AGBU Armenia Newsletter, April 2012

Click here to download the PDF (2.82MB) of the April 2012 AGBU Armenia Newsletter.

Emmy Award-Winner Andrew Goldberg Speaks at University Outreach Event at Central Office

In commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, AGBU University Outreach and the NYU Armenian Student Council co-hosted a screening of the PBS documentary The Armenian Genocide at the AGBU Central Office in New York on Thursday, April 26, 2012.  The film was followed by a discussion with Emmy Award-winning producer/director Andrew Goldberg.  This production followed three other documentaries produced by Goldberg for public television about the Armenians, which were The Armenian Americans, Images of the Armenian Spirit, and The Armenians: A Story of Survival.  Goldberg provided unique insight on his research and the making of the film, which made for an intriguing and educational event.

“Ara Keghetsig” (Ara the Beautiful) Theater Production by AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School’s Elective Drama Course Students

On March 14 and 15, 2012, AGBU’s Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School’s Elective Armenian Drama class put on a production of Nayiri Zarian’s play, “Ara Keghetsig,” under the direction of Lora Kuyumjian. Nearly 1,000 people attended over the course of two days to see students from grades nine to twelve display not only their fine acting talents, but their masterful knowledge of the Armenian language, as well.

World Games Committee Hosts Volunteer Kick-Off Event in Preparation for Summer 2012

A volunteer kick-off breakfast and gathering took place on April 15, 2012, in preparation for the upcoming AGBU Summer World Games at the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena. Hosted by the AGBU World Games Committee, the morning event brought together nearly 100 people, who all showed great interest in a variety of volunteer positions for this summer. AGBU World Games Committee chairman Shahe Sueylemezian welcomed attendees and informed them about not only the various opportunities available within subcommittees, but also how each task they took on would help ensure the success of this large-scale undertaking. The main committee has already been working tirelessly since last year.

Remembering Aris Sevag (1946 – 2012)

It is with deep sorrow that we inform our worldwide membership of the passing of Aris Sevag, a dear AGBU Central Office staff member. Aris had joined the AGBU Press Office in late 2006 and acted as the assistant editor of AGBU News magazine and most recently as the editor of Ararat Magazine. We will always remember him with fondness as a warm and caring man, who was staunchly committed to the perpetuation of the Armenian language and devoted to his heritage.

Just yesterday, AGBU’s director of digital media and publications, Hrag Vartanian, was interviewed by the Armenian Radio Hour of New Jersey during a segment dedicated to the memory of Aris. Click here to listen to the interview.

To read the obituary on Aris Sevag issued by AGBU Ararat Magazine, click here.

AYA Arine Dance Ensemble of Beirut Prepares for Exciting New Show

Always ready to wow the greater Beirut community with their graceful and inspiring dance moves, the local AYA Arine Dance Ensemble posted this trailer announcing their upcoming performance, entitled “The Golden Gramophone,” which will take place on May 25 and 26, 2012, at the Emile Lahoud Hall in Dbayeh, Lebanon. The ensemble’s Artistic Director and Choreographer, Gayaneh Madzounian, and all the dancers are rehearsing tirelessly for what promises to be a showstopper performance. Contact the AYA Beirut Office for tickets: +961-4-523-043 or 44.

“Armenian Cuisine” Cookbook Sells Out on Authors’ Tour Across the U.S. and Canada

In April, co-authors Aline Kamakian and Barbara Drieskens from Lebanon wrapped up a month-long, AGBU-coordinated tour across the U.S. and Canada to promote their widely acclaimed publication “Armenian Cuisine.” Equal parts cookbook, photo essay, and oral history, the recently released hardcover is quickly finding its place on kitchen counters and coffee tables in homes around the world.

 The book’s concept was developed by Kamakian, who, as a Lebanese-Armenian chef and owner of the renowned Beirut restaurant, Mayrig, hoped to resolve her clients’ questions about why the Armenian foods listed on the menu were known by Turkish names. Her quest for answers took her to the ancestral Armenian land of Cilicia in present day southeastern Turkey. Knowing her talents lay more in cooking than writing, she forged a collaboration with Drieskens, a trained anthropologist. The two embarked on an emotional three-week journey across almost 2,000 miles. The result is a striking volume filled with 139 classic recipes and hundreds of photographs of landscapes and natural foods that have made it a 2012 New York Photo Festival contender.