For Second Year, Armenian Community of China Gains Official Voice in Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program
The fifth edition of the Diaspora Youth Ambassador program (DYAP) was officially launched on September 22 in Yerevan, organized by the RA Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. The initiative brings together 27 young Armenians from 14 countries across the globe—France, Germany, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Romania, the Netherlands, Georgia, Iran, China, Estonia, and Canada—to deepen their ties with the homeland.The opening ceremony featured welcoming remarks from Mushegh Ghukasyan, Chief of Staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Lilit Khachatryan, Program Manager of the Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program, and Hovhannes Aleksanyan, Head of
Mari Gerekmezyan: The Legacy of a Pioneering Armenian Female Sculptor in Turkey
Mari Gerekmezyan (Մարի Կերեքմէզեան; 1913–1947) is recognized as one of the first female sculptors in Turkey and the first of Armenian descent. A student of Rudolf Belling at the Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, Gerekmezyan produced sculpted busts of prominent Turkish intellectuals. Her documented works include the Bust of Prof. Neşet Ömer (1943), Bust of Prof. Şekip Tunç (1943), and Bust of Yahya Kemal Beyatlı (1945). She received the Ankara Sculpture Exhibit Award in 1943 and first prize at the Ankara State Fine Arts Exhibit in 1945. A significant portion of her oeuvre is lost; surviving pieces are held in the
Mapping China in Armenian: Dancho’s 1927 Cartographic Contribution
In 1927, Yegiazar Martiros Gabuzyan (Եղիազար Գաբուզյան), known by his pen name Dancho (Ե. Դանչո), created an exceptional map of China in Armenian, which remains an essential work in the history of not only Soviet-Armenian cartography but also Armenian cartography as a whole. Published by the Pethrat Publishing House, the map measures 71 x 51 cm, features vivid colors, and is drawn to a scale of 1:8,000,000. It was lithographed under the catalog number 1184 and is currently housed at the National Library of Armenia. The map provides a meticulous rendering of China's frontiers, rivers, mountain passes, provinces, and toponyms,
A Masterful Armenian-Amira Sabre: Catalogued as Ottoman in High-Value Sale
In December 2024, a remarkable sword bearing an Armenian inscription achieved a record price of $25,000 at Tremont Auction, where it was cataloged as an Ottoman-period weapon. This exceptional piece features a watered steel blade with gold inlay, a jade hilt decorated with Ottoman-style trophies in gold, and an inscribed steel guard, measuring 36.5 inches (92.7 cm) in length. The Armenian inscription—«Ի վայելլումն մահտեսի Գասպար ամիրայի որդի Մելքոն աղային» ("For the use of Mahtesi Gaspar Amira's son, Melkon Agha")—provides valuable historical context regarding its original ownership and social significance.The three honorific titles in the inscription—Mahtesi, Amira, and Agha—collectively demonstrate the
Armenian National Youth Forum 2025 Concludes with Strong Outcomes
The Armenian National Youth Forum 2025 and Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program (DYAP) 2024-2025 have successfully concluded in Yerevan. The three-day event brought together 800 Armenian youth aged 18-35 from the Diaspora and Armenia for discussions, workshops, and cultural exchanges. Participants engaged in roundtable debates on pan-Armenian issues, community-building strategies, and youth empowerment initiatives, strengthening connections between global Armenian communities.The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs recognized outstanding contributions through its certification program, with special emphasis on cross-border collaboration projects. Forum outcomes included new partnership proposals between Diaspora organizations and Armenian institutions, particularly in education, technology, and cultural preservation.
