Armenian Museum of America

Watertown’s Armenian Museum Reopening in June, Will Begin with Health Protocols

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Armenian Museum of America

The Armenian Museum of America announced it will soon be reopening after being closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The museum sent the following letter out about the reopening:

Dear Members and Friends,On behalf of the Board of Trustees and Armenian Museum Team, we are thrilled the day has finally arrived that we can safely reopen our galleries to the community. In anticipation of this long-awaited day, we have been working on updating exhibitions, designing new exhibits, and developing programing to present both virtually and on-site to provide you with a meaningful and memorable cultural experience. The initial schedule and protocol for our reopening will begin on June 18th. The Museum will be open Fridays through Sundays from 12:00 noon to 6:00pm.

ARF East Region

COVID-19 Panel Discussion Being Hosted by Watertown-Based Armenian Group

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Hear from a panel of experts on the COVID-19 vaccine at a virtual discussion hosted by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Eastern Region, which is based in Watertown. The group put out the following information:

Join the ARF Eastern Region for a LIVE Covid-19 panel discussion on Sunday, March 14 at 5 pm EST on Facebook Live for the latest information on the Covid-19 vaccine from those working the front lines. To join the livestream, click here: https://www.facebook.com/arfeastusa/posts/1734107006775898

Panelists include John Bilezikian, MD, endocrinology, Columbia University; Kim Hekimian, PhD, public health, Columbia University; Tsoline Kojaoghlanian, MD, infectious disease, Maimonides Children’s Hospital; Lawrence Najarian, MD, ophthalmology, New York University; and, Karine Shnorhokian, MSN, RN, regional director, CareOne. 

There will be an opportunity for participants to ask panelists questions.

Around Town

Watertown Churches Holding Services to Pray for Armenian Soldiers, Peace in Artsakh

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Flag of Artsakh

Two Armenian Churches will hold prayer services this week for the soldiers in Armenia and Artsakh who have been fighting in an ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan. The current military conflict began in late September in the area known as Artsakh (formerly Nagorno-Karabakh), an area of mostly ethnic Armenians. The area was placed within the borders of Azerbaijan when it was part of the Soviet Union, but is governed by ethnic Armenians as the Republic of Artsakh. Tensions date back decades, and a six year war was fought from 1988-94

On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the St.

Around Town

Congresswoman Clark Condemns Attacks on Armenians by Azerbaijan

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Flag of Artsakh

Recent attacks on ethnic Armenians by Azerbaijan were called “reprehensible” by Congresswoman Katherine Clark, whose district includes Watertown. The fighting began Sunday in the area known as Artsakh (formerly Nagorno-Karabakh), an area of mostly ethnic Armenians. The area was placed within the borders of Azerbaijan when it was part of the Soviet Union, but is governed by ethnic Armenians as the Republic of Artsakh. Tensions have been ongoing for three decades and there was a six-year military conflict from 1988-94, according to the Wall Street Journal. Clark called out Azerbaijan for violating the ceasefire and called for suspending military aid to Azerbaijan.

Around Town

Books, Media on Armenian History & Culture Featured at Nearby Library

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The following piece was provided by freelance writer David Boyajian:

During April 2019 the Belmont Public Library is displaying a selection of books, DVDs, and CDs on the Armenian Genocide and Armenian history and culture. Library Director Peter Struzziero and his staff facilitated the display whose items can be borrowed by patrons. 

The display has so far included The History of the Armenian Genocide by Vahakn Dadrian; Killing Orders by Taner Akçam; Architects of Denial, a film by Dean Cain and Montel Williams; Armenia, the Survival of a Nation by Christopher Walker; Tadem, My Father’s Village by Robert Aram Kaloosdian; Neither to Laugh nor to Weep by Abraham and Vartan Hartunian (the latter was a minister in Belmont); Goodbye, Antouraby Karnig Panian; Treasures from the Ark: 1700 Years of Armenian Christian Art by Vrej Nersessian; Komitas-Aslamazian, a CD by the Chilingarian Quartet; Armenian Folk Arts, Culture, and Identity by Levon Abrahamian and Nancy & Sam Sweezy; The History of Armenia by Simon Payaslian; The Kingdom of Armenia by M. Chahin; Armenia and Karabagh Travel Guide by Matthew Karanian; The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel; The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian; and other titles. As items are borrowed, additional ones are added. A group of local Armenian Americans conceived the display for Armenian Genocide Commemoration Month. They suggested nearly 40 titles available in the Minuteman Library Network on topics and genres such as the Genocide, history, religion, art, music, film, food, travel, and fiction.

Around Town

Watertown’s Hairenik Press Releases First Translation of Armenian Classic ‘Letter to Yerevan’

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Translators Tatul Sonentz-Papazian (left) and Rupen Janbazian have produced the first English version of the Armenian long-form poem “Letters to Yerevan.” Janbazian is the former editor of Watertown-based Armenian Weekly. Watertown’s Hairenik Press recently announced the first-ever publication of the English translation of Andranik Tzarukian’s long-form poem Letter to Yerevan («Թուղթ առ Երեւան» “Tught ar Yerevan”). 

The translation was a collaborative effort between the former director of the ARF and First Republic of Armenia Archives and former editor of the Armenian Review Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, and former editor of the Watertown-based Armenian Weekly Rupen Janbazian. It features an in-depth introduction by another former editor of the Armenian Weekly and the volume’s English editor, Vahe Habeshian, as well as six original illustrations by Yerevan-based artist Meruzhan Khachatryan. The Armenian language republication was edited by Yeprem Tokjian of Toronto, Canada.

Entertainment

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Armenian Republic with Film, Dance in Watertown

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The Boston-area Armenian community will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Republic with a weekend of film, music and dance, including two event in Watertown. The schedule of events:

Friday, May 4 — Screening of the film, “State on the Last Piece of Land,” at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC – 47 Nichols Ave. Watertown, MA). Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the program starts at 8 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. Saturday, May 5, Dance with entertainment from Armenia, starring Ruben Sasunci and Gohar Hovhannisyan, who will be in Boston together for the first time!

Armenians

Public Invited to Presentation About Examining Armenian Photographs

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At it’s Thursday, Feb. 2 meeting, World in Watertown welcomes member Ruth Thomasian, President and Founder of Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, to present an interactive program titled READING PHOTOGRAPHS: Armenians Through the Camera’s Eye. Using photo enlargements from Project SAVE Archives, Ruth will engage her audience in observing, questioning, and thinking critically about what they see in the photos. Topics will include multicultural and human issues as well as details of Armenian life in the homeland and Diaspora. World in Watertown invites the public to attend READING PHOTOGRAPHS at First Parish Church, 35 Church St.