamgochian Shahbaz Memorial 5,000 2004 USA Anahid & Tony Diran Memorial Tevrizian 60,060 2004 USA Earl & Charlotte Van Hise, Albert

French Memorial

12,500 2004 USA Daniff Yazijian Memorial 32,794 2005 USA Rose Agajan Memorial 10,200 2005 USA AGBU Friends of Armenia & Karabakh 50,288 2005 USA Anonymous “A & T” 10,000 2005 USA Anonymous “AM” 351,858 Anonymous “BG” 100,000 2005 USA 2005 USA John & Rose Apalakian Memorial 16,363 2005 USA Paul & Grace Arslanian Memorial 104,815 2005 USA Ervand & Dshkhui Arutunian Memorial 50,000 2005 USA Helen Arutunian Memorial 50,000 2005 USA Kazaros Arutunian & Nina

Kazaroff Memorial

50,000 2005 USA Sevan Aslanyan 6,000 2005 USA Alexander Jirayr & Isabella Lori Balikian 5,575 2005 USA Ari Balouzian 11,950 2005 USA Shoghig Bardakjian Memorial 27,265 2005 USA Harold R. & Betty G. Battersby 25,000 2005 USA Jeffrey Stephen Berliner & Karen

Shahbazian Berliner

5,250 2005 USA Haig Milton Boyajohn & Frances Boyajohn

Cuniberti Family Memorial 1,084,366 2005 USA Karekin & Arousiag Demirjian

Memorial

5,000 2005 USA Louise Doumanian Memorial 10,000 2005 USA Armen, Ann & Arden Giligian 31,612 2005 USA John & Bessie Kazanjian Guregian

& Gerald Guregian Memorial 13,161 2005 USA Harry & Armine Hagopian Memorial 195,811 2005 USA John H. Hagopian Memorial 25,000 2005 USA Sarkis Kaloustian Memorial 10,000 2005 USA Nehmat Y. Kilajian Memorial 32,000 2005 USA Levon & Vartoohi Menasian

Kouyoumjian Memorial

14,780 2005 USA Garabed & Aghavni Kouzoujian Memorial 45,700 2005 USA Varteres Maroukian Memorial 29,394 2005 USA Harry, Lucy & Alice Mooradian Memorial 25,300 2005 USA Naomi Pekmezian Memorial 212,866 2005 USA Jirair Sarian Memorial 25,000 2005 USA Paris Terzian Memorial 51,973 2006 USA AAIC Endowment Fund 2,000,000 2006 USA AGBU Nork Children’s Center 110,067

2006 USA Mr. & Mrs. Manoog Altoonjian Memorial $ 213,041 2006 USA George & Sybille Aprahamian 25,000 2006 USA Maral Ani Avakian Memorial 6,570 2006 USA Tokmun & Lucy Bakalian, Leo &

Elaine Bakalian Memorial

136,271 2006 USA Hasmig Barsoumian 20,000 2006 France Elise Basmadjian 65,000 2006 USA Takoohie (Queenie) J. & Delemak

A. Basmajian Memorial 12,980 2006 USA Gordon & Virginia (Kazanjian) Bedrosian

& Kazanjian Families of Lowell, MA Memorial 35,644 2006 USA Viken & Nora Bedrossian 13,000 2006 USA Joseph Chalmers Memorial 13,217 2006 France Ohannes Donelian 38,132 2006 USA Ethel J. Duffett Memorial 399,600

Believing in True Love Aram A. & Luz Papasian Memorial Totals $2,883,922 “i had nicknamed my Uncle Aram the ‘Armenian Rex Harrison,’” said Sabrina Topalian. “He was a handsome, articulate, quick-witted man who could engage in any conversation with intelligence and warmth.”

Aram Papasian spoke several languages, including Armenian, English, French and Mandarin, and lived in Ottoman Turkey (his birthplace), Europe, China and finally America. He was born in 1906 to Yervant and Elise Papasian and had a sister Daisie who established herself in Paris.

“He and Aunt Luz, the love of his life, were the ideal couple in my eyes. They enjoyed each other’s company, traveled, appreciated the arts and honored their families.

Their miniature poodle Didi was their companion everywhere they went,” added Sabrina whose mother Thalia Fundukian Topalian was Aram’s cousin.

True love, however, did not come easily for Aram and Luz, who was born Clara Luz Figueroa Palma in Guatemala City, Guatemala, in 1915. She was the only child of physician Francisco Figueroa Sandoval and Americana Palma. Americana’s father was the famous Cuban poet José Joaquín

Palma, who was exiled to Guatemala and later wrote the verses for the Guatemalan national anthem.

Luz (“light” in Spanish) was known as Lucita among those close to her, and spent her early childhood surrounded by doting parents, family, and friends until Francisco was appointed the first ambassador of Guatemala to the Vatican. Soon after, she attended a school run by nuns in Paris.

Francisco next served as the ambassador to England, and Luz continued her studies in London. By that time, World War II had started, and she was inspired to join the Juvenile Red Cross. It was there that Luz met Aram and a great friendship started. The two soon fell in love, but the war had intensified and the Guatemalan government ordered the ambassador to return home to safety. Aram asked for Luz’s hand in marriage—he was due to go to China because of a work contract with a carpet factory—but her parents opposed the union as they felt she was too young.

With a heavy heart, Luz decided to obey their decision; she knew her mother could never withstand the separation. The young lovers promised to continue their relationship, but their letters never reached their destination and contact was lost.

Twenty-five years passed and Luz remained in her hometown. She dedicated her days to taking care of her mother, who lived to the age of 94.

On the night of September 7, 1963, Luz’s telephone rang; when she answered, an unforgettable voice said: “Luz! Luz! I love you! I have spent years trying to find you, and finally I did.

I will be in Guatemala in three days.” By chance or perhaps fate, Sabrina’s mother had shared with a Guatemalan coworker the story of how her cousin Aram had fallen in love with a girl from her country; the co-worker knew of Luz and at last a conduit was found to locate her. Aram had never given up on his true love, and he married Luz soon after in Acapulco, Mexico.

They lived happily in Manhattan for 28 years and traveled around the world. France was their favorite destination.

When Aram was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Luz took care of him every day with steadfast adoration until his death in 2004. Their ashes remain together in Guatemala City—their love never again to be separated.

Alejandrina Pinot, the daughter of Luz’s cousin Celeste Pinot Sagastume, remembers with much warmth and love the one-month vacations she spent with Uncle Aram and Aunt Luz for three consecutive years in New York. She stated, “Memories are the best treasure that a family can have, a life lived fully in love. Aunt Luz would have said: ‘Birds are singing joyfully in heaven, because our souls and ashes are finally together.’ They were a devoted couple who always gave their best to others.”

Aram was very proud of his Armenian heritage. Upon Luz’s death in 2013, AGBU received a substantial and most generous bequest from the Trust under the Will of Aram Papasian totaling $2,883,922, which will help perpetuate the organization’s over 108-year old mission of promoting the Armenian culture all over the world in the decades to come. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 51

AGBU Endowments 1910-2014 2006 USA Haton & Hachadoor Erganian Family 2006 USA Daniel Janeves Memorial 2006 USA Peter & Clare G. Kalustian Memorial 2006 USA Ashot Kazaroff Memorial 2006 France Keuleyan/Miguian 2006 USA Berdj & Margaret Kiladjian 2006 USA Jerry Kouyoumjian Memorial 2006 USA The Harry T. Mangurian Jr.

Foundation Inc. 2006 USA Berj & Lusine Mikaelian 2006 USA Ann Mooradian Memorial 2006 USA Mullian Family Memorial 2006 USA Dr. Robert M. Nalbandian Memorial 2006 USA Joseph & Jenny Oughourlian 2006 USA Varsenig Z. Pasternak Memorial 2006 USA Armineh Simon & Hagop Elmayan

Memorials 2006 Uruguay Meguerditch Miguel Tchavoushian

Memorial 2006 USA Artin & Yeghisapet Toorinjian Memorial 2006 USA Turpanjian Family 2006 USA Harry Zekian Memorial 2007 USA Z. Paul & Sonia Akian 2007 France Anais Bagdassarian 2007 France Sarkis Chakardjian 2007 USA Dr. Peter H. & Joachim H. Yesek Darpin 2007 USA Arsen & Varteni Diran Family Memorial 2007 USA George Hovanesian Memorial 2007 USA Garo Hussenjian Memorial 2007 USA Dikran & Marie Iskenderian 2007 USA George Manavian Memorial 2007 USA Haik Mangerian Memorial 2007 USA Hemanyag Mangerian Memorial 2007 USA Oscar & Irene Mazmanian Memorial 2007 USA Gerald McKay 2007 USA Sukias N. & Haigouhi Arukian

Mooradian Memorial 2007 USA Berge & Evelyn Papazian 2007 USA Anahid Ann Pridjian Memorial 2007 France Michel Khandjian Sabbagh 2007 USA Shnorhig (Grace) Tahmazian Memorial 2007 USA Hratch & Suzanne Toufayan 2007 USA Gary & Nina Turpanjian 2008 USA AGBU Focus 2007 NYSIP Scholarship 2008 France AGBU France 2008 USA Margaret Ajemian Ahnert 2008 Switzerland Anonymous “HN” 2008 USA Michael & Rose Assarian 2008 USA Garo & Margaret Gazurian Memorial 2008 USA Green & Gedigian Family 2008 USA Florence Lee Hampartz Memorial 2008 France Chavarche Aida & André

Hartounians Memorial 2008 Turkey Kalfayan Orphanage Foundation 2008 Canada Delemak & Eugenie Kurkjian

Memorial 2008 USA Hovanes Lalikian Memorial 52 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

$ 123,033 179,500 8,850 50,000 267,799 15,000 2,535,112

360,000 7,025 830,237 6,043,067 6,100 62,500 523,537

5,000

20,000 10,000 250,000 8,000 10,000 81,332 117,600 41,470 2,832,588 10,000 11,500 6,900 17,500 5,656 10,000 10,000 12,250

10,000 16,300 201,000 36,750 569,408 1,328,525 10,750 55,000 500,000 37,000 1,352,228 5,000 7,418 10,000 27,212 5,492,989 254,693

811,223 10,350

2008 USA Toros & Gacia Mangassarian 2008 USA Donald S. & Carolyn C. Michaelian 2008 USA Ned J. & Corinne Parsekian & Family 2008 USA Nishan & Lucy Paul Memorial 2008 USA Dr. Nubar & Aida Sethian 2008 USA Agnes Tarpinian Memorial 2008 France Onnig Torossian Memorial 2008 USA Carnig & Virginia Tususian Memorial 2008 France Helena & Mikael Yadegarov 2009 USA Sahag & Rose Akgulian Memorial 2009 USA Haig Allahverdian Memorial 2009 USA Vartkess M. Balian Memorial 2009 USA Leon Richard Caprielian Memorial 2009 USA Albert Demirjian Jr. Memorial 2009 Canada Dr. Arshavir Gundjian 2009 USA Rose Kalajian Memorial 2009 USA Sarkis H. Kashkashian Memorial 2009 USA Margaret H. Merguerian Memorial 2009 USA Gerald G. Norian Memorial 2009 England Berj & Beatrice Sandruny

Educational Trust 2009 USA Krikor & Ovssana Soghomonian

Memorial 2009 USA Rusan Sysoyev Memorial 2009 USA Dr. Elizabeth Boghossian Weller

Memorial 2009 USA Garnik Yefremian Memorial

$ 176,000 5,850 9,000 91,750 10,000 10,627 494,000 50,000 408,133 10,000 234,836 7,600 226,927 1,099,649 30,455 10,000 10,000 93,385 11,882

2010 USA H. Hrant & Alidz Agbabian 2010 USA Puzant & Zartoohy Ajemian Memorial 2010 USA Dr. Ellie Andreassian 2010 USA Harry Haroutioun Artinian Memorial 2010 USA Yervant & Seran Shamlian

Bajakian Memorial 2010 Syria Haig Barigian 2010 USA Albert & Terry Bezjian 2010 USA Ohaness Dellakian Memorial 2010 USA Levon & Angele Dermenjian Memorial 2010 USA Robert K. & Agnes Devejian Memorial 2010 USA Helen Hajinian Memorial 2010 USA Jerry Jemelyan Memorial 2010 USA Carl B. Melikian Memorial 2010 USA John & Patricia W. Merchant Memorial 2010 USA Anthony Mooradian Memorial 2010 USA Agnes Odjakjian Memorial 2010 USA Margaret Ohanian Memorial 2010 USA Stephan Tatusian 2011 USA Walter V. Abbey Memorial 2011 Switzerland Anonymous “PAP” 2011 USA Dr. Gerard Balakian Memorial 2011 USA Rose Eliazarian Memorial 2011 USA Lucia Kalfaian Family 2011 USA Hratch & Carolyn Kouyoumdjian 2011 USA Mary M. Mast Memorial 2011 USA Alice & Stefan Ourlian 2011 USA Harry S. Sarkisian Memorial 2011 USA Haig & Nounia Sirooni Memorial

50,000 20,000 9,515 100,500

90,886

100,000 665,697

18,598 5,155

10,000 74,596 5,000 10,000 15,000 999,886 12,149 27,745 35,646 20,000 3,000 10,000 124,612 15,500 215,770 801,070 50,000 24,096 100,000 55,000 179,025 25,200 12,477 279,116

2011 USA Ani Vapurciyan Memorial 2011 USA Giragos Vapurciyan Memorial 2012 USA Hagop Avedisian Memorial 2012 Canada Shant Kamer Basmajian Memorial 2012 USA Paul Arakel & Margaret

Bogigian Memorial 2012 USA Ayda Ihmalian Memorial 2012 USA Arsine Kassakhian Memorial 2012 USA John Kazanjian Family Foundation 2012 USA Charlotte A. Koomjohn Memorial 2012 USA Azad & George Melkonian Memorial 2012 USA Frances Poloshian Memorial 2012 USA Krikor & Anna Sarafian Memorial 2012 USA Arsen S. Sayan 2012 USA Arine Tchertchian Memorial 2012 USA Helen Movesian Vartanian Memorial 2013 USA Gladys Z. Ashjian Memorial 2013 USA Khosrov & Siranoosh Dabbaghian

Memorial 2013 USA Pergruhi & Garabet Hamparian Memorial 2013 USA Peter Kayajanian Memorial 2013 USA Bobby & Virginia Akkashian

Kazaroff Memorial 2013 USA Shmavon & Seranoosh Manoogian

Memorial

$ 236,387 709,161 10,100 19,333

11,260 69,016 10,000 24,615 17,280 50,000 46,336 47,154 50,000 23,419 786,196 947,874

25,000 10,050 109,043

50,000

191,330

2013 USA Martha Mirigian Memorial 2013 USA Nazar Norsigian Memorial 2013 USA Haroutioun Nerses Ohanian Memorial 2013 USA Aram A. & Luz Papasian Memorial 2013 USA Berge & Vera Setrakian 2013 USA Adrienne Simonian Memorial 2013 USA John Varjabedian 2014 USA Anonymous “T” 2014 USA Jamil M. & Marie J. Arslanian Memorial 2014 USA Anne Balemian Memorial 2014 USA Yervant & Melissa Demirjian 2014 USA Francis T. Devian Memorial 2014 USA Haig & Elza Didizian 2014 USA Harry & Satenig Gray Family 2014 USA Armenouhi A. Isbirian Memorial 2014 USA Arax & Satenig Karagosian Memorial 2014 USA Knights of Vartan-Detroit Chapter 2014 USA Hagop & Eranica Kouyoumdjian 2014 USA Lucille Makarov Memorial 2014 USA Vatche & Tamar Manoukian 2014 USA Therese Ohanian 2014 USA Okutan Varjabedian Family 2014 USA Hemayak Setrakian Memorial 2014 USA Joseph, Esther, Richard & Rose

Tashjian Memorial

$ 1,368,561 6,802 70,000 2,883,922 200,000 12,362 50,000 1,000,000 11,850 150,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 10,000 86,779 10,000 100,000 16,089 2,500,000 100,000 19,500 51,000

25,000

www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 53

AGBU Highlights Ribbon Cutting Held for Old Pontifical Residence at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Renovations Made Possible Through the Generosity of AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Vera Setrakian

P

resided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the reopening ceremony of the Old Pontifical Residence at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin took place in Armenia. The renovations to the historic building were made possible through the generosity of AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Vera Setrakian.

Special guests included Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan, Armenian Healthcare Minister Armen Muradyan, Lebanese Minister of Energy Arthur Nazarian, ranking members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, members of the Setrakian and Nazarian families, representatives of educational and cultural organizations, and a large circle of international guests and friends.

The Catholicos offered His blessings to the Setrakians for undertaking the renovation project, remarking, “They wished to leave something good by which they would be remembered in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, because Holy Etchmiadzin has been a part of their lives, and has always had an important place in their work.” Expressing His appreciation to Setrakian for his leadership and continuous endeavors to strengthen the close ties between AGBU and the Armenian Church, the Catholicos added that this cooperation is helping the Church carry out its mission across the republic and the diaspora.

Setrakian stated, “We have had catholicoi and patriarchs who have served our nation unwaveringly and are remembered as heroes. Their lives have been a source of inspiration for all of us; 54 AGBU 2014 | www.agbu.org

AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Vera Setrakian cut the ceremonial ribbon with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. without their dedication and sacrifice, we probably would have lost our identity. I believe that Armenians, as well as all those who visit the Old Pontifical Residence, will pay tribute to their memory and their legacy, in turn, will be kept alive.”

It was only in 1968, at the time of Catholicos Vazgen I of blessed memory, that a new pontifical residence was built, and the Old Pontifical Residence was remodeled and began to operate as a museum through the support of benefactor and AGBU Lifetime President Alex Manoogian.

With the latest renovations, the Old Pontifical Residence is now home to a series of galleries dedicated to catholicoi and kings of Armenia, where their art collections, treasured possessions and personal effects are showcased. Guests were invited to tour the rooms and admire items such as paintings by the Hovnatanian family in the Ornamented Hall, as well as the 400-year old Holy Chrism, the historical Throne of the Armenian Catholicoi (c. 1837 Madras), and the Pontifical Eagle of Catholicos Pilipos I Aghbaketsi (1632-1655). In another gallery are the personal belongings of Gomidas Vartabed; also featured are unique examples of Armenian silver and needlework, and various ceremonial objects. The Old Pontifical Residence will function as a museum and its annex will serve as a guest house for high-ranking clergy visiting Holy Etchmiadzin.

Capture this code to watch news coverage of the ribbon cutting.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA President Sargsyan Bestows AGBU Central Board Member Ruben Kechichian with Mkhitar Heratsi Medal During an official state visit to Argentina, Armenian President Serge Sargsyan presented awards to the country’s outstanding Armenian community members. Central Board member Ruben Kechichian received the Mkhitar Heratsi Medal, which is bestowed to those who engage in significant philanthropic activities. Elected to the Central Board in 2006, Kechichian has been very active within AGBU since his youth: from 1963 to 1973, he served as the Armenian Youth Association (AYA) Buenos Aires chair for 10 consecutive years, after which he assumed various responsibilities on the chapter’s executive committee, primarily as secretary. He was appointed chapter chair in 2006, a role he fulfilled with dedication until 2013, and has since been named Honorary Chapter Chairman.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA AGBU Central Board Member Yervant Zorian Receives Armenian State Award from President Sargsyan For his exceptional contributions in the field of science, Central Board member Yervant Zorian was bestowed with the Republic of Armenia State Award by President Serge Sargsyan. Zorian is the Chief Architect of Synopsys Corporation, a semiconductor technology firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. He has authored more than 300 scientific papers and four books, and holds 32 US patents. An AGBU Lifetime Member, he is an alumnus of the organization’s Lazar Najarian-Calouste Gulbenkian School in Aleppo, Syria, was elected to the Central Board in 2008, and also serves as the Silicon Valley Chapter chair. Making the possibility of learning the Armenian language anywhere, anytime a reality, Zorian initiated the AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC) in 2004. During the awards ceremony in Yerevan at the Presidential Palace, he was recognized with Samvel Shoukourian for their joint work: Test solutions for systems on the nanometric crystal, algorithms, methods and test structure. Zorian holds a PhD in electrical engineering from McGill University.

ALEPPO, SYRIA AGBU Syria District Chair Recognized with Movses Khorenatsi Medal By the decree of Armenia’s President Serge Sargsyan, Syria District Committee chair Nerses Nersoyan was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for his considerable contributions to the preservation of the Armenian identity in the diaspora, as well as supporting the development of Armenia-diaspora relations.

A prominent figure in the Syrian Armenian community, Nersoyan has been a highly active AGBU member in Aleppo throughout his life; since 1978, he has held various executive positions within AGBU’s AYA Syria, the Syria Education Committee and the Syria District, and has received the AGBU Syria Gold Medal. He was appointed the Syria District Chair in 2009 and continues to play a crucial role in executing diligently the AGBU Emergency Relief Fund during an extremely turbulent time for the Syrian state. He is also very involved in the emergency relief body comprised of all Syrian Armenian organizations. A long time research associate in the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), he has published more than 15 scientific papers in international journals. Nersoyan holds a Master’s degree in agriculture from the American University of Beirut and was one of the first students to enroll in Aleppo’s AGBU Lazar Najarian-Calouste Gulbenkian School. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 55

AGBU Highlights ALEPPO, SYRIA Mkhitar Heratsi Medal Awarded to Aya Aleppo Chair AGBU AYA Aleppo chair Henry Arslanian was presented with the Mkhitar Heratsi Medal upon the decree of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. A longstanding member and a leading figure within AGBU and its local AYA body in Aleppo, Arslanian has also held various positions within their auditing and accounting departments. He has made significant contributions toward organizing AGBU’s local youth and sports activities, and currently plays an important role in carrying out aid projects for Syrian Armenians, specifically those in Aleppo. Arslanian is a civil engineer and a graduate of the State University of Aleppo, as well as the local AGBU Lazar Najarian-Calouste Gulbenkian School.

SOFIA, BULGARIA Chapter Chair Awarded Diaspora Ministry Medal AGBU Sofia Chapter chair Sonia Avakian Bedrossian was presented with the William Saroyan Medal from Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry. During a ceremony in the capital, Armenia’s ambassador to Bulgaria Arsen Shoyan (center) and first secretary of the Armenian embassy in Bulgaria Anna Sahagian (far left) bestowed the honor to Avakian Bedrossian (far right), who continues to perpetuate the Armenian culture, always upholding AGBU’s mission. Under her chairmanship, the AGBU Chamber Orchestra was initiated in 2006 and continues to organize quality concerts in Sofia that are often sold out and attract music lovers of diverse ethnic backgrounds, as well as government officials and diplomats (see elsewhere in this issue). The medal is granted to those who contribute toward the dissemination of Armenian culture in the diaspora, develop Armenia-diaspora partnerships through creative ventures and make significant achievements toward the strengthening of relations within diaspora communities

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA Longtime AGBU Buenos Aires Secretary Presented with Movses Khorenatsi Medal by President Sargsyan For his staunch devotion and dedication to Armenian culture, former AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter secretary Antonio Sarafian was bestowed with the Movses Khorenatsi Medal by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. First as a young committee member and later as an advisor, Sarafian has volunteered for several decades toward the development and perpetuation of AGBU youth activities in Buenos Aires. While chairing AGBU AYA Buenos Aires during the 1980s, he played a significant part in establishing strong relations among local Armenian youth and those from sister AGBU cities in South America, and presided over the collective youth groups. Until recently, he held the chapter’s secretary position for 12 years and continues his service as an executive committee member. He has worked diligently to foster cultural connections between diaspora and homeland, and has also been one of the guiding forces behind the large scale cultural shows organized by the chapter annually, which feature hundreds of performers and attract thousands of spectators—including many non-Armenians—each time.

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LOS ANGELES, CA Former SCDC Chairman Receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor and Bestowed with Honor Member Status Some 250 guests gathered at the AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena, California, for a congratulatory event in honor of former AGBU Southern District Committee chair Vahe Imasdounian, who has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. During the program, which was organized by the Asbeds under the auspices of the AGBU Western District Committee, Imasdounian was bestowed with AGBU Honor Member status. Between 1980 and 2008, he served within various capacities for the AGBU Ardavazt Theater Company in Pasadena and the Southern California District, and went on to chair the district from 2005 to 2009. Imasdounian also played a major role in the purchase of the AGBU West Coast headquarters in Pasadena, as well as in the establishment of the AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian High School on the same premises. He has been instrumental over the years in fundraising efforts for scouts, athletics and theatrical productions. The Ellis Island Medals of Honor are presented annually at a ceremony on the famed island in New York to American citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups, while exemplifying the values and spirit of the American way of life.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives recognize the medal and list recipients in the Congressional Record.

LOS ANGELES, CA Longtime AGBU Staff Member & Volunteer Sarkis Minassian Bestowed with Honor Member Status For his decades of continuous devotion to AGBU, as both a staff member and volunteer, Sarkis Minassian was bestowed with AGBU Honor Member status. He began in 1957 as the AGBU Lebanon Executive Director—a role he fulfilled with utmost dedication for the next 29 years.

He always went above the call of duty, volunteering his time generously within various committees and was a founding member (and actor) of the AGBU Vahram Papazian Theater Company in 1959. Among his numerous contributions to community organizations as a staunch advocate of Armenian culture, Minassian stood as the editor of AGBU AYA Lebanon’s Khosnag newsletter for a full decade. After moving to Southern California in 1986, he continued his volunteer efforts and staff service within the AGBU San Fernando Valley Chapter. Minassian is a 1953 alumnus of the AGBU Hovagimian-Manoogian School and a 1957 alumnus of the American University of Beirut.

(l to r):Western District chair Krekor Karaguezian and Sarkis Minassian www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 57

AGBU Youth Programs AGBU knows how to do summers right, and Armenian youth from all over the world had an opportunity to establish lasting friendships, learn new skills and expand their horizons through the organization’s diverse array of programs in Armenia and the diaspora.

ANDES, NEW YORK Camp Nubar Introduces New Chess Classes Witnessing a notable enrollment increase, Camp Nubar welcomed over 306 youth from Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France and 14 states in the US for its 51st session. These campers had the opportunity to participate in the new chess and backgammon classes, which were greeted immediately with enthusiasm by youth and parents. Other much-loved activities offered throughout the summer included archery, Armenian dance and language, arts & crafts, basketball, canoeing, horseback riding, photography, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball and much more. State-of-the-art facilities within the sprawling 365-square acres of lush greenery in the Catskill Mountains, and an experienced, motivated and committed staff ensure that each camper will be able to maximize his or her growth potential while bonding with international peers in an Armenian environment.

Visit www.campnubar.org for more information and to view more photos.

The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Harry (Hratch) & Suzanne Toufayan Pavilion took place during the camp’s annual Open House (l to r): Deacon Vahe Bagdasarian, Camp Nubar Committee chair Sarah Partin, Camp Nubar director Jennifer Omartian, Suzanne Toufayan and Hratch Toufayan. In honor of their parents, Greg Toufayan, Karen Nargizian and Kristine Casali made a combined donation of $75,000 in 2013 during Camp Nubar’s 50th anniversary to build the new facility. The blueprints were on display for all to see. Close to 300 parents and supporters witnessed His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of America (Eastern), perform a grounds blessing and then watched an Armenian dance prepared by the campers, as well as a horseback riding show and waterskiing show. Guests were also offered hiking and camp ground tours.

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AGBU Youth Programs HAUTE-SAVOIE, FRANCE Colonie de Vacances For three glorious weeks each summer, the France District’s Colonie de Vacances gathers some 120 Armenian youth from all over France and many other countries in the southern French mountainside. Campers enjoy the green outdoors with their global Armenian peers while engaging in numerous and diverse activities that include handball, rafting, soccer, tennis, and plenty of Armenian songs and dances around their nightly bonfire. A notable aspect of Colonie de Vacances is how alumni often return to serve as counselors over the years. The camp is always filled to capacity well before its start date.

Visit colonieugab.wordpress.com to view more photos.

plovdiv, BULGARIA Camp Hayler AGBU Camp Hayler celebrated a third summer full of new and exciting programs for the Bulgarian Armenian community. The group was made up of 70 campers, aged 5-18, who hailed from cities and towns across Bulgaria. In between hikes in the Rhodope Mountains, talent shows and arts and crafts classes, the campers enjoyed a lecture series led by Father Hrach Muradyan. These lectures succeeding in teaching campers about their Armenian faith and instilling in them a particular pride in the work of certain early church leaders. The campers and staff were also treated to a multimedia presentation by Aharon Kochiyan, who discussed his 2005 expedition to Turkey and Armenia and revealed never-beforeseen film footage and images of the churches, castles and natural wonders of Anatolia.

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BEIRUT, LEBANON Campers Learn About Kings and Queens of Armenia and Much More at Demirdjian Center Day Camp The Demirdjian Center Summer Camp opened its doors in 1997 as the first Armenian summer camp in Lebanon and has continued to attract an enthusiastic following each year. Two new activities have been introduced to the already fun program, the first of which was Lego Education workshops in robotics. Utilizing math, science, technology and communication skills, campers got a head start in engineering. The activity was made possible through a collaboration with the professional institution Education and Technology Center, which placed second in the International Robotics Competition. Participants also gained knowledge on how to use their cameras and take professional pictures through lessons from professionals at the Nikon School. With an emphasis on imparting to campers that all contributions, no matter the size, can make a positive impact in their community, the program also includes a plastic recycling initiative in partnership with the NGO Arc-en-Ciel and other fundraising initiatives.

As per tradition, an Armenian theme sets the annual curriculum and youngsters had the opportunity this summer to explore “Queens and Kings of Armenia.” Learning about their ethnic heritage, the campers were divided into age groups and learned interesting historical facts about Haig Nahabed, Dikran the Great and Queen Zabel, among others. Experienced and educated supervisors, leaders and assistants allow every child to grow and learn in a safe and caring environment. The camp attracted more than 155 children, not just from Lebanon, but from Belgium, Canada, the Gulf States, France, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United States (Alaska) and Uruguay.

A scene from the Fiesta Night, which is the finale night organized each summer. Campers present all the knowledge and skills they learned to parents, friends and supporters, who cheered as they watched basketball and soccer drills, dance performances, skits and more.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA Pasadena Day Camp Nurtures Armenian Youth Providing a nurturing atmosphere for 60 young Armenians ages 3 to 13, the Pasadena Summer Day Camp created a trove of happy memories for its most recent roster of participants. A broad array of activities included arts & crafts, chess, cooking, dance, music, sports and theater, and made every day of the six-week session fun. Campers also delved into Armenian studies classes and were offered enrichment opportunities for English and math. Day trips remained a much-anticipated activity—special tours were arranged at the Pasadena Police Department and the California Science Center, where campers had the opportunity to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Tapping into their creativity, the youth also participated in “AGBU’s Got Talent.” A staff of 20, as well as a volunteer component of 18, ensured that the camp operated efficiently with an ideal camperto-counselor ratio. In its third consecutive season of operation, the day camp is affiliated with the American Camp Association (ACA) and all counselors are ACA trained. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 61

AGBU Youth Programs PASADENA, CALIFORNIA Annual Pasadena Scouts Camp Produces More Leaders than Ever The Glendale-Pasadena Scouting Program now has more leaders than ever in its near 30-year history. With a new total of 26, they have set a new record for themselves. The advancement ceremony took place during the troop’s annual camping trip at Camp Nawakawa in Angelus Oaks, California. For a full week, more than 100 AGBU scouts ages six to 17 from the Brownie/Cub to the Girl/Boy Scout ranks enjoyed pioneering activities in the outdoors, hiking in the forest, swimming in the nearby lake, learning about their Armenian heritage, and putting into practice the leadership and scouting skills developed all year long. Twenty energetic former scouts and scout leaders were present not just as supervisors, but to pass down the scouting traditions that shaped their childhoods and instilled the happiest of memories. A new activity, Color War, was introduced this year: with the group divided in half, scouts and leaders competed for three days to build campfires, create songs and skits, make a camp headquarters and more, all leading up to a large camp-wide relay race just before the bonfire night—the week’s culmination point. Over 200 parents, family and friends were present that evening for a cultural performance by the scouts, as well as the awards ceremony. Each and every scout received badges and ranks for reaching their scouting goals. Katrina Gumushian (age 17) received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in girl scouting (equivalent to the Boy Eagle Scout Award). Numbering some 150 youth, the Glendale-Pasadena Scouts meet weekly at the local AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Center, and organize various community service, educational and pioneering excursions throughout the year.

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Six San Fernando Valley Scouts Elevated to Eagle Rank Wilderness Skills Put into Practice During Annual Camping Trip For the first time ever, the AYA San Fernando Valley Scouts held a Boy Scouts Court of Honor to elevate six young men to Eagle rank—the highest Boy Scout recognition: Shant Andrikian, Jojo Armani, Shahe Cooper, Andrew Isagulyan, Aren Rostamian and Eric Vartanian.

More than 150 attendees witnessed the ceremony, including representatives from the local Boy Scouts of America council.

The troop also held its annual camping trip with the participation of 50 youth ages seven to 23 from all scouting ranks. The scouts engaged in hiking, swimming and handcraft projects in a serene environment. The older members also practiced wilderness survival, and dedicated scout leaders provided encouragement and guidance throughout. During the highlight of the trip— the bonfire night—over 120 parents and supporters enjoyed creative skits performed by the campers, and witnessed the awarding of merit badges and ranks to scouts who worked hard all year long. The evening’s special guest was Western District Committee chair Krekor Karaguezian, himself a former AGBU scout; he was bestowed with “Honorary Leader” status within the AYA San Fernando Valley Scouts. Established in 1985, the troop currently has some 70 boy and girl scouts ranging in age from five to 23 and assembles regularly for a host of projects and activities.

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MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY Hundreds of South American Youth United at Annual Games Each winter in South America, AGBU’s four sister chapters in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Montevideo and São Paulo take turns hosting a long weekend of athletic games that have inspired familial bonds among its youth for over four decades.

This year’s gathering, held in Montevideo, had the distinct honor of welcoming Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan for an afternoon during his official state visit to Uruguay. Dozens of dedicated volunteers within the Montevideo Chapter’s youth committee (Liga de Jóvenes) worked tirelessly to ensure that each guest made new friends and competitions were held in the fairest of conditions. A festive opening ceremony included a unique audiovisual presentation, light show, dance show, and the athletes’ parade. Competitions took place in backgammon, men’s basketball, chess, soccer, men’s table tennis and women’s volleyball, and each chapter took home a special prize: Buenos Aires (Best Armenian Spirit Cup), Córdoba (Friendship Cup), Montevideo (General Challenger Cup) and São Paulo (Fair Play Cup). The first AGBU South American Games were held in Córdoba in 1972, and many of the attendees today are the children and even grandchildren of those who helped establish the sporting tradition.

The Buenos Aires delegation on the grounds of the expansive AGBU complex in Montevideo. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 63

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Philanthropist Edele Hovnanian (top row, fourth from left) hosted the interns at her Manhattan apartment for a welcome dinner.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK Well-Rounded Experience for New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP) Students Internships at prestigious and innovative companies and institutions like Michael Aram, Deutsche Bank, Human Rights Watch and the NYU Medical Center ensured that the 33 undergraduate and graduate students from Armenia, Brazil, Canada, France, Lebanon, Romania, Syria, the UK, and the US who participated in the New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP) will have a leading advantage when the time comes to job hunt. The flagship program in AGBU’s cadre of internship opportunities, NYSIP provides an ideal combination of attaining critical experience in a chosen field and immersion into one of the most energetic and exciting global cities, as well as meaningful friendships established with Armenian peers from around the world. In addition to their unpaid full-time jobs, the interns are provided abundant growth opportunities through professional lectures, career development, meetings with industry leaders, mentorship events and more that continue to remain an integral part of the NYSIP experience.

The program also enjoys the support of its alumni, who give back by providing NYSIP scholarships, mentoring interns and acting as supervisors.

2004 alumnus Aram Babikian spent a formal evening at the AGBU Central Office with the interns reflecting on his own NYSIP summer and giving Greta Janigian of Cranston, Rhode Island, career development advice as he recounted the challenges faced while risat her internship at Columbia University’s ing to his senior position as Northwest Regional Director of Direxion Funds.

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Babikian also acts as an intern supervisor.

Another valuable NYSIP component is the collaboration with the Young Professionals of Greater New York (YPGNY). The AGBU entity continues to organize fundraisers for NYSIP scholarships and Sunshine for Seniors, a community service effort for the interns to spend time with Armenians who live in a local nursing home. The main joint project remains the mentorship initiative; YPGNY sponsors events and opportunities throughout the summer for interns to connect with established Armenian professionals who can provide guidance and career advice.

Since 1987, AGBU has been providing essential internship experience opportunities to Armenian university students from all over the world.

The program boasts some 850 alumni and affords every opportunity for young, eager, and driven students to take their first steps into the profesMelanie Broussalian of San Diego, sional world.

California working at her internship with Michael Aram, Inc. For more information on NYSIP and to apply, visit: www.agbu-internship.org.

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The AGBU Yerevan Office invited the intern group upon its return to the share impressions on gaining extensive experience and getting to know the French culture and working environment.

Multiple locations, France France Internship Partnership Brings Students from Yerevan For almost a decade, AGBU and the French University in Armenia (UFAR) have been partnering on an internship program designed for upper level UFAR students, who travel to France for four weeks and work at various prominent organizations in Grenoble, Lyon, Paris and Valence. The most recent interns spent their days at companies like Damaris SA, a leading IT company; Grant Thornton, one of the largest independent audit, tax and advisory firms; and Orange, a major telecommunications corporation. Other placements included law internships, which provided a unique opportunity to observe the French juridical system, and attend court sessions and hearings.

As part of its full immersion program, the group visited the French National Assembly, the Armenian Embassy in France, the Permanent Representation of Karabakh in France and the AGBU Nubarian Library, as well as historic landmarks and museums. Interns built on their knowledge of French, met representatives of the French Armenian community and established new connections with fellow Armenians living in the heart of Europe. AGBU and UFAR also continue to collaborate on an annual AGBU scholarship program for the top ranked students at the university (see Armenia section). The internship partnership continues to remain in effect thanks to the support of the France District and Lyon Chapter, as well as the chapter’s former vice chair Jacques Garabedian.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA New Vahe Karapetyan Center Dedicated to Youth Initiatives AGBU’s Armenia-based youth programs aim to unify and foster deep connections between all participants through various projects and initiatives. This growing network of inspired diasporan youth will now have an even more positive homeland experience: benefactor Vahe Karapetyan has funded a new center in Yerevan to offer youth and young adults the comfort of a residence hall and a wide range of services. The AGBU Vahe Karapetyan Center will accommodate comfortably over 100 visitors and function as a dormitory, as well as a venue for events, which will allow for exciting cross-cultural exchange. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 65

AGBU Youth Programs YEREVAN, ARMENIA Yerevan Summer Internship Program (YSIP) Students Gain Critical Work Experience and Explore Homeland Gaining valuable work experience and exploring their Armenian homeland was the ideal way to build a career path for the 20 students from Austria, Bulgaria, Lebanon, The Netherlands, Russia and the US who participated in the Yerevan Summer Internship Program (YSIP).

Interns were placed in a diverse range of companies and institutions, which included the Armenian British Business Chamber, Armenian Monuments Awareness Project (AMAP), Byblos Bank and Storaket Architectural Studio, as well as medical centers and nonprofit organizations. The critical understanding they gained in their preferred field of interest was equal to working with fellow Armenians who are established leaders in their respective industries—cementing their connection to Armenia and its citizens. In fact, many YSIP interns have returned for additional short term stays to work on special projects.

In the evenings and on the weekends throughout the program’s six-week duration, interns attended AGBU AVC language classes and cooking demonstrations, visited museums and important landmarks, and took Armenian dance lessons at the AGBU Nork Children’s Center. For the first time in the program’s history, a day trip was planned to Armenia’s border with Turkey.

YSIP participants were able to see the ancient city of Ani from just a stone’s throw away. Together with the AGBU Musical Armenia Program (MAP) participants (see story below), the interns traveled to Karabakh for a long weekend, participated in the AGBU Antranik Scout Camp’s bonfire night, and lived in the brand new AGBU Vahe Karapetyan Residence Hall. This strong cross-program cohesion helped the students solidify their sense of identity and establish meaningful peer friendships, and better understand Armenia’s rich history and bright future.

For more information on YSIP and to apply, visit: www.agbu-internship.org.

Intern Anthony Antreasyan of New York with his supervisor Raffi Niziblian at Deem Communications.

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YEREVAN, ARMENIA A Focus on Armenian Genres During Musical Armenia Program (MAP) Many of this year’s MAP participants had never played Armenian music before, but that changed within 24 hours of their arrival to Yerevan.

Taking one-on-one lessons with renowned professors from the Komitas State Music Conservatory and attending important and relevant lectures for three weeks, the students focused exclusively on Armenian music, which they showcased during the Gala Concert at the close of the session. Some of the professional musicians even played together with their students at the performance. The program’s youngest participant, 15-year old Nareh Garabedian, composed and performed a guitar duet with her teacher, the well-known folk singer Lilit Pipoyan. Participant from Uruguay Ignacio Misirian enjoyed the world debut of his composition, which was performed by his peers.

The endeavor enjoyed new partnerships with existing homeland institutions, including the Naregatsi Art Institute, which hosted the Gala Concert. MAP participant Nune Melikian, a violinist from New York, also performed a solo recital at the venue. The Spendiaryan Museum in Yerevan offered a lecture and tour for the students on the museum’s namesake, Alexander Spendiaryan (1871-1928), who is considered to be the father of national Armenian symphonic music. Museum director Marine Otaryan provided scores for newly discovered and rarely heard works of the composer to be premiered at an upcoming concert of the AGBU Performing Arts Department (PAD) concerts in New York.

Though MAP is only a few years old, it has already established itself as an entry point for the professional world—and for repatriation. Some alumni made the decision to call Armenia their new home and continue their involvement with the program; other MAP students were offered professional contracts in Armenia and Europe. Still others are now working on projects in their own cities to bring recognition to Armenian composers.

MAP students were among the first AGBU program participants to live in the organization’s new Karapetyan Residence Hall, which helped to facilitate more interaction between diasporan youth who are spending their summers with AGBU in Yerevan. The program also introduced a new format to better suit the accepted performing artists, and the eligibility age was lowered from 18 to 15. The personalized lessons focused on Western classical and Armenian traditional instruments, as well as composition, conducting and vocal training. Lectures were also offered on the ancient Armenian notational system (khaz), in addition to Armenian classical, jazz and minstrel genres.

With a goal of nurturing the diverse talents of musically gifted young Armenians in their homeland, MAP united 12 participants, mostly music majors, from Canada, Cyprus, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, UAE, UK, Uruguay and the US, and brought them closer to their culture, arts and musical history. The students sing, compose, and play Violinist Rosy Shoushanian (Syria), guitarist Sako Dermenthe clarinet, flute, guitar, piano, viola and violin, as well as the Kanun, jian (Lebanon) and flutist Alik Jebejian (Cyprus) perform the an Armenian folk instrument. world debut of fellow MAP participant Ignacio Misirian’s Interested applicants should visit: www.agbu.org/musicalarmenia.

(Uruguay) composition.

MAP staff and students with AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian (2nd from bottom right), as well as MAP administrative coordinator Inessa Margaryan (top row, far left), MAP artistic coordinator Levon Eskenian and AGBU Performing Arts Department (PAD) director Hayk Arsenyan Mark Ohanesian from the United States during a qanon lesson with his teacher (bottom row 1st and 2nd from left). Naregatsi Art Institute Tsovinar Hovhanissyan. Capture this code to watch television coverage of MAP. director Hayk Vardanyan stands at bottom far right. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 67

AGBU Youth Programs YEREVAN, ARMENIA Discover Armenia Brings Record Number of Youth to Homeland With a record number of 44 participants this summer, Discover Armenia has been bringing together diasporan youth from all over the world for eleven straight years to connect with their heritage over the course of three unforgettable weeks in their ancestral homeland. The newest teenagers from Canada, France, Lebanon, Russia, Syria and the United States helped build a new home for a local family through the Fuller Center for Housing, enjoyed a lively afternoon serving lunch and conversing with the pensioners of AGBU’s Senior Dining Centers, spent time with children in an orphanage, took Armenian folk song and dance classes at the AGBU Nork Children’s Center, and visited the most famous landmarks of Armenia and Karabakh. As per tradition, the group also climbed Mount Aragats together and spent a weekend in Karabakh, where they donated a large number of books to a children’s library. For some years now, Discover Armenia has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with the Fuller Center for Housing, a US-based non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry.

The program places a strong emphasis on community service and many students are eligible to receive credit at school for the endeavor. Among the main goals of the trip are for youth ages 15 to18 to form lifelong bonds with their global peers and return home with a greater sense of responsibility toward their Armenian community.

To view additional photos on the blog, visit: www.discoverarmenia.org.

Scan this code with your smartphone to watch news coverage of the program by Armenian media.

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LERMONTOVO, ARMENIA Antranik Scout Camp Attracts Hundreds for Annual Bonfires

Participants of the Antranik Scout Camp at the Armenian Genocide Memorial.

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In the scenic forestland of Armenia’s Lori region stands the Antranik Scout Camp site, where over 220 AGBU boy and girl scouts from every rank were united for the seventh consecutive year. Youth from AGBU chapters in Lebanon, Syria (Aleppo, Damascus and Kamishli, as well as Syrian Armenians currently seeking refuge in Armenia) and UAE joined their Yerevan peers. Established in 2008, the AGBU Yerevan Scouts troop boasts well over 200 members. Also bringing their participation was the AGBU-associated scouting group, “Hayartoun” Youth Organization from Tbilisi.

The scouts engaged in a host of activities: morning exercises, hiking, skill-building, competitions, sightseeing and more, all of which created strong ties among AGBU scouts everywhere. Special excursions included a performance at the AGBU Nork Children’s Center, a one-night stay at the newly inaugurated AGBU Karapetyan Residence Hall, and a full day of discovery at the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, which was founded by AGBU Vice President Sam Simonian.

As always, the culmination point of each session was the traditional bonfire night, which attracted a combined 450 family members and supporters. Audiences applauded with great enthusiasm during the scouting skits, and cultural songs and dances prepared by all the scouts. The campgrounds do not open only for the annual camp; the Yerevan scouts often organize retreats and special weekends there to take advantage of the picturesque location and reinforce every scout’s passion for adventure.

AGBU Young Professionals For more information on the Young Professionals (YP) Network, please visit www.agbu.org/yp.

NEW YORK, NY Record-Breaking $20,000 Raised for Syria Relief by YPGNY The Young Professionals of Greater New York (YPGNY) raised a record $20,000 during its 13th annual Silent Auction and Cocktail Party, with funds allocated to the AGBU Emergency Relief Fund in Support of Syrian Armenians. The group’s signature event brought together over 200 guests in downtown Manhattan for an evening that included networking and a silent auction with items donated by generous individuals and companies. Over the years, YPGNY has raised well over $150,000 for the three AGBU Children’s Centers in Armenia through this annual event. With the crisis in Syria worsening and many families left in vulnerable conditions, the group chose to allocate funds to the relief efforts this year. AGBU continues to provide food, water, medical supplies, educational scholarships and relocation support to Syrian Armenians in need.

LOS ANGELES, CA YPLA Introduces Speaker Series Dubbed as a take on mini-TED Talks, a Speaker Series was launched by the Young Professionals of Los Angeles (YPLA), garnering the support of over 110 attendees at the inaugural event. The presenters—Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian, Sedda Antekelian, Armen Ekmekji and Vahe Minasyan —focused on sharing unique experiences and perspectives on subjects ranging from politics to art. Each talk was followed by a question and answer session, and the evening concluded with a networking opportunity to foster new connections among local young Armenian professionals.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL Young Professionals Event Held at LinkedIn Office YP Brazil hosted a lecture at LinkedIn headquarters in Sao Paulo with guest speaker Fernanda Brunsizian, who is the senior manager of corporate communications at LinkedIn Latin America. Enthusiastic attendees learned how to build a professional identity online, keep connected on work opportunities, and stay informed about the latest news in their respective careers. The group also organized an information session on postgraduate study options featuring speaker Vahan Agopyan, vice president and professor at the University of São Paulo. YP Brazil aims to give up-and-coming Armenian professionals the opportunity to enrich their career knowledge, network with peers and connect with their Armenian identity.

Guest speaker Mihran Tomasyan ( far left) and YP Buenos Aires PR director Carolyn Kaprielian, who provided translation, listen on as YP Buenos Aires committee member Juan Pablo Artinian presents an introduction on the history of Armenians in Istanbul.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA Agos Journalist Sheds Light on Armenians in Turkey Today

(l. tor.): YP Brazil liaison Mariana Mekbekian, YP Brazil Steering Committee member Mariane Takesian, guest Eduardo Marzbanian, speaker Fernanda Brunsizian, YP Brazil Steering Committee member Rachel Saksanian Hallak, YP Brazil Steering Committee member Philipe Arapian, and YP Brazil chair Aram Apovian.

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Contributor to the Turkish paper Agos, book editor and professional dancer Mihran Tomasyan shared his expertise at a lecture organized by the Young Professionals of Buenos Aires (YP Buenos Aires) on the Armenian community in Turkey today. Tomasyan, who grew up in Istanbul and attended the city’s Getronagan Armenian High School, shared what everyday life is like, touching on Armenian schools, the state’s education system and the role of the Armenian Church. The rise of civil society in Turkey was also a key part of Tomasyan’s presentation. He pointed to the hundreds of Turkish citizens who gathered in Taksim Square this year to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, joining AGBU Europe, the Hrant Dink Foundation, and other grassroots organizations.

(l to r):YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes Publicist Charig Osipian, guest speaker and CCIFA’s former executive director Narek Arakelian, Damaris Group director Artak Abedi, YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes Chair Grégory Gazarian, Armenian Vice Consul in Lyon Vaner Harutunyan, YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes Secretary Viken Kojakian, and YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes Treasurer Gilles Bedrossian.

LYON, FRANCE Lecture Examines Challenges and Opportunities on Investing in Armenia

Photograph: (Top Right) Vahé Toumanian

Shedding light on the opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs seeking to do business in Armenia, the Young Professionals of Lyon Rhône-Alpes (YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes) hosted a lecture to discuss strategies for economic development in Armenia. Among the 70 attendees were Armenian Vice Consul in Lyon Vaner Harutunyan, Damaris Group director Artak Abedi, and manager of the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Franco-Arménienne (CCIFA) in Rhône-Alpes Assia Suchier-Kirakossian. CCIFA’s former executive director Narek Arakelian, the featured speaker, provided an overview of Armenia’s current economic and political climate, and ways entrepreneurs can capitalize on opportunities there while encouraging local development.

Citing Armenia’s favorable foreign investment policies and competitive advantage, strong potential exists in emerging markets in the sectors of mining, jewelry and diamonds, as well as textiles and tourism. The event, sponsored

by CEO of the consulting firm Fineco Manog Pamkodjian, was organized with Only Lyon, the city’s first branding initiative, which has been partnering with YP Lyon Rhône-Alpes since this past winter.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA New YP Committee Hosts “We—The Diaspora” Roundtable Thanks to the assistance of the Europe District and the Vienna Chapter leadership, a new YP Austria committee was established after popular demand and several events have since been organized. A day trip was sold out in a matter of hours, social gatherings and intensive Armenian-German language classes have been offered, and the group partnered with the local Chapter to help raise funds for AGBU’s relief efforts toward Syrian Armenians. Additionally, YP Austria presented a roundtable entitled “We—The Diaspora,” which covered a number of topics on how to sustain a strong and productive Armenian diaspora. Attendees discussed challenges on the relationship between diaspora and homeland, the preservation of language and culture, as well as how to make learning language and culture captivating to the new generation.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND New YP Group Encourages Professional Development Joining the YP Network this year, newly formed YP Geneva was launched with the goal of bringing together the young Armenian professional community in Switzerland to increase social links, as well as networking and career opportunities. In the efforts to perform outreach, the steering committee held three diverse events with new members joining each time; one event in particular featured actor and comedian Arek Gurunian and talk show host Sarkis Ohanessian, who shared advice on presentation skills. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 73

AGBU Alumni Spotlight Every day, alumni and friends of AGBU are making a difference around the world.

O

ur schools, internship programs, summer camps and young professionals (YP) network have helped shape the lives of individuals who are now developing cutting-edge technologies, launching start-ups, investing in new ideas, taking the stage, reporting on current affairs and paying it forward through community service and philanthropy.

The Insider is a cultural filter that gives access to the lives of some of our established and up-and-coming alumni and friends, who all share stories and experiences from their professional paths.

Eddy Anemian, a rising star in the French fashion world and winner of the 2014 H&M Design Award, sat down with AGBU earlier this year to discuss his heritage, his career and the key role the organization has played in molding him into the person he is today.

How has AGBU helped direct your career path?

I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer for as long as I can remember, which is about as long as I’ve been a part of AGBU. Being an artist and being Armenian are both in my blood; they are Q A

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both part of my identity. AGBU has helped shape my career path as much as it has helped shape me as an individual.

My family’s AGBU involvement goes back decades and the organization played a huge role in my childhood. I come from an immigrant family; my grandparents arrived in France from Syria and Turkey and they helped build a diasporan community in France—the AGBU community. We’re a strong community, but like many in the diaspora, we are small. We need to support one another to carry on. AGBU understands that, and with the support I received from the AGBU scholarship program, I know that the organization also understands me, where I come from and where I hope to go in the future.

Q Congratulations the 2014 H&M Design Award! Tell us about the competition.

A It began in September 2013 when I decided to submit my portfolio to the H&M Design Competition. I thought it was a long shot, but before I knew it, I was traveling to the H&M headquarters in Stockholm to interview with the company’s head designer.

By the end of November, I was in London with seven other finalists, presenting my work to a jury that included fashion icons like actress Michelle Dockery, style expert Michelle Violy Harper, Vogue editors Serena Hood and Sara Maino, and designer Erdem Moralioglu. I left London the winner. It was really an incredible surprise. I received a prize of 50,000 euros to put toward my own label as well as the opportunity to showcase my collection at the February 2014 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm.

I returned to the studio right away, working non-stop to make my pieces runway ready. Now, I’m collaborating with H&M on a new line, “Eddy Anemian for H&M,” which should hit international stores in the fall of 2014. It has really been a dream come true.

My teachers are hesitant; they don’t want the collection to be too folklorish. But I believe I can weave the old with the new and put a contemporary twist on a traditional design. I know I can create an Armenian-inspired collection that the world has never seen before, one that would be welcomed by today’s modern, international woman.

For Eddy’s full story and much more, check out The Insider, the latest in AGBU’s family of publications.

Q How do you integrate your Armenian heritage into your designs?

A I’ve just started working on my final collection for school and I want it to be a tribute to my Armenian roots. I absolutely love Armenian costumes: the rich colors, the abstract shapes, the fabrics, especially Armenian dancers’ dresses with their use of appliqués. They are so classic and elegant.

When I visited Armenia three years ago, I purchased some great fabric that I’m hoping to use for my school collection. I’m thinking of using embroidery, like you would have seen traditional Armenian women wearing.

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AGBU Chapters CANADA, FRANCE, LEBANON & USA AGBU-Organized DEPOP Tour Reveals New Trends in Armenia’s Emigration

The DEPOP team presents its report at the AGBU Central Office in New York (l to r): research coordinator Elena Muradyan, editor Kamo Mailyan, co-founder of the Torontobased think tank the Mosaic Institute and the sponsor of the DEPOP project Vahan Kololian and researcher Ani Avetisian.

Drawing hundreds of attendees in Beirut, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Toronto, the DEPOP Research Group, in partnership with AGBU and the Kololian Foundation, presented the findings of its report entitled “The Depopulation Crisis in Armenia.” The tour sparked dialogue about emigration, demographic and socioeconomic challenges, as well as ideas to build a stronger future. First introduced at a United Nations Population Fund conference in Yerevan in October 2013, the report is based on extensive fieldwork conducted across Armenia by four independent research teams selected by the International Center for Human Development in Yerevan. The findings revealed a startling near 20% drop in Armenia’s population over the past two decades.

Initially blamed on the lack of economic opportunities, the report notes in recent years high-income families were even more likely to leave the country.

The DEPOP group proposed several recommendations including help from the Armenian diaspora, investing in local businesses and micro-lending, supporting greater citizen involvement and strengthening civic institutions.

To download a copy of the DEPOP report please visit www.depop.am.

Panelists (l to r): Filiz Celik, Hayko Bagdat, Halil Berktay, and event chair Ani Kalayjian

NEW YORK, NEW YORK AGBU Co-Sponsors UN Forum to Prevent Genocide Over 150 diplomats, non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives, journalists, activists, educators, and students came together at the United Nations for a symposium entitled: “Toward Preventing Genocide: Nations Acknowledging Their Dark History: Transforming Denial.” Speakers included Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to United Nations Tigran Samvelian, ATOP & Meaningfulworld president and forum chair Ani Kalayjian and three distinguished experts from Turkey: Sabanji University professor Halil Berktay, University of London professor and PhD candidate Filiz Celik and Istanbul-based journalist Hayko Bagdat, all of whom centered on the theme, “A Century of Genocides, 1913-2013: Lessons Learned.” Berktay addressed the question of why the Turkish government continues to deny the Armenian Genocide almost a century after it took place, while Celik focused on the intergenerational transmission of trauma while discussing the Dersim Massacre and the suffering of the Armenians. Bagdat has studied changes in Turkish denial over the past decade and, like the other panelists, sees a marked difference between Turkish citizens and their government—pointing out that more Turks are recognizing the Armenian Genocide after the 2007 assassination of journalist Hrant Dink. A screening of “The River Ran Red” by J. Michael Hagopian was presented. The oral history documentary features the testimonies of Armenians, Turks and American missionaries who witnessed the Armenian Genocide. Organized by Meaningfulworld.com, the forum was co-sponsored by AGBU, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations, the Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP), the Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide (AASSSG), the Armenian Constitutional Rights Protective Centre of Armenia, Voices for Freedom and the Anatolian Diaspora Association.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK From Armenia to New York: AGBU Presents Young Filmmakers

NEW YORK, NEW YORK Bestselling Author Chris Bohjalian Presents Latest Novel Critically acclaimed author Chris Bohjalian (pictured) presented his latest novel “Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands” (Doubleday Canada) at the AGBU Central Office in New York—one of the first stops in his crosscountry promotional tour. He read excerpts from the book, answered diverse audience questions, and signed copies of the hardcover. With over 115 guests in attendance, the line to meet him quickly wrapped around the AGBU office. The evening was co-hosted

by AGBU Ararat, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society of New York, and the Armenian Network of America (Greater New York Region). Bohjalian had also visited the AGBU community following the release of Midwives (1997) and The Light in the Ruins (2013). In 2012, AGBU co-hosted his New York presentation of The Sandcastle Girls (Doubleday), a love story that begins during the Armenian Genocide and unfolds over generations.

Sure to be another one of Bohjalian’s big hits, Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is described by the Associated Press as “a thoroughly engrossing and poignant coming-of-age story,” and has drawn praise from The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Armenian Weekly and Library Journal, among others. Narrated by a teenage protagonist, it’s on the reading lists of young adults, as well as their parents.

Five up and coming Armenian filmmakers, most of whom are AGBU scholarship recipients, had the opportunity to present their short films at an event co-sponsored by AGBU at Columbia University: “From Armenia to New York: An Evening with Young Armenian Filmmakers.” Discussions with the directors followed the screenings, which were “Caregivers” by Viktorya Aleksanyan, “The Frame” by Ophelia Harutyunyan, “Justine” by Eric Shahinian, “No Overtime” by Jesse Soursourian and “LEVON: A Wondrous Life” by Anahid Yahjian. Aleksanyan’s film was also presented at Armenia’s Golden Apricot Film Festival. She, along with Harutyunyan and Soursourian, are AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship recipients, and Shahinian is an AGBU Camp Nubar alumnus. The evening was moderated by Raffi Asdourian, who is a filmmaker, photographer and editor for A&E, National Geographic, the Sundance Channel and other major national channels, and organized

by Columbia University graduate student group OASIES (Organization for the Advancement of Studies of Inner Eurasian Societies), and sponsored by the Armenian Society of Columbia University, Harriman Institute, the Middle East Institute, Kurdish Studies Student Association, and AGBU.

Top row (l to r): AGBU Performing Arts Department director Hayk Arsenyan, filmmaker Viktorya Aleksanyan, Columbia University Armenian Society president Lucine Kinoian, filmmaker Ophelia Harutyunyan, AGBU University Outreach coordinator Nicole Zabounian, AGBU Events Coordinator Sharis Boghossian and AGBU Scholarships & Alternative Education director Natalie Gabrelian. Bottom row (l to r): moderator Raffi Asdourian, filmmaker Jesse Soursourian, filmmaker Anahid Yahjian, filmmaker Eric Shahinian, and OASIES representatives Owen Miller and Ann Strachen.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK Capacity Audience at AGBU Central Office for Eric Nazarian’s Film ”Bolis” During a screening of his acclaimed short film “Bolis” for an AGBU audience in New York, Eric Nazarian (pictured) summarized it as the story of a man who travels to Turkey to search for something he will never find, instead finding something he never expected. Nazarian recounted his own journey filming the entire story in Istanbul: he cited the challenges of creating a movie that acknowledges both the Armenian Genocide—unprecedented in Turkey’s film industry—and the Turkish citizens who are beginning to claim their Armenian ancestry for the first time ever. While filming in 2010, nine of Nazarian’s crew members approached him with accounts of their hidden family histories.

The film follows a diasporan Armenian man who voyages to Istanbul for the first time to participate in an oud festival, and search for both his grandfather’s old oud shop and an important family heirloom lost during the Armenian Genocide. Along the way, he meets a Turkish widow living in the same building where the shop used to be. The recipient of the Best Short Film Award at the 2011 Arpa International Film Festival, “Bolis” stars well-known French Armenian actor Jacky Nercessian and the highly regarded Turkish actress Serra Yilmaz, and has screened at film festivals in Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Morocco, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Nazarian is an American Armenian screenwriter, filmmaker and photojournalist. AGBU has also hosted Nazarian for screenings of “Bolis” in Lyon and Marseille. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 77

AGBU Chapters

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA New principal appointed at Vatche & Tamar Manoukian High School

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Chapter Presents Lecture on Writer Zabel Yessayan Two newly translated works unveiled The famous Armenian writer Zabel Yessayan, who was also a passionate advocate for peace, women’s rights and social justice, was the only woman targeted for death among the more than 250 intellectuals and leaders arrested on the eve of the Armenian Genocide. She eluded capture and made a harrowing escape from Constantinople, spending the next several years recording testimony from survivors and providing aid. She wrote numerous important works during her lifetime, two of which were produced recently in English by Judith Saryan (pictured). The Chicago Chapter invited Saryan to present an illustrated lecture about the writer who survived the Genocide, only to die tragically during Stalin’s purges.

Over 100 attendees listened as she explained how Yessayan’s writings reflect the catastrophic events endured by Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and that only a few of her pieces were ever translated to English, despite the fact that they enjoyed enormous popularity in her day. The first translated oeuvre is “The Gardens of Silihdar,” often referred to as her highly acclaimed memoir, and the second is “My Soul in Exile,” which depicts the heartbreaking experiences of an expat artist who returns home to find that everything has changed. Judith Saryan, an alumna of Wellesley College, retired recently from a long career as a mutual fund portfolio manager, during which she was quoted frequently in The Wall Street Journal and other news sources. Inspired by a documentary on Yessayan, Saryan produced the two new translations of Yessayan's works in collaboration the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA).

The Board of Trustees of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School (MHS) announced the appointment of new principal Dr. Armine Movsisyan (pictured), a committed educator who has been an integral part of the school’s community for over eight years. She began her career at MHS as a history and social science teacher, and took on more leadership responsibilities each school year. Working closely with outgoing principal Dr. Talin Kargodorian, as well as fellow teachers, parents, staff and students, Movsisyan will continue to promote the school’s key values of academic excellence, innovation and teamwork. She will also collaborate with ManoogianDemirdjian School principal Hagop Hagopian, who will act as an advisor. Movsisyan not only has rigorous educational qualifications, but owns a deep knowledge and understanding of AGBU’s mission, school culture and values, as well, and has proven her unwavering dedication to students and their families. She earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, with a focus on Teacher Education, from the University of Southern California. Prior to her doctorate, Movsisyan earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of California, Irvine.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA On the AGBU Stage: “The Flatterer” Attracts Thousands The Krikor Satamian Theater Group (KSTG) presented “The Flatterer” (“Shoghokorte”), a three-act comedy by the renowned Armenian satirist Hagop Baronian (1843-1891) at the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center. Directed by Krikor Satamian (KSTG Artistic Director), the show attracted some 2,000 audience members for seven performances that included 18 cast and crew members. Notable was the involvement of younger actors new to the company. Baronian passed away before he could complete the last few scenes of “The Flatterer.” Fellow satirist Yervant Odian finished the work in 1920. Previously known under the name of Ardavazt, KSTG was established in 1979 and has staged over 50 plays and three operettas.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Can Sports Shape a Nation?

Annual Hye Geen Conference Explores Power of Sports Diplomacy The relationship between athletics and international affairs was the theme of the ninth annual Hye Geen Young Circle Conference, which brought together an expert panel to discuss the sports industry, culture and the Armenian diaspora. Entitled “Sports: Shaping a Nation: An Arena for Diplomacy, Business and Identity,” the all-day event drew over 130 guests to Woodbury University in Burbank, California. Archpriest Father Zaven Arzoumanian, representing the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, pointed to the positive example set by Ararat Chrissian, the turn-of-the-century coach who instilled discipline, character and fair play in countless young athletes. The award-winning filmmaker of “Orphans of the Genocide” Bared Maronian highlighted the work of Vahan Cheraz, who, following the Armenian Genocide, organized sporting events in a Gyumri orphanage to teach youth the necessary skills for building resilience and endurance in the face of suffering. Sports business executive Cory Shakarian, who has witnessed the exponential rise of professional athletes’ salaries, made a case for this phenomenon deterring talented young people from pursuing careers in science and technology.

Led by moderator Manouk Akopyan, a digital content producer for the National Football League (NFL), the panelists also discussed the power of sports diplomacy today: Nancy Gavoor, a personal trainer and educator, recounted her experience as an envoy for a U.S. governmental program, during which she saw states strengthen ties through various events—table tennis championships in China, arm wrestling competitions in Iran, as well as soccer matches between Armenia and Turkey. Martial arts trainer Edmond Tarverdyan, who has trained world boxing champion Vic Darchinian and Olympian boxer Vanes Martirosyan, and sociology graduate student Megan Fornasar both noted the ways sports cultivate a sense of national identity across countries, and confidence among youth. Fornasar pointed out that sports bring together people and groups who may not otherwise interact.

The event also served as a platform to honor Richard N. Demirjian, a prominent member of the Armenian communities in California and Michigan The author of multiple books, including “Armenian-American & Canadian Who’s Who of Outstanding Athletes, Coaches and Sport Personalities” (Ararat Heritage), he is the a cofounder of the Western Armenian Athletic Association. AGBU Western District Committee chair Krekor Karaguezian was present to share remarks, as well. Each Hye Geen Young Circle Conference provides a forum to inform the public on relevant issues such as architecture, the media and mental health. Hye Geen was initiated in 1994 by Sona Yacoubian with a goal of promoting women’s issues and achievements. It initiated the Pregnant WomPanelists (l to r): Graduate student Megan en’s Centers in Armenia, which provide vital preFornasar, coach and educator Nancy Gavoor, natal counseling and education. Since 2002, well sports business executive Cory Shakarian and over 1,555 healthy babies have been born in the martial arts specialist Edmond Tarvedyan. homeland thanks to this critical program.

CANOGA PARK, CALIFORNIA Manoogian-Demirdjian PTO Black & White Ball Raises $40,000 for Scholarships and Improvement Project Some 350 enthusiastic parents and supporters attended the Manoogian-Demirdjian School’s 38th Anniversary Gala Celebration, which raised $40,000. The funds were allocated to both the PTO’s Sounds of Our Children Project, which will acquire a new state-of-the-art sound system for the gymnasium, and the PTO Educational Fund, which disburses scholarships annually to financially deserving students. During the past year, the PTO has raised approximately $60,000 through a number of events and drives to benefit the school. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 79

AGBU Chapters montreal, canada Solange Merdinian Dazzles Montreal Community AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship recipient and mezzo-soprano Solange Merdinian dazzled audiences at the AGBU Dervishian Hall during a solo concert that included diverse selections from Gomidas to Gershwin and from Melikian to Bellini. In homage to her native Argentina, she also sang Guastavino’s “Flores Argentinas.” Over 200 guests applauded throughout. Hailed by The New York Times for her “smoldering stage presence,” Merdinian graduated from The Juilliard School and Bard College Conservatory, and is a co-founder and co-artistic director of the New Docta International Music Festival. Most recently, she sang a song by A.R. Rahman on the soundtrack of the new Hollywood film “The Hundred Foot Journey.”

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA Chapter’s Aya Dance Group Performs New Production Choreographer Sona Gevorgyan brought Armenian culture to life through the graceful movements of her 55 dancers in the AYA San Fernando Valley Dance Ensemble during its second annual show.

Over 250 supporters applauded with enthusiasm throughout the performance at the AGBU Agajanian Auditorium. Ever dedicated to its youth and the importance of education, the San Fernando Valley Chapter announced a new scholarship program in partnership with the local AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School to provide financial aid to deserving students.

Mezzo-soprano Solange Merdinian flanked by members of the Montreal Chapter’s Cultural Committee. Event chair Arsineh Attarian at far left.

montreal, canada The Alex Manoogian School held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its brand new, state-of-the-art Manuel Keusseyan Library in the presence of over 200 alumni, faculty and supporters. Keusseyan was one of the school’s beloved educators and a renowned intellectual. The facility will allow students to create and learn while taking advantage of the latest technologies, and help the school remain at the forefront of innovation; dozens of iPads are already in place, and countless digital books and databases in Armenian, English and French will soon be installed. The multipurpose design—retractable screens and tables that easily transform the room into a conference hall—was envisioned by school alumna Houry Avedissian, founder of Ha2 Architecture Design. She worked alongside Raffi Chitilian, a retired civil engineer and volunteer project manager whose grandchildren are students at the school. Especially encouraging during the planning and execution stages was the number of young alumni who gave generous donations to demonstrate their appreciation to the school that nurtured them and to signify that they believe education is the key to success.

Special guests included His Eminence, Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian; City Councilor for the City of Montréal Mary Deros; and Vice President of the Executive Committee for the City of Montréal Harout Chitilian, who is also a school alumnus. The first Armenian day school in Canada and most recently the first wireless school in Québec, the Alex Manoogian School was founded in 1970 and boasts some 2,000 graduates. The institution continues its mission of offering a strong curriculum with a focus on Armenian culture, history, Herag Keusseyan and his family officially inaugulanguage and new technologies, and preparing a rate the Manuel Keusseyan Library in honor of his new generation of Armenians who will go on to belate father, the renowned intellectual and educator. come innovators and leaders.

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Photograph: (Bottom left) Ara Samson

New Library Inaguration at Alex Manoogian School

toronto, canada Dr. Bournoutian Lectures on Formation of the Modern Armenian State In February 1829, the entire staff (save one) of the Russian embassy in Iran was massacred by an angry mob after the pro-Armenian ambassador Alexander Griboyedov took in three Armenians. This occurrence endangered the recent peace between the two countries following the Second Russo-Iranian War of 18261828, explained Dr. George Bournoutian (pictured) during a talk at the AGBU Toronto Center. A standing room only audience listened with rapt attention as Bournoutian delved into his topic, “Russo-Iranian Relations and the Formation of the Modern Armenian State,” which included facts and anecdotes about multiple Russo-Persian and Russo-Turkish Wars, the bravery of Armenian volunteers, the Karabakh meliks, the Armenian, Persian and Russian individuals who were involved in the transformation of Southern Caucasus, and the repatriations of Armenians from Iran, Ottoman Turkey and Russia. Bournoutian went on to say that after peace was established between the two empires, the Yerevan Province, which had an Armenian majority population, was left largely neglected for the next 80 years. It became important only in Soviet times when science and the arts were allowed to flourish. He indicated that, despite the negative aspects of Communism, it should not be forgotten that present-day Yerevan is a legacy of the Soviet era.

Dr. Bournoutian is touring his most recent publication: From Tabriz to St. Petersburg: Iran’s Mission of Apology to Russia in 1829 (Mazda Academic Press).

This original volume, based solely on Persian and Russian primary sources, describes the year-long journey of the Iranian delegation to Russia to apologize for the embassy massacre. Dr. George Bournoutian is a professor of Eastern European and Middle Eastern History at Iona College, and a recipient of the IREX, NDEA, and Mellow Fellowship awards. He has taught at a number of universities and authored dozens of articles and publications on Armenian history.

TORONTO, CANADA Standing Ovation for AGBU Performing Artists The AGBU Piano Quartet, featuring (l to r) Aroussiak Baltaian (violin), Sarkis Baltaian (piano), Hrant Parsamian (cello) and Henrik Karapetyan (viola), had its Toronto debut concert at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Cultural Center. The program offered selections from a number of composers, including Babajanian, Brahms, Mansuryan and de Sarasate. The Baltaian siblings performed a piece, entitled “Song and Dance,” by their father, composer Garo Baltaian, which he has dedicated to them. The four talented musicians, all AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship recipients, reside in the United States. Organized by the Toronto Chapter, the evening was sponsored by the AGBU New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC). Launched in 2008, NYSEC helps showcase the achievements of AGBU performing arts scholarship recipients by organizing tours throughout the world, with an annual highlight concert at the Weill Recital Hall in New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.

TORONTO, CANADA Athletic Teams Adopt New Name Citing the most famous Armenian warrior, Vartan Mamigonian, as inspiration, the Toronto Sports & Youth Committee (SYC) unveiled a new logo and nickname to represent its teams—the AGBU Warriors. Bringing its over 100 members closer to their Armenian identity and the AGBU spirit, SYC was established in 2002 and manages seven male and female basketball teams spanning a range of ages, including a Saturday Kids Camp (co-ed for 13 and under).

Athletes, coaches and supporters were part of Armenian Heritage Night at an NBA Toronto Raptors game. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 81

AGBU Chapters TORONTO, CANADA Budding Talents of the Performing Arts on Display Over 100 attendees applauded for the 30 Armenian youth ages five to 15 performing in the Toronto Chapter’s Annual Talent Show at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Cultural Center. Whether playing the piano and guitar or singing, the participants demonstrated their gifted aptitudes in the performing arts with a repertoire of classical European compositions and Armenian music ranging from beginner pieces to concert selections. Certificates were distributed for participation at the close of the show. A special addition to the program was a performance by the AGBU Vocal Group, which gathers local youth twice a week to learn traditional and contemporary Armenian songs. Always committed to the next generation, the Toronto Chapter also sponsors AGBU Kids. At least 50 youth come together monthly for a host of fun and educational activities involving science, culture, athletics and more.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM Standing Ovation for New AGBU Chamber Orchestra

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

Close to 200 classical music enthusiasts gave a standing ovation during the début concert of the AGBU London Chamber Orchestra, which was presented by the London Chapter. The orchestra was initiated by its artistic director Sarkis Zakarian, who is also a member of the branch’s executive committee, with the goal of promoting Armenian musicians and culture to the community-at-large in the United Kingdom. The Orchestra consists of talented Armenian artists, as well as international musicians currently residing in the UK. Acclaimed violinist Levon Chilingirian OBE was appointed Orchestra Patron, with Maestro Gustavo Ubeda named as the principal conductor. The program was designed as a fusion between Armenian and European composers, and included the premier of a specially commissioned piece based on the Armenian National Anthem by Kristina Arakelyan, who is currently a scholar at the Royal Academy of Music in London. The orchestra also performed selections from Aslamazyan, Gomidas, Grieg, Mirzoyan and Vivaldi.

The Montevideo Chapter invited professor, author and researcher Dr. Carlos Antaramian of Mexico (pictured) to present a lecture on the Azeri lobby in Mexico and its efforts to distort historical truth by portraying Armenians as perpetrators instead of victims. A second part of the program focused on a book edited by Antaramian: The Edge of Death. Memoirs of Hampartzoum Mardiros Chitjián (Aip-Pen-Kim Editions of Mexico). The volume, which was published one year after Chitjián’s passing in 2002, looks back at surviving the Armenian Genocide and starting a new life in Mexico, but never forgetting the horrors he witnessed. Antaramian pointed out that such testimony is part of the collective Armenian memory.

With a doctorate in social anthropology Antaramian is a professor conducting research on the topic: “The visual as a vehicle of memory, visual archives and sources for the study of foreigners in Mexico.” He also authored From Ararat to Popocatepetl, The Armenians in Mexico, which was published by the Government of Mexico City in September 2011, and directed the documentary “The Armenians in La Merced” in 2012, which was screened at the event.

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Photograph: (Bottom Right) Raffi Youredjian

Carlos Antaramian Discusses Azeri Lobby in Mexico

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM Veteran Members Honored for Years of Service The London Chapter hosted a special event to honor its newest Veteran Members at the Kensington Close Hotel. The branch’s chair, Jirair Kevorkian, handed out the certificates to those who have served AGBU for at least 20 years. The afternoon was comprised of congratulatory addresses, as well as poetry recitation

by Veteran member Assadour Guzelian of his own original work. The well-attended event included an age span of four generations, a testament to the commitment and pride demonstrated by AGBU members worldwide.

PARIS, FRANCE Koghtan Choir Presents Newest Repetoire

(l to r): London Chapter chair Jirair Kevorkian, London Trust chair Berge Azadian, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian Church of UK, and AGBU Veteran member Assadour Guzelian.

For the past 22 years, the Paris Chapter’s Koghtan Choir, under the direction of founder Haig Sarkissian (center), has introduced popular and contemporary Armenian music to both Armenian and French enthusiasts. A most recent concert at the Protestant Church of Luxembourg in Paris’ seventh arrondissement offered 16 Armenian traditional folk songs and religious hymns—with compositions and arrangements by Avedissian, Babajanian and Gomidas—performed by 23 vocalists. Special guest performers included pianist David Lauer, tenor Peter Vaello, and flutist and vocalist Vahe Zahredjian. Throughout the concert, Sarkissian spoke about the role of music and songs in Armenian culture, and provided song interpretations and translations into French.

ALMELO, THE NETHERLANDS

Photograph: (Top Left) Raffi Youredjian

Armenia-EU Relations Explored at Lecture Event The Holland Chapter gathered its local community for a lecture event featuring Hrant Kostanyan, who was invited from Brussels to present a relevant and current topic: European Union—Armenia Relations: Is Armenia Moving Away from Europe? Kostanyan’s lecture focused on Armenia’s relations with the European Union since the collapse of the Soviet Union and analyzed the major framework through which Armenia has collaborated with the European Union, which comprises the EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the European Neighborhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership. Particular attention was paid to the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, which was recently negotiated between Armenia and the European Union, but rejected eventually in favor of Armenia joining the Russia-led Customs Union.

He also elaborated on scenarios for developing an effective ArmeniaEU relationship, taking into consideration Armenia’s commitments vis-à-vis Russia. Born in Armenia, Kostanyan is an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies’ (CEPS) EU Foreign Policy unit and also a Special Research Fund Fellow (political science department) at the Centre for EU Studies (CEUS) of Ghent University in Belgium. He has authored of dozens of policy-oriented and academic publications. Also present at the event was AGBU Europe District director Nicolas Tavitian, who gave a short presentation on the organization’s activities and programs in the EU.

Speaker Hrant Kostanyan and AGBU Europe Director Nicolas Tavitian (seated l to r) with members of AGBU Holland’s young Armenian professional community.

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AGBU Chapters ALMELO, THE NETHERLANDS Historic Western Armenia Discussed by Dr. Richard Hovannisian Renowned historian and the first professor of modern Armenian studies in the United States, Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian of Los Angeles presented a lecture on historic Western Armenia sponsored by the Holland Chapter. After welcome remarks on behalf of the chapter’s vice chair Harout Palanjian and by Armenia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Dziunik Aghajanyan, Hovannisian focused on the changing landscape of historic Western Armenia and his impressions and interactions with current inhabitants of the region. The presentation included sound and video segments on the last Armenians in Dikranagerd (Diyarbekir) and on the Armenian-speaking Hamshen people living along the Black Sea near the TurkishGeorgian border. The audience was offered historical glimpses via slide presentations into Amasia, Marsovan and Samsun to Ani, Bitlis, Diyarbekir, Erzerum Kars, Kesaria, Kharpert, Malatia, Mardin, Mush, Sebastia and Van, and the 1915 killing fields along the Euphrates River at the Kemakh Gorge. Hovannisian is the professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History and was the first holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Endowed Chair in Modern Armenian History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A Guggenheim Fellow, he has received many honors for his scholarly works, civic activities, and advancement of Armenian studies, and is a founder and six-time president of the Society for Armenian Studies.

Holland Chapter vice chair Harout Palanjian (l.) and Dr. Richard Hovannisian.

PLOVDIV, BULGARIA Hans Christian Andersen’s Tales Presented in Armenian by Saturday School Students After weeks of hard work and rehearsals, the annual cultural presentation of the Plovdiv Chapter’s Saturday School took place with the encouraging and constant applause of the many parents and supporters in attendance. The students presented excerpts from the tales of Hans Christian Andersen in Armenian, as well as dances and poems. Some 25 children shared the stage. The school has been an invaluable source to connect local youth with the Armenian identity and language in Plovdiv, which is Bulgaria’s second largest city.

SOFIA, BULGARIA Sofia Chamber Orchestra Participates in European Music Festival Under the baton of Maestro Bedros Papazian and at Sofia’s prestigious Bulgaria Festival Hall, the Sofia Chapter’s Chamber Orchestra presented a performance featuring the works Mendelssohn, Mozart and Piazolla—classic and romantic composers. Close to 1,300 guests applauded for special guest artists pianist Sarkis Zakarian and violinist Dimitar Ivanov. The concert was part of the European Music Festival being held in Sofia and broadcast live by Classic FM Radio and Bulgarian National Television. Sarkis Zakarian, a Bulgarian Armenian residing in the UK, is a graduate of London’s Royal Academy of Music and currently a member of the AGBU London Chapter’s executive committee. He has won numerous awards at international competitions and continues to perform at renowned concert venues, such as Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Wigmore Hall. The orchestra, which was established in 2006 on the occasion of AGBU’s centennial, remains one of Bulgaria’s most recognized classical ensembles, and its concerts are always organized with the official partnership of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria and The Sofia Municipality.

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Members of the AGBU Lebanon Cultural Committee (l to r): AGBU Lebanon Executive Director Anita Lebiar, Araxi Tufenkjian, Sylva Fattal, donor Elo Herkelian, committee chair Seta Demirdjian, donor Movses Herkelian, Leda Keuchguerian, Maral Vartanian, Taline Bachian, and Houry Vanlian.

BEIRUT, LEBANON Fundraising Art Exhibit Generates Over $50,000 for AGBU Schools Dozens of paintings by world-renowned artists ranging in style from impressionism to surrealism and cubism were sold during a fundraising art exhibit presented by the Lebanon Cultural Committee that raised $50,000 for local AGBU Lebanon Schools. The art work was donated by Dr. Movses Herkelian*, an art critic and owner of Noah’s Ark Gallery in Beirut. Hundreds of people, including Lebanon District chair Gerard Tufenkjian; AGBU benefactors Sarkis and Seta Demirdjian, and Gary Nazarian; and AYA Lebanon chair Vicken Tchertchian, viewed the exhibit at the AGBU Demirdjian Center for 11 days. Herkelian partnered with AGBU Lebanon for the first time in 2011 during a fundraising art exhibit benefitting the same cause. A past AGBU scholarship recipient, he has continuously pledged his support to the organization’s educational initiatives to provide Armenian youth with the same opportunities he was given.

The paintings were each signed by an Armenian-born artist who has received international acclaim: Ruben Abovian holds the title of Honorable Artist of the Republic of Armenia and is a member of UNSECO’s International Association of Arts. David began his career as a teacher in a village in the Lori province and has since presented his work in Asia, Europe and the US. Edik Pertian was discovered through a chance encounter with a gallery owner from Lebanon while selling his sketches at a Yerevan flea market. Vahram and Suren Vosganian each studied in Armenia and Russia and have attended numerous art expos around the globe. Yuroz painted two major murals for the United Nations, which were later issued as postage stamps that continue to circulate around the world.

To see more photos, visit the AGBU Lebanon Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AgbuLebanon. *A donor article highlighting Herkelian’s previous generosity to AGBU was published in the fall 2011 issue of AGBU News Magazine.

BEIRUT, LEBANON AYA Khosnag Magazine Celebrates 55th Anniversary

Top row (l to r): AYA Lebanon Executive Director Kevork Santourian, Khosnag editor Hampig Mardirossian and Aharon Chekherdemian. Bottom row (l to r): AGBU Demirdjian Center Executive Director Anita Lebiar, former Khosnag editor Albert Karamanoukian, former Khosnag editor Aram Sepetdjian, First Secretary of the Armenian Embassy in Lebanon Vartan Atamian, former Lebanon District vice chair Garbis Markarian, Dr. Hovig Vartanian, AYA Lebanon chair Vicken Tchertchian and Dr. Toros Toranian.

Along with members of the Lebanon District and AYA Lebanon committees, and representation from Armenia’s embassy in Beirut, more than 170 devoted readers of AYA Lebanon’s Khosnag publication gathered to celebrate its 55th anniversary of printing. Congratulatory remarks were offered by several speakers including AYA Lebanon chair Viken Tchertchian, and current editor Hampig Mardirossian, who shared the role that Khosnag has played in Lebanese Armenian life. The program also comprised the presentation of appreciation plaques to previous editors Aram Karamanoukian and Aram Sepetjian, as well as an artistic program featuring song, music and poetry recitation.

Approximately 1,000 copies are printed for each issue. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 85

AGBU Chapters BEIRUT, LEBANON Over 200 Attend AYA Youth Seminar at Demirdjian Center AYA Lebanon organized a seminar focusing on youth for its numerous committees. The main goal was educating the next generation of the organization’s local members about the AGBU AYA mission. Also highlighted were the important roles Armenian youth have played in carrying on the AGBU mission in Lebanon, the positive impact these youth can have on the lives of others and how their outlook can help shape a better future.

BEIRUT, LEBANON Standing Ovation for AYA Arine Dance Ensemble Junior Division’s Debut The Arine Dance Ensemble’s junior division presented its own solo performance for the very first time in the presence of hundreds who applauded with a standing ovation. Held over three days at La Sagesse School in Beirut, the program featured more than 150 dancers, ages six to 14, bringing to life Armenian and Lebanese national songs. The show was realized after almost a year of rehearsing with Artistic Director and Choreographer Gayaneh Madzounian.

The ensemble also continues to gain notoriety in Armenia. For the second consecutive year, AYA Arine was invited to the homeland to take part in the “My Armenia II” Cultural Festival organized by the Diaspora Ministry. A delegation of 48 dancers and committee members were hosted for one week, during which they participated in 4 performances in Yerevan, Oshagan, Tsaghkadzor and Vanadzor. Armenia’s Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan were present during one of the shows.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Chapter’s Theater Company Inspires Laughter A new cadre of young actors and crew members have joined the Melbourne Chapter’s Hagop Baronian Theater Group and staged a comedy night in the presence of over 160 attendees that inspired laughter throughout.

All of the skits were written and directed by the group’s members. These sketch nights have become much-anticipated events for the local community, which continues to support the chapter’s numerous family-oriented activities. AGBU Melbourne also publishes a quarterly online newsletter read by both its large membership base and interested individuals all over the world.

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(l to r): Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, outgoing AUA President Bruce Boghosian and Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA AGBU Launches New scholarship Program with Armenia’s Defense Ministry Partnership Agreement Signed with AUA and Ministry AGBU has partnered with the American University of Armenia (AUA) and Armenia’s Defense and Armed Forces Ministry for a new scholarship program to serve soldiers and representatives of the military. The initiative was announced at a meeting attended

by Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and AUA president Dr. Bruce Boghosian.

Together at the ministry, they signed an agreement detailing the different courses and activities that will be funded by AGBU and implemented by AUA. The program will provide new educational opportunities to service members at every phase of their military career, including training for the ministry’s English language teachers; classes for soldiers completing their last six months of service; scholarships for ministry representatives enrolled in AUA’s undergraduate and graduate schools; as well as professional development courses for military staff. Small classroom sizes incorporated with a one-on-one mentoring approach will provide each participant with abundant guidance. Classes focused on the GMAT, GRE, LSAT and TOEFL iBT exams will help prepare those pursuing higher education either at AUA or international universities.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA Madenataran Institute Benefits from New AGBU Scholarship Partnership Allowing young academics to continue critical research, a new scholarship partnership was established among AGBU, Armenia’s Ministry of Education and Science, and the Mesrob Mashdots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran). The new venture will provide researchers with the support they need to discover and help preserve some of the oldest manuscripts, books and documents in Armenian history. Eight young scholars (pictured) were already presented with their scholarship certificates from the AGBU-funded program during a launch ceremony at the institute attended by several officials, including Matenadaran director Hrachya Tamrazyan, Armenian Education and Science Deputy Minister Manuk Mkrtchyan, AUA Operations vice president Ashot Ghazarian, Madenataran international relations department head Vardi Keshishian, and Matenadaran Arabic manuscripts research department head Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan. One of the key speakers was AGBU Armenia Deputy/Interim Director Hovik Eordekian.

Housing over 100,000 documents dating as early as the eighth century, the Madenataran is the ideal site for the recipients to both conduct their work and advance their studies in art history and theory, historical source research, historiography and world history.

Researchers and tourists travel from all over the world to see its national treasures, including the Gospel of Lazarus and Hakob Meghapart’s Parzatumar, one of the first Armenian books ever printed.

The scholarship initiative is one of the many ways AGBU has supported the Madenataran over the years. Following Armenia’s independence, when the country was plagued by an energy crisis, AGBU and its benefactors helped the Madenataran acquire the air conditioning, fire prevention and security systems that were vital to protecting its archives. The organization has also sponsored a number of the Madenataran’s publications. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 87

AGBU Chapters YEREVAN, ARMENIA UFAR Scholarships Since 2007, AGBU has been providing scholarships to the top 25 students at the French University of Armenia (UFAR). Some 180 students have benefitted from these higher education grants. French ambassador to Armenia Henry Reynaud and UFAR Rector Jean-Jacques Montois attended the ceremony, during which Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian and AGBU Yerevan Special Projects Coordinator Inessa Margaryan handed out the scholarship certificates. UFAR announced a new Banking and Insurance department to be launched in the coming school year. AGBU continues to partner with the university on a number of other initiatives, including an internship program in France for qualifying students (see story in Youth section) and the AGBU-funded renovation of the UFAR Library in 2012.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA Manoogian School Students Meet with Ambassador Heffern During Armenia Trip Twenty-six upper grade students from the Alex and Marie Manoogian School in Southfield, Michigan, visited Armenia as part of a biennial class trip. The group toured a number of important homeland destinations, paid their respects at the tombs of the school’s founders in Holy Etchmiadzin, and visited AGBU programs, including the Armenian Virtual College (AVC) and the Nork Children’s Center.

The students also made a stop at the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, where they interacted with peers, and learned about robotics and the principles of 3D printers. A notable day from the itinerary was a private meeting with US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern. During a question and answer session, the ambassador stressed the need to increase investment and trade, and discussed both the enviable growth in the IT sector and the troubling trend of emigration to Russia. He mentioned that repatriation should be considered seriously in order to bring back skills and values to the homeland. Ambassador Heffern also praised the unique history and countless archaeological sites of Armenia, which he described as a boon to tourism from all over the world. When asked how he gets along with his fellow ambassadors from Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ambassador Heffern remarked candidly that while they do not always agree, they work together on reconciliation issues. The group was headed by school principal Hosep Torossian, the renowned composer Alexandra du Bois and photographer Michel Antonyan.

Established in 1969, the Alex & Marie Manoogian School is currently a public charter school that boasts more than 420 students from Pre-K to 12th grade. Over the years, the school has won numerous awards and been recognized nationally: in 2013, for the second consecutive year, US News & World Report ranked the institution as “among the best in the nation” and awarded it a Bronze Medal.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern (center right) with principal Hosep Torossian (center left) and students of the AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School in Southfield, Michigan.

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YEREVAN, ARMENIA Scholarship Recipient Arpine Kalinina Recognized by Armenian President AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship recipient Arpine Kalinina (pictured) received a special prize from Armenian President Serge Sargsyan during the Armenian Youth Foundation’s Haykyan Awards in Yerevan. The initiative honors outstanding youth organizations and projects, and Kalinina was awarded for her series of concerts dedicated to Gomidas Vartabed. She is the founder (2007) and artistic director of the Armenian classical music ensemble “Kantegh,” which aims to involve youth in classical Armenian music. Working toward a Master’s degree in music composition at London’s Royal Academy of Music, she is refining her professional skills in the fields of composition, orchestration, and conducting with high-ranking professionals. Most recently, at least four academic concerts included debuts of her pieces.

Kalinina creates works for various genres, including chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, vocal series, works for string, and more, all of which originate in Armenian national composition traditions. Her compositions have also been performed in various concert halls, with high praise received from renowned writer and president of the Russian PEN club Andrei Bitov, Armenian composer and Armenian Musical Assembly director Levon Chaushyan, Moscow State Chamber Choir conductor Vladimir Minin and Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, among others. She has also received the Russian Federation’s Triumph Award for highest achievement in the arts.

STEPANAKERT, KARABAKH AGBU-Sponsored Chess Tournament Draws 15,000 Participants Throughout Armenia, Georgia and Karabakh After eight months of intense strategizing and competing, the 72 remaining students within the 8th Annual AGBU-sponsored Republican Interschool Chess Tournament met for the championship round in Stepanakert, Karabakh. Present during the final game was Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan, Armenian Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan, AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, Armenian Chess Academy president Smbat Lputyan and Karabakh Chess Federation president Arthur Mkrtumyan. First place was won

by Yerevan High School #2, which was represented by Arshak Avetisyan, Susanna Gaboyan, Siranuysh Ghukasyan and Arman Mikayelyan with coach Vahan Abrahamyan. Abovyan School #4 placed second and Yerevan School #119 garnered third place. The top individual winners were Arman Mikayelyan, Edward Mkrtchyan, Alfred Parvanyan and Siranuysh Ghukasyan. First-place winners received lap tops, and all finalists received monetary prizes and gifts from AGBU and both Armenia’s and Karabakh’s chess federations. The most active schools received projectors.

In addition to the competition aspect of the endeavor, the students took part in a series of training sessions and related visits through the Republic of Armenia’s Chess Academy. With chess now a compulsory component of high school curricula in Armenia, the tournament has opened doors for a number of students to enter the professional chess world. More than 15,000 youth, ages seven to 17 from over 1,000 schools, participate each year within 18 teams of four. Organized by Armenia’s Chess Academy and the Ministry of Education and Science, the tournament has enjoyed AGBU’s sponsorship since 2007 and has since extended eligibility to Armenian Scan this code to watch television coverage of the tournament. schools in Georgia and Karabakh.

STEPANAKERT, KARABAKH AGBU-Sponsored Karabakh Chamber Orchestra Turns Ten A festive concert marked the 10th anniversary of the AGBU-sponsored Karabakh Chamber Orchestra (KCO). Karabakh National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulyan presented KCO Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Gevork Muradyan with a medal dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the National Liberation War of Artsakh following his congratulatory remarks, and Karabakh Culture and Youth Affairs Minister Narine Aghabalyan indicated in her address that imagining cultural life in Karabakh without KCO would be impossible. The orchestra performed selections from renowned Armenian and international composers, including Altunyan, Babajanian, Gomidas, Hovhannisyan, Iradier, Mirzoyan, Piazzolla, Rodriguez and others. KCO was established in 2004 through the joint initiative of AGBU and the Karabakh government. It has played an undeniably important role in Karabakh’s cultural development through its monthly concerts in Stepanakert, bringing classical music to thousands of enthusiasts in the country.

In partnership with the Sayat Nova Music School of Stepanakert and the Daniel Ghazaryan Music School of Shushi, KCO is preparing a new generation of musicians to carry on the orchestra in the future. The ensemble has hosted well-known Armenian soloists on its stage. As one of the best orchestras in the region, KCO often receives invitations to perform abroad—the musicians traveled to Bergen, Norway, in 2012 and Moscow in 2013. Both tours were supported by AGBU. www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 89

AGBU Bookstore NEW

Artist: Andrew Goldberg Producer: Two Cat Productions Format: DVD

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The complete story of the first genocide of the 20th century-the story of the deaths of over one million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks during World War I. This unprecedented and powerful one-hour documentary was written, directed and produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Andrew Goldberg of Two Cats Productions in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting. The Armenian Genocide is narrated by Julianna Margulies and features extensive, never before-seen footage.

The Armenian Genocide, Evidence from the German Foreign Office Archives, 1915-1916 Item Number: 001

Compiled by: Wolfgang Gust Publisher: Berghahn Books Format: Hardcover

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$9 0.

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In 1915 the Armenians were exiled from their land, and in the process of deportation 1.5 million were killed. The 1915-1916 annihilation of the Armenians was the archetype of modem genocide, in which a state adopts a specific scheme geared to the destruction of an identifiable group of its own citizens.

Official German diplomatic documents are of great importance in understanding the genocide, as only Germany had the right to report day-by-day in secret code about the ongoing genocide. The motives, methods and after-effects of the Armenian Genocide echoed strongly in subsequent cases of state-sponsored genocide. Studying the factors that went into the Armenian Genocide not only gives us an understanding of historical genocide, but also provides us with crucial information for the anticipation and possible prevention of future genocides.

Wolfgang Gust is an independent scholar based in Germany.

For many years he was Foreign News Editor and Correspondent with the highly respected German news magazine Der Spiegel.

He is the author of two previous books about the Armenian Genocide and the Ottoman Empire, as well as several articles related to the subject.

“Wolfgang Gust documents, in this excellent political-historical edition from contemporary German sources and the Foreign Office of the Reich government, the murderous events themselves… as well as the political co-responsibility of the German state.”

—Forum Wissenschaft

The Grandchildren—The Hidden Legacy of “Lost” Armenians in Turkey Item Number: 005

The Grandchildren is a collection of intimate, harrowing testimonies by grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Turkey’s “forgotten Armenians”—the orphans adopted and Islamized by Muslims after the Armenian genocide. Through them we learn of the tortuous routes by which they came to terms with the painful stories of their grandparents and their own identity. The postscript offers a historical overview of the silence about Islamized Armenians in most histories of the genocide.

When Fethiye Çetin first published her groundbreaking memoir in Turkey, My Grandmother, she spoke of her grandmother’s hidden Armenian identity. The book sparked a conversation among Turks about the fate of the Ottoman Armenians in Anatolia in 1915. This resulted in an explosion of debate on Islamized Armenians and their legacy in contemporary Muslim families.

The Grandchildren (translated from Turkish) is a follow-up to My Grandmother, and is an important contribution to understanding survival during atrocity. As witnesses to a dark chapter of history, the grandchildren of these survivors cast new light on the workings of memory in coming to terms with difficult pasts.

Author: Fethiye Çetin and Ayse Gül Altınay Publisher: Transaction Publishers Format: Hardcover

$4 5.

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Item Number: 1015

The Amiras: Lords of Ottoman Armenia Item Number: 311

The Amiras were a powerful class of Armenian commercial, industrial, and professional elites in the Ottoman capital between the 18th and 19th centuries. They ran the treasury, mint and armaments factories, built palaces, mosques and public buildings, and operated many monopolies. Because of their unique position, they had good relations with Ottoman Sultans and administrators, and played an important role in the development of the Armenian and Armenian Catholic millets.

Carmont’s sympathetic portrayal of these intrepid Armenians is based on written sources and the author’s contacts with their descendants. Carmont (1928-2011), himself a descendant of the Armenian Amiras of Constantinople, was a French diplomat. His work, Les Amiras: Seigneurs de l’Arménie Ottoman, originally appeared in French in 1999.

Author: Pascal Carmont Publisher: Taderon Press Format: Paperback

$2 2.

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The Armenian Genocide

NEW

$7 5.

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Author: Hasan Kuruyazici Publisher: International Hrant Dink Foundation Publications Format: Paperback

Item Number: 008

Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me recounts author Douglas Kalajian’s lifelong attempts to overcome his father’s reluctance to speak about his life as a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. In piecing together the scattered bits his father reluctantly shared, Kalajian reflects on how his father’s silence affected his own life and his identity as an American of Armenian descent. Kalajian is a retired journalist who worked as an editor and writer for the Palm Beach Post and the Miami Herald. He is author of the nonfiction book Snow Blind and co-author of They Had No Voice: My Fight For Alabama’s Forgotten Children.

Compiled by: Douglas Kalajian Publisher: 8220 Press Format: Paperback

NEW

Hove—The Wind Item Number: 007

Hove (The Wind) is a mistery that tells the story of two modern Armenian women whose lives are shaken by an unexpected encounter with the past, and the unresolved legacy of the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian Genocide: A Complete History Item Number: 304

Author: Raymond Kevorkian Publisher: I. B. Tauris Format: Hardcover

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The Armenian Genocide was one of the greatest atrocities of the twentieth century, an episode in which up to 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives. In this major new history, renowned historian Raymond Kévorkian provides an authoritative account of the origins, events, and consequences of the years 1915 and 1916. This is also a geographical account of the Genocide, documenting its course region by region, including a complete account of the deportations and massacres that occurred. He considers the role that the Armenian Genocide played in the construction of the Turkish nation state and identity, as well as the ideologies of power, rule, and state violence.

He examines the consequences of the violence against the Armenians and attempts to bring those who committed the atrocities to justice.

$1 6.

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Armenian architects played a major role in the modernization that Constantinople-as the then-capital of the Ottoman Empire was formerly known-underwent in the late 19th Century. Even though much of that legacy is now dilapidated or has disappeared throughout the turbulence that took place in Istanbul in the last century, the city is still defined by that seminal architectonic. The fame of the Balian brothers transcended national borders and survives to this day, but other eminent Armenian architects also contributed to reshape the cosmopolitan metropolis, including Mihran Azarian, the brothers Aram and Isaac Karakash, Ohannes Serverian and Garabed Tulbendjian. Author Hasan Kuruyazici prepared this richly-illustrated volume as the companion to an exhibition that took place in 2010, in collaboration with the International Hrant Dink Foundation, the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency and the Haycar Association of Architects and Engineers.

Extras include: • Cast and crew interviews • Former US Amb. to Armenia John Evans • Statement of Sen. Barack Obama Writer and Director: Alex Webb Publisher: Hove LLC Format: DVD

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Item Number: 327

Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me: Living with the Armenian legacy of loss and silence

Flavors with History: Armenian Cuisine Item Number: 301

Recipes collected from various Armenian regions and towns in western Armenia, Armenia proper and Artsakh: Van, Erzurum, Mush, Aintab, Urfa, Adana, Gyumri, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, etc.

Author: AGBU Buenos Aires Ladies Committee Publisher: AGBU Format: Paperback

$2 5.

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Armenian Architects of Istanbul: In the Era of Westernization

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AGBU Bookstore Anahid's Gourmet Cookbook

Treasured Armenian Recipes

Item Number: 283

Item Number: 101

Author: Anahid Doniguian Publisher: Academia Format: Hardcover

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A collection of more than 800 recipes, this comprehensive cookbook reflects the Lebanon-based author’s diverse culinary knowledge and creativity. From the marvels of Armenian fare to the thrill of Thai, Anahid has compiled an invaluable resource with the best dishes from every culture. Since its release in late 2004, the book has been published in three languages and it has sold 60,000 copies throughout the Middle East and the U.S.. Rich in illustrations, this colorful book also contains useful advice and table etiquette.

Arranged according to categories, from appetizers to desserts, these recipes will conjure up memories for many and awaken others to the pleasures of Armenian cooking.

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Author: AGBU Detroit Women’s Chapter Publisher: AGBU Format: Paperback

English/Armenian Pocket Dictionary Item Number: 150

The ultimate pocket dictionary for those travelling to Armenia. Includes list of pronunciations and abbreviations. 280 pages.

Armenian Cuisine Item Number: 307

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Shirak's Dictionary of Armenian Names Item Number: 243

Author: Ohannes Hannessian Publisher: Shirak Publishing Format: Paperback

The Recipes of Musa Dagh Item Number: 300

Author: Alberta, Anna and Louisa Magazanian Publisher: AGBU Format: Paperback

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The Armenian villages of Musa Dagh (Mount Moses) were among the very few that resisted the 1915 Ottoman forced marches.

Victoria Magzanian was 9 years old when she climbed the mountain. These are the recipes of Victoria who ultimately survived and learned the cooking of her beloved Musa Dagh homeland. Her daughter Anna eagerly learned her mother's recipes over the many years they lived together.

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A name is the first priceless gift that parents bestow on their newborn. This dictionary contains 1,500 names, including the origin and meaning of each, complete with nicknames and variations.

Armenian Coloring Book Item Number: 296

To read, write and learn Armenian while coloring and learning the language and its pronunciation.

Author: Taline Najarian Publisher: Playpen LLC Format: Paperback

$1 4.

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Author: Aline Kamakian Publisher: The Daily Star Format: Hardcover

Author: Haitook Mansoorian, Hrair Simonian Publisher: AGBU Format: Paperback

$5 5.

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Aline Kamakian, passionate cook and co-owner of the famed Mayrig restaurant in Beirut, traveled with Belgian writer and anthropologist Barbara Drieskens to her ancestral homeland of Cilicia, Historical Armenia (southeastern Turkey), where many of the recipes in the book originated.

There they gathered stories, recipes and vibrant images that add to the rich history of passing on, from mother to daughter, an entire culture through food. The book includes over 130 of the most popular Armenia recipes with photographs throughout.

NEW

NEW

The Gardens of Silihdar

Mayrig

From her earliest years until her tragic death, Zabel Yessayan championed social justice and women’s rights. Even as a young woman, she fought against the injustices she saw at school, refused to accept the restrictions placed on girls in her community, and demonstrated a fierce determination to succeed in the literary world at a time when few women were allowed entry. Yessayan authored several novels, short stories, newspaper articles an eyewitness account of the aftermath of the 1909 massacres of the Armenians. Her 1935 memoir, The Gardens of Silihdar, is a poignant narrative of her childhood and a vivid account of Armenian community life in Constantinople (Istanbul) at the end of the nineteenth century. Author, educator, and social activist, Zabel Yessayan (1878-1943) is recognized today as one of the greatest writers in Western Armenian literature.

With all the poignancy of a man at his mother’s deathbed, holding her hand and reflecting on the story that will no longer be theirs but his alone, Henri Verneuil begins the journey back to a childhood lovingly remembered.

It is an odyssey that takes us not only through time, but through the complex landscape of relationships and emotional milestones in which the young Achod Malakian grew to manhood. It was a landscape of many colors, but in that extraordinary circle of devoted mother (mayrig), father and two maternal aunts, it was, above all, the brilliant color of love, tinged with the hues of Armenian joy and sadness.

The steamer to France, the search for work and a place to live, the nightmare of school—these are only some of the places Verneuil takes us. At every stop, he paints an affecting picture that, in simple and sparing words, speaks volumes about a boy and his family.

And yet, the book describes the universal experience of all men and women who, one way or another, at one time or another, are exiled and reborn, heartbroken and hopeful, defeated and triumphant.

The Knock at the Door: A Journey through the Darkness of the Armenian Genocide

Author: Henri Verneuil Publisher: St. Vartan Press Format: Paperback

$1 5.

00

Author: Zabel Yessayan Publisher: Armenian International Women’s Association Format: Paperback

Item Number: 006

$2 0.

00

Item Number: 004

Item Number: 303

Hoy Lari—Children’s Songs in Armenian Item Number: 1036

Kids of all ages will sing along and dance in this fun filled, colorful, interactive and educational video. This video will encourage children to sing in Armenian and learn the Armenian language. Fifteen songs and dances.

Running time: 40 minutes.

Artist: Hoy Lari Producer: Yerevagayenk Format: DVD

$2 0.

00

Author: Margaret Ajemian Publisher: Beaufort Books Format: Hardcover

$2 0.

00

In this riveting book, Ajemian Ahnert relates her mother Ester’s terrifying experiences during this period of hatred and brutality. At age 15, Ester was separated from her foster family during a forced march away from her birth town of Amasia. She faced unspeakable horrors at the hands of many she met on the road and was forced into an abusive marriage, but she never lost her faith, wit or ability to see the good in people. Eventually, she escaped and made her way to America.

Hoy Lari—Live in Concert Item Number: 1036-A

My First Book of Armenian Words

Author: Ani Gigarjian Publisher: Gigarjian/Avedikian Publishers Format: Paperback

Artist: Hoy Lari Producer: Yerevagayenk Format: DVD

$1 8.

00

$2 0.

00

A wonderful way for children to learn Armenian.

Colorful pictures accompany each word with English, Armenian and English transliteration letters.

Janet and Paola—the duo behind Hoy Lari bring their concert in Los Angeles to homes everywhere. Children will get up and dance to the fun and modern music. A wonderful gift for all occasions sure to be appreciated for years. Running time: 40 minutes.

Item Number: 259

www.agbu.org | 2014 AGBU 93

AGBU Bookstore

Item Number: 1030-A

Item Number: 1030-B

Item Number: 1030-C

Taline: The Complete Collection

Kids love Taline, as all Armenian parents know. Now you can get the complete collection of all five DVDs at the incredible price of $75 or buy them separate at the price of $25 each. Running time: 45 minutes each.

Artist: Taline & Friends Producer: Taline Productions Format: DVD

Item Number: 1030-D

$2 5 fo .00 r E E nt ac ire h C or ol $7 le 5 ct .0 io 0 n

Item Number: 1030

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EMBROIDERY WORKSHOP AT THE KELEKIAN ORPHANAGE IN Beirut, 1929.

AGBU Archives

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September 2014