Boston Area Students Host Dinner, Lecture on Syria

BOSTON, Mass.—On Fri., Nov. 2, the Armenian Student Organization (ASO) of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) hosted a reception for the Armenian student organizations of the Greater Boston area.

On Fri., Nov. 2, the Armenian Student Organization (ASO) of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) hosted a reception for the Armenian student organizations of the Greater Boston area.

The evening began with a buffet-style dinner featuring Middle Eastern food, which was catered by the Garlic ‘n Lemons restaurant in Allston, Mass. After an hour of eating and socializing, the students listened to a presentation on the current conflict in Syria, given by former Hairenik Weekly editor Khajag Megerdichian. The lecture was delivered in Armenian and translated by Vazrik Chiloyan, a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Armenian Society (MITAS). Megerdichian focused on the dire situation of the Armenian community in war-torn Syria.

The presentation detailed the 900-year history of the Armenian community in Syria, the various regions in which Armenians established themselves, and their dwindling population today as a result of the violence targeted towards the country’s Christian minorities. “We are on our way to World War III, and the Armenians are caught in this bloodshed,” he stated.

Megerdichian showed graphic pictures of the destruction of churches and the decimation of neighborhoods. The presentation ended with a plea to students to donate. “Whether it be in time, money, or other resources, please assist our brothers and sisters in Syria.”

More than 70 students were present at the function, representing schools such as MIT, Boston University, and Northeastern University.

The event follows the social gathering that was held by the Armenian Students’ Association (ASA) of Boston University on Sept. 30, where Prof. Simon Payaslian presented the keynote address. Members of various colleges in the Boston area agreed to join a collective Boston executive board meeting once a month, to be held at a different university each time.

The third installment of these monthly gatherings will continue at Northeastern University (NU) on Wed., Nov. 28. The ASANU will host its own lecture featuring a lecture by Professor Greg Aftandilian on how World War II impacted the Armenian-American community and the identity of the second generation.

Lilly Torosyan

Lilly Torosyan

Lilly Torosyan is a freelance writer based in Connecticut. Her writing focuses on the confluence of identity, diaspora and language – especially within the global Armenian communities. She has a master’s degree in Human Rights from University College London and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Boston University, where she served on the ASA Executive Board. She is currently working on her inaugural poetry collection.

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