FRESNO — Dr. Bedross Der Matossian will present a lecture titled “Armenian Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future” on Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m., in the Smittcamp Alumni House on the Fresno State campus. The presentation is part of the Spring 2024 Lecture Series of the Armenian Studies Program. Support for the presentation is provided by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Greater Fresno Chapter.
Armenian Jerusalem today is facing major challenges that could be detrimental to its future. This talk will analyze the historical background of the formation of the modern Armenian community in Jerusalem and will examine the impact of political and socio-economic transformations of the volatile region on the Armenian Patriarchate, as well as the community. It will concentrate on the major challenges facing the community and will provide a road map for securing the historical presence of the Armenians in Jerusalem as well as protecting the more than one-millennia old cultural heritage.
Der Matossian is a professor of modern Middle East history at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem he is the author, editor, and co-editor of seven books. His latest edited volume, Denial of Genocides in the Twenty-First Century, was published by University of Nebraska Press (2023).
The lecture is free and open to the public. The Smittcamp Alumni House is located at 2625 E. Matoian Way, on the Fresno State campus.
For information about upcoming Armenian Studies Program presentations, visit, https://fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies.
