SAVE the DATE - Gaghant 2023
GAGHANT - CELEBRATING 43 YEARS
ARMENIAN CULTURAL ORGANIZATION
OF MINNESOTA (ACOM)
SAVE the DATE
Voski Ashoun 2022
ACOM Hosted an In-Person Voski Ashoun - 2022
This years Voski Ashoun, hosted by ACOM, took place ion a somewhat chilly Fall day this year. This year the date and time for Voski Ashoun was on Sunday, October 16. The day was a bit cloudy but the sun did poke out a couple of times. Temperatures hovered in the low 40s with variable wind.
What is it like being Married to an Armenian - Fourth in a series
The fourth presentation in the series "What is it like being Married to an Armenian" was held Saturday, September 10th 2022 at the Merriam Park Library.
Panelists for this fourth session were Lowell Johnson (Andrea) and Jim Favre (Margaret). Steve Usitalo moderated the session and the attendees were taken on a fascinating journey to local areas and, also to broader ares of the World icluding Armenia itself. Members of the audience contributed supporting stories for the two panelists. ACOM provided some light refreshments after the formal session.
ACOM Genocide Remembrance 2022
ACOM Genocide Remembrance
ACOM held it's Genocide Remembrance this year on April 24th 2022. We have Zoomed the event over the past two years and were happy to host it in-person this year.
Gaghant - 2022 - Virtual
ACOM Gaghant 2022
Virtual, again
Plans were well underway for a return to a traditional in-person Gaghant for 2022. However, the best laid plans got laid low by that insidious virus that is still around and interfering with our everyday lives and with our celebrations. We had found a new event space at a community center in Roseville (MidPointe fell victim to the times and to some destructive violence during early 2020 and had ceased to exist). We had the caterer (Mim's again) ready to go, band (Music Mundial) signed up and early preparations in hand when we found out that we didn't have the numbers of people confirming their attendance to make it economically feasible for ACOM to hold the in-person event.
Black Garden Aflame: Introduced by Artyom Tonoyan
ACOM Special Presentation !!
This was an in-person meeting that took place at the St. Paul Merriam Park Library on January 8th 2022 starting at 3PM.
Artyom Tonoyan introduced his edited book of Russian news articles about Nagorno-Karabagh. Artyom talked about the development of the book and presented some intersting insights into the background of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabagh. He indicated that he had read, either in the original or in rigorously translated Russian, accounts of the conflict over the last 30 years. His expert take on the region's Geo-Political climate was extremely interesting for the attendees.
ACOM Annual Picnic - 2021
The ACOM Annual Picnic returned ths year after a year off due to COVID-19
Sunday June 27th startied at 3:30PM
Aftewr a year of virtual events, ACOM began to return to normal by hosting the summer picnic. It was held in the backyard of Terry and Naïry on a very pleasant June Sunday afternoon. ACOM supplied beverages but all who attended were asked to bring their own food. No grilling this year. Twenty seven people attended and enjoyed each others company after more thn a year apart. See the photo gallery for pictures of the event.
A pool party is scheduled for August 8th this year and will be hosted by Laurel Gregorian. Details to follow later. The picnic showed us that we can, again, have in-person events and our calendar will reflect this. Stay tuned.
ACOM Oral History Project - Interview with Daved Najarian
ACOM Genocide Commemoration 2021
ACOM Genocide Commemoration
April 24, 2021
Virtual by ZOOM
On Saturday evening April 24th 2021, ACOM hosted a Genocide Commemoration event. This meeting was, again, a virtual one due to CORONA-19 virus considerations. The event was hosted by Naïry Digris and Terry McGibbon. The featured speaker this year was Artyom Tonoyan and the Q&A period was moderated by Steven Usitalo. Following the presentation, there was a series of four musical performances by members of the ACOM community. Click on Picture to see Video
Savelsberg Book Introduction - 2021
ACOM presents: A conversation with Prof. Joachim Savelsberg regarding his new book: Knowing about Genocide: Armenian Suffering and Epistemic Struggles. (The book can be accessed and downloaded through the above link.) Moderator, Peter Hajinian. The event was virtual and was recorded. For thos who mwere not able to attend the event a video recording of the presentation can be found HERE.
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What is it like being married to an Armenian - Third in a series
Doug Tiffany and Steve Usitalo
This was our first Virtual meeting for this series. So no socializing with beverages and appetizers but we still had a great session. Nairey Digris was the session moderator. Doug and Steve were joined by their spouses for this session since it was a virtual meeting. This created a new dynamic in the discussion where there was a couple interaction. Previous sessions did not have this interesting interaction. The presentation was followed by a question and answer session. 25 people participated in this enjoyable session.
Gaghant 2021 - Virtual
The annual ACOM Gaghant was held this year on Sunday, January 3, 2021 via Zoom. Hosted and emceed by John Parker-Der Boghossian (ACOM President), the celebration began with some introductory remarks by John. The current board of ACOM was then introduced, followed by the presentation of the elected new vice-president, Steven Usitalo, and a new board member-at-large, Alarica Hassett.
Voski Ashoun 2020
Voski Ashoun (Golden Autumn) 2020 Edition
ACOM held the 2020 Voski Ashoun celebration in Virtual space this year due to the COVID-19 Virus. We used the Zoom platform as we did for the 2020 Genocide Commemoration.
Since these Zoom events are recordable, we are providing a link to the recording of the event for those who were unable to attend via Zoom.
There was time before the start time of the event for participants to socialize. John Parker-Der Boghossian, ACOM President, lead the event which featured Armenian artists. Peter Hajinian represented creative story writing artistry, Andrea Johnson presented poetry reading from her own poems and also from other Armenian Poets, and a Video showcasing Henry Gregorian performing Armenian pieces on the violin. Those who attended had a great time and we hope that those who view the recording are equally pleased. Many thanks to the people who put this event together:
John Parker-Der Boghossian, Peter Hajinian, Andrea Johnson, and Terry and Nairy along with Henry for the Music Video.
Click HERE for a link to the Event Video
ACOM Cinema Saturday for August 2020 (1st Virtual)
Ararat Beckons
Ararat Beckons (1995, 49 mins, Dir. J. Michael Hagopian, Narrator Mike Connors; in Armenian & English) Documentary of the 1st Armenian Expedition to Mt. Ararat.
A film of striking beauty and mystery on the first Armenian Expedition to reach the summit of Mount Ararat. Where many have failed and some even lost their lives, Masis and Gregory Parseghian and Hamlet Nersesian succeeded. Overcoming the hardships of incarceration, altitudes, they accompanied their goal through sheer will and perseverance. The film became a reality after four shipments of film were smuggled out of Turkey over a 2-year period. Ararat Beckons is more than a film of adventure.
It is a poetic statement of the historic bond between a mountain and a people, a father and son.