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Meet Peter Abajian Executive Director of the Paros Team rebuilding Armenian Tavush Villages Video

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By Wally Sarkeesian,

Peter Abajian, Executive Director, Los Angeles

Peter Abajian has worked in the Armenian American community for more than 25 years. Abajian began his career with the Armenian Assembly in its Washington, D.C. offices in 1988. From 1995 until 2006, Abajian led the Assembly’s Western Region operations, ultimately advancing to Deputy Executive Director. During this time, Abajian worked with both the Armenian community and the U.S. Congress to promote a stronger U.S. – Armenia relationship, while simultaneously working to expand the Assembly’s membership and financial support. Nationally, he spearheaded efforts to raise new sources of revenue, organizing several successful national events, and serving as one of the organization’s chief spokespeople.

In 2006, Abajian and his family moved to Armenia and formally launched and led the Paros Foundation.

“I care passionately about the future of Armenia; and I take great pride in contributing to its develop through our project-based model. Our 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity campaign to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide was met with tremendous success. This effort energized our staff and served as a positive example of successful project identification and implementation to both our beneficiaries and the Armenian community at large.

Moving forward, our efforts are focused on continuing to help Armenia’s development in a smart, efficient and transparent manner through our Projects for Prosperity campaign and our Prosperity on the Border initiative. My hope is that through The Paros Foundation’s leadership and the communities’ support, we will continue to help Armenia and her population develop and thrive.”

COAF Summer Soirée – Step By Step Guide, Saturday, August 15, at 6 PM PDT / 9 PM EDT. Video

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By Wally Sarkeesian

Our Diamond Anniversary Summer Soirée is this Saturday, August 15, at 6 PM PDT / 9 PM EDT. We are so excited to share this spectacular evening with you as we raise funds for our COAF COVID Emergency Relief Fund, which will entirely be used for providing humanitarian aid and conducting necessary infrastructure improvements for health centers throughout our 64 beneficiary communities in rural Armenia.

This email has the information you need to register, watch, and donate as well as a special video message you don’t want to miss.

If you have any questions either prior to the event or night of, please email our tech help hotline at techsupport@coaf.org or call 212-994-8234.

How to Register for our Live Event 

We encourage you to pre-register for the event so you can donate quickly. You do not have to be registered to watch the event on our Soirée website.

  1. Click here to go directly to our Summer Soirée website registration page.
  2. Enter your phone number or email address to sign up. 
  3. Our registration system will text or email you a specific code to enter on the next screen. Confirm your registration by entering the code. 
Visit www.coafsoiree.org and enter your phone number or email address to sign up. 

The two Armenian Executive Directors Interview, Project 1.5 Million meals for 1.5 Million lives, 105th #ArmenianGenocide, Video

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Armen Sahakyan ANCA Western Region Executive Director and Mihr Toumajan Armenian American Assembly Executive Director joint Wally Sarkeesian explain how Armenian Communities in United State have join into the Project Project 1.5 Million meals for 1.5 Million lives .

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On April 24th, 2020 the Armenian-American community commemorated the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide where the Ottoman Turkish Empire under the guise of WWI undertook the deliberate and systematic eradication of 1.5 million Armenians as well as an additional 1.5 million Assyrians, Greeks, and others.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in place of the annual March for Justice demonstration that has historically brought tens of thousands of Armenians to the streets of Los Angeles in calling on Turkey to recognize of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian Genocide Committee, along with Unified Young Armenians and United Armenian Council for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide – Los Angeles, has launched a humanitarian fundraiser in support of Feeding America to honor Near East Relief and provide 1.5 million meals to Americans in need.

Near East Relief was the United States’ first congressionally sanctioned non-governmental organization – and the first major international humanitarian relief operation in the world – that mobilized all facets of the American citizenry to respond to the systematic destruction of the Armenian people half a world away.


Harut Sassounian Message to Armenian Political and religious leadership time to unite. Watch the Interview

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By Wally Sarkeesian,

Harut Sassounian, It is not Wise for Armenian Officials & Catholicos to be in Conflict.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which is killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world, including in Armenia, and paralyzing the economy and societal life as we know it, the biggest controversy these days in Armenia and the Armenian communities in the Diaspora has become a statement issued by His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, and the harsh reaction by various Armenian officials and some members of the media.

Unfortunately, such a confrontation was not unexpected. Ever since the Velvet Revolution which brought Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to power in Armenia, there has been a tense atmosphere prevailing in Armenia and the Diaspora regarding those supporting Pashinyan’s government and those opposing it. While there is nothing wrong to be on the opposite sides of a political issue, the confrontation is so heated that often insults, cuss words, and even physical threats are exchanged, particularly on social media. In an earlier interview with the Armenian media, I had urged that Armenians should not treat those who disagree with them as enemies! I had said that “we can disagree without being disagreeable.”

Armenia’s first contemporary art Biennial, Announced at Event held at Armenian Consulate General in Los Angeles, Video.

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By Wally Sarkeesian,

Gagrulelive: Los Angeles Full coverage of event hosted by Armenian Consul General Ambassador Armen BAIBOURTIAN Announcing Armenia’s first contemporary art Biennial, Mr. Fabio Lenzi Co-Founder Yerevan Biennial Art Foundation, introduced Biennial concept to the audience. a very successful evening with full house attendees.

The Yerevan Biennial was founded as an initiative of the newly established Yerevan Biennial Art Foundation, which was founded with the aim of developing and executing cultural and educational initiatives in the region. The Foundation takes an all-encompassing approach to establishing a creative ecosystem interconnecting the realms of the arts, culture and education, and is a platform for public engagement that operates locally, nationally and internationally.

A key aim of the Foundation and the Yerevan Biennial is to empower today’s Armenian youth and to create new professional paths for the future generations, particularly in the creative and cultural sector, with a strong emphasis placed on the educational and public programmes that will accompany the Biennial exhibition period.

Building on Armenia’s rich history and cultural heritage, the Foundation is also committed to enhancing and consolidating Yerevan’s reputation by promoting the entire region as an exciting cultural and tourist destination, where local heritage and contemporary art and thinking can interconnect on a global cultural platform.

Fabio Lenzi, co-founder of Yerevan Biennial Art Foundation, said: “I am delighted to establish the Yerevan Biennial Art Foundation and look forward to shaping the programmes and organizational structure together with my colleagues, the local communities, our institutional partners, stakeholders in Armenia and abroad, as well as the wider international artistic community. Yerevan is an extraordinary city. Those who have not yet visited Armenia should take this opportunity to explore a country that has so much to offer, including extraordinary landscapes, powerful nature, ancient monuments, traditions and exquisite gastronomy. Armenia is a real gem but is still so little known.”

More information on the curator, theme and programme for the 2020 Yerevan Biennial will be announced in Spring 2020. 

Samos, Greece: Meet the famous Turkish-Armenian Sevan Nişanyan A linguist, writer & self-taught architect in exile, Face-to-Face meeting with journalist Wally Sarkeesian Video, Photos

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Greece Island Samos, Sevan Nişanyan, Ira Tzourou, Wally Sarkeesian

“The bird has flown away”

Samos Island: Sevan Nişanyan is a Turkish-Armenian linguist and travel writer. An author of a number of books, Nişanyan was awarded the Ayşe Nur Zarakolu Liberty Award of the Turkish Human Rights Association in 2004 for his contributions to greater freedom of speech.

On July 14 Sevan Nisanyan, a famous jailed intellectual, announcing he’d escaped from a Turkish prison. He had been behind bars since January 2014 and wasn’t eligible for parole for another 10 years.

he’s a self-taught architect who renovated his home village of Sirince in the hills above the Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus, turning it into a tourist attraction on Turkey’s Aegean coast. That’s what got him in trouble In late July, Nisanyan surfaced in Greece, where he received a temporary resident permit and has applied for political asylum.

Nisanyan, found new life in one of the Greek Island called Samos and is doing almost exactly what he use to do in Turkey, writing and rebuilding villages with his newly married wife Ira Tzourou both are very active.

Wally Sarkeesian, this man is fearless when I decided to go see him at Samos Island. I kept my trip very secret for his safety and security. After I arrived at the Island, he told me no worry the Turkish Government is very happy that I left.

Nişanyan, a graduate of Yale and Columbia, whittled away his time locked up by writing, reading, and debating with his fellow inmates — “professional thieves, drug sellers, plenty of murderers, organized gang personnel, armed robbers, wife-stabbers, con artists, the lot.” He spent 3.5 years of an 11.5-year prison sentence in eight facilities, not all of which were quite as pleasant as Foça. “A couple of them were horrible,” “[There was] extraordinary overcrowding. 120 people in a ward designed for 40.”

Gagrulelive: Meet Professor Georgi Chaltikyan, MD, Ph.D. Focus on Digital Medicine, education, and research, Interviewed by Wally Sarkeesian Video.

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Professor Georgi Chaltikyan

By Wally Sarkeesian

Yerevan: It was great pleasure meeting Professor Georgi Chaltikyan At WCIT 2019 International Technology Conference in Yerevan, Armenia.

Georgi Chaltikyan, MD, PhD

Professor and Expert in Digital Health (WHO Roster of Experts); Physician, Surgeon, Health ICT Specialist.

Pfarrkirchen, Bayern, Deutschland

Medicine and healthcare professional, trained as a general and laparoscopic surgeon, with ca 20 years of experience in clinical practice, medical and healthcare education and research, healthcare project management. Current primary focus: Healthcare ICT, Digital Health (use of IT and telecom to make healthcare better, safer and accessible for all), Cross-Border and Global Healthcare, Healthcare Information Management. Professor at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of Technical University of Deggendorf (THD), Bavaria, Germany. Founding President of Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM).

Specialties: Digital Health, Telemedicine, eHealth, Health ICT, Clinical Medicine, Global Health, Healthcare Administration, (Cross-Border) Healthcare Management, Medical and Health Education and Research.

Las Vegas: From Wally Sarkeesian Travel Book: Friday Evening event at St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church Video.

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Las Vegas: From Wally Sarkeesian Travel Book: Every Friday evening at St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church. The Church members cook food, sing, dance, and enjoy their Armenian culture. We were delighted to take part by invitation of the church, We would like to thank the Archpriest Fr. Vahan Gosdanian – The Pastor and Hagop Havanjian active church member. Las Vegas Armenian community is rapidly growing We wish them all a very Happy New Year 2020…