Join us for an Archive Discovery Day with the Armenian Institute and the Wiener Holocaust Library as part of the Holocaust and Genocide Research Partnership.

Discover and explore a wealth of resources, titles, online access to video testimonies, references, and books in different languages, all in the heart of London, to support your studies and research projects. Focus on histories of peoples and genocide, and see how memory is preserved for future generations in these two original institutions. Open in priority to postgraduate students.

Archive Discovery Day Timings:
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Introduction to Armenian Institute Archive and Library. This will include a presentation from the AI’s Archivist Kolya Abramsky and Librarians Eddie Arnavoudian and Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian.

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Grab some lunch and head over to the Wiener Holocaust Library (24 min walk/19 min public transport).

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Introduction to the USC Shoah Foundation Archive at the Wiener Holocaust Library with Dr. Becky Jinks. This session will focus on Armenian oral history testimonies. You will also have the opportunity to view the ‘Genocidal Captivity: Re-telling the stories of Armenian and Yezidi Women’ exhibition.

Please note, that for the session at the Wiener Holocaust Library, we’d recommend bringing a laptop and headphones if you can.

Saving the Survivors: Danish relief workers and Armenian women genocide survivors in the 1920s.

Between 1921 and 1930, 1,880 Armenian survivors who had escaped genocidal captivity were taken in by Karen Jeppe’s Rescue Home, on the outskirts of Aleppo. Most stayed a few months, some just days, some years. For each survivor she took in, Karen Jeppe recorded their names, ages, place of birth, parents’ names, photography, and a short version of their story: ten of these stories of survival are featured in the Wiener Holocaust Library's current exhibition: Genocidal Captivity. We will have a discussion about Jeppe’s work, led by Dr Rebecca Jinks.

There will also be a reading of a play, Sorrow is Turned into Joy, written and performed by a group of Armenian women survivors in 1924, in Thessaloniki, for visiting Danish humanitarians. The play addresses their recent experiences of genocide and loss. The reading is directed by the distinguished theatre and opera director Seta White.

About Seta White:

Seta is a theatre and opera director, theatre maker and actor. Trained at Bretton Hall University College – B.A. (Hons) Theatre Arts - there is a strong emphasis in multidisciplinary work throughout Seta's work, and she has devised work across dance, music and drama, most often in highly collaborative environments. Seta is particularly drawn to developing work with people who otherwise do not have a voice, to find their stories & discover how they want their stories told.

We are delighted to invite you to a private, curator-led tour by Dr. Rebecca Jinks of the Wiener Holocaust Library’s latest exhibition, Genocidal Captivity: Retelling the Stories of Armenian and Yezidi Women. This exhibition explores stories of Armenian and Yezidi women held in genocidal captivity, using humanitarian records of Armenian survivors from the 1920s and recent interviews with and compelling portraits of Yezidi survivors in Iraq. The exhibition, co-curated by Dr. Rebecca Jinks and Dr. Christine Schmidt (Deputy Director and Director of Research at the Wiener Holocaust Library), is hosted jointly through the Holocaust and Genocide Research Partnership with Free Yezidi Foundation and is part of an AHRC-funded research project led by Dr. Rebecca Jinks. It is also generously supported by the Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation. The exhibition runs from 21 Feb - 31 May 2024.

Learn more about the exhibition here.

About Dr. Rebecca Jinks

Dr. Becky Jinks is a historian of comparative genocide and humanitarianism at Royal Holloway, University of London. This exhibition, which she has co-curated with Dr. Christine Schmidt (Deputy Director and Director of Research at the Wiener Holocaust Library), forms part of her AHRC-funded research project Genocidal captivity: (Re)telling the stories of Armenian and Yezidi women survivors, 1915 and 2014. The project builds on her earlier work on international humanitarian organisations’ treatment of ‘absorbed’ Armenian women in the aftermath of the genocide.

Join us for an exciting opportunity to connect with fellow creatives, reminisce about the connections and collaborations forged during our past events, and explore each other's upcoming projects.

Whether you're an actor, director, writer, designer, poet, painter, composer, musician, choreographer, producer, craftworker, or any other creative actively shaping the arts landscape, we invite you to join us for coffee and the chance to network with other Armenian creatives.

As in the past, this gathering is hosted by theatre director Ed Stambollouian and playwright Abi Zakarian, with the gracious support of the Armenian Institute.

EngageArmenia Forum 2024: Revitalize your engagement with Armenia

In Armenia, the challenges are great, the times uncertain. To increase our engagement and get everyone involved, the Engage Armenia Forum 2024 is a call to action aimed at Armenians worldwide to come together, regardless of their expertise or experience, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Armenia.

The tour is scheduled for March 6-13, 2024, and will span eight European cities: London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Alfortville, Geneva, Lyon, and Marseille.

Why engage with Armenia

The question of why one should engage with Armenia may already be on the minds of many in the Diaspora. Some have long standing connections, while others are considering this opportunity for the first time. The Engage Armenia Forum 2024 provides a platform to rethink, revitalize and put into practice your engagement with Armenia.

What the Forum offers

It features a diverse range of individuals, organizations, and programs, each offering valuable insights into how you can actively participate in Armenia's development.

Notable speakers at the Engage Armenia 2024 tour include:

● Vartan Marashlyan (Repat Armenia)

● Nelly Poliakov (H. Hovnanian Family Foundation)

● Sevan Kabakian (Birthright Armenia/Armenian Volunteer Corps)

● Nazareth Seferian (Impact Hub)

● Sisian Boghossian (RA State Tourism Committee)

● Gevorg Poghosyan (ReArmenia)

● Hrayr Barsoumian (Optimize Consulting)

● Garik Gevorgyan (Move2Armenia)

● Shoushan Keshishian (Hub Artsakh)

● Marie Lou Papazian (TUMO)

Engage Armenia 2024 has two key components: panel discussions and networking. The panel discussions provide a platform for speakers to share their personal experiences and insights. Topics will include volunteering, internships, expertise sharing, supporting projects, higher education opportunities, career options and business investments, repatriation and integration in Armenia. This interactive format allows attendees to ask questions and engage with the panelists directly.

By participating in #EngageArmenia 2024, you are taking a significant step towards reshaping your connection with Armenia.

You are invited to join us for an exclusive evening celebrating exceptional Armenian women throughout history. Tatiana Der Avedissian, the chair of trustees at the Armenian Institute and a champion of women’s rights, will take us on a journey evoking the lives of inspiring women, from mythical and historical figures such as goddess Anahit and Shajar al-Durr, sultana of Egypt, to contemporary divas hailing from Armenian roots, like iconic stars Cher and Kim Kardashian, and remarkable figures such as Agnes Joaquim, a 19th-century gardener who created the orchid hybrid that is now Singapore’s national flower, the delicate Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim.’

The event will celebrate Armenian women like never before to help mark International Women’s day and history month.

We hope you can join us and amplify the stories of these wonder women. Expect delicious food provided by Jakob's restaurant, as well as music, drinks, and plenty of surprises! Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting The Armenian Institute's mission to foster dialogue and connections with Armenia, the diaspora, and the cultures of the wider region, while collaborating with a diverse range of academics, artists, and creatives to deepen our understanding and awareness of Armenian culture. Please join us and support our efforts to make Armenian history and culture a living experience.

Thanks to the generous support from Armenian House and Jakob's.

About the Speaker:

Tatiana Der Avedissian, Chair of the trustees of the Armenian Institute, is a communications specialist who is passionate about sustainability, human rights, history, politics and philanthropy. Der Avedissian is head of business development for Economist Impact's World Ocean Initiative and sits on The Economist Group's sustainability steering committee. Outside of work, she uses her expertise to advise and support other organisations with their strategic communication and business needs. She is a trustee and co-president of Alkionides UK, co-president of the Harvard Kennedy School Women's Network, and sits on the board of the UK-Cyprus Enterprise Council. Der Avedissian has taught ethics and politics for the Escuela de Gobierno Universidad Hemisferios in Ecuador as a guest professor.

The podcast series “The Lost Voice: Aurora Mardiganian” is an investigation into what happened to the Armenian genocide survivor who became a film star, Aurora Mardiganian. The podcast recounts her story, Hollywood exploitation, her resilience, and reflects on how the movie, which broke box office records in America, is now officially a “lost film.” It also delves into the UK's position on the Armenian Genocide, by speaking with Tim Loughton, MP, who has been fighting for recognition in the country.

Join us at the Armenian Institute to discover this work and meet its creator, Maxim Saakyan, who will tell us more about the process of making the podcast and the importance of archiving. Conversation and debate about the important questions it raises will be encouraged.

The newly launched Uncovering Roots podcast is thought of as a journey into lesser-known narratives from the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region and indigenous people across the globe. Each episode is crafted to immerse listeners in a creative and personal storytelling experience. It has already received recognition, as Spotify featured it as #1 documentary and The Guardian chose it as their podcast of the week on 14 December 2023.

This event will be in-person and online.

About Maxim Saakyan

Maxim has a diverse background ranging from mathematics to story telling. His multicultural background and Armenian heritage sparked a passion in telling “must-be heard” stories from those who do no have the privilege to bring their stories to life.

Join us for an enchanting journey through the lyrical realm of award-winning Sarah Mnatzaganian's acclaimed poetry. In this intimate hour, Sarah gracefully celebrates her most recent book, Lemonade in the Armenian Quarter, taking the audience from the serene landscapes of her English upbringing to the vibrant tapestry of her Armenian heritage in Jerusalem.

Mnatzaganian's poetry is a feast for the soul —delicious, thought-provoking and unapologetically sincere. It brims with richly evocative imagery, depicting childhood, motherhood, and family dynamics, always attuned to the nuanced meanings embedded in food, clothes and community traditions. Sarah's words, woven into a narrative unlike any other, exude a captivating allure, crafting vivid portraits that rouse the senses.

About Sarah Mnatzaganian

Anglo-Armenian poet Sarah Mnatzaganian lives in Ely. Her work has been published widely in literary magazines and anthologies. Her first book, Lemonade in the Armenian Quarter, won the Saboteur Award in 2022 and has recently inspired a song cycle by the composer Noah Max. A special hand-stitched edition of cello themed love poems will be published in May 2024.

Get insight into life in Gaza in the 1940s-1970s through the work of Kegham Djeghalian.

Of Armenian descent, Kegham Djeghalian (1915-1981) moved to Palestine in the 1940s where he eventually set up a photo studio in Gaza in 1944. A prominent photographer, he documented everyday life in the city through turbulent periods of transition until the 1970s. From studio portraits and family gatherings to images of refugee camps and military personnel, his work is varied, giving insight into the social and political development of Gaza in that period.

Join us and his grandson, artist and educator Kegham Djeghalian Jr, take us through the life and legacy of one of Gaza’s most important photographers.

In partnership with The Barakat Trust and The Photographer’s Gallery.

Djeghalian has been a faculty member at Paris College of Art (PCA) since 2016 and is one of the faculty members who premiered the Master of Arts program in Fashion Film and Photography in 2016. He was the Acting Pedagogic Director of the Master of Image Design in fashion at l’Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in 2018 & 2019. Moreover, he has been leading workshops and master classes in various educational and cultural institutes internationally since 2011. Djeghalian studied Image Design in Fashion at l’Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), Visual Arts at the American University of Cairo, Visual Culture and Design at Goldsmiths College University of London, and Fashion Studies at Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion. Djeghalian’s work was internationally exhibited in group and solo shows, and his shoots and articles were published in diverse print and online magazines. Four of his photo-shoots have won international awards. He has consulted and collaborated with many fashion houses and designers the likes of Dior, Kenzo, Louboutin, Hermès, Okhtein, Dior MajaS. In 2014, his short film ‘To Schiap with Love’ was selected and shown at Diane Pernet’s ‘A Shaded View on Fashion Film 7’ at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. In 2020, he was appointed as the Creative Director of the Egyptian footwear brand Zee with a mission to revamp and restructure its identity, image and product.

On January 19, 2007, the world was shaken by tragedy when Hrant Dink, a Turkish-Armenian intellectual and the esteemed editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper, fell victim to a fatal shooting perpetrated by a misguided 17-year-old nationalist. This year, with the specter of his assailant's release from prison, the call for dialogue and reflection resonates with increased urgency.

Join us for our annual commemoration of Hrant Dink's life and ideals. Our event will feature a multidisciplinary presentation with the participation of author and actress Nouritza Matossian, Harvard University Fellow Ohannes Kılıçdağı, and the voice of Noemi Ducimetière.

About the speakers:

Nouritza Matossian

Nouritza Matossian, friend and documentarist of Hrant Dink has memorialized his life every year since his death in 2007. She recorded his innermost thoughts and feelings in conversations editing them later for the award winning video portrait, Hrant Dink, Heart of Two Nations.

Her acclaimed biographies on Iannis Xenakis, composer and Black Angel, A Life of Arshile Gorky, Armenian American artist were both made into films. She performed the story of Gorky in a one woman show internationally in three languages and 100 productions. She is a founder and former director of the Armenian Institute in London. Wife and partner of composer Rolf Gehlhaar.

Ohannes Kılıçdağı

Ohannes Kılıçdağı is a visiting fellows at the Center for the Middle Eastern Studies of Harvard University. After completing double major BA degrees from sociology and political science departments of Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey; continued to his doctoral studies at the department of history of the same university. He joined the research fellows of the Near Eastern Studies of University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2012-2013. He received his PhD in 2014 with his dissertation titled “Socio-political Reflections and Expectations of the Ottoman Armenians after the 1908 Revolution: Between hope and Despair”. From 2003 to 2017, he extensively lectured at İstanbul Bilgi University Sociology Department on social and political history of the late Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey as well as history of Ottoman-Turkish social and political thought.

Noémie Ducimetière

Noémie Ducimetière is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and performer. Formerly lead vocalist of band Gentle Mystics now spearheads projects under the alias Noum, overlapping the experimental with the traditional. Her soundtracks featured in over 40 renowned festivals: Falling Tree, NOWNESS, REAL STORIES, GREENPEACE and BFI. Noémie studied Old Roman chant with expert Marcel Pérès of the Organum Ensemble, sang in monasteries in the mountains of northern Greece, trained with Corsican composer, researcher and specialist of Medieval music Thomas Fournil, and Palestinian-British oud player Kareem Samara and Greek modal professor Evgenios Voulgaris.

UNIQUE FUNDRAISING BOOKS SALE

An exceptional opportunity to acquire old and rare publications in Armenian, English, and various other languages, spanning the period from 1890 to 2000.

Over the years, the Armenian Institute Library has acquired numerous duplicate titles through donations and the merging of local collections. This event will free up much-needed space while also generating some revenue that will support other areas of the collection.

This is the perfect opportunity to pick up a favorite title or gift for as little as £1, or choose a bundle for a further discount! Sales prices will be available in person only. This is a one-day sale, so don’t miss out!

All proceeds will contribute to expanding our collection with new, relevant titles.

Watch Aurora's Sunrise in London

The Armenian Institute is excited to partner with Bertha DocHouse to promote new screenings of Aurora’s Sunrise.

The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.

In 1919, the silent Hollywood film Auction of Souls told the story of a teenage girl’s experience through the horror of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Aurora Mardiganian played herself in the blockbuster film of her life, which brought the plight of the Armenians to the wider world. All copies of Auction of Souls were believed to be lost, until 1994 when 18 minutes of film were rediscovered, just a few months after Aurora’s death, aged 93.

Aurora’s Sunrise revives Aurora’s story through a blend of evocative animation, her own recollections and the 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic.

It vividly recalls an often-ignored 20th Century genocide, telling the tale of how one girl escaped, and then relived her life’s greatest pain to save her people.

Watch Aurora's Sunrise in London

The Armenian Institute is excited to partner with Bertha DocHouse to promote new screenings of Aurora’s Sunrise.

The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.

In 1919, the silent Hollywood film Auction of Souls told the story of a teenage girl’s experience through the horror of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Aurora Mardiganian played herself in the blockbuster film of her life, which brought the plight of the Armenians to the wider world. All copies of Auction of Souls were believed to be lost, until 1994 when 18 minutes of film were rediscovered, just a few months after Aurora’s death, aged 93.

Aurora’s Sunrise revives Aurora’s story through a blend of evocative animation, her own recollections and the 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic.

It vividly recalls an often-ignored 20th Century genocide, telling the tale of how one girl escaped, and then relived her life’s greatest pain to save her people.

Watch Aurora's Sunrise in London

The Armenian Institute is excited to partner with Bertha DocHouse to promote new screenings of Aurora’s Sunrise.

The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.

In 1919, the silent Hollywood film Auction of Souls told the story of a teenage girl’s experience through the horror of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Aurora Mardiganian played herself in the blockbuster film of her life, which brought the plight of the Armenians to the wider world. All copies of Auction of Souls were believed to be lost, until 1994 when 18 minutes of film were rediscovered, just a few months after Aurora’s death, aged 93.

Aurora’s Sunrise revives Aurora’s story through a blend of evocative animation, her own recollections and the 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic.

It vividly recalls an often-ignored 20th Century genocide, telling the tale of how one girl escaped, and then relived her life’s greatest pain to save her people.

Watch Aurora's Sunrise in London

The Armenian Institute is excited to partner with Bertha DocHouse to promote new screenings of Aurora’s Sunrise.

The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.

In 1919, the silent Hollywood film Auction of Souls told the story of a teenage girl’s experience through the horror of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Aurora Mardiganian played herself in the blockbuster film of her life, which brought the plight of the Armenians to the wider world. All copies of Auction of Souls were believed to be lost, until 1994 when 18 minutes of film were rediscovered, just a few months after Aurora’s death, aged 93.

Aurora’s Sunrise revives Aurora’s story through a blend of evocative animation, her own recollections and the 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic.

It vividly recalls an often-ignored 20th Century genocide, telling the tale of how one girl escaped, and then relived her life’s greatest pain to save her people.

Please join us for a panel discussion where we will explore the recent events in Nagorno-Karabakh after the fall of the Republic of Artsakh. Our expert panel comprises Simon Maghakyan, PhD candidate in heritage crime at Great Britain's Defense Academy (Cranfield University); Jasmine Dum-Tragut, Head of Armenian Studies Division and Center for the Studies of the Christian East, University of Salzburg; and Harutyun Vanyan, Head of the Department of Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments within the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia. Together they will examine the consequences of the mass departure of ethnic Armenians from the region, taking into account both cultural and humanitarian aspects, as well as the loss of ancestral lands brimming with heritage. In this context, as the historical custodians of these monuments are no longer present, and considering Azerbaijan's political stance that disregards the land's integrity, we are confronted with the challenge of safeguarding the tangible and intangible heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh for the generations to come. This thought-provoking panel will try to address these and other questions while exploring different scenarios we can expect to see in the future development of the region.

This event will be fully online, but it’s necessary to register.

About the Speakers

Harutyun Vanyan is a heritage professional who works at the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia as the Head of the Departement of Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments. Harutyun believes that the preservation of cultural heritage is not only the responsibility of the state, but also of every conscious citizen and community. In addition to managing the Departement of Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments, he is the Focal Point of 1972 World Heritage Convention, National Coordinator of European Heritage Days and European Archaeology Days for Armenia. He has also participated in many International Capacity Building porgrammes in the field of Cultural Heritage, including 2022 World Leadership Porgramme People.Nature.Culture in South Korea. Harutyun holds a BA in History and a Master’s Degree in Archaeology from the Yerevan State University.

Jasmine Dum-Tragut is Associate Professor of Armenian Studies and Linguistics. She directs the University of Salzburg’s Centre for the Study of the Christian East and its Armenian Studies Division, and senior scientist at the Department of Biblical Studies and Church History. She is an honorary doctor of the RA Academy of Sciences and of Yerevan State University. For many years she has been working on various interdisciplinary research projects on Armenian cultural heritage (with field work in Armenia), and since 2022 heads an international project on knowledge transfer in medieval equine (Armenian, Arabic, Georgian and European) manuscripts ‘Meeting in the body of the horse‘. She is consultant and board member of the ecumenical foundation PRO ORIENTE, heads the Austrian Committee for the Protection of Armenian Cultural Heritage in Artsakh and is member of the Blue Shield Austria, and founding member of the Blue Shield Armenia. In late 2021 she was co-opted as team-member and scientific advisor at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin’s Office for Artsakh Spiritual-Cultural Heritage Issues. Since Sept. 1, 2023 she heads the laboratory ‘Interdisciplinary Armenian Cultural heritage studies’ as adjunct professor and Principal investigator, which is based at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of RA Academy of Sciences.

Simon Maghakyan is a Denver-based investigative researcher and cultural heritage defender. He is a PhD candidate in heritage crime at Great Britain's Defense Academy (Cranfield University), a Visiting Scholar at Tufts University and an incoming Postdoctoral Fellow at the Oxford University’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Previously, he worked with advocacy organizations, including the largest Armenian-American grassroots organization and Amnesty International, and lectured in international relations at the University of Colorado Denver. He also served as a senior nonpartisan staffer at the Colorado legislature. Maghakyan's investigative exposés on Azerbaijan's state-sponsored erasure of Armenian cultural heritage have been cited at the International Court of Justice and praised as 'rock solid' by The Guardian. His writing has been featured in numerous popular media outlets, including Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, and his spoken word has appeared, among other outlets, on Democracy Now! and the BBC World Service.

Nominated for Best Documentary Feature at Raindance Film Festival

We are honoured to be collaborating with Raindance Film Festival on the London Premiere of Aurora’s Sunrise, a poignant docu-animation directed by Inna Sahakyan, which follows the historic true story of Armenian genocide survivor-turned film star, Arshaluys Mardiganian. Standing as Armenia’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards, Aurora’s Sunrise is a remarkable odyssey fragmented by and consisting of tragedy and endurance, through which hope is ultimately found.

Don’t miss this unbelievable and touching film, screening at Vue Piccadilly on 2 Nov, 6PM followed by a Q&A. Use the code RDFF23 for 15% off at checkout. Limited seats available.

The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) are currently facing a humanitarian crisis. Please consider making a donation to support their urgent needs through the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Global Relief Fund. Raindance will be donating 50% of their ticket sales to the AGBU Relief Fund.

Join Olivia Melkonian and the Armenian Institute at a musical and auditory journey in memory of the victims and survivors of the Armenian genocide. Part travelogue, part investigation of fading memories, the film both records a process of remembering, and sculpts a memorial itself.

The event will happen on Saturday 30 September at Cafe OTO.
 

The Armenian Institute in partnership with FemInno will host a business workshop in order to teach our audience how to structure a business model, using Canva Business Model and SWOT Analysis. The workshop will be presented by Angelika Ghazaryan, FemInno ambassador to the UK, and you will have the opportunity to learn about FemInno - the biggest female innovation conference in Armenia and in the region.

About FemInno:

With the experience of more than 5 years of women empowerment in the technology field on behalf of Girls in Tech Armenia, FemInno is now on a mission to position Armenia as a new innovation hub for diversity and inclusion. The proven successful record of 50+ projects and campaigns are allowing us to be this bold and go the extra mile.

2023 Conference Theme: Sustainable Future: Heading to Metaverse

In these turbulent days, it’s becoming crucial to adopt fundamental principles of a sustainable future for the sake of the globe. The tech industry is expanding daily, and we ought to track the latest technological breakthroughs to survive and be ahead of the curve. Thus, we decided to gather bright minds from all over the world and dedicate Feminno 2023 to discussing how the Metaverse could bring us closer to a sustainable future.

The 2023 Feminno Conference will take place in Yerevan on July 29-30 

About our Speaker - Angelika Ghazaryan

Angelika was born and raised in London but her heart has always been in Armenia. Previously, she studied business and management at Queen Mary, University of London. Now as a postgraduate student, Angelika studies the political economy of emerging markets at King’s College London, and she is currently working on a dissertation project researching the barriers and challenges that female tech entrepreneurs experience in Armenia and how society can support them to enhance their contribution to Armenia’s technological development. If you cannot tell already, Angelika is super passionate about all things Armenia, and she is a FemInno ambassador for the UK and will be in Yerevan this summer to join in the fun that FemInno has coming up!  

The Armenian Institute is happy to once again take part in the exciting, community-building Armenian Summer Festival.

AI has been part of the Festival since its early days in Iverna Gardens and has appreciated how, for over a decade, this wonderful event brings people together to celebrate Armenian culture, enjoy delicious food, dance, and sing together

This year the Armenian Institute booth provides a diverse range of important books in English and in Armenian, from history and art to novels, cookery, and books for children. We also have greeting cards and, for the first time --- embroidery kits.

The embroidery kits are created by Lizzy Vartanian who will be at the booth and happy to chat about the history behind these beautiful designs. She notes that her embroidery is an effort to stitch a relationship with a culture she has been separated from as a consequence of migration. Much of her work is inspired by roots in Lebanon, Armenia, and Syria, transforming twentieth-century family photographs into embroidered works of art.

The Armenian Embroidery Kits are original patterns with names in Western Armenian and English, and each kit includes fabric, needles, and thread.

You can see below some examples of what we will be selling.

The Armenian Institute is happy to present the book launch: Mobility and Armenian Belonging in Contemporary Turkey: Migratory Routes and the Meaning of the Local by Salim Ayküt Öztürk.

“Imagine traveling through landscapes haunted by a genocide that is not officially acknowledged, but leaves its traces everywhere: scattered fragments, but not destroyed. In rich ethnographic detail, Salim Ayküt Öztürk describes some of the constant journeys taken in rebuilding Armenian belonging to these places, creating a different kind of geometry in the process.” Sarah Green, University of Helsinki, Finland.

What remains and becomes Armenian in a historically informed moment of increased mobility?

Looking at case studies ranging from bus and taxi drivers travelling between Armenia and Turkey to undocumented migrants deported from Turkey and now living in Armenian cities, as well as Armenian residents of Istanbul, Dr. Salim Ayküt Öztürk provides a vivid description of contemporary non-Muslim life in Turkey through the lives of Armenian Turkish citizens and undocumented migrants from Armenia, as well as Greek, Jewish and Kurdish communities.

Taking an anthropological approach with ethnographic data collected from Turkey and Armenia over the course of almost 10 years, this book focuses on themes of migration, human movement, community-making and the conditions that facilitate mobility and place-making. Salim Ayküt Öztürk provides both a critical account of how historical and more contemporary forms of violence and structural discrimination have targeted Armenians in the country. He also focuses on the re-articulations and appropriation of a sense of belonging by these and other minority communities.

Dr. Salim Ayküt Öztürk  (PhD in Anthropology, University College London) conducted his doctoral research in Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey.  Later research continued in different postcolonial urban contexts including Jerusalem, London, and Nairobi. Öztürk holds an MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies from SOAS and a BA in Political Science from Boğaziçi University. He is a former Hrant Dink Foundation Fellow and was involved in civil society initiatives between Armenia and Turkey. Currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark, he continues teaching a variety of anthropology/sociology courses.

The Armenian Institute is excited to host the London launch of Prof Sebouh David Aslanian’s latest book: Early Modernity and Mobility: Port Cities and Printers in the Armenian Diaspora 1512 – 1800

“This beautifully written, extraordinarily original work is a major contribution, not only to Armenian history, but to the history of the book and to understanding the origins of both early modern commercial capitalism and the confessional identities that previsioned the modern nation.”—Ronald Grigor Suny, author of “They Can Live in the Desert But Nowhere Else”: A History of the Armenian Genocide.

A history of the continent-spanning Armenian print tradition in the early modern period, Early Modernity and Mobility explores the disparate yet connected histories of Armenian printing establishments in early modern Europe and Asia. From 1512, when the first Armenian printed codex appeared in Venice, to the end of the early modern period in 1800, Armenian presses operated in nineteen locations across the Armenian diaspora. Linking far-flung locations in Amsterdam, Livorno, Marseille, Saint Petersburg, and Astrakhan to New Julfa, Madras, and Calcutta, Armenian presses published a thousand editions with more than half a million printed volumes in Armenian script.

Drawing on extensive archival research, Sebouh David Aslanian explores why certain books were published at certain times, how books were sold across the diaspora, who read them, and how the printed word helped fashion a new collective identity for early modern Armenians. In examining the Armenian print tradition Aslanian tells a larger story about the making of the diaspora itself. Arguing that “confessionalism” and the hardening of boundaries between the Armenian and Roman churches was the “driving engine” of Armenian book history, Aslanian makes a revisionist contribution to the early modern origins of Armenian nationalism.

Sebouh David Aslanian is professor of History and Richard Hovannisian Chair of Modern Armenian History at the Department of History at UCLA and the inaugural director of the Armenian Studies Center at the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute. Aslanian has published numerous research essays on early modern Armenian and global history in peer-reviewed journals and is the author of the award-winning From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean: The Global Trade Networks of Armenian Merchants from New Julfa (Berkeley: UC Press, 2011) and most recently of Early Modernity and Mobility: Port Cities and Printers Across the Armenian Diaspora, 1512-1800 (Yale University Press in June of 2023).

AI’s Salon Zanazan is a welcoming space for open discussions on various topics, a series of lively evenings of sharing ideas and breaking bread together. Each evening will have a different theme with a short presentation on wide-ranging subjects from current affairs to arts and culture. We’ll finish the evening each time sharing a simple meal of soup, salad, bread, and further conversation.

Comedian, artist, and writer Vahe Berberian’s latest novel, Diary of a Dead Man, will be the focus of this first evening in the series. We will listen to readings from the book, chosen for us by Vahe, and discuss this well-received, exciting novel, his third. For those who wish to read the book ahead of the meeting, it is available here.

Note: Zanazan is Armenian for “varied” or “various”

Event outline:

6:30 -- Our evening begins with a glass of wine and nibbles

7:00 – We watch a short video of Vahe Berberian doing one of his incomparable routines. Then the participants of the event will take turns reading selections from Vahe’s latest book, Diary of a Dead Man.

7:30 - Discussion, ending with another short video.

8: 00 – We share a simple meal and continue talking.

Please register for this event so we prepare enough soup and salad share!

￡15 per person, ￡12 concessions.

Chess Afternoon led by Dr. David Zakarian and Dimitrios Levon Zakarian

This in-person event will be divided into two activities: a short lecture about chess followed by simultaneous chess games.

The Armenian Institute invites you to delve into the rich heritage and exceptional accomplishments of Armenia as a chess superpower. Discover the unique distinction of Armenia as the sole country in the world where chess is part of the school curriculum. Despite its modest size, Armenia has garnered widespread acclaim for its formidable national chess team, renowned for producing some of the world's most exceptional players. Notably, Armenia boasts two world chess champions and on three separate occasions has achieved victory in the prestigious World Chess Olympiad.

The present talk will explore the history of chess in Armenia and will be followed by a simultaneous display where you will be able to play against a FIDE chess Master, David Zakarian, and promising junior talent Dimitrios Levon Zakarian. If you wish to participate in the simultaneous event, please bring your chess board.

Entry for lecture only -- ￡5, students free

Ticket for playing chess ￡5 per person

We will have a short break for drinks and nibbles between the talk and playing chess

Dr. David Zakarian is an Associate of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford. Besides his academic career as a historian, he has been playing competitive chess for over 30 years. He is a FIDE Master representing the Armenian chess federation, with 2408 being the highest international rating achieved. For several years he has been the top board for Oxford's chess team in the UK's Four Nations Chess League, as well as the Varsity captain of the Oxford University chess team in 2014.

Dimitrios Levon Zakarian is a young chess player who is currently a student at the Magdalen College School, Oxford. He has been representing England in the international arena since 2017. He has numerous achievements in multiple junior chess events, such as winning the prestigious UK Chess Challenge Terafinal three times (2017, 2020, 2022), English U14 Chess Championship (2022), and English U12 Online Blitz Championship (2020).

In-person event

After the huge success of the first UK Armenian Creatives meet-up, we’re delighted to announce the date for the next one.

Please join us for an opportunity to meet new creatives, catch up on the connections and collaborations made after our last event and get to know about each other’s upcoming work.

If you’re an actor, director, writer, designer, poet, painter, composer, musician, choreographer, producer, craftworker, or any kind of creative actively making and working then please join us for coffee and the opportunity to meet other Armenian creatives.

As before, this meeting is hosted by theatre director Ed Stambollouian and playwright Abi Zakarian with the support of the Armenian Institute.

In order to ensure we can continue holding and growing these events we’d like to ask for Pay What You Can donations from anyone attending and entirely at your own discretion.

Join us for an evening of shared family and community narratives. We will be highlighting the important ways in which a household item, favourite song, poem or story can transmit memories of family’s journey from the destruction of the Genocide to new life.  We begin with by listening to a few invited speakers and then open the floor to those of you who volunteer to share your object and its story.  These might include a short story from your personal memory bank, perhaps accompanied by the object that plays a role within it. It may be a song your grandmother sang or a poem that you found especially inspiring. Come to listen to others, come to share your own treasured object and story. 

Contact Susan Pattie if you wish to discuss an object or story you might present.

Entry is £5 to include drinks and refreshments.

Join us online for a conversation with filmmaker Gary Gananian, historian Dr. Heitor Loureiro, and co-producer Armen Karaoghlanian to discuss living history as it applies to Armenian resilience, tracing the threads of time through their newly released documentary The Peace Of All. This event will be held in collaboration with the Armenian Film Society. 

The Peace Of All is a feature documentary about the history of Nagorno Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, its people and their fight for survival in their historical lands. Covering the Armenian Genocide, the end of the Ottoman Empire, the fall of the Soviet Union up to the 2020 conflict that changed the region's geography, the film captures the different layers of this conflictual story. Amidst the geopolitics associated with Artsakh, certain themes stand out, such as - human rights of originary peoples, the effects of war, crimes against humanity and the impunity of the perpetrators.

Gary Gananian is an independent filmmaker. Working in film production companies since 2010 he has been involved in producing many short films, feature films, music videos and documentaries. The Peace Of All is his latest work. Gananian studied Social Communication at Santa Monica College in California and completed his studies at ESPM in São Paulo, Brazil.

Heitor Loureiro holds a PhD in History (Unesp) and completed a research internship at Matenadaran in the Republic of Armenia. He is also an Associate Researcher at the Studies and Research on the Middle East (Gepom-Brazil).

Armenian Film Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to shining a spotlight on Armenian films and filmmakers. Founded in 2015 by husband and wife Armen and Mary Karaoghlanian, Armenian Film Society has held events around the world with guests such as Atom Eogyan, Mardik Martin, Sev Ohanian, and more.

The Peace of All is their second production as an organization, following the short documentary, Back to Ashtarak. In joining the production as executive producers, Armenian Film Society provide strategic marketing support to the film.