October 22, 2020
The Honorable Michael R. Pompeo
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. Secretary,
We write to you as U.S. Fulbright scholars and American citizens. From remote mountain villages to cosmopolitan capitals, the 200 of us have worked in 59 countries and across six continents to spread goodwill, cultivate intellectual exchange, and create personal and institutional relationships that benefit the United States.
As Americans who have represented our nation globally, we share a lifelong commitment to the Fulbright Program’s mission of “fostering mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, sharing knowledge across communities, and improving lives around the world.”
We now write to advance these three objectives in regard to the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The war is anathema to the spirit of the Fulbright Program and to the values we have worked so hard to promote. It is clear to us that each day of fighting destroys mutual understanding, knowledge, and human life across the region.
We are deeply convinced that there is a need for creative, dynamic U.S. engagement to end the conflict. This engagement need not be heavy-handed or conspicuous, but it must be serious and innovative. Noncommittal expressions of concern and passive adherence to broken frameworks only serve to prolong the war and the irreparable destruction it engenders.
Without repeating the two sides’ competing claims, it is clear to us that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) have a right to remain in their homes. It is also clear that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh would not be safe if Azerbaijan ever won control of the region. This unfortunate fact is evinced by Azerbaijan’s record, from the Sumgait and Baku pogroms to the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nakhichevan, and from the lionization of Ramil Safarov to the 2016 execution of Armenian civilians in Talish. The events of recent weeks, including Azerbaijan’s unrelenting bombardment of civilian targets and the executions of at least six Armenians in Hadrut, conclusively show that anti-Armenian ethnic cleansing is no longer a hypothetical danger; it is an unfolding reality. With the international community paralyzed, we are convinced that only U.S. support for self-determination in Nagorno-Karabakh can halt the ongoing atrocities.
Nagorno-Karabakh has never been incorporated within a sovereign Azerbaijan. Its people have legitimately voted for and declared independence, and for nearly thirty years they have stewarded a functioning government of their own. A number of states, including California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Rhode Island, have officially recognized this reality. Supporting self-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh would be consistent with principles upheld by the United States in South Sudan (2011), Kosovo (2008), and East Timor (2002).
The continuation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict will intensify humanitarian crises, derail regional development, and erode democratic norms everywhere, harming our national interest. While the United States is not a unilateral arbiter of other states’ disputes, it is a critical leader with great leverage and unique peacebuilding capabilities. We fear that choosing not to deploy these resources now would send a global message that the United States is disinterested in the security of fledgling democracies such as Armenia—and that our nation is unable to meaningfully advocate for peace in the face of aggressive, destabilizing actions by aspiring regional powers. This would be an abdication of moral leadership and a green light to those hostile to American interests and values.
Another path is possible. We are confident that the United States’ diplomatic efforts can catalyze a true settlement, finally resolving the protracted and destabilizing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Institute of International Education and the Department of State chose us to represent the United States as teachers, researchers, academics, and volunteers around the world. Our deep experience advancing mutual understanding, shared knowledge, and humanitarian objectives—and our ongoing commitment to these values—compel us to share this letter with you now. We call on our nation’s diplomats to deploy every possible effort to immediately end the bloodshed, and to secure lasting peace in the Caucasus by supporting the self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Sincerely,
Fernando Abarca, US Fulbright Grant to El Salvador, 2018-2019
Alicia Abbaspour, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Zainab Abdali, US Fulbright Grant to Kenya, 2018-2019
Maryam Abdi, US Fulbright Grant to Cameroon, 2015-2016
Layla Aboukhater, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Sophia Adams, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Hana Aghababian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Dr. Mary Ajamian, US Fulbright Grant to Australia, 2015-2016
Lucas Allen, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2017-2018
Valeria Alvarado, US Fulbright Grant to Serbia, 2019-2020
Ben Anderson, US Fulbright Grant to Taiwan, 2019-2020
Dr. Krikor Andonian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2005-2006
Ani Aprahamian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2020-2021
Elisa Asdourian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2013-2014
Margaret Babayan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016 – 2017
Vanessa Baker, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2017-2018
Annabel Barraza, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2014-2015
Natasha Bednarz, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Julia Berryman, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2012-2013
Andrew Best, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Sylvia Biscoveanu, US Fulbright Grant to Australia, 2017-2018
Gabrielle Borenstein, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
Crystal Card, US Fulbright Grant to India, 2018-2019
Bjorn Carlson, US Fulbright Grant to Bulgaria, 2020-2021
Max L. Chapnick, US Fulbright Grant to New Zealand, 2014-2015
Lisa Chieffo, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 1988-1989
Elysia Chou, US Fulbright Grant to South Korea, 2019-2020
Will Clifft, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2017-2018
Olivia Coffman, US Fulbright Grant to Sri Lanka, 2018-2019
Mitchell Collins, US Fulbright Grant to Paraguay, 2019-2020
Jeremy Coppock, US Fulbright Grant to Belarus, 2013-2014
Megan Crowley, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Alessandra Daniels, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2018-2020
Zia Davidian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2014-2015
Cecilia De Boeck, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2019-2020
Dzovinar Derderian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2015-2016
Vanessa Diaz, US Fulbright Grant to Jordan, 2016-2017
Ruth Dike, US Fulbright Grant to Morocco, 2018-2019
Megan Mason Dister, US Fulbright Grant to Kenya, 2018-2019
Hasmik Djoulakian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Riley Dolan, US Fulbright Grant to Guatemala, 2019-2020
Max Donheiser, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2019-2020
Michael R. Ebner, US Fulbright Grant to Italy, 2017-2018
Daniel Edgel, US Fulbright Grant to Canada, 2016-2017
Matt Edwards, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2019-2020
Joshua Elbaz, US Fulbright Grant to Georgia, 2019-2020
David Estrada, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2013-2014
Pauline Eveillard, US Fulbright Grant to Tunisia, 2005-2006
Sophia Farion, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Betsy Fawcett, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Madeleine Feldman, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2018-2019
Kaitlin Fertaly, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Jaclyn Flores, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2020-2021
Karen Fraley, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2008-2009
Liliana Frankel, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2018-2019
Gabrielle Fressle, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2019-2020
Gary Gabor, US Fulbright Grant to Belgium, 2009-2010
Julia Ganson, US Fulbright Grant to Palestine, 2017-2018
Beverly Gantt, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2013-2014
Sonia Geba, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2019-2020
Alina Gharabegian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
David Greenwood-Sanchez, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico and Peru, 2018-2019
Adrineh Gregorian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2008-2009
Joseph Haberman, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Danica Harootian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2015-2016
Charles Harris, US Fulbright Grant to Romania, 2008-2010
James Hebbeler, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 1998-1999
Cal Hockemeyer, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2019-2020
Kristen Hudgins, US Fulbright Grant to Dominican Republic, 2007-2008
Miriam Huebner, US Fulbright Grant to Austria, 2018-2019
Samantha Hurley, US Fulbright Grant to Spain, 2016-2017
Isra Hussain, US Fulbright Grant to Austria, 2018-2019
Maria Ireland, US Fulbright Grant to Italy, 2017-2018
Solina Jean-Louis, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2018-2019
Ani Jilozian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2012-2013
Samantha Johnson, US Fulbright Grant to Bulgaria, 2018-2020
Lauren Jones, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Trevor Jones, US Fulbright Grant to Taiwan, 2020-2021
Dr. Shakeh Kaftarian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Aleksandar Kajmakoski, US Fulbright Grant to Macedonia, 2018-2019
Katrina Karlsons, US Fulbright Grant to Lithuania, 2017-2018
Kendal Karstens, US Fulbright Grant to Belarus, 2019-2020
Dana Kaufman, US Fulbright Grant to Estonia, 2012-2013
Megan Kelly, US Fulbright Grant to Colombia, 2016-2016
Aaron Kennet, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Lori Khatchadourian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2006-2007
Michelle Kim, US Fulbright Grant to Russia, 2017-2018
Rory King, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2017-2018
Katie Kirk, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2018-2019
Drew Kiser, US Fulbright Grant to South Africa, 2018-2019
Alexandria Kleinschmidt, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2019-2020
Benjamin Kuebrich, US Fulbright Grant to Turkey, 2008-2009
Haley Kulakowski, US Fulbright Grant to Ecuador, 2016-2017
Stefanie Kundakjian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2013-2014
Caitlin Kunkel, US Fulbright Grant to Indonesia, 2006-2007
Margaret LaPre, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2017-2018
Rosalyn Leban, US Fulbright Grant to Guatemala, 2018-2019
Matthew Lee, US Fulbright Grant to Australia, 2015-2016
Ian Lehine, US Fulbright Grant to Moldova, 2019-2020
Danit Lieberman, US Fulbright Grant to Taiwan, 2020-2021
Ian Lindsay, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2004-2005
Santiago Losada, US Fulbright Grant to Moldova, 2019-2020
Michael Lumpkin, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2018-2019
Sofia Lund, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2018-2019
Jenny Lundt, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2019-2020
Thanh Mai, US Fulbright Grant to Belgium, 2018-2019
Benjamin Maines, US Fulbright Grant to Sri Lanka, 2019-2020
Monique Mansour, US Fulbright Grant to Malta, 2016-2017
Anika Manzoor, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2014-2015
Victoria Mariconti, US Fulbright Grant to Poland, 2015-2016
Christopher Markosian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
Kara Marston, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2011-2012
Atdhe Matoshi, US Fulbright Grant to Kosovo, 2012-2013
Anahid Matossian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
Elisaveta Mavrodieva, US Fulbright Grant to Belarus, 2019-2020
Kelly McCartney, US Fulbright Grant to Vietnam, 2011-2012
Leah McCloskey, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2012-2013
Patrick McCormick, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2017-2018 & 2018-2019
Roza Melkumyan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2019-2020
Terra Michalowski, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2011-2012
Kevin J. Miller, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Sarah Miller Frazer, US Fulbright Grant to France, 2009-2010
Narineh Mirzaeian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Inna Mirzoyan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2020-2021
Ani Misirian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2015-2016
Chandra Talpade Mohanty, US Fulbright Grant to Ireland, 2005-2006
Isabel Monaghan, US Fulbright Grant to Austria, 2018-2019
Samantha Monroe, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2017-2018
Sharon Moran, US Fulbright Grant to Poland, 1993-1994
Kevin Morris, US Fulbright Grant to North Macedonia, 2017-2018
Alfred G. Mueller II, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2005-2006
Arminé Nalbandian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2008-2009
Ara Nazarian, US Fulbright Grant to Switzerland, 2002-2003
Julia Nemy, US Fulbright Grant to Rwanda, 2018-2019
Amber N. Nickell, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Chizobam Nwagwu, US Fulbright Grant to Nigeria, 2018-2019
Christina Origel, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2017-2018
Kathryn Ortega, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2018-2019
Magda Ostrov, US Fulbright Grant to Kyrgyzstan, 2017-2018
Serda Ozbenian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2014-2015
Kenneth Page, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Tamar Palandjian-Toufayan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2005-2006
Victor Pambuccian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
Emily Papazian, US Fulbright Grant to Spain, 2016-2017
Elya Papoyan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2011-2012
Soojin Park, US Fulbright Grant to South Korea, 2019-2020
Angie Pati, US Fulbright Grant to South Africa, 2018-2019
Caroline Patterson, US Fulbright Grant to Russia, 2017-2018
Rebecca Pedersen, US Fulbright Grant to Georgia, 2019-2020
Allyson Pérez, US Fulbright Grant to Italy, 2017-2018
Taylor Pigram, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Erin Piñon, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2016-2017
Greg Raver-Lampman, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Sharon Raver-Lampman, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Vince Redhouse, US Fulbright Grant to Australia, 2015-2016
Christopher Reynolds, US Fulbright Grant to Colombia, 2018-2019
Chris Robinson, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2017-2018
Cassandra Romanowski, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2013-2015
Narine Sarvazyan, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Abigail Scripka, US Fulbright Grant to Lithuania, 2019-2020
Dr. Elyse Semerdjian, US Fulbright Grant to Syria, 1999-2000 and 2007-2008
Timothy Sensenig, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2016-2017
Marta Shakhazizian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Daniel Shapiro, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2020-2021
Shant Shekherdimian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2019-2020
Cameron A. Sheldon, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2013-2014
Madison Nicole Sindorf, US Fulbright Grant to Jordan, 2016-2017
Arman Smigielski, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2018-2019
Annisah Smith, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2018-2019
Jacqueline Sofia, US Fulbright Grant to Jordan, 2011-2012
Alex Starnes, US Fulbright Grant to Spain, 2016-2017
Nathan Stauffer, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2016-2017
Lara Steinike, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2016-2017
Jam Sulahry, US Fulbright Grant to Indonesia, 2017-2018
Madison Taylor, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2019-2020
Ava Tessitore, US Fulbright Grant to Austria, 2017-2018
Sarah Thompson, US Fulbright Grant to Argentina, 2006-2007
Benjamin Tien, US Fulbright Grant to Australia, 2015-2016
Hagop Toghramadjian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2017-2018
Matthew Torrence, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2019-2020
Peter Toumanoff, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2015-2016
Derek Townsend, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2015-2016
Steven Usitalo, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2011-2012
Kassian (Natasha) Mmabatho Vaubel, US Fulbright Grant to South Africa, 1997-1998
Alexander Voisine, US Fulbright Grant to Mexico, 2018-2020
Eleanor Vorys, US Fulbright Grant to Malaysia, 2016-2017
Susan S. Wadley, US Fulbright Grant to India, 1983-1984
Alec J. Walker, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2016-2017
Malkie Wall, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2017-2018
Dana Walrath, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2012-2013
Maria Warns, US Fulbright Grant to Russia, 2019-2020
Anna Warren, US Fulbright Grant to Senegal, 2018-2019
Raffi Joe Wartanian, US Fulbright Grant to Armenia, 2012-2013
Alison Wawrzynek, US Fulbright Grant to Germany, 2014-2015
Delaney Wehn, US Fulbright Grant to Spain, 2019-2020
Jessica Williams, US Fulbright Grant to Brazil, 2017-2018
Gerti Wilson, US Fulbright Grant to Kenya, 2018-2019
Sarah Wood, US Fulbright Grant to Ukraine, 2018-2019
Jared Yalung, US Fulbright Grant to Philippines, 2020-2021
Zachary Zimmermann, US Fulbright Grant to South Africa, 2012-2013
cc: David Hale, Undersecretary for Political Affairs
Philip T. Reeker, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Robert A. Destro, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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No wonder I like educated, smart people.
A well written article. Everybody starting with our President should read this article. It is full of facts. It tells you the history of Artsakh and why the Ethnic Armenians who had lived there for thousands of years deserve to have their freedom.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Job well done.
Very impressive letter and list of supporters.
Quick question. I want to get a letter of this sort to be signed by academics in Europe. Who should I contact if I want to borrow some of the text in this letter? Thank you
Hi Vladimir,
You can contact me at natasha_toghramadjian@g.harvard.edu, I drafted the letter with a group of Fulbright alumni.
This is the time overdue for USA to punish Turkey for all the wrong doings all around the world. They were given green light from a lot of lobbyists in the world; so, now they want to commit their wish come true to get rid of first Christians, just because they are afraid of Armenians. The Armenians are fighting again for the world to have LIGHT, Jesus Christ, and they will win this war, in the name of Jesus!!! The nations who will stand with Armenia will be BLESSED. So, don’t be late, because God is ready to perform HIS MIRACLES!!!