ARF-D Eastern U.S. Announces Details for 2018 Conference on First Republic

(armenianweekly.com) WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Eastern U.S. today confirmed details of its May 2018 conference devoted to the First Republic of Armenia.

The conference will be held May 11-12, at Columbia University, in New York City, on the occasion of the Republic’s Centennial.

“We are pleased to announce the format and details of this exciting and important initiative,” stated conference chair Antranig Kasbarian. “The conference will start on Friday evening, May 11, with a plenary session titled ‘The First Republic: 100 Years Later,’ and will continue with multiple panels, in Armenian and English, spanning the full day on Saturday, May 12.”

The coat of arms of the First Republic of Armenia

Panels are now being assembled to address various themes, including the following:

  • The First Republic in Comparative Perspective
  • A Clash of Arms in the First Republic
  • Reflections and Impressions: Human-Interest Stories
  • Armenia and the Great Powers
  • Terra Irredenta: The Struggle to Secure Armenia’s Borders
  • Balance Sheet: Assessments of the First Republic

The conference will be co-sponsored by the Armenian Center at Columbia University and the Armenian Review.

“We hope to use this conference as a tool to educate our communities, highlight the First Republic’s role in developing Armenian sovereignty, and draw worthy lessons that apply to our statehood today,” Kasbarian noted. “In doing so, we will approach our subject via critical appreciation, covering accomplishments as well as critiques.”

Invitations are now being extended to a wide array of scholars and activists, representing diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. Program details will become available during the coming weeks.

The conference is part of a larger series of activities devoted to the Republic’s Centennial. Further activities will be announced in the next few months, as they become available.