DIASPORA

Many Armenian artists and intellectuals living in diaspora came together under a platform called “Justice Within Armenia” and launched a campaign for criticizing the anti-democratic practices in Armenia. So far, more than 2,600 people have supported the campaign.

Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), on the occasion of 25th anniversary of its foundation, brings Armenian women from different countries together in the US. CHP Istanbul MP Selina Doğan will be a guest of honor.

The Andean Parliament, formed by Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, unanimously passed the resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

A holiday camp project in Lebanon caused debates due to the sentimental value of the region. The planned location of the luxury holiday site is the coastal Biblos town in Beirut and the region also includes a cemetery, school and orphanage which belong to genocide survivor Armenians and known as “Bird's Nest”.

Shoah Foundation indexed the testimonies about the Armenian Genocide and added them to the visual history archive of the foundation. Project manager Manuk Avedikyan tells about the project.

Yerevan University History Department graduate Armenian citizen Siranuş has managed to leave her dust cloth aside in Istanbul and found at least a desk-job in Yerevan. She is not mad at Istanbul or dust cloth or fate. We talked to Siranuş, who has “learned loving life with all its rationality and irrationality”, in Yerevan.

Speaking to the police during the ID check in Istanbul Atatürk Airport, Richard Demirci said that he is an Armenian from France and he ended up being deported. Police officers asked, “You speak Turkish. How come you are not Turkish?” He is prohibited from entering Turkey with an exclusion order.

Israeli Parliament's (Knesset) Committee of Education, Culture, and Sports recognized the Armenian Genocide and urged the government to recognize the genocide officially.

Preparations for giving Turkish citizenship to Syrians reminded AKP's previous promises to diaspora Armenians and Greeks. Scholars studying on this topic assessed the discussions of citizenship for Agos.

Fresno city of California has a historical significance for Armenian people. The city was the first stop of the mass migration to the US after the genocide. However, it hosted Armenians before 1915. Though there are 50.000 Armenians in Fresno today, there had been more Armenians living in the city in the past. In 1976, Armenian Studies Program was launched in Fresno State University. We spoke to Barlow Der Mugrdechian, who has been working as the director of this program for 8 years, about Fresno and its importance for Armenian people.