Armenian News... A Topalian... CAIA petition deadline 20th November '17
An appeal forwarded by CAIA
Deadline for signing the petition is 20 November 2017
Petition to Conserve a Little Piece of London Armenian Social History
We are petitioning to add the area that includes the buildings of Bethany Church and the building originally known as Moore’s Post office in the new boundary of Bedfont Green Conservation Area
Bethany Church formerly known as the Tabernacle has been a part of the Bedfont scene for 115 years now. It was built for and in the name of Samuel Gentle-Cackett. A man who in the face of the Armenian Genocide saved 1000’s of children’s lives and in addition opened an orphanage with his family in Bedfont to allow new lives to be lead. Very much a hero whose memory should be honoured and protected. Bethany Church being a building that stands in memorial to him and his family.
Hounslow Council are currently carrying out a consultation into the local conservation area. Bethany Church falls short of this conservation area by 80 metres. I have set up a petition to ask for the boundary to be extended to include Samuels church.
Please assist with encouraging people signing the petition and sharing. The petition closes on the 20th November and can be found on the Hounslow Council website:
http://petitions.hounslow.gov.uk/Bedfont/ .
[ very impressive Armenian keynote speakers who are probably unknown to all of us. Anybody have any further details about this event?]
[ very impressive Armenian keynote speakers who are probably unknown to all of us. Anybody have any further details about this event?]
“Armenians in Finance” Conference 2017 in London
November. 1. 2017
“Armenians in Finance” conference (AIF) will be held on the 2 nd of November 2017 in Bulgari Hotel, London.
The event is an initiative to create a platform to promote networking, collaboration, and support fundraising for profit as well as non-profit causes. It is a step towards a wider effort to form a global finance community of experts and young professionals of Armenian heritage.
More than 100 Armenians working in the finance industry in London and abroad have already confirmed their participation.
Mr Pierre Gurdjian will be delivering the keynote address. He is currently Philanthropy Partner with the RVVZ Foundation and had a successful career as Senior Partner at McKinsey for 27 years, including 7 years as a Managing Partner.
Following his presentation, an impressive list of speakers and panellists will steer the conference, including: Mr Gagik Apkarian (Managing Director at Tetrad Capital Partners), Mr Philippe Der Megreditchian (Co-Managing Partner at OLMA Capital Management), Mr Anush Simonyan (Managing Director, Head of Investment banking Russia and CIS at UBS),
Mr. Arnaud Attamian, (Managing Director of TAP Advisors), and
Mr. Camilio Azzouz (Analyst at Amber Capital).
The conference will be the first in a series of events to be held in various global financial hubs, including potentially New York and Paris and will cover key topics, such as investment opportunities in Armenia as well as ways of deeper integration of Armenians in the industry.
The event is organized in partnership with the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and it is sponsored by Amber Capital, Boghossian Jewels and Polixis. For more information, visit their website: www.aif2017.com “
RFE/RL Report
Armenia Slides In Investment Climate Rankings
November 01, 2017
Sargis Harutyunyan
The World Bank has downgraded Armenia's position in its annual survey
on ease of doing business around the world despite reporting a slight
improvement in the country's investment climate.
Armenia ranked 47th in the latest Doing Business survey which assessed
economic conditions in 190 nations with a range of specific
indicators. It was 38th in last year's global rankings.
The country's overall score has improved over the past year. The
authors of the World Bank report believe that the Armenian authorities
further simplified property registration procedures and facilitated
businesses' access to electricity supplies.
In a statement, the bank's Yerevan office attributed the worsening of
Armenia's position to "significant improvements" of other countries'
business environments as well as "methodological adjustments and data
revisions." It did not comment further.
Prime Minister Karen Karapetian declined on Wednesday to comment on
the latest World Bank assessment released on Tuesday. He said he will
talk about it at an upcoming news conference.
Ever since he took office in September 2016 Karapetian has regularly
pledged to improve the domestic investment climate. In its policy
program approved by the parliament in June, Karapetian's government
committed itself to placing Armenia among the top 20 countries in the
Doing Business rankings "as a result of reforms of the next four or
five years." President Serzh Sarkisian set this goal in May.
Earlier this year, the government promised 49 policy measures for that
purpose. Those include stronger government support for small and
medium-sized businesses, better investor protection, easier access to
credit, and more simple rules for obtaining construction permits.
Some government officials claimed in August that this should help
Armenia move up to 26th place in Doing Business already this year.
Artak Manukian, a Yerevan-based economist, downplayed the World Bank
report's practical impact on investor confidence. "In Georgia, for
example, there has been a real fight against corruption," he
said. "Investors see that and that translates into a rise in foreign
direct investment. Doing Business is the probably weakest of signals
[to investors.] Unless it is backed up by practice, it will remain on
paper."
November. 1. 2017
“Armenians in Finance” conference (AIF) will be held on the 2 nd of November 2017 in Bulgari Hotel, London.
The event is an initiative to create a platform to promote networking, collaboration, and support fundraising for profit as well as non-profit causes. It is a step towards a wider effort to form a global finance community of experts and young professionals of Armenian heritage.
More than 100 Armenians working in the finance industry in London and abroad have already confirmed their participation.
Mr Pierre Gurdjian will be delivering the keynote address. He is currently Philanthropy Partner with the RVVZ Foundation and had a successful career as Senior Partner at McKinsey for 27 years, including 7 years as a Managing Partner.
Following his presentation, an impressive list of speakers and panellists will steer the conference, including: Mr Gagik Apkarian (Managing Director at Tetrad Capital Partners), Mr Philippe Der Megreditchian (Co-Managing Partner at OLMA Capital Management), Mr Anush Simonyan (Managing Director, Head of Investment banking Russia and CIS at UBS),
Mr. Arnaud Attamian, (Managing Director of TAP Advisors), and
Mr. Camilio Azzouz (Analyst at Amber Capital).
The conference will be the first in a series of events to be held in various global financial hubs, including potentially New York and Paris and will cover key topics, such as investment opportunities in Armenia as well as ways of deeper integration of Armenians in the industry.
The event is organized in partnership with the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and it is sponsored by Amber Capital, Boghossian Jewels and Polixis. For more information, visit their website: www.aif2017.com “
RFE/RL Report
Armenia Slides In Investment Climate Rankings
November 01, 2017
Sargis Harutyunyan
The World Bank has downgraded Armenia's position in its annual survey
on ease of doing business around the world despite reporting a slight
improvement in the country's investment climate.
Armenia ranked 47th in the latest Doing Business survey which assessed
economic conditions in 190 nations with a range of specific
indicators. It was 38th in last year's global rankings.
The country's overall score has improved over the past year. The
authors of the World Bank report believe that the Armenian authorities
further simplified property registration procedures and facilitated
businesses' access to electricity supplies.
In a statement, the bank's Yerevan office attributed the worsening of
Armenia's position to "significant improvements" of other countries'
business environments as well as "methodological adjustments and data
revisions." It did not comment further.
Prime Minister Karen Karapetian declined on Wednesday to comment on
the latest World Bank assessment released on Tuesday. He said he will
talk about it at an upcoming news conference.
Ever since he took office in September 2016 Karapetian has regularly
pledged to improve the domestic investment climate. In its policy
program approved by the parliament in June, Karapetian's government
committed itself to placing Armenia among the top 20 countries in the
Doing Business rankings "as a result of reforms of the next four or
five years." President Serzh Sarkisian set this goal in May.
Earlier this year, the government promised 49 policy measures for that
purpose. Those include stronger government support for small and
medium-sized businesses, better investor protection, easier access to
credit, and more simple rules for obtaining construction permits.
Some government officials claimed in August that this should help
Armenia move up to 26th place in Doing Business already this year.
Artak Manukian, a Yerevan-based economist, downplayed the World Bank
report's practical impact on investor confidence. "In Georgia, for
example, there has been a real fight against corruption," he
said. "Investors see that and that translates into a rise in foreign
direct investment. Doing Business is the probably weakest of signals
[to investors.] Unless it is backed up by practice, it will remain on
paper."
RFE/RL Report
Sarkisian Defends Eurasian Union Choice
November 02, 2017
President Serzh Sarkisian has insisted that Armenia has benefited from
its membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) while
admitting that he had "greater expectations" from it.
"We made the right choice, we can see the first results," Sarkisian
told a Russian radio station, Business FM, in an interview aired late
on Wednesday.
"First of all, the economic situation here has stabilized since 2016,"
he said. "There was growth [in 2016,] however modest. We had a GDP
growth of around 5 percent in the first eight months of this year."
Sarkisian also pointed to double-digit increases in Armenian exports
to Russia and other EEU member states recorded in 2016 and this year.
But he also said: "Of course, expectations were greater. The situation
that shaped up in the world economy and the Russian economy reduced
the anticipated effects of our membership in the EEU."
Sarkisian's pro-Western critics at home say that EEU membership has
reflected negatively on Armenia's economy and even national
security. In particular, they point to a sharp drop in Armenian
exports to Russia that followed the country's accession to the EEU in
January 2015. Armenian officials blame it on a dramatic depreciation
of the Russian national currency, the ruble, caused by the collapse of
oil prices and Western economic sanctions against Moscow.
Sarkisian unexpectedly announced his decision to make Armenia part of
the Russian-led trade bloc in September 2013. The move scuttled an
Association Agreement that was negotiated by Armenian and the European
Union officials earlier in 2013. Armenia and the EU are due to sign a
less ambitious Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
later this month.
Sarkisian assured the Russian broadcaster that none of the CEPA's
economic provisions run counter to Armenia's EEU membership
commitments.
Russia's is Armenia's number one trading partner, having accounted for
26 percent of its foreign trade in January-July 2017, according to
official Armenian statistics. Armenian exports to Russia -- most of
them foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages -- rose by almost 31 percent.
By comparison, the EU's share in the total stood at 24.3
percent. Armenia's trade with EU member states also grew strongly in
the seven-month period.
RFE/RL Report
Armenian Ministry Working On `Repatriation' Plan
November 03, 2017
Ruzanna Stepanian
Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobian said on Friday that her ministry
will propose next year a set of government measures to encourage many
ethnic Armenians living abroad to relocate to Armenia.
"We plan preparatory works on repatriation in 2018," Hakobian told
journalists. "We are going to draw up a policy concept, look into
other countries' experience and draft a law on repatriation."
"We have to be able to present Armenia's opportunities: what we can
offer them, what kind of specialists we need to invite," she said. "If
they are the kind of specialists that are needed by Armenia # we have
to think about paying them appropriate wages and creating other
conditions that would attract them. I don't think that patriotism
alone can drive repatriation."
President Serzh Sarkisian made a case for such mass immigration in a
speech delivered at an Armenia-Diaspora conference held in Yerevan in
September. He said it would help the country address its grave
demographic problems and increase its population to 4 million by 2040.
There are an estimated 8 million to 9 million ethnic Armenians around
the world. Only up to 3 million of them live in Armenia. Most of the
others reside in Russia, the United States, Europe and the Middle
East.
Throughout Sarkisian's decade-long rule, scores of Armenia's citizens
have continued to leave their country for primarily economic
reasons. Opposition politicians and other critics of the Armenian
government blame the emigration on what they see as the Sarkisian
administration's failed economic policies and unwillingness to enforce
the rule of law. Not surprisingly, they have dismissed his demographic
target for 2040 as a gimmick.
Hakobian suggested that the extremely ambitious target is based on
"appropriate calculations." She also said that thousands of Armenian
nationals as well as Diaspora Armenians immigrate to Armenia each
year. She further argued that more than 20,000 Syrian nationals of
Armenian origin have taken refuge in their ancestral homeland in the
last few years.
"A few months ago I invited repats to our ministry and 120 of them
came over," the minister said. "I expected to hear criticism and
complaints from them, but to my surprise they all have adapted [to
Armenia] well."
"They were emphasizing that the main advantage of the homeland is that
it's safe here, that their children do not risk drug addiction,
debauchery and other things in our schools," she added.
As well as announcing the planned launch of the immigration promotion
effort, Hakobian noted that she does not know yet whether she will be
reappointed to a new Armenian government that will be formed after
Sarkisian's final presidential term ends in April 2018.
Sarkisian Defends Eurasian Union Choice
November 02, 2017
President Serzh Sarkisian has insisted that Armenia has benefited from
its membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) while
admitting that he had "greater expectations" from it.
"We made the right choice, we can see the first results," Sarkisian
told a Russian radio station, Business FM, in an interview aired late
on Wednesday.
"First of all, the economic situation here has stabilized since 2016,"
he said. "There was growth [in 2016,] however modest. We had a GDP
growth of around 5 percent in the first eight months of this year."
Sarkisian also pointed to double-digit increases in Armenian exports
to Russia and other EEU member states recorded in 2016 and this year.
But he also said: "Of course, expectations were greater. The situation
that shaped up in the world economy and the Russian economy reduced
the anticipated effects of our membership in the EEU."
Sarkisian's pro-Western critics at home say that EEU membership has
reflected negatively on Armenia's economy and even national
security. In particular, they point to a sharp drop in Armenian
exports to Russia that followed the country's accession to the EEU in
January 2015. Armenian officials blame it on a dramatic depreciation
of the Russian national currency, the ruble, caused by the collapse of
oil prices and Western economic sanctions against Moscow.
Sarkisian unexpectedly announced his decision to make Armenia part of
the Russian-led trade bloc in September 2013. The move scuttled an
Association Agreement that was negotiated by Armenian and the European
Union officials earlier in 2013. Armenia and the EU are due to sign a
less ambitious Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
later this month.
Sarkisian assured the Russian broadcaster that none of the CEPA's
economic provisions run counter to Armenia's EEU membership
commitments.
Russia's is Armenia's number one trading partner, having accounted for
26 percent of its foreign trade in January-July 2017, according to
official Armenian statistics. Armenian exports to Russia -- most of
them foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages -- rose by almost 31 percent.
By comparison, the EU's share in the total stood at 24.3
percent. Armenia's trade with EU member states also grew strongly in
the seven-month period.
RFE/RL Report
Armenian Ministry Working On `Repatriation' Plan
November 03, 2017
Ruzanna Stepanian
Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobian said on Friday that her ministry
will propose next year a set of government measures to encourage many
ethnic Armenians living abroad to relocate to Armenia.
"We plan preparatory works on repatriation in 2018," Hakobian told
journalists. "We are going to draw up a policy concept, look into
other countries' experience and draft a law on repatriation."
"We have to be able to present Armenia's opportunities: what we can
offer them, what kind of specialists we need to invite," she said. "If
they are the kind of specialists that are needed by Armenia # we have
to think about paying them appropriate wages and creating other
conditions that would attract them. I don't think that patriotism
alone can drive repatriation."
President Serzh Sarkisian made a case for such mass immigration in a
speech delivered at an Armenia-Diaspora conference held in Yerevan in
September. He said it would help the country address its grave
demographic problems and increase its population to 4 million by 2040.
There are an estimated 8 million to 9 million ethnic Armenians around
the world. Only up to 3 million of them live in Armenia. Most of the
others reside in Russia, the United States, Europe and the Middle
East.
Throughout Sarkisian's decade-long rule, scores of Armenia's citizens
have continued to leave their country for primarily economic
reasons. Opposition politicians and other critics of the Armenian
government blame the emigration on what they see as the Sarkisian
administration's failed economic policies and unwillingness to enforce
the rule of law. Not surprisingly, they have dismissed his demographic
target for 2040 as a gimmick.
Hakobian suggested that the extremely ambitious target is based on
"appropriate calculations." She also said that thousands of Armenian
nationals as well as Diaspora Armenians immigrate to Armenia each
year. She further argued that more than 20,000 Syrian nationals of
Armenian origin have taken refuge in their ancestral homeland in the
last few years.
"A few months ago I invited repats to our ministry and 120 of them
came over," the minister said. "I expected to hear criticism and
complaints from them, but to my surprise they all have adapted [to
Armenia] well."
"They were emphasizing that the main advantage of the homeland is that
it's safe here, that their children do not risk drug addiction,
debauchery and other things in our schools," she added.
As well as announcing the planned launch of the immigration promotion
effort, Hakobian noted that she does not know yet whether she will be
reappointed to a new Armenian government that will be formed after
Sarkisian's final presidential term ends in April 2018.
Every 100 metres or so on the main road to Iran that runs through the Vayots Dzor province of Armenia there is a stall selling tomatoes, watermelons and Coca-Cola. I was with an Italian-Armenian businessman Zorik Gharibian and his wife Yeraz, and they suggested we stop at one. On closer inspection those bottles didn’t contain Coke, it was red wine cunningly packaged to smuggle into the Islamic Republic of Iran. We went into the nearby house and there was the winemaker, Haykaz Karapetyan, cigarette in mouth making that year’s wine in plastic bins. ‘No chemicals,’ he said. This was proper natural wine. It smelt good, like a young Beaujolais with the same floral quality. We then went into his cellar to try some older vintages. The 2015 had a distinct tang of vinegar. The 2012 tasted of old socks.
The Gharibians make wine too and from the same grape, Areni Noir, but it is rather different. Their nearby winery is called Zorah and their red, Karasi, costs about £25 in London shops. They are both diaspora Armenians, Zorik brought up in Italy and Yeraz in London and New York. They wanted to buy a vineyard in Tuscany but following a visit to the mother country in 1998 decided to make wine in Armenia. ‘It was like I’d come home,’ Zorik tells me. In 2000 they came across the region around the town of Areni (after which the variety is named) which turned out to be a viticultural paradise. It’s phylloxera (a pest of commercial grapevines) free – though other parts of Armenia are not; there’s plenty of sunshine but the grapes preserve their acidity. ‘Freshness comes naturally because of altitude,’ Zorik explains.
The landscape with its precipitous cliffs, caves and ancient monasteries would be the perfect setting for a new Indiana Jones film. The arid mountains are peppered with bright spots of cultivation, including Zorah’s main vineyard thanks to a recently constructed irrigation pipe built with money from the World Bank. After they bought the land, experts in Armenia and back in Italy advised them to plant Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘When we said we wanted to do something with local varieties people were laughing at us,’ Zorik says. Italian oenologist Alberto Antonini, though, saw the potential in Areni Noir. After years of experimentation with different Areni clones, they planted the vineyard in 2006.
The first vintage was 2010. Straight away they knew that they had made something exceptional, but it hasn’t been easy. In the early years they made wine in a garage. It took an age to build their new winery because in Zorik’s words ‘the locals still have a Soviet mentality’. Apparently in their province there is only one cement mixer. In order to make wines to their exacting standards, they import almost everything from Italy; the presses, the fermentation tanks, the barrels, even the bottles, labels and the boxes. The Gharibians had no idea how much they have spent on the project. ‘In winemaking you don’t do the maths,’ as Zorik put it.
As well as local varieties, they wanted to use traditional Armenian winemaking techniques including ageing in amphora clay pots (karasi in Armenian). Initially they aged some of the wine in barriques, which impart flavours from the wood, but now they just use amphora and Italian botti (giant wooden barrels that don’t add any flavour). You can taste the results. The recent vintages have a whole new vivacity. Zorah make a special cuvee, called Yeraz (after his wife, the word means dream in Armenian), from an unirrigated abandoned vineyard 1600 metres above sea level and around a 100 years old. It’s a good 45 minute drive up the mountain in a 4×4. Actually vineyard isn’t quite the right world as the Areni vines are basically growing wild amongst boulders and walnut trees. ‘So exciting when we discovered the vineyard. Zorik and Alberto were like kids in a sweet shop,’ Yeraz says. The yet to be released 2014 is undoubtedly one of the finest wines I have tried this year.
From the Zorah winery you can see a gaping cave in the cliffside. Here archaeologist Boris Gasparyan has found evidence of winemaking from about 4,000 BC. He showed me around the partially excavated site, it is not open to the public, and pointed out the jars that looked uncannily like Zorik’s amphora. He then pointed to other jars which contained traces of bones and blood probably from human sacrifice. Or a party that got out of hand. Evidence of Armenia’s ancient wine culture is everywhere. There are grape motifs on monasteries, churches and even on Soviet era buildings. I saw wild vines, vitis sylvestris, growing by a river and dotted around the country, by the side of the road, in restaurants and family houses, are amphora like the ones at Zorah winery.
Nobody uses them for making wine anymore. Nobody even knows how to make them so the Gharibians dig them out of people’s basements. Armenia has lost touch with its vinous roots. Following World War One and the massacres by the Turks, Armenians scattered around the world or were reduced to this mountainous country which was then invaded by the Bolsheviks. Armenia ‘caught between the hammer and the anvil’, as the saying goes. It gives you some idea of how the Armenians suffered under the Ottomans that they aren’t particular bitter about Russian rule. But it was disastrous for wine. ‘Soviets broke the link completely,’ says Zorik. Central planning designated Georgia for wine and Armenia for brandy. Zorah have an amphora made in 1957 but shortly afterwards people stopped making them and then their own wine.
There was more misery to come (something of a theme in Armenian history) in the shape of the 1988 earthquake, and, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. It still feels like a precarious country. People half expect Turks, Mongols or Persians to come charging through at any moment. Nevertheless, Yerevan does have much of the trapping of a modern city with free wi-fi, craft beer and wine bars. At one, Wine Republic, I tried a selection of good simple wines from small producers including Van Ardi and Sarduri. Quality wine of this sort has only been made in Armenia recently. ‘You couldn’t drink this stuff five years ago,’ Zorik says, pointing to a bottle. Wine bars, though, are only for the well off. Bottled wine is too expensive for most people.
The Gharibians aren’t the only diaspora Armenians involved with the wine business. Vahe Keushguerian, originally from Lebanon with spells making wine in Italy, runs a wine consulting company based in Yerevan called Semina Consulting. They have recently set up a nursery to supply Armenian winemakers with native varieties. But his biggest project, Karas, is based largely on international grapes and despite the name does not use amphora. It was set up by Eduardo Eurnekian, an Argentine-Armenian who made his fortune in airports including Yerevan’s. Superstar French oenologist Michel Rolland is also involved. The 2013 Reserve, made from Petit Verdot, Montepulciano and Tannat, I tried was not one of his finer efforts being grotesquely overripe and over-oaked.
Repair Future
Oct 27 2017
The identity of Istanbul Armenians
Sevan Deyirmenjian
In this interview, Sevan Deyirmenciyan tries to explain the identity fundaments of Istanbul Armenians and their relations with religion, Armenian language, Islamized Armenians and Republic of Armenia.
How is the Armenian identity perceived in Istanbul-Armenian community? What is the identity of an Armenian?
I'm not the one who represents Istanbul-Armenian community and, thus, based on my observations, I can speak using generic language. By saying community we draw a certain identity borderline. According to the mentality ruling in Turkey and the way Istanbul-Armenian community is perceived, identity is rather a religious term, and the community is assembled around the church. If asked, Istanbul Armenians will say that the church is very important for them and even if they are faithless, Christianity makes the part of their identity. Therefore, religious identity — and for some the language — is an important part of the common identity.
On the other hand, the issue is problematic, since the term “Istanbul Armenian” — if we rummage — will reveal quite different terms. For example, I do not go to church, I am not a believer, and if I am asked about Armenian identity, I will think differently.
What is identity for them in general?
Istanbul-Armenian community hasn’t been thinking much about it. There are some traditions and limits they live with, but if they are asked why they do this or that thing, they will find it difficult to explain. These topics are alien to their mentality and I do not think they can explain what identity is.
In recent years, the Armenian press of Istanbul in particular, has been voicing the erosion deepening day by day. Is this conscientious erosion or a lack of realizing one’s identity?
I'm against the _expression_ “erosion of identity”, we should rather speak about the change of identity concept. For instance, if we look through the pages of the press dating back 100 years, we’ll look at it differently; the press of 40s and that of today’s will also show erosion, and even a hundred years later we will speak about erosion. This is the way of complaining irrelevantly. Simply the concept and definition of the identity is changing. For instance, my parents had the following understanding about the community I was born in – after you are born you get baptized, attend Armenian college and high school, and then — after leaving high school — become either a teacher or work in the gold market. Then you have children and the same process recurs. They participate in the gatherings of community unions and speak Armenian. These people that say that the community is being subject to erosion. The reality is quite different when you look at the picture on the other hand. The community, which had such borders, considered foreign those Armenians who did not speak Armenian, did not participate in the events of the alumni associations or did not go to church, as well as those who got married with persons of other than their nationality.
We have spoken about the Armenians who seem to be foreign. Perhaps, at this point, it would be right to speak about crypto-Armenians. How do they treat those Armenians?
Armenians, who are imprisoned within the traditional borders of Istanbul-Armenian identity, do not accept the Armenians other than themselves. They do not accept the Armenians living in Armenia either. When Istanbul-Armenians used to visit Armenia during my student years in Armenia, dictated by their identity they would visit Echmiatsin, Matenadaran and other destinations. And when they saw the Armenians living in Armenia not going to church or other historical sites regularly, they would say, "What Armenians are they?". When talking about such people, this is the reality of identity - if you do not go to church or speak Armenian, you are not Armenian. Or, if you go to church, but you do not speak Armenian quite well, you are also Armenian. In fact, Christianity is priority for them. It is clear that crypto-Armenians will never be accepted.
In the article " Armenia-Diaspora Relations: Who is Ari? " you have written that whenever Istanbul-Armenians visit Armenia on their own initiative or during the events — including Pan-Armenian Games — organized by state institutions, they always face problems. You point out the language as the main problem. Are there any problems other than the language, which may cause such serious disagreements?
Language is the first problem, because first they hear language and it is the means of communication. Thereafter, when that barrier is overcome, they socialize either in English or in Armenian. However, another question arises – notion about the Turk. The Armenians living in Armenia, Diaspora Armenians and Istanbul Armenians do not have the same approach to the Turkish identity. For Istanbul Armenians the Turk is not a homogeneous mass, as it has been perceived many times, say, by the Armenians living in Armenia. It is an artificial identity and, in the case of digging deeper, diversity is evident. This is also a matter of conflict.
We have witnessed the same situation when Syrian Armenians came to Armenia. They mostly communicated in Arabic whenever they wanted to speak to each other quickly or to speak secretly, which was also a counter-reaction. The same is true for Persian. The Armenian society seems to have problems with Eastern languages.
It’s a fitting observation. Yes, the Armenian society is a homogeneous mass, foreigners are not welcomed there. It is conservative and sometimes even has reservations about Diaspora Armenians. Istanbul Armenians are used to speaking Turkish with each other. Once when I hosted one of my friends in Armenia and we started speaking Turkish, one of the Lebanese Armenian friends said, “At least, don’t speak Turkish in Armenia”. This is exactly the same behavior Turkey has, when you forbid or consider unwelcome other languages — this cannot be conformable to the democratic Armenia I have in my mind.
Don’t you see any similarity between the attitude the Armenians living in Armenia have towards Diaspora Armenians and that of the Istanbul Armenians towards crypto-Armenians?
A truly good observation and I think this is a syndrome that pertains to all Armenians. We are used to saying “What Armenian is she/he?” Fine, if he, she or that other one is not Armenian, then who is Armenian?
Well, who is Armenian for you? What is your definition of the Armenian identity and what place does the language take therein?
As a philologist, for me language is one of the most important components through which you convey your identity. Nevertheless, I do not blame those who do not speak Armenian. When I read and understand a work of literature dating back to the fifth century, I feel the connection coming from Mashtots very strongly and get happy from this feeling. The language also has a cultural influence, which is very important. At the end of my studies in Armenia, I was asked what I felt. My answer was short: “I came as an Armenian and became a human being here”. In other words, the factor of Armenia was very important. But Armenians from abroad are making extra effort to emphasize their Armenian identity. They are obsessed with showing their identity. It is very important for the identity of non-native Armenian to differ, to be different.
Why doesn’t it work in the Armenian community of Turkey? Do they prefer not to arrest one’s attention?
The language is retreating, but the difference is made through being Christian or through cuisine.
Turkey is my country, but not the way the Turks perceive it. The state, proceeding from the political or historical developments, dictates to its citizens a Turkish identity, which is either accepted or not. It is fashionable these days, you know, to have a Turkish identity with the Ottoman-Islamic coloration. But for Armenians in Turkey or other peoples, this can not be acceptable. The Turkish Armenians respond to this Islamic tide by clinging to their Christian identity. Therefore, in the identity of the Turkish Armenians an important spur is the counter-reaction, that they give to the definition of the identity dictated by the ruling Turkish state.
Since we touched upon homeland, do you consider Istanbul Armenians to be Diaspora?
I have been thinking about this issue for many years, many thoughts have come to my mind but I am still pondering. However, as at this moment my answer is the following - since Istanbul is a plot of land, which is beyond the borders of Armenia and has never made a part of historical homeland, hence, yes, it is outside of Armenia and it is Diaspora. But Istanbul Armenians are the Diaspora of a country that no longer exists. I can definitely state that we are not the Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. I adore Armenia, a part of my culture is kept and went on growing there, but I have nothing to do with that country. Today's traditional Diaspora, which Armenia is trying to rule, does not belong to it.
That is, you don’t see Armenia as the homeland of all Armenians, do you?
Yes, it can be said so. For example, the “Ari Tun” (Come Home) program organized by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia should be for the children of migrants having migrated from Armenia in the 90s, because Armenia is the homeland of their parents. I love Armenia but it is not my home in my identity. In Turkey you are always reminded of your Armenian identity. In Armenia, I felt that I am a Western Armenian, I am different, and, hence, belong to another place and Armenia is not my home. People get horrified when they hear such things, but I think I don’t say bad things and I don’t insult anyone.
The language is dying in the community, meanwhile the study of the Armenian language has become increasingly popular in recent years. Let's talk about the state of teaching Armenian, what level has been reached?
First and foremost, a language is a means of communication for me. For example, depending on what language you speak to your mother from the early childhood, say, Armenian, German or Turkish, you will continue to use that language until the end of your life. In Turkey, Turkish has long been the language of communication also for Armenians, even for those Armenians who stress the importance of the Armenian language or express their concerns. Thus, in this case Armenian language seems just an illusion. Yes, the language is important and I feel sorry for those young people who cannot understand and are cut off from Mashtots's massive heritage accumulated by our nation till now.
"As I am Armenian, I must speak Armenian" approach is a sort of nationalizing the language, this is a nationalist approach. Turkish does not belong only to the Turks and it was one of the languages of the Armenians. During the Ottoman Empire also the Armenians would speak Turkish. Of course, the importance of the language is addressed, but only in the classroom. They speak Turkish even in the classroom. There is a lack of the Armenian language teachers and not only. There should be a connection with the language inside the family, children should realize that they should speak Armenian with their parents. Long ago there used to be a habit of speaking Armenian in churches, and now even the clergymen do not master Armenian. On the other hand, the issue is not only about mastering Armenian, but also about using the language in everyday life.
Shahan Shahnour noticed this still in 20s, when he said “the language is retreating". This is a natural course, but it does not mean at all that we should be the grave-diggers of the language. Unfortunately, the Armenian language has yield its positions as a language of communication. Even the teaching of Armenian language is not a salvation. Armenian as a learning language can be learned at the academic level. But making Armenian a language of communication is quite another issue.
Why don’t they prefer to communicate in Armenian?
During the years of teaching Armenian, I used to ask my pupils quite often when they stopped speaking Armenian. Everybody answered that it was after they completed secondary education. That is, the word stock was no longer enough for them to communicate thoughts after completing secondary education. For Istanbul Armenians the Armenian language is a "sacred sanctuary". Pupils are educated to pray in Armenian, communicate in the church, but in everyday life, say, they cannot declare their feelings. It is not about that they cannot, simply they are not allowed to. Do you get the picture? Because declaring one’s feelings is a common thing for which you do not need to use Armenian. The young do not live within Armenian, this is the problem. Unfortunately, teachers do not live within the Armenian language either. I do not blame them, it is very natural, simply the right diagnosis should be given so that it is treated in the right way.
Teaching is the treatment, which, in fact, does not make much difference…
If we try to treat this way and approach the Armenian language only as a sacred thing, then nothing will change. Irrespective of the mistakes made, children should be encouraged to speak Armenian. In everyday life they should be able to talk about everything and think Armenian. I always tell my pupils to write and speak Armenian, even if they make mistakes. It's better to write with spelling mistakes than not write at all. Of course, teaching Armenian is a good thing, but it's not a solution unless the mentality of doing everything in Armenian is established.
Istanbul Armenians have the basic knowledge to speak Armenian, but they seem to have no desire to. But this is not the case for crypto-Armenians, it is quite different. Let's talk a little about the method you suggest to teach Armenian.
The desire of crypto-Armenians to speak Armenian is understandable. It is a years-long homesickness and they justifiably think that the Armenian language makes a part of their identity. Speaking Armenian will make them more Armenian-like. They get baptized to become Christians, since Armenians are Christian.
I teach Armenian as a spoken language. Pupils learn Armenian the way a baby learns to speak and then, when they manage to express themselves in everyday life, they can learn the language on the professional level. I even tell my pupils to write in Latin letters if they find it difficult to write in Armenian letters, the only aim is to think Armenian. This is perhaps the most important thing.
Today, many young Armenians do not speak Armenian because of fear of speaking with mistakes. The classic character of a Istanbul Armenian has set itself within limits, also restricting the Armenian language. If Mesrop Mashtots heard our today’s Armenian, he would have got much disappointed, because our today’s language is a big mistake as compared to the language of the 5th century. But what should we do? Should we stop speaking? Language is a developing organism and is changing day by day.
There was more misery to come (something of a theme in Armenian history) in the shape of the 1988 earthquake, and, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. It still feels like a precarious country. People half expect Turks, Mongols or Persians to come charging through at any moment. Nevertheless, Yerevan does have much of the trapping of a modern city with free wi-fi, craft beer and wine bars. At one, Wine Republic, I tried a selection of good simple wines from small producers including Van Ardi and Sarduri. Quality wine of this sort has only been made in Armenia recently. ‘You couldn’t drink this stuff five years ago,’ Zorik says, pointing to a bottle. Wine bars, though, are only for the well off. Bottled wine is too expensive for most people.
The Gharibians aren’t the only diaspora Armenians involved with the wine business. Vahe Keushguerian, originally from Lebanon with spells making wine in Italy, runs a wine consulting company based in Yerevan called Semina Consulting. They have recently set up a nursery to supply Armenian winemakers with native varieties. But his biggest project, Karas, is based largely on international grapes and despite the name does not use amphora. It was set up by Eduardo Eurnekian, an Argentine-Armenian who made his fortune in airports including Yerevan’s. Superstar French oenologist Michel Rolland is also involved. The 2013 Reserve, made from Petit Verdot, Montepulciano and Tannat, I tried was not one of his finer efforts being grotesquely overripe and over-oaked.
Repair Future
Oct 27 2017
The identity of Istanbul Armenians
Sevan Deyirmenjian
In this interview, Sevan Deyirmenciyan tries to explain the identity fundaments of Istanbul Armenians and their relations with religion, Armenian language, Islamized Armenians and Republic of Armenia.
How is the Armenian identity perceived in Istanbul-Armenian community? What is the identity of an Armenian?
I'm not the one who represents Istanbul-Armenian community and, thus, based on my observations, I can speak using generic language. By saying community we draw a certain identity borderline. According to the mentality ruling in Turkey and the way Istanbul-Armenian community is perceived, identity is rather a religious term, and the community is assembled around the church. If asked, Istanbul Armenians will say that the church is very important for them and even if they are faithless, Christianity makes the part of their identity. Therefore, religious identity — and for some the language — is an important part of the common identity.
On the other hand, the issue is problematic, since the term “Istanbul Armenian” — if we rummage — will reveal quite different terms. For example, I do not go to church, I am not a believer, and if I am asked about Armenian identity, I will think differently.
What is identity for them in general?
Istanbul-Armenian community hasn’t been thinking much about it. There are some traditions and limits they live with, but if they are asked why they do this or that thing, they will find it difficult to explain. These topics are alien to their mentality and I do not think they can explain what identity is.
In recent years, the Armenian press of Istanbul in particular, has been voicing the erosion deepening day by day. Is this conscientious erosion or a lack of realizing one’s identity?
I'm against the _expression_ “erosion of identity”, we should rather speak about the change of identity concept. For instance, if we look through the pages of the press dating back 100 years, we’ll look at it differently; the press of 40s and that of today’s will also show erosion, and even a hundred years later we will speak about erosion. This is the way of complaining irrelevantly. Simply the concept and definition of the identity is changing. For instance, my parents had the following understanding about the community I was born in – after you are born you get baptized, attend Armenian college and high school, and then — after leaving high school — become either a teacher or work in the gold market. Then you have children and the same process recurs. They participate in the gatherings of community unions and speak Armenian. These people that say that the community is being subject to erosion. The reality is quite different when you look at the picture on the other hand. The community, which had such borders, considered foreign those Armenians who did not speak Armenian, did not participate in the events of the alumni associations or did not go to church, as well as those who got married with persons of other than their nationality.
We have spoken about the Armenians who seem to be foreign. Perhaps, at this point, it would be right to speak about crypto-Armenians. How do they treat those Armenians?
Armenians, who are imprisoned within the traditional borders of Istanbul-Armenian identity, do not accept the Armenians other than themselves. They do not accept the Armenians living in Armenia either. When Istanbul-Armenians used to visit Armenia during my student years in Armenia, dictated by their identity they would visit Echmiatsin, Matenadaran and other destinations. And when they saw the Armenians living in Armenia not going to church or other historical sites regularly, they would say, "What Armenians are they?". When talking about such people, this is the reality of identity - if you do not go to church or speak Armenian, you are not Armenian. Or, if you go to church, but you do not speak Armenian quite well, you are also Armenian. In fact, Christianity is priority for them. It is clear that crypto-Armenians will never be accepted.
In the article " Armenia-Diaspora Relations: Who is Ari? " you have written that whenever Istanbul-Armenians visit Armenia on their own initiative or during the events — including Pan-Armenian Games — organized by state institutions, they always face problems. You point out the language as the main problem. Are there any problems other than the language, which may cause such serious disagreements?
Language is the first problem, because first they hear language and it is the means of communication. Thereafter, when that barrier is overcome, they socialize either in English or in Armenian. However, another question arises – notion about the Turk. The Armenians living in Armenia, Diaspora Armenians and Istanbul Armenians do not have the same approach to the Turkish identity. For Istanbul Armenians the Turk is not a homogeneous mass, as it has been perceived many times, say, by the Armenians living in Armenia. It is an artificial identity and, in the case of digging deeper, diversity is evident. This is also a matter of conflict.
We have witnessed the same situation when Syrian Armenians came to Armenia. They mostly communicated in Arabic whenever they wanted to speak to each other quickly or to speak secretly, which was also a counter-reaction. The same is true for Persian. The Armenian society seems to have problems with Eastern languages.
It’s a fitting observation. Yes, the Armenian society is a homogeneous mass, foreigners are not welcomed there. It is conservative and sometimes even has reservations about Diaspora Armenians. Istanbul Armenians are used to speaking Turkish with each other. Once when I hosted one of my friends in Armenia and we started speaking Turkish, one of the Lebanese Armenian friends said, “At least, don’t speak Turkish in Armenia”. This is exactly the same behavior Turkey has, when you forbid or consider unwelcome other languages — this cannot be conformable to the democratic Armenia I have in my mind.
Don’t you see any similarity between the attitude the Armenians living in Armenia have towards Diaspora Armenians and that of the Istanbul Armenians towards crypto-Armenians?
A truly good observation and I think this is a syndrome that pertains to all Armenians. We are used to saying “What Armenian is she/he?” Fine, if he, she or that other one is not Armenian, then who is Armenian?
Well, who is Armenian for you? What is your definition of the Armenian identity and what place does the language take therein?
As a philologist, for me language is one of the most important components through which you convey your identity. Nevertheless, I do not blame those who do not speak Armenian. When I read and understand a work of literature dating back to the fifth century, I feel the connection coming from Mashtots very strongly and get happy from this feeling. The language also has a cultural influence, which is very important. At the end of my studies in Armenia, I was asked what I felt. My answer was short: “I came as an Armenian and became a human being here”. In other words, the factor of Armenia was very important. But Armenians from abroad are making extra effort to emphasize their Armenian identity. They are obsessed with showing their identity. It is very important for the identity of non-native Armenian to differ, to be different.
Why doesn’t it work in the Armenian community of Turkey? Do they prefer not to arrest one’s attention?
The language is retreating, but the difference is made through being Christian or through cuisine.
Turkey is my country, but not the way the Turks perceive it. The state, proceeding from the political or historical developments, dictates to its citizens a Turkish identity, which is either accepted or not. It is fashionable these days, you know, to have a Turkish identity with the Ottoman-Islamic coloration. But for Armenians in Turkey or other peoples, this can not be acceptable. The Turkish Armenians respond to this Islamic tide by clinging to their Christian identity. Therefore, in the identity of the Turkish Armenians an important spur is the counter-reaction, that they give to the definition of the identity dictated by the ruling Turkish state.
Since we touched upon homeland, do you consider Istanbul Armenians to be Diaspora?
I have been thinking about this issue for many years, many thoughts have come to my mind but I am still pondering. However, as at this moment my answer is the following - since Istanbul is a plot of land, which is beyond the borders of Armenia and has never made a part of historical homeland, hence, yes, it is outside of Armenia and it is Diaspora. But Istanbul Armenians are the Diaspora of a country that no longer exists. I can definitely state that we are not the Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. I adore Armenia, a part of my culture is kept and went on growing there, but I have nothing to do with that country. Today's traditional Diaspora, which Armenia is trying to rule, does not belong to it.
That is, you don’t see Armenia as the homeland of all Armenians, do you?
Yes, it can be said so. For example, the “Ari Tun” (Come Home) program organized by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia should be for the children of migrants having migrated from Armenia in the 90s, because Armenia is the homeland of their parents. I love Armenia but it is not my home in my identity. In Turkey you are always reminded of your Armenian identity. In Armenia, I felt that I am a Western Armenian, I am different, and, hence, belong to another place and Armenia is not my home. People get horrified when they hear such things, but I think I don’t say bad things and I don’t insult anyone.
The language is dying in the community, meanwhile the study of the Armenian language has become increasingly popular in recent years. Let's talk about the state of teaching Armenian, what level has been reached?
First and foremost, a language is a means of communication for me. For example, depending on what language you speak to your mother from the early childhood, say, Armenian, German or Turkish, you will continue to use that language until the end of your life. In Turkey, Turkish has long been the language of communication also for Armenians, even for those Armenians who stress the importance of the Armenian language or express their concerns. Thus, in this case Armenian language seems just an illusion. Yes, the language is important and I feel sorry for those young people who cannot understand and are cut off from Mashtots's massive heritage accumulated by our nation till now.
"As I am Armenian, I must speak Armenian" approach is a sort of nationalizing the language, this is a nationalist approach. Turkish does not belong only to the Turks and it was one of the languages of the Armenians. During the Ottoman Empire also the Armenians would speak Turkish. Of course, the importance of the language is addressed, but only in the classroom. They speak Turkish even in the classroom. There is a lack of the Armenian language teachers and not only. There should be a connection with the language inside the family, children should realize that they should speak Armenian with their parents. Long ago there used to be a habit of speaking Armenian in churches, and now even the clergymen do not master Armenian. On the other hand, the issue is not only about mastering Armenian, but also about using the language in everyday life.
Shahan Shahnour noticed this still in 20s, when he said “the language is retreating". This is a natural course, but it does not mean at all that we should be the grave-diggers of the language. Unfortunately, the Armenian language has yield its positions as a language of communication. Even the teaching of Armenian language is not a salvation. Armenian as a learning language can be learned at the academic level. But making Armenian a language of communication is quite another issue.
Why don’t they prefer to communicate in Armenian?
During the years of teaching Armenian, I used to ask my pupils quite often when they stopped speaking Armenian. Everybody answered that it was after they completed secondary education. That is, the word stock was no longer enough for them to communicate thoughts after completing secondary education. For Istanbul Armenians the Armenian language is a "sacred sanctuary". Pupils are educated to pray in Armenian, communicate in the church, but in everyday life, say, they cannot declare their feelings. It is not about that they cannot, simply they are not allowed to. Do you get the picture? Because declaring one’s feelings is a common thing for which you do not need to use Armenian. The young do not live within Armenian, this is the problem. Unfortunately, teachers do not live within the Armenian language either. I do not blame them, it is very natural, simply the right diagnosis should be given so that it is treated in the right way.
Teaching is the treatment, which, in fact, does not make much difference…
If we try to treat this way and approach the Armenian language only as a sacred thing, then nothing will change. Irrespective of the mistakes made, children should be encouraged to speak Armenian. In everyday life they should be able to talk about everything and think Armenian. I always tell my pupils to write and speak Armenian, even if they make mistakes. It's better to write with spelling mistakes than not write at all. Of course, teaching Armenian is a good thing, but it's not a solution unless the mentality of doing everything in Armenian is established.
Istanbul Armenians have the basic knowledge to speak Armenian, but they seem to have no desire to. But this is not the case for crypto-Armenians, it is quite different. Let's talk a little about the method you suggest to teach Armenian.
The desire of crypto-Armenians to speak Armenian is understandable. It is a years-long homesickness and they justifiably think that the Armenian language makes a part of their identity. Speaking Armenian will make them more Armenian-like. They get baptized to become Christians, since Armenians are Christian.
I teach Armenian as a spoken language. Pupils learn Armenian the way a baby learns to speak and then, when they manage to express themselves in everyday life, they can learn the language on the professional level. I even tell my pupils to write in Latin letters if they find it difficult to write in Armenian letters, the only aim is to think Armenian. This is perhaps the most important thing.
Today, many young Armenians do not speak Armenian because of fear of speaking with mistakes. The classic character of a Istanbul Armenian has set itself within limits, also restricting the Armenian language. If Mesrop Mashtots heard our today’s Armenian, he would have got much disappointed, because our today’s language is a big mistake as compared to the language of the 5th century. But what should we do? Should we stop speaking? Language is a developing organism and is changing day by day.
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