Our Annual Giving Campaign: Telethon 2025 has raised an amazing grand total of $602,586 – exceeding our goal of $500,000! We extend our sincere gratitude to all our donors who are at the heart of our success. Your exceptional generosity is awe -inspiring! To everyone who contributed, volunteered, and participated, THANK YOU for your unwavering support of our school and students.
Donor Organizations
$10,000+
Aharonian Vicken
Hasserjian Simon & Maral
$5,000 - $9,999
Hasserjian Ara & Gassia
In Memory of Stepan Zoryan –
Kourken & Lena Sarkissian
In Memory of Zabel Khanzoghian
Karshafian Khachic & Sevan
Nazarian Nuneh & Ninareh
Sarkissian Zaven & Varsenig
And 1 donor who wishes to remain anonymous
$2,000 - $4,999
Avanessy Edward
Chitilian Hovig
Hasserjian Karnig & Karina
Hasserjian Levon & Ani
Hotoyan-Joly Ani & Joly Michael
In Memory of Avedis & Araxie
Kerjikian – Kerjikian Ara & Nairi
In Memory of Evelyne Injeyan
In Memory of Mesrob Anderian
Kassabian Aris & Winnie
Knar Jewellery
Koujanian Serge, Nooshig, Haig & Areni
Moushian Hovig & Taline
Parents of Gogon/JK Class
Pirjanian Vahram & Sonia
Sarkissian Varouj & Sidonna
Ternamian Dr. Artin & Eky
Titizian Vrej & Sossee
And 2 donors who wish to remain anonymous
$1,000 - $1,999
Ajamian Arpi
Ajamian Vahan & Jackline
Atamer Family
Atikian Aspet & Sosy
Ayvazyan Edmond & Alina
Ayvazyan Lara
Ayvazyan Sophie
Berberian Tereza & Naroud
Blue Mango Design Inc.
Boghossian Michael & Sophia
Chitilian Arpi & Krikor
Chitilian Artin & Eliza
Chitilian Hoori
Clarke Jim
Class of 1996
Crook David & Garine
Ghorghorian Berge
Ghorghorian Dikran & Katia
In Memory of Aram (Ashod Tatul)
Aramian – Hamparian Janet
In Memory of Armenouhi Kololian
– Shahinian Krikor & Christina
In Memory of Haigouhi
Malkhassian
In Memory of Harout Krikorian
In Memory of Kevork & Armenouhi Kololian –
Shahinian Yervant & Nairy
In Memory of Ohaness Kahvejian
In Memory of Tanya Nakhnikian –Nakhnikian Ara
Iskenderian George & Jivana
Kevorkian & Sharabkhanian
Wedding
Lotfi Shamim & Lorig
Mardirossian Garabed & Knar
Mirakian Apkar & Sona
Mirakian Shahen
Nakhnikian Vazken & Carol
Saghdejian Serop & Tamar
Saraphanian Vazrig & Kayanee
Sarkissian Vahe & Christine
Sarkissian Varouj & Sona
Satouri John
Sraidarian Amelia & Alessia
Tachjian Abraham & Taline
Terzian Vazken & Lucie
Titizian Razmig & Arpy
Titizian Sevag, Tamar & Arka
Tomarci Sevan & Lucien
Torossian Meher & Eliz
And 2 donors who wish to remain
anonymous
$500 - $999
Adorian Shant & Liza
Agopian Haig & Chouchan
Analiize Digital
Arzoumanian Razmik, Narine, Stella & Leonel
Arzoumanova Karine
Bedrossian Harout & Mirna
Bekmezian Christapor
Bekmezian Nareh & Megheti
Buzbuzian Greg & Manoush
Chitilian Sevan
Derderian Daron
Derderian Lia
Frankian Raffi & Myda
Frankian Vartan & Aida
Garboushian Koharig
Gevorgyan Dr. Artur & Eileen
Gharapetian Larisa & Leo
Hanimyan Jirayr & Diana
Haroutunian Areg & Dianna
Hasratian Daniel & Karine
Hasserjian Garen & Nersesian
Talar
In Memory of Madlen Aynaciyan
In Memory of Mary Sarkissian
In Memory of Rev. Dr. Ara
Jizmejian – Jizmejian Mihran & Vartouhi
In Memory of Rosdom DerMgrdichian
In Memory of Seda Frankian Berberian
In Memory of Shakeh Stepanian –
Derohanesian Sonia
Janbazian Hagop & Juliet
Karen Yeppe Jemaran Toronto Alumni
Khalili Cristian, Ani & Araz
Kidikian Armen & Aida
Kilicyan Jilber & Alin
Kolandjian Alex & Sharis
Kouyoumdjian Areni & Alique
Mahserejian Edward
Makdessian Dr. Ara
Manougian Sam & Sevan
Manugian Anoush, Vahig & Aram
Markarian Lor n & Armen
Mentcherian Haroutioun
Mermer Levon & Silva
Mermer Melisa
Movcessian Zenon & Talar
Movel Teny
Najarian Stepan, Houri & Lori
Odjaghian Rita
Papissian Shahe & Audrey
Saatjian Ara
Sarkisian Zohrab, Lori, Gassia & Hamo
Sarkissian Garo, Nora, Sebouh & Sosseh
Sarkissian Gary & Tara
Sarkissian Hagop & Cinthia
Sarkissian Janet
Sarkissian Raffi & Sandy
Saydam Michael & Violet
Shahinian Michael, Monica, Mia & Chloe
Sharabkhanian Elise
Tatikian Garni
Ternamian Miran, Natalie & Nareg
Ternamian Paul, Tzoline, Aram & Ari
Vartanossian Levik & Frangyan
Ofelya
Yeghoyan Garo & Azniv
Zarokian Chahe & Hasmig
And 3 donors who wish to remain anonymous
$200 - $499
Agnerian Hrayr
Artinian Sarine
Artinian Sonia
Artounian Gayaneh
Assilian Aram & Ayk
Astourian Armen & Arsho
Avakian Beatrice Betty
Aznavourian Jirayr
Babian Hasmig
Batikian Gabriella
Bederian Sossy
Bedrossian Liliane & Djerrahian
Anne
Bekmezian Mgo & Zarmine
Boshyan Karen & Anahit
Boujoukian Ara & Hourig
Camgozlu Apel & Kenny
Chamahyan Serge & Lara
Cholakian Vera
Class of 2024
Daghlian Raffi
Danadian Vanig & Shogher
Danielyan Anna
Dervichian Sevag
Ebrahimian Armen
Garabedian Sako
Garinian Melina
Georgy Mari-Berje
Ghazarian Vigen
Ghazarian Vrej & Arsho
Hajiartinian Kami, Paylag & Charents
Hakobjanyan Suren
Haroutunian Sevag, Bella & Arakel
Hreshdagian Ani
In Honour of Aram Melcon
Manugian
In Honour of Dr. Garbis Krikorian
In Memory of Ani Akgulian
In Memory of Azadouhie & Garabed Karamanian –
Mardikian Armen & Garen
In Memory of Greg Bekarian –Balouzian Talar
In Memory of Hampig Titizian
In Memory of Markrid Babikian
In Memory of Shahe Kababejian –Kababejian Sona
In Memory of Srpouhi Khabayan
Injeyan H. Stephen
Janbazian Rupen & Araz
Jandu Hasmig
Kaljian Vazken
Karaartinyan Jano, Tamar, Talia & Olivia
Kargotsian Melkon
Kassab Family
Kassabian Dikran
Kavazanjian Garbis & Christiane
Kelebozian Vatche & Talin
Keskinian Ari & Sona
Kichian Karine & Arman
Koulajian Dr. Khajag & Ani
Loussarian Andy
Mahdessian Shant & Tamar
Mahdessian Vahan & Arda
Malkhasian Ashkhen
Manukyan Hakob
Melkonian Apel & Silva
Mgrdichian Haig Aram
Mkhitaryan Anna
Movel Alex & Maria
Movel Anahid & William
Nalbandian Ara & Maral
Ohanian Baghdig & Sylvie
Ozilhan Hakan & Gayane
Panossian Haig, Siroun & Tveen
Proudian Nazaret & Zaroug
Safar Travel
Sarkissian Juliette
Sarkissian Krikor & Hasmig
Shahbaz Maria & Pierre
Shahbazian Jbid & Jack
Shahbikian Maneh & Leo
Shahnazarian Minelli & Raffi
Shaverdian Minas & Nora
Shaverdy-Nassery Anastas
Simonian Houri
Sinani Sevak & Shoghag
Snow Lena & Talia
Stepanyan David & Daniella
Tafadjian Laila & Gabriella
Tafadjian Leon & Nazo
Tellian Ardaches & Lusine
Tellian Shant & Liana
Viktoriya Terentyeva, Barrister and Solicitor
Zakarian Arshalouise
And 3 donors who wish to remain
anonymous
$100 - $199
Artinian Lara
Bekmezian Sevana
Belem Diego & Danielyan Anna
Derohan Araz
Derohan Jora & Melina
Gershone David & Tania
Ghazarian Maggie
Ghazarian Sonia Kouharik
Gragossian Vigen
Hakimian Areknaz
In Memory of Anita BaghjajianDuquette – Mikaelian Sirvart
In Memory of Araxie Kerjikian
In Memory of Garabet Yeghoyan
In Memory of I. Arabian
In Memory of Kevork & Hayganoush Shahinian –Kouyoumjian Alice
In Memory of Mariam Keshishian
In Memory of Marie Boyadjian –Kassabian Danny
In Memory of Mayda MoumjianDanayan
In Memory of My Grandparents –Hasserjian Araz
In Memory of Nazar Nerses
In Memory of Sirun Menzikyan
In Memory of Sossy Koshkerian –
Ermarkaryan Arno & Christine
Iskedjian Karnie
Kalashyan Mikael & Karamyan
Rima
Kaltagian Shant & Arianna
Kargotsian Nanar
Kargotsian Teetair
Kazandjian Alex & Wendy
Kouyoumdjian Seta
Kurdian Hasmig
Maleganovski Zoran & Amanda
Maydossian Christine
Maydossian Toros
Mesrop Berj
Movsessian Kevork & Olha
Nahabedian Dikran & Marina
Pirjanian Emma
Saatjian Seta
Sarkissian Sara & Balik
Shaboyan Shushanik
Shatara Stephan & Nersessian Ani
Tashjian Hamazasb & Arevik
Tcherkezian Hagop & Tina
Telemi Iren & Sako
Tghlian Vahe & Rita
Torossian Varant & Maria
Tutunjian Zohrab & Suzy
Vardanyan Ashot & Yekhshatyan
Lora
Yenovkian David & Saraya And 5 donors who wish to remain
anonymous
$20 - $99
Ashdjian Maral
Barsoum Nerses & Angela
Bedrossian Massis & Lina
Papazian Ara & Tina
Tita Sam And 1 donor who wishes to remain anonymous
$500,000+ Kevork & Silva Charshafian Fund
Hagop & Sirarpi Yeramian Siblings Fund
Simon & Maral Hasserjian Fund
$100,000 - $499,999
Jemil & Noemi Hasserjian Fund
Hrant & Lucine Bablanian
Nadia Tatikian Fund
$50,000 - $99,999
Mr. & Mrs. Hagop and Dzovig
Kidikian Fund
Ghazarian Scholarship Fund
Srabion Hagopian Fund
$25,000 - $49,999
Hovig Chitilian & Anita Hovanissian
Fund
Mr. & Mrs. Kevork Kololian Fund
Hagop & Seda Tachdjian Fund
Estate of Aris Shahnazar
Hrayr & Seta Masbanajian Fund
Manuel & Zevart Shehirian Fund
In Memory of Natalie Derian Fund
Titizian Brothers Fund
$10,000 - $24,999
In Memory of Joe Kazarian
Mr. & Mrs. Vart & Arsho Zakarian
Mr. & Mrs. Markar Sharapkhanian
Garabet, Pergruhi & Nadya
Hamparian
Mr. David Davidian
In Memory of Avedis & Araxie
Kerjikian
In Memory of Hagop Artinian
Diana & Ani Takvorian
In Memory of Irma Kabakian
Dedeyan
In Memory of Krikor & Razmouhi
Shahinian
ACC Seniors
In Memory of Ara Jelderian
$5,000 - $9,999
Dr. & Mrs. Jirair Ternamian
Mr. Mike Shahinian
In Memory of Lena Oulikian
Leading Graphics
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Buzbuzian
Mr. Hagop Yeremian
In Memory of Talin Mikaelian
Mr. George Aghazarian
Mr. & Mrs. Dikran Solakian
Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis & Haigouhie
Marandjian
Sarkissian Family
$2,000 - $4,999
In Memory of Maro Plessas (Mikaelian)
Mr. & Mrs. Anto Derbedrosian
Mr. & Mrs. Vince Amato
Mr. & Mrs. Hovsep Tavitian
Mr. & Mrs. Raffi Arabian
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Aghamanougian
Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Kevork
Mr. & Mrs. Harout Chitilian
$1,000 - $1,999
Anglo Oriental Rug Co.
Dr. A. G. Kerestechi
Dr. & Mrs. Vahe Manoug
Mr. Antranig Kazazian
Mr. Berdge Aintablian
Mr. Harry Bodourian
Mr. V. Manoian
Mr. Vahe Hovsepian
Mr. & Mrs. Apkar Mirakian
Mr. & Mrs. Minas Voskeritchian
Mr & Mrs Zohrab Kilislian
երկրորդական բաժիններէն: Վարժարանը արդէն կը
պատրաստուի ընդլայնման նոր ծրագիրներու՝ հասարակութեան աճող պահանջարկին համապատասխան: «Բոլոր անոնց, որոնք ներդրում ունեցան, կամաւոր
շնորհակալութիւն վարժարանին եւ աշակերտներուն
CASSANDRA HEALTH CENTRE
ARMENIAN
MEDICAL CENTRE & PHARMACY
Dr. Rupert Abdalian Gastroenteology
Dr. Mari Marinosyan
Family Physician
Dr. Omayma Fouda
Family Physician
Dr. I. Manhas
Family Physician
Dr. Virgil Huang Pediatrician
Dr. M. Seifollahi
Family Physician
Dr. M. Teitelbaum
Family Physician
Physioworx Physiotherapy
A sacred legacy in stone
Ronald Altoon to present his photographic pilgrimage to Armenia’s ancient
TORONTOHYE–On Friday, June 13, the Armenian Evangelical Church of Toronto will host a rare and visually striking presentation: Monasteries and Churches of Ancient Armenia: A Photographic Pilgrimage. The speaker is Ronald Arthur Altoon, an internationally acclaimed architect who has spent the past 35 years quietly, meticulously chronicling some of the oldest Christian structures on Earth.
What began as a chance detour during a post-earthquake humanitarian mission in 1989 soon became a lifelong pursuit. “I was taken to a half dozen historic monastery and church sites. I photographed them and began to research the development of this early Christian prototype,” Altoon told Torontohye. “I found very few of these extraordinary buildings published as a collection. I knew that this had to be my task.”
A third-generation Armenian-American, Altoon was born and raised in Los Angeles. His path to architecture began in high school and deepened through travels in Europe, where his passion for sacred design was shaped by visits to historic churches and modern masterpieces. But it was Armenia’s early Christian legacy that would ultimately define his most personal work.
Across 18 trips, Altoon visited 41 historic sites in Armenia and Artsakh. His forthcoming book, now in pre-publication, is a powerful photographic and architectural record of these landmarks. “Constructed mostly from a single stone material in a highly seismic-active geological zone, they live as a testimony to the ingenuity of their Armenian architects and engineers,” he said. “They essentially created something lasting from nothing by faith alone.”
For Altoon, who has designed projects in 46 countries, the act of photographing these buildings was as thoughtful as designing them. “I do not photograph objects. I photograph light,” he explained. “In historic church architecture, structure and light are inseparable. The structure is designed not only to support the building, but also to illuminate it.”
Certain sites left a lasting mark. He describes Tatev as “most dramatic” in its setting and defense; Sanahin as an “eerie yet compelling composition”; and Gandzasar, located in Artsakh, as remarkable for its “clarity of craftsmanship.”
More than a visual catalog, Altoon’s book aims to reframe how Armenians—and the world—understand these architectural achievements. “It’s not about going to Armenia and touching the bases before lunch,” he said. “It’s about understanding the extraordinary contribution the Armenian people made on behalf of their culture and their faith.”
Speaking to both Armenian and non-Armenian audiences, he hopes to spark a
churches in Toronto
deeper appreciation for what these buildings represent. “For those who have visited Armenia, I hope to inspire a historic awareness beyond the basics,” he said. “For those who haven’t yet been, I hope to encourage them to make the trip and understand the depth of this heritage.”
His upcoming talk in Toronto won’t be a lecture in the traditional sense. “I pose more questions than I answer,” he noted. “The intent is to cause people to look beyond the surface and understand how critically significant these places are to the development of Christian architecture.”
With humility, precision, and reverence, Ronald Altoon offers a window into a sacred architectural tradition that predates the cathedrals of Europe—and still stands, centuries later, as a testament to faith, resilience, and design. ֎
Kecharis Monastery in Tsakhkadzor (Photo: Ronald Altoon)
8questions
for Don Valley North’s newly elected MPP Jonathan Tsao
By Rupen Janbazian
Interviewing an old friend is always a little surreal. You try to keep it professional, but there’s a part of you that still remembers sitting across from them at some half-empty conference room table, watching the clock and quietly hoping the next item on the agenda is ‘coffee break.’
Jonathan Tsao and I first met during our time on the Ontario Young Liberal executive—back when political life still felt like a curious blend of ambition, idealism, and the occasional free pizza (and ‘adult beverage’). Even then, it was clear he wasn’t in it for show. He was thoughtful, steady, and quietly relentless. The kind of person who listened more than he spoke, but when he did speak, people listened. I always had a hunch he’d end up here.
So when he was elected Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Don Valley North earlier this year, it felt more like a natural next chapter than a plot twist. What did catch my attention, though, was what he chose to do right out of the gate.
On April 16, Tsao rose in the Ontario Legislature to table his very first petition, calling on the province to continue recognizing May as Armenian Heritage Month and April 24 as Armenian Genocide Memorial Day. For many in the Armenian-Canadian community, it was more than just a symbolic gesture. It was an early and meaningful act of solidarity from someone who understood the weight of that history and the importance of being seen.
Tsao represents a riding that is home to the Armenian Community Centre (ACC Toronto), the Armenian Youth Centre (AYC), the ARS Armenian Private School, St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, and many long-standing Armenian organizations and families.
In this exclusive interview, Tsao reflects on his deep and personal connection to the Armenian community, shares his priorities as a newly elected MPP, and reveals his go-to Armenian dish and long-overdue plans to finally visit Armenia.
Let’s just say, if he wasn’t already considered an honourary Armenian, he is now.
Rupen Janbazian: Congratulations, Jon! You’ve gone from growing up in North York to representing it at Queen’s Park. What does it mean to you personally to serve as MPP for Don Valley North?
Jonathan Tsao: Thank you so much. It’s an incredible honour to serve as the MPP for the community where I was born, raised, and still live today.
From day one, my campaign was focused on making sure Don Valley North has a strong local voice at Queen’s Park—someone who understands the issues that matter most to our community. Whether it’s tackling congestion on Sheppard Avenue and finally getting the subway extension built, closing the funding gap in our schools, securing the support North York General Hospital needs to care for our families, or helping small businesses grow, these are the priorities I’ve been committed to. I’m deeply grateful that our neighbours have placed their trust in me.
Janbazian: This was one of the most closely watched ridings in the 2025 election. You were up against both a Progressive Conservative candidate and a well-known incumbent. What do you think ultimately resonated with voters, and what helped you earn their trust?
Tsao: It came down to who truly understood the community. Doug Ford won a massive majority, but we focused on local issues. I grew up in this riding and have a deep connection to it, and I think that came through. In the end, voters responded to that, and it made the difference.
Janbazian: Education, healthcare, housing, and affordability are top of mind for many residents, especially immigrant and culturally diverse families. What are your priorities on these fronts, and how do you plan to address
Armenian studies in exile: Genocide, theory, and the struggle for academic space in Canada By Rupen Janbazian
A conversation with Veronika Zabel Nayir
In an academic landscape where Armenian studies remains underfunded and underrepresented in Canada, Veronika Zabel Nayir is part of a small but determined group of emerging scholars working to change that. With a background in European philosophy and political theory, Nayir’s intellectual journey has led her to explore the boundaries of memory, justice, and catastrophe, most recently through the lens of Armenian literature and testimony.
A recent graduate of the University of Toronto and York University, Nayir has presented her work at the UCLA Graduate Armenian Studies Conference and contributed to broader conversations about the future of the field. Her research focuses on the writings of Zabel Yesayan, the limits of comprehending genocide, and the philosophical demands posed by unspeakable historical violence.
In this interview with Torontohye, Nayir discusses the state of Armenian studies in Canada, her experience at UCLA, and the challenges of balancing academic inquiry with professional goals. As she prepares to begin law school, Nayir reflects on the importance of intellectual community, transnational networks, and the evolving role of Armenians in the humanities. ***
Rupen Janbazian: Your background is in European philosophy and political theory. What led you to Armenian studies, and how has this shift influenced your research interests?
Veronika Zabel Nayir: My interest as an undergraduate student some years ago began very broad in scope—I began at the University of Toronto interested in ancient philosophy, especially Plato, and then swiftly pivoted to modern political thought, especially canonical French and German thinkers like Rousseau and Hegel. These were thinkers who were conceptualizing, among other things, what kind of a thing the state was, what its origins and aims were.
My trajectory was very much historical, in a way. I realized as I waded deeper that many of the French and German thinkers of the
twentieth century were preoccupied with philosophical questions that the Holocaust had almost demanded them to repose and rearticulate: questions about justice, ethics, responsibility and complicity, reparations, identity, community, the nature of memory, the predicament of the witness-survivor. Whether it was apparent or not, it became clear that the social conditions of this century had infected and informed what theorists believed were the pressing questions of their time.
I do really think that the history of political and social theory in the twentieth century can be read as a series of successive attempts to furnish a response to the spectre of genocidal catastrophe. I became very interested in drawing out this discourse and the boundaries of this discourse, and it immediately led me to Armenian studies and to a theoretical exploration of the event of the Armenian Genocide and the array of literature it produced. I first read Marc Nichanian’s landmark text The Historiographic Perversion and I knew this was the kind of work I wanted to do in a Master’s and Ph.D. program.
At the same time I was becoming interested in the history of women’s rights and feminist philosophy, which led me to Zabel Yesayan. Around this time last year I read Dr. Elyse Semerdjian’s text Remnants: Embodied Archives of the Armenian Genocide, which I read as being a feminist intervention. And I was increasingly interested in decolonial philosophies–meditations on liberation from important figures in the history of thought like W.E.B. Du Bois to Aimé Césaire. Again, these were people who were very much trained in the Western European tradition, and began to think about ‘their own people.’
Janbazian: You studied at both the University of Toronto and York University. How would you assess the offerings in Armenian language and studies at these institutions, and how do they compare to programs elsewhere, such as UCLA?
Nayir: The University of Toronto does not, as far as I’m aware, offer any
Armenian language courses. There is a course in the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Department on Christian communities—Armenians, Syriacs, Copts, Maronites. I am not even sure that it is offered every year. I suspect that there might be a ‘special topics’ course offered at the graduate level every few years. Now, that departmental situation doesn’t necessarily prohibit a graduate student interested in Armenian studies from working on those themes, but it makes it difficult: one has to take it upon themselves to read the canonical texts, create comprehensive reading lists, take on the burden of deep language study (or at least reach out to those who can help them), and create their own networks of mentorship. It can be very demanding. There is less I can say about York, besides the fact that there exists a wider trend of under-funding and defunding humanities programs.
The UCLA offerings in Armenian language and culture are robust and extend into social and intellectual history. It is really enviable. At the UCLA conference I met Professor Hagop Gulludjian, who is in charge of Western Armenian. Eastern Armenian is taught, as is Classical Armenian—elementary to advanced! There are period-specific courses, too—one on the Cilician period, one on the Bagratid Dynasty. There is no such thing in Toronto. But again, I am coming from a theory background, not an Armenian studies background. I did have an education on what being a comparatist is; I had an education in translation theory, social and political thought. I remind myself
that Yesayan herself was educated in Paris and had familiarity with European literature and philosophy. Do I wish I had easier access to the mammoths of Armenian studies, intellectual centres like UCLA and the University of Michigan? Yes. But we live in a digital
age, so I’ve been blessed to be able to forge connections that way, to request texts digitally, and so on.
Janbazian: What was it like presenting at the UCLA Graduate Armenian Studies Conference? How did this experience shape your understanding of the field and its academic networks?
Nayir: I was really proud to be there, to convene with other young people. Present were students and scholars from Georgia, Italy, Lebanon. →
Professor Peter Cowe, who is the chair of Armenian at UCLA, was extremely generous to us. Members of the Los Angeles Armenian community were present, as were undergraduate students. The topics of presentation were as heterogeneous as print culture and knowledge production in Lebanon, Nakhijevan and forced migration, the reception of the story of David of Sassoun in Soviet Armenia, ethnographic fieldwork on seasonal work migration in Armenia, Arousyak Papazian and theatre, and an architectural presentation on the Zoravar chapel, to name just a few.
Janbazian: You were one of only a few Canadian participants at the conference. How important is it for Canadian scholars to engage in international Armenian studies forums?
Nayir: When I was selected to present at the UCLA conference, I knew I would be one of at most a couple of Canadian students present. And this is because there are not many of us here pursuing Armenian scholarship at the graduate level. I should note that I was supported financially by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), as well as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation—the first, an American organization, the second based in Portugal. So as far as who is funding my travel, I am a bit of an internationalist.
In a past edition of Torontohye, Dr. Victoria Rowe (who worked on Armenian literature at U of T) notes the situation, even in her time, of Canadian academic institutions as it
related to Armenian studies. Specifically, she notes the necessity of competing for few academic jobs in the U.S. This is absolutely still the case. So the importance of forging connections with U.S. institutions, organizations, and mentors becomes even more urgent.
Janbazian: Your presentation focused on Yesayan. What key themes did you explore in your paper, and why do you find her work particularly relevant today?
Nayir: The panel my presentation was a part of was entitled “Women’s Agency in the Late Ottoman Period.” I’m particularly interested in the position of Zabel Yesayan as a woman witness to catastrophe—she was the only woman on the list of intellectuals drawn up by Ottoman authorities to be targeted for arrest and execution in 1915—as well as the status of her writing as both a literary text and a work of testimony.
The French-Armenian philosopher Marc Nichanian writes about her in the context of the resurrection of the name Aghed, a name that she had given to the genocidal will in her text In the Ruins, about the catastrophe in 1909 Adana. (Of course, there were many names given to describe genocidal violence: yeghern [pogrom], aksor [exile], chart [massacre, carnage], darakrutiun [deportation], all predating Lemkin’s coining of the term “genocide” in 1944.)
Nichanian, like me, was educated in European philosophical thought (which takes the Holocaust as its primary catastrophic event), bringing that conceptual machinery to bear on the Armenian Genocide and the writing it produced. His wager is that the name Aghed should go untranslated, and that the refusal to translate into another language or into a legal quantifier does some kind of justice to the experience of genocide. Yesayan herself writes at every turn of the ‘indefinable,’ ‘infinite,’ ‘boundless’ catastrophe before her. My project seeks to understand the double demand to, on one hand, think genocide and, at the same time, announce or insist that it is fundamentally ‘unthinkable.’ I said earlier that I believe the vast majority of twentieth century European philosophy to be a series of attempts to understand the Holocaust—an event that, according to its survivors, imposes some kind of limit or prohibition on thinking. (Its reality is unthinkable, unspeakable,
beyond language or representation.)
To explore this theme I engage the writings of the Armenian Genocide. As David Kazanjian and Marc Nichanian write in their dialogue Beyond Genocide and Catastrophe, “To respect such an Event would be [...] to respect the limits it imposes on comprehension” (130). My presentation goes on to think about the burden of proof, registers of remembrance, and the motif of senselessness across post-genocide literature.
Ultimately, part of my belief is that engaging the Armenian literary canon in more dominant idioms like political theory or philosophy allows Armenian studies to be more expansive—we do not have to remain stuck in a discourse about proof or about social scientific fact. We can thereby deparochialize the Armenian Genocide—we can use its literature to talk about genocide in general, to talk about testimony in general.
I understand my experience as being a kind of study of how I can integrate Armenian literary history into existing philosophical conversations about experience, trauma, and reason.
Janbazian: What do you see as the most significant strengths and challenges facing Armenian studies in Canada today? Are there structural or institutional changes that would help strengthen the field?
Nayir: The challenge can be put very simply: we do not have enough course offerings at the university level, if at all. Again, we have, at most, two at the University of Toronto. Of course, everyone says they are keen to see Armenian language and studies taught at the undergraduate and graduate level, but I am not even sure that there is significant demand. Of course, I hope there would be.
In UCLA history, the establishment of their robust Armenian studies program within the Near Eastern Center was an endeavor that required the creation of an endowed chair, a concerted effort to hire faculty, sustained community engagement, and the development of a wide course catalogue.
I do also want to dispel some reactions I have had from people who inquire about what exactly ‘Armenian studies’ is. Armenian studies is the name given to a vast landscape of studies that study some ‘Armenian’ thing. The field, vast as it is,
should be treated with the same rigour as any other discipline is treated with. It imposes the same demands as German or French studies.
Again, the field is heterogeneous and encompasses such areas as human geography, genocide studies, sociology, law, women’s studies, archaeology and architecture, linguistics and philology, religion and church history, the Persian empire, the Ottoman empire, Soviet and post-Soviet history, not to mention the history of various Armenian kingdoms and political entities, the diaspora, transnational studies—huge worlds unto themselves.
Janbazian: In our exchange, you mentioned discussing the potential for endowed chairs in Armenian studies with scholars at the conference. What would such an initiative mean for Canadian universities, and do you see a realistic path toward making it happen?
Nayir: Establishing a chair in Armenian studies in either Toronto institution would be, of course, a financial commitment. I imagine the community would need to fundraise toward the hiring of faculty. I have no knowledge of whether this has been attempted or proposed in the history of the Toronto-Armenian community. And again, there would have to be some level of certainty regarding enrollment—that is to say, crudely, demand.
Janbazian: Looking ahead, how do you see your role in Armenian studies evolving? Are there particular projects, collaborations, or areas of research you hope to pursue in the coming years?
Nayir: I will formally be leaving academia for the time being. I did complete my first year as a PhD student, and officially earned my Master’s degree. In August, I begin law school at Osgoode Hall. The funny thing is that when I mention this to particularly older people, they are much more keen to hear about law, much more impressed. Being a lawyer has a kind of funny authority that being an academician or professor doesn’t seem to have.
Which brings me to my next concern: we would like for there to be more Armenians doing humanities scholarship, but I think they can be dissuaded from pursuing such a path. It is a difficult path. But the same goes for many fields.
My experience as a Master’s
ՀԱՅՔՈՒՆԵՐ
From the editor
Torontohye does not necessarily endorse or evaluate the products, services, or companies advertised. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Torontohye. The reproduction of the material contained in this publication may be made only with the written permission of the publisher or editor. All submissions are subject to editing for space, style, and clarity.
Լենային
հայկական խոհանոցը
[vegan]
sudoku)
Junior problem
Baron Ara, the math teacher at the local Armenian elementary school, gave his class five numbers to add together—the fifth one being 2025. He then instructed them to multiply the resulting sum by six. While adding the five numbers, Vartanik mistakenly used 2015 instead of 2025. Can you determine the difference between Vartanik’s final answer and the correct answer after both were multiplied by 6?
խաչ-բառ
18. (գոյ.)
Senior problem
Armen’s Math Corner
20th anniversary! (answers on pg. 24)
Ascend Armenia is organized as an effort to build awareness and support for the sport of cycling in Armenia. Edward and Lilit, two enthusiastic cyclists, are training for this cycling race. They live on the same street, but Edward’s house is 2 km east of Lilit’s. On Sunday morning at 6:54 a.m., they both start biking straight east from their homes. Lilit bikes at a constant speed of 24 km/h, while Edward bikes 6 km/h slower than Lilit. At what exact time will Lilit catch up to Edward?
Canadian Armenian Private Garden Section
In Tribute to Armenia, as symbolized by Holy Mt. Ararat, and to the Armenian people who were the first to embrace and adopt Christianity as a State religion in 301, and the first nation to be crucified in 19151923 falling victim to the first genocide of the 20th century. For the glory of a reborn free Armenia world-wide, whose generations of sons and daughters continue to believe in justice world-wide.
Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries
Please Contact our
For Your Personalized Appointment
Contact: Rosa Crognale
Michelle Richards Tel: 416-899-1174
Tel: 416-990-6516
Email: mrichards@arbormemorial.com
Email: rcrogn@mountpleasantgroup.com
Maria Larin Tel: 647-909-1881
Email: mlarin@arbormemorial.com
4164 Sheppard Avenue East Scarborough, Ontario MIS 1T3