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A Very Important Conference On The Hunchakian Party

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  • A Very Important Conference On The Hunchakian Party

    A VERY IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON THE HUNCHAKIAN PARTY

    http://massispost.com/archives/7477
    Thursday, November 1st, 2012

    By Prof. Osheen Keshishian

    An important academic conference was held on Saturday,October 27, 2012,
    on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the
    first Armenian political party, the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party.

    The event took place at Woodbury University's Fletcher Jones
    Foundation Auditorium in Burbank, California. The conference was
    organized by the Armenian Educational BenevolentUnion (AEBU) and
    the Nor Serount Cultural Association (NSCA), and co-sponsored by the
    Richard Hovannisian Endowed Chair in Armenian History at UCLA, Armenian
    Research Center at the University of Michigan, Woodbury University,
    and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR),
    thus giving more weight and importance to the conference.

    The Social Democratic Hunchakian Party (SDHP) is the first Armenian
    political party which was established in 1887 by a group of young
    intellectuals studying in Geneva, Switzerland. They were Avedis
    Nazarbekian, Kevork Gharadjian, Mariam Vardanian, Ruben Khan-Azat,
    Kristapor Ohanian, Gabriel Kafian, and Manuel Manuelian.

    They were all Russian Armenians with definite leaning toward Marxism
    and socialism and all of them were in their twenties. It is also
    interesting that a young woman was also among the founders.

    Renowned individuals joined the party, like Antranik Ozanian, Stepan
    Sabah-Gulian, Mourad, Paramaz and others. The Hunchakians participated
    in the Sasoun, Van, Shabin Karahisar and Zeytoun resistance movements
    and many times in leadership positions.

    The party established several newspapers, schools, youth groups,
    engaged incultural and athletic activities throughout the Middle East,
    Europe, The United States, Canada, South America, and other locations.

    This short story was expanded, studied, analyzed during the high
    caliber conference with the participation of scholars and professors
    from Europe and Eastern and Western United States, a phalanx of
    experts - Sebouh Aslanian, Ara Sanjian, Gerard Libaridian, Hratch
    Tchilingirian, Rev. Abel Manoukian, Vahram Shemmesian, Garabet
    Moumdjian, Kevork Bardakjian, Richard Hovannisian, Aram Arkun, Ara
    Dostourian, and Vartan Matiossian.

    They talked about the ideology, problems, difficulties, inter-party
    relations, achievements, issues and various activities of the
    Hunchakians, particularly during the Ottoman Empire. Many speakers
    wanted to talk longer their allotted time, because there is so much to
    delineate about the first Armenian political party. This conference
    was long overdue, and I am glad that it took place revealing hitherto
    little known or even unknown events, activities, principals, andfacts.
    One eye-catching fact was that the audience was overwhelmingly an
    educated class of the community. At the same time, it was unfortunate
    to notice the absence of the members of the other political parties,
    and you could count them on your fingertips.

    The conference was webcasted live. Another positive observation:
    it was announced that the conference proceedings will be printed in
    a book very soon, so that history will be available for everyone.

    The organizing committee, the core members - Harut Der-Tavitian,
    Sevak Khatchadourian, Vasken Khodanian and Thomas Yeterian, - deserve
    a great thank you.

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