DAGDIGIAN, VARTABEDIAN OFFER JOINT PROGRAM ON ARMENIA

Armenian Weekly
January 28, 2010

LOWELL, Mass.-Two long-time friends who’ve made repeated trips to
Armenia will pool their efforts toward a joint program Feb. 20.

Joe Dagdigian and Tom Vartabedian, two active members of the Merrimack
Valley Armenian community, will collaborate on a program entitled
"Armenia Revisited."

The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the ARS Community Center, 142
Liberty St., Lowell, sponsored by the Lowell "Aharonian" ARF Committee.

Both men will present their impressions and photography on a 3-week
trip taken last spring which focused primarily on village life and
the more remote areas of the country, including Artsakh.

Among the highlights will be a personal account of April 24th at
Tsitsernagapert (Armenian Genocide Memorial), Cosmic Ray Division,
life in Yerevan today, rebirth of Gyumri after the earthquake, ruins
of Ptghni, Armenian Tree Project and Botanical Gardens, Stepanagert
and Shushi, Nor Armavir, Shamiram, Datev Vank, Zvartnots and Mastera.

Dagdigian was past national chairman of the AYF Central Executive and
is currently a member of the Merrimack Valley ANC and Lowell ARF. He
is also a member of NAASR, ALMA and the Knights of Vartan.

He and Anahid Yeremian are co-founders of the Support Committee
for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division which supports the scientists,
engineers and students at the CRD of the Yerevan Physics Institute.

He and his wife Lisa have visited Armenia more than 10 times since
the independence, remaining at their own apartment in Yerevan,
meeting the people and photographing interesting sites.

Dagdigian is also teaching a non-credit introductory course titled
"Introduction to Armenian History" (PER680) at the Bedford campus
of Middlesex Community College. Details, (800) 818-3434 or online
at under "non-credit" and "personal
enrichment" courses.

Vartabedian is also a member and past chairman of the Lowell ARF,
taught Armenian language and culture at Northern Essex Community
College, and continues to teach Armenian School at St. Gregory
Church of North Andover. He is currently involved in promoting a
genocide curriculum in high schools north of Boston. He is an active
correspondent for the Armenian press. A book on Armenian photography
is in the works.

A dinner will precede the program. Tickets are $20 for adults and
$10 for students and may be purchased at the door.