On the wall behind Shushan Karapetian in her office at USC hangs a beautiful tapestry, from Nagorno Karabash. It’s reddish, and timeless, tranquil.
Shushan Karapetian: “That’s the region that was recently ethnically cleansed,”
Says Karapetian. She directs the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies. California for a while has commemorated what it calls Armeinan Genocide Remembrance Day, but their culture of course is so much more than that. So Karapetian is pleased that this year for the first time, USC will celebrate Armenian culture for the whole month of April.
Karapetian: “So I think for USC students to feel like their university, their administration, their peers, see them and see them not just as descendants of genocide survivors, or potentially compatriots of currently suffering people, but to see them as a group of people who have been around for a long time who matter in this community who matter on a global scale, I think is very, very significant. This simple recognition We see you and we don’t just see you at the moment we see you in context.”
“Events this coming month include, performances and Armenian cuisine, President Carol Folt will open celbrations on April 4, You can see what they call a Cultural Showcase at the Trojan Grand Ballroom on April 8. And then films. Armenian Language Immersion and other Armenian cultural events throughout the month. We’re even coordinating with UCLA on April 24 for a Joint Armenian Students’ Association Candlelight Vigil, at UCLA,”
Karapetian has big hopes for this month and expects it to be a success. based on past smaller events that USC has hosted,
Karapetian: Any Trojan or anyone in the larger community who has engaged with any of the programming we’re putting on has something meaningful to say like I had no idea Armenian history spent several 1000 years I had no idea Armenian food was so fantastic. I had no idea, the music and dance was so moving, if Trojans and larger community members have meaningful engagements with any aspect of Armenian culture or heritage, food, history, music, dance language. That’s a, you know, pretty phenomenal thing.
Karapetian says the Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies eagerly anticipates the participation of the community to make the first Armenian History Month at USC a memorable and meaningful experience for all.
For updates, detailed event schedules, and more information check out their website.