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February 25, 2011
Young Professionals of Los Angeles Host Discussion on the Armenian Diaspora's Challenges in the 21st Century
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The speakers and AGBU YP Los Angeles organizers at the February 17 event. (From left to right) Areg Bagdasarian, Tanniel Simonian, Sevana Melikian, Rita Grigorian, Yeghig Keshishian, Dr. Razmik Panossian, Dr. Joseph Kéchichian, Theodore Khachaturian, Aleen Khanjian, and Taline Soghomoniantz.
By Aleen L. Khanjian
On February 17, 2011, more than 100 attendees joined the AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles (YPLA) for a panel discussion entitled "The Armenian Diaspora at a Crossroads – 21st Century Challenges." Panelists included Dr. Razmik Panossian, author of "The Armenians: From Kings and Priests to Merchants and Commissars," and Dr. Joseph Kéchichian, editor of the "Journal of the Society for Armenian Students." YPLA hosted this event in cooperation with the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School.
The panelists discussed the Armenian nation-building process and its effect on diaspora-homeland relations. For Kéchichian, the diaspora has already reached the point where the homeland and diaspora have mutually exclusive agendas that can no longer be reconciled. He stated, "The diaspora needs to organize into a global political organization, with open elections, virtual or mechanical, to select—not appoint—a new generation of leaders who will speak for their constituents and interface with their counterparts in Yerevan."
For Panossian, the diaspora's role is not to be Armenia’s political proponent, nor its opposition, but instead to be its conscience. He said, "In the 21st century, multiple ways of being Armenian and multiple identities will continue. Such identities will simultaneously diversify and connect through new technologies and social media. Armenians' success as a nation depends on the ability to adapt to these changes and yet maintain a sense of national identity, of history and of connectedness to a homeland, however defined."
Moderating the discussion was 2011 AGBU YPLA Chair Yeghig Keshishian, who introduced the panelists and spearheaded the event. "As members of the Armenian diaspora, the YPLA Steering Committee takes pride in being able to host educational events centered on open dialogue," stated Keshishian. "Thursday’s conversation with Panossian and Kéchichian marked this year’s first pan-AGBU event, where generations of Armenian Americans came together to self-reflect on our unifying purpose in order to be better stewards for our posterity and the Armenian homeland. For this, we are deeply appreciative of our panelists for their incredible insight into this vast topic at hand."
The event sponsor, NASA Services, made a generous donation, allowing the AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles to move forward with this idea which was conceived in late 2010. To view video footage from the event, visit youtube.com/agbuvideo.
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