Around Town

106-Year-Old Armenian Genocide Survivor Coming to Watertown

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A 106-year-old woman who survived the Armenian Genocide will be a special guest at an event at the Armenian Library and Museum of America in Watertown. The Genocide Education Project will host a training workshop for high school teachers on how to teach about the Armenian Genocide on June 10 in Watertown. Asdghig “Starrie” Alemian, 106, of Weymouth, will be in attendance at the event, according to a report on the Public Radio of Armenia website. Also speaking at the event will be Sara Cohan of the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation, who will deliver a talk called, “Testimony: The educational power of Armenian Genocide survivor interviews.”

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the ALMA, 65 Main St. in Waterotwn.

Armenian Genocide

Local Groups Taking Part in State Legislature’s Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide

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Each April for the past 31 years, members of the Armenian community along with state legislators and guests have come together at the State House to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, according to State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s office. This year marks the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with the commemoration taking place on Friday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. in the House Chamber with a program of speakers, music, and honorees. Following the ceremony a reception provided by Ani Catering of Belmont will be held at the Grand Staircase and guests can view a video created especially for this event by filmmaker Roger Hagopian about Armenia and survival of the Armenian nation. The event recognizes the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 by the Ottoman Turkish government. This is an opportunity for survivors and Armenian-American descendants to demonstrate their commitment to preserving their culture, religion, and language; working for humanitarian projects and awareness; and striving for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians

President of Armenia Has Arrived, Makes Stop Around Watertown

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Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had a very busy first day during of his visit to the Boston area, including several stops in Watertown. 

The president visited the Armenian Museum of America in Watertown Square, where he saw the exhibits about the Armenian’s heritage, according to Public Radio of Armenia. Another stop was St. Stephen’s Armenian Church – or Saint Stepanos – in East Watertown. Sargsyan also stopped by the Hairenik center on Biglow Avenue, which is home to the East Coast Armenian Revolutionary Federation office, headquarters of the Armenian Relief Society, Hairenik radiostation, and  the Armenian Weekly and Hairenik Weekly papers. The president is also due to visit St.

Armenians

President of Armenia Coming to Watertown During Visit to Boston

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Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will stop in Watertown during his visit to Boston this week, including local churches, newspapers and the Armenian Museum of America. Along with visits to the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Boston, the State House, MIT and Tufts’ Fletcher School of Diplomacy, the president plans a number of visits in Watertown. President Sargsyan arrives Monday and be in the area through Wednesday. He will be visiting some local churches and organizations including St. Stephen’s Church, St.

Armenians

Historical Society Hosts Film ‘The Legacy of a Lost Armenian Community’

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A film about the a small town in Turkey, from ancient times through the Armenian Genocide, will be presented by the Historical Society of Watertown at the Watertown Free Public Library. Memories of Marash: The Legacy of a Lost Armenian Community, a documentary film by Roger Hagopian, will be shown on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015 at 2 p.m. It will be hosted by the Historical Society of Watertown at the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room in the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street, Watertown. The Historical Society sent out the following announcement:

This 68-minute documentary film presentation on the 100th year commemoration of the Armenian Genocide was originally created in 2002. Producer Roger Hagopian remastered the film in 2015 to widescreen format with high resolution photography, hundreds of new high resolution images and animated maps.

Charity

Watertown Church Raises Money to Help Armenians in Syria

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Watertown’s St. Stephen’s Church recently welcomed people working to help Armenians in Syria, who provided an update on the situation there, and collected money for the Armenian Relief Society. According to a story in the Armenian Weekly, the event raised more than $3,500 to help the Syrian-Armenian community. The event was organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Boston “Sardarabad” Gomideh along with the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) “Leona Sassouni” and “Shushi” Chapters and the St. Stephen’s Church.

Around Town

Walk Planned in Watertown to Help Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

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On Saturday, Sept. 26, the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) will hold its 4th annual Walk of Life walkathon in Watertown. The goal of the walk is to raise public awareness as well as funds in support of ABMDR, whose mission it is to fight leukemia and other blood-related disorders by finding stem cell donor matches for those in need of life-saving transplant procedures. “We are excited about the upcoming Walk of Life this fall and hope it is received as enthusiastically by our community organizations as it was in 2014,” said Alvart Badalian, a member of the ABMDR Board. “Just a reminder: You can also participate in the waklkathon virtually as in years before.”

The 2.2-mile walk will begin at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) at 47 Nichols Avenue and will end at Watertown’s annual Faire on the Square Festival, a fun-filled end-of-summer event for all ages.

Around Town

Find Out About the Situation in Syria at St. Stephen’s Church

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A member of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) who is visiting from Aleppo will give an update about what is happening to the Armenian community in Syria during the recent upheaval. ARS Central Executive Board member Zepure E. Reisian will also talk about the relief efforts underway during the public briefing at St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church, 38 Elton Ave. in Watertown, on Sunday, Aug. 16, following church service.