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'Hai Tahd' Down Under: Kahramanian Offers A Glimpse Into Community L

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  • 'Hai Tahd' Down Under: Kahramanian Offers A Glimpse Into Community L

    'HAI TAHD' DOWN UNDER: KAHRAMANIAN OFFERS A GLIMPSE INTO COMMUNITY LIFE AND EXPANDING ADVOCACY EFFORTS

    http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/08/29/hai-tahd-down-under-kahramanian-offers-a-glimpse-into-community-life-and-expanding-advocacy-efforts/
    By Lilly Torosyan // August 29, 2013

    The Armenian community in Australia is fairly young, but as its numbers
    grow, so does its activism. Last October, the parliament of New South
    Wales became the third state in the world to officially recognize
    the independence of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. This summer,
    the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANCA) accompanied
    a group of Australian politicians on a weeklong visit to Armenia
    and Karabagh. ANCA Executive Director Vache Kahramanian spoke with
    the Armenian Weekly about this trip, as well as other facets of
    Armenian-Australian life.

    Kahramanian (R) with Torosyan

    Lilly Torosyan: Talk about the Armenian community in Australia.

    Vache Kahramanian: The Armenian community in Australia was founded in
    the early 1960's. The first wave of immigrants arrived predominantly
    from Egypt, fleeing the social unrest that had started to occur there.

    The main wave of immigration occurred in the 1970's when many Armenians
    came from Lebanon during the Civil War, and also from Syria, Iran,
    and other countries throughout the Middle East. The community at
    present numbers around the 50,000 mark, and is predominantly based
    in the Sydney metropolitan area, with small pockets of communities
    in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and other Australian cities.

    Like most diasporan communities, there exists a wide range of community
    organizations, including the Armenian National Committee, the Armenian
    Relief Society, Hamazkayin, Homenetmen, the AGBU. And of course the
    church plays an important role in the community, as well.

    The ANC of Australia was formed many decades ago to carry on
    the role of advancing the Armenian Cause within the context of
    the Australian political environment-that is, to promote genocide
    recognition; recognition of the independence of Artsakh; a strong,
    free, and united Armenia; and economic aid and security to Armenia and
    Artsakh. Those four pillars are the driving force behind what the ANC
    does in Australia, and of course, what it does all around the world
    through its offices, whether in Washington, D.C., Brussels, London,
    or the Middle East.

    L.T.: You recently visited Armenia with a group of Australian
    politicians. How was that experience?

    V.K.: We had a group of Australian state legislators from the state
    of New South Wales, which is the largest, most populated state in the
    country. Australia has a population of 22 million people, 7 million
    of which live in New South Wales. That state became the first in 1997
    to recognize the Armenian Genocide by passing a unanimous motion in
    both houses of parliament. In 1998, the parliament passed a motion to
    erect a khachkar [Armenian cross-stone] memorial in its peace garden
    to honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and to
    mark April 24th each year as a day of remembrance in that state.

    In 2012, that state again became the first in Australia-the third
    internationally-to recognize the right to self-determination by the
    Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. It came only behind Rhode Island and
    Mass., which were the first two states in the world to pass similar
    motions.

    In New South Wales, there is multi-partisan support for all issues
    of importance to the Armenian community, whether that is Artsakh
    [Karabagh], genocide recognition, or a strong and secure Armenia. So
    we had the opportunity to take seven members of parliament on an
    official visit to the Republic of Armenia, whereby they had the
    opportunity to meet with the president, His Holiness Karekin II, and
    other high-ranking government officials, including the speaker of the
    House and various members of parliament within the National Assembly.

    In a broader context, they had the opportunity to see Armenia with
    their own eyes-a country of descendants of the genocide-and to see
    what the modern-day implications of genocide recognition mean, not
    only to the people, but to the national security of Armenia...

    The members of parliament also had the opportunity to make a historic
    visit to the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, and what that allowed them
    was to experience first-hand the brutality of Azerbaijan. They saw
    the destruction and also the hope that had come out of the Armenian
    people to rebuild Stepanakert to the wonderful and majestic city it
    is today, only 25-odd years after it was ravaged by war. They had
    the experience to address a special sitting of the National Assembly,
    where they conveyed a message of hope and solidarity with the people
    of Nagorno-Karabagh.

    They also had the opportunity to meet with everyday people on the
    street, to realize the hardship and difficulties they went through,
    and the massive loss of life that Armenian families experienced during
    the war. But they also witnessed the hope and optimism of the people
    who were living there on the ground, and the work they have done to
    rebuild society in a truly democratic fashion.

    They left Nagorno-Karabagh with the viewpoint that it is a land of
    great optimism, and that the motion they passed in 2012 was the right
    thing to do. By recognizing the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, they
    expressed their solidarity and continued support to ensure further
    recognition, throughout Australia and on an international level. What
    was most interesting to see with this foreign delegation visiting
    Armenia, and in particular Artsakh, was that they were expecting a
    war-torn ravaged country, but what they saw was the complete opposite.

    They saw the resilience of the people, where almost 100 years ago,
    they experienced the genocide; 20 years ago, they experienced the
    brutality of the Azeri armed forces. And through all of the struggles
    the Armenian nation has lived through, they were able to see the
    hope and prosperity of the people to create what is today a free and
    independent Armenia and a free and independent Artsakh.

    L.T.: How strong are the Azerbaijani and Turkish communities in
    Australia? Are they a growing community?

    V.K.: The Turkish lobby that exists in Australia is very similar
    to what we have seen across the world. The empty threats and,
    in particular, the blackmail that they use against legislators,
    threatening all sorts of actions, including severed economic ties
    and so forth, is a common thing that we have seen Turkey portray over
    the last three or four decades on an international level. That is no
    different to what has occurred in Australia. Thankfully, there are
    members of parliament who have stood steadfast in the face of this
    blackmail to ensure that such issues are not politicized or used for
    political advantage. At the end of the day, we're playing with human
    lives and human emotions, and these issues trump all forms of party
    politics, and are common to each and every person. We are grateful
    that there are many members of parliament all across the nation who
    have stood firm against the continued empty threats of the Republic of
    Turkey and the Azerbaijani lobby, whether it be on recognition of the
    genocide or Artsakh. It is a continuing battle, and we have to stay
    steadfast because it is very easy to one day have this conversation
    and not be talking about a free and independent Armenia, and a free
    and independent Artsakh.

    L.T.: What is left on the agenda for ANC-Australia?

    V.K.: We never rule out anything in terms of future strategy or action
    plans. We will continue to remain entrenched on the front lines,
    advocating for all issues of importance not only for the Armenian
    community in Australia, but for the people living in Armenia and
    all around the world in diasporan communities. The Hai Tahd team is
    a brotherhood all around the world that lives shoulder-to-shoulder
    with one common interest: a free, strong, and united Armenia. All the
    actions and plans that we have in place continue to serve that noble
    goal. We do everything on this very distant and far away island known
    as Australia to help ensure that we can continue to add our voice to
    this important Cause.

    The wonderful strength of our diaspora is our grassroots support
    and the success of Armenian professionals in all walks of life who
    are ready to step up to the plate to continue to advance the common
    goals of Hai Tahd.


    From: Baghdasarian
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