A sold-out, meticulously curated event dedicated to Artsakh took place on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Bovard Auditorium at the University of Southern California. Artsakh Uprooted: Aftermaths of Displacement aimed to raise awareness and introduce many of the people working relentlessly behind the scenes on issues related to Artsakh.
The day-long symposium was organized by the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies and co-sponsored by Massis Kabob, USC Visions and Voices, USC Divisional Dean for the Social Sciences, NAASR, Armenian Film Society and UCLA Promise Armenian Institute.
The energy and camaraderie of the day were evident and uplifting. Everyone who attended had a desire to seek justice, to be around like-minded individuals, to collectively grieve, to put on the armor of hope and to look forward. As an educator, I was in awe of the monumental amount of information relayed at the symposium in an easily accessible way.
Dr. Shushan Karapetian, director of USC’s Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, offered a welcoming message at the start of the day.
“There is no question that the loss of Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its indigenous Armenian population is the single most catastrophic development in contemporary Armenian history,” Dr. Karapetian said. “The global Armenian nation is still reeling from collective trauma, trying to come to terms with the loss of an Armenian homeland and the dispossession of its people. The uprooting of Artsakh has and continues to reshape the Armenian world, the Armenian psyche and indeed the Armenian narrative.”
“Dispossession and cultural erasure and ethnic cleansing are not unique to Armenians. Increasingly, we are all witness to the atrocious disregard for human life and human dignity as we watch the horrors in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere in the world. We in the 21st century are facing a profound moral, political and cultural crisis that has penetrated all of our hearts,” she continued.
Artsakh natives Nina Shahverdyan, Ashot Gabrielyan and Shoushan Keshishian reflected on “(Re)Starting Again” during a panel moderated by Margarita Baghdasaryan. The participants were asked what they would call their home. Each panelist described how hard this is to explain to people due to a general lack of knowledge about Artsakh.
“I am from Artsakh — my birthplace, my truth, my feeling of comfort and loss,” Gabrielyan said. “I feel like the bubble burst after November of 2020. My last memory of Artsakh was crossing the Hakari bridge in 2023. We were safe and alive, but it’s hard to say farewell to our past, the place we called home. I realized the war would never end, and it would be a daily struggle to feel safe and have normalcy.”
“We were safe and alive, but it’s hard to say farewell to our past, the place we called home. I realized the war would never end, and it would be a daily struggle to feel safe and have normalcy.”
Shahverdyan reiterated that the war continues, describing her sense of powerlessness. She has seen online that her home in Artsakh is the only one left standing on her street.
Keshishian is from Kessab and has suffered through several wars in Syria, Lebanon and Artsakh. “Wars have shaped my life. My work and my dreams have been impacted,” she reflected.
Dr. Valentina Ogaryan moderated a panel discussion called “Intergenerational Resilience Amidst Collective Trauma” with Arman Dzhragatspanyan, Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Dr. Frank Manis and Dr. Clayton Stephenson on a pioneering study examining intergenerational trauma and resilience following the 2020 Artsakh War.
The study was done qualitatively and quantitatively using surveys, interviews and diaries among displaced Armenians from Artsakh. “People know Armenians for their trauma. Despite the trauma, Armenians have thrived. There is a lot to learn from the Artsakhtsis,” stated Dzhragatspanyan.
A painful snippet of an answer from the study was shared: “The worryless years, at the apex of my life, those bright days, a little warmer. We had a good life. They left only after a bomb was dropped on their house. Everything fell apart. Happiness is gone. Now it’s sort of dreamy. Living an unreal life.”
Hannah Garry and Steve Swerdlow engaged in a panel discussion on “From Conflict Zone to Campus: The University and Human Rights,” moderated by Maral Tavitian. This discussion stated how powerful the law is, offering many resources that Armenians can utilize to hold Azerbaijan accountable, as impunity will lead to further abuses of power. Garry highlighted the immense work of the Center for Truth and Justice in this regard.
Swerdlow stated that COP29, which will be hosted in Baku this month, is an opportunity to enlighten the world about Azerbaijan’s greenwashing of its human rights abuses. “We need to use our laws like the Magnitsky sanction on Azerbaijani officials. We need to use all available remedies including Section 907 and sanctions, the release of prisoners,” Swerdlow said.
A profound performance lecture about the Tnjri plane tree, soil, roots and diaspora by Dr. Aroussiak Gabrielian and Hrag Vartanian, with musical accompaniment by Raffi Wartanian and Armen Adamian, called “Roots Across Diaspora Time” concluded the morning session.
A delicious lunch was served at Founders Park with a cooking demonstration by Zhengyalov Hatz restaurant called “The Kitchen as Archive” and a community poetry project by Wartanian called “Collective Voices.”
In the afternoon, Dr. Viet Thanh Nguyen and Eric Nazarian engaged in a riveting conversation on “Narrative Resistance.” “Colonizers don’t want us to connect our experiences. Stories matter as an act of resistance,” Dr. Nguyen said. “Refuse to apologize for our existence.”
Stating that narrative is power, Nazarian added a powerful statement about the voiceless — there are no voiceless people, just silenced. The narrative capacity has to be utilized to share more stories.
There are no voiceless people, just silenced.
Dr. Artak Beglaryan, former State Minister and Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh, presented on “What’s Next? How Do We Stop ‘Never Again’ from Failing Again?” Dr. Beglaryan gave a vision of what “never again” truly means.
USC Vice Provost for the Arts Dr. Josh Kun introduced Artsakh native and rap artist Lyoka for a performance entitled “I’m Still Here,” which moved the crowd tremendously and wrapped up the exceptional event.
Other highlights from the day included a lecture on “From Rights to Responsibilities: Victim Agency in Rerooting Artsakh” by Dr. Simon Maghakyan, a conversation on “Forging Histories: The Caucasian Albanian Narrative” between Dr. Sebouh Aslanian and Dr. Artom Tonoyan, and a panel on “Dialects (Up)rooted: Language as Witness” by Dr. Hrach Martirosyan and Lika Zakaryan, moderated by Dr. Shushan Karapetian.
An event of this caliber was made possible by a team of devoted and dedicated individuals and participants who went above and beyond the call of duty. Artsakh Uprooted offered a plethora of valuable information, community, fellowship, resilience, resistance and hope, renewing our determination for justice for Artsakh. The day was filled with tears, pride and a guide to seek justice.
As Armenians, we can never give up, and this is not the time to abandon hope. Whatever line of work you are in, there are ways to help and raise awareness. The war is still raging. We owe it to ourselves, our ancestors and our descendants. We can help by supporting vetted organizations, whether in the homeland or here in the diaspora; volunteering our time and resources; helping our Artsakh brothers and sisters in Armenia through projects like the Lorik Humanitarian Fund and Hayk for Our Heroes; educating; making our voices heard politically; never allowing our voice to be silenced; and keeping Artsakh on the forefront of our fight.
Talar Keoseyan
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I’m so glad I was there to experience this incredible day with everyone. The USC symposium on Artsakh was not only powerful but deeply moving. Being among scholars, activists, and artists who are passionately advocating for Artsakh brought a sense of unity and purpose that was truly inspiring. This event was a reminder of the resilience within our community and the importance of raising awareness on an international level. Thank you to everyone who made this day possible—your dedication to justice and the people of Artsakh is truly commendable.