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04.06.2012

THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN GREECE AT THIS STAGE

   

Vahram Hovyan
Expert at the Center for the Armenian Studies, “Noravank” Foundation



Number and Places of Residence

The number of the members of the Armenian community in Greece in the 20th century fluctuated. In 1923 it reached its peak (120 thousand people), which was conditioned by the mass migration of the Armenians to that country caused by the Armenian pogroms in 1890s, the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and Greek-Turkish war (1919-1922).

Later on, however, migration of the Armenian population from Greece to the Soviet Armenia, European countries and United States was observed.

Migration to the Soviet Armenia was conditioned by the policy of repatriation to which the Armenian community in Greece made a contribution. In 1924-1927, 1932-1933 and 1946-1947 about 60 thousand Armenians from Greece repatriated to the Soviet Armenia1.

Migration to more developed European countries and United States was and is conditioned by social and economic factors. Though today Greece is a member of the European Union its economy is not the best one in Europe. The economic crisis which has flamed up in Greece recently and caused governmental crisis is a sharp evidence of this. Due to this reason a tendency of leaving for more trouble-free and wealthy European countries and United States can be observed in the Armenian community in Greece.

At the same time, after the independence of Armenia a big number of migrants from Armenia, induced by war, earthquake, blockade and other difficulties, alongside with other countries immigrate to Greece either. The number of the Armenians who have migrated to Greece over the recent two decades is about 30-40 thousand2. And according to some other sources the number of the Armenian community in Greece has grown 7 times, thus increasing from 12-13 thousand to 70-80 thousand3.

The Armenian community in Greece is spread all over the Greece. Nevertheless, the biggest number of the Armenians lives in Athens and Salonika where their number reaches correspondingly 10 and 11.5 thousand people.

Current description of the community

Being one of the traditional communities of the Armenian Diaspora, the Armenian community in Greece includes almost entire reach palette and variety of the Armenian spiritual and cultural, social and political life. The current variety of the Armenian community in Greece is manifested mainly in three aspects – social, political and spiritual.

Division of the Armenian community in Greece on traditional and modern communities is the factor that proves inner diversity of the community in the social aspect. Traditional Diaspora includes Armenians who immigrated to Greece in a result or before the Armenian Genocide; meanwhile modern Diaspora includes Armenians who emigrated in 1990s from the Republic of Armenia. It is remarkable that the specific weight of the modern community is bigger than the one of the traditional community which according to current data constitutes 13-15 thousand people. The rest of the community is the representatives of the “modern” Diaspora. And if the number of the traditional community tends to decrease, in the modern community tendency of growth is observed as the migration from Armenia to Greece continues, though not at the same pace.

In political aspect two of three traditional Armenian political parties are spreading their activity in Greece – ARFD (Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun) and Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramkavar). The activity of these two traditional parties provides variety of the ideological and political field (national socialist – ARFD and liberal – Ramkavar) in the Armenian community in Greece. ARFD’s “Hay Dat” commission takes special place as a political body of the community.

In the spiritual aspect though the overwhelming majority of the Armenian community in Greece is the adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church, but side by side with them there are Catholic and Evangelical Armenians either. The Catholics and Evangelicals number several hundreds each.

Today there are 10 Armenian Apostolic, 2 Armenian Catholic and 2 Evangelical churches in the Armenian community. If the Apostolic Armenians besides Athens are scattered over other cities and population centers in Greece, Catholic and Evangelical Armenians are living mainly in Athens.

The relations between Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical churches are based on tolerance and collaboration grounds. No encounters on confessional grounds are known.

Community organizations

The vital activity of the Armenian community in Greece is also conditioned by its organization which is provided by the activity of community organizations. Besides traditional parties and three Armenian churches (Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical), there are also other numerous and various organizations.

The leading organizations of the community are National center and National administration.

Other organizations of the Armenians community in Greece can be divided into two groups:

  • Branches of the all-Armenian organizations in Greece. Such all-Armenian organizations as AGBU (Armenian General Benevolent Union), Homenetmen (Armenian General Union of Body Culture), Hamazkayn Armenian Cultural and Educational Association, “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, etc. have their branches in Greece.
  • Community organizations. There are various community organizations working side by side with the local branches of all-Armenian organizations and among those local organization the following groups can be singled out:

1. Media. There are printed and electronic Armenian media in Greece. The printed media are “Azat or”, “Nor Ashkharh”, “Hayastan” and other periodicals.

As we have already mentioned besides printed periodicals there are also web-sites playing an important role in information dissemination. Besides the web-site of the Greek Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church (www.armchurch.am), today there are also community web-sites (www.armiancommunity.gr, www.armenika.gr).

Printed and electronic media cover life of the Armenian community in Greece, in Armenia, other communities of Diaspora as well as turns to the nationwide events.

2. Educational organizations. In the Armenian community in Greece the Armenian educational institutions, among which particularly Sophie and Levon Hakobian, Zavarian, Gulpakian schools can be distinguished, were and are still working.

3. Cultural organizations. As cultural organizations “Hayastan” center, “Araks” cultural association, etc. are remarkable.

4. Social organizations. Among such organizations activity of “Yerevan” association is remarkable. It deals with the issues of the Armenian students studying at the military institutions in Greece. Besides cultural activity “Hayastan” center spreads eager public activity either.

Challenges and capabilities

The Armenian community in Greece, just like other communities of Diaspora, is influenced by positive and negative effects. The positive effects are favouring strengthening of the community and promote its vital activity. Negative factors are affecting the community.

Among the negative factors or challenges affecting the Armenian community in Greece the followings can be distinguished:

1. Economic crisis, which boosts migration of the Armenians from Greece.

2. Dioceses issue, i.e. whether the Greece Dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church belongs to the Mother See of Holy Edchmiadzin or to the Armenian Catholicosate of Great House of Cilicia. The Greek Dioceses established in 1920s first was under the jurisdiction of Mother See of Holy Echmidzin. But in 1958 it came under the jurisdiction of Cilicia Catholicosate. Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin did not put up with it and established Dioceses structure which reported to it. Today both of these organizations exist and put in claims for leadership. Though this causes unhealthy competition, till now, it has not brought to the splitting of the community.

3. Language issue. Though a number of the Armenian education institutions are working in Greece, nevertheless, judging by the fact that the Armenian web-sites in Greece are in Greek (www.armeniancommunity.gr, www.armenika.gr), it can be assumed that the Armenian community, just like other Armenian communities, face the issues of preservation of the Armenian language. Rather big stratum of the Armenians does not speak Armenian. In the Armenian community in Greece the process of loss of the national attributes, including language is at fast pace.

The Republic of Armenia is the factor which has positive effect on the community life. Independence of Armenia (in 1991), establishment of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Greece (in 1992), opening of the Armenian embassy in Greece added new spark to the life and activity of the community. The community felt more tangible presence of motherland and state. After the establishment of the Ministry of Diaspora (in 2008) the influence of this factor has even grown.

The influence of the factor of the Republic of Armenia in the Armenian community in Greece is connected with the activity of the Armenian Embassy, Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia, visits of the presidents of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to Greece, etc. The aforementioned factors have the following positive aftermaths.

  • Stirring up of the community life. The Embassy of Armenia stirs up community life by means of organizing and holding different events. E.g. an event devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Armenian army held on January 26, 2012 is remarkable.
  • Consolidation of ties with motherland. After the independence of Armenia and establishment of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Greece, ties between Armenian community in Greece and motherland became stronger. E.g. the Armenian community in Greece is also included and actively participates in “Come home” programme initiated by the Ministry of Diaspora.
  • Coordinated and target assistance from Armenia. The Republic of Armenia, mainly through the Ministry of Diaspora, promotes solution of different problems of the Armenian community in Greece. In this aspect provision and publishing of text-books for schools, professional training of teachers, etc. is important.

Armenian community as a factor

Being one of the oldest and most organized communities in the Diaspora, the Armenian community in Greece, despite all the difficulties, plays an important role for the Armeniancy and Armenia. The community, being an integral part of the Armeniancy, promotes the solution of the all-national issues contributing to the obtaining of nationwide goals. Preserving and development of this factor are crucial for the potential of Armeniancy.

As a factor the Armenian community in Greece is considered in the life of the Armeniancy in the following aspects:

1. Political – The political significance of the Armenian community in Greece is conditioned by its devotion to the all-national issues (international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh issue) and struggle for their resolution. The main way of promoting resolution of those issues for the Armenian community in Greece is lobbying activity. The main lobbyist organization of the community is the ARFD “Hay Dat” commission. Back in 1996 due to the efforts of “Hay Dat” the Greek parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide. But the struggle of the community is not over yet, as the main goal – recognition of the Genocide by Turkey and retaliation – is not complete. In particular, the community does its best to voice the issue of the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide when it comes to discussion of Turkey’s joining European Union. As Greece is an EU member its stance is vital for Turkey. The Armenian community works eagerly in this direction with the Greek authorities. The Armenian community is weighty factor during the elections and the political powers in Greece cannot but reckon with its stance on different issues, including foreign policy4.

Another important all-national issue which is promoted by the Armenian community in Greece is the Artsakh conflict settlement. The Armenian community in Greece tries within its capabilities to contribute to the peaceful and pro-Armenian resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this aspect the protest action against militant behavior and claims of Azerbaijani side, organized by the community during the visit of the president of Azerbaijan I. Aliyev to Greece in 2009, is remarkable5.

2. Economic – The community, despite economic crisis, eagerly participates in the relief programmes directed to Armenia, mainly through the activity of the local branch of the “Hayastan” All-Armenian fund. During the telethon in 2011 the members of community donated about 35 thousand Euros6.

3. Civilizational – The Armenian community in Greece provides the Armenian civilizational presence in Europe and particularly in Greece through organization of various cultural events. In this aspect an exhibition of ancient books and frescos devoted to the 500th anniversary of the book printing in Armenia which was opened on December 28, 2011 in the Embassy of Armenia is remarkable7.

1Հայ սփյուռք հանրագիտարան, Երևան, 2003թ., էջ 370։

2Arevik Badalyan, Greek Armenian Community: the struggle continues http://arevik.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/greek-armenian-community-the-struggle-continues/

3Հունաստանի հայ համայնքը պատրաստվում է Հայաստանի նախագահի հետ հանդիպմանը http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/2279357.html

4Arevik Badalyan, Ibid

5See Azeri President met with angry Armenian protesters in Greece http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/world/news/28661/

6Панъевропейский телефонный марафон Всеармянского фонда «Айастан», зарегистрировал согласие абонентов пожертвовать 1 миллион 350 000 евро http://himnadram.org/index.php?id=23817&lang=3

7See Հունաստանում ՀՀ դեսպանությունում բացվել է հայ գրատպության 500-ամյակին նվիրված ցուցահանդես http://www.tert.am/am/news/2011/12/29/ingreecearmenianembassy/

“Globus” analytical journal, # 5, 2012

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