Organized by the Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University (founded through a generous donation of Mr. YerchoSamuelian), the international conference entitled “The Armenians of Syria”, took place over the course of four days, from May 24 to May 27, 2015, with the support of the Armenian Communities Department of the CalousteGulbenkian Foundation, and Mr. and Mrs. David and Tina Segel.

The auspicious opening, which was attended by the President of theUnion of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, Rev. Megrdich Karageozian, the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mr. AshotKocharian, the prelates of the Armenian Orthodox of Aleppo and Damascus, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian and Bishop Armash Nalbandian respectively, and the Head of the Armenian Evangelical Community in Syria, Rev. HaroutiounSelimian,, University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, in addition to academicians, featured guest speaker, prominent scholar and historian, Prof. Simon Payaslian from Boston University, on the topic of “the Armenian Community of Syria and its Legacy”.

The conference also witnessed parallel events: the launching of ShoghagatApartian-Selimian’s musical CD “The Story Goes On”, dedicated to Aleppo, a round table on “the Syrian Crisis and the Syrian Armenians”, with the participation of the prelates of the Armenian Orthodox of Aleppo and Damascus, and the Head of the Armenian Evangelical Community in Syria, a book signing ceremony of Mr. GaroKouyoumjian four books, and an exhibition featuring Syrian-Armenian publications, Armenian copper craftsmanship, and Vartan Derounian’s photos of the Armenian Refugee Camp of Aleppo.

The conference convened eight sessions on three consecutive days, covering thirty three topics, presented by twenty six scholars coming from the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Armenia, Syria and Lebanon.

Panelists were Prof. Jon Armajani on “Syria’s Constitutions and their Relationships to Minorities”, Dr. Nora Arissian in absentia on “Armenian MPs of the Syrian Parliament” and “The Armenians of Damascus”, Maria Kaprielian on “The Cultural Revival of the Aleppo Prelacy: 1995 – 2015”, Prof. TalinDerMinassian on “Comintern Promoters: The Trajectory of the Communist Armenians in Mandatory Syria”, Dr. Arman Yeghiazarianonin absentia on “Syrian-Armenians and the Committee of Cultural Relations with the Diaspora”, Dr. Arthur Israelian on “State Relations of Armenia and Syria (1992-2008)”, FirdusZakarianonin absentia on “The Diaspora Ministry and the Syrian Armenians”, Varty Keshishianon “Aleppo as the Seat of the Cilician Catholicosate (17^th-18^th C.)”,Dr. Hidemitsu Kurokion “Armenians in 19^thCentury Aleppo”,Prof. Simon Payaslianon “The Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo(20^th Century)”, Dr. HayganushMesrobian on “The Vocabulary of CatholicosKarekinKesabtsi as an Enriching Source for the Armenian Lexicon”, Dr. Hagop Cholakianon “The Syrian Armenian Education Effort: The School Network in Pre-independent Syria”, and“The Settlement of the Survivors of the Genocide in Syria, their New Habitat and Conditions (1915-1960s)”, Sylvi Apelian on “Kesab in the Armenian Literature”, Marush Yeramianon “ Aleppo Armenian Poetry of the Last Decade”, and“Syrian-Armenian Literature: Reflecting the Crisis”, Khachig Mouradian on “Concentration Camps During the Armenian Genocide: Power, Collaboration, and Resistance”,and “Genocide and Humanitarian Resistance in Der Zor, 1915-1916”, Mihran Minassianon “The Soul-Searching Process Throughout Syria for those Lost During the Armenian Genocide”, Dr. Antranik Dakessian on “The AGBU Aleppo Refuge and Crafts Home (January 1920-1927)”,AniVoskanianon “Ottoman ArmyArmenian Physicians in post-Genocide Aleppo”,Dr. Vahe Tachjianon “Syrian Jazira and the Armenians in the 1920s: A Colonialist Episode during the French Mandate”, Dr. ShoghigAshekian on “From Displacement to Repatriation: Collective Memory and Personal Experience. The Case of Kesab”, SosePilavdjianon “The Syrian-Armenian Cultural Loss”, Hagop Mikayelianon “Translations into Arabic: the Syrian Armenian Effort”,Khoren Krikorian on “Genocide Memory and the Syrian Armenians:Return to the Fatherland (Memory Anthropology)”,Dr. TehminéMardoyan on “The Syrian Armenians in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh: Current Issues and Likely Options of Resolutions”, Armenak Tokmadjian on “Possible Plans of Reconstructing Aleppo”,Kevork Hagopian on “The Syrian Armenian Community and the Post-ConflictSyrian State”. 

Presentations and sessions were moderated by Dr. Arda Ekmekji, Dr. ZavenMesserlian, Dr. Anahid Donabedian, Dr. Armen Urneshlian, Dr. BaruyrAghbashian, Mrs. Vera Yacoubian, Dr. Antranig Dakessian and Dr. ArshalouyseTopalian.

Mira Yardemian

Public Relations Director