News — #NAASR
May 28: Vratsian’s Hayastani Hanrapetutʻiwn and Hovannisian’s The Republic of Armenia
May 28 marks the establishment of the Republic of Armenia in 1918, providing us with the opportunity to look back on two monuments to the short-lived but historically important republic: Hayastani Hanrapetutʻiwn (Հայաստանի Հանրապետութիւն = The Republic of Armenia), by Simon Vrats‘ean (Սիմոն Վրացեան, also Vratsian or Vratzian; we will use the spelling Vratsian in this piece), published in 1928 in Paris, and the second revised edition published in 1958 in Beirut; and Richard G. Hovannisian’s 4-volume The Republic of Armenia (1971, 1982, 1996). We will also touch upon the very direct connection between these two landmark publications and their respective authors.
Book Stamps and What They Tell Us
NAASR's Mardigian Library has over 30,000 books published over the past three and a half centuries. This includes titles published almost everywhere Armenians have lived in any significant numbers, including major centers of Armenian life (and publishing) such as Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Tiflis, St. Petersburg, Jerusalem, Constantinople, Smyrna, New Julfa, Beirut, Cairo, Sofia, Venice, Paris, Marseilles, New York, Boston, Fresno, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and many others. In a way, these books contain the story of the Armenian diaspora itself.
The ETERNITY Sculpture ~ Created and Donated by Acclaimed Artist Michael Aram
Have you wondered about the meaning of the exquisite Eternity sculpture created by acclaimed artist Michael Aram and featured in the Eternity Garden in front of NAASR's new building? Cast and fabricated in bronze, this site specific 7 foot by 7 foot sculpture was a gift of the artist on the occasion of the opening of the NAASR Vartan Gregorian Building in November 2019. The Eternity sculpture is Michael Aram's interpretation of a traditional Armenian symbol of eternity as manifested in ancient Armenian architecture, sculpture, and manuscripts. The "Arevakhatch," or "solar cross" has been prevalent in Armenian culture since medieval times, and...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ~ Շնորհաւոր Նոր Տարի եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդ
What a spectacular year NAASR has had — opening our magnificent new Vartan Gregorian Building with elements of Armenian culture and history incorporated into every aspect, and hosting a sold-out crowd of nearly 500 at our inspiring 65th Anniversary Gala! We thank the entire worldwide community for making this dream a reality in 2019 and look forward to an even more active 2020! We count on you to keep the momentum going in NAASR’s exciting new era. Please donate today to advance Armenian Studies and build a global community for the next generation.