



10:30-10:40 Chahe Tanachian
Welcome & Introductory Remarks
10:40-11:00 Prof. Z.S. Andrew Demirdjian
The Persuasive Power of Numbers: A Call for Political Clout
11:00 -11:20 Video of Harut Sassounian’s Speech
at the USC Symposium, Nov. 20, 2010
at the USC Symposium, Nov. 20, 2010
Popularly Elected Structure to Represent Diaspora Armenians
11:20-11:45 Dr. Souren Seraydarian
Organizing for Our Inalienable Rights
Introduction by Arsine Attarian
11:45-12:05 Prof. Levon Marashlian
The Necessity and Difficulty of Establishing a Diaspora Congress
12:05-12:25 Coffee Break
12:25-13:05 Aliye Alice Alt
Hamshens & Convert Armenians: Their Expectations
Introduction by Dr. Dikran Abrahamian
Live Translation from Turkish by Ared Misirliyan
13:05-13:25 Fr. Mesrop Aramian
Education for Unity. The AYB Model For Armenian Children
Introduction by Viken L. Attarian
13:25-02:00 Lunch Break
Commentary:
2:00-2:05 Vrouyr Makalian LLB
Moderator
Moderator
2:05-2:15 Prof. Arpi Hamalian
2:15-2:25 Antranig Bedrossian B. Comm. BA CMA
2:25-2:35 Viken L. Attarian P. Eng. MSc MBA
2:35-3:25 Round Table, Rebuttals and Q & A
3:25-3:30 Khatoune Temisjian-Bedrossian PhD
Closing Remarks
This symposium is funded exclusively by private donations
Please consider a cash contribution or cheque payable to AWAC
Inscribe "Unity Symposium”. Donations are not tax-deductible
The Organizers thank the AGBU Montreal Chapter for providing space
Announcement
6 comments
Please employ Cooperation not Unity
I have many a time over tried to explain to my dear compatriots that there will never be Unity amongst different ideologies/currents of the factions of this or that nation.Not just Armenians. For it is quite well apprehensible that IDEOLOGIES differ and are in constant friction with each other.
Just watch and learn from the French, for example. They have left, extreme left, Right and extreme right political curretns /ideologoes and their offshoots. But they COOPERATE…..MIAPANVIL…WHEN THERE IS A NATIONAL ISSUE AT STAKE THREATENING F R A N C E ..
The word Unity and then propaganda amongst Armenians (by turkish agents) injected into our fabric such as Armenians will never unite, Armenians do not like UNITY etc., is deja vue by people who comprehend what I am talking about….
Others who keep on sheepishly continuing these phrases or even word UNITY ought to think twice over before uttering such words.
A Tashnag, or Njdehagan will always be so, a leftist , a Ramgavar will always stay so. Same with a Marxist, Maoist communist…you cannot erase it from his/her brain that …but you can indeed, try to bring them to .-
Convergence and cooperation on National Affairs!
Unity & Cooperation
Great answer, Gaytzag.
Precisely due to these efforts of "unity" we will not be at par with modern democracies. A modern society allows many divergent views.
Like you said, a Tashnag will always be a Tasnag, a Ramgavar will always be a Ramgavar, a communist will always be a communist, etc. It will be quite a deed to make them act in concordance. Have they ever acted in cooperation? When? Oh, sorry I forgot, they meet at the Genocide memorial in Montebello, California once a year to give long speeches that we all know by heart. Cooperation? It seems not in our lifetime.
I think Turks know us better than any of us when they say we will never unite (hold on to your horses, I am not a Turkish agent). When each interest sees the truth ONLY but ONLY through its own convictions, there will be no room to listen to other ideas. The conviction of "my side is right" is the biggest impediment to cooperation, let alone unity among us. This is more so among monolithic parties when the order comes from top brass to act and vote in a certain manner.
Top brass or BBB´s, Bishops,Bosses & Benefactors (Ara Baliozian)
You sound quite hopeless referring to the top brass only…if I may say so. You forget that our ex-silent majorities – as set forth by above BBB´s – are now extremely well advanced in their professional fields. These together-if organized-5 of these on the scene already-can come up alongside the BBB´s acting under the 160 yrs old Sahmanatrutyun, concocted up (drawn up) in Istanbulla, mainly by our clergy and their supporter Amiras – can make a difference. When and where is the question and how to do so. No, not by he Symposiums that took place in November 2010 in LA or the recent one in Canada – as is displayed on this forum – with all due respect to them – let them carry on their BBB controlled such as much as they wish. But I do believe that time will come-not too far away -when the majority of our so called ¨Silent majority¨ now over a 100,000 strong slumbering giant will emerge and this in an organized fashion, I suggesst, orderly and through a crystalization mode show its clout.
Otherwise the unfortunate present status quo will continue, for the time being.The spokespersons of the BBB´-s trumpeting on forums UNItY…etc.
Cooperation vs. Unity
I think many of us, hyphenated Lebanese-Armenian-Americans , Canadians or Aussies are following out the endemic political manifestations that are brewing in Lebanon once again and will continue in the future based on past experiences.
Of course there are real issues hindering the formation of a new Lebanese Government. However, I think that are not so real issues as well. Among the later the following comes to my mind, amply articulated by then Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan who said, in reference to the aspiring Republican Presidential candidates: "Too many candidates, and not enough promises to go around".
In Lebanon there are too many aspiring ministers and not enough ministries to go around. Sooner or later this will also come to its conclusion and a new government will be formed sooner or later. I am wandering now if new ministries will be created to dilute the veto power of any one political block. When done it may be a good example of cooperation to form a government and not necessarily of unity of purpose other than self serving.
A Thing or Two
A very short one
So what was the outcome of the March 19, 2011 Montreal Symposium (see above)? Would someone please comment on the gathering?
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