Yerevan, ARMENIA—In a jovial atmosphere, some of Armenia’s brightest and most promising scholars and intellectuals gathered at a reception here to usher in the second year of publication of the journal Armenian Forum. The event, held on 22 September, the first day of the Armenia-Diaspora conference, was widely covered by the press in Armenia.

The reception was attended by members of the journal’s editorial board Khachig Tölölyan (Wesleyan Univ.), Ludmila Haroutunian (Yerevan State Univ.), Ara Sanjian (Haigazian Univ., Beirut), and Razmik Panossian (London School of Economics); contributors Onnic Marashian and Onnik Krikorian; long-standing supporters Martha Boudakian and Valina Ghookassian; and numerous other guests from Armenia. The event was organized through the Monte Melkonian fund. Armenian Forum editors Vincent Lima and Ara Sarafian were the hosts.

According to Sarafian, "Armenian Forum has redefined Armenian studies with its fresh approaches to familiar subjects, while broadening out the field to include new themes that go to the heart of the diaspora and Armenia today. There is an important pool of untapped resources out there, people doing interesting work, and from its first issue Armenian Forum has introduced new names into Armenian studies. We are all the richer for their presence."

Lima introduced the latest issue of the journal. He said, "We in the diaspora are coming to understand that Armenia is a real country confronted with all the challenges a real country faces. And we look for ways of being helpful without interfering. We find that in some cases, Western-educated specialists can make a useful contribution. Thus, we are especially proud to include in our current issue a study by Yale University epidemiologist Levon Melikian. Levon came to Armenia last summer and put his training and experience to the service of Armenia’s public health. He tested two hundred prostitutes for HIV infection. He conducted interviews with the women. He presents his findings and his policy recommendations in the current issue of Armenian Forum.

"Meanwhile, cultural sustenance coming from this part of the world can be of great interest to Armenians in the diaspora," Lima added. "Thus, in the current issue, David S. Calonne takes a fresh look at Sergei Paradjanov’s classic, The Color of Pomegranates.

"Another important article in the current issue of Armenian Forum is about the Ottoman archives and the Armenian Genocide. Ara Sarafian, who spent many months in the archives, discusses his experience and his findings.

"There’s more. A prominent political scientist, R.H. Dekmejian of USC, looks at developments in Arab-Israeli relations and what they mean for Armenia. Elizabeth Defeis, a law professor assesses Armenia’s constitution from the perspective of the last four years’ experience and makes certain recommendations that might be helpful as the amendment process continues. Then we have book and CD reviews."

Both Lima and Sarafian were cautiously optimistic about the journal, stressing that Armenian Forum is still on the ascendant and needs further support to reach its full potential. Both editors stressed their own commitment to stay with the journal and keep Armenian Forum at the cutting edge of Armenian intellectual life today.