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Pamboukian Talks About ARF Archives

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  • Pamboukian Talks About ARF Archives

    PAMBOUKIAN TALKS ABOUT ARF ARCHIVES
    Khatchig Mouradian

    www.hairenik.com/weekly/2009/04/29/pamb oukian-talks-about-arf-archives/
    April 29, 2009

    WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On April 7, the Hairenik Association
    organized a discussion with historian and former Armenian Revolutionary
    Federation (ARF) Bureau member Dr. Yervart Pamboukian from Lebanon. The
    event, held at the Homenetmen "Papken Suny" center in Watertown, was
    attended by scholars, intellectuals, and representatives from Armenian
    organizations and associations from the Greater Boston area and beyond.

    Pamboukian has edited and published five volumes in Armenian on the
    ARF archives, and was in Watertown in March and April to conduct
    research for his sixth and seventh volumes.

    Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, the former editor of the Armenian Review and
    former director of the ARF and First Republic of Armenia archives,
    currently directs the publications department of the Armenian Relief
    Society (ARS). Sonentz-Papazian introduced the speaker, saying that
    for decades Pamboukian has served his nation as a teacher, historian,
    and party activist.

    Pamboukian began his talk by saying that as a historian, he feels a
    great sense of satisfaction when he delves into the ARF archives,
    because they make "you relive everything that had to do with our
    national struggle."

    Pamboukian said the ARF archives are immense and that records have been
    kept from the founding days of the party. Although not as organized as
    they could have been in the late 1800's, the archives were gradually
    enriched and organized over the decades. "Most of the material found
    in the archives comes from Tsarist Russia and the Ottoman Empire," he
    said, explaining that it includes thousands upon thousands of letters
    and reports, sometimes written in secret codes or by invisible ink.

    Before World War I, the archives were kept in Geneva and then
    Paris. After the war, they were moved to Boston, where they are still
    kept "in perfect condition," he said.

    "Not only do these archives contain party-related issues, but also
    a wealth of information about the recent history of the Armenians,
    statistical and demographic data, etc.," said Pamboukian. "I can say
    that no Armenian archives of any Armenian organization are as rich
    as the ARF archives. In fact, we sometimes have more material about
    other Armenian organizations than those organizations themselves."

    Talking about the digitization process of the ARF archives, which began
    recently, Pamboukian announced that the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
    had provided $50,000 for that purpose. A question-and-answer session
    and a reception followed.
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