English Translation of “Hadjin, If We Forget You” Presented at the Western Diocese

Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, on October 12, 2017, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Western Diocese organized an evening with Haiganoush Satchian-Grkacharian, author of the recently published English translation of Hadjin, If We Forget You.

The venue was the Hampar Family Room of the Western Diocese, in Burbank, California, which was filled to capacity for the highly anticipated book presentation and signing event.

The event commenced with the Lord’s Prayer led by the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan after which the Rev. Fr. Nerses Hayrapetyan delivered the welcoming remarks.

Fr. Hayrapetyan expressed his gratitude to the Diocesan Primate for his influential role of preserving the Armenian culture in the Western United States through such significant undertakings.

The official presentation was made by Diasporan Armenian historian, translator and editor Dr. Vartan Matiossian, the translator of the book.

Reflecting on her book, the author Haiganoush Satchian-Grkacharian shared with the audience her determined role in bringing the literary work to life.

In the artistic portion of the program, singer Suren Mkrtchyan performed Robert Amirkhanyan’s “Yeraz Im Yerkir Hayreni.”

In his closing remarks, the Primate commended both Mrs. Satchian-Grkacharian and Dr. Matiossian for the grandiose undertaking in preserving historical facts and truths and handing down to the young generation invaluable evidence of what transpired in the town of Hadjin during the Armenian Genocide. Archbishop Derderian also expressed his gratitude to the Ladies Auxiliary led by Mrs. Cindy Norian for wonderfully organizing such noteworthy events.

Hadjin, If We Forget You documents a testimony that recounts the tragic events heroically endured by the town of Hadjin, where its people courageously fought the tyranny and oppression at the price of being annihilated in the years of the Armenian Genocide. It has been published by Ars Publishing of Glendale, with the sponsorship of Mr. Armen Arslanian.

"Massis," October 21, 2017