PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
mira@haigazian.edu.lb

Haigazian University Book launch: "Armenians of Lebanon: From Past
Princesses and Refugees to Present-Day Community"

Boudjikanian: This book should be available in each Lebanese-Armenian
home and in each Diasporan Armenian home, if not in Armenia.

Beirut, April 20, 2010 – On April 9, 2010, a new book entitled Armenians
of Lebanon: From Past Princesses and Refugees to Present-Day Community
was launched at Haigazian University.

The book contains the proceeding of the multidisciplinary conference
"Armenians of Lebanon: Their Past and Present", held in September 2005,
on the occasion of the University’s 50th Anniversary.

The event kicked off amidst a capacity audience, including Minister of
State Jean Oghasabian, MPs Hagop Pakradouni, Farid El Khazen and Arthur
Nazarian, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian, Board
members, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and students.

The event began with a short introduction delivered by the Master of
Ceremonies, Mr. Patrick Farajian who stressed on the importance of the
work as a research material. He concluded by highly evaluating the
mutual "gifts" that Armenians and Lebanon have given each other.

Keynote speaker and editor of the book, Dr. Aida Boudjikanian who came
specially from Montreal, Canada, warmly thanked all those who helped her
make this book become a reality. She enthusiastically shared how the
participants of the conference agreed to publish their papers presented
at the conference in a book and how she was honored to be chosen as the
editor. "Scholarly studies and books lack on almost every aspect of
Armenian existence and history," Boudjikanian said as she explained the
book’s significance, adding that it will be "useful as a tool to launch
future research and publications."

Boudjikanian then proceeded to give her audience a brief glimpse into
the content of the book and its fourteen chapters, as diverse in topics
as the languages they were written in. She asserted that contributions
were kept in their original language, whether it be English, French or
Armenian, covering topics ranging from the "Armenians’ well entrenched
self-employment in Lebanon" to the "centrality of Lebanon in the
Armenian Diaspora."

She concluded with the hope that this book will show the younger
generations "how their grandfathers and great-grandfathers were capable
of building this community after 1920 and having their own
resurrection."

Next to speak was Member of Parliament Dr. Farid El Khazen, who
celebrated the book as the fruit of Haigazian University’s 50th
anniversary conference and expressed his earnest desire that this book
be read by both Armenians and Non-Armenians.

In addition to his perspective on the book, he also expanded on the
"three broad dimensions of Armenians in Lebanon." Khazen stressed on the
transition of Armenians from refugees to integrated members of Lebanese
society, as well as the restructuring of the Armenian political sphere
in post-war Lebanon, and finally, the fact that Lebanon is the most
prolific in producing Armenian books in the context of the Diaspora
after Armenia itself.

After urging that more research needs to be done on the evolution of
Armenian institutions in Lebanon, Khazen brought his speech to a close.

This was followed by a short musical interlude, with Shushan Artinian on
the cello and Maria Palazian on the piano, beautifully performing "Oror"
by Parsegh Ganatchian.

University President, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian addressed the audience
with words of appreciation for everyone involved in the process of
creating this book, including the co-publisher, the Armenian Heritage
Press, which is part of the National Association for Armenian Studies
and Research (NAASR). In the spirit of this collaboration, Haidostian
revealed that a second book is in the making, again to be co-published
with NAASR.

Commenting on Armenians of Lebanon, Haidostian added: "This book, in
addition to its various Armenian merits, is to be considered as a
chapter in Lebanese history and culture,"

He further stated that the Haigazian Armenological Review, a
well-established academic journal, is this year moving towards
additional publications in Armenian studies and will soon celebrate its
40th anniversary by publishing its 30th volume.

He concluded with the hopeful statement that "we, in the season of
Resurrection, and on the doorsteps of the 95th anniversary of the
Genocide, are ready to embrace the future."

The program ended with a book signing and reception in the Mugar
building.