The spring 2019 Armenian Studies Program Lecture Series offers two lectures this week.

Today, March 11
“How We Lived: The Houshamadyan Project” is the topic of a presentation by Dr. Vahe Tachjian, director of the Berlin-based Houshamadyan Project, at 7:30 p.m. in the University Business Center, Alice Peters Auditorium, Room 191.

Tachjian earned his Ph.D. in History and Civilisation at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris. He is now the chief editor of the Berlin-based Houshamdyan website.

Houshamadyan was born from a simple and powerful idea: we should bring back to life the cities, towns and village in which Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire by reconstructing our inheritance — the rich memory of the lives of our ancestors.

Houshamadyan is a nonprofit organization founded in Berlin in 2010. The website www.houshamadyan.org appears in three languages: Armenian, English and Turkish.

Friday, March 15
Dr. Taner Akçam, Kaloosdian and Mugar Professor of Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University, speaks on “The Denial of Armenian Genocide and the Killing Order of Talat Pasha” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15 in the Satellite Student Union.

After the Armenian Genocide, successive Turkish governments have denied its historicity and hidden the documentary evidence surrounding it. Denialists claim that there was no central decision taken by Ottoman authorities to exterminate the Armenians and say all available documents that indicate otherwise are either fake or were doctored by Armenians.

Akçam, with his latest book, brings to light documents either hidden or destroyed by the Turkish government that contain the killing orders, as well as demonstrates the authenticity of these orders, which were signed by Ottoman Interior Minister Talat Pasha.

Akçam received his Ph.D. from the University of Hanover. He is the author of "The Young Turks’ Crime Against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire" (2012); "Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials, with Vahakn Dadrian" (2011); and "A Shameful Act: Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility" (2006).

The lectures are free and open to the public. Parking is available in Lots P6 and P5, near the University Business Center. A free parking code can be obtained by contacting the Armenian Studies Program.

For more information about the lecture, call 559.278.2669, visit www.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies or Facebook page at @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState.