Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate 6252 Honolulu Avenue La Crescenta, CA 91214 Tel: (818) 248-7737 Fax: (818) 248-7745 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.westernprelacy.org EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY AT FORTY MARTYRS CHURCH IN ORANGE COUNTY ON PENTECOST On the occasion of the feast of Pentecost, on Sunday, , Episcopal Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at Forty Martyrs Church in Orange County. H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Vicar General, will celebrate Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will preside over Divine Liturgy. Following the service, a reception will be held at "Ghazarian" Hall of the Harut Barsamian Armenian Center during which faithful will have the opportunity to congratulate the newly-ordained Bishop and receive the blessings of the Prelate and Vicar General. *** NEW RELIGIOUS AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS ELECT THEIR OFFICERS On Tuesday, May 15, 2018, the new Religious and Executive Councils elected by the 46th Representative Assembly held their first meeting at the Prelacy presided by H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate. During their respective meetings, the new Councils elected their tivans as follows: RELIGIOUS COUNCIL Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian - Chair Rev. Fr. Karekin Bedourian - Secretary Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Ashekian - Advisor Archpriest Fr. Razmig Khatchadourian - Advisor Rev. Fr. Boghos Baltayan - Advisor Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian - Advisor Rev. Fr. Ghevont Kirazian - Advisor EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Garo Eshgian - Chair Meher Der Ohanessian - Vice-Chair Elo Boyajian - Secretary Avo Kechichian - Treasurer Alec Baghdasaryan - Advisor George Chorbajian - Advisor Dr. Navasart Kazazian - Advisor Garbis Bezdjian - Advisor Berj Apkarian - Advisor Ara Shabanian - Advisor Rafi Kuyumjian - Advisor We wish success to the new Councils. *** ST. SARKIS CHURCH OF PASADENA HOSTS ANNUAL RECEPTION HONORING ARMENIAN GRADUATES On Wednesday, May 16, 2018, the 29th annual reception hosted by the Pastor and Board of Trustees of St. Sarkis Church in honor of Armenian graduates of the Pasadena Unified School District was held at the Pasadena Armenian Center under the auspices of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate. Joining in the celebration were Executive Council member Elo Boyajian, local elected officials, members of the Pasadena Unified School District, St. Sarkis Church, community organizations, parents, sponsors, and friends. The program began with welcoming remarks by Tavlian Pre-School Director and MC Mrs. Garine Joukadarian, who thanked the guests for joining in the celebration and congratulated the graduates. The American and Armenian national anthems were presented by St. Sarkis Church choirmaster Deacon Yervant Keshishian, accompanied by his wife Maria on the piano. The Prelate delivered the invocation, joined by St. Sarkis Church Parish Pastor Rev. Fr. Boghos Baltayan, Archpriest Fr. Vahan Gosdanian, and Rev. Fr. Khoren Babochian, and then conveyed his message. He first greeted and commended the St. Sarkis Church family and organizing committee for hosting the event each year as well as the administrators of the Pasadena Unified School District, educators, parents, sponsors, and all those who have guided our youth to this milestone in their lives. As the students prepare to embark on a new chapter in their lives, the Prelate encouraged them to believe in themselves, to give their best in all that they do, keep reaching for their dreams with faith, hope, determination, and a positive attitude, and to use the knowledge they have gained and their God-given talents for their success and that of our nation. Through the ups and downs of life, he urged them to remain strong and hopeful, to trust in the Lord and look to Him for strength and guidance. Finally, the Prelate stressed that our youth are not the future of our nation but the present, and quoting from 1 Timothy 4:12, advised the graduates to not let anyone look down on them because they are young, but that they become an example to others with their speech and conduct. "Over these past few weeks we witnessed the powerful voice and active involvement of the youth in Armenia who played a significant role in the dawn of a new and bright era for our nation," he said, and noting also that soon the Armenian nation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Republic of Armenia, stated, "May these historic developments and milestones inspire you to become active participants in the future of our nation and may you inspire others with your works, for you, our youth, have a great deal to offer." On behalf of the St. Sarkis Church Board of Trustees, Chairman Mr. Koko Panossian congratulated and commended the graduates and stated that the doors of the church are always open to them for support. He congratulated their parents as well and thanked the scholarship sponsors for their generosity. On behalf of the city of Pasadena, Councilmember Margaret McAustin conveyed her greetings and highligted the importance of the Armenian community in Pasadena life. Councilmember Tyron Hampton urged the students to remain grounded in their faith and community throughout their lives. During dinner, guests enjoyed Armenian folk dances and poetry. The keynote address was delivered by ANCA National Chair Mr. Raffi Hamparian, who focused his message on three points; love, failure, and dedication. He urged the students to love and take the high road in the face of hate and discord, to not be afraid of failure, and to fight for something if they believe in it deeply. Scholarships were awarded to students provided by Mr. and Mrs. Sarkis and Nune Sepetjian, Cynthia and Sylvia Tomboulian, All-Armenian Student Association, and the Armenian Compatriotic Union of Ourfa. Pasadena Unified School District Board President Mr. Lawrence Torres thanked the organizers and guests for their outpouring of love toward the youth and keeping the sense of community alive, stating that it will make all the difference in their lives. Finally, St. Sarkis Church youth group members presented six certificates to each of the graduates, from St. Sarkis Church, Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek, Congresswoman Judy Chu, State Senator Anthony Portantino, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and Assemblymember Chris Holden. The program concluded with the benediction by Rev. Fr. Boghos Baltayan and closing remarks by the MC. *** ARARAT-ESKIJIAN MUSEUM HOSTS PRESENTATION OF DR. GARBIS HARBOYAN'S LATEST BOOK On Thursday, May 17, 2018, the Ararat-Eskijian Museum hosted the presentation of Dr. Garbis Harboyan's latest book, "Odyssey of Armenian Doctors, Dentists, and Pharmacists during the Armenian Genocide" at Ararat Home's Sheen Chapel in Mission Hills. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, attended and conveyed his blessings and message. He was joined by Archpriest Fr. Gomidas Torossian. The program began with welcoming remarks by Museum Director Mrs. Maggie Mangassarian-Goschin. The "Ani" quartet presented a number of Armenian classical pieces. Mr. Sarkis Mahserejian spoke on the author's painstaking research and emotional journey in preparing the comprehensive volume as well as his talent for combining the two worlds of science and culture, and thanked him for bringing this subject matter to light. On behalf of the Armenian-American Medical Society, Dr. Vartan Tachdjian lauded Dr. Harboyan's lifetime of medical and scholarly achievements, wishing him continued successes. Ms. Seta Antekelian from the USC "Shoah" Foundation presented Dr. Harboyan's biography. The author himself presented the book. With accompanying photographs, Dr. Harboyan noted that the books tells the story of Armenian doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who were martyred during the Genocide as well as those who survived, leading Armenian doctors who served in the Ottoman Empire decades before the Genocide, and the names of Turkish doctors who murdered their Armenian colleagues. A question and answer session followed. The Prelate delivered the closing message. He commended Dr. Harboyan for his lifetime of professional and personal service to our nation and for bringing to light the inhumane acts of Turkish doctors against their Armenian colleagues who were dedicated to helping people and saving lives. He thanked the organizers for their efforts as well. The Prelate noted that in ten days we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Republic of Armenia, which was founded a mere three years following the start of the Genocide, stating, "as we are familiarized with this important book during these historic days, the spirit and message of our holy martyrs and founders of the first Republic become one and reverberate as a call for justice and reparations, a call which resonates in this publication." A reception followed. *** PRELATE ATTENDS ARS JAVAKHK FUND ANNUAL GALA On Friday, May 11, 2018, the ARS Javakhk Fund Committee held its annual gala at Legacy Ballroom in Glendale. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, attended and delivered his message. Proceeds will benefit the rebuilding of the Akhaltskha Youth Center in Javakhk. During the event, the ARS Western US Regional Executive honored Mrs. Haigoush Keghinian-Kohler with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Mrs. Kohler is a community benefactor, founder and current Chair of the ARS Long Beach "Zovinar" Chapter, former Chair of the Javakhk Fund Committee, and recently donated $100,000 for the renovation of the Akhaltskha Youth Center. ***
Author: Eduard Nalbandian
From Astrophysical Observatories to Abandoned Factories, Art Pop-Ups Are Taking Over Armenia’s Unusual Spaces
Smithsonian Magazine
May 1 2018
Armenia president calls to display civic responsibility and vigilance
News.am, Armenia
May 1 2018
Armenia president calls to display civic responsibility and vigilance Armenia president calls to display civic responsibility and vigilance
12:27, 01.05.2018
YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian urged to display civic responsibility and vigilance on the day when Armenian parliament is electing new Prime Minister.
In his statement issued on Tuesday, President Sarkissian said all eyes of Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora are on Yerevan now.
President called on the deputies, political forces, state institutions and all others to make any action of step in accordance with the Constitution and for the benefit of the state and the people.
Armenia protest leader seeks president’s backing to be PM
PBS.org
World Apr 29, 2018 1:20 PM EDT
YEREVAN, Armenia — The leader of the wave of protests that created a surprise power vacuum in Armenia said Sunday that he has met with the country’s new president and hopes to secure his support to become prime minister.
Armenia’s parliament plans to choose a replacement on Tuesday for Serzh Sargsyan, who resigned last week amid the street demonstrations over his selection as prime minister. Opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinian, who led the protests, hopes to be the next premier.
Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, right, walks with the supporter during a rally in Yerevan, Armenia, on . Photo by Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Pashinian’s supporters blocked traffic in the capital, marched through the city and assembled in a central square for an anti-government rally, as they did for more than a week over the political maneuvers that made Sargsyan prime minister after he was termed out of office as president.
Pashinian said Sunday that he hopes his bid to be the next prime minister receives backing from the current president, Armen Sarkisian, after their meeting. Former Prime Minister Karen Karapetian, who was appointed to the post in an acting capacity last week, is from Sargsyan’s Republic party.
The party holds a majority in parliament. A spokesman said Saturday it would not nominate a Republican candidate for prime minister, but lawmakers who are party members would vote as a bloc.
Armenian opposition supporters hold a rally in Yerevan, Armenia . Photo by Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Sargsyan was Armenia’s president for a decade before term limits forced him to step down in March. Lawmakers elected him as prime minister this month after approving governance changes that diminished the presidency’s power and bolstered the prime minister’s.
Opponents said the new system would have allowed Sargsyan to remain Armenia’s leader indefinitely.
Music: Armenian ensemble to perform in Tehran
Tehran Times, Iran
Friday
Armenian ensemble to perform in Tehran
TEHRAN – An Armenian ensemble will perform a repertoire of pieces by famous composers of their country during two concerts at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran tomorrow.
Both performances will be conducted by Armenian maestro Jirair Altounian, the forum announced in a press release on Friday.
Pieces by Aram Khachaturian, Sayat-Nova, Komitas and several other composers will be performed at the concerts.
Armenian Ambassador Artashes Tumanyan is expected to attend the concerts, which have been organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Armenia and the Ararat Sports Complex in Tehran.
Photo: A poster for performances by an Armenian ensemble at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran
Protest Significantly Grows as its Leaders are Arrested
Tens of thousands gather at Republic Square on the 9th day of protests against Serzh Sarkisian’s rule (Yerkir Media photo)
Three members of parliament detained by police
YEREVAN—Dramatic events on Sunday, punctuated by Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian walking out of a meeting with protest organizer Nikol Pashinyan and his subsequent arrest along with two other parliament members, prompted the undeterred population to turn out in droves at a rally Sunday night at Republic Square where calls for Sarkisian’s resignation continued as the popular protests entered their 10th day.
Soon after the failed meeting between Sarkisian and Pashinyan collapsed Sunday morning at the Marriot Hotel, the opposition leader began a march in the streets of Yerevan toward the Erebuni neighborhood, where masked policemen grabbed Pashinyan and took him to detention. Later in the day, Pashinyan’s Yelk bloc colleagues Ararat Mirzoyan and Sassoun Mikaelyan were also detained. The fate of the three parliament members will be decided by their legislative colleagues, who may vote to file official charged and strip them of their parliamentary immunity.
The arrest of the protest organizers, coupled with what can be characterized as Sarkisian’s disregard toward the concerns of the protesters, gave way to a surge in the protest attendance, with some media outlets placing the number at 70,000.
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Meanwhile, throughout the day, police clashed with protesters and in some instances deployed stun grenades, arresting several people. According to organizers some 300 people were behind bars as of Sunday night.
President Armen Sarkissian, who on Saturday went to Republic Square and by walking through the crowds met with Pashinyan, released a statement Sunday after the failed Sarkisian-Pashinyan meeting, lamenting the collapse of the meeting and urging a return to stability.
President Armen Sarkissian, on Saturday, went to Republic Square and met with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan. Following the meeting it was announced that Pashinyan and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian would meet Sunday morning
“The ongoing developments in our country have reached a dangerous point, which can lead to irreversible consequences,” said President Sarkissian in his statement. “Unfortunately, despite an earlier agreement, the negotiations were interrupted, when they might have led to de-escalating the situation.”
The president warned that the continuing protests “may undermine the country’s stability,” expressing hope for further dialogue.
“Thus, I call on all our citizens and our compatriots in the Diaspora to refrain from attempts of escalating the situation and to display restraint. The security of Armenia and Artsakh must not be jeopardized,” added Sarkissian.
The president also called on the Armenian people to stand united on the eve of April 24, the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. He urged all Armenians to, on April 24,
“display nationwide, in both Armenia and Diaspora, maximum restraint for the world to see, and commemorate the memory of our holy martyrs united and collectively.”
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia in a statement renewed its calls for political dialogue saying there can be “no winners or losers” since the interests of the people far outweigh any side claiming victory.
The ARF Youth Organization of Armenia and the ARF Nikol Aghbalian Student Association announced that they will hold the annual procession of torches to Dzidzernagapert, which traditionally takes place on the evening of April 23, will take place as planned at 7 p.m.
Armenia unrest: Protesters rally after leader detained
BBC News, UK
Armenia unrest: Protesters rally after leader detained
Thousands of anti-government protesters have rallied defiantly in the Armenian capital Yerevan after riot police seized their leader.
Nikol Pashinyan was arrested after televised talks with Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan collapsed.
In a tense exchange, the opposition MP insisted the PM should quit and Mr Sargsyan accused him of "blackmail".
The opposition object to Mr Sargsyan clinging to power after serving two consecutive terms as president.
He was elected to the post by parliament on Tuesday, fuelling anger on the streets.
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As well as Mr Pashinyan, two other opposition politicians and some 200 demonstrators have been held, leaving the protest movement without political leadership.
The EU, which has a partnership agreement with Armenia, called on all sides to "show restraint and act responsibly".
Armenia country profile
By Rayhan Demytrie, BBC News, in Armenia's capital Yerevan
Armenia's biggest square is full of protesters. The detention of Mr Pashinyan and other opposition leaders did not stop protesters from turning up. They are holding placards that read "I am Nikol" and chanting his name, along with another slogan, "Serzh go".
University student Elina Isahanyan, wrapped in the Armenian flag, says she has been participating in the protests for nine days.
"My friends and I are not attending classes. This is our way to show to this new government that we want change," she says.
"We are peaceful and we don't want any violence. We don't want the police to be against us."
Buses loaded with police in flak jackets can be seen in the streets leading up to the square. The justice ministry issued a warning reminding citizens that the police have the right to disperse demonstrations regardless of the nature of the protests.
Protests against Mr Sargsyan have been held in other parts of Armenia – the second largest city of Guymri and the city of Vanadzor.
Mr Pashinyan was previously jailed over his part in protests against Mr Sargsyan in 2008. He recently described the campaign he leads as a "velvet revolution", referring to the peaceful protests in 1989 that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia.
He met Mr Sargsyan at a hotel in Yerevan on Sunday morning, in the presence of dozens of journalists.
The exchange was brief. After the prime minister said he was glad his rival had "responded to my numerous appeals to negotiate", Mr Pashinyan struck an uncompromising note.
"I think there is a misunderstanding," he said. "I have come here to discuss the terms of your resignation and the terms of a peaceful and smooth transition of power."
Mr Sargsyan said that "this is not a dialogue, this is blackmail" and left.
Addressing the assembled reporters afterwards, Mr Pashinyan called on his supporters to continue their protests, which have continued for more than a week.
He was detained shortly afterwards, as riot police using stun grenades dispersed protesters.
His supporters then gathered outside a police station where they believed he was being held before they set off towards the capital's central Republic Square.
He has been accused of failing to address continuing tensions with Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as widespread poverty at home.
His government has also been criticised by the opposition for its close ties to Russia, whose leader Vladimir Putin also moved between the positions of president and prime minister to maintain his grip on power.
While he was president, the country shifted from a presidential system to a parliamentary republic, vesting real power in the office of the prime minister.
He stood for prime minister despite promising he would not.
His supporters argue that the tough veteran of the Nagorno-Karabakh war with Azerbaijan in the late 1980s has provided the national security Armenia needs.
Serzh Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 until this year, has been left largely unchallenged for years because of a lack of clear rivals and alternatives, Armenian affairs analyst Richard Giragosian tells BBC News.
"Pashinyan was the exception with his unique combination of charisma with a good sense of street politics, which only makes this current confrontation more serious." he says.
The power of the ruling Republican Party is potentially even more dangerous as it "undermines the necessity for consensus and compromise".
"The real question now is what lies ahead. After such polarisation and dissent, the launch of parliamentary politics seems destined to fail, undermined by an inherent lack of trust or public confidence."
However the crisis plays out, "there is little or no foreign policy dimension", he adds. "It is not about Russia and not about Europe. It is local politics and economics."
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Population 3.1m
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Area 29,743 sq km (11,484 sq miles)
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Major languages Armenian, Russian
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Major religion Christianity
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Life expectancy 71 years (men), 77 years (women)
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Main exports Diamonds, machinery, foodstuffs
The small landlocked country saw an economic recovery last year, the World Bank reports.
However, it is vulnerable to developments in Russia, its biggest trading partner after the EU and a major destination for its migrant workers.
Azerbaijan fires 2500+ rounds in Artsakh ceasefire violations during past week
Categories
Artsakh
Official
Azerbaijani forces made over 320 individual ceasefire violations From April 15 to April 21 in the Artsakh line of contact.
Azerbaijan fired more than 2500 rounds at Artsakh positions using various caliber small arms.
In addition to small arms, Azerbaijan’s military also fired three shells from a shoulder launched anti-tank grenade launcher in the northern section of the line of contact.
“The Defense Army forces are in full control of the frontline situation and confidently continue their service”, Artsakh’s military said in a statement.
A Forgotten Ally, Part I : Reverend Wirt & Viscount Shibusawa
Near East Museum – Near East Foundation
A FORGOTTEN ALLY, PART ONE: REVEREND WIRT AND VISCOUNT SHIBUSAWA
On March 28th, Vicken Babkenian was the keynote speaker at an event honoring Eiichi Shibusawa and the Armenian relief movement in Japan. The presentation was organized by ANCA West Region and the Japan America Society in Glendale, California. The following dispatch is based on his presentation and continuing work documenting the key, but often forgotten role, Japan played in providing relief and aid during and after the Armenian Genocide. Vicken Babkenian is an independent researcher for the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He is the co-author (with Prof. Peter Stanley) of Armenia, Australia and the Great War (NewSouth Publishing, 2016), which was shortlisted in two major Australian literary awards.
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Sparked by the cablegram sent by Henry Morgenthau in 1915, local, national, and international communities responded to the atrocities committed against the Armenian people. Initially just an American based relief organization, the executive committee of Near East Relief, in order to maximize their efforts, looked to other countries for help.
As part of their strategy, they enlisted the services of the Reverend Loyal Wirt, a congregational minister from California and well-known social visionary with a long history of missionary and humanitarian work. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, he worked to establish hospitals and social service centers in Alaska, the goldfields of California, and as far away as Australia. During World War I, he served as a Red Cross commissioner on the Western Front. Upon returning home, he was among the first team of American relief workers who sailed on a flotilla of ships from New York to what was then known as the Near East in January 1919 to provide humanitarian aid to the survivors of the Armenian, Anatolian Greek, and Assyrian Genocide. Seeing first-hand the crimes committed, Rev. Wirt established his new mission to create relief committees across the globe.
The Rev. Loyal Wirt among the first US relief team, Turkey, March 1919, courtesy of Missak Kelechian
…A chain of mercy from one end of the world to the other.
Reverend Loyal Wirt
Equipped with the publicity materials like photographs, moving pictures, and firsthand accounts, Wirt left San Francisco on January 14, 1922. Stopping first to create a relief committee in Hawaii, then still just a United States territory, he traveled to Japan to expand NER efforts.
At the time, Japan was home to a large number of Americans and Europeans, providing Wirt with a sympathetic community to aim his appeal it. He succeeded and formed a general committee, composed of American businessmen and missionaries, headed by the US ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Charles Warren. Mobilizing the strong ex-pat community living in Japan, the committee gained momentum through working with foreign social groups, lodges, clubs, churches, and garden parties.
Photo Right: Portrait of Rev. Loyal Wirt, c. 1920s, courtesy of Evan Wirt
Contemporary to Wirt’s departure to Japan, the Washington Conference was held with the purpose of limiting naval arms and increasing security agreements in the Pacific area. This conference was the first international conference held in the United States and the first arms control conference in history.
Advising the Japanese delegation at the conference was the influential de facto diplomat, Viscount Eiichi Shibusawa.
Born in what is now Fukaya, Japan in 1840, Visc. Shibusawa developed an eye for business early in life, helping with his family’s farm and indigo business. He studied history and Confucian philosophy before traveling to Tokyo in his early twenties to further his studies. At the age of 27, he visited France and other European countries as a member of the Japanese delegation to the Paris World Exposition in 1867.
It was during this time that Visc. Shibusawa developed his opinions on the importance of industrial and economic development. Inspired by what he learned abroad, he founded one of Japan’s first joint-stock companies. Later invited by the Japanese government to become a member of the ministry of finance, he was a driving force in Japan’s modernization in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Photo Right: Exposition Universelle ‘World Exposition’, Paris 1867
A pioneering figure, Visc. Shibusawa encouraged growth and development across the industrial sector. He founded fisheries, railways, printing companies, steamship companies, steel plants, gas and electric industries, oil mines and many more. Applying a set of ideas and morals of what he called the ‘unity of morality and economy’, he attempted to merge Confucian ethics with the emerging market capitalism in Japan. He believed that capitalists should place a strong emphasis on righteousness and benevolence, placing the public interest first and foremost while still engaging in competition. Using this doctrine, he was involved in some 600 social welfare organizations.
Acting as an important bridge between the United States and Japan, Visc. Shibusawa returned home from the Washington Conference shortly before Rev. Wirt arrived in Japan.
Photo Left: Portrait of Viscount Eiichi Shibusawa, c. 1924, courtesy of Eiichi Shibusawa Memorial Foundation
Based on an account recorded by Wirt himself, the two men met after a group of leading Japanese men expressed interest in learning about Wirt’s mission. Accompanied by prominent and respected missionary Reverend Gilbert Bowles, Rev. Wirt met Visc. Shibusawa. Asking ‘who the Armenians were and why they needed help,’ Visc. Shibusawa solicited information from Rev. Wirt about his mission. Using the services of Rev. Bowles as translator, Rev. Wirt described the details of the suffering during the war and the current plight of refugees.
Visc. Shibusawa interrupted him before he could finish and asked, ‘Why did you not come to us with your appeal? Was it because we are Buddhist and you thought we would not help Christians in distress? We have read your speeches as reported in the Japan Advertiser and we thought we would like to help, even if we have not been invited to do so. Unknown to you, one of our Japanese papers published your appeal, and here is your result.”
Visc. Shibusawa handed over a check for $11,000- about $150,000 in today’s money.
Visc. Shibusawa accepted the chairmanship of the Armenian Relief Committee of Japan, headquartered in Kajimachi, Tokyo. He immediately wrote a letter to 100 Japanese leaders, inviting them to attend a lecture by Rev. Wirt in the hope of inspiring interest to help the Armenians.
Visc. Eiichi Shibusawa's letter to 100 Japanese leaders, April 1922, New Near East Magazine
Along with 15 other national committees, the Japanese Armenian relief committee became a member of the Geneva based International Near East Association, which had the stated goal of “increase[ing] the efficiency of all organizations seeking to relieve the suffering and promote the social, economic, and industrial welfare of those in the Near East who have been rendered destitute by war or other causes beyond their control.” Members included Dr. Inazo Nitobe, a League of Nations official, and a member of Japan’s House of Peers.
Contributions for the Armenian relief fund began to flow in from all classes of Japanese society- from ordinary people to government ministers, leading businessmen to royalty. A Japanese girl’s school even assumed the full responsibility for two Armenian orphans.
Often forgotten or overlooked, the work done by the Japanese people, spearheaded by Rev. Wirt and Visc. Shibusawa, provided much needed aid to the Armenian people. Without this international support, Near East Relief would not have been able to help as many refugees as it did.
The story doesn’t end there! Check back soon for the next installment.
Chess: Armenia chess manager: Danielyan can finish in top three of European Championship
MediaMax, Armenia
Armenia chess manager: Danielyan can finish in top three of European Championship
Manager of the women’s team Zaven Andriasyan has stated that Danielyan has a good chance to take a prize-winning place.
“Elina has prepared well. She competed with the men in the European Championship too, but unfortunately, she did not succeed there. However, that helped her in a sense that she has arrived to this tournament more collected. There are three rounds left and they are very important. I believe Elina can finish in top three, and if she does not manage to do that, she will qualify for the World Cup anyway,” said Andriasyan.
Quotas to the World Cup will be given to the players who take places from 1 to 14 in the European championships.