AGBU Hye Geen Marks the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide with Conference

Panel presentations devoted to “The Resilient Woman: Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future”

On January 17, 2015, the Armenian Women’s Coalition of Los Angeles held the city’s first major conference to mark the centenary of the Armenian genocide. The union of thirteen women’s associations was spearheaded by AGBU Hye Geen founder and president Sona Yacoubian as an all-inclusive tribute to the role and spirit of Armenian women past, present and future. The conference was held at Woodbury University’s Fletcher Jones Auditorium, where representatives pledged to cooperate “in carrying a brighter torch for the future of the Armenian people.”

The introductory session began with welcoming remarks by Dr. H. Eric Schockman, the university’s chair of organizational leadership. He expressed his admiration for the resilient Armenian women who had remained strong in the face of adversity. He pointed to the example of Aurora Mardiganian, a genocide survivor who was portrayed in the film Ravished Armenia, in which she also had an acting role. This was followed by music by Gomidas, one of the prominent intellectuals arrested on April 24, 1915. His compositions was performed by Marina Manukian, Sarkis and Susanna Gyurgchyan and Garik Terzian of the Enlightenment String Quartet.

Sona Yacoubian delivered the keynote address, highlighting the role of Armenian women in the regeneration of the nation by not only caring for the needs of thousands of women refugees and orphans, but also by transmitting linguistic and cultural heritage to the next generation.

Following an interlude of spiritual support and prayer by delegates from the Diocese and Prelacy led by Rev. Zaven Arzoumanian, children’s author Alidz Aghbabian narrated tales by her own mother. With help from the impressive black and white photography of Vartan Derounian, Aghbabian recounted stories about the hardships of dispersal, loss and poverty, but also an indomitable spirit to overcome and survive as a nation.

The first panel discussion, entitled “Armenian Women’s Leadership and Service in the Post-Genocide Period and during Regeneration,” was moderated by Lucineh Nalbandyan, a physician and now co-host of AGBU Hye Geen’s television program. Panelists discussed topics ranging from the memories of female genocide survivors, strategies of survival to overcome genocide and the integration of women and children into the Armenian community. Inspiration was drawn from stories of women survivors who were abducted by Arab tribesmen and converted to survive; from stories of women with scarce resources adapted to the breakdown of traditional roles and managed to provide for their children and preserve their Christian identity; and from stories of the determination of other women to break the cycle of starvation and rebuild their lives.

The afternoon session included a presentation by Bared Maronian, the documentary filmmaker of “Orphans of the Genocide.” The panel discussion dedicated to “New Avenues of Diaspora Existence” was moderated by Tamar Poladian, a lawyer specializing in cases of domestic abuse. “We have risen like the mythical phoenix from the ashes of destruction to meet the new challenges of the diaspora and to seek new avenues for survival,” Poladian observed. Topics included integrating youth into family life; securing the Armenian heritage in a digital age; and fostering activism in civil society. Participants discussed how to bridge the past with the present; how to use archival materials in digital campaigns to raise awareness about the Armenian heritage; and how to maintain relevance and bolster national identity by recruiting Armenian youth.

To learn more about AGBU Hye Geen, please email agbuhyegeen@gmail.com or visit www.agbuhyegeen.org.