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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 34; August 25, 2007

Community:

1. CYSCA Visiting Museum Managers Present at ALMA
By Andy Turpin

2. ALMA Intern Shines with Exhibit on Armenian Wine: ‘Genatsed!’

3. ‘Big Ragu’ Eddie Mekka Highlights North End’s Sicilian Fisherman’s Feast

4. Merrimack Valley ANC Hosts Reception
By Tom Vartabedian

5. The Things We Did This Summer We’ll Remember All Winter Long (Part II)
By Betty Apigian-Kessel

6. Wonder Woman of the ANCA-ER
Executive Director Karine Birazian Talks about Being a Professional Armenian
Activist
By Andy Turpin

***

1. CYSCA Visiting Museum Managers Present at ALMA
By Andy Turpin

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On August 19, the Armenian Library and Museum of
America (ALMA) hosted a presentation by the Cambridge Yerevan Sister City
Association’s (CYSCA) "Community Connections" visiting professional exchange
group: museum mangers representing 10 diverse museums from Armenia.

The presentation immediately followed the opening reception for ALMA’s new
"Genatsed!" exhibit on the history of Armenian wine.

CSYCA vice president and program director Jack Medzorian gave introductions,
stating, "We are very proud to present our 15th group [in the exchange
program’s history]. This was a joint forum of professionals whose coming
together was made possible by a USAID grant."

He explained, "This group has been very intensely involved in visiting
museums. Their job is education. They’re in charge of educating people on
the rich culture of Armenia. They take that very seriously."

Medzorian pragmatically described the goals the group sought to complete
before they returned home from the Cambridge area on Aug. 24. "The name of
this program is ‘Community Connections’ and that’s what it’s all about," he
said. "We have to develop action plans for these fine people, so they can
implement in Armenia what they’ve learned here."

Program consultant and lecturer for the CYSCA group Tigran Aloyan from
Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government provided the English
translation to the audience, which heard of the museums’ missions and
histories.

Lilik Hakobyan, director of the Yegishe Charents House Museum, said, "As you
know, Charents died in the purges of the Stalin era. Everything in his rooms
is as it was in the Charents era. The museum has around 18,000 pieces,
including Charents’ personal handwritings and possessions when he was living
there."

She described the museum’s particular sentimental importance to Armenians,
saying, "There are many unpublished works by Charents being found
continuously today that were hidden for years. This is a place where many
Armenians like to come to visit to get acquainted with Charents’ work."

Vera Kalchurina, deputy director and chief curator of Yerevan’s Russian Art
Museum, spoke of the achievements of her museum, stating, "We have 300
pieces, but that does not mean we are not interesting. This is a very unique
museum for our part of the Caucasus because we have some very famous pieces
of Russian art."

She continued, "We are very proud to have a museum of this kind in Armenia.
It is wonderful for young artists to be able to see pieces like Roethko’s
without leaving Armenia. We see our museum as a connecting point between
Russian and Armenian art."

Kamo Sahakyan, director of the Yeghegnadzor Geological Museum in Vayots
Dzor, said that "two million astronomers have come as pilgrims to our
museum," to research the archival notes and journals of Armenia’s past
astronomers.

Vahag Minasyan, director of the State Museum of Nature of Armenia, spoke
proudly of his intuition. "It was created five years ago and belongs to the
Ministry of Natural Resources," he said. "Of course, we have tourists, but
most of our visitors are school children. Our museum presents Armenian
wildlife, minerals and everything related to nature," he added.

Aloyan translated the unanimous feeling of the group that the most valuable
asset of their Cambridge visit was "learning a lot about how funds are
preserved here. We still have this lack of culture [in the Republic] of
giving money to cultural institutions that need development."

Though speaking to the tradition of extreme professional zeal that exists
among Armenian museum workers, he explained, "During the ‘Time of Troubles’
[1991-1997], museum workers preserved funds and materials at their own
expense."

During the audience question and answer period, ALMA Board member Haig Der
Manuelian said he was concerned that few plaques on Armenian monuments had
English translations.

He lambasted, "Armenia has a beautiful rich culture. The information on
these treasures shouldn’t be hidden as if you don’t want the tourists to
know about them. It needs to be recognized that English is the international
language of travel."

Following the question and answer session, Sahakyan pleased the crowd with
his impressive operatic voice talents, a rarity among astronomers.
————————————- ————————————————

ALMA Intern Shines with Exhibit on Armenian Wine: ‘Genatsed!’

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On Aug.19, the Armenian Library and Museum of
America (ALMA) presented its opening reception for a new panel exhibit
called "Genatsed!: Vine and Wine in the Armenian Culture." The exhibit runs
through Jan. 31, 2008, and examines Armenian viticulture history, wine
production and the grape as an artistic motif from antiquity to the present
in a variety of media, including illuminated manuscripts, architecture,
painting, metal works and textiles.

The over 3,000-year history of grape cultivation in and around Armenia has
greatly influenced the subject matter of Armenian artists and craftsmen.

Sarita Olson, an intern at ALMA, curated the exhibit. An art history and
cultural anthropology student at Boston University (BU), Olson has been
working at ALMA for about two years. She’s also pursuing a minor in French,
which, she explains, helped in her preparation for the exhibit, as many of
the sources used were written in French.

Olson has also been assisting the committee working on ALMA’s upcoming
traveling exhibit, "Forgotten Heroes: The Armenian Legion in World War I."

In the coming months, she will also utilize her French language skills when
she travels to Niger on a BU study abroad program, where she’ll work at the
National Museum (Musee National du Niger) in the capital Niamey.

"The program will have me working with very specific craftsmen, such as
silversmiths or wood workers," she said. "The program is very specific to my
majors and focus in anthropology on West Africa."

Talking about "Genatsed!" Olson said, "It was my first solo exhibition, so
it was kind of a big deal. The hardest part was making the panels."

The ALMA staff, she went on, "has really been so helpful. I couldn’t have
done it without them. This exhibit is an opportunity I probably wouldn’t
have had at another museum."

For more information on ALMA or the "Genatsed" exhibit, visit ALMA’s
website,
——————————— ————————————————– ———-

3. ‘Big Ragu’ Eddie Mekka Highlights North End’s Sicilian Fisherman’s Feast

BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)-On Aug. 17, Edward Mekjian, otherwise known as Eddie
Mekka from his role as Carmine Ragusa on the hit ABC-TV sitcom "Laverne &
Shirley," performed at the Sorrento Cheese Fisherman’s Feast in Boston’s
North End.

The feast is the oldest continuous Italian festival in Boston. Since 1910,
it has celebrated the devotion of immigrant Sicilian fishermen to the
"Madonna del Soccorso di Sciacca" (Our Lady of Help). The feast took place
Aug. 16-19 and featured Italian-American performers, as well as the
traditional procession of the Madonna and the flight of the Angel.

Mekka spoke to the Weekly about his career and the North End performance
saying, "I’m Armenian, but I got a little Italian in me and it comes
through. In my acting, the Italian community has been very good to me and a
lot of my best roles have been Italians, like Carmine."

He joked, "I’m part Italian, part Armenian. I always say, ‘I’ll make ya a
rug you can’t refuse.’"

Speaking about the show, Mekka said, "I’m the headliner. I have an
eight-piece band and I do all the Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Louis Prima
stuff. After the show, I’m going up to Maine to do ‘Hairspray.’"

He recounted vividly how he got into acting in the 1970s. "I went to the
Boston Conservatory. While I was out there, there was this dinner theater in
Warwick, R.I.," he said.

"I went to a show of ‘Hello Dolly’ and immediately it clicked and I said to
the guy at the theater, ‘How do I get into this?’ The guy told me, ‘You
gotta be in the union.’ I said, ‘How do you get into the union?’ He says,
"You gotta be in a show.’ I say, ‘How does anybody ever get into this?’"

"But I came back with my picture and a couple weeks later someone got sick
and I got my first acting job," Mekka explained. "I quit school and I went
to New York with all the other actors. I drove a taxi and sold candy outside
Radio City Music Hall. Eventually I went out to L.A., and boom, in three
days I got ‘Laverne and Shirley.’ Pretty good, huh?"

"I have to say," said Mekka, "I’m a really good cook. I make dolma with meat
and red sauce and I incorporate flavors from both Italian and Armenian food.
My father [who is Armenian] hates it. My mother [who is Italian] loves it."
—————————————- ————————————————– ———

4. Merrimack Valley ANC Hosts Reception
By Tom Vartabedian

CHELMSFORD, Mass. (A.W.)-The ANCA continues to blaze new trails under
Kenneth Hachigian, the national chairman, and Karine Birazian, the
newly-appointed executive director of the Eastern Region.

On Aug. 18, both made their second stop to Merrimack Valley following a
visit to Providence the night before. Prior to that, there were visits to
other states along the Eastern seaboard to Florida, throughout the
Mid-Atlantic region and Mid-West.

The mission is two-fold: to incite greater interest in upcoming procedures
through a well-defined grassroots agenda and to augment its capital flow.

At the rallying core stands the much-anticipated passage of a genocide bill
in Congress that continues to beckon a truly "Hye Octane" Armenian lobby.

With 226 co-sponsors aboard for the genocide resolution, progress has become
inevitable, despite strong resistance from the Turkish lobby.

"It’s been 25 years since we’ve had that number," said Hachigian. "That’s a
testament to all involved and the work we’re doing, especially in places
like Merrimack Valley and Providence."

Hachigian pointed to the many advances made since he took office six years
ago, calling it "an ongoing learning experience." He lauded his staff and
those like Birazian for working tirelessly toward the cause.

It all points to a highly respected caucus in Washington, D.C., which has
been made very well aware of Armenian issues both here and abroad.

"We have a Congressional caucus of 160 members," revealed Hachigian. "That’s
remarkable, considering a population of 1.5 million Armenians in this
country, and the fact that there is only one part-Armenian constituent. We’re
regarded as one of the strongest advocacy levels. Almost all of it is
precipitated on local levels with numerous ANC groups."

With Montana aboard, 42 states recognize the Armenian genocide. Although the
work remains insurmountable here, just as much effort is exerted across in
resurrecting the homeland.

In the past 16 years-since Armenia’s independence-$1.7 billion in foreign
aid has been appropriated to the country. Irrigation fields are being built
along with a stable economy that has grown by 12 percent per year since
2000.

"If Armenia cannot be prosperous, people will leave and we won’t have a
country," said Hachigian. "We’re moving in the right direction and the
United States remains an important catalyst."

The reception was hosted by Armen and Sossy Jeknavorian, two active members
of the ARF and ARS community. They were joined by ANC co-chairmen Pearl
Bargamian-Teague and Aram Jeknavorian.

Teague welcomed the 25 guests and spoke of the Congressional battle in the
Fifth Essex District to fill the seat vacated by Martin T. Meehan, who left
to become chancellor of UMass-Lowell.

A number of quality candidates are vying for the seat and are in touch with
the Armenian community.

Birazian put a nursing career in Chicago on hold to assume her current post.
A notable pent athlete in the AYF Olympics, she’ll be competing for her
fifth title over Labor Day weekend.

She attributes a lot of her success to the AYF and "multi-tasking" while
hobnobbing with the political elite of this country. In her capacity, she
oversees a 32-state region and some 293 districts.

"It’s such a joy to wake up each morning and go to work for Hai Tahd,"
Birazian said. "Every contribution we make as individuals is a contribution
to Armenia."

About 65 philanthropists turned out in Providence with the mayor in
attendance.
————————————- ————————————————– ——

5. The Things We Did This Summer We’ll Remember All Winter Long (Part II)

DALLAS, Texas and PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-Eighteen-year-old Lindsey Haroutunian
and her team the Bloomfield Force struck gold as the hard driving Force Team
recently won the National Championship for their age group in Dallas. There
to support and cheer on Lindsey were her parents Dr. Michael and Laurie
Haroutunian and her Aunt Diane (Haroutunian) Brus. Upon arriving back home,
the jubilant Haroutunians played host to a celebratory party for the
Bloomfield Force Championship team, coaches and their very happy families.
Lindsey is a freshman at Villanova University where she was recruited to
play on their soccer team. She arrived at her new school in mid-August in
order to begin vigorous soccer practice sessions. It seems her heart and
soul are dedicated to the sport and her eye is on even more accomplishments
for her new college team. Soccer Buzz Magazine, in giving an overview of
2007’s top 20 teams, mentions Lindsey as one of Villanova’s "Wildcats"
freshman recruits "who could work into roles in the middle of the pitch …
expect Villanova to keep posting wins week after week."

TORONTO, Ontario-Film director Noura Kevorkian and producer husband Paul
Scherber are enjoying the many outdoor activities in their beloved and
vibrant home city of Toronto on Lake Ontario. They, along with year old son
Aran, are attending Shakespeare in the Park, art shows, museums and jazz
festivals not only for family enjoyment but to expose impressionable Aran to
many things-as the young filmmaker Noura says, "So his imagination would
soar." They toured the beautiful nearby city of Niagara-on-the-Lake, known
for its live Robert Shaw theater productions, but are putting plans on hold
to visit Lebanon in the fall till the political situation permits. The main
reason for their trip there is to screen her feature documentary "Anjar:
Flowers, Goats and Heroes" to the community in Anjar and Beirut, in
preparation for the Khatch celebrations coming up in September. Says Noura,
"We will have to wait and see." Later in the fall, they as a family will be
touring North America to screen the film in Armenian communities with plans
to organize a screening for Michigan. Noura’s non-Armenian husband Paul of
only a few years speaks Armenian fluently. They are also busy developing a
group of new film projects. The youthful couple are artistic people on the
go. How did I get to know this talented family? Several of us had the
pleasure of meeting with them on their late spring visit to the Rochester
Hills, home of Mrs. Sally Kabodian, while they were doing research and
interviews for another Armenian documentary film project, which if
accomplished should be very interesting.

CAMP DEARBORN, MILFORD, Mich.-July 29 was a perfect summer day for the ARF
Azadamard Gomideh’s Khanasor kebab dinner picnic commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the historic Khanasor Expedition. It was an occasion to
remember those who defended the national Armenian honor so long ago, and the
crowd of 150 dined and shared camaraderie while revolutionary music played
in the background and the tri-color proudly waved in the afternoon breeze.
The Khanasor Expedition was a turning point in Armenian-Kurdish relations.
Nigol Touman, Vartan and Ishkhan undertook a raid against the Mazrig Kurdish
tribe that had attacked and massacred 800 unarmed Armenian fedayees
retreating from Van towards the Persian border. No Armenian should ever
forget the sacrifice our freedom fighters made. It isn’t just the
revolutionary music of note, it’s the lyrics that tell of brotherhood and
sacrifice, and remind us that "A man only dies once." Who amongst us today
demonstrates that kind of bravery for the Cause? They were Armenians willing
to make the supreme sacrifice in an attempt to end the harsh brutality of
life in Armenian villages. It pays to remember heroes just as assuredly as
it is important to remember who caused our misery and exile from our
homeland. Personally I place the names of the Lisbon Five dghaner (young
men) in the same category of herosner (heroes) just as we pay tribute to the
freedom fighters of long ago. It’s a matter of honor, Armenian honor. While
we are on the subject of honor, let’s include the note we received from
Levon Saryan in Wisconsin responding to the spirited debate over the use of
Armenian words over another language to describe happy times. He writes, "In
the song ‘Ariunod Trosh Veh Tashnagtsutiun,’ we have a line ‘sirenk miutiun,
chanenk vadutiun, mishd partsr bahenk, HHT anoon’-loosely translated, always
exalt the name of the ARF. So what I wrote was also to support the
organization, to keep its name unsullied." So you have, Levon, abrees to you
also.
——————————————- ——————————————–

6. Wonder Woman of the ANCA-ER
Executive Director Karine Birazian Talks about Being a Professional Armenian
Activist

WATERTOWN, Mass (A.W.)-At 24, Karine Birazian has achieved enough to deserve
to have her mid-life crisis some 20 years early. She’s taken up a load of
responsibility in the world of Armenian politics that is equivalent to the
logistics training of a military officer.

As executive director of the ANCA’s Eastern Region, she’s become a female
commando of information and activism for the Armenian community.

Speaking to the Weekly about how she got swept up and away into her current
position, Birazian said, "I didn’t even join the AYF until I was 15. I was
just really involved with Armenian dancing and Hai Tahd. Then I did things
like Camp Haiastan and going to Armenia in 2001, and my act with the AYF
just skyrocketed."

"In Armenia, I volunteered in Nork-Marash, a cardiology medical center. I
was actually pursuing nursing in college-and am a registered RN-then
Hai-Tahd and the AYF became my second life," she recalled.

"In Chicago, where I was born and raised, my true passion was genocide
education," she said, explaining how she first got involved in Armenian
politics. "In high school, when we were doing a research project, my dance
teacher recommended I read Black Dog of Fate. That’s when the flame was
fueled."

Birazian started lecturing students at her high school about the genocide.
"It started with your typical class of about 30 kids and ended with me
lecturing the entire freshmen class and all around the surrounding high
schools."

In 2003, she did the ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship, an experience she
considers a true turning point in her life. "If you ask any of the interns
there, they’ll tell you that there was just something about being in the
office. It was just so welcoming!"

Birazian worked on getting the Armenian genocide into the Illinois state
curriculum and took part in the National Convention for Social Studies
Teachers being held in Chicago that year.

"Compared to the big book companies that had plasma screen TV presentations
set up, we just had a table-and even that was borrowed from our church. We
thought we’d get passed over but our booth generated so much attention.
Eight hundred teachers came and signed up for our information and said
things like, ‘I’ve really always wanted to teach this, but just never had
the resources.’ That launched the Genocide Research Project, and its taken
genocide education to a whole new level," Birazian said.

"I don’t consider what I do a job," she said about her position as executive
director. "I consider it a passion. It hasn’t been easy all the time, but it’s
been a phenomenal experience."

She spoke with gusto about her duties, saying, "I’ll go anywhere to meet
with any activist and give them the tools they need. I think each individual
has a moment in their life when they find a cause to go do something about."

Talking about the Watertown Town Council’s decision to sever its ties with
the "No Place for Hate" program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League
(ADL), Birazian commented, "To have a town council speak up for what
survivors have gone through is amazing and it turns communities into small
armies that act when they’re called upon."

She noted how in her travels and meetings with AYF chapters, communities
were becoming active in locales that had previously been Armenian no man’s
land, saying, "We didn’t have anything really in Tampa, Fla., until this
year."

Birazian said the next upcoming and major event for the ANCA-ER would be
their fundraising and support gala in New York. "We’re really looking
forward to our banquet on September 22 at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
We’re really working hard on it," she said.

As for those communities or community members that are looking to get their
feet wet in the ANCA but feel shy about how informed they are on the issues
of Armenian politics, Birazian consoled, "It’s OK to not know. Nobody’s
going to hang up the phone on you if you call our office. We’re not going to
laugh at you. We’re here to help you to become educated citizens and to take
action."

Keep your eyes to the sky: Karine Birazian could be landing soon to spread
the word in a city near you.