DR. RICHARD HOVANNISIAN HONORED IN CALIFORNIA LONGTIME UCLA PROFESSOR ACCLAIMED AS A BRIDGE FROM OUR HISTORY TO OUR REALITY 

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December 4, 2001			   	
	         			       
DR. RICHARD HOVANNISIAN HONORED IN CALIFORNIA
Longtime UCLA Professor Acclaimed as
A Bridge From Our History to Our Reality

WASHINGTON, DC - The Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF) has honored
Dr.  Richard Hovannisian, one of the country's most distinguished
scholars of Armenian Studies, at a Jubilee Banquet. The event was
held on November 9 at the Universal City Hilton in Los Angeles,
California, with more than 700 attendees from every segment of the
community.

Hovannisian has held the AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History at the
University of California, Los Angeles since it was endowed in 1986,
following his many years of developing and directing the UCLA
undergraduate and graduate programs in the discipline. The AEF event
marked his fortieth year of activity in the field of Armenian Studies
and of the introduction of Armenian courses at UCLA where he has
taught since 1962. Hovannisian has served as Chairman of the Armenian
National Institute's Academic Council for the past five years and
was a founding member of the Armenian Assembly of America, the Society
for Armenian Studies, the Armenian Monument Council, and International
Alert.

In his speech to AEF guests on Hovannisian's outreach activities,
ANI Board Chairman Robert A. Kaloosdian called Hovannisian "a bridge
from our history to our reality." He said, "Richard Hovannisian brings
people and groups together to understand themselves better," and
observed that during the early 1970s when "the fact of the first
Armenian Republic was controversial and a cause of discord in our
communities," Hovannisian lectured to overflowing crowds in Armenian
communities throughout the country.  "He described the First Republic's
creation and historic significance and its relationship to its
successor state, thereby allowing for the continuance of our cause.
That concept, so simple, helped heal decades of pain."

Focusing on Hovannisian the scholar, Dr. Rubina Peroomian stated:
"His life is before you tonight, the steps he has climbed, the heights
he has conquered. It is not only knowledge, or relentless research,
or intense labor and perseverance. It is not only self-discipline,
objective, or meticulous and comprehensive treatment of the sources.
It is the sum of it all and on top of that, an aspiration, an ultimate
goal to reach a genuine and undying urge to serve the homeland of
his dreams." She concluded: "An achieved scholar is one that leaves
an indelible mark in his field. With his scientific methodology,
realistic approach, and analytic mind, Richard Hovannisian has broken
ground for a national, post-Soviet Armenian historiography...He is
a scholar par excellence."

ANI's formal salutation took note of the honoree's many accomplishments
and awards.  It said, in part: "Richard Hovannisian stands among the
founders of the discipline, has been one of its most stringent and
demanding exponents, the pioneer of the modern Armenian field, the
teacher of two generations of scholars, a leader among his academic
associates, and an author of acclaim in the historical discipline.
To all these accomplishments, then must be added his services to his
community, his tireless travels to speak in defense of human rights
and human dignity, and his uncompromising vision for the historical
truth acknowledged and understood by the rest of the world." ANI
thanked the AEF "for organizing this important event, for supporting
Armenian studies over the years, and for securing a permanent place
in the halls of academia for studying and teaching the history of
the Armenian people by establishing the chair that Richard Hovannisian
holds today."

During the Jubilee Banquet, Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian presented
Hovannisian with the Medal of Saints Sahak and Mesrop and an encyclical
from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. Bishop
Mousegh Mardirossian awarded the Knight of Cilicia Medal and an
encyclical on behalf of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia.  Resolutions of commendation were received from
the U.S. Congress, California State Legislature, Los Angeles City
Council and County Board of Supervisors, Armenian National Academy
of Sciences, and Yerevan State University.  California State Senator
Charles Poochigian served as Master of Ceremonies, and moving
testimonials were given by Professor Stanley Wolpert of UCLA, Vishal
Agarwal and Artashes Kassakhian on Hovannisian as undergraduate
teacher, Dr. Vahram Shemmassian, on the graduate mentor, Armen
Hovannisian, on the parent, Dr. Ashot Melkonyan for the Armenian
Academy of Sciences, and Armenian Consul General Valery Mkrtumian.
Jubilee co-chairs were Dr. Sahag Baghdasarian and Mrs. Mina Shirvanian.

Dr. Hovannisian holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in History from the
University of California, Berkeley, and received his Ph.D. in Russian
and Near Eastern history at UCLA. He is the author of numerous books
and scholarly works on Armenian, Caucasian, and Near Eastern History.
He is a Guggenheim Fellow and has received many international awards
for his scholarship, including two honorary doctoral degrees.  He
was awarded the Mesrop Mashots Medal by His Holiness Karekin II of
Cilicia in 1984 and was elected to the Armenian National Academy of
Sciences in 1990, the first social scientist living abroad to be so
honored. He is also the recipient of the Movses Khorenatsi Medal from
the Republic of Armenia.

The Armenian National Institute is dedicated to
the study, research, and reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. 
Visit its Web site at www.armenian-genocide.org.

NR#2001-171


PHOTO WITH CAPTION FOR PRESS RELEASE NR#2001-171

Photo available online at the following link:

http://www.aaainc.org/images/press/2001-171-01.jpg

CAPTION: During the Jubilee Banquet, Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian
presents Dr. Richard Hovannisian with the Medal of Saints Sahak and
Mesrop and an encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of
All Armenians.

http://www.aaainc.org/images/press/2001-171-02.jpg

CAPTION:  Bishop Mousegh Mardirossian (right) awards the Knight of
Cilicia Medal and an encyclical to Dr. Richard Hovannisian on behalf
of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

http://www.aaainc.org/images/press/2001-171-03.jpg

CAPTION: Armenian Educational Foundation President Neshan Peroomian
(right) and Banquet Co-Chair Mina Shirvanian present Dr. Richard
Hovannisian (center) with an award. Dr. Hovannisian was recognized
November 9 as one of the country's most distinguished scholars of
Armenian Studies.

http://www.aaainc.org/images/press/2001-171-04.jpg

CAPTION: Dr. Richard Hovannisian addresses the audience at the Jubilee
Banquet. The event was held on November 9 at the Universal City Hilton
in Los Angeles, California, with more than 700 attendees from every
segment of the community.