WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)— Due to overwhelming demand, organizers have reopened registration for the first ever Armenian Genealogy Conference, which will take place April 9-10 in Watertown. Within days of announcing the conference, the organizers were forced to close registration due to the large number of registrants and the size of the hall originally reserved for the event. The conference has been moved to the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC), to accommodate a larger crowd.
The conference, which grew out of the Armenian Genealogy group on Facebook, will feature several speakers on various topics regarding Armenian genealogy, history, geography, and presentations on different organizations and initiatives.
George Aghjayan, a retired actuary and one of the conference organizers, noted that the study of Armenian genealogy has grown substantially over the last decade, and that organizing a conference was a necessary step. “For so long, Armenians were told no records exist, everyone has passed away, and other messages of futility. I think many Armenians will be surprised at how much is possible in repairing the rupture in our family histories caused by the genocide,” he told the Armenian Weekly.
Aghjayan has been working with Tracy Rivest Keeney and Mark Arslan to organize the conference, which is co-sponsored by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), Project Save Armenian Photograph Archives, Inc., Houshamadyan, the Armenian Museum of America (AMA), Hamazkayin Boston, and the Tekeyan Cultural Association. During the weekend, participants—both beginners and advanced—will learn how to carry out genealogical research specific to Armenians, and will take part in workshops, during which experienced volunteers will help answer questions, teach how to get started, and how to go beyond existing research.
The conference program and registration can be found at www.armeniangenealogyconference.com. The Armenian Cultural and Educational Center is located at 47 Nichols Ave, Watertown, Mass.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Registration Reopens for Armenian Genealogy Conference Due to Demand