What:“Strengthening the Armenian Village Through Deep Engagement”
A lecture in Armenian presented by Aida and Asbed Pogharian
When:Thursday May 18, 2023 at 7:30pm
Where:Crescenta Valley Meher & Satig Der Ohanessian Youth Center Hall
2633 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, CA 91020
Misc:Aida and Asbed are a diasporan couple who will share their experiences in bringing about
positive change in the village of Gosh in Armenia. In 2019, they toured Armenia for a month,
selected Gosh in the mountains of Dilijan and bought a house there. Through power point
presentation, they will talk about the numerous projects they have accomplished so far
and their impacts on the village.
We invite the greater community to attend this free presentation.
Tel:818-244-9639
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YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Since the installation of the illegal checkpoint on the Goris-Stepanakert highway near the Hakari Bridge on April 23, Azerbaijan has been artificially obstructing the normal operation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nagorno-Karabakh, by which the Azerbaijani side not only violates the provisions of the international humanitarian law, but also the agreement reached during the blockade on the transfer to Armenia of the persons in extremely serious health condition, ARMENPRESS reports, Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan wrote on his Facebook page.
“Thus, Azerbaijan directly ignores the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) of December 21, 2022, obliging it to take all necessary and sufficient measures to ensure the movement of seriously ill persons in need of medical treatment in Armenia through the “Lachin corridor”.
During this time, the ICRC transported patients only twice: on April 28 (13 patients) and on April 29 (16 patients). Since April 29, with the mediation of the ICRC, the transfer of patients to medical institutions of the Republic of Armenia has completely stopped. According to the information received by the Human Rights Defender's Office, the Azerbaijani side has put forward additional conditions, demanding to check the ICRC cars transporting patients, as well as the passports of the ICRC employees and patients, thus, violating the agreements reached earlier. According to the information received from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Artsakh, 30 patients in extremely serious condition are waiting for urgent transfer.
Azerbaijan deliberately prevents the supply of essential medicines to Artsakh through the ICRC, as a result of which serious problems arise in medical institutions of Artsakh.
The Azerbaijani side, pursuing the goal of total isolation of Artsakh, is undertaking deliberate actions, aimed at hindering the activities of even humanitarian organisations in Artsakh, putting forward additional artificial demands.
Azerbaijan is not ready to take a constructive position even on the matters of humanitarian nature, does not miss the opportunity to intimidate the peaceful population and deepen their physical and psychological suffering caused by the blockade, deliberately deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Azerbaijan's behavior directly contradicts the international law and the principles of humanism, which should be clearly condemned by international organisations and the human rights community.
We expect practical intervention by international structures in the settlement of this urgent humanitarian issue”, Stepanyan wrote.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. On May 10, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with Igor Khovaev, the Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the special representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for supporting the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan and Igor Khovaev discussed the latest developments in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Secretary of the Security Council presented to the interlocutor the positions of the Armenian side on a number of issues of the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
Referring to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the parties stressed that the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh should be respected and protected. The Russian side emphasized that the Lachin Corridor should be opened and operate within the framework of the November 9 tripartite declaration.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Anna Hakobyan, the wife of the Prime Minister of Armenia, is on a two-day visit to the Republic of Croatia. She is participating in the "Summit of Spouses of European Leaders".
On May 9, at the invitation of Croatian President Zoran Milanović, Anna Hakobyan participated in the welcoming dinner served in honor of the high-ranking guests who arrived in the country, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of Anna Hakobyan.
First ladies and gentlemen from around 10 countries attended the dinner. Together with Anna Hakobyan, Queen Letizia of Spain, Mrs. Linda Rama, wife of the Prime Minister of Albania, Mrs. Aigul Zhaparova, wife of the President of Kyrgyzstan, First Lady of Latvia Andra Levite, Mrs. Lydia Abela, wife of the Prime Minister of Malta, Husband of the President of Hungary István Veres, Husband of the President of Slovenia Aleš Musar, First Lady of Serbia Tamara Đukanović, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the World Health Organization and other senior officials attended the dinner.
During the dinner, Prime Minister's wife Anna Hakobyan had a series of short conversations with those present.
On the second day of her visit to the Republic of Croatia, Prime Minister's wife Anna Hakobyan participated in the "Summit of Spouses of European Leaders".
After the portrait ceremony, the summit started with the participation of Armenian Prime Minister’s wife Anna Hakobyan, Croatia's First Lady Sanja Milanović, Queen Letizia of Spain and spouses of more than a dozen countries' leaders.
One of the topics of discussion was the issue of preventing and combating childhood obesity, during which first ladies of different countries made statements, presenting their country's experience, innovative solutions and established priorities.
The participants of the discussion noted that every third school-aged child in the European region has a tendency to obesity. They noted that obesity, especially at an early age, is a challenge for all countries, and the fight against it is possible only with joint efforts.
During the discussion, Armenian Prime Minister’s wife Anna Hakobyan gave a brief speech.
"I must honestly say that this topic was not in the center of my attention, perhaps for objective reasons, due to such important issues as the war, the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. There are many children in Nagorno-Karabakh who have problems with access to food. But I attach great importance to this topic, thank you for the invitation to be here. The government of the Republic of Armenia is making efforts to prevent the problems discussed here, from now on the issue will be in the center of my attention as well. We have to fight against the problem in the early stage, so that it doesn't get more complicated later," said Mrs. Hakobyan.
At the end of the discussion, the Zagreb Declaration was adopted, according to which the representatives of the countries participating in the summit declare and accept the need for joint work in the fight against childhood obesity, undertake to provide the necessary environment for healthy food and physical activity for children.
A cultural visit to the Croatian National Theater, as well as vocal and ballet performances, were also organized for the first ladies who arrived in Zagreb.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Moscow expects proactive steps from its Armenian partners in the direction of the resumption of substantive work on the deployment of the CSTO mission in the territory of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said during the weekly briefing.
"We expect steps from the Armenian partners to resume the substantive works regarding the deployment of the CSTO mission in the territory of Armenia and other joint measures to help our ally," Zakharova said.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. On May 10, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received Igor Khovaev, the Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the special representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for supporting the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issues related to security and stability in the region were discussed at the meeting.
Minister Mirzoyan referred to the positions of the Armenian side regarding fundamental issues within the framework of the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The need for effective action by partners interested in the stability in the South Caucasus was reaffirmed in the context of the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor in violation of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020, and the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. On May 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of Armenia (seat: Tbilisi) Helene Sand Andersen, on the occasion of completing her diplomatic mission.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the interlocutors touched on the issues related to regional security and stability. Minister Mirzoyan presented the latest developments in the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the vision of the Armenian side on fundamental issues in the negotiation process. Ararat Mirzoyan noted the constructive involvement of the Armenian side and emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan's renunciation from extremist aspirations, the policy of using force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as addressing the rights and security of Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh, among other issues.
At the meeting, the sides discussed issues on the agenda of bilateral relations between Armenia and Norway, emphasized the positive dynamics of political dialogue. The importance of further deepening the interaction based on common values and democratic principles and using the existing potential in the expansion of economic cooperation was emphasized.
In his speech, the Foreign Minister noted that he highly appreciates the Ambassador's contribution to the development of bilateral relations and wished her success in further diplomatic work.
Many know Camp Haiastan as “the greatest place on earth.” It has given Armenian youth in the diaspora a wholesome camping experience for over 70 years. Each year, our youth are immersed in a community where they not only play, swim, dance and sing, but they also learn about who we are as a people.
Camp is a place where you meet Armenians from everywhere, forging friendships that last a lifetime. Whether you stay at camp for two weeks one summer or return each year, and maybe even go on to become a staff member, you belong to a special fraternity. As you go through life, by accident or on purpose, you will run into the camp friends you have made. Each meeting will fill your heart with true joy as you reminisce about the time you spent together in Franklin, Massachusetts. Campers make countless memories and gain important life lessons that will broaden their childhood development. These gifts will be part of who you become in later years.
Keeping our culture and heritage alive through what we learn at Camp Haiastan is the bridge that attaches us to our homeland. Camp magically links us to Armenia even if we have never been or may never go. The experience keeps our youth engaged long after the summer is over. Camp most assuredly is the beginning of the link between understanding who we are and heartfelt activism.
I am 60 years removed from when I first attended Camp Haiastan. My attachment to Camp Haiastan is as strong today as it was when I was in my teens. I am now retired and spend a few weeks each year in Armenia with Fuller Global Builders helping to build respectable housing for needy families. This year, I’ll lead a Fuller group to Armenia with 10 volunteers. Six of the volunteers will be Camp Haiastan alumni. Where did those six learn to give of themselves? Where did they learn that their homeland calls out to them? Where did they learn that they can make a difference?
AYF interns travel each year to Armenia and immerse themselves. This summer in Armenia, AYF interns will work alongside our Fuller team for a few days when we build a home. They will also do outreach with several other organizations while in the country. Of the eight interns, five are Camp Haiastan alumni. What gave these five young individuals the curiosity to visit our homeland? What made them want to be ambassadors to Armenia from America? What gave them the idea that they can lend a helping hand?
John and June Mangassarian in Armenia, 2022
Last year, my wife June (a Camp Haiastan alumna) and I collected donations to renovate a school gymnasium in the village of Ginevet/Nor Ughi. The work will be conducted by the Paros Foundation of California, and it is well underway. Last week, I reviewed the list of donors—58 of the 74 donors who helped fund the first phase of this project are Camp Haiastan alumni. What made them give so generously? What possessed them to help a school so far away?
The experience you get at Camp Haiastan is not the answer to every question. However, there are some things that you can be sure of. If there were no Camp Haiastan, there would be one less Fuller team helping a family to move out of a domik and into a respectable home this year. If there were no Camp Haiastan, there would be a facet of the AYF intern’s 2023 experience in Armenia that would be missing, and if there were no Camp Haiastan, there would be another neglected school in a rural village in our homeland.
The reach of Camp Haiastan goes far beyond Franklin, Massachusetts. When someone passes through the gates of 722 Summer Street, they are effortlessly transformed into someone with a nationalistic pride that will only insure that we as a people will long endure.
A shameless plug: If you are interested in joining our Fuller team in Armenia this summer, we have room for a few more volunteers. Or if you are interested in donating to better the Ginevet/Nor Ughi school, you can contact me directly at [email protected].
John Mangassarian and the late Sona Baroutjian Manuelian, both Camp Haiastan alumni 1963-1968, building a home in Armenia, 2019
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John Mangassarian is a former camper, counselor, board member and lifelong supporter of Camp Haiastan.
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For Diana Simonian, signing up for an Armenian dating app was an obvious decision.
“Being a minority living in Los Angeles, you don’t see or hear of too many Iraqis. Armenian for me was a next step,” she told the Weekly. “I always gravitated toward Armenians, because I felt like that’s a second family for me.”
The daughter of Iraqi immigrants, Diana isn’t Armenian, but she grew up surrounded by Armenians in Los Angeles. Her father’s best friend of about 50 years is Armenian. Diana and her sister also spent their summers at Hye Camp, an Armenian summer camp in northern California. Diana used to joke with her friends that her last name was Suleymanian, adding the distinguishing Armenian “ian” to her surname Suleyman.
When it came time to find a husband, Diana knew she wanted to build her life with someone from a similar cultural background. So she made a profile on the dating app Kyank, an Armenian term of endearment that means “life.” She matched with Berj Simonian in January 2021. Berj was born to an Armenian family in Baghdad. They had an immediate connection, but he lived across the country in New York. Their relationship blossomed over daily FaceTime calls and text messages.
Three weeks into their online courtship, Diana went dress shopping with her mom.
“We walked into the store, and I saw this beautiful gown, and I told my mom, this is going to be my engagement dress,” Diana recalled.
Her mom was stunned. “Your engagement dress to who?” she asked.
“That was my moment. I had just known that we were going to be together forever,” Diana told the Weekly.
In March, three months after they matched on Kyank, Berj flew out to Los Angeles to meet Diana for the first time. Diana picked him up from the airport, and after an obligatory trip to In-N-Out Burger, Diana drove Berj straight to her parents’ house.
Berj said meeting Diana’s family felt like coming home. There was Iraqi kubba and tabbouleh on the table, and Diana’s parents spoke Arabic just like his. He described how easy and natural it was to join Diana’s family.
Three months later, Berj and Diana were engaged. Just three months after that—nine months after meeting on Kyank—they were married.
Mr. and Mrs. Simonian
Armenians formed communities in Iraq and across the Middle East after the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Their culture expanded to include different traditions, languages and cuisines. Diana and Berj come from different ethnic backgrounds, but they’re connected through Armenian culture.
Miro Markarian, the founder of Kyank, grew up in Iran, where Armenians have lived for centuries. Markarian says he launched Kyank in 2020 as a way to bring young Armenians together.
Many of Markarian’s closest friends are other Armenians he grew up with in Iran. Markarian lost touch with his childhood friends when they moved to California. When Markarian left Iran and started attending high school in Los Angeles, they reconnected, and they’ve maintained a strong bond ever since.
“We had that strong connection, because of how much we could relate to the way we were brought up and the experiences we went through,” Markarian said. “I’m much more comfortable next to them. I trust them more, because I trust their upbringing.”
Many Armenians have always dated within their culture. But the 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan made this choice an existential one. Dr. Rosie Vartyter Aroush researches LGBT Armenian identity. She says that war, displacement and genocide have always been a part of Armenian identity in the diaspora. But the war in 2020 reminded Armenians in the United States that the potential for a new crisis is always present.
“You found comfort in being surrounded by people who understood your struggle, and unfortunately at that time period, for the most part, those who could understand your struggle were only Armenians,” explained Dr. Aroush.
Many Armenians have faced pressure from their parents to marry other Armenians and start a family. This was characteristic of the generation that survived the Armenian Genocide and was struggling to rebuild and repopulate the global Armenian community. The push to raise Armenian families is also one of the driving forces of discrimination against LGBTQ people by Armenians, Dr. Aroush says. Parents may assume that their LGBTQ children could never get married or have children.
These ideas are associated with an older generation. But Dr. Aroush says that, right after the war, she heard people who had never expressed a desire to have children talk about having children to bring more Armenians into the world.
“It was feelings people felt at the time that I don’t know a year or two later are actually still standing. I think it was emotional responses. I don’t know if they solidified into action,” Dr. Aroush said. “And I think we need more time to see how big of a role that plays.”
The Simonians are expecting their first child. They’re already looking for an Armenian school. They also want to teach their daughter Arabic. Home never means one thing for people who live in a diaspora. But through dating apps, people are finding a home in Armenian culture.
Diana and Berj Simonian are expecting their first baby
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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian's first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.
May 9, 2023Armenian Relief Society Eastern U.S.Nonprofit News, Diaspora0
2023 ARS-EUSA Regional Seminar participants
HACKENSACK, NJ—Over 70 members from 10 chapters of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Eastern USA, as well as supporters of the organization, attended its regional seminar on April 29 at the Hackensack University Medical Center.
MaryAnne Bonjuklian led in the singing of the ARS anthem and then introduced Caroline Chamavonian, chairperson of the ARS of Eastern USA.
In her welcoming remarks, Chamavonian noted that the last in-person seminar was held in 2019. Since then, however, she said the ARS “provided thousands of dollars worth of scholarships to young scholars. Our chapters worked in the community during the pandemic to support the elderly and thank our medical heroes. We extended our healing hands to our community members in Lebanon before and after the Beirut port explosion. We supported the work of the Central Executive Board in Artsakh and the work of our sister region in Syria.”
The first speaker of the day was Cynthia Ruggerio, Esq., who lectured on “Resonating Patterns of Cultural Destruction and Genocide.” Ruggerio discussed Lemkin’s creation of the word “genocide” and the role of cultural destruction; resonating patterns from the past to the present; the destruction of churches; the denialist narrative; the Artsakh blockade; and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and international shortcomings.
Dr. Kim Hekimian, assistant professor of nutrition in pediatrics (gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition) at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center, spoke about “Women’s Health in Armenia.” Hekimian presented a lifecycle perspective and highlighted the intergenerational consequences of undernutrition. She also discussed the leading causes of death in recent years; coronary heart disease has been ranked the highest.
After a brief lunch break, longtime ARS member Valentine Berberian and former ARS United Nations interns Taleen Nigdelian, Nory Boiatchian, Talar Hovsepian and Arev Ebrimian presented “Armenian Women’s Rights and Roles Throughout History.”
The seminar ended with Seda Aghamianz, ARS of Eastern USA Regional Executive Board member, who led a workshop on parliamentary procedures. “The understanding of parliamentary procedures is essential during meetings to ensure that the decision-making process is fair, efficient and effective, allowing for the best possible outcomes for the meeting,” she explained.
Dinner was held at Krichian’s Grill and Bistro. The Regional Board expressed its gratitude to all attendees and the New Jersey “Agnouni,” “Armenouhi” and “Shakeh” Chapters for their hard work in organizing the event.
ARS-EUSA Regional Board members and this year’s seminar committee
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The ARS Eastern USA has 33 chapters located throughout the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States.