Stay the course

Vaհe H Apelian

Recently I read the following by Dave Rolph: “The term “stay the course” was an old nautical term of navigation meaning “to continue in the proper direction.” It was later used by Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and both George Bushes as an exhortation to not give up or turn back.» Armenia stayed the course for the Crossroad for Peace strategic initiative, the PM Nikol Pashinyan lounged on October 2023, and agreed to the ongoing peace deal with Azerbaijan.

But I did not expect that Aliyev will sign the peace deal the Armenian FM announced on March 13, 2025, after having Armenia accept the last two contesting points of the peace deal that was in progress for the past two years or more. In my following blog titled: “What does this peace deal accomplish? My take”, on Monday March 17, 2025 -see the link below - I wrote the following.

I quote : “The issue is existential. However imperfect a peace deal this may be, if signed, as Azerbaijan will do its utmost to sink it, it will be for Armenians to support the government in the peace deal they have worked out and to rally around it to assure that the premises of the peace deal are implemented.”

Yes, let us brace ourselves for the upcoming saga. Aliyev signing the peace deal is not in the immediate future, but Armenia will have to stay the course the PM Nikol Pashinyan has outlined in the Crossroad for Peace initiative he spearheads. 

Aliyev’s reluctance is expected. Let us be reminded that the cornerstone of Aliyev’s domestic legitimacy was his policy for depopulating Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenians. He succeeded in doing it. There are no Armenians left in Azerbaijan. Emboldened by his success in depopulating Artskah, the axis of Aliyev’s domestic policy is now the so called Western Azerbaijan, if not in its entirety, then at least to gain a corridor, he calls Zankezur Corridor,  to have a land connection with Nakhichevan. But with the Crossroads Peace initiative both Armenia and Azerbaijan  will recognize their MUTUAL TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY (տարացքային ամողջականութիւն), MUTUAL SOVEREIGHNTY (,ինքնիշխանութիւն), MUTUAL BORDER SANCTITY (Սահմանային անձռմխելիութիւն) and  ABSENCE OF MUTUAL THREAT OF  FORCE  (ուժի բացառում). Surely Aliyev knows that Azerbaiijan does not face a threat on these premises from Armenia. I do not envision Aliyev will sign the peace treaty in the near or foreseeable future.

But Armenia will stay its course for peaceful coexistence with its neighbors within the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia as agreed in the Alma-Ata. 

The Alma-Ata protocols came about on December 21, 1991 – Soviet Armenia had already declared itself independent on September 21, 1991 - when and where the Soviet Union was declared dissolved and the following former Soviet Socialist States agreed to recognized each other’s territories, as constituent states of the Soviet Union. The following former Soviet Socialist agreed on the protocol: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekstan. By signing the peace deal Aliyev would have committed himself, in front of the international family of nations, to formally abide by the Alma-Ata protocol. 

It is natural that Aliyev would not want to go out of his way to abide by the protocol.

But Armenia will stay its course.

Let us brace ourselves that Azerbaijan will attempt to stir the Armenian public against itself by resorting to provocations. Let us also brace ourselves that the expected provocations may be deadly and regrettably there may be casualties.

But Armenia will stay its course.  

There is a price to pay for every strategy. Armenia’s Crossroad for Peace strategic imitative is no different. Other strategic initiatives most likely will have disastrous consequences to the nascent Republic of Armenia. 

Armenia will stay its course.  

The non-violent peaceful Gandhi strategy challenged the mightiest force in his time, the British Empire and India gained its independence.

By staying the Crossroad for Peace strategic initiative, Armenia is bound to secure for its citizens the right to live securely, peacefully and prosper in Armenia, and it will.

                                    ***

 The link: “What does this peace deal accomplish? My take”: https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-does-this-peace-deal-accomplish-my_17.html

 

Peace treaty: Stay the course - 2/3 -

Vaհe H Apelian

Recently I read the following by Dave Rolph: “The term “stay the course” was an old nautical term of navigation meaning “to continue in the proper direction.” It was later used by Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and both George Bushes as an exhortation to not give up or turn back.» Armenia stayed the course for the Crossroad for Peace strategic initiative, the PM Nikol Pashinyan lounged on October 2023, and agreed to the going peace deal with Azerbaijan.

But I did not expect that Aliyev will sign the peace deal the Armenian FM announced on March 13, 2025, after having Armenia accept the last two contesting points of the peace deal that was in progress for the past two years or more. In my following blog titled: “What does this peace deal accomplish? My take”, on Monday March 17, 2025 -see the link below - I wrote the following.

I quote : “The issue is existential. However imperfect a peace deal this may be, if signed, as Azerbaijan will do its utmost to sink it, it will be for Armenians to support the government in the peace deal they have worked out and to rally around it to assure that the premises of the peace deal are implemented.”

Yes, let us brace ourselves for the upcoming saga. Aliyev signing the peace deal is not in the immediate future, but Armenia will have to stay the course the PM Nikol Pashinyan has outlined in the Crossroad for Peace initiative he spearheads. 

The Aliyev’s reluctance is expected. Let us be reminded that the cornerstone of Aliyev’s domestic legitimacy was his policy for depopulating Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenians. He succeeded in doing it. There are no Armenians left in Azerbaijan. Emboldened by his success in depopulating Artskah, the axis of Aliyev’s domestic policy is now the so called Western Azerbaijan, if not in its entirety, then at least to gain a corridor, he calls Zankezur Corridor,  to have a land connection with Nakhichevan. With the Crossroads Peace both Armenia and Azerbaijan  will recognize their MUTUAL TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY (տարացքային ամողջականութիւն), MUTUAL SOVEREIGHNTY (,ինքնիշխանութիւն), MUTUAL BORDER SANCTITY (Սահմանային անձռմխելիութիւն) and  ABSENCE OF MUTUAL THREAT OF  FORCE  (ուժի բացառում). Surely Aliyev knows that Azerbaiijan does not face a threat on these premises from Armenia. I do not envision Aliyev will sign the peace treaty in the near or foreseeable future.

But Armenia will stay its course for peaceful coexistence with its neighbors within the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia as agreed in the Alma-Ata. 

The Alma-Ata protocols came about on December 21, 1991 – Soviet Armenia had already declared itself independent on September 21, 1991 - when and where the Soviet Union was declared dissolved and the following former Soviet Socialist States agreed to recognized each other’s territories, as constituent states of the Soviet Union. The following former Soviet Socialist agreed on the protocol: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekstan. By signing the peace deal Aliyev would have committed himself, in front of the international family of nations, to formally abide by the Alma-Ata protocol. 

It is natural that Aliyev would not want to go out of his way to abide by the protocol.

But Armenia will stay its course.

Let us brace ourselves that Azerbaijan will attempt to stir the Armenian public against itself by resorting to provocations. Let us also brace ourselves that the expected provocations may be deadly and regrettably there may be casualties.

But Armenia will stay it course.  

There is a price to pay for every strategy. Armenia’s Crossroad for Peace strategic imitative is no different. Other strategic initiative most likely will have disastrous consequences to the nascent Republic of Armenia. 

Armenia will stay it course.

The non-violent peaceful Gandhi strategy challenged the mightiest force in his time, the British Empire and India gained its independence.

By staying the Crossroad for Peace strategic initiative, Armenia is bound to secure for its citizens the right to live securely, peacefully and prosper in Armenia, and it will.

                                    ***

 The link: “What does this peace deal accomplish? My take”: https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-does-this-peace-deal-accomplish-my_17.html

Remembering Unger Mesrob Adishian

Vaհe H Apelian

 

Mesrob Adishian, Arshavir Shiragian
Courtesy Haig Adishian

Stepan Dardouni ended his memorial album - ARF Memorial of North America 1900-1984” (see the note below) - listing the death of unger Mesrob Adishian (Մեսրոպ Ատիշեան) on December 27, 1984, eight years after I immigrated to the U.S., having landed on this hospitable shore on June 9, 1976, at the Kennedy International Airport.

I do not recall the circumstances that brought us together as friends. It surely had to the do with the New Jersey ARF. Unger Adishian and I struck a friendship in spite of the difference in our ages. He had stopped driving when I befriended him. I used to pick him from his house to attend ARF meetings and other social functions, all centered at the St. Vartanants Church of New Jersey.  His house was not far from the Vartanants church. He had purchased the property on which he had his house built before the George Washington bridge was built. After the construction of the bridge, the area naturally had changed and his house now sat at the junction of a major route and busy street to his and especially his wife’s expected dissatisfaction, a complaint I would hear at times when at their home, especially from his wife, who turned out to be a relative of a classmate of mine at the Armenian Evangelical College HS in Beirut, Arshag Srabian who left for the U.S. before graduating.  Unger Mesrob had a vast collection of ARF literature and newspaper clippings that had to do with the assassination of Archbishop Tourian. He was an avid reader of ARF literature.

 At the time, he appeared well into his eighties. I recently found out from his son Haig that he was born in the town of Hussenig in 1894. Records his son Haig Adishian shared with me indicated that he had landed in New York on September 16, 1913 from a New York bound oceanliner that had left Le Havre seaport. There is no record as to when he left Husseinig to immigrate to the New World. True to that generation, his son Haig noted to me that “that generation didn’t tell us too much. I know he lived in Marseilles for a while. We were never given information about when and how they got to America.” That was the case with my paternal grandfather who was born in 1898/99 in Keurkune, Kessab. He survived the genocide and returned to his native village orphaned. All my youthful inquiries about his experience during the genocide were met with evasive answers.  

The last time I met him was when he was hospitalized. In all likelihood it might have been a Saturday afternoon.  Somehow, he found me that I had dressed up more than the usual and wondered if I was attending an ARF function. From stories and anecdotes, he told me, I envisioned he was among the last of the Mohegans of that Armenian American generation whose lives involved, evolved and revolved in and around the ARF, as a sort of an extended home for them, away from their ancestral homes. The centerpiece of their social lives appeared to be the Hairenik building on the Stuart Street. Stepan Dardouni who eulogized him at his funeral, had indicated on his immigration declaration,  212 Stuart Street as his destination address and had James Mandalian, as his contact. 

When I wrote his son Haig that Stepan Dardouni  wrote that when he first met Unger Mesrob Adishian in the Hairenik building, he wandered what this handsome Irishman doing there. Haig found it endearingly amusing and commented to me saying “Vahe, I found it amusing that you knew about that Irishman observation”, and added that "the enclosed photos (see attacherd) may reveal that the Tavloo players at the Hairenik building may not have been so mistaken.  My father was one of eight, four of whom had red hair. “

 I remember to this day when I received the phone call from him letting me know of his wife’s death. He said I was the first person outside his family he called. Naturally he was all shaken and emotional. I never forgot what he said: “Unger Apelian”, he said sobbing, “I had not experienced death in my immediate family before. Most of my parental family members died during the genocide, but I was not there.” 

I found it fitting that Stepan Dardouni ended his memorial album listing Unger Mesrob Adishian’s death. I imagine that generation, paraphrasing Tom Brokaw,, as the greatest Armenian American generation. In mid 1970’ an influx of Armenians from Middle East, such as I, came to the United States. As I reminisce about the past four decades and a bit more, we attended and mostly continue to attend community functions centered around the churches built by the Unger Mesrob Adisshian  generation whose whole life was spent to lay the foundation of community for the free and independent Armenia eventuality. 

Unger Mesrob Adishian, much like his ARF generation, “spent his whole life with one goal, a free and independent Armenia”, wrote to me his son Haig.

Note 1: Mementos from Unger Mesrob Adishian’s journey to the U.S.

 

Note 1: Stepan Dardounis’ memorial album dedicated to his beloved father Hagop and mother Mariam.  “Հ.Յ.Դ. ՅՈՒՇԱՄԱՏԵԱՆ Հիւսիսային Ամերիկայի 1890-1984”, Պոստոն, 1988. ՁՕՆ՝ ԻՄ ՍԻՐԵԼԻ ՀԱՅՐԻԿԻՍ ՅԱԿՈԲԻՆ ԵՒ ՄԱՅՐԻԿԻՍ ՄԱՐԻԱՄԻՆՍ ԽՆԿԵԼԻ ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿԱՆ

 

Remembering Unger Mesrob Adishian

Vaհe H Apelian 

Mesrob Adishian, Arshavir Shiragian
Courtesy Haig Adishian

Stepan Dardouni ended his memorial album - ARF Memorial of North America 1900-1984” (see the note below) - listing the death of unger Mesrob Adishian (Մեսրոպ Ատիշեան) on December 27, 1984, eight years after I immigrated to the U.S., having landed on this hospitable shore on June 9, 1976, at the Kennedy International Airport.

I do not recall the circumstances that brought us together as friends. It surely had to the do with the New Jersey ARF. Unger Adishian and I struck a friendship in spite of the difference in our ages. He had stopped driving when I befriended him. I used to pick him from his house to attend ARF meetings and other social functions all centered at the St. Vartanants Church of New Jersey.  His house was not far from the Vartanants church. He had purchased the property on which he had his house built before the George Washington bridge was built. After the construction of the bridge, the area naturally had changed and his house now sat at the junction of a major route and busy street to his and especially his wife’s expected dissatisfaction, a complaint I would hear at times when at their home, especially from his wife, who turned out to be a relative of a classmate of mine at the Armenian Evangelical College HS in Beirut, Arshag Srabian who left for the U.S. before graduating.  Unger Mesrob had a vast collection of ARF literature and newspaper clippings that had to do with the assassination of Archbishop Tourian. He was an avid reader of ARF literature.

 At the time, he appeared well into his eighties. I recently found out from his son Haig that he was born in the town of Hussenig in 1894. Records his son Haig Adishian shared with me indicated that he had landed in New York on September 16, 1913 from a New York bound oceanliner that had left Le Havre seaport. There is no record as to when he left Husseinig to immigrate to the New World. True to that generation, his son Haig noted to me that “that generation didn’t tell us too much. I know he lived in Marseilles for a while. We were never given information about when and how they got to America.” That was the case with my paternal grandfather who was born in 1898/99 in Keurkune, Kessab. He survived the genocide and returned to his native village orphaned. All my youthful inquiries about his experience during the genocide were met with evasive answers.  

The last time I met him was when he was hospitalized. In all likelihood it might have been a Saturday afternoon.  Somehow, he found me that I had dressed up more than the usual and wondered if I was attending an ARF function. From stories and anecdotes, he told me, I envisioned he was among the last of the Mohegans of that Armenian American generation whose lives involved, evolved and revolved in and around the ARF, as a sort of an extended home for them, away from their ancestral homes. The centerpiece of their social lives appeared to be the Hairenik building on the Stuart Street. Stepan Dardouni who eulogized him at his funeral, had indicated on his immigration declaration,  212 Stuart Street as his destination address and had James Mandalian, as his contact. 

When I wrote his son Haig that Stepan Dardouni  wrote that when he first met Unger Mesrob Adishian in the Hairenik building, he wandered what this handsome Irishman doing there. Haig found it endearingly amusing and commented to me saying “Vahe, I found it amusing that you knew about that Irishman observation”, and added that "the enclosed photos (see attacherd) may reveal that the Tavloo players at the Hairenik building may not have been so mistaken.  My father was one of eight, four of whom had red hair. “

 I remember to this day when I received the phone call from him letting me know of his wife’s death. He said I was the first person outside his family he called. Naturally he was all shaken and emotional. I never forgot what he said: “Unger Apelian”, he said sobbing, “I had not experienced death in my immediate family before. Most of my parental family members died during the genocide, but I was not there.” 

I found it fitting that Stepan Dardouni ended his memorial album listing Unger Mesrob Adishian’s death. I imagine that generation, paraphrasing Tom Brokaw,, as the greatest Armenian American generation. In mid 1970’ an influx of Armenians from Middle East, such as I, came to the United States. As I reminisce about the past four decades and a bit more, we attended and mostly continue to attend community functions centered around the churches built by the Unger Mesrob Adisshian  generation whose whole life was spent to lay the foundation of community for the free and independent Armenia eventuality. 

Unger Mesrob Adishian, much like his generation, “spent his whole life with one goal, a free and independent Armenia”, wrote to me his son Haig.

Note 1: Mementos from Unger Mesrob Adishian’s journey to the U.S.

 

Note 1: Stepan Dardounis’ memorial album dedicated to his beloved father Hagop and mother Mariam.  “Հ.Յ.Դ. ՅՈՒՇԱՄԱՏԵԱՆ Հիւսիսային Ամերիկայի 1890-1984”, Պոստոն, 1988. ՁՕՆ՝ ԻՄ ՍԻՐԵԼԻ ՀԱՅՐԻԿԻՍ ՅԱԿՈԲԻՆ ԵՒ ՄԱՅՐԻԿԻՍ ՄԱՐԻԱՄԻՆՍ ԽՆԿԵԼԻ ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿԱՆ

Totalpageviews 407,000

Vaհe H Apelian 

A few days ago, my blog reported that thus far 407,000 have viewed my blogs. The round figure attracted my attention. I assume that they were more than views but in fact were reads. That is to say that my blogs have been read 407,000 times.

Blog is a rather new term and hence blogging is rather new trend. It is used both as a verb and a noun. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, it means “a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer.”

I would like to thank those who have read my blogs and may read. I hope they have found them entertaining and pleasant to read.

I have attached the first and the last blog I wrote. The first happened to be in Armenian and the last in English. I attached their links below. 

First Blog – Շուն եւ Ճակատագիր - https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/03/blog-post.html

Recent blog – What does this peace deal accomplish? My take -https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-does-this-peace-deal-accomplish-my_17.html

Երկու Ընտրութիւններէն մէկը

Վաhէ Յ Աբէլեան

Հայաստանի վարչապետը ընկերային ցանցերուն վրայ յայտարարած է որ՝ մէջբերեմ. «Հայաստանի եւ Ադրբեջանի միջեւ խաղաղության համաձայնագրի նախագիծը համաձայնեցված է եւ սպասում է ստորագրման։ Ես պատրաստ եմ իմ ստորագրությունը դնել այդ փաստաթղթի ներքո։»

Շատ պարզ է թէ ինչու համար Հայաստանի իշխանութիւնը պատրաստ է այդ ընել՝ պարզապէս անոր համար որ Հայաստանին ձեռնտու չէ ունենալ իր անմիջական դրացի երկիրներուն հետ չկարգաւորուած վիճակ, որովհետեւ այդ վիճակը զգալիօրեն կը խոչընդոտէ Հայաստանի տնտեսական զարգացումը, եւ բարդություններ կը ստեղծէ միջազգային հանրութեան եւ մանաւանդ իր դրացի երկրներուն հետ յարաբերութիւններու մշակման եւ զարգացման։ Հայաստանին համար իր անմիջական դրացի երկիրներուն հետ խաղաղութեան դաշինքի բացակայութիւնը կրնայ ճակատագրական անդրադարձ ունենալ։ 

Հայաստանի հանրապետութեան երկար տեւողութեան միակ միջոցը բարի դրացիութեան փոխզիջումն է։ Եթէ այդ կը նշանակէ Ցեղասպանութիւնը Հայաստանի հանրապետութեան արտաքին քաղաքականութեան հետ չառընչել, այդպէս պիտի ըլլայ։ Այդպէս էր Մայիս 28, 1918-ին եւ անկէ ետք եկող բոլոր, իշխանութիւններուն պարագային ալ, նեռարեալ Հայաստանի նախքին նախագահներուն կառաւարութիւններունը։ Թէեւ երկու նախքին նախագահները, ներքին քաղաքական պայքարէ մղուած, կ՚ընդիմանան այս կառաւարութեան վարած նոյն այդ քաղաքականութեանը որ պարզապէս պիտի պաշտօնականացնէ այդ քաղաքականութիւնը, եթէ Ազրպէյճանը խաղաղութեան դաշինքը ստրորագրէ։ 

Ներկայիս ընդիմադրութեան վարած քաղաքականութիւնը ժողովուրդին մոլորեցնելու համար է, պատրուակելով որ փոխզիջումի այս քաղաքականութիւնը այլընտրանք ունի։ Փոխզիջումին այլընտրանքը, ուշ կամ կանուխ, պատերազմն է։ Եւ այդ մէկը ընդիմադութիւնը շատ լաւ գիտէ։ Եթէ այսօրուայ ընդիմադրութիւնը, իշխանութեան գայ, Խաղաղութեան Խաչմերուկի քաղաքանութիւնը պիտի վարէ, բայց պիտի չկարենայ ունենալ այն տուեալները որ այս իշխանութիւնը կրցած է ձեռք ձգել շնորհիւ իրենց վարած միջազգային քաղաքանութեանը։

Խաղաղութեան խաչմերուկի փոխզիջման մերժումը եւ մաքսիմալիզմի ձգտումը՝ այսինք ջանալ ունենալ առաւելագոյնը, եւ ոչ թէ կեդրոնանալ ձեռք ձգելու հնարաւոր կարելին, Հայաստանի վիճակին վատթարացման ամենակարճ ճանապարհն է։

Այս փոխզիջեցման հետ կառեւոր է նաեւ փոխզիջեման պահը։ Ակնյայտ է, որ փոխզիջումին քաղաքականութեան մէջ, աւելի զօրաւոր կողմը աւելի կարելիութիւն ունի առաւելագոյնը ձեռք բերելու հնարաւորութեանը։ Հայաստանը ներկայիս քաղաքականօրէն աւելի նպաստաւորուած է քան երբեւիցէ։ Բայց եթէ Ազրպէյճանի հակամարտութիւնը չկարգաւորուի, քանի մը տարի ետք, Հայաստանի ձեռք բերած ներկայ քաղաքական նպաստները պիտի թուլանան եւ ամէն հաւանականութեանբ այն ինչ որ մերժենք այսօր, ապագային պիտի խնդրենք ունենալ, բայց պիտի չկարենանք ստանալ, ինչպես միշտ այդպէս եղած է մեր պատմութեան ընթացքը։

Բայց ի՞նչ է որ պիտի զիչի Ազրպէյճանը։

Խորքին մէջ Ազրպէյճանը շատ բան զիջած պիտի ըլլայ եթէ ստորագրէ խաղաղութեան այս համաձայնութիւնը։ Չմոռնանք որ Ալիյեւի ներքին քաղաքականութեան հիմնաքարը կը կազմէր Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հայաթափումը, որ յաջողեցաւ ընել։ Ազրպէյճանի մէջ հայ չմնաց։ Իսկ այժմ Ալիյեւի ներքին քաղաքականութեան առանցքը՝ այսպէս կոչուած Արեւտմեան Ազրպէյճանն է, եթէ ոչ ամբողջութեամբ, այլ նուազագոյն ձեռք ձգելու միջանցք մը Նախիճեւանի հետ հողային պորտակապ ունենալու համար։ Խաղաղութեան Խաչմերուկի համաձայնութեանբ, Ալէյեւը զիջած պիտի ըլլայ հետեալները, եւ պիտի՝

Ճանչնալ Հայաստանի տարածքային ամբողջականութիւնը

Ճանչնալ Հայաստանի ինքնիշխանութիւնը

Ճանչնալ Հայաստանի սահմաններուն անձեռմխելիութիւնը

Ճանչնալ Հայաստանի նկատմամբ ուժի գործածութեան բացառումը։

Հայաստանը երբէք նման համաձայնագիր չէ կրցած ապահովել։ 

Բացառելով կարելիութիւնը, եթէ ոչ հաւանականութիւնը, որ Ալիյեւ չստորագրէ այս համաձայնագիրը, Հայաստանի եւ անոր քաղաքացիներուն համար կը մնայ ընել երկու ընտրութիւններէն մէկը։ 

Առաջին՝ Հայաստանի քաղաքացիները բացառձակ մեծամասնութեամբ կ՚աջակցին Հայաստանի կառաւարութեանը որ ապահովէ Ալիյեւին ստորագրութիւնը։ Հայաստանի ներքին պառակտումը կը կարծրացնէ Ազրպէյճանի քաղաքականութիւնը։ 

Երկրորդ՝ Հայաստանի քաղաքացիները կը մերժեն Խաղաղութեան Խաչմերուկի այս կառաւարութեան քաղաքականութիւնը եւ կը ստանցնեն դիմագրաւել անոր հետեւանքները։

 

 

Pictures hanging on a wall: Do they inspire us? - 1 –

Levon Sharoyan

Բնագիրը կցուած է։ Attached is my Google aided translation of Levon Sharoyan’s posting on his Facebook page regarding photographs of eminent Armenians hanging on the walls of community centers be it religious, athletic, cultural. Generations of us grew with their pictures, notably those of the three founders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. It is disturbing to read the perception of the younger generation. Vaհe H Apelian.

Courtesy Levon Sharoyan

The school where I teach belongs to the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). That circumstance has apparently prompted the former school administrators to righfully hang the picture of the union’s former long serving president and the renowned benefactor, Alex Manougian, on the wall of the hallway of the building’s first-floor, almost next to the door of the principal’s office. It is a framed black-and-white picture. Who knows how many decades it has been there, on the same wall, in front of the eyes of many generations who have come and gone.

We know that Alex Manougian (1901-1996) held the position of the president of the charitable institution for many years, between 1953-1989.

For years, instinctively or with an inner conscious impulse, every morning when I climb up the stairs of the school to the 2nd floor, my eyes meet, in the aforementioned corridor, Alex Manougian’s eyes. I think my first “Good morning” of the day is addressed to him. That picture captivates me. It stirs something in my native feelings.

A few days ago, when I entered the classroom, I asked my students a question.

— Boys, do you know, who is in the photo hanging on the wall in the corridor downstairs? Who is that face?

There was a stony silence. I didn’t get a single answer. I was dismayed.

These students, already 16-17 years old, have been attending this school for at least ten years and at various times of the day they walk in the aforementioned corridor-hall, under the gaze of Alex Manougian.  But it turns out that they weren’t interested to know the picture they saw hanging on the wall above.

But there was something even more tragic. The boys had hardly heard the name of the great president and benefactor. They had no idea how that resourceful Armenian who had emigrated from the Izmir region to America and had charted his course there.  How he had founded a huge business organization that employed many, and how, with a rare patriotic and educational drive, he had founded so many Armenian day schools from America to Argentina, from Montevideo to Tehran….

***

This incident prompted me to think for a moment about pictures hanging on a wall. How much do they affect us, and whether they inspire us?

Many years ago, when I was still a primary school student and a novice scribe or acolyte in our  Holy Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral, I was deeply impressed by two large photographs hanging on the wall in the priest’s sanctuary. One represented the Cilician See Catholicos Sahak II Khabayan, the grieving Catholicos, and the other that of his Co-adjutor Catholicos Papken Guleserian; two clergymen with white, venerable beards.

My question is this: can a picture hanging on a wall ignite a spark in the soul of the viewer?

Think for a moment about the photographs of prominent faces hanging on the walls of our community. What kind of impact can they have on us, or do they really have an impact?

Oh, about the pictures hanging on the wall…

When I enter the inner hall of the Armenian Catholic Zvartnots Church in my city Aleppo, my gaze is inevitably focused for a moment on the photograph of Cardinal Aghajanian hanging on the wall.

In the monastery of the Mekhitarist Fathers, I have always experienced a sense of emotion when looking at the photo of Mekhitar Sebastatsi, the founder of the Mekhitarist Order,  hanging on the wall.

In the hall of the Homenetmen club, I have looked for a long time at the photos of Shavarsh Krissian, Krikor Hagopian, and Hovhannes Hintlian, the founders of the Armenian athletic association, hanging on the wall side by side.

In the principal’s office of the Djemaran, my gaze fell on the photo of the Danish Armenian-loving philanthropist, Ms. Karen Yeppe, after whom the famed high school in Aleppo is named. 

In the hall of the Armenian Nursing Home, the picture of Patriarch Nerses the Great hangs on the wall. He founded the first nursing homes and shelters in Armenia back in the 4th century.

Every time I have attended a lecture at the Tekeyan Center the photo of Vahan Tekeyan hanging on the wall has not escaped my attention. And I have muttered to myself, the following from his famous poem:

Accountability: what is left, what is left of my life?

Whatever I gave to others, strangely, that's all.

And so, everywhere - a photo, photos!...

L. Sh. ("Ararat", Beirut, 11.3.2025)

 

ՊԱՏԷՆ ԿԱԽՈՒԱԾ ԼՈՒՍԱՆԿԱՐՆԵՐԸ    

ԿԸ ՆԵՐՇՆՉԵ՞Ն ՄԵԶ – 1

   Դպրոցը, ուր կը պաշտօնավարեմ ես, կը պատկանի Հ. Բ. Ը. Միութեան։ Եւ այդ հանգամանքն ալմղած է կ՛երեւի վարժարանին երբեմնի պատասխանատուները՝ որ միութեան նախկիներկարամեայ նախագահ ու մեծանուն բարերար Ալեք Մանուկեանի լուսանկարը պատշաճօրէնկախեն շէնքին Ա. յարկի միջանցք-սրահին պատէն, տեսչութեան սենեակին դռան գրեթէ քովը։Ապակեպատ շրջանակեալ սեւ-ճերմակ մեծղի լուսանկար մը, որ ո՜վ գիտէ քանի տասնամեակէիվեր հոն է, նո՛յն պատին վրայ, եկող-գացող սերունդներու աչքին առջեւ։

    Գիտենք, որ Ալեք Մանուկեան (1901-1996) Բարեգործականի նախագահի պաշտօնըձեռնհասօրէն վարեց երկա՜ր տարիներ, 1953-1989։

    Տարիներէ իվեր, բնազդաբար կամ ներքին գիտակցական մղումով մը, ամէն առաւօտ երբդպրոցին սանդուխներէն վեր կը բարձրանամ դէպի Բ. յարկ, վերոնշեալ միջանցքին մէջ աչքերս կըհանդիպին… Ալեք Մանուկեանի աչքերուն։ Կարծէք առաջին «Բարի լոյս»-ը իրե՛ն կ՛ըսեմ…։ Այդլուսանկարը կը գրաւէ զիս, բա՛ն մը կ՛արթնցնէ իմ տոհմիկ ապրումներուն մէջ։

    Քանի մը օր առաջ, երբ դասարան մտայ, հարցում մը ուղղեցի իմ աշակերտներուն.

    — Տղա՛ք, վարի յարկի միջանցքին պատէն կախուած լուսանկարը որո՞ւն կը պատկանի։ Ո՞վ է այդդէմքը։

   Տիրեց քար-լռութիւն։ Ո՛չ մէկ պատասխան ստացայ։ Հիասթափուեցայ։

   Այս աշակերտները, արդէն 16-17 տարեկան, առնուազն տա՛սը տարիէ այս վարժարանը կըյաճախեն ու օրուան զանազան պահերուն կ՛երթեւեկեն վերոնշեալ միջանցք-սրահին մէջ, ԱլեքՄանուկեանի… հայեացքին տակ, բայց հիմա կը պարզուի որ չէին հետաքրքրուած, թէ ո՛վ էր վերէնզիրենք դիտողը…։

    Բայց կար աւելի՛ ողբերգականը։ Տղաքը գրեթէ չէին լսած մեծանուն նախագահին ու բարերարինանունը։ Անոնք գաղափար անգամ չունէին, թէ Իզմիրի կողմերէն դէպի Ամերիկա գաղթած այդհնարամիտ հայորդին ինչպէ՜ս կազմաւորեց ինքզինք, ինչպէ՜ս հիմնեց հսկայ գործատուներ,ազգասիրական ու կրթասէր հազուագիւտ մղումով՝ քանի-քանի ամէնօրեայ հայ դպրոցներ բացաւԱմերիկայէն մինչեւ Արժանթին, Մոնթէվիտէոյէն մինչեւ Թեհրան…։

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     Այս դէպքը մղեց զիս, որ պահ մը մտածեմ… պատէն կախուած լուսանկարներու մասին։ Անոնքո՞րքանով կ՛ազդեն մեր վրայ, կրնա՞ն ներշնչել մեզ։

    Շա՜տ տարիներ առաջ, երբ տակաւին նախակրթարանի աշակերտ էի ու թերխաշ դպիր՝ Հալէպիմեր Սրբոց Քառասնից Մանկանց մայր եկեղեցիէն ներս, քահանայից խորհրդարանին մէջխո՛րապէս տպաւորուեր էի պատէն կախեալ երկու խոշոր լուսանկարներէն։ Մին կը ներկայացնէրԿիլիկիոյ Սահակ Բ. Խապայեան վշտակիր կաթողիկոսը, միւսը՝ անոր աթոռակից Բաբգէն Ա.Կիւլէսէրեանը։ Սպիտակ պատկառելի մօրուքով երկու հոգեւորականներ…։

    Հարցումս հետեւեալն է. պատէն կախուած լուսանկար մը կրնա՞յ կայծ մը բռնկեցնել զայնդիտողին հոգիին մէջ։

    Մտաբերեցէ՛ք պահ մը մեր ազգապատկան սրահներուն կամ միութենական ակումբներունպատերէն կախուած երեւելի դէմքերու լուսանկարները։ Ատոնք ինչպիսի՞ ազդեցութիւն կրնանգործել մեր վրայ, կամ արդեօք ազդեցութիւն կը գործե՞ն իսկապէս։

    Օ՜, պատէն կախուած լուսանկարները…

    Երբ մուտք կը գործեմ քաղաքիս Հայ Կաթողիկէ Զուարթնոց եկեղեցւոյ ներքնասրահը՝ հայեացքսպահ մը անպայման սեւեռուած կը մնայ կարտինալ Աղաճանեանի պատէն կախուած լուսանկարինվրայ։

    Մխիթարեան հայրերու վանատան մէջ մի՛շտ ալ յուզում մը ապրած եմ՝ նայելով ՄխիթարՍեբաստացի Աբբահօր պատէն կախուած լուսանկարին։

    Հ.Մ.Ը.Մ.-ի ակումբի սրահին մէջ երկա՜ր-երկա՜ր դիտած եմ կողք-կողքի կախուած լուսանկարներըՇաւարշ Քրիսեանին, Գրիգոր Յակոբեանին ու Յովհաննէս Հինդլեանին։

    Ճեմարանի տեսչարանին մէջ հայեացքս սեւեռաբիբ ինկած է դանիացի հայասէր բարերարուհիօրդ. Քարէն Եփփէի լուսանկարին վրայ։ Հայ Ծերանոցի դահլիճին մէջ՝ Մեծն Ներսէս հայրապետինկարին վրայ (դեռ Դ. դարուն՝ ան հիմնած էր առաջին ծերանոցներն ու մարդասիրական տուներըՀայաստանի մէջ):

    Ամէն անգամ որ Թէքէեան Տան մէջ դասախօսութեան մը ներկայ եղած եմ՝ իմ ուշադրութենէն չէվրիպած Վահան Թէքէեանի պատէն կախուած լուսանկարը։ Ու մրմնջած եմ գողունի.

   Հաշուեյարդար. ի՞նչ մնաց, կեանքէն ինծի ի՞նչ մնաց.

   Ինչ որ տուի ուրիշին, տարօրինա՜կ, ա՛յն միայն.

   Եւ այսպէս, ամէն տեղ՝ լուսանկար մը, լուսանկարնե՜ր…։

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Լ. Շ. ("Արարատ", Պէյրութ, 11.3.2025)