“Armenian Genocide Centennial: Addressing the Implications”

Conference at Haigazian University

BEIRUT – On the occasion of the centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, and under the high patronage of the President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, Rev. Mgrdich Karageozian, a conference titled “Armenian Genocide Centennial: Addressing the Implications” was organized by Haigazian University and the Armenian Genocide 100th Anniversary Commemoration Lebanon Committee, from January 31 to Februray 1, 2015.

The auspicious opening, which was attended by ministers, members of parliament, officials, religious leaders, and academicians, featured guest speaker, prominent scholar and historian, Prof. Masoud Daher from the Lebanese University, on the topic of “the Armenian Question in the Age of Globalization: the Current Situation and its Prospects”.

The conference also witnessed parallel events: a worship service in the First Armenian Evangelical Church, with a special message by Haigazian University President, Rev. Paul Haidostian, in addition to two Arabic book launches and presentations, “100 years of the Armenian Genocide: 100 Testimonials”, by author Dr. Nora Arisian, and “Karabagh Dailies, Green and Black: no War no Peace”, by author Tatul Hakobyan.

The conference convened four sessions on two consecutive days, covering eight topics, presented by eight scholars coming from Armenia, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon.

Panelists were Dr. Suren Manukyan on “The Demographic, Cultural, Psychological, Geographic, Economic, Psychological and Political Consequences of the Armenian Genocide”, Dr. Vladimir Vardanyan on “Responsibility for the Armenian Genocide: International Legal Obligations of the Ottoman Empire Concerning its Armenian Population”, Dr. Zaven Messerlian on “the Reaction of the International Community during and after the Armenian Genocide”, Dr. Saleh Zahreddine on “the Blackmailing of Turkey by the Great Powers Regarding the Armenian Genocide”, Prof. Arsen Avagyan on “the Relations of Turkey and the Republic of Armenian (1991-2014), Mr. Tatul Hagopyan on “the Relations of Turkish-Armenian non-state Actors”, Dr. Bulent Bilmez on “the Position of the Turkish State vis-à-vis its Minorities (1923-2014)”, Dr. Hranush Karadian on “the Status of the Armenians in Contemporary Turkey: the Case of the Converted Armenians.”

Presentations and sessions were moderated by Dr. Antranig Dakessian and Mrs. Seta Khedeshian.