The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) will host a special event, “Expanding Horizons—West Coast,” on Sunday, January 29, 2023, to welcome Dr. Taner Akçam to the Los Angeles area and to connect with members and supporters. This evening get together will be held in downtown Los Angeles at the historic Jonathan Club, 545 South Figueroa Street. There will be a cocktail reception at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m. View the program here. 

In addition to celebrating the appointment of Dr. Akçam as the inaugural director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program at the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute, this festive occasion will mark the 60th anniversary of NAASR and UCLA’s partnership in Armenian Studies, the first fruit of which was the establishment of the Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies, the oldest endowed chair at UCLA. This relationship continues to flourish today through collaborative programs involving NAASR, the Narekatsi Chair, the Richard Hovannisian Chair in Modern Armenian History, and the Promise Armenian Institute.

NAASR members and friends on the West Coast will also welcome the recently appointed NAASR Executive Director, Silva Sedrakian, who will discuss the organization’s programs and vision. NAASR Director of Academic Affairs Marc Mamigonian will serve as emcee for the event.

The evening will also include a special memorial musical tribute to NAASR Board Member and Benefactor Edward Avedisian (1937-2022), performed by Boris Allakhverdyan (Principal Clarinet, LA Philharmonic) and Alin Allakhverdyan (piano).

Space for this event is limited and those interested in attending should contact NAASR as soon as possible. Tickets can be purchased online here, or by calling NAASR at 617-489-1610. Inquiries can also be made by email at hq@naasr.org. View the event Sponsors here.