Hamazkayin (), short for Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, is a major cultural organization of the
Armenian Diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
, with a presence in every significant Armenian community worldwide. In addition to organizing cultural events in local Armenian communities, the Hamazkayin runs three schools; publishes books through its printing press; maintains bookstores; publishes a monthly literary magazine, ''
Pakin
''Pakin'' (or francicized ''Pakine'') (in Armenian Բագին meaning altar in Armenian, full name at establishment Բագին, Ամսագիր Գրականութեան եւ Արուեստի, i.e. ''Pakin, Amsakir Kraganutyan yev Arvesdi'', meaning ...
'' (), organizes the ''Hamazkayin Forum'' and has established
H-Pem
H-Pem (stylized as h-pem) is a collaborative English-language Armenian cultural online platform and publication established by Hamapem of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society. Launched and made available to the public on May 1 ...
of their Hamapem establishment. Hamazkayin enjoys the support of a wide segment of the
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
community and encourages active participation to the events sponsored by the community. Hamazkayin sponsors and organizes many cultural events; such as concerts by renowned artists, scientific seminars, film festivals, literary lectures and book reviews. In the United States, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society was established as a non profit organization in 1970.
History
The Hamazkayin Publishing and Cultural Society was founded on May 28, 1928, in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, by a group of nine Armenian intellectuals, including the writer and educator
Levon Shant; historian, critic, and first Education Minister of Armenia,
Nigol Aghbalian; former foreign minister of Armenia Dr.
Hamo Ohanchanian; stage director and art critic
Kasbar Ipegian
Kasbar Ipegian (b. 1883 - d. 1952) was a Lebanese Armenian and one of the most important figures of Armenian theater. Ipegian was a lawyer by profession; he had studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and had a talent for learning foreign languages. Rat ...
, as well as Garabed and Drtad Malkhassian and Hagop Balekjian.
Schools
* The M&H Aslanian secondary school (also known as Jemaran ()) in the
East Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
suburb of
Antelias
Antelias ( ar, أنطلياس) is a city in Lebanon in the Matn District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut.
Etymology
The name is originally Greek, ἀντήλιος – from ἀντί(ant ...
in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
* The Ecole Bilingue Hamazkayin school in
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
, France
* The Arshag & Sophie Golstaun College in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, Australia
Publishing
Hamazkayin runs the Vahe Setian Printing Press in the
Bourj Hammoud
Bourj Hammoud (also spelled Burj Hammud; ar, بُرْجُ حَمُّودٍ; hy, Պուրճ Համուտ) is a town and municipality in Lebanon located north-east of the capital Beirut, in the Matn District, and is part of Greater Beirut. The to ...
neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, along with the Hamazkayin Bookstore below it. It also publishes the monthly literary magazine ''Pakine'' ().
The Hamazkayin Forum
Started in 1995, the Hamazkayin Forum is a 2-week cultural and educational trip for Armenian youth (mainly college-age students). From 1995 to 2001, the program was held at the Hamazkayin Nshan Palanjian educational institute in
West Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. The 2002 forum featured one week in Lebanon and one week in Armenia. After that, the forum has been held entirely in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
.
H-Pem
H-Pem (stylized as H-Pem) is a collaborative English-language Armenian cultural online platform and publication established by Hamapem of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society. Launched and made available to the public on May 13, 2019, H-Pem's mission is to reach Armenian communities around the world and help Armenians—particularly Armenian youth—(re)connect with their homeland and culture in new, creative, and cooperative ways.
History
In 2014, Hamazkayin's seventh General Assembly outlined the imperative creation of an innovative online platform to more effectively implement the organization's mission and to reach Armenians in the diaspora—specifically the Diasporan Armenian youth.
Following the General Assembly, a committee was put forth by the Hamazkayin Central Executive and Loucig Srabian-Guloyan was soon appointed as the project manager. Prior to the platform's actual development, Guloyan-Srabian held consultations with English-speaking Armenian youth across North America and elsewhere, to better understand their needs.
The project was named "H-Pem" by combining "H" for the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, with "Pem," the Armenian word for "platform."
Lilly Torosyan joined H-Pem in 2017 as the assistant project manager and staff writer, while Rupen Janbazian joined the following year as the platform's editor, content manager, and data protection officer. Shahen Araboghlian, H-Pem's social media strategist and management assistant, joined in 2019.
H-Pem, as well as its social media accounts, were made available to the public on May 13, 2019.
Features
Though most of the platform is open to the public, H-Pem features a free membership option, which allows users to comment on articles, to submit their work and recommendations, and to interact with other users.
H-Pem's content is divided into two main parts: "Featured content," which features pieces written by contributors, and "Your stage," a space in which users' work are highlighted.
The "Featured content" portion of the platform is H-Pem's online magazine, which includes stories, interviews, analyses, and profiles of Armenian cultural figures and achievers, as well as stories in pictures.
"Your stage" is an experimental space, which includes a multimedia guide and a submissions area, aspiring and established artists are encouraged to introduce and share their creative output. "Your stage" also features a section for collaborations with artists, writers, cultural executives, students, and graduates from multiple disciplines, as well as organizations, institutions, and community members, on focused projects.
The platform also features a section, which live streams Armenian cultural events around the world.
See also
*
Nor Serount Cultural Association
Nor Serount Cultural Association is an Armenian cultural organization with several branches throughout the world. First established in 1954 in Beirut, Lebanon, the association is a cultural branch of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party. Its foundi ...
*
H-Pem
H-Pem (stylized as h-pem) is a collaborative English-language Armenian cultural online platform and publication established by Hamapem of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society. Launched and made available to the public on May 1 ...
References
External links
Official website
{{Armenian diaspora
Armenian culture
Armenian diaspora
Organizations established in 1928