In Loving Memory of Michèle Lena Gorgodian

Michèle Lena Gorgodian

1st June 1958 to 14th December 2023, London

Michèle Lena Gorgodian died peacefully at her home on 14 th December 2023. Michèle was a beloved daughter to Krikor and Anahid, and loving sister to Anna and Sonia. She was a devoted aunt to Georgia and Daniel and to their spouses, Martin and MJ, and delighted in her great-nephews and great-nieces: Robin and Rosalie, and little Sophie, Madeleine and James-Andréas.

Michèle gained her BA in Economics and French at Wellesley College, USA, while attending business courses at the MIT Sloan School of Management. She began her career in finance, returning to London to work for Price Waterhouse and subsequently Banque Nationale de Paris in Sydney as a credit analyst. After qualifying with an INSEAD MBA, Michèle consulted in marketing strategy. She then specialised in managing change, first at Ernst&Young and then as an independent coach and consultant in organisational change through her own company, Integra. She undertook her work with the utmost enthusiasm, vision,dedication and integrity and intended to keep going for at least another 20 years!

In 2010, Michèle was appointed to the MBA Advisory Board by Cass Business school in the City of London, and in recent years, she had used her experience in strategic leadership and change to develop a new role as a world-class advisor / Independent Non-Executive Director for a wide range of companies from FTSE 100s to private entrepreneurial. She was also a trustee of the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre. Michèle was proud of her Armenian heritage and was a former trustee of the Armenian Institute.

Michèle was a gifted pianist from an early age and loved the arts in all its forms. Her hobbies included writing fiction, poetry and sketching. She enjoyed playing tennis and walking with friends, swimming, reading and visiting art galleries. Michèle also had an adventurous streak and completed a solo paragliding experience in her 30s.

To her family and friends she was loving and loyal, always ready to provide perspective and lend a listening ear and helping hand in times of challenge. She was a pillar of the community where she was known for her kindness, generosity and support.Always thoughtful, compassionate and modest, Michèle brought a human touch to all her interactions.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, loved her and worked with her.

Notes from the Director's Desk

It’s been 2 years since I was appointed as the Director of the Armenian Institute – an immense honour and responsibility. These were difficult, different, wonderful, tiring, rewarding years. We worked through Covid lockdowns, and horrible news about wars and conflicts.

But one thing was clear – people always need arts and culture. There was always a need for a poetry reading, a film screening, a lecture about medieval music, a challenging discussion about human rights and mante recipes.

 So we worked. We ran more than 100 events on zoom and in person; catalogued and shelved thousands of books, opened our archives, published 2 magazines, produced podcasts, grew our language classes, wrote blogs, made films, organised film festivals and online concerts.

There were so many moments which were special - impossible to list them all. But a few stand out and will stay with me forever - seeing our first book on WorldCat, Garo Paylan joining us to commemorate Hrant Dink; Ara Dinkjian curating the most beautiful online concert for us; seeing Hratch Martirosyan hugging Acharian’s handwritten dictionary; being so overwhelmed when Anoushka Berberian and Olivia Melkonian made the incredibly emotional Unseen Singers in a day; receiving the valuable Harry Koundakjian archives from his children; one of our supporters telling me ‘I could never imagine an event like this at an Armenian organisation' when we held an discussion about the Queer Armenian Library; receiving a call from the very excited Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and Sahika Erkonan when they found unpublished translations of Narek in the Kudian archive; my phone ringing nonstop after the success of We Are Our Mountains as our festival’s opening film – and many many more.

But you know what else makes me happy? Raising funds to enable all this work. We are constantly working to receive grants from institutional sources and raise revenue via activities. Still, one of the most critical strands of our income is our followers’ generous donations, (especially with our National Lottery grant ending soon), which support and empower us to make the Armenian culture relevant, exciting and accessible for everyone. So if you liked what the team and I have been doing for the last 2 years, click this link and see how you can be a part of our future and support us.

Tatevik Ayvazyan, Director

A Message From Our Board

Our 20th anniversary celebrations and fundraiser have finally come to a close, and it's success would not have been possible without the whole-hearted support of our team, friends and donors! Extending a massive thank you from all of us at AI, we’d like to close with some messages from our board.

 

Richard Anooshian

On its 20th anniversary, it is truly wonderful to see the AI evolve into a global cultural organisation, making Armenian culture relevant to so many. What an incredible journey. Here's to another 20 years of creative and inspirational work brought to us by some amazing folks.

Tatiana Der Avedissian

Happy 20th birthday AI! I am so proud to be part of this extraordinary organisation and serve as a trustee these last 2 years. I cannot thank Nourtiza and Susan enough for inviting to me to join the committee back in 2016, it is one of the best volunteering decisions I have made. I have always been keen to support Armenian-focused organisations, and AI is unique in its ability to offer so many dedicated programmes that promote Armenian art and culture and encourage us to have thought-provoking discussions on issues that matter to the global diaspora. We have hosted so many great events, from our annual Hrant Dink commemorations and live concerts to our informative diaspora forum series.

My wish for AI is to see it secure even more funding and support so we can deliver our programmes to an even wider audience, see our library expand and ensure it is accessible to more and more curious readers, and ensure the charity's future is safeguarded for years to come.

Arda Eghiayan

Happy Happy Birthday Armenian Institute – looking forward to the next 20 years and beyond.

Becky Jinks

I’m so proud to work with AI and to have watched it grow and step into new and exciting things over the last few years. Happy birthday, AI, you deserve a fabulous next 20 years.

Stephen Masters

My whole life seems to have been built up on a series of fortuitous accidents, and my involvement in the Armenian Institute is no different. A Google search for Armenian language lessons led to me learning Eastern Armenian at the Armenian Institute with Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian. A conversation at the end of a lesson led to me volunteering to digitise Leon Surmelian's I Ask You, Ladies and Gentlemen. As a result of that, I was asked to join the advisory committee, and some months later, on a very hot summer's day as I dried off from a swim in Royal Victoria Docks, I received a phone call from Belinda Keheyan, letting me know that the now sadly missed Ani King Underwood's tenure on the board of trustees was soon to end, and my name had been put forward to take her place. Given the enormous shoes that would need to be filled, I imagined that I had been included to make up the numbers, and I agreed without any expectation that I would be asked to take on that role. Shockingly (to me at least) it seems that the board selected me.

I had not been long on the board when the COVID-19 pandemic led AI to something of a crisis situation. Historically our activities and events were conducted face to face, and we found ourselves in a situation where those events could no longer take place. My overconfidence in my technical abilities led me to push for AI to set up a Zoom account and run events online. Fortuitously, this proved to be a turning point for AI. Since offering our events over Zoom, our audience has expanded internationally, and now we need to think about how we might continue to support our international audience, whilst also providing a level of physical events.

As AI reaches its 20th anniversary, I am excited by our new library space and the opportunities it offers, and my personal focus is on how AI can build this new community around the world and ensure that we continue to provide events that are engaging for our audience who cannot attend our events physically.

Celebrating 20 Years of the Armenian Institute

You may have heard from some of our dear friends and supporters in our latest 20th anniversary podcast series, as we asked them to share their thoughts on AI’s last 20 years and their hopes for our future. We also very gratefully received many warm wishes in the written word from friends and donors, which we’ve compiled here.

Michele Gorgodian

Dear AI – congratulations on reaching your 20th anniversary! Looking back over the years, you can be proud of what you achieved. I have enjoyed many events and publications, as well as the pleasure of meeting the interesting, smart and creative people drawn to your orbit.

So a big thank you to everyone involved, and good luck for the next 20 years.

Nariné Der Hakobian

Hello everyone at the Armenian Institute,

Wishing everyone Շնորհաւոր Նոր Տարի եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդ։

Hoping for a healthy and better 2022 for everyone.

Best Wishes.

Diana Katsouris

I hope I will meet with you all very soon but in the meantime I wish AI a very happy 20th Anniversary and the team every success in the year ahead.

Belinda Keheyan

It’s been a real privilege to be involved in AI over the last two decades, both as a friend/executive member and as an erstwhile trustee. I have enjoyed attending brilliant events, have learnt an awful lot about all things Armenian and above all met some great people, who I now regard as firm friends. I believe I speak for many when I say that there was definitely a gap in the lives of Armenians in Britain that AI has filled and enriched us all in the process. I look forward to what’s yet to come…

Misak Ohanian

AI has enriched the cultural life of our community enormously and may it long continue.

Best wishes for the New Year and Merry Armenian Christmas.

Maral Ovanessof

Happy 20th Birthday AI! 20 years of enriching, heart-warming and delicious events in the company of a family of fascinating individuals, committed to sharing and bringing to life the essence of Armenian-ness, in all its variety. Shad darineru! Շատ տարիներու

Tanya Shamlian

When I was first asked to join the brainstorming sessions at Gulbenkian Hall all those years ago, (agenda: to discuss the type of organisation that could be set up, its objectives, its target users and its name), I knew that with Susan Pattie at the helm, this was always going to be an epic endeavour. Sure enough, I have proudly watched the Armenian Institute over the years, grow from strength to strength, full of continued admiration for the amazing programme of events it has consistently staged and the ever increasing projects it has taken on. 

I can’t believe 20 years have flown by and the AI has now grown to become a solid part of the Armenian establishment in London. Nothing even close to this had ever been attempted in London before on such a professional level. This is due of course to the immeasurable commitment of Susan and the other long-standing friends and volunteers of the Institute. AI is a truly 21st century endeavour in every way and that is what makes it truly stand out.

Huge congratulations to the whole team. I know for sure that AI will continue for another 20 years and beyond!

Creative Writing

Arts Council England generously funded a series of arts "Studios" for the Armenian Institute during the (first) Covid period. Through the magic of Zoom, we were able to gather students from Istanbul, France, the US as well as around the UK with workshops on animation, storytelling, dance, music and creative writing.  Director and actor, Jelena Budimir was our wonderfully supportive writing tutor, giving us a series of exercises to carry out, aimed at improving our skills and prompting ideas to explore.  This short selection shows the range of responses to the challenges set by Jelena.  Each person tried every exercise and all enjoyed listening to the work done within the group.  Inspired by Jelena, we hope to continue with a creative writing group in the near future. 

  • Intro - Jelena

  • Nouritza 00.53 - 11.22

  • Jelena    11.23.-11.45

  • Stephen 11.46 =12.59

  • Jelena    13.00 - 13.16

  • Sara     13.17 - 21.40

  • Jelena    21.41 - 21.55

  • Tatevik   21.56 - 23.27

  • Jelena    23.28 - 23.33

  • Susan     23.34 - 25.18

  • Jelena     25.19 - 25.31 

  • Karen     25.31 - 34.59

  • Jelena     35 - 35.02

Susan Pattie’s storyboards

Steven Master’s storyboards

In Loving Memory of Diran Chakelian

Ever since I can remember, my father Diran Chakelian was always an active and respected figure of the London Armenian community. From the video footage I’ve seen of him as a young man with an impressively bushy moustache marrying my mother at the St. Sarkis church in Kensington to getting stuck into juicy lamb kofte (or “Armenian hamburger” as he nicknamed it to entice us half-British children!) at summer barbecues in dusty west London school playgrounds, he taught me the importance of nurturing my roots.

He also mixed his enduring support for the Armenian Institute as a trustee – including donating books from our shelves at home (which resembled a veritable Armenian archive in themselves) to its library – with teaching multiple year groups of young western Armenians at the K Tahta Sunday School (even shocking some of the elders by allowing my class to play our own rap-metal song about the Armenian Genocide at our graduation hantess).

Juggling so many roles made him well-known for his dedication to keeping our corner of the diaspora creative, fun and thriving. He had also been a patron of the Armenian International Magazine, a director at the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice, and trustee of the B Kassardjian Sis Trust.

Yet perhaps what best demonstrated his commitment to keeping Armenian heritage and tradition alive was his rather ambitious business venture of 2001: boxes of wooden building blocks for children to build into models of famous Armenian churches. He partnered with a professor of architecture to create the designs, and the blocks were manufactured in Armenia. Armenian Institute regulars may remember him proudly manning a stand at the vernissage, surrounded by stacks of build-your-own Echmiadzins, Shushis, Karmravors and Arudches, with a few he’d built earlier displayed on a red table cloth.

I used to joke that he should have pitched the product on the Apprentice or Dragons’ Den – but while they may never have been a commercial hit, you will still find these lovingly-designed blocks in the toy cupboards of many Armenian children’s centres and nurseries in Britain and abroad. Since he died in 2018, I have started my own tradition of building these churches to display under my Christmas tree: the perfect tribute to a man who brought such imagination and energy to the Armenian Institute and wider London Armenian world for so many years.

Anoosh Chakelian

In Loving Memory of Helen Culleton

The Armenian Institute was a key part of my and my mother, Helen Culleton’s, life. We were at the launch party, we attended the majority of events across the years and enjoyed helping out at the events too, with my mother also being on the committee.

The Armenian Institute provided us with a cultural and social context, and existence which was inclusive and non-judgmental to us as partly Armenian, who did not speak the language. It allowed us to explore our Armenian identity and we appreciated the range of events – lectures, book launches, exhibitions, concerts, films…and of course the Christmas fair/ Vernissage.

We also made good friends along the way, and our attendance at Armenian Institute events widened our knowledge of, and appreciation for, different Armenian related subjects and interests from history and literature to music, art and food… and the events exposed us to inspiring and impressive academics, artists, musicians, journalists/ writers, which was really not on offer anywhere else!

Helen Culleton

My mother kept a box file of all the events we had attended over the years and was so proud to be an active participant in, and supporter of, the Armenian Institute! It really became an Armenian Institute ‘family’ for us!

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary, and here is to the next 20 years!

Louise Culleton

In Loving Memory of Ani Manoukian King-Underwood

Ani Manoukian King-Underwood (1950 – 2020) was one of the co-founders of the Armenian Institute and also served as a trustee. She brought her high energy and bright spirit to everything she did and her wide circle of family and friends all find it hard to believe that someone so full of life has been so quickly taken away.  Through her work in documentaries, she touched many more lives and we are all left with moving memories through her vivacious life and work.

Born in Beirut, Ani grew up with her younger brother, Krikor, attending Armenian primary and secondary schools.  In her own words, “My childhood was poor but a happy one. All my childhood friends and their families were equally poor. This meant that I was not too aware of our poverty.”  At 17 she emigrated to the UK where members of her mother’s family had settled earlier, following the invasion and displacement in Cyprus.  Under their care, she attended university studying Modern Languages, going on to receive an MA in translation in Paris.  The languages she accumulated along the way, through her birth in multilingual Lebanon and through education, included Armenian, Arabic, English, Russian, French, Turkish and Greek.  These paved the way for her long and lively career in journalism and film as producer/director of documentaries covering many parts of the world.

Ani has written, “I particularly like presenting difficult issues in informative and accessible ways (and) have developed a specialised interest in and understanding of the Middle East region and its issues.”  Her more than 37 documentaries reflect this with thought-provoking work on human, minority and women’s rights.  She also worked extensively as a field producer on breaking news from conflict zones around the world. Her approach was often from new or unusual angles, not falling into expected tropes, blending her own mixture of background and ideas from both the Middle East and Europe.

During her long career working as a freelancer, for the BBC, Al Jazeera, and other companies, Ani produced a number of exceptionally insightful films.  Her own very wide range of interests was reflected in the subjects covered, from whales to the place of the Fatwa within Islam.  In “An Armenian Homecoming”, Ani takes a more personal approach, arranging for her mother and aunt to fulfil their long-held wish to visit their family home in Mersin, lost during the Genocide.  Going by childhood memories of their parents’ descriptions of this beloved home, the trio set out to explore the modern city of Mersin, following their clues.  

While her work was an essential part of her life, Ani also had other interests and talents.  For many years she taught Armenian every Sunday at the Kevork Tahta School in London. In addition to her work with the Armenian Institute, she was also active in other organisations in London’s Armenian community, lending her support in many ways.  

Ani was honest about herself and her relationships and we use her words here to describe what was most important to her.  “My three marriages were all important in my life. Each gave to me as much as I gave to it. From my first marriage I had a son, Gregory. The second marriage in the USA lasted only two years. My third marriage to Brian (d. 2019) was the most wholesome of all three. The respect and love we had for each other was immeasurable and gave rise to a contentment that one wishes to have at the end of life.”

None of us know when the end of life will come for us but Ani packed an extraordinary amount into hers and touched so many very different people around the world. Her expression of contentment in her last years was not only sincere but one that reflected her acknowledgement that each stage of life brings a different kind of adventure to explore.  She remained greatly interested in everything and everyone. Even as she found it more difficult to express herself, her engagement with the world and those around her remained intense.  She is sorely missed and also definitely remains with us.

Written by Susan Pattie with thanks to many others for contributions

Ani at AI events including Zabel Yessyan event (2016), language workshop with Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and Sona Kalenderian, and after an event with Nouritza Matossian.

A short selection of documentaries which Ani produced, directed or assisted with that are available to watch.

Egypt’s Invisible Children 22’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtu-FrufqI

Over hundred thousand children in Egypt are not registered because their fathers do not acknowledge them mainly because they are girls and under Egyptian law only the father can apply for a child’s birth certificate.

An Armenian Homecoming 22’ 

Part 1  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwsr_WG_EpE

Part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYxVyT3EB1s

Sirarpi and Arpine (87 and 84 years old) Armenian ladies from North London go to Turkey looking for their mother’s house which the family were forced to abandon in the early part of 20th century. During their visit they will look into the changes that have taken place during the last decade in Turkey towards the Armenians and their Genocide of 1915.

Al Jazeera English, 2008

Killing in the name of Honor 22’ 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6ssDzbL0mg

We find that women may be forced into suicides as a way of disguising honour killings. With an eye to improving its chances of joining the EU, Turkey is cracking down on honour killing, making life imprisonment a mandatory sentence. Is this the cause?

Ampersand, 2008

Sasna Tsrer: Children’s Workshop

A fun programme of 5x1hr sessions for kids from ages 7-11 explored episodes from the epic Sasuntsi Tavit, or Sasna Tsrer with Vergine Gulbenkian. Vergine Gulbenkian has been a performance storyteller for 30 years working in a variety of settings including theatres, village halls and international festivals. In the past 10 years she has worked extensively with children in schools and, more recently, online.

“It was a delight sharing Sasna Tsrer with this group of wonderfully creative young people. Each of them, in their own unique way, brought a new life and vigour to this epic with their vivid retellings, and we all felt this was just the beginning of the journey.”, says Vergine about the sessions.

We at AI enjoyed the sessions and seeing the excited faces of children, immersing themselves in the wonderful stories of how Great Mher found his Hreghen - his wonderful, fiery, magical horse, how wise Armaghan was freed from the White Dev or how Lisping Tavit was tongue-tied when he met his match - the gorgeous warrior princess Khandout Khatoun.

Each session was built around an episode from the epic, with engaging activities drawing on the young people’s imagination, working with visualising, sequencing, self-expression, and listening.

LEO

DAVID

Get in touch with us if you are a parent and interested in similar events as we are working on our children’s programme for the next months.

In loving memory of Marie Stasiak

Marie Stasiak, nee Santourian, was born in Cyprus in 1926.  She died in 2021 after a long, rich life in Nottingham where she was known as the local Armenian ambassador thanks to her generous hospitality and passion for Armenian history and culture. Her daughters, Danuta and Pauline, wanted to honour their mother’s love and pride in her Armenian heritage and asked those mourning her passing to make a donation to the Armenian Institute library in lieu of flowers.  Over £600 has been given to help with digitalization, organizing and outreach.  Marie was especially interested in the Music section of the library, as a niece of composer Hampartzoum Berberian.  Marie loved classical, traditional and sacred Armenian music and would frequently ring friends and relatives to alert them to an upcoming concert, radio or television programme where Armenian music and/or an Armenian performer could be heard.  The Chilingirian Quartet was a favourite group and she followed Levon’s career as if he was her own son.

Marie loved learning but was forced to stop her formal schooling when her father died.  As the oldest child, her help was needed to support the family and she found a job at the Cable and Wireless company in Nicosia. Later, a friend persuaded her to take over a correspondence with a man who had been in the Polish RAF.  Thinking it would improve her English, Marie began writing to Jozef Stasiak and eventually the penpals decided to marry.  She joined him in Nottingham where they made their home and amazingly productive garden on Crosby Road from 1956 to 2021, something of a record these days.  As daughter Pauline has written, “At first it was hard being away from her family and friends but our mother soon met other Armenians through the mystery of the Armenian network which will put you in touch with another Armenian wherever they are. She also made new, life long friends through Friary Church, and Friary’s Dorcas group of ladies who met weekly to talk, drink tea and sew.”  Marie was indeed a seamstress extraordinaire and both she and Joe loved entertaining and all the preparations that went along with that for both Armenian and Polish foods.  

Danuta adds that “Marie loved meeting new people. If you had never heard of Armenia or the Armenians before, you certainly would by the time you left.  She told us many, many stories. Some of these stories were sad and traumatic, about the Armenian genocide and how it had impacted her, her parents and her grandparents.  And some were like fairy tales with stories of orange groves that her grandfather had managed in Dörtyol in Turkey with gold bars or coins on shelves to pay the workers. And how her father had been put in prison in Cyprus because he looked like a German spy with his red hair. When the real spy was found he was released but with no apology.”

As one of the last of her generation, Marie takes an era with her and many memories. The Armenian Institute is grateful to Danuta and Pauline and their families for sharing her legacy with us.

AI 2021 Questionnaire Results

First, a huge thank you to everyone who filled out our online questionnaire. We are touched by the many people who have been generous with their appreciation of our work. And we are equally grateful for the many thoughtful and helpful suggestions.

116 people filled in the survey with an almost equal distribution of time associated with AI though a slightly greater percentage were more recent visitors. Our respondents were mostly from across the UK but also around the world. Their heritage was truly diasporan with people’s families coming from across historic Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and the Middle East.

 

The “communal, neighbourly feel” of AI’s events was mentioned by many who were happy to have some company during the Covid lockdowns. Others added they are looking forward to sharing a drink together after an event (yes, we are too!). Positive comments were plentiful on the subject of forging community through the many activities while others remarked that the events themselves had grown more diverse and relevant. Many comments were similar to this respondent:

“The events are very contemporary and relevant, and I believe they reflect modern Armenian identity and they’re welcoming for non-Armenians.”

Screenshot 2021-05-25 at 10.15.30.png

Question 5 asked people to tell us what keeps them coming or prevents them from attending events. We are aware that the proportion of people filling in a questionnaire online, as opposed to in person on paper, does lead to more answers from people comfortable with electronic communication but we received many said that Zoom and Youtube provide very well for their needs.

Screenshot 2021-05-25 at 10.49.00.png

  • A small number said they do not like events online and are waiting for live events. For example, I am not very keen on Zoom events after a day looking at the screen for work.

  • Others replied that they rely on events online as they do not live near London, are unable to travel, or who just prefer the shorter amount of time involved.

  • Taking all views into account, we intend to provide blended events (online and physical) where possible as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

 

Among the 74 responses to Q. 9, many are reflected in this response:

  • “I like the variety you offer ... The events are very enriching and fill a gap that other Armenian organisations have not filled. It is quite heart-warming to get to know young artists, writers, activists and social and political thinkers. You have been able to combine Armenianness with an openness to the outside world. AI is where I feel comfortable and enthusiastic”

More specific comments mentioned enjoying the book club while some requested more events on architecture, cooking, photography, and the various cities and town of historic and contemporary Armenia, family events, dancing and food.

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The library and our NLHF theme of Literary Heritage received much interest:

  • “Literary heritage is expansive and is done well through Book on Display and Book Club and Book launches - I’ve enjoyed all so far and really love the communal aspect of Book Club.”

  • Many people mentioned a wish to talk with our librarian about the collection and get advice. The importance of digitisation came up many times and indeed this is a project already underway (see link requesting donations) as our goal is to make the library available as widely as possible.

  • The building of a music section of the library was mentioned several times as was the request to have an oral history section created. Both these ideas have been discussed in the past and we are eager to do this (we already have experience of collecting oral histories) .

  • “Online access from home Modern authors (21st century) Digital copies of Armenian newspapers and magazines from around the world. Interviews with modern-time musicians, writers and actors. Interviews and recordings with grandparents and elderly people from various diasporas”

Suggestions for specific books, resources or subjects to be included in the library included a wide range on nearly all subjects possible. Requests included:

  • include reading a book and translating it together (“slowly”),

  • have easy-reading books for people to practice reading Armenian,

  • workshops about books

  • the availability of the librarian and a catalogue for finding books.

  • contemporary issues and authors.

An example of the diverse interests of our respondents is shown in this request from one person:

“Art history, Armenian capital cities, Republic of Armenia, its regions Soviet Armenia (diasporas relations, views, repatriation of the 1940s, emigration of the 1990s, presenting to the diaspora the genius of Soviet Armenia, such as Charents, Acharian, Paradjanov) Social history (e.g. women in Ottoman Western Armenia, childhood in current Armenia, slaves in Kingdoms) Armenia and Armenians in travelogues and memoirs, Other countries and cultures through travel accounts of Armenians, Diasporic institutions (e.g. Armenia language publishers in America, schools in Venice, etc.)”

 

Respondents’ broad range of interests are reflected throughout the questionnaire. Subjects people would like to see in future podcasts and issues of Zanazan were very closely distributed between 9 possible answers. News about the Diaspora, Armenia and Artsakh, articles about history, art, music, literature, life stories, food, all received very similar response levels.

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We asked those who participate in our language classes what kept them coming – or how to improve and received high praise for the teachers.

  • “The quality and community aspect of the language courses keep me returning and always excited to participate. Its amazing that there are so many AI-run classes away teaching people all over the world 3 Armenian variants!”

  • “I have thoroughly enjoyed learning the basics of West Armenian with Sarin and feel like the lessons are helping me honor my roots.”

  • “The teacher (Gagik) and his materials are phenomenal.”

Screenshot 2021-05-25 at 10.49.00.png

Many voiced appreciation of the zoom classes as it enables participation when time is short or distance long but some would like to have physical class space again. We also received suggestions about introducing new formats of language classes, which we are considering now with our language department.

 

How to improve? Q. 21 brought interesting perspectives. Again, we are grateful for the many complements but here will focus on the suggestions. Some thought that we need to publicise more, perhaps taking out ads in other Armenian organisations’ media as well as beyond Armenian circles in order to bring in non-Armenian audiences. A request repeated throughout the questionnaire was to address the need for a networking hub, especially for younger people, something which we plan to address as soon as we are able to begin meeting regularly in person.

  • “Enable more networking- whilst I feel very Armenian I’ve not been brought up in the community so whilst prior to Covid I tried to get involved it was difficult as I felt like I knew no one and the younger community can be cliquey. The ability to meet more young people (I’m 34 so not included in your young person block but I’m also not old either!) that I could interact about things that are important to me would be great”

  • “Revamp the website. Make an AI app”.

  • “Include Russian speaking Armenians Do more events for British to introduce the culture and not only ancient history and poetry, but also contemporary: business, innovation, science, medicine Do short clips and pics to drive people’s attention to your events, long descriptions don’t work”

At the risk of this blog being too long a description already, a few important topics remain. AI has always struggled to find the right events and opportunities for children and young people. This is partly down to the travelling distances within London and the busy schedules of students at any level. But we are receiving increasing requests to try again to provide for these age groups so included Questions 14 and 15, asking for suggestions. These included for children:

  • “Dance workshops/courses/performances, cookery, drama workshops, fairs and feasts connected with childrens authors birthdays, for example, or special anniversaries in our cultural calendar.”

  • “Family based events such as shows of some type”

  • chess tournaments, language classes, Armenian traditional games, learning poems and cooking.

For those over 18, networking and work-related mentorship were the most frequent requests, including opportunities to just meet:

  • “Being able to engage in shared traditional activities with neighbours, even if it’s just drinking tea together.”

  • “Identity and belonging: create a space of exchange between RA and diasporan Armenian to appreciate the differences as an enrichment and not a hinderance to an Armenian identity”

  • “Open mics are also great, perhaps one targeted at performers in this age group would help get them more engaged. Kooyrigs’ Yeraz EP features many young global Armenian artists that would definitely attract a younger crowd.”

Finally, how do we finance all of these wonderful ideas? The question asking for ideas for fundraising received serious attention and many ideas. Some we are already doing and need to publicise more: using Amazon Smile, Easyfundrasing and encouraging donations at the end of events. Should we be more vocal about this? One person told us to ask for money more often! Book sales were once a stable income and we hope this will return with the ability to sell books at physical events. A number of people suggested going back to charging for events which we will have to do when we are back in a physical space. Other ideas:

  • “Artistic practices that are developed over a few sessions rather than 1 workshop would also be interesting - music/singing lessons, digital skills, ongoing cooking class, writing workshops (poetry, academic, scripts). We could also ask our community and friends for donations of their work/time: eg art pieces, editing an article or CV, etc that we can well online.

  • “Maybe pitch it as an opportunity to sponsor a particular type of event (like your list above). I would be more likely to respond to something like that.”

When the lockdowns are really over, we look forward to hosting open days at the new office space near Farringdon and to being able to talk with many of you in person about these ideas. For now, thank you to all who participated. We will do our best to bring these ideas into practice.

By Susan Pattie

Music studios at AI

“AI Studio" was an exciting series of zoom meetings and workshops funded by the Arts Council England. The Music series are Lecture-Demonstrations on different aspects of Armenian music each led by experts in their field, including sacred, classical, contemporary, folk and popular music.

Music with Aram and Virginia Kerovpyan

A musical mode is a particular sound environment. It creates a specific auditory sensation resulting in a “state of being”, an ethos. Whereas modern Western music has only the major and minor "modes ", numerous musical modes exist in a very large region from the Balkans to India. Modes are much more than just a series of pitches but rather can be described as " a sound environment ".

In Armenian church music, these different sound environments are organized within a system called the Oktoechos, the Eight-Mode system, which is especially important as a system for organizing the cyclic liturgical calendar, on which the musical aspect largely depends. The Armenian Eight-Mode system operates especially within the sharagan songs, a large repertoire of more than 1300 songs, almost all based on a variation system of melodic patterns according to the text.

During our meeting, we will listen to some examples and try to feel the sound environment created by each mode of the Oktoechos.

Music with Arik Grigoryan

Arik Grigoryan will discuss the current revival of Armenian folk music and its contemporary interpretations. While many songs and melodies have been discovered and published by folklorists – just like archaeologists explore and discover old things, many of them are neglected. Arik Grigoryan will explain why and how they need to be rediscovered — and more importantly, recreated — in order to come back to life. His lecture will be accompanied by his own performances.

Arik is a founder of 3 bands, The Bambir, where he plays flute and is the songwriter; TmbaTa, which was created at Tumo Center for Creative Technologies for educational purposes; and Vishup, which explores folk and spiritual music.

The Odyssey of the Armenian Badarak Chants

Haig Utidjian traces the development of the melodies of the badarak from early manuscript sources using the Armenian “khaz” notation, to the nineteenth century, when melodies sung in Venice, India and Constantinople were written using a new Armenian system and Western notation. Adaptation by Bianchini, Komitas, Ekmalian and others followed. In this lecture they will be discussed, with the help of musical demonstrations, culminating in the orchestral concert suite arranged by Zareh Sahakiants – representing the distillation of almost one thousand years of creation, transmission and interpretation.

Musical Nationalism – Levon Chilingirian

Levon Chilingirian, leader of the world-renowned Chilingirian Quartet, is Professor of Violin and Chamber Music Artist in Residence at the Royal Academy of Music (London) and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London).

Beginning with Armen Tigranian’s Anoush Opera, Levon Chilingirian explores the uses of traditional folk music in European classical forms of composition. These composers were active in the creation of modern national identities across Europe, combining the instrumentation and structures of a shared European tradition with local folk song and dance. Excerpts from composers as diverse as Khachaturian, Babajanyan, Enescu, Greig, Dvorak, Vaughan Williams, Bartok and Mansurian will be played and discussed, looking at their varied approaches.

An open letter regarding the war in Nagorno-Karabakh

Here is the Open Letter regarding the current war in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was sent to the Prime Minister, party leaders, and other MPs this morning. While connecting with a number of well-informed and experienced people in the area to sign the letter, we were touched and grateful for all the support we received. We would like to warmly thank everyone for standing up for peace.

An open letter regarding the current conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh

London, 9 October 2020

We, the undersigned, call upon the government of the United Kingdom and other countries with interests in the region of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh to push for an immediate and full truce with parties returning to negotiations and outside military involvement halted. Human rights are not served by war and without such intervention, destruction and loss of life will only increase.  The potential for much wider instability and turbulence is great.

On September 27, Azerbaijan began an unprovoked and sustained attack on the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, also called Artsakh. With direct and active military support from Turkey, this has great potential for destabilising the entire region.

This is not, as some have portrayed it, a war of Muslim against Christian.  It is an attack on human rights and lives are at stake.  Although an 89% majority in the 1926 census, Armenians there were forced to settle for an autonomous region within Azerbaijan until the fall of the Soviet Union. They are not an occupying force, but a majority, indigenous ethnic population who sought independence in 1991 because of decades of discrimination against them under Azerbaijan’s rule. The right to self-determination is enshrined in the 1975 Helsinki Act and we ask that this be upheld.  It is of greatest concern that now President Aliyev demands that all Armenians leave Nagorno Karabakh before negotiations can begin.

Today’s war is not restricted to the disputed area but now includes Armenia where Turkish planes have invaded its airspace and Azeri shelling hits civilians, homes and schools in Nagorno-Karabakh and within the borders of Armenia.  Threats have been voiced about destroying sites that would mean environmental disaster for the region. The war is now spreading to areas of Azerbaijan with a proportionate Armenian response in retaliation.  Reports confirm that mercenaries brought from Syria through Turkey are fighting for the Azeris, in breach of a UN convention banning this practice. Azerbaijan is a party to the convention.

It is clear that there would have been no advantage to Armenia beginning such a war. The Armenian government has asked for a return to the negotiation table with the Minsk Group, a call rejected by Azerbaijan and Turkey.  Meanwhile, a humanitarian crisis is quickly deepening across the region with tragic loss of life on both sides. Dangerous rhetoric by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues as he threatens to invade Armenia and “continue until the end”.  The history of the past century demonstrates the real threat of ethnic cleansing of Armenians by Turkish forces.  The Genocide of 1915 is still denied by Turkey and yet President Erdoğan threatens to continue ridding the land of Armenians.

In Turkey itself, the Armenian minority are facing growing intimidation and hate speech since the war began. They are not part of the Caucasus conflict themselves and have called for peace but still are targeted. Clear and immediate action is needed to stop the fighting and prevent further ethnic cleansing.  We call upon the United Kingdom, along with the United Nations, the OSCE Minsk Group and indeed the international community to act now.

This letter was initiated by the Armenian Institute.

The signatories are expressing their own views and not those of their associated institutions.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool

  • Lord Berkeley of Knighton CBE

  • Baroness Cox,  Independent Member of the House of Lords 

  • Lord Darzi of Denham

  • The Reverend the Lord Griffiths of Burry Port

  • Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, on behalf of the Diocese of The Armenian Church of the United Kingdom & Ireland

  • Geoffrey Robertson, QC

  • Marc Willers, QC

  • Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Royal Academy of Music

  • Anna Arutshyan, Director of 'Women's Solidarity Fund', Oxford, LLM In International Human Rights Law, Oxford Brookes University.

  • Armand Abramian, Chair of the Armenian Community Council of the United Kingdom

  • Arsine Aghazaryan

  • R. Paul Alcock (LL. B, solicitor)

  • Dr. Daniel Altshuler, Associate Professor of Semantics, University of Oxford

  • Richard Mourad Anooshian, Retired Banker, Armenian Institute, Trustee

  • Marianna Asatryan, Head of Admissions Operations, University of Oxford

  • Tatevik Ayvazyan, Armenian Institute, Director  

  • Karina Avakyan

  • Dr Karen Babayan, Artist and Curator

  • Tamar Babekian

  • Sharice Babakhani

  • Greg Krikor Basmadjian RIBA, Director, KVB Architects Ltd

  • Professor Haro Bedelian CBE FREng, Honorary Fellow , St Catharines College, University of Cambridge

  • Anoushka Berberian, Armenian Institute, Digital Strategist

  • Aren Berberian, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Garo Berberian, Filmmaker

  • Cllr Julian Bell, Labour Leader of Ealing Council 

  • Vicki Bertram, Poet

  • Dr Seda Boghossian-Tighe, Principle General Practitioner, South Central Ambulance NHS Trust and Surrey Heartlands CCG, NHS England. 

  • Sara Calian Kaprielian

  • Alexander Chaushian, Musician

  • Anahit Chaushian, Musician

  • Gregoir Chikaher, Consulting Engineer

  • Christina Chikaher, Pharmacist

  • Levon Chilingirian, OBE, Musician

  • Ruby Chorbajian, LL.M., Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Dr Vazken Khatchig Davidian, Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Oxford

  • Tatiana Der Avedissian, Armenian Institute, Trustee

  • Stella Der Hakopian 

  • Barouyr Der Haroutounian

  • Sebooh  Der Hakopian

  • Anayis N. Der Hakopian  

  • Sonia Duggan, Mental and Emotional Fitness Coach

  • Hratch Djerrahian / Human Rights Supporter

  • Arda Eghiayan, Armenian Institute, Trustee

  • Bedo Eghiayan, CEO Wigmore Medical

  • Gareth Evans, Event and Film Producer; Adjunct Moving Image Curator: Whitechapel Gallery

  • Jacqueline Faridani

  • J. S. Gallagher, Past Mayor, London Borough of Ealing, 2011/2

  • Rouben Galichian, Armenian Institute, Advisory Committee

  • Kate Griffiths, documentary producer

  • Dr Cengiz Gunes, Associate Lecturer, The Open University

  • Asadour Guzelian, Guzelian picture agency

  • Charles Hazlewood, Conductor

  • Annie Hogg

  • Prof. Kevork Hopayian   

  • Sylvie Howse

  • Jack H Atamian, Chartered Engineer

  • Karen Howse

  • Ms. Naneh V Hovhannisyan (MA, author)

  • Ara Iskanderian, solicitor, BA, MA, LLB, former councillor London Borough of Ealing

  • Dr Armine Ishkanian, Associate Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics 

  • Steven Isserlis, CBE, Musician

  • Robert S H Istepanian, Visiting Professor, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College, London 

  • Diane John, Company Director

  • Dr. Becky Jinks, Chair, Armenian Institute Trustees, Lecturer in Modern History, Royal Holloway, University of London

  • Professor Sian Jones, Professor of Heritage, University of Stirling

  • Dr Sossie Kasbarian, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Stirling

  • Dr Suzan Meryem Rosita Kalayci, Director of the Oxford Network of Armenian Genocide Research and College Chaplain of St Hilda’s College Oxford

  • Reverend Canon Dr Patrick Thomas, author, Chancellor and Canon Librarian, St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales

  • Arpiné Kebranian

  • Silva keondjian

  • Sona Kalenderian,  Librarian and Western Armenian Teacher.

  • Tamar Kalenderian, Events Coordinator.

  • Kevork Kapikyan, Entertainer-Musician, Howlin' Entertainment Ltd  

  • Dr Raffi Kaprielian MD FRCP, Consultant Cardiologist Chelsea and Westminster NHSFT

  • Belinda Keheyan, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Audrey Kalajian

  • Maral Keoshgerian

  • Sophie Keoshgerian

  • Hratche Koundarjian

  • Ani King-Underwood, retired TV producer/director, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Dominic Lawson - Journalist

  • Jo Laycock, Senior Lecturer in Migration History, University of Manchester

  • John Lubbock, journalist

  • Charles Masraff

  • Cllr Tariq Mahmood, London Borough of Ealing

  • Matt Malcomson, CEO, Kumano Ventures

  • Dr. Anoosh Major, Retired Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital

  • Sharon Major Tchilingirian, Orthoptist, Moorfields Eye Hospital

  • Dr. Stella Major, Associate Professor Family Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar

  • Prof. Ruth Mandel, University College London

  • Dr. Paul Manook (Dishchekenian)

  • Mrs. Isobel Manook

  • Philip Marsden FRSL

  • Charles Masraff

  • Stephen Masters, Managing Director, Scattercode Ltd, Armenian Institute, Trustee

  • Nouritza Matossian, Author, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Neil McPherson, Playwright

  • Diran Meghreblian, formerly a broadcaster at the BBC World Service Russian department

  • Dr. Jawad Mella, Kurdish writer and politician

  • Dr Tatevik Mnatskanyan, Lecturer in Diplomacy and International Governance, Loughborough University London

  • Paula Melville, Retired teacher, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Annette Moskofian ANC-UK Chairperson

  • Cllr Margy Newens

  • Sandra Newens

  • Stan Newens, Former MP and MEP

  • Misak Ohanian, CEO of the Centre for Armenian Information & Advice

  • Kevork Oskanian, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Birmingham

  • Dr Vassilios Paipais, Lecturer, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews.

  • Tony Palmer, film maker

  • Martina Picmanova

  • Dr Susan Pattie, Academic Advisor, Armenian Institute. Honorary Senior Research Associate, UCL

  • Vaughn Pilikian, Filmmaker

  • Hovhannes Poghosyan

  • Vartoug Pourian 

  • Russell Pollard Journalist/Photographer Artsakh.Org.UK

  • Dr Natalie Naïri Quinn, Fellow and Tutor in Economics, Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford

  • Jasmine Samvelyan

  • Emil Sahakyan, Senior Immigration Law Caseworker 

  • Cllr Mik Sabiers

  • Ara Sarafian, historian and director of Gomidas Institute, London

  • Dr. Bared Safieh-Garabedian, Professor of Biochemistry, College of Medicine – QU Health

  • Dr Marina Shahinyan Shapira, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling

  • Helen Sheehan, photographer and journalist

  • Dr Miriam Snellgrove. Research Fellow - University of Stirling

  • Emma Spencer

  • Elias Spencer

  • Dr Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian, Armenian Institute, Librarian and Research Advisor

  • Mr James Sturdy 

  • Aram Shishmanian

  • Cllr. Andrew Steed, London Borough of Ealing

  • Professor Svetlana Stephenson, London Metropolitan University

  • Dr Hratch Tchilingirian, Associate of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford

  • Revd Dr Andrew Teal, Chaplain, Fellow, Lecturer in Patristic & Modern Theology, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, Warden, Community of the Sisters of the Love of God

  • Carole Tongue, former MEP

  • Hasmig Topalian, Armenian Institute Advisory Committee

  • Haig Utidjian

  • Dr Bert Vaux, King's College, Cambridge University

  • Prof Theo Maarten van Lint, Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies, University of Oxford 

  • Kristina Vardanyan PhD Candidate 

  • Dr Simona Vittorini, Department of Politics and International Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies.

  • Dr. Tamara Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Roehampton

  • Dr. Sarah Wilson, University of Stirling

  • Dr Sirvart Yeretsian 

  • Elise Youssoufian, poet

  • Sossi Yerissian

  • Dr David Zakarian, Associate Faculty Member, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford

  • Dr Ulrike Ziemer, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Winchester

  • Joanne Zorian-Lynn, Actor.

Digitising Surmelian

Our Eastern Armenian language class was coming to a close for the evening and Nelli asked, “Are there any books that you could recommend about the Armenian Genocide?”. Our teacher, Gagik answered that one of the best is Leon Surmelian’s I Ask You, Ladies and Gentlemen, a memoir of a young boy living through the times of the Armenian Genocide. It was a bestseller when it was first published in 1945, but had not been republished since 1946. However! The Armenian Institute had a plan to republish it. This plan involved a number of volunteers each being given a chapter of the book and typing it up.

“Have you considered OCR?”, I asked.

The first OCR, or Optical Character Recognition device was invented in 1870, with many subsequent devices for assisting the visually impaired, and converting text to telegraph codes. However, it’s safe to say that OCR in its more modern form has been around since the 1970s, scanning printed text and converting it to digital form. With technological advances since the 1970s, it should be pretty good by now, wouldn’t you think?

After a little test, I found myself with the 1946 British publication and a scanner, in the Armenian Institute office under the Gulbenkian Hall, next to the beautiful St Sarkis church. Some hours later, I had scans of all 224 pages.

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That looks pretty good to me, but I’m not a computer.

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It turns out that computers are not as good as I thought at reading printed text. The text on opposing pages and the angle of the text was confusing the computer. But with a little bit of work cleaning the images, I got this.

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That’s better! It captured the text nicely. But we’re still seeing a few oddities. You can see that where a word was broken across two lines, in the case of “mem-bers”, it could become two words. It even saw a space in the middle of “arrested”. These kinds of issues are common with older fonts. Modern OCR performs much better with modern computer fonts.

But I was pleased with the results. As you can see from the screenshots, my word processor was highlighting misspelled words, so it was quick to go through the book and fix those. You might have noticed that there were a number of spaces before punctuation marks such as commas and full-stops. Again, a word processor is pretty good at searching for all instances of spaces before punctuation.

That spellchecking even helped me to spot a number of misspellings in the original book.

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When reprinting a book, there is a desire to remain true to the original text. However, it’s safe to say that blatant misspellings such as those above, were not the intention of the author. This brought me into a more grey area of reprinting a book. It became obvious to me that the English language has changed quite a lot since 1946. One of the common changes that occurs in English is that where two words are often found together, they become hyphenated. And after that they often become one word. 

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When reading Shakespeare, I expect many differences in linguistic style, so some archaic spellings are expected. However, in a modern text such as this, such archaic spellings can be jarring and can distract the reader from the story being told. This leads us to consider what should be kept in “period” language, and what should be updated to enable a more readable text. Does that original spelling add anything to the text, or does it just make it feel dated or more difficult to read?

Similarly, some words are spelled differently these days:

In English-speaking countries, we would now say “Ramadan”, not “Ramazan”. Is there a benefit to using Surmelian’s spelling? It is presumably, based on the pronunciation that he was familiar with as a child. But at the same time, “Ramazan” could confuse a reader.

What do you think? Do you feel that the 1946 spellings are important? Or do you feel that they might distract, or prevent acceptance amongst new readers? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Another spelling issue worth noting is that the book that I scanned was a 1946 British printing. This had a benefit in that Surmelian had some time to make small edits to his text since the first edition. Unfortunately, as you might expect, it also meant that British English spellings were used. For example, “harbor” had been changed to “harbour”, and “color” to “colour”.

In reprinting this book, we felt that it was important to make use of American English spellings, as that was the chosen language of the author.

One of the trickier spelling mistakes to spot is where a word is a real word, but should be spelled differently. A word processor will not help spot these. The phrase “taught like tightly drawn copper wires” should have used the word “taut”, not “taught”.

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Among these, I’m particularly fond of “Benediction cassock“. I suspect that Surmelian wrote this correctly — after all, he spent time living with monks — , but that a copy editor didn’t recognise the word “Benedictine” and “corrected” it.

All these little challenges were a lot of fun to work through, and there was still proofreading to do. I generated PDFs of the book and these were shared around Armenian Institute staff and volunteers. While the team read the book and sent any errors they found, I was at last able to read it for pure enjoyment. And I have to say that I did enjoy reading it.

Now the book is available again in print and as an ebook. So please read it yourself, enjoy it, and if you find any errors, I would love to hear about them.

By Stephen Masters

All about AI

“Creating a new organisation is like self-taxation – you’re going to make a lot of work for yourself.  Why do it?”  My friend’s question, back in 2001, was well-meant and certainly mostly correct – but nearly twenty years later, the Armenian Institute is thriving and I can say that he was wrong on some important points.  I wasn’t alone – it was a lively and diverse team that created it and that has been true throughout its existence. It has been enjoyable work and the taxation has brought great dividends. 

Given the size of London and how dispersed the relatively few Armenians are who live there, we felt the need to create events that would attract people to come together. We especially wanted to reach those who felt outside the more traditional Armenian institutions and design programmes that would also be of interest to non-Armenians. Criticised by many for not just joining existing groups, this phase passed as it became clearer that we were creating a new niche, not trying to repeat what was already being done.

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For me, this idea began while doing fieldwork when often younger people would confide that “I feel Armenian until I go to one of those events.”  It was not just the topic or the speaker that made them uneasy but a feeling they perceived that “being” Armenian meant having to fit a certain template, to have certain knowledge, to speak a certain way. 

We have tried to make all feel welcome and also to ask what people thought was missing from Armenian community life, not just community activists but also those who felt like outsiders.

Our first event was meant to demonstrate how we intended to proceed.  Prof. Khachig Tölölyan gave our first lecture (from which our first book was produced!): Redefining Diasporas: Old Approaches, New Identities. The Armenian Diaspora in an International Context.  This dynamic public intellectual demonstrated that one can be academic and accessible, serious and entertaining, a pattern that we have tried to follow. 

Two simultaneous events followed in the Maria Assumpta Centre:  a display of Armenian-related books with related talks and a massive children’s dance and storytelling performance based on the tale of Anahit.  To tell the story, choreographer and dancer Nikki Hu and musician Guy Van Duser were brought from Boston to build a team and demonstrate how they tell folktales through dance and music performed by large groups of children.  Shakeh Tchilingirian Major (dancer), Vahan Kerovpyan (percussion) and Vergine Gulbenkian (storyteller) joined them in creating the piece, teaching and then performing with the children.  An afternoon of storytelling followed the next day.

Children learning to dance: the Anahid story, 2001

Children learning to dance: the Anahid story, 2001

Over the years the library has been a major source of delight for many, for others the varied performances and eclectic bringing together of different art and literary forms, and for many others, it is the East and West Armenian language classes that are especially appreciated.  Interactive workshops have encouraged people to use and improve their own talents and the numerous and varied lectures over the years expand our knowledge and understanding of Armenian history and culture in both particular and universal contexts.  Food and drink have been important as we gather over refreshments at events – but one of our most popular activities included the making and eating together of Manti, led by Rita Koundarjian and Sirarpie Manoogian.

AI language teachers Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and Sona Kalenderian with Ani King Underwood at food workshop

AI language teachers Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and Sona Kalenderian with Ani King Underwood at food workshop

Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian with language students

Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian with language students

Early events included a day of learning about maps of Armenia with Rouben Galichian, Prof. Gabriella Uluhogian, and Prof. Claude Moutafian along with a children’s workshop also on maps of the historic Armenian world and diaspora. 

Another was the international conference on Identities Without Borders including the opening lecture by Prof. Lord Bhikhu Parekh and numerous speakers representing other diaspora groups such as the Basque, Jewish, Greek and others.

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Layered Lives - Iranian Armenian Contemporary Arts.

Layered Lives - Iranian Armenian Contemporary Arts.

Catalogue cover of Treasured Objects

Catalogue cover of Treasured Objects

We were fortunate to be invited to join Abdollah Guivian and Veronica Castor to organise a major exhibition at SOAS’s Brunei Gallery.  “Layered Lives: Iranian Armenian Identity Through Contemporary Arts” included a hung exhibition at the Gallery as well as numerous lectures and activities.

This was followed four years later by the display, also at the Brunei Gallery, of Osman Köker’s amazing postcard exhibition, “My Dear Brother: Armenians in Turkey 100 Years Ago”.

Granted the use of the upper space as well as the large lower ground floor, we created a sister exhibition with objects collected from families around London who had been able to keep special heirlooms from before the Genocide.  These became Treasured Objects, described and illustrated in the book of the same name. 

A very special event in 2013 brought together some 40 artists and performers in the basement rooms of Shoreditch Town Hall.  “Salon Mashup: Displacement and Regeneration.  Armenian perspectives of loss and resettlement” was designed as an exploration of these experiences through the arts.  Director Seta White ensured that collaboration between the invited artists made this event truly one of the most exciting highlights in its diversity, scope and impact.

AI is grateful to have been supported for these events and many others by the Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, St Sarkis Trust, Benlian Charity Trust and generous individual donors.

Salon Mashup: Displacement and Regeneration. Director Seta White

Salon Mashup: Displacement and Regeneration. Director Seta White

Commemorating the centennial of the Genocide, AI organised a concert of international stars at the Wigmore Hall including Kim Kashkashian, Levon Chilingirian, Alexander Chaushian and  Sergey Khatchatryan. The popular folk-fusion group Medz Bazar has come to London twice, playing to sell-out crowds and providing a song-writing workshop.  Evenings of films, poetry, musical performances have alternated with book launches, lectures and town hall-style discussions on Armenian affairs and history.  We are fortunate that many speakers pass through London or are here on other business and willing to give a talk while visiting.

The Sayat Nova Ensemble with leader, Levon Chilingirian. Conway Hall

The Sayat Nova Ensemble with leader, Levon Chilingirian. Conway Hall

Collectif Medz Bazar concert, Bush Hall, London

Collectif Medz Bazar concert, Bush Hall, London

Taner Akçam lecture

Taner Akçam lecture

It’s true that living in London, we really could “get by” by just attending what is already available around this amazing city. However, we don’t think of it as either/or but rather view our activities as fitting into the London social scene and cityscape, adding an Armenian element that is up to that standard.  Most importantly, I am happy that the Armenian Institute has provided a lively space where Armenian culture and history can be explored and discussed in a spirit of inclusion, seeking context, connection and relevance to our everyday lives. 

By Susan Pattie, AI’s director

Our New Grant

As we were formulating our National Lottery Heritage Fund application over the summer, we wanted to anchor our proposed activities in three or four clear ‘themes’. These themes needed to reflect AI’s ethos and mission, give us clear goals to work towards… and be of interest to our audiences!


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So where better to start than our previous successful events and activities over the last 19 years? We thought of our Town Hall Meetings about Armenian women’s participation in society, and book launches of the reprints of Zabel Yessayan’s works. We thought about our immensely successful ‘Salon Mashup: Displacement + Regeneration’, and all of the lectures, workshops, and films we have hosted about refugees, displacement, and migration over the years. We thought about our annual Hrant Dink commemoration, which so often involves acknowledging the ways in which the Armenian community is intricately connected to neighbouring communities, past and present. And we thought of all our poetry readings, book launches, graphic fiction workshops, and our own publications which celebrate Armenian literary heritage.

From there, it was easy (especially as many of these themes overlap with my own research as a historian of the Armenian genocide into gender, absorption, and displacement during the genocide). Our four themes became:

  • Exploring Gender (understanding identities, histories, and heritage)

  • Migration, Displacement and Refugees (understanding Armenian and other communities’ experiences)

  • Neighbours, Historic and Present (examining shared histories, diversity, and interconnections)

  • Literary Heritage (understanding its continuing influence on identity and heritage)

Over the next two and a half years, our NLHF-funded activities will be exploring these themes across a variety of formats – Diaspora Forums, film series, workshops, open mic events, and book clubs. We want to challenge and open new conversations, as well as have fun doing so – we hope you will join us!

A more detailed version of this article is included in the latest issue of Bardez .