DETROIT, Mich.—They were best friends growing up through Sunday School, premiere AYF athletes, community activists, role models and, most of all, proud Armenians from noted family stock.

Nancy Gavoor, right, and Jill Tosoian Dolik continue to remain best friends as Detroit AYF alumnae while remaining atop the all-time Olympic scoring list with 144 points each.

The fact that Nancy Gavoor and Jill Tosoian Dolik competed together for the Detroit “K-T” Chapter was only natural. The fact they both ended their careers tied for the all-time scoring lead with 144 points each was serendipitous.

Neither planned it that way, nor expected it. Fate worked its own miracle in this case. And now, decades later, they still reign as co-champions. Only one other athlete—Ani Almasian Gigarjian—came close to unseating the queen’s throne who mustered 138 points for Providence.

Legendary as they may be, don’t dare call them legends. They’ll admonish such accolades and prefer blending into an Olympic mainstream like one of the gang. That’s their comfort zone.

And it won’t be any different this Labor Day weekend when the games return to Detroit and each plays a humble but gratifying role.

“We’re here to support our committee and community, playing an active role during the weekend,” they proclaim.

To look at Nancy and Jill today, you might be a bit disillusioned. Despite the years, they are still a couple of feisty gals who still chum together, keep the AYF flame burning in their hearts, and their ethnic heritage well groomed and prioritized.

You’ll find Jill pursuing the welfare of her children who have followed a similar athletic path, while an alumni mile wouldn’t be complete without Nancy’s presence. Much of her prowess these days is coaching and conditioning other athletes, many of them the high-scale variety.

It’s a business Jill also pursued after her AYF days. A daughter emerged as a gold medalist in tennis. A son was a tour de force lacrosse player who gained NCAA All-American status. Above all else, Jill has remained a consummate mom.

As for Nancy, her parents (Aram and Violet), along with their siblings (Richard Gavoor, Azad Merian, and the ever-venerable Sue Merian) were active AYFers reaching an iconic level. They all had a significant influence upon her life.

“I grew up in an environment dreaming of competing in the AYF Olympics and becoming a track star,” said Nancy. “Being a natural-born sprinter, I was expected to win all the schoolyard races.”

By the time Nancy reached high school, she became a dominant force as an underclassman. Growing up in St. Sarkis Church, she, Jill, and Diane Panosian were a “talented trio” who could play multiple roles with Rosemary Panosian as their coach.

She made her 1972 debut in auspicious style, winning gold medals in the 50, 100, and 220, breaking 3 records in the process. Olympic regulars knew a star had been born that day.

Nobody was more proud than her parents, Sonny and Itchie as they are called, and Uncle Herman Torigian, her AYF advisor who had delivered her oath.

As for Jill, the 1972 California Olympics was also her inaugural year, joined by her brother John as designated parent and coach.

The Friday morning golf sessions with her dad Cory still continue to bring sentimental memories. After his death, they presented a memorial trophy in his behalf to the alumni winner: a staple of each Olympics.

“We’d have a quiet breakfast together before heading off to the course for warm-ups,” Jill recalled. “His favorite partner was Uncle Nick Stepanian. They were always supporting me in the game.”

Whether it was golf or swimming, Jill continued to remain a formidable competitor while Nancy handled the sprints. Many times, they would each walk away with a high scorer’s trophy, giving their chapter the impetus it needed to succeed.

“My mom [Ann] always made sure I was fed and rested before the swimming that night,” Jill added. “Families like the Panosians and Tians were an integral part of our swim team with their coaching and leadership. Throughout those years in the pool, the Detroit Booster families were ardently cheering us on in the stands.”

With all their hotbed events and all the avid competition and adversity in these games, the irony of finishing tied has been a topic of conversion throughout AYF history. Who would have predicted it, much less expected it?

“The stars aligned,” both women agreed. “Fate played its part. As best friends, it was a perfect ending to a fine career and we were happy it played out that way.”

Jill was quick to admit that Nancy’s growing responsibilities as a Division 1 track coach made it difficult for her to compete in the AYF.

All three of Jill’s children became active in AYF and church from an early age, serving as altar boys and graduating from St. Sarkis Church Sunday School. They each played lacrosse, among other sports, serving as captains of their respective teams and enjoying state championships.

“As proud parents, we enjoyed watching all the games,” said Jill. “Both my sons played Division 1 lacrosse after high school, winning MVP honors and Academic All-American. As parents, we all share in knowing our children are our greatest joy and favorite entertainment. When Nick, our youngest, graduated last year, we went through sport-watching withdrawal.”

While Nancy never got to enjoy her own children, her “kids” were those she coached and mentored. In 2011, she created “Hyenergy Elites,” a premiere high school track and cross country strength-training group. She uses it for a vanity plate as well as an e-mail address.

“At every AYF Olympics, I was able to cheer on my niece Armene in swimming and tennis and my nephew Aram in the pool,” Nancy added. “I would always join my mom at tennis and helped the athletes any way I could with backrubs and special tension-relieving exercises. While my mother is the tennis expert, I sport my latest Nike fashions representing Detroit in style.”

As fitness specialists, Jill and Nancy remained connected to sports while making a career for themselves. Jill is now a registered nurse, minored in nutrition, and created a successful company called “Fitness Factory” with more than 200 teachers nationally.

Among her clients were the Detroit Lions and Detroit Red Wings, two professional teams in football and hockey. Jill still remains active in health and nutrition, guiding private clients toward a healthy lifestyle.

Nancy pursued her degree in physical education and earned a master’s with a concentration in coaching track and field. After coaching at a Division 1 and 3 level, winning the 1989 Outdoor JUCO Track & Field title, she moved back to Detroit to teach physical education for the West Bloomfield Public Schools. She retired this past June to start Hyenergy Fitness LLC working with elite athletes.

It’s safe to assume the two women became passionate about fitness and conditioning by virtue of their own accord as stellar AYF athletes and the people who surrounded them.

“I truly believe I made coaching my career path because of my dad’s involvement with the Detroit AYF,” Nancy confirms. “He gave me coaching responsibilities as early as 1974. I loved it and followed in his footsteps. I was so fortunate to coach cross country at both Schoolcraft College (third nationally in 2000) and Livonia Stevenson High School with my dad from 1997-2007.”

As to the important values they learned from the AYF, it almost goes without saying that character breeds success. Both share the same opinion. Nancy has taken steps toward enhancing her heritage by serving as president of her ARS chapter and joining the board of trustees in her church.

“Our closest lifelong friends are our AYF friends from the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic to Canada, and the West Coast,” they pointed out, listing one name after another like a telephone directory.

“We know all our homes are open to each other and our families can seek comfort and refuge with dear friends,” they added. “The AYF has given us the gift of love and everlasting friendship.”

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DELAFIELD, Wisc.—The Wisconsin chapter of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) raised more than $35,000 at its golf outing fundraiser on behalf of needy Armenian orphans in Syria and Armenia.

The Wisconsin chapter of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) raised more than $35,000 at its golf outing fundraiser on behalf of needy Armenian orphans in Syria and Armenia.

The fundraiser was held on June 22 at Meadowbrook Country Club, Racine. The weather was perfect for the 80-plus golfers who registered. Following the tournament, more than 125 local Armenians and friends gathered at the country club for a banquet catered by Di Carlo’s.

This was the fifth annual Wisconsin orphanage benefit event, and by far the most successful to date. Since 2010, the committee has raised more than $85,000 within Wisconsin.

The guest of honor at the banquet was George Yacoubian, Jr., of Philadelphia, the executive director of SOAR. He commended the local organizing committee for its humanitarian spirit. The program was emceed by Dr. Chuck Hajinian, co-president of the Wisconsin SOAR chapter, who gave additional insight on the needs of the orphans in Syria and Armenia.

This year’s event honored famous Wisconsin-Armenian golfers Archie Dadian, Chuck Pehlivanian, and Kay Mikaelian. A silent auction included a number of exceptional donated items, including golf and condo vacations, gift baskets, medieval Armenian coins, original artwork and handmade lace, sports memorabilia, fine jewelry, and Armenian brandy. Mike Bode also ran a vigorous live auction for a few highly desirable items.

“Given the enormous humanitarian crisis facing the Armenian community in Syria, the great majority of the funds raised this year will be allocated to aiding three orphanages in Syria where Armenian children reside,” said Hajinian. “Damages to these facilities has been extensive and basic items are in short supply. Donations received will go a long way toward alleviating those needs.”

Sadly, a few days before the golf outing, Wisconsin SOAR co-president Terry Hadjinian Peterson passed away after a long battle with cancer, and the event was dedicated in her memory. “Terry was a dedicated and energetic member of our board,” said Dr. Levon Saryan, treasurer of the Wisconsin SOAR chapter. “Her absence will be deeply felt. But we know she would have wanted the event to go forward.”

Numerous projects have been funded by the Wisconsin SOAR in recent years, including the rebuilding of a fire-damaged orphanage in Yerevan and the establishment of a functioning dental clinic. The chapter has also supported orphan summer camps by providing physical and social enrichment for children during the summer months.

When asked why he was organizing this effort, Hajinian replied, “Look into the eyes of these orphan children. These were the eyes of my grandmother who grew up in an orphanage along with a hundred thousand others from 1915. Today, we Armenians party with a purpose. Join us next year, we are looking for helpers.”

For more information, e-mail hajinian@yahoo.com. Prior to the outing, the Racine Journal Times published an extensive feature article focusing on the orphans, from 1915 and the present.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, SOAR now has dozens of chapters across the USA and in many countries around the world. SOAR provides financial and moral support for Armenian orphans and helps to address their unique needs.

The Wisconsin organizing committee consisted of Dr. Chuck and Mary Kay Hajinian, Terry Hadjinian Peterson, Dr. David and Eddi Schmitt, Harold and Kathleen Aghjian and family, Levon and Shirley Saryan, Dr. Gary, Nancy and William Seabrook, Mike and Lori Bode (who together organized the tournament and the auctions), Kathy Lestina, Jason, Anne and Sam Samuelian, AJ and Sarah Bianchi, and Vahan and Dawn Kamalian. Substantial support was also provided Ara Cherchian, Dr. Stacy and Steve Michels, and Danny and Kari D’Acquisto. The event could not have been a success without help from numerous volunteers, including William Seabrook, Sona Mikaelian, Dr. Ani Saryan, Armen Saryan, John Palmar and Victoria White. The golf event itself was organized by golf pro Jason Samuelian and his staff at Meadowbrook CC.

Contributions to SOAR-Wisconsin are still being gratefully accepted. Checks may be mailed to SOAR-Wisconsin, c/o Dr. Levon Saryan, PO Box 210313, Milwaukee, WI 53221-8006. And a big Armenian thank you to everyone who contributed large or small to the success of this year’s event! –LAS

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In 1969, I went to Turkish-occupied Western Armenia to confirm a U.S. State Department report that my Aunt Parancim, who we believed had been killed during the genocide, had died just six years earlier.

With the help of a then-friendly State Department, my assigned guide was a young Turkish law student graduate named Nur, and my driver-bodyguard was a Kurd named Mehmet. For two weeks we drove through the heartland of historic Armenia, starting in Sepastia, crossing through the Pontic Manzur mountains, then on to Erzurum, across the Mourad River to Mush, Lake Van, Bitlis, Koops, Keghi, and Kharpert. During that time, the three of us—an Armenian, a Turk, and a Kurd—developed a bond of friendship. At the end, Mehmet expressed his sadness that the Armenian lands were barren of my people. Nur remained curious as to what really happened in 1915.

When I left Ankara for my flight home, Nur and Mehmet took me to the airport and, in a parting gesture, expressed hope that our three peoples could find justice and friendship in the future. But we still wait for so-called “modern” Turkey to acknowledge the 1915 genocide. They still occupy Western Armenia, and deny self-rule for Mehmet’s Kurdish people.

On my return to Detroit, I visited Armenian communities throughout the United States and Canada to show my slides of the devastated Armenian villages and cities. For the older generation, the scenes were flashbacks to when they fled for their lives, never to see their families again.

In the years that followed, I was urged by my cousin, the late Rev. Vartan Kassabian, to publish a memoir of my journey into historic Armenia, a pilgrimage that took place just 54 years after the massacre of 1.5 million of our people. Shortly after I embarked on my assignment, Rev. Kassabian died. I dedicated the memoir to his legacy, for inspiring me to write the 162-page book. I titled it Giants of the Earth.

When the memoir came out in late 2009, requests for a showing of the original slide program came from the younger generation, for a link to the ancestral homeland of their grandparents.

Thankfully, my longtime friend Hrayr Toukhanian, the director and producer of the movie “Assignment Berlin,” a docudrama of Soghomon Tehlirian’s assassination of genocide mastermind Talaat Pasha, offered his professional help.

He developed a 32-minute abridged video of the journey by utilizing the color slides that had been stored for at least 40 years. In doing so, we completed what I thought was an impossible task.

Interested persons can view the abridged video by visiting www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiNDannZYRU.

Mitch Kehetian is a retired editor of the Macomb Daily and former board trustee at Central Michigan University.

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LINCOLN, Neb.—On the occasion of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will host a two-day conference from March 19-20, 2015, entitled “Crossing the Centennial: The Historiography of the Armenian Genocide Re-Evaluated.” Organized by Prof. Bedross Der Matossian from the Department of History at UNL, the conference is co-sponsored by the Harris Center for Judaic Studies, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont, Mass., and the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) in cooperation with the Department of History, the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Program, and the Institute of Ethnic Studies at UNL.

The conference will focus on four under-researched themes that have recently gained scholarly attention and analytical depth: humanitarianism and humanitarian intervention in the Armenian Genocide; women and children in the Armenian Genocide; comparative dimensions of the Armenian Genocide; and the impact of the Armenian Genocide. Twenty-two scholars from Armenia, Cambodia, Canada, Holland, Hungary, Israel, and the United States representing 17 different academic institutions will participate in the conference.

The complete program will be available in January 2015. For more information, contact Der Matossian by e-mailing bdermatossian2@unl.edu.

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SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—In 2015, Armenians worldwide will commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide through a series of educational and cultural programs. As one of their planned Centennial commemoration activities, the Detroit Knights of Vartan, Nareg Shavarshan Lodge will participate in the 40^th Annual Great Lakes History Conference scheduled for Oct. 10-11, 2014 at Grand Valley State University.

The conference focuses on the Holocaust and genocides throughout history. The Knights will sponsor Dr. Mary Johnson, a founding member and senior historian from Facing History and Ourselves, to present four workshops during the two-day conference incorporating the history of the Armenian Genocide.

More than 240 genocide and Holocaust scholars, as well as historians, professors, and teachers are anticipated to participate in this year’s conference.

To date, the Detroit chapter of the Knights of Vartan has hosted six workshops in the metro Detroit tri-county area—free of charge, to hundreds of educators—to promote awareness of the Armenian Genocide. The long-term goal of the Knights is to introduce the history of the genocide into the Michigan high school curricula. Similar efforts in recent years have been successful in Massachusetts and California.

The average cost to sponsor a workshop locally is $5,000. These funds are raised annually by the Knights of Vartan through the generous donations of metro Detroit benefactors. It is a small price to pay for a project that advances the just cause for the recognition of the first genocide of the 20^th century.

The Knights of Vartan, Nareg Shavarshan Lodge is committed to its mission of preserving the Armenian heritage by supporting Armenian churches, schools, and charitable institutions on a local, national, and international level.

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By Mitch Kehetian

DETROIT, Mich.—A mission to strengthen the lifeline between local Armenians of Keghetzi roots with the residents of the Nor Keghi Village in the present-day Republic of Armenia remains on course. The spirited project is fueled by heritage dedication and embraced with a wheat-based staple dish that dates back to the ancient Hittites who ruled the Anatolia region of historic Western Armenia 500 years before the birth of Christ.

This wheat-based staple smothered with butter and garlic, revered by Keghetzis as “pagharch,” will be the toast of Kef Time Keghi II, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 25, at St. John Armenian Church Cultural Hall in suburban Southfield.

Last year’s inaugural Kef Time Keghi celebration attracted more than 400 metro Detroit Armenians, who joined hands as one community to dance and dine on pagharch and tass kebab.

Richard Norsigian, chairman of the Nor Keghi Association’s Steering Committee, said funds raised through pagharch celebrations will go to a deserving cause in present-day Armenia. “Our ultimate goal is to fund a community development project in Nor Keghi Villlage that its residents decide upon as a necessary need within their community.”

Nor Keghi Village was established on Feb. 10, 1962, by the government of Soviet Armenia, at the request of Keghi compatriotic units in the Armenian Diaspora.

Norsigian said the donation for the Keghetzi “pagharch” celebration is $40. Dance music will be provided by the Keghi All-Star Armenian Band.

By reviving the spirit of Keghetzi Armenians, committee member and activist Marty Shoushanian pointed out that last year’s event brought Armenians together to celebrate a tradition that ultimately serves the entire community. “While our event serves to fund a community development project in Nor Keghi, it also serves as a uniting force as Armenians worldwide prepare for next year’s 100th observance of the April 24^th genocide. We Armenians survived. That’s why this project we’ve started in Detroit has a dedicated goal to create linkage with our fellow Hyes in present-day Armenia.”

According to historical research, the Hittites shaped the pagharch to resemble Keghi’s towering Mt. Sulbuz, which the Keghetzis called Sourp Looys (Holy Light.) For the Hittites, the wheat-based staple to make pagharch was the only whole grain still available in their dwindling storage bins during the freezing winter months that cloaked the Anatolian mountain region.

In addition to the mission to help the Nor Keghi Village, committee member Alice Nigoghosian is expanding the organization’s “family history” project. “While we’ve lost the majority of our senior Keghetzis in our community, we’re asking their children and/or grandchildren to share with us any and all family information they can recall relating to the genocide and how their parents survived to find refuge in America. Nigoghosian is a retired editor of press and publishing at Wayne State University.

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On Fri., Oct. 10, the Armenian Congregational Church of Greater Detroit will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian’s pastoral and public service at a cultural evening, beginning at 7 p.m. in the “Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian Hall” of the church, 26210 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield, Mich. The celebration is being held on the eve of the Feast of the Holy Translators of the Armenian Cultural Month in October to honor Rev. Tootikian not only for his pastoral services, but also for the publication of his 36 books.

Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian

The cultural evening will include a number of tributes from several intellectuals, and a special review by the renowned Armenian literary critic, Edmond Azadian. It will also include a special artistic program of poetic and musical renditions.

On this occasion, the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Diaspora will be conferring on Tootikian the coveted RA Ministry of Diaspora Gold Medal. This medal is granted to those “providing notable services for Armenia-diaspora partnership, making contributions to the strengthening of relations between Armenia and the diaspora…through professional activities, and making great contributions to the preservation of Armenian identity.”

Minister, lecturer, administrator, scholar, prolific writer, and community leader, Tootikian is a member of many religious, educational, and philanthropic organizations, and a recipient of numerous awards. Currently he is the minister emeritus of the Armenian Congregational Church and the executive director of the Armenian Evangelical World Council. He is a regular contributor to several papers and magazines, and the author of 36 books, 6 of which are currently used as college textbooks in North America and overseas.

The Women’s Fellowship of the church will host a lavish reception following the program. The event is free and open to the public.

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DETROIT, Mich.—The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Mid-Council of Greater Detroit held its annual ARS anniversary celebration on Sept. 20 with a tribute to the food, music, and culture of Kessab and Mousa Ler. Nearly 300 people attended the “Dohmig Or” (“Heritage Day”) at the Armenian Community Center in Dearborn.

Every year, the ARS Mid-Council—comprised of Detroit’s “Maro,” “Shakeh,” “Sybille,” “Tzolig,” and “Zabel” Chapters—commemorates the ARS’s anniversary to benefit the ARS Zavarian Armenian One Day School. Along with the 104^th anniversary of the ARS, the Mid-Council celebrated its own 71^st anniversary this year to honor its good work in greater Detroit and its continuing sponsorship of the Zavarian Armenian School.

A scene from the event

Attendees entered the hall to a warm and welcoming atmosphere, greeted by young Armenian women who wore beautifully detailed traditional Armenian dress and served Armenian brandy and chocolate. St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church Yeretzgin Tamar Kevorkian, a member of the ARS “Shakeh” Chapter, supervised a committee of volunteers who are expert in recreating the dishes of Kessab and Mousa Ler.

ARS Mid-Council representative Shakeh Basmajian welcomed guests and thanked them for supporting the ARS and the Armenian school with their attendance and generous donations. Dinner was served following an invocation by Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorian of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church.

An endless supply of tzitoun peghigh (Kessab zeytov keghkeh), hovivi salat (Armenian salad), kelour (potato kufteh), terakh (meat kufteh), banirov hatz (cheese bread), olive boureg, sarma, basterma, and chir ou chamich (dried fruit and nuts) graced the tables. A grand harissa of bulgur pilaf and ghavourma was also served after a special prayer by Rev. Fr. Kevorkian, who was assisted by Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian and Rev. Shant Barsoumian of the Armenian Congregational Church.

During the meal, a video prepared by Vazken Haroutunian showed life in prior and present-day Kessab and Anjar, home to those whose forefathers and foremothers migrated from Musa Ler. Attendees received a keepsake booklet of the evening containing congratulatory letters to the ARS, commemorative advertisements, and short renditions of the history, culture, and language of Kessab and Musa Ler.

A short program followed the meal. Sirvart Telbelian, chair of the ARS Mid-Council, delivered the ARS Mid-Council message in Armenian; Lara Nercessian, Mid-Council secretary, delivered the message in English. A separate message about the meaning of “Dohmig Or” was provided by Basmajian in Armenian, and by Nercessian in English. Two members of the first ARS Zavarian Armenian School class were also present and recognized: Simon Javizian and Violet Gavoor.

Handmade sweets in the tradition of Kessab and Musa Ler were served, including sari burma, tzitov peghigh, and ghourabieh. Fresh and dried fruits rounded out the sweet table.

The evening ended in dance and live music provided by Martin Haroutunian of Boston, Mass., who played the zourna, and Boghos Jabrayan of Cambridge, Ontanio, who played the dehol. DJ M-Kay added recorded music to keep the celebration going into the late hours of the evening.

For more information about the ARS Zavarian Armenian One-Day School or about joining one of the Detroit ARS Chapters, e-mail Sirvart Telbelian at stelbelian@comcast.net.

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BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich.—As part of the Michigan Armenian-American’s community efforts to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015, the Armenian Genocide Committee of Greater Detroit this week announced its 6^th Annual Armenian Genocide Essay competition and call for entries. The competition, which is funded by the Hagopian Family Foundation and sponsored by the Knights of Vartan, Nareg Sharshavan Chapter, recognizes and awards Michigan high school students who have written a successful essay on the Armenian Genocide, often called “the forgotten genocide.”

This is the 6^th year that this state-wide competition has been offered to students, with the hope that it will stimulate a comparative study of the many aspects surrounding the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey with other genocides in the 20^th century.

Suggested themes for the essay competition include events that precipitated the Armenian Genocide and other genocides; actions and/or responses taken by individuals and governments in response to the Armenian Genocide and other genocides; and whether the U.S. government should formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. To view the complete guidelines, visit www.annualessaycompetition.com.

The Armenian Genocide Committee of Greater Detroit is made up of members of the Detroit metro Armenian community, including educators and business leaders. Its members are Edward Bedikian, Ray Boujoulian, Corinne Khederian, Paul Kulhanjian, Richard Norsigian, David Terzibashian, and Madeline Thomasian. The committee carries on the ideals of its founder, the late Edgar Hagopian, who felt that “this project was a critical and vital key to perpetuating the history of the Armenian people in the minds of students, as well as having them learn that a comprehensive study of the Armenian Genocide will aid and educate legislators and leaders to avert future tragedies.”

Instructors may submit their student’s essay entries to the Armenian Genocide Committee at 850 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, MI 48009, on or before the deadline of April 10, 2015. All entries will be judged by a committee consisting of members of the metro Detroit Armenian community; winners will be formally announced on April 15, 2015. The awards will be presented at a 2015 Armenian Genocide Commemoration at the end of April.

The first-place award is $500; second is $250; third is $100. The teachers of those students who submitted a winning essay will also be given a $100 appreciation award.

For more information, you may contact the Armenian Genocide Committee by calling David Terzibashian at (248) 549-4946 or emailing Hagopian@aol.com.

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CHICAGO, Ill.—On Sat., Sept., 27, Save the ArQ® held an intimate extravaganza at the exquisite NAHA restaurant in downtown Chicago, owned by Carrie and Michael Nahabedian. A silent auction of Elia Kahvedjian’s photos was held during the cocktail hour, and a Michael Aram pomegranate platter was raffled off at the end of the evening.

A scene from the fundraising event

The featured pictures are part of a collection of about 3,000 photographs taken by Kahvedjian (1910-1999), who was one of the greatest photographers in Jerusalem during the interwar period. Born in Urfa, in present-day Turkey, both of Kahvedjian’s parents were massacred during the Armenian Genocide. As an orphan, he was saved by the American Near East Relief Foundation (ANERF) and brought to the Armenian orphanage in Nazareth. It was at the orphanage in Jerusalem that he developed a keen interest in photography. Over the years, Kahvedjian developed a unique artistic style, which led him to become the most renowned photographer of the British Mandate Palestine. Kahvedjian’s photos capture breathtaking moments from everyday life in Palestine.

A portion of the pictures was donated to Save the ArQ® by his son, Kevork Kahvedjian, to promote the fundraising efforts of the non-profit organization. It was a memorable and productive evening shared by all, including two of Elia Kahvedjian’s grandchildren.

Mary M. Hoogasian, the co-founder and chair of Save the ArQ, spoke first and explained what Save the ArQ has done with funds raised thus far, and the organization’s short-term and long-term projects. Prof. Bedross Der Matossian, the co-founder and co-chair of Save the ArQ® and professor of history and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, lectured on the history of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter over the last hundred years. Der Matossian discussed the current challenges facing the community and the type of measures that need to be taken in order to maintain the community. He concluded, “After Armenia itself, Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter is one of the most important Armenian centers in the world, with a rich history of 1,500 years, and a claim as one of the pre-eminent spiritual and cultural centers in the diaspora. The perpetuation of this treasure is presently in question; its preservation will depend on the survival of both the Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community of Jerusalem.”

Elia Kahvedjian

Afterwards, a very dynamic question and answer session took place regarding what needs to be done in order to revive and retain such a significant area among Armenians. “Clearly we are dealing with a sensitive part of the world,” explained Hoogasian. “We are on the verge of losing ‘Armenianness’ in Syria; surely we will lose our historical footprint in Jerusalem if we remain so passive.”

“Ultimately, the event was a reminder that being Armenian is not just about your own community or about Hayastan, it is about belonging to a supra-national cultural unit,” said one of the attendants of the event, Prof. Rachel Goshgarian from Lafayette College. “And the Armenian community of Jerusalem is a part of that. In fact, it is a very important part of that, as Armenians have been living in Jerusalem for over 1,500 years and continue to maintain an important role in the city. All Armenians should feel pride for that place, for that space, for that heritage. And as both Armenians and as Christians, we should all find a way to dedicate ourselves in one way or another to the preservation and rehabilitation of the Armenian Quarter.”

The Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem is an area that Armenians know little about or take for granted. This minuscule piece of land is rich with Armenian history; for example, the lanterns in the St. James Armenian Cathedral pre-date the 15^th century and are from pilgrims who came from villages that no longer exist. The Armenian people also have an area within the Old City of Jerusalem that no other people have; the four quarters consist of the Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Muslim Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. It is critical to put a spotlight on this area or it will continue to diminish, the organizer said.

Save the ArQ® is the only non-profit specifically dedicated to Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter. It was established to help revitalize the vastly dwindling community and to promote Armenian life and culture that has existed in this area for nearly two millennia. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.savethearq.org.

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By Rev. Shant Barsoumian

On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of his pastoral ministry and the publication of his 36th book, Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian was honored at a special event on Fri., Oct. 10, at the Armenian Congregational Church (ACC) of Greater Detroit. On the eve of the Feast of the Holy Translators, particular focus was given to Rev. Tootikian’s body of written work, with all 36 books laid out on display.

Minister, lecturer, administrator, scholar, prolific writer, and community leader, Tootikian is a member of many religious, educational, and philanthropic organizations, and a recipient of numerous awards. Currently he is the executive director of the Armenian Evangelical World Council and minister emeritus of the Armenian Congregational Church.

Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian

Many individuals from throughout the greater Detroit-Armenian community were given an opportunity to share their testimonials about how Rev. Tootikian’s works have impacted them and encouraged them throughout the years. His wisdom, insight, and skillful words through the whole spectrum of his publishing career have inspired so many in their spiritual lives as well as their cultural heritage, particularly in Armenian Christian history.

On this occasion, the Republic of Armenia’s (RA) Ministry of Diaspora awarded Tootikian with the coveted “RA Ministry of Diaspora Gold Medal.” This medal was given to him “in recognition of his notable services for Armenia-diaspora partnership, and for his contributions to the strengthening of relations between Armenia and the diaspora, as well as for his professional activities and his great contribution to the preservation of the Armenian identity.”

The event was chaired by Carole Basmadjian and Hourig Jacobs. The cultural/recognition evening began with the singing of the American and Armenian national anthems, sung by Deacon Rubik Mailian, accompanied by Susan Harrison on the piano. The invocation was offered by Rev. Shant Barsoumian, pastor of ACC.

Throughout the program, 3-minute testimonials were offered by 11 people in the following order: Carole Basmadjian, Hourig Jacobs, the co-chairs; Rodney Keteyian, moderator of ACC; Robert Kachadourian, lay leader and community activist; David Terzibashian, deacon and community activist; Williams Terian and Karnig Kazazian, family friends; Dr. Richard Marburger, former moderator of ACC and president emeritus of Lawrence Technological University; Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian, pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church; and Hermine Manoogian, representing the Hamazkayin Association.

The church was also honored with the presence of Rev. Garnik Tutikyan, a relative of Rev. Tootikian and president of the Armenian Evangelical Churches of Armenia, who presented the Gold Medal from the Republic of Armenia to Tootikian. Many letters were received from dignitaries and church and organization leaders, of which only two were read. The first was a letter by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The second letter was by Zaven Khanjian, the executive director and CEO of the Armenian Missionary Association of America.

The keynote speaker of the evening was community leader and renowned literary critic Edmond Azadian, who described Tootikian as a man of vision, a role model of integrity and a leader of inspirational charisma. The evening’s program included a number of musical selections performed by Deacon Rubik Mailian, Emma Bagdasarian, Sevahn Merian, and Susan Harrison, as well as a beautiful recitation of the Armenian poem entitled, “The Sower,” by Dr. Taline Hagopian.

The program was also highlighted by a special “Kinetzon,” or book blessing, upon Tootikian’s latest book, My Life Journey, which was led by Archpriest Rev. Fr. Diran Papazian of St. John’s Armenian Apostolic Church.

Finally, Tootikian took the podium and thanked the organizers, the participants of the program, and all the attendees for sharing this special day with him and making the event a memorable one. He thanked God for blessing his life and for providing him with many opportunities to serve the Church of Jesus Christ, the Armenian Nation, and mankind. He then led the guests in singing the “Hayr Mer” and closed the evening with a benediction.

A lavish reception followed the evening’s program, and all who were present enjoyed the delicious food prepared by the ACC Women’s Fellowship.

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DETROIT, Mich.—On Sun., Oct. 26, the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Michigan hosted David Trott, then-Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District of Michigan, at a Meet and Greet at St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dearborn.

Hovig Kouyoumdjian, Congressman-elect David Trott, Lara Nercessian, and Araxie Tossounian

Trott described his stance on economic and foreign policy issues, and his plans for the future, and was open and candid when asked if and how he would support legislation regarding the return of Armenian churches and Armenian Genocide recognition.

Given that the 11th Congressional District of Michigan houses cities most densely populated by Armenians in Michigan, including Novi, Farmington, and West Bloomfield, Trott was keenly aware that the community is looking to him to be its advocate and supporter. He expressed his willingness to help the Armenian cause, and said he would meet with community leaders again to further educate himself in order to advocate in an informed manner.

“We believe that he will support and work with our community and his constituents,” said Lara Nercessian, the co-chair of the ANC of Michigan.

Trott expressed his gratitude to the Armenian community and to the Armenian National Committee of Michigan for the opportunity to speak directly to citizens, and said he looked forward to working with the ANC.

On Nov. 4, Trott won his district’s congressional seat.

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More than 400 members and supporters of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) attended the Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh’s celebration of the ARF’s 124^th anniversary.

More than 400 members and supporters of the ARF attended the Detroit “Azadamard” Gomideh’s celebration of the ARF’s 124th anniversary.

Those who were at Burton Manor in Livonia, Mich., heard an important anniversary message from former ARF Bureau member Hayg Oshagan, witnessed ARF “Azadamard” Gomideh chair Raffi Ourlian’s heartfelt appreciation for three ARF hamagirs (supporters), danced to the music of Shiraz Yeghiazarian, and sang patriotic and revolutionary songs with Karnig Sarkissian.

All proceeds from the event were earmarked for the Syrian-Armenian Fund.

The evening opened with the singing of the American and Armenian national anthems by Araxie Tossounian, an active member of the Armenian National Committee of Michigan. The Armenian, American, Artsakh, and ARF flags were presented and posted by the Detroit Homenetmen Scouts.

Rev. Hrant Kevorkian of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church and Very Rev. Vahan Tootikian of the Armenian Congregational Church offered prayers and personal congratulations to the ARF on the occasion of its 124^th anniversary.

A scene from the event

In his keynote remarks, Oshagan observed, “There is no other organization that does what the ARF does. No organization takes on this challenge, and the ARF has been doing it for 124 years.”

About the ARF’s responsibilities in Armenia, Oshagan noted, “We work every day to try to improve civil society and we are trying to improve the political system.” In Artsakh, the ARF continues to advance a “peaceful resolution and international recognition and security, with Armenia as a guarantor of Artskah’s security through a military pact between Artsakh and Armenia. Artsakh must be an equal partner in negotiations for its self-determination.”

Regarding Javakhk, Oshagan talked about the continued, deliberate campaign by Georgian authorities to drive Armenians from the area through “fear and oppression.” He noted the ARF’s efforts to stabilize the population through various social programs, including the building of youth centers that serve as havens for hundreds of young people. “Work is also being done to target USAID economic assistance to the region.”

A scene from the event

Closer to home, Oshagan recalled the ARF’s mission to build the communities of the Eastern United States after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, recognizing Lowell as the home of the oldest ARF Gomideh, established in 1894. Today, there are more than 15 Gomidehs located east of the Mississippi River.

In Detroit, the ARF has served to guide and lead the community for decades, with the participation and partnership of its family of organizations, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), Hamazkayin, and Homenetmen. With planning underway for a new Armenian Community Center to be built in Novi, the organization continues to prepare for the community’s future, security, and growth.

A scene from the event

“ARF Day is a day to look back and think of what we have and have not done,” Oshagan concluded. “We have not succeeded in every endeavor, but our biggest success has been the survival of the Armenian nation, not only in Armenia, but also across our vast global nation without borders.”

“We can all be proud,” he said, raising a glass and inviting the crowd to join him in a toast.

Ourlian continued the program by calling each of the three ARF hamagirs to the stage after a brief introduction. Hagop Dakessian, Raffi Kuredjian, and Shakeh Basmajian were awarded plaques and a standing ovation in appreciation for their support of the ARF and its affiliated organizations.

“The hamagir award is one of the best awards that one can receive,” Ourlian said before inviting the recipients to the stage. “Hamagir means the following: one who supports, one who loves the organization, one who shares the same vision, one who is ready to make a difference.”

Dakessian was recognized for his ongoing financial and moral support of the AYF, Hamazkayin, Homenetmen, and other organizations. Ourlian gave an example of Dakessian’s generosity by sharing a story that occurred at the recent 2014 AYF Olympics, hosted by the Detroit AYF Chapter. “He approached me and said that 10-15 kids were turned away from the dance because they didn’t have the admission. He said he wanted those kids in the dance so they could meet other Armenian kids, and he gave a donation to pay for the kids to get in.”

Kuredjian was recognized for his active financial and moral support of the AYF, Hamazkayin, Hamazkayin Arax Dance Group, Homenetmen, and St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church. Kuredjian leads the St. Sarkis Church Long-Term Strategic Committee and “he’s always delivered when asked for anything,” Ourlian said.

Basmajian was recognized for her years of service on all levels in the Armenian Relief Society. Ourlian highlighted Basmajian’s support for the ARF’s projects involving Artsakh’s self-determination and her years of work on the ACAA Heritage Cruise Steering Committee.

“Locally, she helped raise significant money for the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund by setting up phone banks and making calls,” Ourlian added. “Most recently, she helped raise money for the Detroit ARS Zavarian Armenian One Day School.”

Ourlian concluded his presentation by urging the crowd to recognize the spouses of the awardees: Aida Dakessian, Patricia Kuredjian, and George Basmajian. They were also thanked for their part in supporting the ARF with loud applause.

A concert by popular troubadour Karnig Sarkissian ended the evening. Young people stood by the stage singing every word of the revolutionary and patriotic songs, while three young men took the Armenian, Artsakh, and ARF flags from their stands and waved them on the dance floor in time to the music.

BIRMINGHAM, Mich.—First-time author Astrig Tutelian was recently hosted by the Hagopian family at their Birmingham showroom, where she presented her new autobiography, My Life’s Journey.

(L-R) Ed Tutelian, Zabel Belian, Astrig Tutelian, Angela Snow

Tutelian was born in Egypt, but knew by age 12 that she would travel to America to realize her dreams of pursuing a formal education in music, she explained. Bolstered by her unshakeable faith and the support of a loving family, she traveled alone to America at age 19. Her intriguing life story grows with each chapter. She and her husband now reside in Sylvania, Ohio, and are active in the metro Detroit Armenian community.

Following her presentation, guests mingled at a reception, where they enjoyed light refreshments and conversation with Tutelian and her husband.

The Hagopian family is committed to community involvement by sponsoring a statewide Essay Competition for high school students on the Armenian Genocide; hosting the Detroit Chamber Winds “Night Notes” concert series in their Birmingham showroom; and sponsoring a design competition for students at the College for Creative Studies. The family is also recognized as a major benefactor to the Detroit Institute of Arts.

My Life’s Journey can be found on Amazon.com, where it currently enjoys a five-star review status.

In honoring their ancestry to historic Keghi in Turkish-occupied Western Armenia, Detroit Armenians took another giant step on Oct. 25 to strengthen linkage to Nor Keghi in the Republic of Armenia.

Keghetsi pagharch

More than 350 area Armenians joined hands at St. John Armenian Church Cultural Hall to celebrate “Kef Time Keghi II” while feasting on traditional Keghetsi pagharch—spirited by continuous dance music provided by 22 Armenian musicians who donated their talented services to support the local Nor Keghi Association mission launched last year.

Richard Norsigian, chair of the association’s steering committee, drew applause when he told the celebrants, “Our fellow Hyes of present-day Armenia need our support to confront a challenging future. We thank you and members of our four churches for joining hands in a noble cause. We will succeed.”

He also announced that the committee will hold an open meeting on Jan. 18 at St. Sarkis Armenian Church, where the committee “plans to outline its goal to renovate some of Nor Keghi’s public schools now in need of health and structural improvements.”

“We welcome your help in supporting our mission,” he said, “especially as our people throughout the world community in 2015 join together to seek justice for our people massacred during the Turkish genocide of 1915, killing more than 1.5 million fellow Armenians. And the Turkish government still denies it was genocide, even after 100 years.”

Highlights of the “pagharch celebration” included the lighting of candles on a huge, decorated Armenian tricolor sheet cake in honor of the villages in the old Keghi district. Nor Keghi was formerly known as Pazmavan until 1962, when it was renamed by the Soviet Armenian government.

The cake lighting ceremony, headed by community activist Marty Shoushanian, then expanded to include other districts in Western Armenia, including Sepastia, Erzerum, Van, Bitlis, Moush, and Kharpert.

“We all share a rich heritage,” he stressed.

As the steaming Keghetsi pagharch-es were brought into the dining hall as guests danced and applauded, Detroit Hyes were reminded of William Saroyan’s stirring words: “Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing, and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

Chicago painter Jackie Kazarian is creating a painting of enormous scale both in size and subject matter to memorialize the 20th century’s first genocide, which began in April 1915 and led to the death and displacement of millions of Armenians.

Project 1915 will celebrate the richness and resilience of the Armenian culture.

At almost 12 feet tall and 27 feet long, “Project 1915” is the exact size as Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica,” which also referenced another notorious crime against humanity: Francisco Franco’s aerial bombing of a defenseless civilian population in the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish civil war in 1937.

Unlike Guernica, Project 1915 will dwell less on the horrors of war and instead celebrate the richness and resilience of the Armenian culture. Kazarian hopes the painting will foster a dialogue about genocide, tolerance, and forgiveness.

“By embracing the truth and releasing the anger and sadness that still afflicts the Armenian Diaspora, we can move forward in a more accepting and tolerant way,” said Kazarian. “It’s really about human dignity.”

Project 1915 draws source material from Armenian culture and religion, and from historic maps, photos, and other documents, as well as memorabilia from Kazarian’s childhood. Both of her grandmothers were genocide survivors.

Several studies done for Project 1915 are scheduled for exhibition in Chicago and Boston this spring. The painting will be finished in time for official commemorative activities in April 2015.

Kazarian plans to exhibit the painting in multiple locations across the United States and the world before donating it to a cultural organization that can provide a permanent home.

“As with any art that references a painful past, Project 1915 is about remembering, surviving, and healing,” she said, adding, “Every culture needs it.”

Studies and a video about the painting are available at www.project1915.org.

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By Charles A. Hajinian

MILWAUKEE, Wisc.—A spectacular display of commemorative medals memorializing the Armenian Genocide received “Best-in-Show” honors at the annual October 2014 convention of the Milwaukee Numismatic Society.

Dr. Levon A. Saryan with his winning display

The exhibit was prepared by Dr. Levon A. Saryan, a recognized numismatic expert. Saryan is a member of the Armenian Numismatic Society, the Society for Armenian Studies, and is an overseas member of the Republic of Armenia National Academy of Sciences.

The exhibit, entitled “Armenia’s Agony: Commemorative Medals of the 1915 Armenian Genocide,” was recognized for exceptional creativity as well as artistic layout and historic content. This display presents the history of the Armenian Genocide through the medium of vermeil, silver, bronze, and pewter medals issued in the United States and around the world. The prize award, a rare gold coin, was presented at the Milwaukee Numismatic Society meeting on Nov. 20.

“The Armenian Genocide was a turning point in Armenian history, and it deserves to be widely recognized in monumental art,” said Saryan. “Armenian communities around the world have, at considerable expense, erected monuments to this unspeakable tragedy. Commemorative medals, which although smaller in size convey the same impression of permanence, can be designed, manufactured, and distributed for a fraction of the cost of an outdoor monument. These medals tell the Armenian story to those unfamiliar with this history.

“Especially on the threshold of the 100^th anniversary, I would like to appeal to Armenians around the world to explore the theme of the genocide in metallic art,” Saryan said. “Medals are miniature monuments that can be held in the hand, displayed in the home, and carried with the owner from place to place. As far as I am aware, this is only numismatic display that focuses on the 1915 genocide.”

The earliest medals dedicated to the genocide were struck in Russia in 1915, as the massacres and deportations of Armenians were underway. These solidarity medals, issued in silver and gilt bronze, depict an Armenian cross and an eagle, and carry a dedication to the Armenian people during their time of trial. Today, these privately struck medals are extremely rare. The design was recently reissued in a very limited edition by the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute in Yerevan.

Saryan has created several numismatic displays on Armenian subjects, each with a unifying theme. Evaluations by three or four judges are tallied to determine the winner. The same display has also been recognized at regional and national numismatic shows. Judging criteria include technical accuracy, background information, concept originality, attractiveness, effective use of color, completeness, and condition and rarity of the material. Numismatic exhibiting combines scholarship and concise factual presentation with a sense of aesthetics and design.

“Coins, medals, tokens, and paper currency are an integral part of the Armenian heritage. Preparing an attractive, educational numismatic exhibit is a great way to promote Armenia’s culture and history to others,” Saryan said.

Dr. Levon Saryan has a wonderful history of presenting and winning awards for his Armenian coin and medal displays at many national, highly competitive numismatic shows and conventions. We encourage all Armenians to begin to explore their Armenian history and legacy through the 2,400 years of Armenian coin history.

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“Here’s a song for dear old Granite
Lift your voice and sing
Here’s a cheer for dear old Granite
Shout it, let the echoes ring
Victory’s our habit,
Let’s win this game.”

—Granite City fight song

GRANITE CITY, Ill.—It may not be a film depicting the Armenian Genocide, but it’s the next best thing to be coming out of Hollywood this year.

Some conclude it’s every bit as touching and motivational because it depicts the story of what occurred following those tumultuous years in Ottoman Turkey.

Members of the 1940 Happy Warriors basketball team from Granite City, Ill., which won the state championship that year, included four Armenians—John Markarian, Evon Parsaghian, Andy Hagopian and Sam Mouradian—along with Andy Phillips, who went on to play with the Boston Celtics. These were the ‘Men of Granite,’ currently being made into a Hollywood film. Only Hagopian and Markarian remain alive today.

It’s the story of a small community of poor immigrant Armenians who forged their own version of the epic “Hoosiers” basketball film by winning a state title of their own with a never-say-die attitude.

They represented the children of survivors who never knew the likes of a basketball until they arrived here.

The year was 1940. The place? A community center in town where teens gathered to play their sport. It wasn’t much. A pair of BF Goodrich sneakers for those who could afford it and a basketball hoop that wasn’t much better than a grocery basket with the bottom cut out.

It is here that four Armenians gathered with their counterparts and learned the rudiments of their game. They ran roughshod over teams that year, going 28-5, and squeezing out a 24-22 victory in the championship game.

They paid little heed to the fact that our country was off to war and many of them were headed for the battlefield. The Happy Warriors were the toast of the town.

There was a “ringer” that year and he was destined for greatness. His name was Andy Phillip and he captained the team before being drafted by the Boston Celtics right around the Bob Cousy era while playing 11 years in the NBA. Philip was the real deal, going on to the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

But so was this Armenian quartet.

Two were starters. The other two were pivotal players. It was not uncommon to see all four Armenians on the same floor at the same time, perhaps giving each other a signal in their native language.

So now, Hollywood has jumped aboard the bandwagon and decided to turn this fairy tail into a full-scale production from a book written by another Armenian, Dan Manoyan, an award-winning sportswriter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where he worked 15 years before retiring.

The project was formerly known under the title, “The Boys of Lincoln Place,” based on a true story of how a group of poor, immigrant kids from the wrong side of the tracks rose above bigotry by proving themselves on a basketball court.

Producers tapped Shirley MacLaine for a starring role, only to see her leave the set. Her replacement is Susan Sarandon. The male lead was given to William Hurt who is still aboard.

Hurt expressed interest in the part of the coach, who suffers a string of defeats and feels it unlikely his school will ever win a game until this band of Armenian players takes to the court. Only then does his passion for the game reignite.

Jacket to Dan Manoyan’s book ‘Men of Granite,’ which is being adapted for the screen after being noticed by Hollywood producers.

Filming began this month and is set to conclude in April with a release date in mid-November. It’s been in the works for two-and-a-half years. Manoyan’s book was published five years ago.

In conjunction with the film, the entire team this year was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. Ironically, only two survivors were able to join the celebration—Hagopian and Markarian—both well into their 90s and still living in Granite City.

Both men expressed their pride in a conference call, so buoyant in fact that one kept pre-empting the other to tell his story. Their recollection never struck a lull, not after 75 years!

“When you stop and think about it, this is an amazing story,” said Markarian. “Our families were exposed to brutal massacres. Some survived. Many were put to death. They came to this country, a land of opportunity, worked in the factories, and made the most of their opportunity. And it was the game of basketball that gave this community its notice back then.”

Hagopian concurred. The film, he says, is a tribute to all Armenians who came here as immigrants, sacrificed, and sent their children to fine colleges. They fought hard to gain the respect of other ethnic groups.

“My parents never saw a game, not even the championship,” he remembered. “They were too busy working and providing for their family. They were proud of us, all right. What was more important than the sport was education.”

Only 2 of the 10 players that year attended college, despite their skills. Phillips was destined. Hagopian was not, until he earned the GI Bill.

“I sent three boys to good colleges,” boasted Hagopian, a prince of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America. “And each of them made me proud in their own way, very involved in the Armenian community and raised wonderful families of their own.” Michael played soccer in college. Stephen participated in track and field. Jeff was a tennis player in high school.

While Markarian excelled in machine shop, working for an aircraft company for $22 a week after high school, Hagopian served on an Air Force bomber. He gave up a budding career as a violinist, got involved in the family bakery business, did agriculture for a while, and worked the steel mills.

The church and Armenian community has always remained a staple of his life, which clearly matriculated down to his sons and grandkids.

Filming began this month and is set to conclude in April with a release date in mid-November.

The opening segment of Manoyan’s book speaks rather extensively about the genocide. He dedicated it to the 1.5 million victims, along with his two sons.

“As we have seen in the years since, athletics can be a great equalizer and agent for change in this country,” Manoyan tells us. “A high school basketball team with Armenians who called themselves the Happy Warriors changed the city’s perception of immigrants forever at a time when discrimination manifested itself.”

Getting to the stars, Hurt plays the coach who sent his team spiraling to the top after nearly a win. He greets the band of Armenian-speaking kids and fills his blood vessels with their passion.

Sarandon assumes the role of a 50-year-old schoolteacher who watches over her boys with steely eyes, takes no guff, and encourages the downtrodden players to leave their broken-down neighborhood gym for the more formal school court.

By mentoring, encouraging, and helping to pave the way for these boys, she firmly believes that she is doing God’s work.

The project is set in Granite City, a steel town in southern Illinois across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The city was a true melting pot in terms of culture and economic social classes. All four of the Armenian names are prominent fixtures in town.

Andy Philip was a Hungarian-born kid named Andras Fulop before having his name Americanized. Aside from the Armenians, the other boys were Yugoslavian and Macedonian, living in a town settled by Western Europeans (mostly Germans).

The story is being culled together by casting agent-turned-producer Valerie McCaffrey, who is also Armenian. The screen writer is another Armenian named Armand Kachigian, also from Granite City.

Insiders agree the film has Oscar tendencies and is being released at a time when critics take wide notice of awards. Both Hurt and Sarandon have quality star power and are Oscar winners.

There is also talk about the two survivors—Hagopian and Margarian—making cameo appearances in the movie. No doubt, the other two Armenians will be mentioned posthumously.

Among the litany of comments is one from Pam McCollum who grew up in Granite City and whose dad was a basketball fanatic.

“The story of the 1940 state championship basketball team is well known in my hometown,” she says. “These are kids who played in socks, some so poor they didn’t own tennis shoes, and all from hard-working immigrant families who moved to America in hopes of a better life. They had to suffer the indignity of being called ‘dirty’ because of the complexion of their skin and their obvious poverty. They were even dubbed ‘The Terrible Turks’ before people set the coach and media straight.”

In the end, Shirley MacLaine might have been a natural had she stuck with the cast. It was as if she were tailor-made for the role. She was born on April 24th!

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LINCOLN, Neb.—On the occasion of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will host a two-day conference from March 19-20 entitled, “Crossing the Centennial: The Historiography of the Armenian Genocide Re-Evaluated,” at the Wick Alumni Center, Great Hall, 1520 R St in Lincoln.

Organized by Prof. Bedross Der Matossian from UNL’s Department of History, the conference is sponsored by the Norman and Bernice Harris Center for Judaic Studies, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS), the Department of History, the Faculty Senate Convocation Committee, the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Program, the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and the Institute of Ethnic Studies at UNL.

The conference will focus on four under-researched themes that have recently gained scholarly attention and analytical depth: humanitarianism and humanitarian intervention in the Armenian Genocide; women and children in the Armenian Genocide; comparative dimensions of the Armenian Genocide; and the impact of the Armenian Genocide on society, politics, literature, and culture. Twenty-two scholars from Armenia, Cambodia, Canada, Holland, Hungary, Israel, and the United States representing 17 different academic institutions will participate in 5 panels.

The conference will start at 2p.m. on Thurs., March 19, with welcoming remarks by Prof. William G. Thomas III, chair of the Department of History at UNL, and opening remarks by Der Matossian.

The first panel, entitled “Humanitarianism and Humanitarian Intervention,” will be moderated by Prof. David Forsythe (UNL), who is widely regarded as being among the first scholars who established the study of human rights and humanitarian affairs in the disciplines of political science and international relations. The panel will feature the following speakers and topics: Dr. Hilmar Kaiser (Phnom Penh, Cambodia), “Humanitarian Intervention and Ottoman Opposition to Extermination: A Neglected Aspect”; Péter Pál Kránitz (Pázmány Péter Catholic University), “Armenian Refugees, Humanitarian Assistance, and Hungary”; and Prof. Mark Toufayan (University of Ottawa), “Between Intimacy and Alienation: Armenian Property, Denationalization and the Passions of ‘Protection’ in French Mandated Cilicia, 1918-23.”

The second—and featured—panel will be moderated by Prof. Jean Cahan, the director of the Harris Center for Judaic Studies, and will include three speakers: Prof. Richard G. Hovannisian (University of California-Los Angeles), “The Centenary of the Armenian Genocide: What Have We Learned?”; Prof. Michelle Tusan (University of Nevada-Las Vegas), “Humanitarian Empire: Britain’s Response to the Armenian  Genocide”; and Prof. Keith Watenpaugh (University of California-Davis), “Armenia, Armenians, The League of Nations and Modern Humanitarianism.”

The second day of the conference will start at 9 a.m. and will feature four panels. The first, entitled “Women and Children during the Genocide,” will be chaired by Prof. Patrice McMahon, an expert on international security, conflict, and human rights, and will feature the following speakers and subjects: Prof. Benny Morris (Ben-Gurion University), “Women and Children in the Turkish Ethnic Cleansing of Armenians and Greeks, 1919-23”; Prof. Carina Karapetian Giorgi (Pomona College), “Critical Examination of the Historiography of Women during the Armenian Genocide”; Anna Aleksanyan (Clark University), “‘Neutral home’ and the Issue of Identity of the Surviving Armenian Women and Children”; and Tuğçe Kayaal (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor), “A Critique of the Concept of the ‘Genocide Survivor’: Armenian Orphans in Aleppo Between the Years of 1915-18.”

The second panel, entitled “The Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust,” will be chaired by Prof. Ari Kohen, the director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Program at UNL and will feature the following speakers and subjects: Ümit Kurt (Clark University), “‘Legal’ and ‘Official’ Plundering of Armenian and Jewish Properties during the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust within a Comparative Perspective”; Prof. Stefan Ihrig (Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem), “From the Armenian Genocide to the Holocaust: A Connected Perspective”;  and Prof. Harutyun Marutyan (National Academy of Sciences of Armenia), “The Institute of Righteous among the Nations in the Armenian and the Jewish Cases.”

The last panel of the conference, entitled “Aftermath of the Genocide: Politics, Culture, Society, and Literature,” will be chaired by Prof. Chantal Kalisa, an expert on the Rwandan Genocide and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at UNL, and will feature the following speakers and subjects: Prof. Tsolin Nalbantian (Leiden University), “Armenian Nation Building through Sport: The Armenian Olympiad Before and After the Armenian Genocide”; Prof. Heghnar Watenpaugh (University of California-Davis), “Art, Heritage, and the Armenian Genocide: Toros Roslin’s Zeytun Gospels between 1915 and 2015”; Prof. Talar Chahinian (California State University-Long Beach), “Impossible Testimonies:  Literature and Aesthetics in the Aftermath of the Armenian Genocide”; and Dr. Seyhan Bayraktar (Historical Seminar of the University of Zurich), “The Armenian Genocide and the Politics of Denial: on Turkey, Civil Society, and EU Recognition Politics.”

Closing remarks will be delivered by Prof. Lloyd Ambrosius from the Department of History. “It is a great honor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to hold the largest conference in the Midwest to mark the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide,” said Der Matossian. “It is not only that we are bringing scholars from various disciplines to discuss different aspects of the Armenian Genocide but that we also should think of this conference as a unique opportunity for the university community at large to benefit from the expertise of top scholars in the field and understand better one of the first genocides of the modern period.”

The poster of the conference was prepared by Ruben Malayan, a renowned artist from Armenia. The poster displays Malayan’s expression of the experiences of the Armenian nation (represented by women and children) on the death marches of the genocide. The white auras around their heads symbolize the sanctity of the victims. The stark contrast of black and white background represents the inhuman suffering people had to endure before perishing. The work was inspired by a real photograph of an Armenian family taken during expulsion and extermination of 1915.

The event is open to the public. For more information, contact Der Matossian at bdermatossian2@unl.edu or 402-472-2417.

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The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee presents Grammy Award-nominated soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in concert with her husband, pianist Serouj Kradjian, and the Henrik Karapetyan String Quartet in “My Songs, My Heritage” on March 7 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Mich.

Concert selections will include Armenian sacred hymns, folk songs, chamber music, and 20^th-century songs, with English surtitles.

Grammy Award-nominated soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian

Bayrakdarian immigrated to Canada as a teen. She graduated from the University of Toronto cum laude with a degree in biomedical engineering science in 1997, the same year she was named winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions.

Her opera career, now in its second decade, makes her an eagerly anticipated artist at opera houses and concert halls worldwide. Celebrated for her multi-hued voice as well as her presence and style, Bayrakdarian’s career expands beyond opera.

She is a featured vocalist on the Grammy-award winning soundtrack of “Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers,” and topped Billboard charts as a guest soloist with the Canadian band Delerium on their 2007 Grammy-nominated dance remix “Angelicus.”

Bayrakdarian won four consecutive Juno Awards, presented to Canadian musical artists for outstanding achievement in the recording industry, from 2004-07, for classical album of the year, vocal or instrumental, for “Azulao,” “Cleopatra,” “Viardot-Garcia: Lieder Chansons Canzone Mazurkas,” and “Mozart: Arie e Duetti.”

Bayrakdarian received a Grammy nomination for the BBC-produced short film “HOLOCAUST: A Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz.” She was also the focus of a Canadian television Gemini-nominated film, “A Long Journey Home,” documenting her first trip to Armenia.

A century ago, 1.5 million Armenians were exterminated in the Armenian Genocide, planned by the leaders of the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Turkey. The genocide had two phases: the wholesale killing of able-bodied men through massacre and forced army labor, followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly, and the infirm on death marches to the Syrian desert. Military escorts, driving the deportees forward, deprived them of food and water, and subjected them to periodic robbery, rape, and massacre.

The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Metro Detroit, comprised of 15 of the area’s leading Armenian-American organizations, has organized commemorative events throughout 2015 to honor the genocide victims, demand recognition and reparations, and increase public awareness of all genocides. The March 7 concert begins at 7 p.m., at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. Tickets are $50, $35, and $25, and are available through the theater box office at (313) 943-2354; online at dearborntheater.com; or by contacting Centennial Committee members Leslie Balian at (248) 303-4690 or Shakeh Basmajian at (248) 981-6825.

For more information, visit armeniangenocidecentennialmi.com.

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