From left to right:
Ms. Roubina Dermardirosian
Mr. Edik Hayrapetian
Mrs. Anahit Cowe
Professor Peter Cowe
Mrs. Laura Atoian
Mr. Kaaren Khudikian
Dr. Zaven Khachatourian
Mr. Khorin Salmassian
Mr. Sarkis Barkhoudaria
Initial brainstorming session, July 2015 at Prof. & Mrs. Cowe's home
SHA Board Members & Supporters, fundraising event, Glendale, 2017
The late dr. onnik hayrapetian
Chair, Salmast Cultural Society, organized in 1995
Dr. Hayrapetian’s dream was to share the culture of Salmast with the world. He wrote articles and books about Salmast, and in 1995, he convened a group of interested individuals to discuss organizing community events that would help promote interest in the subject matter. Over the next few years, the newly formed social group held several well received lectures and events, but due to various organizational issues, it ceased its activities around 2000. After his untimely death on June 17, 2015, his brother Edward Hayrapetian, and his son Sevag, invited his friends and colleagues to honor his memory, by starting a new Salmast organization.
Thus, in the summer of 2015, an initial group of would be Board members held serious conversations with Professor Peter Cowe, Narekatsi Chair for Armenian Studies at UCLA, whose commitment to promote research and education on Salmast, was the most important step taken towards establishing the current academic organization, renaming it Salmast Heritage Association aka SHA, and affirming its mission:
“To research, document, preserve, and disseminate the history and culture of Salmast, the forgotten province of Historic Armenia”.
Dr. Hayrapetian’s passing left a big void in the heart of the Salmast community, but his legacy will continue to live through SHA.
Dr. Hayrapetian's Interview with USArmenia TV Network
