ARPA Lecture/Seminar:`The Armenian Highlands and Mesopotamia"
Language: Armenian
Lecturer: Bedros Tomassian
Date & Time: Thursday, April 2, 2009 @ 7:30PM
Venue: Merdinian Auditorium: 13330 Riverside Dr. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Directions: On the 101 FY Exit on Woodman, Go North and Turn Right on
Riverside Dr. Abstract: The fertile Middle Eastern regions,
especially Mesopotamia, irrigated by the mighty Euphrates and Tigris
rivers flowing from the Armenian Highlands, has always been the cradle
of all the various peoples in the region. The history of Armenians has
been closely linked with the history of Mesopotamia, since early
times, as can be evidenced by the epics of Hayk and Bel, David of
Sassoun, and even Ara the Fair.

The lecture will address centuries old historical relations between
peoples and civilizations of the region, thus presenting the history
of the Armenian people in schematic, tabular and cartographic format.
Also presented will be the paramount role of the Armenian people in
the creation and development of the ancient civilization in
Mesopotamia. The lecture will entail the time span from the early
periods of the Mesopotamian civilization to the Bagradit Kingdom.

Bedros Tomassian: was born in 1954 in Iraqi city of Basra. He has
received his elementary and secondary education in the United Armenian
National School of Baghdad. He has graduated from the University of
Baghdad, College of Engineering of in 1976 with a B.Sc. in Civil
Engineering. He is a self-taught historian and specializes in the
history of the peoples of Mesopotamia and the Armenian
Highlands. Bedros has lectured in the center of the ` Armenian Youth
Association of Baghdad (AYAB)’ from 1980 till 1997, when he moved to
Jordan. During 1997-98 he has lectured on Armenian history in the
Homentmen center of Amman and has been given the title of `Homentmen
Lecturer of Armenian History’.

He has moved to Glendale, California in 1999. Since 2000 he has
organized lectures on Armenian history in the Armenian Youth
Association of California (AYAC), has appeared on TV on numerous
occasions and has lectured extensively on Armenian history to various
Armenian organizations. He has authored a series of articles entitled
`Today in the Past’, that has appeared in the AYAB Newsletter in
Baghdad, in the St. Tadeos Armenian Monthly of Jordan, Masis Weekly of
Los Angeles and in the AYAC Newsletter "Lradoo". His first book
entitled `The Armenian Highlands and Mesopotamia’ was published in
Armenia in 2006. He is currently working on his second book, which is
the continuation of the first. He is married to Dr. Hrachoohi
Tomassian.

For Information Please call Dr. Hagop Panossian at (818) 586-9660 or
e-mail at info@hotmail.com