Talking Vartan Podcast

The Talking Vartan Podcast Christmas Edition features conversations with Grand Commander Bob Avakian and Grand Chairwoman Lily Sarkissian. Both leaders look back at 2025 and the humanitarian efforts of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan in the year ahead. Father Aram Mirzoyan from Saint Hovhaness Armenian Church in Berd recalls the visit of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan to Tavush, Armenia in September of 2025 and also offers a Christmas prayer in Armenian. The program also includes two musical Christmas offerings by the Medzorian family.

In Episode 61 - "Through an Armenian Lens", The Talking Vartan Podcast profiles Asbed Jean Mazmanian of the Knights of Vartan's Hayasdan Lodge in Boca Raton, Florida. As a filmmaker, composer, performer, and activist, Jean Mazmanian has used his skills to tell the story of the Armenian people through video and music, and also to focus on the work of The Knights of Vartan in helping our fellow Armenians who left their homes in Artsakh two years ago. He spoke with the host of the Talking Vartan Podcast, Asbed David Medzorian, from his home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Here is a link to Jean Mazmanian's film, "People of the Ark."

https://vimeo.com/163354075

Here is a link to the video profiling our Economic Sustainability Program families:

https://youtu.be/0fPtA_DTz3k?si=mQhFL4eObIipSDXj

Here is a link to Jean Mazmanian's "One World" album:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kMfrGKNpFetsA8WRb-ZNOFEKh8BbknU8Q&si=3NDDWM8F0nyN6a6X

Host and Producer David Medzorian introduces us to the new Grand Chairwoman of The Daughters of Vartan, Avak Dirouhie Lily Sarkissian in Episode 60 of the Talking Vartan Podcast. In Part two of "The Torch Has Been Passed", Avak Dirouhie Lily Sarkissian describes what she wants to accomplish as Grand Chairwoman and why the mission of The Daughters of Vartan has been so dear to her heart for nearly four decades.

In Episode 59 of Talking Vartan: The Knights and Daughters of Vartan Podcast, Host and Producer David Medzorian introduces us to the new Grand Commander of The Knights of Vartan, Avak Sbarabed Bob Avakian of Ararat Lodge in Boston. In this conversation, recorded in Bedford, Massachusetts, Avak Sbarabed describes his goals and hopes for The Knights of Vartan during the next two years, and also why the mission of the Knights of Vartan is more important now than ever before. Our Grand Commander also discusses our Economic Sustainability Program and other projects that he feels are important to our brotherhood and those whom we serve.

In Episode 58 of Talking Vartan: The Knights and Daughters of Vartan Podcast, we talk with Former Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan Hunan Arshakian and Former Grand Chairwoman of the Daughters of Vartan Nancy Berberian Thompson. In a conversation with Host and Producer David Medzorian, they discuss their time as leaders of their respective fraternal organizations, their accomplishments, regrets, and their hopes for the future of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan. The Conversations were recorded just before the Knights and Daughters of Vartan Grand Convocation in Washington, DC.

Episode 57 of the Talking Vartan Podcast focuses on the upcoming Armenian Genocide Commemoration to be held in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 27th. Host and Producer David Medzorian, Asbed of Ararat Lodge No. 1 in Boston, talks with Sbarabed Haig Gulian of Mamigonian Lodge No. 12 in Brooklyn, NY. Sbarabed Haig is Co-Chair of the Times Square Commemoration Committee. He describes how the Times Square Genocide Commemoration came to be forty years, and why it is more important than ever for people to attend and to remember the tragic events of 1915.

The Knights of Vartan Archive is the focus of Episode 56 of the Talking Vartan Podcast. Host and Asbed David Medzorian of Ararat Lodge talks with Avaktivanabar and NS Arto Kurkjian, also of Ararat Lodge, about the archive and how he and others are preserving nearly 110 years of our fraternal organization's history. Avaktivanabar Arto will share some of the treasures to be found in the archive and also how you and your Talij can contribute to it.

Here is Part 1 of a special two-part Talking Vartan Christmas podcast called "A Season of Giving." In this first episode, Host and Producer David Medzorian looks back at 2024 and ahead to 2025 with the Grand Chairwoman of the Daughters of Vartan, Avak Dirouhie Nancy Berberian Thompson. We also receive words of inspiration from Ararat Lodge NS Der Antranig Baljian, Pastor Emeritus of St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown, Massachusetts. The program concludes with a Christmas musical offering. Part 2 of "A Season of Giving" will be available on December 26th.

Part 2 of our special Christmas Podcast includes reflections on 2024 and a look ahead to 2025 by Knights of Vartan Grand Commander Hunan Arshakian. Asbed Dro Kanayan of Ararat Lodge discusses the KOV Economic Sustainability Program, which he serves as Chairman. Rev. Fr. Aram Mirzoyan recalls the visit of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan to Tavush Province this September and offers a Christmas prayer in Armenian. Host and Producer David Medzorian of Ararat Lodge is joined by his son Alexander to perform two well-known Christmas Carols in English and Armenian.

Armenians in America focuses on the birth of the Armenian community in the United States beginning in the mid-19th century. Guests include Dr. Robert Mirak, author of "Torn Between Two Lands: Armenians in America 1980 to World War One," and Marc Mamigonian, Director of Academic Affairs for the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) and Editor of "The Armenians of New England." Your host and producer is Asbed David Medzorian of Ararat Lodge No. 1 in Boston.