Category: General Interest

Upcoming Virtual Presentation on Vava Khachaturian and Arshile Gorky Collections

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Diocese and Zohrab Center archivist Linda Page will give a virtual presentation on the archival collections of Vava Sarkis Khachaturian and Arshile Gorky on Monday, October 26, 2026 at 11 a.m. EST. The unique records housed in the Armenian diocese and the Zohrab Information Center cover Armenian and Armenian-American life beyond the church, including the materials of several writers, singers, and artists. The archival collections of Vava Sarkis Khachaturian (born Vardanoush Sarian) and Arshile Gorky (born Vostanik Manoug Adoian) represent two comprehensive records into Armenians who not only made it to America, but were well-known citizens of New York and painters who represented their work across the globe.

This presentation is part of the proceedings of New York Archives Week, which runs from October 21-28, 2026, presented by the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York (A.R.T.); Page is the group’s Director of Outreach and the Editor-in-Chief of their quarterly newsletter, The Paper of Records. Over 30 unique archives in New York City and Jersey City are hosting in-person, hybrid, and virtual tours, presentations, screenings, and events that are free and open to the public. This presentation is also part of the Archives Education Institute (AEI), a NYAW initiative that hopes to bring educators together with archivists to show the power and potential in using primary sources at any age. Registration through Zoom is is mandatory, and will be capped at 100 registrants. Feel free to share this information, and tune into the presentation!

Recording of UCLA’s 4th Armenian Language Workshop Now Available

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Dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the birth of the eminent linguist and polymath Hrachia Acharian (Հրաչեայ Աճառեան, 1876–1953), Prof. Peter Cowe (UCLA) and Dr. Hrach Martirosyan (Leiden University) organized a workshop at UCLA entitled “At the Intersection of Language and Culture: The 4th Armenian Language Workshop at UCLA” on May 22nd–23rd.

The workshop brought together an international group of scholars, teachers, and writers who presented in both Armenian and English on a diverse array of topics related to Armenian language, literature, and culture. Among the speakers was Zohrab Center director Dr. Jesse Arlen who presented on the topic “Translating One’s Own Text: An Apologia for Bilingual Writing,” during the first panel of the first day.

The recording of all sessions of the workshop from the two days is now available to view on YouTube.

Jesse Arlen to Present at UCLA’s 4th Armenian Language Workshop (May 22-23; Hybrid/Zoom)

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Dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the birth of the eminent linguist and polymath Hrač‘eay Ačaṙian (1876-1953), Prof. Peter Cowe (UCLA) and Dr. Hrach Martirosyan (Leiden University) have organized “At the Intersection of Language and Culture: The 4th Armenian Language Workshop at UCLA” on May 22nd–23rd.

The workshop brings together an international group of scholars, teachers, and writers who will present in both Armenian and English on a diverse array of topics related to Armenian language, literature, and culture. The workshop will be hybrid, with some presenting in person at UCLA and others via Zoom. Among the speakers, will be Zohrab Center director Dr. Jesse Arlen who will present on the topic “Translating One’s Own Text: An Apologia for Bilingual Writing.”

The general public is able to follow the presentations and discussion of the workshop via Zoom.

To watch via the Zoom Webinar platform, click here. For a full schedule of the two days of panels, see below. For more information, see the event page.

At the Intersection of Language and Culture: 4th Armenian Language Workshop at UCLA

At the Intersection of Language and Culture: 4th Armenian Language Workshop at UCLA

Dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the birth of the eminent linguist and polymath Hrač‘eay Ačaṙian (1876-1953) Organizers: Peter Cowe (UCLA) Hrach Martirosyan (Leiden University)

Friday, May 22, 2026 to Saturday, May 23, 2026
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Bunche Hall, Room 10383 (10th floor)
315 Portola Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095

To watch via the Zoom Webinar platform, click here.

May 22

10:00-10:30 Registration

10:30-10:45 Opening Remarks
Peter Cowe
Hrach Martirosyan

Panel 1

Moderator: Tereza Hovhannisyan

Hrach Martirosyan, University of Leiden
10:45-11:05 «Աչառյան-150. Մարդը և Գիտնականը»
(Ačaṙian-150: The Man and Scholar)
11:05-11:20 Discussion

Jesse S. Arlen, Zohrab Information Center and Fordham University
11:20-11:40 “Translating One’s Own Text: An Apologia for Bilingual Writing”
11:40-11:55 Discussion

Lori Pirinjian, UCLA
11:55-12:15  Ինչպե՞ս է հայերենում ասվում «գենդեր»
(How to say «Gender» in Armenian)
12:15-12:30 Discussion

Aram Manukyan, UCLA
12:30-12:50 “Հայկական Հանգաբառարան: Armenian Rhyming Dictionary”
12:50-1:05 Discussion

1:05-2:10 lunch break

Panel 2

Moderator: Hrach Martirosyan, University of Leiden
Tereza Hovhannisyan, UCLA
2:10-2:30 “Հայալեզու թվային ռեսուրսների ստեղծումը հայերենի դասավանդման ընթացքում”
(The Creation of Armenian Language Digital Resources in the Course of Teaching Armenian)
2:30-2:45 Discussion

2:45 walk to Schoenberg Hall

3:00-5:30 Participation in Day of Armenian Music
Schoenberg Hall

3:00-4:00 Concert celebrating the CD
“Stanzas in August Armenian Music, New and Rediscovered”
4:00-4:30 Q&A with the performers
4:30 Green Room Reception on the Retirement of Movses Pogossian, Professor of Strings, UCLA

May 23

11:00-11:10 Opening Remarks
Shushan Karapetian

Panel 3

Moderator: Alexia Khatun, UCLA

Anatolii Tokmantcev, Peter Pazmani Catholic University, Budapest (recorded)
11:10-11:30 “Հայոց քրիստոնեությունը որպես դիսկուրսային ավանդույթ”
(Armenian Christianity as a Discursive Tradition)
11:30-11:45 Discussion

Hakob Gulludjian, UCLA
11:45-12:05 «Լեզուական քաղաքականութիւն եւ լեզուի ուսուցում Սփիւռքի մէջ»
(Language Politics and Armenian Instruction in the Diaspora)
12:05-12:20 Discussion

Shushan Karapetian, USC
12:20-12:40 “Licensed to Spell: When Vanity Plates Speak Armenian”
12:40-12:55 Discussion

1:00-2:00 lunch break

Panel 4

Moderator: Nora Bairamian, UCLA

Peter Cowe, UCLA
2:00-2:20 «Հայերէնի միջնորդուած թարգմանությունների դասակարգման փորձ մը»
(Mediated Armenian Translations: An Attempt at Classification)
2:20-2:35 Discussion

Alexia Hatun, UCLA
2:35-2:55 “Բառամթերք սափոսական. Մտորումներ լեզուի կենսունակութեան եւ հայ տարօր իրականութիւններու շուրջ”
(Sapphic Lexicon: Reflections on Language Vitality and Queer Armenian Realities)
2:55-3:10 Discussion

Julianne Kapner, UC Berkeley
3:10-3:30 “From Constantinople to San Francisco: Persistence of Historical /Y/ Variation in Contemporary Bay Area Armenian”
3:30-3:45 Discussion

3:45-4:00 coffee break

Panel 5

Moderator: Peter Cowe, UCLA

Nora Bairamian, UCLA
4:00-4:20 Սովորենք/սորվինք հայերեն/հայերէն միասին։ Զուգահեռ բարբառներ մէկ դասարանի մէջ.
(Let’s Learn About Armenian: Parallel Dialects in One Classroom)
4:20-4:35 Discussion

Anushik Melikian, University of Leiden
4:35-4:55 TBA
4:55-5:10 Discussion

Gohar Melikyan, UCLA
5:10-5:30 “Armenian Folktales in the “Collection of Materials for Describing Places and Tribes of the Caucasus”
5:30-5:45Discussion

5:45-6:00 Closing Discussion

Organizer: UCLA Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies

Sponsor(s): Center for World Languages, The Promise Armenian Institute, Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies, USC Institute in Armenian Studies

Upcoming Talks in the Tri-State Area by Zohrab Center Director Dr. Jesse Arlen

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This weekend Zohrab Center director Dr. Jesse Arlen will give two presentations as part of parish Lenten programming in the Tri-State area.

On Friday, February 20th, following the 7:30pm Lenten vigil at St. Leon Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, NJ and then on Sunday, February 22nd, following Badarak, at St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church in White Plains, NY.

His presentations will introduce the life and poetry of Tenny Arlen, whose 2021 book of verse Կիրքով ըսելու՝ ինչո՞ւ հոս եմ (To Say with Passion: Why Am I Here?) (Yerevan: ARI Literature Foundation) marked a watershed moment in the Armenian literary tradition, being the first full-length volume of creative literature published in Armenian by an American-born writer.

In 2025, a bilingual (English and Armenian) language edition was published by Tarkmaneal Press, along with afterwords by Hagop Gulludjian and Arthur Ipek.

In consonance with the season of Great Lent, Dr. Arlen will reflect on the some of the spiritual themes in Tenny’s poetry, such as solitude, iconic seeing, and the transcendence and immanence of the ineffable realm of the spirit.

Hear the Prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali in 24 languages!

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Under the initiative of Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan of St. James of Nisibis Armenian Church in Evanston, IL and dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the parish and 850th anniversary of St. Nersess Shnorhali, a video was produced entitled “Together at His Table: Different Voices, One Heart,” in which the famous prayer of 24 stanzas by St. Nersess Shnorhali was recited by 24 different individuals, each reciting or reading successive stanzas in a different language.

Listen to the saint’s immortal words resound in multilingual beauty and look for familiar faces in the moving video available here: https://youtu.be/TTrDW_ramDQ?si=GXsHqgAmOa0jJDJ7

Christopher Zakian to Present New Book in Los Angeles (Sunday, Jan 25 – Streaming Available)

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On Sunday, January 25th at 7:00pm EST/4:00pm PST, the Director of Communications for the Eastern Diocese, Christopher H. Zakian, will present Faithful Saints of Christ: Perseverance Under Persecution, along with fellow co-authors at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center in Mission Hills, California.

Click here to stream the event.

Copies of the book will be available at the lecture and are also available through Abril Bookstore.

About the Book

Faithful Saints of Christ is both a spiritual journey and a powerful historical testimony. Blending Scripture with history, the book reflects on the meaning of faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ—as described in the fundamental teachings of Christianity, and as lived through the exemplary acts of His saints.

From the evangelism of Armenia by Christ’s Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, to the adoption of Christianity as Armenia’s national faith in 301 AD, the book traces the miracles, struggles, and perseverance that have shaped Armenian history. Readers will witness the courage of Armenians who defended their Christian faith against oppression—with special emphasis on the story of St. Vartan and the Battle of Avarayr: the conflict in which the Armenians defied a powerful empire, took their stand with the Lord, and decisively confirmed their identity as a Christian people.

The narrative continues into modern history, recounting the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the hidden Armenian genocide of 1918 in Iran (Urmia and Khoy), and the ongoing persecution of Christians worldwide.

Both inspirational and eye-opening, Faithful Saints of Christ honors the saints of yesterday who remained steadfast under persecution, while encouraging believers of today to remain faithful to Christ against the obstacles of the present world.

Dumbarton Oaks/HMML Intermediate Classical Armenian in Summer 2026

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In partnership with Dumbarton Oaks and the Zohrab Center, HMML will host an intensive three-week course on Classical Armenian for the intermediate level from July 5-July 25, 2026, at HMML in Collegeville, Minnesota. 

This course, to be taught by Dr. Jesse Arlen and Dr. Julia Hintlian, is intended for graduate students or recent PhDs, who can demonstrate a need for Classical Armenian in their research. Priority is given to students who lack opportunities to study Armenian at their own institutions. The program welcomes international applicants but does not sponsor J visas.

Tuition, room, & board are free for admitted students, thanks to support from Dumbarton Oaks.

Applications are now being accepted.
To apply or for more info, visit: https://hmml.org/programs/intermediate-armenian/

“Creating Culture after Cultural Genocide: 100 Years Later” a Lecture by Dr. Jesse Arlen

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On April 24th, 2025, Zohrab Center director Dr. Jesse Arlen gave a keynote lecture entitled “Creating Culture after Cultural Genocide: 100 years later” at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, New Jersey during an evening of remembrance held in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The event was hosted by St. Elizabeth University’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education.
A recording of the program is available to view on YouTube.

Dr. Jesse Arlen to speak at St. Elizabeth University’s Evening to Honor and Remember the Armenian Genocide

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On April 24th, 2025 at 6:30pm in the Dolan Auditorium in the Annunciation Center of Saint Elizabeth University Campus in Morristown, New Jersey, an evening of remembrance will be held in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Beautiful Armenian music will be provided by Sarita Maldjian and her children, along with a buffet of various traditional foods.

The program, which is free and open to the public, will feature Dr. Jesse Arlen as the keynote speaker with his lecture, “Creating Culture after Cultural Genocide: 110 Years Later”.

The program is hosted by St. Elizabeth University’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education  with special thanks to the Dadourian Foundation, Roy Stepanian, and Vartan Abdo.

For more information, visit the Center’s event page.

Arin Shahjahanian’s composition Յղի [Hghi] (2024) featuring the poetry of Tenny Arlen wins Second Prize at Mansurian International Competition in Armenia

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Los Angeles composer and pianist Arin Shahjahanian‘s composition Յղի [Hghi] (“Pregnant”), written for soprano, voice, clarinet, and piano (2024) and featuring the poetry of Tenny Arlen, recently was awarded Second Prize at the Mansurian International Competition in Yerevan, Armenia.

The U.S. premiere of the award-winning piece will take place at the Hear Now Music Festival in Los Angeles on May 18th.

 

The text of the piece is derived from Tenny Arlen’s poem «Մերելածին», [mereladzin] or “Stillborn”, from her collection To Say with Passion: Why Am I Here? (Yerevan: ARI Literature Foundation, 2021). The title and the refrain «Յղի» [hghi] translate to “pregnant.”

In Armenian:

Ես եմ
անկարողութիւնը։
Մէջս կը կրեմ զայն,
բառերու կողով մը անխօս,
[…]
Յղի,
կեանք մը կը կազմուի բառերու—
ոչ ինչպէս հարկ էր ըլլար։
Ծայրանդամներ, չպատմուած ծագում
—ծուռ, սուր ակռաներ—
քսան ծիրանագոյն ոտնամատ:
Բերքը վիժելը
միտքը փոխել չէ։
[…]
Ահա կը շնչեմ, ահա կը կ՛ըմպեմ, ահա
եմ։
[…]
[Յղի]
[…]
[…] կեանք տալով մեռեալին,
մոռցուելիքին,
մտաբերում մարդկութեան։
Կը հասկնա՞ս
ասիկա։
[…]
[…] բերքս—
մեռեալ է ծնած։
Եւ—ես եմ—ընծայուած—
անձայն։

In English:

I am
the inability.
I carry it in me,
a basket of unspoken words,
[…]
Pregnant,
A life of words is forming—
not as it should be.
Limbs, unaccounted spring
—crooked, sharp teeth—
twenty apricot-colored toes.
To abort the growth
is not to unthink.
[…]
Here I breathe, here I drink, here
I am.
[…]
[Pregnant]
[…]
[…] giving life to the dead,
The would be forgotten,
evocation of humanity.
Do you understand
this?
[…]
[…] my growth—
is stillborn.
And—I am—rendered—
silent.

Premiered June, 2024
Yerevan, Armenia

Shahane Aghakaryan, soprano
Arsen Grigoryan – clarinet
Anahit Dilbaryan – piano