PRESS RELEASE
Research on Armenian Architecture RAA/USA
Contact Person: Jora Manoucherian
Telephone: (818) 469-1186
Email: [email protected]
RAA NGO RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIA
On June 10, 2008, the National Assembly of Armenia recognized Research on
Armenian Architecture (RAA) NGO, as well as its founder and chairman, Dr.
Armen Haghnazarian, and Samvel Karapetyan, the president and managing
director of the Yerevan Office, for their tireless contribution towards the
research, documentation, archiving, preservation and publication of Armenian
historical monuments and architectural heritage currently located in the
neighboring countries of our homeland.
To that effect, the National Assembly of Armenia awarded RAA and its
managers with Certificates of Recognition, as well as gold medals, in
appreciation for their work and efforts made in the last three and a half
decades. The importance of their work is unquestionable, as a large number
of monuments surveyed and documented by RAA are now either destroyed or in
total ruin and can only be remembered through archival information.
Additionally, the numerous documentary books published in the last few
years, which record thousands of Armenian historical monuments located in
the countries neighboring Armenia, are being used in the current political
negotiations with these countries. These books are enduring proof of the
Armenian roots and of the fact that Armenians flourished in these lands for
centuries – indeed, millennia – before the lines were drawn on today’s maps
allegedly ceding these lands to their present `owners.’
Although the publication costs are being secured by RAA/USA, in the last 2
years the National Assembly of Armenia, which has recognized the value of
these archives and importance of these publications, has begun supporting
the activities of RAA by providing special grants to accelerate the
publication of new books and the translation of existing ones into English
and Russian.
The latest volume (No. 11) published under the patronage of Tufenkian and
Galust Gulbenkian Foundations is ‘Akhaltskha’, which treats the history, and
cultural monuments of Akhaltskha District situated on the northern
borderline of Historical Armenia.
On July 15, 2008, RAA Organization held the presentation of Sirak Sarhadian’
s ‘Memoirs’ book published in Armenian, at the `Yerevan Museum of the
Armenian Genocide’. In this ceremony the author’s younger son Arthur
Sarhadian was present.
Between July 21 and 27, 2008, RAA participated in a weeklong scientific
conference in Yerevan on the topic of `Hamshen Armenians’ by presenting an
exhibition related to Hamshen. Narekatsy Art Centre organized this event,
in cooperation with the Yerkir Union of Non-Governmental Organizations and
Bagaran NGO.
The year 2008 is also marked with two 30-day research trips to Western
Armenia. Overall, RAA has now made 7 scientific expeditions to the lost
Armenian homeland.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
