On May 19, Yerevan Expo exhibition complex hosted the opening of the “New Perspectives for Syrian-Armenians” exhibition, which has gathered representatives of over 70 companies run by Syrian-Armenians and Syrian-Armenian individual entrepreneurs who have moved to Armenia as a result of the Syrian war and are doing business in the country.

Hayern Aysor’s coverage of the exhibition is devoted to Syrian-Armenian rug seller Nazareth Aroian, who is from Aleppo. Nazareth was a child when his father passed away. To not leave the burden of maintaining a family on her mother’s soldiers, at the age of 13, Nazareth not only went to school, but also started working with his paternal uncle, who was a well-known rug seller in Aleppo at the time. Over time, Nazareth became very attached to his job and decided to gain skills in this craft. For nearly 30 years, Nazareth has been selling rugs.

Nazareth Aroian was known as a rug seller in Aleppo. He had stores near the Forty Holy Children’s Mother Church and the Sheraton Hotel in Aleppo.

Currently, the rug seller regrets that his stores were destroyed and that his rugs remained under the ruins.

When the war broke out in Syria, like his fellow Syrian-Armenians, Nazareth Aroian also left his native Aleppo, moved to Lebanon and then settled in Armenia. Moving to Armenia was Aroian’s unwavering decision and, as he says, he wanted the Homeland to be his final landmark. He has brought Armenian rugs that were at his disposal and is reselling them. He has never counted the number of rugs he has. However, he did talk about two rugs that trace back to a century.

Nazareth Aroian has always visited Armenia. During a regular visit, he met with His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and donated a silver censer, and the Supreme Patriarch transferred his photo as a memory. That was when Nazareth Aroian came up with the idea of making a rug with the image of the Supreme Patriarch on it and present it to him on his birthday, and the surprise worked out.

Aroian also wanted to present a rug to President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan as a gift during the latter’s visit to Aleppo, but it didn’t work out. Now he is happy that he was able to turn his idea into a reality during this exhibition. At the exhibition, he finally presented the President with a unique rug portraying a scene from the Armenian Genocide and with only 3 paradigms. Aroian believes he had to present the rug to the President in the Mother Homeland due to providence.

Nazareth Aroian is currently selling his rugs at the Vernisazh flea market in Yerevan. He says his main customers are tourists, but citizens of Armenia are also interested and ask him about the rugs. He participates in similar exhibitions with pleasure and with the hope that he will have new customers. Aroian is hopeful and knows everything will be fine.

Gevorg Chichyan