A tapestry of the Armenian Diaspora: A book review

Vaհe H Apelian

First and foremost, I thank Dr. Hrayr Jebejian for gifting me a personalized copy of his book “Armenian Ethnographic Insights: Vision, Will and Hope – Հայկական Ազգագրական Պատկերներ՝ Տեսիլք, Կամք եւ Յոյս”. The book is in Western Armenian but my review of the book will in English. My notations in my Facebook tell me that I received the personalized copy of his book he gifted me on May 2, 2024. It took me over a year to read each and every chapter, sporadically, along with my other readings.

Before I detail my review of the book, I will transcribe here what has been noted about the book on one of its last pages, simply because it sums up the book, which “offers a collection of articles written between 2018 and 2022. These articles appeared in Armenian newspapers and magazine in Lebanon and the Diaspora. The articles deal with national, cultural, political, social and economic challenges of Armenians everywhere-from Syria to Yerevan, the US and UK, the Netherlands to Turkey. The articles are compiled chronologically. They highlight the author’s first-hand experiences and encounters in the last five years with Armenians in Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. Rightly, an ethnographic study of one of the biggest diaspora communities in the world, as they document not only the daily lives of countless Armenian communities and individuals scattered globally but also their struggles for the preservation of the Armenian culture, identity and faith.” In a nutshell that is what the book is about. 

Instead of articles, however, I will characterize his narrations as reflections, simply because each is a reflection and not only a mere narration. There was a time when an Armenian traveler would introduce itself as an “Armenian Christian”. So is this book. It is an Armenian Christian globe-throttler who is knocking the doors of  readers of his book and introducing himself to his readers by his reflections on his encounters during his travels, and during periods of solitude and soul-searching.

The book is almost 400 pages long. It is chronologically listed as noted earlier. There are twenty-seven (27) chapters for the year 2018, eighteen (18) chapters for the year 2019; nineteen (19) chapters for the year 2020, eighteen (18) chapters for the year 2021, and fifteen (15) chapters for the year 2022. The five-year span the book covers is historically a crucial span of the world and of the modern Armenian history. It encompassed the Armenian Velvet revolution, the global Covid pandemic, the disastrous 44-Day long second Artsakh war Armenia lost and the reality of the immediate aftermath of Armenia’s defeat on Armenians across the globe. Dr. Hrayr Jebejian reflected on all that transpired during that period. The book was published by the Hamazkayin publishing in Beirut in 2023. Dr.& Mrs.  Haroutium and Maro Jebejians from Syndney, Austalia have  sponsored the publication of the book        

This book could only have been written by Dr. Hrayr Jebejian. He is the General Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf. He is the only person I know of, who has traversed and traverses the world because of the nature of his job, which also is his calling. He reflected on his experiences during his travels, not only of his encounters, but also when he was on his own, engrossed in his own thoughts.

To give a glimpse of the Armenians Hrayr Jebejian encountered during his trips, I list the names of cities and countries he cites without any order but simply in the order of the notes I took during my reading. I will note that there are instances where he cites the city and another time the country in the same narration. I simply jotted both down as I came across them. They are,  Beirut, Aleppo, Florida, Northern Ireland, Paris, Lausanne, Bahrain, Kuwait, Amsterdam, Dubai, Qatar, Oakland, New Zealand, Wellington, Sydney, Bucharest, Budapest, Sofia, Nairobi, Kenya, Bolis (Istanbul),Oslo, Denmark, Turkey, Almelo, Holland, Geneva, Switzerland. And of course, Yerevan, Armenia.

He wrote the following (see note 1): «"During my long term work related trips, over many years, I have had the opportunity to get acquainted with Armenian communities across the world. There, I witnessed the colorful and diverse realities of the Armenian Diaspora, which when brought together,  I saw one large mosaic of the Armenian Diaspora reality, with its different shades. We are Armenians, but we are also different.."  True to his reflection, Dr Hrayr presented to the readers the diverse Diaspora Armenians he enountered. He is not judgemental in his narrations, but remains reflective with the conviction, and the  vision, the will, and the hope of a Christian Armenian traveller.

Dr. Hrayr Jebejian recieved his doctoral degree in Bible Engagement fomr the New York Theological Seminary in 2014. He is married to Dr. Arda Jebejian. They are blessed with two chidren, Vahe and Alik and a granddaughter  Lilia.

I recommend reading this book. Each chapter is a reflective narration on its own. A reader my read at its leisure, one or two chapters at a time and continue on reading at its own pace, much like I did, and thus keep abreast of the Armenian Diaspora across the globe, on which the sun never sets.

 

Note: «Երկար տարիներու վրայ երկարած աշխատանքային ճամբորութիւններուս ընթացքին առիթը ունեցած եմ ծանօթանալու Հայկական գաղութներու  աշխարհով մէկ։ Հոն կրգայ տեսնել սփիւռքահայ գունաւոր  եւ տարբեր իրականութիւններ որոնք բոլոը քով քովի բերելով տեսայ սփիւռքահայ իրականութեան մէկ մեծ խճանկարը  իր տարբեր երանգներով՝ հայ ենք, բայց տարբեր ենք։ Այս իրականութիւննէն մեկնելով արժէ քննարկել սփիւռքահայ պատմութեավն տարբեր տուեալները։» (էջ 327)

 

 

 

The Promises and the Perils of Democracy: Only in America

Vaհe H Apelian

Sometime ago, a friend asked me what did I think of the mayoral race in New York. I told him that I do not live in New York and I am not following the mayoral election there.  But I told him I knew of the two of the candidates, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa and that I had not heard of the third, Madani, yes, in fact that is what I wrote. But I know now better. Zohran Kwame Mamdan has emerged as the winner of the New York mayoral race.

 I knew of Andrew Cuomo as the son of the NY governor Mario Cuomo (1983-1994). The fact that Andrew was also elected governor of the state never crossed my mind, simply because it had not registered in my mind. But there was a reason his father Mario Cuomo has remained etched in my memory as governor. I attended St. John’s University during the years Mario Cuomo was the governor of the Empire State. Coincidentally the governor of California, the Golden State, during those years was George Deukmejian (1983-1991), who also was a graduate of St. John’s University. Both had received their law degree from that revered institution, making the governors at the time, of the two populous and maybe most influential states, New York, on the Atlantic Coast; and California, on the Pacific Coast, graduates of St. John’s University, I was attending.

During those years, give and take a few years, Curtis Sliwa was an unmistakable presence on the national television with his red beret as the founder of the Guardian Angels, who were combating crime on violence on the New York subways.

But Mamdani is a mystery to me. I read about him in Wikipedia. He came across to me as an Indian Diasporan, whose roots are from India but who, has grown up in Diaspora. He reminded me of the Armenian Diasporan and of Armenian Diaspora. 

Reaction to Mamdadi’s election is intense, from the president down to the ordinary citizens. A friend commented saying, “next year marks 25 years since 9/11… and Mamdani will be the mayor of New York City. Think about that! Absolutely disgraceful. I’m sick to my stomach that this happened.”

 I remember reading that when the economy is down, patriotism is up, so is, apparently, religiosity. 

The election of 34 years old Mamdani, against such established names and connections, native to New York is indeed phenomenal. 

Apparently, democracy, if allowed, marches on in its own tempo. For some its march is a promise. For others its march is a peril. Well beyond that, what Churchill has allegedly said rings true, that Democracy is the worst form of government, but there is no better, simply because democracy is a reflection of the true nature of us, we have to contend with by taming our worst impulses and nurturing the best; the best we can.

Mount Ararat with Noah’s Ark: or a tempest in a teapot

Vaհe H Apelian

On September 11, 2025, the Armenian government decided to change the passport stamp. The new design took effect on November 1, 2025. The change removed the image of Mount Ararat, replacing it with a simplified design featuring essential border crossing data.

 A lot was and is being commented on the government’s decision, sentimentalizing and politicizing the issue, with an holier than thou posture. But the fact of the matter is that depicting Mount Ararat on any Armenian government issued stamp or document without Noah's Ark is simply unconstitutional. 

On July 5, 1995, the citizens of Armenia first adopted a constitution for Armenia by a nationwide referendum. The president of the country was Levon Ter-Petrosyan (November 11, 1991, to February 3, 1998.).

The article 13 of the 1995 Constitution, read in part as follows: “The coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia depicts, in the center on a shield, Mount Ararat with Noah's ark……”

On November 27, 2005, the constitution was amended by a nationwide referendum.  The president of the Armenia was Robert Kocharyan (April 9, 1998 to March 2003).

The article 13 of the 2005 Constitution, reads in part as follows: “The coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia: in the center, a shield with the representation of Mount Ararat with Noah’s Ark…..”

On December 6, 2015, the constitution was amended again that changed the political structure of Armenia from presidential system to a parliamentary system. The president of the country was Serzh Sargsyan (from April 9, 2008, to April 9, 2018).

The article 21 of the 2015 Constitution, reads in part as follows: “The coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia shall depict, in the center on a shield, Mount Ararat with Noah’s ark…..”

From its inception, the Constitution of Armenia carried the same wordings for depicting Mount Ararat on its coat-of-arms, with Noah’s Ark. At no time has the constitution made reference to Mount Ararat without Noah’s Ark. Understandably Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat makes for an awkward graphical presentation.

I believe that the framers of the Armenian Constitution made that depiction deliberately for an understandable reason. Depicting Mount Ararat as a real estate, may come across infringing on the territorial sovereignty of Turkey. Mount Ararat is in Turkey and has an awkward name, Agri Dagh.

According to our traditional if not mythical lineage, Mount Ararat with Noah’s Ark very much symbolizes our history at the foot of the biblical mountain. In the genealogy compiled by Movses Khorenatsi we trace our lineage  from Noah through his son Hapet (Japheth), to Japheth's son Gomer, and Gomer’s son - Noah’s  great grandson Togarma -, and finally to Hayk, our legendary patriarch. We do refer to ourselves belonging to the House of Torgoma (Torkomadoun).

The uproar over the removal of that depiction of Mount Ararat from the entry stamp, is political. It is a. tempest in a tea pot strangely by the  LTP-Kocharyan-Sargsyan factions, even though they are led by the former presidents under whose watch the Constitution of Armenia was drafted, adopted and amended, not once but twice, with the wording for depicting Mount Ararat remaining the same, always with Noah's Ark on it.

 

The Marshall Plan – when America was at its greatest

Vaհe H Apelian

George C. Marshall 

In the aftermath of World War II, America acted in a self-imposed restraint. No nation, so powerful, had imposed upon itself and curtailed the human impulses for conquering and domination. On the contrary, it lent help and assistance to have the devastated nations recover. I too have read about the Marshall plan and knew that it was about the assistance the U.S. rendered for rebuilding the Western Europe after the catastrophic 1937-1945 World War II. It had never occurred to me to find out why it was called Marshall plan and the ideals that catapulted the plan.

As a noun "marshal" with one "l", is the standard spelling for an  army officer, and as a verb it is understood to mean, organize, mobilize, summon, rally, muster, as synonyms listed by Merriam-Webster dictionary. 

But the Marshall Plan is with two "l's", which typically is used as a proper noun, as in the case of the famed plan. The man behind the plan for assisting Western Europe to recover was George Catlett Marshall Jr., who was, according to Wikipedia, an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, then served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense under Truman. On June 5, 1947, George C. Marshall was the U.S. Secretary of State under president Harry S. Truman.

I came across the following as to what transpired on June 5, 1947. I reproduced it here.

“George C. Marshall sat silent as senators tried to turn victory into vengeance.

 It was 1947, and Europe lay in ruins, cities hollowed by bombs, economies starving, governments collapsing. The United States could have walked away. Instead, Marshall, then Secretary of State, proposed something unthinkable: rebuilding the very continent America had just fought.

In a Harvard commencement address on June 5, 1947, he spoke for barely ten minutes. No grand promises. No applause lines. Just a blueprint for mercy that would become the Marshall Plan — a $13 billion recovery effort (over $170 billion today) to feed, rebuild, and stabilize Western Europe. “Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine,” he said, “but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.”

Behind that calm voice was a soldier who understood the cost. As Army Chief of Staff during World War II, he’d commanded more than 8 million men, yet refused personal glory. When Roosevelt wanted to give him command of D-Day, Marshall declined so Eisenhower could lead, saying only, “The President must decide where I’m of most use.” No medals, no press tours. His aides joked that Marshall’s ego had been “drafted out of him.”

The Marshall Plan was attacked as naive, even treasonous. Critics warned he was giving away the treasury to “feed foreigners.” But within four years, Europe’s industrial output rose 35%, and former enemies like Germany and Italy became allies. The plan didn’t just rebuild cities. it rebuilt trust.

In 1953, Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize, the first career soldier ever to do so. He accepted it quietly, saying peace required “the same qualities of discipline and sacrifice as war.” He died in 1959, leaving behind no memoirs, no self-promotion — just a legacy carved in rebuilt streets and reopened schools.

George C. Marshall proved that real strength isn’t domination and it’s the courage to rebuild what war destroyed.” (True Stories)

As an added note, it should be noted that the United States of America was at its greatest in the world in the aftermath of World War II. It possessed nuclear power when no other nation possessed such power. It had the greatest economy of any nation in the world. It provided to its citizens a standard of living unheard and unexperienced before. 

Indeed, in the aftermath of World War II, America acted in a self-imposed restrain no nation, so powerful, had imposed upon itself and curtailed the human impulses for conquering and domination. On the contrary, it lent help and assistance to have the devastated nations recover.    

In short, we would be living in an altogether different and not as free a world, had the United States of America not emerged victorious in the greatest conflict that humankind had experienced hitherto, up to that time. 

 

Reducing the term of military service.

Attached is my translation of Hrant Mikayelyan’s comment today on his Facebook page, about reducing the compulsory military service in Armenia from 24 month to 18 months. Vaհe H Apelian

I don’t understand the complaints about the law on reducing the term of military service.

To better understand the present state, we need to go back to the 90s, when it was decided that military service should be two years, and not, for example, three years or for a year.

The RA army was formed on the basis of the Soviet army. Those who served in those years will remember that everything from holding a weapon to wearing of the uniform was taken from the Soviet system. According to this logic, the service was set to be two years. Of course, over time, changes were made such as, deferrals, 1.5 years of service for graduates of higher educational institutions, etc.

Now let’s move on to the present.

Does reducing the term of service to 18 months imply that the number of people serving will be reduced? Whoever came up with such a notion does not know that that the law has absolutely nothing to do with  the law does not refer to the number of conscripts, but to the duration of their service. In other words, both before and after the implementation of the law, every person who has reached the age of 18 is required to be drafted. (Note: The 18-month mandatory military service in Armenia is expected to start beginning of January 2026.)

Let's assume that in 2026, 100 persons are registered. All of those qualified to serve will have to be drafted, regardless of whether they will serve for 24 or 18 months. In other words, looking for a quantitative difference here is illogical. The question is: what did the soldier do during 24 months and what will he do if the service becomes 18 months?

First, it is necessary to understand that the army is developing with a different logic today. The entire training process has undergone changes. If previously the soldier was engaged in line training for about 20 months out of 24 months; with the new program this is no longer the case.

The army is being replenished with new generation military equipment, the possession of which is largely entrusted to contract servicemen. The latter undergo special training, including in foreign military training centers. Thanks to the programs adopted by the state, which provide high salaries, a clear service schedule and social packages, the number of contract soldiers is growing day by day. This is a step towards a professional army.

In the new system, a conscript will no longer march for months at a time, but will participate in military exercises day and night, master the weapons assigned to him, and acquire real combat skills.

Yes, there still are problems. Yes, there still are officers who are "herdsmen". Yes, many issues are still in the process of being resolved.

But one thing is clear: the army is transforming day by day, and this is already an undeniable fact.

A rare Armenian taxicab conversation

Բնագիրը կցուած է ներքեւը։ Anyone who has been in Armenia and used their taxicabs has experienced the Armenian taxi drivers, who are notorious complainers. But I have left with the impression that they do not necessarily mean what they say. I think they have found that it’s better for their business to complain against almost everything and anything that is Armenian and Armenia, than to be a bit more rational. 

The attached is a rare conversation, I translated . In fact, it is so rare that Avo G Boghossian had posted it as a commented on his Facebook page, It is a conversation his wife had with a taxicab driver. Mr. and. Mrs. Avo G Boghossian have moved to Armenia a couple of years ago and they live in Yerevan.  I wanted to archive the episode in my blog.

The original comment is reproduced below. Vaհe H Apelian

Armenian taxicabs and drivers.

Driver - the cold has started; we are truly entering the winter season.

Wife - it will be fine.

Driver - It is already fine, sister, our nation is an ungrateful nation. Before, they complained that the sidewalks and roads were demaged. They fixed them. They started saying how dusty it is. The situation was difficult in the army, now my son is serving, what are they giving them to eat, we don’t even have in our home.

My wife said that this is the first time for her to be with a driver who had positive comments.!

Բնագիրը՝

Վարորդ- ցուրտը սկսվեց, աշքիս մանրից մտնում ենք ձմեռ եղանակ: 

Կինս-լավ կլինի : 

Վարորդ- արդէն լավ է քոյր, մեր ազգը ապերախտ ազգ է: առաջ գանգատվում էին թէ մայթերը ճանապարհները քանդված են. Սարքեցին ու սկսեցին ասել էս ինչ փոշոտ է: Բանակում բարդակ վիճակ էր, հիմի տղես ծառայում է, ինչ տալիս են ուտելու, իսկի մեր տան մէջ չունենք: 

Կինս կ՚ըսէ, առաջին անգամ է որ վարորդ մը դրական կը գնահատէ վիճակը:

Another Armenian home closes its library

I read today that Andrew Kizirian has donated his Armenian library consisting of close to 2000 books to the Mesrob G Boyajian Library of the Armenian Museum of America in Watertown, MA. Surely, it is commendable gesture but it also is another example of the Armenian libraries disappearing from homes. I too donated most of my books to ALMA at least two decades ago. My mother had my library shipped from Lebanon when I immigrated to the U.S. Carrying them from one house to another, from one state to another was becoming taxing, especially for my wife and mother-in-law. A few years ago, in 2018, the New York Armenian Center closed its library and donated its books and had them sent to Artsakh. Another tragic reality for the Armenian community of NY and another kind tragedy in Artsakh.  The eminent linguist Armenag Yeghiayan wrote an article about the closure of the New York Armenian Center library. I had it translated and posted as a blog.  I  reproduced it below.  (see the link below) Vaհe H Apelian

This week I had not read an article that fired my imagination, so I was about to pass the week with a feeling of deep dissatisfaction. I would certainly not say that there was no such article, but I simply had not come across one.

But this weekend, as I sat to write, I found myself against the article that had alluded me throughout the week. It was Dr. Herand Markarian’s, “Farewll books, have a good journey”, article in “Armenians Today” that was posted on March 13, 208. ( դոկտ. Հրանդ Մարգարեանի «Բարի ճանապարհ, գիրքե՛ր, ճանապա՛րհ բարի» յօդուածին, («Հայերն այսօր», 13 մարտ 2018), 

In his especially smooth style of writing and colorful narration, Markarian made the history of an Armenian library, that was born more than a hundred years ago in the New York city in the United States, come alive. The library had come about through the efforts of the early Armenian immigrants. Over time it had grown in size, shelves were added, its location had changed, but its mission had remained the same, as a source of spiritual and mental nourishment. But lately the books had to be stored in boxes as the “New York Armenian Center” was about to be sold. An unexpecting reader will continue reading the article with optimism that after caring for the books for over 100 years, the books will now find a new location and continue on with their mission as they had done before. 

“The Armenian book should never be orphaned”, wrote Markarian – “it always needs an adopting parent. When the Armenian book is orphaned, it foretells that the whole community is in decline. How to have them not left orphaned, has taken a hold on all of us. Finding a home, a caring place for these books, have occupied our thoughts. These “inanimate” beings have in them human blood and sweat. They will be leaving the New York Armenian Center to a NEW HOME to a NEW place where they will continue their mission. Newer generations will be visiting them and will be enthused by them. They will take care of them. They will not let dust accumulate over these books and be orphaned. Young and old will be visiting them.” 

We read these inspiring words and comforting comments and continue on reading.

But….

It soon becomes evident that these books, stored in 50 boxes, are not being transported to a new location in New York city for the benefit of the New York Armenian community. They are being sent to Artsakh. Markarian seems to be pleased with this arrangement and does not shy from expressing his joy because this time around the books will serve to educate generation of Armenians in Artsakh.

Artsakh is one side of the issue. There is also the other side. How will the Armenian Americans in New York be nourished? The old generation, who read these books, cared for them, and kept them to pass to the nextt generation, is no more. But since the “next generation” cannot read Armenian anymore, this ancient library is now changing hands.  

The fact of the matter is that, this is not the farewell that my old-time friend is bidding. It is the breaking of a sad ending. This is a banishment. It is not the heralding of a bright dawn for the Artsakh Armenians. It is rather the breaking the news of the passing away of the Armenian American, Armenian readership.

Artsakh Armenians, can find ways to fill the void of Armenian books. Fortunately, they never had a scarcity of Armenian readership there. Armenian readership thankfully is alive and well there. Wherever Armenian readership is alive and well, so are readers aplenty and Armenian books will always be available there. The issue is the Armenian readership in the New World. The scarcity, if not the lack of Armenian readership, is the concerning issue. Nothing will bring these books back. They are the witnesses of the last pages of a sad story that has ended.

There was a time when we were used to come across letters sent by young members of a family asking discontinuing their aging parents’ subscription to Armenian newspapers as their parents have passed away and they cannot read in Armenian. The newspapers the older family had kept over the years get thrown away, and soon later the books follow the same fate. In the best of circumstances, they are given away to a library for storage. 

More or less the same fate awaited Ardashes Der Khatcharourian’s library which, after the libraries of the Cilician Catholicosate and Haigazian University was the richest library. During the last years of his life, he tried to sell his library but he was not successful. After his unexpected sudden death, his inheritors tried the same. Eventually the representative of the Armenian Library division of the London’s Library of Great Britain bought the entire library and had them shipped to England. It is hard to imagine what will be the fate of these books that had come about by the life-long efforts and the meager salary of an Armenian teacher who taught Armenian and literature. It is also hard to imagine that these books will be read. 

Link: An Armenian Library is Closed:https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2024/01/an-armenian-library-is-closed.html