DIASPORA WILL CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE RECONSTRUCTION O

[MosJan]

DIASPORA WILL CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MOTHERLAND

Among other guests who came to Armenia in connection with 1700-th anniversary of Christianity adoption and the consecration ceremony of the newly built St. Gregory the Illuminator church, the member of Armenian Democratic Liberal Party’s Central Board, the chairman of American and Canadian eastern wing of the Party, deputy chairman of the Diocesan Council of Canada’s Armenian Apostolic Church, Doctor Haroutiun Arzoumanian also visited Yerevan. He is a doctor in the field of nuclear rays. Below we give the interview of AZG correspondent with him.

 

 

Q: Doctor Arzoumanian, you emigrated form Egypt to Canada in 1966 and have been living there since then. You are well aware of the Armenian community life there. Can you acquaint us with it please?

 

A: Canada now has a 80,000 strong Armenian community. Armenians live in Montreal (around 30,000 people) and in Toronto (about 25,000). Smaller communities exist in Vancouver (about 500 people) and other towns. We have Armenian colleges, churches and cultural centers. The main Armenian church in Canada is the St. Gregory the Illuminator church of Montreal. The head of the church is Archbishop Hovnan Terterian. The biggest Armenian school is the AGBU’s Armen-Kebek Alek Manoogian secondary college (founded in 1971) – with 550 students. It has had 1500 graduates up till now. The founder of the college is Doc. Arshavir Gyonjian, and the director since the day of the school’s foundation is Mrs. Varduhi Palian. Besides many subjects, the students of the collage are taught, they are brought up in Armenian manner. Next to the school Vahan Tekeyan and Alek Manoogian benevolent centers are situated and the street is called after Alek Manoogian.

 

 

The community’s first Armenian language weekly – Apagay, started to be issued in 1975. The Dashnaktsutyun (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) part of the community has its church and a seminary close to it- both named St. Hagop. Horizon weekly is also being published in Montreal in three languages. Different compatriot unions and organizations are functioning in the community, which conduct charitable and cultural activity (e.g. Istanbul-Armenians Union, Egyptian-Armenian Association, Iranian-Armenian Raffi and Erebuni cultural unions).

 

 

Armenian St. Trinity (built in the style of Zvartnots temple) and St. Blessed Virgin churches function in Toronto, as well as AGBU’s and ARF’s two Armenian schools.

 

 

Q: What’s the level of relations between Armenian community and Canadian state-governing bodies, especially in the issue of pursuing the Armenian Cause?

 

A: Although the community has a history of about 100 years, at the beginning there were very few Armenians there. The first Armenian church of St. Gregory the Illuminator was built in Saint Catherines city 75 years ago. Many Armenians migrated from Istanbul and Egypt to Canada in 1950’s and 60’s, and then after the war in Lebanon again a huge mass of Armenian refugees came here. The community was formed on Armenian traditions and is functioning actively now. It made its notable contribution to the development of Canada. We have notable Armenians in every sphere of the country’s life. The work with the state circles is carried out mainly on three levels – political, provincial and federal. Representatives of Canada’s state circles often participate in the events we organize, and they approach our history and culture with great respect. But unfortunately in political sphere they are very cautious and never use the word ‘genocide’ in their official announcements and speeches- not wishing to undertake the initiative. Usually they give all the definitions of the genocide –without using the word. But I am sure that our efforts are going to justify themselves one day. Especially now when Armenia has an embassy in Canada and the relations between the two countries are on quite a high level we hope that certain results will be reached soon.

 

 

Q: You were one of the founders of the Apagay newspaper and its editor for some time. And now you continue contributing to the paper. Please tell us a little about the newspaper and about the Tekeyan Cultural Union (TCU) in general.

 

A: TCU is a legal non-profit organization, the central office of which is in Boston. Its executive branches are in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and several other cities.

 

 

Apagay newspaper, which is published in Montreal, celebrated its 25-th anniversary last year. It is a national, cultural and public weekly, the editor-in-chief of which is Arsen Nubar Mamurian- a chemist by profession, who learnt journalism and literature in Canada. Besides 12 pages in Armenian the newspaper has two pages in English and two in French. We also had a TV studio, which does not function for some time, but will soon again start broadcasting. The programs of the channel are broadcast in Canada and Philadelphia. We also have two-month summer camps, the responsible of which is Mrs. Artemis Poyajian. Cultural events are also being organized. Armenian Democratic Liberal Party’s Ojen Papazian club functions in Montreal, close to which ‘Armenian Law Council’ functions, which often cooperates with ARF Armenian National Committee of America- especially in pursuing pan-national issues and April 24 commemoration.

 

 

Q: Is there a split in the ADL party of Canada?

 

A: The split of the party in 1995 was artificial and was based on interests of a group of people. Unfortunately some circles of Armenian government speculated the split and made the situation worse. But thanks to President Robert Kocharian and foreign minister Vartan Oskanian the situation of the party improved. After two sessions that took place in Paris and one in Yerevan, the two parts of ADL again came together and finally united this April at a meeting in Athens. The issue was solved everywhere except in the ADL branch of Lebanon, where individual disagreements prevail. Our relations are very warm with the ADL of Armenia and although there are no administrative ties between us, the ideological and moral cooperation is very close. The new Central Board of ADL and its branches will try to implement the goals of the party which are mainly the programs of preserving Armenian spirit in Diaspora and pursuing the Armenian Cause. In our opinion these missions of Armenian traditional parties will always remain urgent.

 

 

Q: What’s your opinion about the festivities dedicated to the 1700-th anniversary of Christianity adoption in Armenia?

 

A: To participate in 1700-th anniversary of Christianity adoption in Armenia, Myrrh Consecration, 10-th anniversary of Armenia and the visit of Pope of Rome was a source of spiritual rebirth and patriotic revival, which we will surely pass to the Diaspora-Armenians. This time we are leaving Armenia with more optimistic feelings. There is a notable progress in the country. And Diaspora will surely continue participating in the reconstruction of the motherland.

 

 

Interview by Hagop Tsulikian

 

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