Author: Arbi Tashjian

May 25 2023

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- Aleksandar Srbinovski

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the major western countries levied a comprehensive package of sanctions on Russia, thereby challenging its financial and military capabilities to continue its war in Ukraine. What makes this time different from the reactions to Russia’s wars of aggression against Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 have so far been the broader scope of sanctions and more importantly, the firm commitment of western countries to keep the sanctions regime even if it also hurts their own economies. Not surprisingly, in a short period of time, Russia replaced Iran and North Korea as the most sanctioned country in the world. To break out of this isolation, the Kremlin invented a “parallel imports” strategy that envisions using the territory of close allies in the neighbourhood to gain access to goods and services that otherwise have been banned from export to Russia. Armenia, a small post-Soviet country with traditionally close economic links to Moscow, emerged as an optimal destination, providing Russia with breathing space given heightened international pressure.

Comparing the level of economic exchanges between Armenia and Russia with previous years, it is easily discernable that Yerevan is using the current momentum to extract economic benefits from the deepening Russia-West confrontation. In his meeting with his Russian counterpart in June 2022, Armenian President Khachaturyan expressed his certainty that the Russian economy would survive the sanctions and that Armenian-Russian economic relations would only grow. Recently, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin thanked Armenia for making operational decisions with regard to bolstering bilateral trade against the background of an “illegal” sanctions regime imposed by the West.

In 2022, Armenia’s total trade turnover grew 69 per cent year on year and reached 14 billion US dollars. Trade exchanges between the two countries increased by 92 per cent, amounting to more than five billion dollars. Armenia’s exports to Russia skyrocketed and increased by 2.4 times compared to their previous level. What is striking is that this all has happened against expectations that the economic crisis in Russia caused by western sanctions would also hit those countries in Moscow’s economic orbit, including Armenia. This economic miscalculation naturally raised the issue of Armenia’s involvement in helping the aggressor state to circumvent sanctions.

Armenia has neither the industrial capacity nor the resources to boost exports to Russia within a year. Instead, last year saw a significant increase in Armenia’s imports from major economies that seem to have used Armenia as a backdoor to reach the Russian market. Among others, Vietnam’s exports to Armenia rose 380 per cent, while those from Mexico grew 324 per cent and Japan 252 per cent. Citing a document from the US Bureau of Industry and Security, the New York Times recently reported that in 2022 Armenia “imported 515 percent more chips and processors from the United States and 212 percent more from the European Union than in 2021. Armenia then exported 97 percent of those same products to Russia.”

Considering Russia’s adeptness at using semiconductors from kitchen appliances in military equipment, Armenia’s “re-export” of these products to Russia makes it an accomplice in the Kremlin’s atrocities in Ukraine. The New York Times report says that US and EU officials have taken note of the flow of eight particularly sensitive categories of chips and other electronic devices that they have deemed as critical to the development of weapons, through Armenia territory. Thus, Moscow appreciates Yerevan’s strategic importance in this context despite Armenia’s anti-Russia tirades in recent months.

It should come as no surprise that Armenia’s assistance to Russia to bypass sanctions has ruffled feathers in the West, as the United States and the EU are gradually coming up with policy plans to punish those actors who breach the sanctions regime. The EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan said that they are aware of the sharp increase in exports to countries in Russia’s neighbourhood and that Brussels is going a long way to prevent partner countries and companies from evading sanctions. Latvia’s Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš also recently touched upon Armenia’s growing role in the export of sanctioned western equipment and technologies to Russia. Yerevan’s moves in the game, however, have not been limited to technology transfers. In only one year, money transfers to Armenia reached record highs. Compared to 2021, there was a 2.5 times increase and money transfers from Russia to Armenia specifically grew fourfold, amounting to 3.6 billion dollars. This unprecedented growth in money transfers was mostly caused by different countries’ continuing interest in trade exchanges with Russia, in which Armenia came in handy in bypassing the sanctions barrier.

This situation has caught the attention of other international media outlets such as Bloomberg, Financial Times, ABC News and New Eastern Europe many times. The Ukrainian press is also very critical of Armenia’s cooperation with Russia in evading western-imposed sanctions and re-exporting sanctioned goods. While Gazeta.ua has raised many questions about this relationship, 5.ua now refers to Armenia as “the economic rear of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”.

Moreover, since February 2022, Armenia has also become a preferred destination for Russians who want to relocate their businesses, especially in the information technology sector. The Pashinyan government is simplifying all registration, bureaucratic and housing issues related to the relocation of Russian enterprises to Armenia. The authorities in Yerevan are working hard to actively lure wealthy Russians to Armenia. They have even published a guide for Russian businesses, covering everything from physical relocation to cryptocurrency transfers, apartment rentals, and the transportation of pets.  

So far, few Armenian entities have been included in the West’s sanctions list. In September 2022, the US Treasury designated “TACO LLC” as a third-country supplier for “Radioavtomatika”, a major Russian defence procurement firm that specialises in procuring foreign items for Russia’s defence industry. The department subsequently added it to the sanctions list for aiding Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. Similarly, “Areximbank-Gazprombank”, Gazprom’s Armenia branch, faced sanctions due to it carrying out money transfers related to the purchase of Russian gas in roubles. Yet, the inclusion of some Armenian entities in the sanctions list does in no way mean that the punishment Yerevan faces is proportionate to what it has been doing overall to benefit from the situation.

The Armenian leadership has taken advantage of the fact that Yerevan is the only Eastern Partnership country that is both a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and a signatory of a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU. Having one foot in each camp affords Armenia many opportunities to conduct the transfer of goods and services from the EU to Russia or vice versa. However, this is not the first time Yerevan has served as a backdoor for a sanctioned aggressor state, as its banking sector has helped Iran to gain access to the international financial system for a long time. Armenia was also involved in the transportation of Iranian drones to Russia, which gave Moscow the ability to destroy Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure at a lower cost. Western countries should take note of this strengthening Russia-Armenia-Iran axis at the heart of wider Eurasia. If it is not carefully dealt with, it will only further undermine regional peace and stability in the long term.

Aleksandar Srbinovski is a journalist with over fifteen years of experience working in print and online media. He has worked for Nova Makedonija, Newsweek, Europa, Blic, Politika, ABC News, Vecher, TV Sitel and Skok. He holds a BA in journalism from the Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje and has pursued continued training with the University of Oklahoma.

PRESS OFFICE 

 

When the 121st Diocesan Assembly of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America began its opening session, it was the first time the body had met in a completely in-person manner in more than three years, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The gathering marked several other “firsts” as well. It was the first Diocesan Assembly to be presided over by the Very Rev. Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, who was elected as the 13th Primate of the Diocese one year ago.

 

More personally for Fr. Mesrop, the 2023 Assembly was his first Diocesan-scale event since recovering from an auto accident in the summer of 2022. “I cannot say enough how grateful I am to all of you, who have been so generous with your encouraging words and prayers,” Fr. Mesrop told the delegates in his welcoming remarks.

 

Under the Primate’s presidency, the 2023 Assembly convened on Thursday, May 4, and continued through adjournment on Saturday, May 6, 2023. In all, 132 parish representatives—clergy, parish council chairs, and Diocesan delegates—along with a substantial number of observers, gathered in person at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, in Plano, TX, to join the proceedings.

 

St. Sarkis Armenian Church of Carrollton, TX, hosted the 121st Assembly, with admirable levels of organization and hospitality. To complement the business aspect of the meeting, the weekend’s social and liturgical events took place on the extensive campus of St. Sarkis Church, which was consecrated one year ago. Hosting a Diocesan Assembly in Dallas was additional “first” for the weekend, said parish pastor Fr. Ghevond Ajamian in opening remarks.

 

Assembly chair Gregory Saraydarian (Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY) called the inaugural session to order on May 4. A formal message from His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, was read to the delegates, after which Fr. Mesrop set the warm-hearted tone of the meeting with his welcoming words.

 

“If this assembly feels like a reunion, a homecoming,” he said, “that’s because it is those things. We’ve come back together with people we love, in the arms of the spiritual home we all cherish—the spiritual home of the entire Armenian people: our Holy, Apostolic Church.”

 

 

* Elections and Reports

 

Business moved forward at a brisk pace, with Nominating Committee chair Deacon Serop Demirjian (St. Gregory of Narek, Cleveland, OH) taking to the podium to explain the secure method of voting that would be employed throughout the proceedings. Continuing an innovation that had emerged from the experience of holding assembly meetings virtually during the pandemic, all voting was conducted using a secure online balloting platform.

 

Each ballot was preceded by an official roll call of delegates, with the list of names read out by Diocesan Council member Roseann Manoogian Attar (St. John, Southfield, MI). (See below for the table of election results.)

 

As business went forward, Fr. Andreas Garabedian (St. Gregory the Illuminator, Chicago, IL) presented the report of the Clergy Conference, which had met in the days prior to the main gathering. The delegates also heard a report on the Parish Council Chairs Meeting, which had immediately preceded the inaugural session. Jay Kapur (Armenian Church of Our Saviour, Worcester, MA) delivered the report on behalf of the assembled parish council chairs of the Eastern Diocese.

 

Diocesan Council chairman Fr. Krikor Sabounjian (Holy Translators, Framingham, MA) delivered the report of the Diocesan Council, which included remarks from the Interim Executive Director of the Diocese, Fr. Davit Karamyan; the Interim Director of Diocesan Ministries, Fr. Hratch Sargsyan; as well as short presentations from the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), Sacred Music Council, Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and the Diocesan departments of Children and Family Ministry, Youth and young Adult Ministry, Communications, and Development.

 

In the course of the sessions, delegates also heard reports from Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Director; Aram Hintlian of the Ararat Youth and Conference Center; Fr. Mardiros Chevian of St. Nersess Seminary; Marie Vanerian, Elizabeth Vranka, and Melanie Dadourian of the Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF); and Garnik Nanagoulian of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).

 

Special presentations and updates also came from Ara Araz (St. Leon, Fair Lawn, NJ), on developments concerning the worldwide Armenian Church’s National Ecclesiastical Assembly; and from Paul Mardoian (Sts. Joachim and Anne, Palos Heights, IL), on the ongoing pilot project, involving several Diocesan parishes that are experimentally replacing the current dues-based membership system with a “stewardship” system based on voluntary contributions.

 

 

* Restoring the “National Home” of Armenian Americans

 

A special two-part presentation came from the St. Vartan Cathedral Renovation and Fundraising Committees. Richard Papalian (St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY) walked the delegates through a detailed presentation on the large-scale project to renovate and restore the Diocesan Cathedral in New York City. After a comprehensive review of the structure by a major firm specializing in the restoration of historic buildings, a four-phase project has been approved by the Diocesan Council and Board of Trustees that will (1) perform urgently needed immediate repairs to the cathedral’s roof and dome, (2) repair the cathedral’s exterior stone façade, (3) make mechanical improvements and update the interior systems of the cathedral structure, and (4) replace and repair the outdoor plaza and sidewalks. 

 

The cost of the project, which is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2023 and continue in discrete phases to 2027, will be $25 million. To address the fundraising needed to accomplish the project, Oscar Tatosian (St. Gregory the Illuminator, Chicago, IL) delivered an inspiring presentation titled “Renewing the Vision, Cementing the Future.” He outlined St. Vartan Cathedral’s meaning to the entire Diocese, and its longstanding role as the “national home” of Armenians in America.  A short video screened for the delegates combined archival footage of the cathedral’s 1968 consecration, with images of its majestic architectural details and its notable events through six decades of activity.

 

Reflecting on the founding generation of Genocide survivors who conceived and built the cathedral, against great odds and obstacles, Mr. Tatosian said: “Our founders had faith in the God that had rescued them from death, and brought them to a new land. And they had faith in us—the future generations—that we would continue what they started, and keep it strong and secure.”

 

To conclude the presentation, it was announced that a $150 thousand “matching challenge” had been made by an anonymous donor for the Diocesan Assembly weekend. Over the subsequent two days individual lay delegates, clergy, and parishes showed their support for the overall project by making pledges that surpassed the matching challenge target. That amount will join the $3.5 million dollars already pledged to the restoration project in an initial “quiet phase” of fundraising, which will soon advance into the broader community.

 

(Gifts in support of the St. Vartan Cathedral Renovation Fund are currently being accepted by check, or online via the Eastern Diocese’s secure server.)

 

 

* Primate’s Address

 

Friday’s Assembly sessions were devoted to the formal address of the Primate, and his introduction of two large initiatives for the coming year: the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Diocese’s founding, and the inauguration of an “action plan” for the Diocese titled “Growing In Faith Together.”

 

In his first official address to representatives from across the Eastern Diocese, Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan also expressed more personal thoughts about his ministry and outlook—especially how these had been affected by his brush with physical injury and hospitalization.

 

In remarks delivered with visible emotion, Fr. Mesrop said: “When I was in the hospital last summer, one realization kept coming to me: that life is fragile, and we take so much for granted. When you’re lying in a bed with your leg bones shattered, you find so much meaning, and joy, in even the smallest things of life. The simplest actions, that you once took for granted, suddenly hold such significance. You find yourself cherishing every moment, every little step forward, as a great triumph.”

 

He went on: “The same is true of our church. Sometimes people take it for granted that their local Armenian parish is there—will always be there—when we need it. That we have a Diocese that began in the 19th century, and has existed for 125 years. That we have a precious, magnificent cathedral that proclaims our faith and presence to the entire world!

 

“All of that … is in our hands. We cannot—we must not—take any of it for granted. What we have all received as our heritage, is now our task, to embrace and make our own. Nourishing that spirit will draw us closer to one another; closer to our heritage; closer to our Lord.”

 

Fr. Mesrop offered those reflections in the context of speaking about the current year’s historical significance. “You may be aware that 2023 is a milestone year for our Diocese,” he told the delegates. “It was in 1898 that the great Catholicos of All Armenians Mkrtich Khrimian—‘Khrimian Hayrig’—established the Armenian Church’s first diocese in the New World. So that makes this year the 125th anniversary of our Diocese. We are planning a celebration for next fall.”

 

He said he envisions that celebration as “a source of pride for us; a chance to look back and celebrate our past.” But the Primate also expressed a hope that this “will be a time of new beginnings. We must not get stuck in the past. Rather, we should let it inspire us, encourage us, refresh our spirits and unleash our aspiration to move forward.”

 

In his address, the Primate expressed his gratitude to the Diocesan Council, as well as to the administration and staff of the Diocesan Center, noting several people who had retired and moved on from their positions, and several who had taken up new roles and duties in the preceding year.

 

These staffing, planning, and programmatic developments aim at “raising strong, educated Armenian Christians, who are deeply connected to our church, love our language and history, and take strength from our rich cultural and religious heritage,” he said. “Strong faithful people make a strong parish. And strong parishes make a strong Diocese.”

 

In the course of his address, Fr. Mesrop showed two short videos: one a “teaser” video about the Diocese’s 125th anniversary, the other introducing the “Growing In Faith Together”—or “G.I.F.T.”—action plan. The latter was the subject of his concluding remarks, leading into a session of “roundtable discussions,” in which the delegates discussed aspects of the plan in small groups.

 

Taking inspiration from the Diocesan Mission Statement, the G.I.F.T. plan seeks to energize and develop the church’s activities revolving around five areas of ministry: Worship, Education, Witness, Service, and the “Common Life in Christ.”

 

The Primate called the plan “a ‘road map’ for how we live out God’s call to us over the next several years,” and asked parish leaders to play an active role in “the dynamic process of developing, evolving, and enacting the plan.” As delegates and clergy prepared to embark in that process during the roundtable discussion session, he encouraged them to “go forward in this work: Growing In Faith Together—hand in hand, united in spirit and devotion to our Lord, our holy church, and our people.”

 

 

* Final Blessings

 

The final Assembly session began with a requiem service for departed delegates, clergy, and Diocesan leaders who had passed away in the previous year.

 

It also saw the passage of a balanced revised budget for 2023 and a balanced budget for 2024—both introduced and explained with clarity by longtime Diocesan Council treasurer Roseann Manoogian Attar. 

 

A single proposal to ascertain the level of insurance suitable for artwork in the possession of the Diocese was referred to the Diocesan Council and Board of Trustees for their continued action. The delegates also affirmed a resolution to move forward with fundraising for the St. Vartan Cathedral renovation project, among other matters.

 

Gratitude was expressed to outgoing Diocesan Council chair Fr. Krikor Sabounjian, vice chair Lisa Kouzoujian (St. Gregory the Enlightener, White Plains, NY), treasurer Roseann Manoogian Attar, and member Fr. Vasken Kouzouian (Holy Trinity, Cambridge, MA), as well as outgoing Board of Trustees member Edward Korkoian (St. John, Southfield, MI).

 

Before adjourning the 121st Diocesan Assembly, Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan reflected on the faithful men and women remembered in the requiem service—and renewed the tone struck at the start of the gathering, of gratitude and togetherness.

 

“I want to close by saying what a blessing it is to be able to gather together, person-to-person, in this Assembly,” he told the delegates. “Each of you is tremendously valuable to this gathering, to our Diocese, and to our church overall. Each of you brings something unique and precious to our community life. So thank you for your involvement, your commitment, and your ongoing prayers for our people, our homeland, and our church.”

 

The 122nd Diocesan Assembly, meeting in May of 2024, will go forward as an in-person gathering in Springfield, MA, hosted by the city’s St. Mark Armenian Church.

 

Click here to view photos of the 121st Diocesan Assembly sessions (by Dallas photographer Joan Stuckmann).

 

* * *

 

Election Results of the 121st Diocesan Assembly

 

121st Assembly Officers

Gregory Saraydarian (Bayside, NY)—Chair
Thomas Garabedian (Framingham, MA)—Vice Chair
Laurie Bejoian (Framingham, MA)—Secretary

 

Diocesan Board of Trustees (10-year term)
Stephen Dadourian (Livingston, NJ)
Tom Garabedian (Framingham, MA)

 

Diocesan Council (4-year term)
Fr. Ghevond Ajamian (Carrollton, TX)
Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan (Washington, DC)
Dn. Levon Altiparmakian (New York, NY)
Dr. Garo Garibian (Cheltenham, PA)
Gregory Kolligian (Cambridge, MA)

 

Nominating Committee (1-year term)
Fr. Sevak Gabrielyan (Boca Raton, FL)—Chair
Fr. Guregh Hambardzumyan (Milwaukee, WI)
Steven Omartian (Springfield, MA)
Gregory Saraydarian (Bayside, NY)
Joyce Sulahian (New York, NY)

 

Proposals Committee (1-year term)
Dn. Ara Jeknavorian (Chelmsford, MA)—Chair
Fr. Tadeos Barseghyan (Minneapolis, MN)
Peter Babigian (Watertown, MA)
Patricia Apelian Aitken (Bayside, NY)
Michelle Babikian (Chicago, IL)

 

Auditing Committee (3-year term)
Mark Kashgegian (Framingham, MA)
1st Alternate: Russell Kaishian (Milwaukee, WI)
2nd Alternate: John Hanamirian (Cheltenham, PA)

 

* * *

 

—5/10/23

 

* * *

 

PHOTO CAPTION 1:

Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan (left) addresses the 121st Diocesan Assembly. Seated at the dais are (l-r) Assembly chairman Gregory Saraydarian, vice chair Tom Garabedian, secretary Laurie Bejoian, Diocesan Legate Abp. Vicken Aykazian. The gathering of church leaders from parishes throughout the Eastern Diocese met in Dallas, TX, May 4-6, 2023. (Photo: Joan Stuckmann)

 

PHOTO CAPTION 2:

Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, presiding over the Eastern Diocese’s annual Assembly for the first time since his election as Primate last year. (Photo: Joan Stuckmann)

 

PHOTO CAPTION 3:

St. Sarkis Church of Dallas, TX—an award-winning structure consecrated just one year ago—hosted the 121^st Diocesan Assembly. St. Sarkis parish pastor Fr. Ghevond Ajamian welcomes the delegates, with host parish executive committee co-chairs Daron Bolat and Sylva Dayian.

 

* * *

 

EMBEDDED LINKS:

 

Video: 125^th Anniversary of the Diocese:

https://youtu.be/H_XPdan_3Us

 

Video: Diocesan Action Plan “Growing In Faith Together”:

https://youtu.be/ORTsR5S387c

 

Photo Gallery (Credit Joan Stuckmann):

https://stsarkisdfwphotos.smugmug.com/St-Sarkis-DFW-Photos/n-h2cVkz/DIOCESAN-ASSEMBLY-2023/

 

# # #

Turkey – May 8 2023

Azerbaijan on Monday said progress in the normalization process with Armenia "fell short of expectations" in terms of “drafting a peace treaty, the delimitation of the state border and the restoration of transport and communication.”

“We call upon the Armenian side to demonstrate goodwill and invest more efforts in the normalization talks in all dimensions,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told a press conference with his Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital.

“We believe that the best way forward goes through the normalization of relations between the two countries based on mutual recognition and respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Baku during a war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement and also opened the door to normalization.

Bayramov said he and Landsbergis discussed bilateral relations, which are “based on solid foundations and high-level political dialogue.”

“The joint declaration on the development of partnership signed between the presidents of the two countries in 2007 reflects the strategic nature of our cooperation,” he added.

Bayramov said he and his Lithuanian counterpart discussed political, economic and humanitarian aspects of bilateral cooperation and the current situation in the region.

He called the EU as Azerbaijan’s main trading partner, saying that they also explored ways to deepen transit and economic cooperation, the importance of which has increased “due to the situation in the broader region.”

For his part, Landsbergis said his meeting with Bayramov also touched upon matters of regional security such as Ukraine and the South Caucasus.

https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/azerbaijan-says-progress-in-normalization-with-armenia-falls-short-of-expectations-3664115

May 2 2023

Mr. Tosun explains how the organization adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, earthquake and what role they see themselves playing in the future of the Armenian community.

Additionally, Sevan Tosun shares ways in which people can support Mer Hayer and some success stories, discussion about the challenges faced in scaling operations and what can be expected from Mer Hayer in the future.

What inspired you to create Mer Hayer and how did you get started?

In 2020, I went to Turkey to visit my family and reunited with my friend Arev cebeci while there. Arev Cebeci the president along with his wife Natali Cebeci were already involved with Mer Hayer but on a much smaller scale than it is today. Both of us, since childhood, have always wanted to help Armenians, especially those who have been less fortunate. Putting our minds and hearts together, we rebranded and made Mer Hayer into a much bigger charitable organization today.

Can you describe the unique features of Mer Hayer platform and how it differentiates from other non-profit organizations?

What differentiates us from other non-profit organizations is that we go on a very personal level with the families we are helping. We do not just extend our arms and our pockets. That’s the easy part!!  Rather, we take the time and  we go to personally meet with them, engage with them, become a part of their everyday lives. We share with them their good days and their bad days. The elderly and the children. We never make them feel different or lesser than us. We are adults with adults and children with children. This way, they will not feel embarrassed about their current situation and can put their problems behind them and focus only on the present.

How has Mer Hayer adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and what impact has it had on the organization?

The COVID-19 Pandemic, as terrible as it was on many fronts, worked in our favour. While everyone was busy dealing with masks and distance, it gave Mer Hayer the chance to get to know our Armenian Families on a much closer level. While the world stayed apart and got more distant from their families and loved ones, we got closer with the families we are helping, even though it was sometimes on zoom or video calls. When there was a lockdown in the city Istanbul and the people couldn’t leave their homes, we took food and their daily essentials to them at their doorsteps. Together, we achieved the unachievable even during the most difficult times.

What role do you see Mer Hayer playing in the future of our Armenian Community?

We want to be the face of assistance for all of the Armenians in need, and be able to reach out and touch everybody. When someone is in need, or finds themselves in dire situation, we want them to think of Mer Hayer as their solution.

Mer Hayer is flexible and always ready. For example, when the earthquake happened in February 2023, nobody expected it. Mer Hayer went above and beyond and reached out to the people outside of Istanbul and provided them with the basic needs they required to go on with their daily lives.

How do people can support Mer Hayer?

The most important step is to believe in the idea and the mission of Mer Hayer. Spreading the word to your family and friendship circles, following our social media accounts and sharing our posts and stories. Raising and spreading awareness to help us reach every one who is in need of our help.

Finally, if you are able to help financially, contact us and extend your arms to help us help our Armenian Families.

Can you share any success stories from Mer Hayer?

I cannot pinpoint one specific success story of Mer Hayer because each story touches us in a unique way. At the end of the day, they all have something in common and that is why they’re reaching out to us. I can say what touches me the most are the families with young children who live in broken down homes, and do not have the means to go out there and work due to their health or their age. Orphaned children also has a very soft spot in our hearts. Helping these children, and seeing their smiles after our mission is complete, is worth every single time and penny spent for us.

What challenges has Mer Hayer faced in scaling its operations and how have you addressed them?

The biggest challenge Mer Hayer has faced is that not many people believe in change. It’s easy to continue a pattern of what is, but if you don’t put your minds together and create change, you will be unable to make the world a better place especially for our Armenian people in need. Another challenge is the lack of support of other similar Armenians foundations. As Armenians, If we all support one another, and if we all unite, we can become bigger and stronger as a people and as a foundation. Given all of this, I would like to point that we are fortunate to have the support of our Mayor, who believes in us and for that we are very grateful.

What can we expect from Mer Hayer in the coming years in terms of new features or expansions?

Our number one principle in life is to give more than we take. We strive to help others without having any sort of agenda. We simply want to make the Armenian community a better place, even through small acts of kindness, which is why we founded Mer Hayer. By believing in ourselves, by uniting and becoming one force, we can make this happen. Until not one Armenian elderly person is left without medication, until not one Father comes home without bread for his children, until not young adult goes to bed hungry, until not one child goes to bed without his/her favorite toy and until not one infant goes to bed without milk.

May 2 2023

Every day since December 12, 25-year-old Davit Gabrielyan has been fighting for his business. 

Gabrielyan, a marketing specialist and small business owner, is from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). 

His family-owned business, Nakhshun Tea, prepares and sells teas made from herbs native to the region. Gabrielyan says. "There was only one such company in Artsakh, and it is focused mostly on exports. We decided to create our herbal teas, started branding, and today we have a popular brand." 

Davit and his younger brother make tea from locally grown herbs.

The businesses were thriving until December 12, 2022, when the only road connecting Karabakh to Armenia was blocked by a group of Azerbaijani environmental activists who are generally seen as supported by the Azerbaijan government. 

Karabakh is a contested territory that Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over, most recently in 2020. The blockade, which official Baku denies causing, effectively cut residents off from Armenia, which is Karabakha’s main source of trade and goods. The closure has been widely condemned by the international community–on February 22, the UN International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to “ensure unimpeded movement” through the area. But no progress has been made on the ground.

In the meantime, the estimated 100,000 people trapped in Karabakh and businesses like Nakhshun Tea, are suffering. 

Gabrielyan says the business lost most of its contracts and clients nearly overnight. 

"We have temporarily stopped cooperation with about 80 percent of our customers in Artsakh, until we understand what will happen in the future. percent includes our clients in Artsakh who continue to make purchases."

Orders to clients abroad have been put on hold indefinitely. “Currently we have an order from the US for 200 boxes of tea but we can't proceed with delivery because of the situation,” he says.

While the Karabakh authorities have provided some aid for people who lost their jobs or livelihoods due to the blockade, not all businesses have received support.

To fill the gap, organizations like the Artsakh Social Development Program Fund are trying to support small businesses and entrepreneurs who have been affected. Sofya Hovsepyan, director of the fund, notes some of the businesses were just getting started with the blockade hit. 

"There is mushroom production, for which we bought bags that were supposed to be brought from Armenia to Artsakh on December 15, but we could not bring them. The other is the chocolate business, for which there is a problem of raw materials. There is also the problem of bringing some printing materials from Armenia. We had a serious problem with rabbit farming, because the feed ran out and the animals had health problems," she says.

"We cooperate with the Buy Armenian platform, through which products produced in Artsakh had been entering the international market. But those products, which are people's small businesses, can no longer be sold on the online market, and may depend now on local consumption—or may not [have any clients any more].”

The fund, which is based in Armenia, is also trying to help families and children affected by the blockade. 

The biggest issue, however, according to Gabrielyan, is what happens next. He and his family are surviving off of the vegetables they grow on their own land, and he is still working remotely as the head of marketing for a company based in the Armenian capital and has other businesses that he is trying to maintain. But uncertainty and the difficult conditions are taking a toll. 

"Now there is only one question in the mind of every Artsakh resident: what will happen next?" You don't know what will happen tomorrow if you take a risk. You cannot run away from the situation. There are queues everywhere, a tense situation, people who stand in line for basic bread, eggs, sour cream in the middle of winter in order to have food everyday,” he says.

“The electricity is only on for a few hours a day, the natural gas comes and goes. We live in an incomprehensible situation. It seems we have returned to the dark and cold years."

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*This report was prepared before Azerbaijan’s April 28 claim that the blockade is over. Armenia has denied reports that traffic has resumed on the contested pass.

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This feature story was prepared with support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Caucasus Regional Office. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of FES.