Haytoug Talks

In our final episode of our second Artsakh Series, we once again speak with our fellow AYF Alum, Artsakh Repat, and Founder of the Lorik Humanitarian Fund, Shant Charshafjian, where we reflect on the resilience of a people displaced but not defeated.

Shant, like so many others, shares in this struggle of our displaced people—not just for his family, but for his community, for our people, for our Artsakh. In the face of unimaginable loss, he walks alongside the Artsakhtsis, helping them rebuild their lives in Armenia while holding on to the hope of one day returning home. This is not a story of heroes, but of collective resistance and unyielding determination.

As we mark a year since the fall of Artsakh, we are reminded that this struggle is far from over. Together, we stand resilient, ready to continue the fight for justice, for memory, and for our Artsakh.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Edgar Elbakyan, a political scientist and social thinker based in Yerevan. He is a co-founder of the 'Armenian Project', a non-profit organization which contributes to enhancing Armenian national civil society. Together we explore the deep-rooted challenges facing Armenia today. As we unravel the concept of 'learned helplessness' and its societal impact, Edgar shares thought-provoking insights on reclaiming agency, fostering national resilience, and overcoming defeatist narratives. Together, we discuss how Armenians can break free from these mental chains, drawing strength from their history and identity to shape a stronger future for our Nation.

For small nations like ours, positioned between East and West, the media's role in our geopolitics can be a powerful force that many may overlook. These countries often become arenas for competing narratives, where major powers use media to sway opinions and justify their actions. This can distort the nation’s reality, marginalizing voices like those of Artsakh and making it harder to gain authentic support. In this episode, we discuss the importance of media narratives, funding, and literacy with AYF alum Dickran Khodanian, an independent journalist who's been on the ground in Armenia and Artsakh, witnessing the unfolding events firsthand.

Welcome to the second episode of our second Artsakh series, where we continue our critical conversation on the challenges facing Armenians today. In this episode, we reconnect with Alex Galitsky, who’s transitioned from ANC Western Region to ANC DC since our last discussion during the 2020 war. We'll dive into the complexities of advocacy work in Washington, D.C., the uphill battle against geopolitical interests, and the tireless efforts to support Artsakh and its people. Stay tuned as we explore the strategies, frustrations, and hope that drive this ongoing struggle. To learn more about the ANCA and their ongoing projects and programs, check out their site in our linktree. And make sure to follow them on social media to stay informed and engaged for the latest updates and ways to get involved in supporting Artsakh.

Part 1 of our second series on Artsakh features Gev Iskajyan, ANCA's National Grassroots Director and former Director of ANC Artsakh. Gev, who lived through the blockade and the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian population, shares his firsthand experiences of these tragic events. In this episode, we explore the resilience of the Armenian people, the challenges they’ve faced, and the ongoing struggle for justice.

How many diasporans have repatriated to Artsakh since the war in 2020? The answer is not many, but we intend to share with you the stories of some of the few that have.

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Shant Charshafjian moved with his family to Martuni, Artsakh, building community and working on various development projects; Blue Kalamian documented the aftermath of the war in 2020 in a film called “Dust Never Settled”, prompting his repatriation to the homeland; Hagop Ipdjian help found Artsakh Support Body, and now lives in Stepanakert, Artsakh working for the State Minister Artak Beglaryan as his Humanitarian Aid Advisor; Gev Iskajyan lives in Stepanakert, Artsakh representing the Armenian National Committee of Artsakh office. To check out their work follow the link here: https://HaytougTalks.contactin.bio. If you are interested in connecting with any of them personally, feel free to reach out to Haytoug Talks on social media.

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Music: Legend of the Mountains by Armen Yenovk Ghazarian

Armenian wine played a foundational role in the history of wine. Since ancient days Armenia has been famous for its wine-making traditions which are still kept in practice to this day. The fertile valleys of the Armenian Highlands are believed by many archaeologists to be the source of the world's first cultivated grapevines and neolithic wine production. Greg Nemet, an Armenian-American winemaker at Kareen Wine shares with us the story of Armenia’s winemaking origins, and its journey to the modern age. We discuss the blossoming Armenian wine industry in the Republic of Armenia, and the potential it holds to rival the iconic wines of the world. 

If you speak Western Armenian, you most likely speak the standardized Western Armenian language. This was not the case for the majority of Western Armenian history, as the process for creating a universally spoken and written Western Armenian for all Armenians in the Ottoman Empire only began to develop between the 18-19th centuries. In the final part of our Western Armenia series, we discuss with Jennifer Manoukian, a doctoral student in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA; who, why, and how Standard Western Armenian was made.

Hampig Sassounian was one of those who participated in a movement of targeted violence towards the Turkish state in the 70s & 80s; whose actions in Los Angeles made his name widely known in our community, and the greater diaspora. Resulting in him facing nearly a 40 year sentence in a California state prison. We wanted to get to know Hampig and to learn about his story and his plans moving forward, who after prison has now moved to Armenia, to start his life anew in the homeland.

We ask 5 Los Angeles based Armenian-American artists what their favorite Armenian song is.

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Tro Krikorian

Lara Sarkissian

Darone Sassounian

Krista Marina

Raffi Semerdjian