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Concert in Miami to Commemorate Armenian Genocide, Culture After 100 Years
(Combined Sources) – On Saturday, November 7, at 7:00 PM, the Hye Doun commemorative concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will take place in Miami Beach, Florida, reported FLArmenians.com. Hye Doun is a collaboration of Arts at St. Johns and Harmonic Motion. Through music, dance, song, and narrative, the World War I Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkish Empire will be illuminated.
Local South Florida Armenian Americans, musician Joe Zeytoonian and author/journalist Douglas Kalajian, will share their experiences of having family members who were killed or simply disappeared during this period when an estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million men, women, and children died.
The concert includes traditional Armenian folk and folk-inspired melodies and dance, with a cultural commentary provided by FLArmenians.com contributor Douglas Kalajian, author of “Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me.”
“When musicians play these songs, they’re preserving this culture. It’s a gift not only to me, but to the whole world,” Kalajian told the Miami Herald.
According to the Herald, “Zeytoonian also was deeply impacted by the genocide; both sides of his family were devastated. His grandfather was killed when his grandmother was eight months pregnant with his father. He decided to convey the loss his family felt through his music.”
“Armenian music has a particular nostalgia in its sound. My sound is a combination of that and the Anatolian roots of my parents who were driven from their homes in Maras, Turkey,” Zeytoonian said.
Performers include Myriam Eli (percussion and dance), Alique Mazmanian (vocals), Reza Filsoofi (setar and percussion) and Joe Zeytoonian (oud, percussion, and vocals).
The Hye Doun concert is part of Arts at St. Johns 2015-2016 season theme “Places We Call Home.” Nearly 75% of the residents in Miami-Dade County have come from other places. With physical homes in South Florida, many are emotionally bound to other cities, states or countries. Because of socio-political circumstances, some homes exist only in heartfelt memory.
What: Hye Doun Armenian Genocide Commemorative Concert
When: Saturday, November 7, 7:00 PM
Where: Arts at St. Johns, 4760 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33140
Tickets: VIP Admission: $30 – General tickets: $20
$15 Seniors & Students with ID’s
Military and family are free with ID’s. Children under 10 are free.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONCERT, please contact Carol Hoffman-Guzman at 305-613-2325 or artsatstjohns@bellsouth.net.
FIU to Host ‘A Career Like No Other: Shaping the Future of U.S. Diplomacy and Global Leadership’
A Conversation with Arnold A. Chacon, U.S. Department of State
Friday, October 9, 2015 | 2:00 PM
FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus | GC 140
Director Arnold A. Chacon, a 33-year career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, will talk about the role of the State Department, career opportunities at State, and share insights on life in the Foreign Service and the rewards of public service. A former U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala with experience serving in Latin America, Europe and other parts of the world, Director Chacon will also address the policy and professional challenges and opportunities facing U.S. diplomats in an uncertain world.
This event will be moderated by Dr. Frank Mora, Director of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere.
Co-sponsored by the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Department of Politics and International Relations and Office of Global Learning Initiatives.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 305-348-7266.
Miami Armenian Student Clubs Bleed Red, Blue, and Orange
Gevorg Shahbazyan, President, FIU-AASO; Mercedes Gechidjian, President, UM-ASA; Todd Avedian, NOVA; Mishela Gevorkian, UM-ASA; Arman Shahbazyan, FIU-AASO; and Guadalupe Gechidjian, UM-ASA. Photograph credit Ashot Mamyan.
By Mercedes Gechidjian
FLArmenians Miami Contributor
Hollywood, FL— On Sunday, September 20, several representatives of the Armenian Student Association (ASA) of the University of Miami (UM), the Armenian American Student Organization (AASO) of Florida International University (FIU), and NOVA Southeastern University, had the opportunity to meet at the Armenian Independence Day picnic hosted by St. Mary Armenian Church.
Following Church service, and after indulging in delicious kebabs and barbecued meats prepared by the St. Mary Men’s Club, the UM-ASA and FIU-AASO members met and discussed future plans, potential for joint events, and aspirations for their clubs this academic year and beyond. Ms. Mercedes Gechidjian, President of the UM-ASA, and Florida Armenians Broward County Chair Gevorg Shahbazyan, also President of FIU-AASO, discussed the idea of cooperation between the two clubs to bring awareness of Armenian life and culture in Miami.
However, it was not just a business meeting for the members of the Armenian clubs. Social events such as joint dinners, beach days, and movie nights were also explored. “I think that by strengthening our friendship and planning ‘non-business’ hang outs with FIU-AASO we will be able to work as a family,” said Mishela Gevorkian, a graduate student at the University of Miami and member of the UM-ASA. Arman Shahbazyan, an active member of FIU-AASO, was extremely happy to meet more young Armenians in South Florida. “Living in Miami, it’s a little hard given the size of our community here. So when you have the opportunity to meet new Armenians, you just become happy. We had a very productive day and I’m looking forward to future joint activities,” said Shahbazyan.
Both clubs are relatively new but, since their establishment, have caught the attention of their respective student bodies and Armenian communities around the world. It is wonderful to see the next generation of Florida Armenians promoting our culture, our traditions, and our language amid their peers, as they help grow and expand the Armenian American community in South Florida.
Florida Armenians 