Soghomon Tehlirian’s legacy lives in us
By Narineh Haroutunian, New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter
The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Eastern Region is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 AYF Camp Haiastan Campership Essay Contest. The first and second place winners in each age category were announced at AYF Junior Seminar over Memorial Day weekend. Narineh Haroutunian’s essay, which won first place in the middle group (ages 13-14), answered the following prompt: Why is it still important to fight for justice 110 years after the Armenian Genocide, and in recent years, the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh? Reflect on examples of justice that have impacted or inspired you. How can you continue this legacy within your own community? How will you carry the torch forward? Imagine sitting down with a hero from Armenian history. Who would you choose, and what would you hope to learn from their experiences, courage and dreams for Armenia? What would you share with them about who we are today, as Armenians in the Diaspora—and how we continue to stand strong, keep their spirit alive and carry the torch of justice?
If I had the chance to sit down with a hero from Armenian history, I would choose Soghomon Tehlirian. He was a man whose courage and sense of justice left a lasting mark not just on Armenian history, but on the world. Tehlirian is remembered not only for avenging the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians during the Armenian Genocide, but also for standing up against evil at a time when the world was silent. Meeting him would be more than a conversation—it would be a moment of honor and pride.
I would ask Tehlirian what it was like to carry the weight of Armenia’s pain on his shoulders. How did he find the courage to stand in front of Talaat Pasha—the man who played an integral role in the genocide—and face him with such pride and determination? I would want to understand his mindset during the trial that followed, where he stood not just as a defendant, but as a voice for a silenced nation. I would ask if he ever doubted his mission, and how he felt knowing that his actions helped the world begin to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, even if justice was long delayed. I would also ask him about the legacy he hoped to leave behind—and share what that legacy has meant to the Armenian people today.
From Tehlirian, I would hope to learn about true courage—the kind that doesn’t come from revenge, but from love for your people and a longing for justice. I would ask what his dreams were for Armenia after the genocide. Did he hope for a strong, united homeland? Did he ever imagine that Armenians would rise again, not just in Armenia, but across the world?
Then, I would tell him about what’s currently happening now in Armenia and Artsakh. I would tell him that although we are scattered throughout the Diaspora, we are still one. We speak Armenian, sing Armenian songs, dance Armenian dances and tell our stories. We remember the pain, but we also celebrate the strength. I would share how young Armenians today—whether in New Jersey, Paris or Beirut—still fight for recognition. We still carry the stories of our grandparents, and we still march and speak out every April 24th—not with hatred, but with hope. We are students, educators, singers and activists. We are building bridges between our past and our future.
I would also tell him about events like Junior Seminar, where over 400 Armenian youth from all over the United States gather every Memorial Day weekend to learn, sing, meet new people and create a small Armenia together.
Mostly, I would thank Tehlirian for his sacrifice, and let him know that his spirit lives on in each Armenian who refuses to forget. I would let him know that though the road to justice is long, we are walking it with the same fire he carried. His courage was not just an act of revenge—it was a message to the world that Armenians will never be erased.
Today, we honor that message by thriving, by remembering and by never giving up the fight for truth. Meeyatsyal baykar!
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