Artak Beglaryan, the State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh, will be the featured speaker at a public forum hosted by the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States, on October 25 at 7 p.m. to be held at the Armenian Society of Los Angeles (Iranahye) Center in the heart of downtown Glendale, California. Beglaryan has been invited to the United States by the Armenian Missionary Association of America to give a keynote address during the AMAA’s 102nd Annual Meeting Banquet.
Beglaryan, who from 2018 to 2020, served as the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh, will be in Glendale as part of a tour of multiple North American cities. In his presentation at the Armenian Society of Los Angeles, it is anticipated that Beglaryan will provide the audience with an insightful discussion about the current state of affairs in the Republic of Artsakh in the context of the devastating 44 day war of 2020. He will further offer a glimpse into the Artsakh government’s plans at future redevelopment and economic growth.
In his position as Human Rights Ombudsman, Beglaryan was the powerful representative voice of his fellow Artsakh citizens as he covered the 2020 war with daily public updates directly from the combat zone. He exhorted millions around the world to “Don’t Be Blind,” to the horrors and destruction that befell the Armenians of Artsakh.
In his official capacity, Beglaryan was instrumental in the preparation reports on war crimes perpetrated by Azerbaijan against the Artsakh people. Before the war, Minister Beglaryan conducted research on the constitutional rights and freedoms of the people of Artsakh, and made reform proposals to the government in the areas of prison practices, torture prevention, children’s rights, rights of persons with disabilities, and orphan care.
A highly-experienced statesman, Beglaryan has held several posts in Artsakh, including deputy Human Rights Ombudsman, Press Secretary of the Prime Minister, and Chief-of Staff of the President. With his background in civil society, he has headed and participated in non-governmental organizations and initiatives, focusing on youth education and raising awareness of human rights. He has also lectured at Artsakh State University in the field of political science.
Mr. Beglaryan lost his eyesight as a child in 1995, when a landmine he found in his family’s yard exploded. His father had died in battle during the first Artsakh War of Liberation just two years earlier. Mr. Beglaryan was sent to study in Yerevan at a school for the visually impaired from 1995-2006. Coming home during summer breaks, he attended the AMAA Camp in Stepanakert and credits his Christian education there as the bedrock of his commitment to public service. He graduated from Yerevan State University in 2010, subsequently studied business management in Thessaloniki, Greece as part of a student exchange program, and took part in international programs and research fellowships in the Czech Republic and Switzerland. He went on to graduate studies at University College London in politics, security, and integration; and completed a public policy and administration program in the U.S. at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University near Boston, Mass.
Chairwoman of the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States, Lena Bozoyan, stated: “We are so honored and fortunate to be able to host this event where our very distinguished guest, Mr. Artak Beglaryan, will be addressing the concerns and questions of our community members in regard to the plight of their brothers and sisters in the Republic of Artsakh. We welcome all those who will be able to attend.”
Admission to the public forum is free. Precautions to safeguard the public against the spread of the Coronavirus will be in place during the event. The Armenian Society of Los Angeles (Iranahye) Center is located at 117 S. Louise St., Glendale, CA 91205.
The Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States of America was founded in Burbank, California in 2019 and comprises 25 of the largest religious, political, cultural and professional organizations of the Armenian community. Through the Council, these entities strive to fulfill the organization’s mission statement, which is to implement and realize projects of pan-community nature; to encourage and assist projects which advance the collective interests and the rights of Armenian communities across the Western United States; to undertake steps to resist actions and efforts which are contrary to the collective interests and rights of Armenians; to gather and apply the Armenian community’s resources for the benefit of the Community’s interests, as well as the welfare of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh; to always be mindful of the collective health and protection of the Armenian community.