Looking Back Forward: Armenia in Lausanne - Nadir of Diplomacy
2024-04-22 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom Webinar
Virtual lecture by Professor Hans-Lukas Kieser with discussant Lerna Ekmekcioglu.
RSVP at https://bit.ly/MAH04-22-24.
The annual Raymond Kevorkian Genocide Commemoration Lecture is organized by the Richard Hovannisian Chair of Modern Armenian History at UCLA, with co-sponsorship by the Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies (CNES).

Sahag II Khabayan (1849-1939): Catholicos of Cilicia as Witness to Massacres and the Armenian Genocide
2025-04-25 13:00 - 15:00 | 6275 Bunche Hall, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, United States
The talk examines the life and work of Sahag II Khabayan, the Catholicos of the House of Cilicia, as a lens through which to explore the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath. By reconstructing Khabayan’s biography through his correspondence, the talk will challenge traditional historiographies, prioritizing state archives-particularly Ottoman and German sources-over other significant historical records written in Armenian. It will emphasize the importance of Armenian survivor accounts, such as Khabayan’s letters, in understanding the complexities of the genocide and the efforts to preserve Armenian identity and survival in its wake.
Khabayan’s unique position as a political and religious leader during three critical phases of violence-the Adana massacres of 1909, the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), and the Kemalist offensive (1918-1921) in Cilicia-offers a nuanced perspective on the events. The talk highlights three critical contradictions to traditional narratives: Khabayan’s loyalty to the Ottoman government during World War I, his relationship with Cemal Pasha (one of the key perpetrators of the genocide), and his post-war stance on the future of Armenians in Cilicia, which included critiques of the Armenian National Delegation’s reliance on European powers. Through Khabayan’s efforts to rebuild the Armenian community in Antelias, Lebanon, after the genocide, the talk will underscore his leadership in creating a sanctuary for Armenians and preserving their religious and cultural life. In doing so, the talk will expand the historiographical discourse on the Armenian Genocide, offering a more comprehensive understanding of survival, resistance, and the political realities faced by Armenians during and after this traumatic period.

You can watch a video of this event below:
