ALPINE, N.J. (A.W.)—It was a festive evening on Sat., Nov. 20, as 75 friends and supporters joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) for a stylish celebration of the party’s 120th anniversary. The celebration took place at the palatial home of Vahe and Shake Nahapetian, where guests partook in a feast, fundraiser, and political rally all rolled into one.
Following a warm and lively cocktail hour, ARF Eastern Region chairman Antranig Kasbarian opened the evening with words of welcome. He thanked the Nahapetians for their gracious hospitality, and called the gathering “an extended family reunion,” noting that attendees had come from throughout the eastern U.S. specifically for this occasion.
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After a sumptuous catered dinner, the program resumed with a brief overview by Kasbarian. He emphasized the special place the ARF holds in Armenian national life, past and present, underscored by the diverse activities it has embraced—from revolutionary activity in the late Ottoman Empire, to state-building and governance during the First Republic, to community building in the diaspora, to more recent endeavors including its decisive participation in Artsakh’s liberation movement. Such diversity has been an ARF hallmark, Kasbarian said, as the party has repeatedly rolled up its sleeves to meet the necessary challenges of any given era or location.
Kasbarian also addressed the present, noting that while the ARF is best known for its lobbying and work in the community, there are many other important activities for which it is not equally credited. He noted, for example, the significant work being done in promoting dialogue with progressive Turkish intellectuals, scholarly work being done to build bridges with other audiences and constituencies, work to develop a case for reparations within international legal circles, and youth programs via the AYF and Camp Haiastan. In each case, he pointed out ARF members among the attendees who are making specific contributions to these efforts.
Kasbarian concluded by noting the challenges the ARF faces today in Armenia, where it has worked as part of the government, but has since left to become an opposition force, realizing that change from within the system is exceedingly difficult. He concluded by expressing confidence in the ARF’s ability to develop grassroots support for instituting real changes within Armenia’s economy and society.
Kasbarian then introduced Armenia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Karen Nazarian, who congratulated the ARF as well as those assembled. He recalled that the party’s proud past has yielded an active present, noting with satisfaction the cooperation the ARF has provided to Armenia’s efforts in the international arena.
Nazarian was followed by the evening’s two lead sponsors—Virginia Davies and George Aghjayan—who offered heartfelt expressions of solidarity. Davies, in particular, gave a rousing call to arms, emphasizing the crucial aspects of ARF’s legacy as well as its continuing relevance today. She concluded by exhorting all to participate in the fundraising efforts to the best of their abilities.
The evening’s final speaker was Dr. Viken Hovsepian of Los Angeles, representing the ARF Bureau. Hovsepian said that one way of assessing the ARF’s role would be to look at the scope of its presence in Armenian life. Operating in 30 countries and more than 150 cities, having members of parliament and holding political leadership position in several countries, the ARF is a central player in Armenian reality worldwide.
Yet, Hovsepian explained, this is proof of the ARF’s presence, and not necessarily a true evaluation of the role it has played over 120 years. For such an evaluation, one has to engage in the mental exercise of removing the ARF from the history of the Armenian people of the past 120 years, and pose the question: What does Armenian reality look like in the absence of the ARF? “There would be no independent Armenia in 1918, hence no Soviet Armenia, and no Armenian Republic today. In the diaspora, the fate of the Armenian community in Lebanon, for example, would have been completely different had the ARF not defended the Armenian areas during the civil war that tore the country—a period when Lebanese Armenians maintained a position of positive neutrality, rejecting to choose sides and only taking up arms to defend their population when there was aggression, and so on.”
Trying to take the ARF out of the equation of the political, social, cultural, and educational life of Armenian communities would best demonstrate the significance of the organization in the nation’s past and present, concluded Hovsepian.
A brief question-and-answer session followed his remarks.
The program concluded with brief words of acknowledgment, as Kasbarian recognized those who had worked tirelessly in bringing this event to fruition: committee chair Angele Manoogian, along with Talin Daghlian, Harout Jamgotchian, Hrair Baronian, Zohrab Tazian, Tom Vartabedian, Vasken Aivazian, Ari Killian, and George Aghjayan. Talin Daghlian then presented the Nahapetians with a small gift on behalf of the committee.
Fundraising and festivities continued well into the night, buoyed by reports that the committee had reached its fundraising goal of $150,000.
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