Armenian Diaspora Research Center
Call for Papers
Conference on “Armenians of the Arab Gulf states”
(Bahrein, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, The United Arab Emirates, Yemen) – December 6 & 7, 2022

The Haigazian University-based Armenian Diaspora Research Center (ADRC) will organize its seventh annual conference on the Armenian communities of the Middle East on December 5 & 6, 2022. The conference will be held both on line and in person.

I. Research papers may be presented on any of the following topics:

1. History: Armenians in the Arab Gulf states from the 1940s onwards.
2. Armenian settlement areas and conditions: Armenian settlement/residential areas in the said countries; demography and occupation, etc.; community structure and relations with the Armenian Diaspora and the fatherland
3. The Armenian Church (Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical): the role and place of the Armenian Church in the said countries’ Armenian communities; its role in inter-religious dialogue and humanitarian outreach.
4. Organizations: the role of Armenian organizations (social, philanthropic, sports, etc.) in the said countries; their evolution, inter-organizational relations and cooperation.
5. Culture: schooling and education; leaflets-publications; choirs, theatre, radio stations and TV programs; characteristics and particularities of the Armenian community.
6. Integration: contribution of the community to the local culture (theater & TV, arts, photography, sports, music etc.); economy and industry, business and the market; media and publishing; social and philanthropic organizations.
7. Local perceptions of the community: the image of Armenians in the mainstream community culture (movies, theater, literature, oral history, collective memory, etc.) as well as in media.
8. Intrastate relations: Republic of Armenia-Gulf Arab states relations in the past 30 years and their evolution.
9. Republic of Armenia citizens in the Gulf Arab states: their profile.
10. Matters of identity: The reshaping and transformations of Armenian identity in the said countries; the engagement of the new generation in community affairs; Armenian students in non-Armenian schools; mixed marriages; integration and dissolution in mainstream communities.

II.  Applicants are expected to email an abstract of their paper by September 30, 2022.
ADRC will confirm the participation of the applicants by October 7, 2022.

III. Upon acceptance, applicants are expected to.-

1. Present a research paper for 20 minutes in Arabic, Armenian, or English in person or via live transmission.
2. Submit the final version of their papers for publication by February 28, 2023.

IV. ADRC will provide up to three days’ accommodation for the participants of the conference.

For further details, contact: 00961 1 349230 ext. 205, or 00961 3 712058, or email to: adakessian@haigazian.edu.lb

Armenian Diaspora Research Center

International Conference on “Armenians of Jordan” 
Haigazian University
May 22-24, 2016

Organized by the Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University, and supported by the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the conference on “Armenians of Jordan” took place over the course of three days.

On Sunday, 22nd of May, the official opening ceremony took place in the presence of Armenian intellectuals, historians, and academicians. The ceremony started with the opening words of Dr. Antranig Dakessian, Director of the ADRC, followed by a letter from Dr. Razmig Panossian, head of the Armenian Communities Department of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Due to reasons beyond her control, the guest speaker, Dr. Hind Abu Shaar, head of the Humanities Department of Jordan University could not read her speech in person. Haigazian University Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Arda Ekmekji, read the speech titled “Modern History of Jordan during the Ottoman and National Era (1850-1946).” The ceremony ended with Haigazian University’s President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian’s closing remarks.

The official opening was followed by a photo exhibition of the prominent Jordan Armenian photographer, Miro Kizirian at the Arthur Matossian Arts Center in the Mugar Building.

The conference, six sessions on two consecutive days, covered twenty-one topics presented by twenty scholars coming from countries such as the United States, France, Armenia, Lebanon and Jordan.

Panelists were Prof. Claude Mutafian on “The Armenian Fiefs in Jordan (12th -14th c.),” Dr. Himler Kaiser on “The Jordanian Lands during the Armenian Genocide; Deportees, Famine and War”, Dr. Jon Armajani on “The Jordanian Constitution and the Rights of Minorities” , Dr. Antranik Dakessian on “A Demographic Study of the Jordanian Armenians (1925-2005),” Anna Ohannessian-Charpin on “The Bedouins of Armenian Descent in South Jordan” and “(Photographer) Hagop of Aqaba”, Aline Benneyan on “The Jarash Armenians” (her paper was read in absentia by HU student Lila Bamoukian, majoring in Armenian Studies), Silva Meneksheian-Baghsarian on “The Jordan Homenetmen”, Hagop Serpekian on “The Ruseyfa Armenians”, Kevork Meserlian on “The Irbid Armenians”, Yeghig Tashjian on “The Photographer of Kings, Hagop Berberian”, Silva Sarkissian-Hayrabedian on “The Jordan Armenians: The Making of a Community” (her paper was read in absentia by HU student Nareg Hanneian, majoring in Armenian Studies), Rosette Alemian-Mahseredjian on “The Amman Watani Club”, Arsiné Jambazian on “The Armenian Relief Society of Jordan”, Madeleine Medzagopian on “The Catholic Armenian Community (Institutions, School, and Church)” as well as on “The Armenian Diaspora in Jordan between Integration in the Hostland and Connectivity with the Motherland”, Nerses Nersessian on “Outstanding Figures in the Jordan Armenian Community and the Armenian Churches of Jordan”, Hratzin Vardanyan on “The Relations of the Committee of Cultural Relations with the Diaspora Armenians and the Jordan Armenians”, Vicken Aslanian in absentia on “Jordan Armenians in Public Life” (his paper was read in absentia by ex-HU student Bedig Torossian), majoring in Armenian Studies), Dr. Lucine Taminian on “The Identity Making of a Diasporic Armenian”, Dr. Araks Pashyan on “The Jordan Armenian Community: Current Challenges”.

Presentations and sessions were moderated by Dr. Arda Ekmekji, Dr. Zaven Messerlian, Dr. Anahid Donabedian, Dr. Armen Urneshlian, Dr. Levon Avedanian, Dr. Nanor Karageozian, and Dr. Anke El Bataineh.

The proceedings of the conference will be published by the end of 2016.

International Conference on “The Armenians of Syria”
Haigazian University
May 24-27, 2015

Organized by the Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University, and supported by the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and Mr. and Mrs. David and Tina Segel, the conference on “The Armenians of Syria” took place over the course of four days.

The opening, which was attended by the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mr. Ashot Kocharian, the prelates of the Armenian Orthodox of Aleppo and Damascus, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian and Bishop Armash Nalbandian respectively, and the Head of the Armenian Evangelical Community in Syria, Rev. Haroutioun Selimian, the President of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, Rev. Megrdich Karageozian, University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, in addition to academicians, featured guest speaker, Prof. Simon Payaslian from Boston University, on the topic of “the Armenian Community of Syria and its Legacy”.

The conference also witnessed parallel events: the launching of Shoghagat Apartian-Selimian’s musical CD “The Story Goes On”, dedicated to Aleppo, a round table on “the Syrian Crisis and the Syrian Armenians”, with the participation of the prelates of the Armenian Orthodox of Aleppo and Damascus, and the Head of the Armenian Evangelical Community in Syria, a book signing ceremony of Mr. Garo Kouyoumjian four books, and an Exhibition featuring Syrian-Armenian publications, Armenian copper craftsmanship, and Vartan Derounian’s photos of the Armenian Refugee Camp of Aleppo.

The conference convened eight sessions on three consecutive days, covering thirty three topics, presented by twenty six scholars coming from the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Armenia, Syria and Lebanon.

Panelists were Prof. Jon Armajani on “Syria’s Constitutions and their Relationships to Minorities”, Dr. Nora Arissian in absentia on “Armenian MPs of the Syrian Parliament” and “The Armenians of Damascus”, Maria Kaprielian on “The Cultural Revival of the Aleppo Prelacy: 1995 – 2015”, Prof. Talin DerMinassian on “Comintern Promoters: The Trajectory of the Communist Armenians in Mandatory Syria”, Dr. Arman Yeghiazarian in absentia on “Syrian-Armenians and the Committee of Cultural Relations with the Diaspora”, Dr. Arthur Israelian on “State Relations of Armenia and Syria (1992-2008)”, Firdus Zakarianon in absentia on “The Diaspora Ministry and the Syrian Armenians”, Varty Keshishian on “Aleppo as the Seat of the Cilician Catholicosate (17th-18th C.)”, Dr. Hidemitsu Kuroki on “Armenians in 19th Century Aleppo”, Prof. Simon Payaslian on “The Armenian Prelacy of Aleppo (20th Century)”, Dr. Hayganush Mesrobian on “The Vocabulary of Catholicos Karekin Kesabtsi as an Enriching Source for the Armenian Lexicon”, Dr. Hagop Cholakian on “The Syrian Armenian Education Effort: The School Network in Pre-independent Syria”, and “The Settlement of the Survivors of the Genocide in Syria, their New Habitat and Conditions (1915-1960s)”, Sylvi Apelian on “Kesab in the Armenian Literature”, Marush Yeramian on “ Aleppo Armenian Poetry of the Last Decade”, and “Syrian-Armenian Literature: Reflecting the Crisis”, Khachig Mouradian on “Concentration Camps During the Armenian Genocide: Power, Collaboration, and Resistance”, and “Genocide and Humanitarian Resistance in Der Zor, 1915-1916”, Mihran Minassian on “The Soul-Searching Process Throughout Syria for those Lost During the Armenian Genocide”, Dr. Antranik Dakessian on “The AGBU Aleppo Refuge and Crafts Home (January 1920-1927)”, Ani Voskanianon “Ottoman Army Armenian Physicians in Post-Genocide Aleppo”, Dr. Vahe Tachjian on “Syrian Jazira and the Armenians in the 1920s: A Colonialist Episode during the French Mandate”, Dr. Shoghig Ashekian on “From Displacement to Repatriation: Collective Memory and Personal Experience. The Case of Kesab”, Sose Pilavdjian on “The Syrian-Armenian Cultural Loss”, Hagop Mikayelian on “Translations into Arabic: the Syrian Armenian Effort”, Khoren Krikorian on “Genocide Memory and the Syrian Armenians: Return to the Fatherland (Memory Anthropology)”, Dr. Tehminé Mardoyan on “The Syrian Armenians in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh: Current Issues and Likely Options of Resolutions”, Armenak Tokmadjian on “Possible Plans of Reconstructing Aleppo”, Kevork Hagopian on “The Syrian Armenian Community and the Post-Conflict Syrian State”.

Presentations and sessions were moderated by Dr. Arda Ekmekji, Dr. Zaven Messerlian, Dr. Anahid Donabedian, Dr. Armen Urneshlian, Dr. Baruyr Aghbashian, Mrs. Vera Yacoubian, Dr. Antranik Dakessian and Dr. Arshalouyse Topalian.

Other conferences organized by the Armenian Diaspora Research Center, Haigazian University

14-16 May 2014
“Armenians of Lebanon (II).”

17-19 October 2013
“Issues of Armenian Identity in the 21st Century.”
The conference was organized by both the Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian Diaspora Research Center and Yerevan State University.

15-17 May 2013
“Armenian Trans-nationalism and Modern Communications”

13-14 March 2012
“Issues of Armenian Identity in the 21st Century.” The conference was organized by both the Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian Diaspora Research Center and Yerevan State University.

5-7 September 2011
“The Republic of Armenia and Diaspora Relations: Past and Present”. (Dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Armenian independence and the 55th anniversary of the foundation of Haigazian University)

The conference was organized by the Ministry of Diaspora, the Armenian Diaspora Research Center and Yerevan State University.