22 09 2007 - LECTURE ON ARMENIAN QUARTER OF JERUSALEM +AT NAASR BY COLUMBIA DOCTORAL CANDIDATE

LECTURE ON ARMENIAN QUARTER OF JERUSALEM

AT NAASR BY COLUMBIA DOCTORAL CANDIDATE

Bedross Der Matossian, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, will give a lecture on "The Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem: Past, Present and Future," on Thursday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA.

This lecture, the first in Boston by Der Matossian, will cover the history of the Armenians in Jerusalem both before and after the Genocide, situating it within the political transformations taking place in the region. Der Matossian will discuss the intra-ethnic politics during the British Mandate, Jordanian rule, and since the creation of Israel in 1948. There will be an emphasis on the intricate relationship between the Patriarchate and the Armenian lay community.

A Rich History and Current Challenges

Furthermore, Der Matossian will discuss the policy of the Patriarchate towards the local authorities and vice versa, both historically and at present. After analyzing the current challenges facing the Armenian community of Jerusalem, Der Matossian will conclude with a discussion of future prospects for the Armenian Quarter and offer suggestions for new approaches to current conditions.

Bedross Der Matossian was born and raised in Jerusalem. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he began his graduate studies in the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. Currently he is completing his dissertation on "Ethnic Politics in the Post-Revolutionary Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Arabs, and Jews During the Second Constitutional Period, 1908-1909" at Columbia.




Special Reception in Honor of Manoog S. Young to Follow Talk

The evening of the lecture, NAASR will also mark the 90th birthday of NAASR Founding Member and Chairman Emeritus Manoog S. Young. All are welcome to attend the lecture and stay for a reception in Young's honor on this noteworthy occasion.

Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR Center is located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Ample parking is available around the building and in adjacent areas. The lecture will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m.

More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing hq@naasr.org, or writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

NAASR Release on Oct. 11 lecture in Belmont
Release on Thurs., Oct. 11 lecture at NAASR Center on "The Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future," by Bedross Der Matossian.
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Belmont, MA

September 21, 2007

NAASR Release