Egyptian Armenians

Extended history and unforgettable brotherhood

By: Ahmed Ibrahim

Table of contents:
1- Introduction
2- A glimpse into Armenian history in Egypt
3- Matossian Brothers The Cigarette Producers
4- Kabarik Jacobian the Egyptian Armenian Hero
5- Egyptian Armenians the unforgettable brotherhood
6- The story of the famous cartoonist Saroukhan
7- Van Leo the Man Ray of Egypt
8- Chant Avedissian the Contemporary Artist of Egypt
9- Vahe Varjabedian the realism artist
10- Karim Mekhtigian The Brilliant Designer
11- The story of an Egyptian-Armenian artist
12- Anoushka the Egyptian-Armenian butterfly
13- Miral Mahilian the Egyptian Princess
14- Armen Agop the Contemporary Artist
15- The talented man we lost
 Introduction

That peaceful, noble national race chose Egypt as a home after the brutal
massacres it was subjected to at the hands of the fascist Ottoman Empire
during and after the First World War. They loved Egypt and enriched it with
their sciences, literature, arts, culture, and patriotism. Perhaps everyone who
reads this ensures their patriotism, art and wealth of knowledge.
 A glimpse into Armenian history in Egypt

The relationship between the two nations goes back to the Pharaonic times
while strengthening during the Byzantine rule followed by the Fatimid
Caliphate times and reaching its culmination in the reign of Mohammed Ali.
For centuries, Armenians have had great input on the development of culture,
economy, and science in Egypt.
From Abbasid Era in the 7th century to the Ottoman Era of the early 19th
century.
Among the most notable Armenians in Egypt between the Abbasid Era in the
7th century to the Ottoman Era of the early 19th century were:
Vartan the Standard Bearer, or Wardan al-Rumi al-Armani, saved the life of
Amr Ibn al-‘As, the commander of the Arab army at the Battle of Alexandria in
641.
Al-Amir Ali Ibn Yahya Abu’l Hassan al-Armani – the governor of Egypt in 841
and 849, appointed by the Abbasid Caliph.
Ibn Khatib Al-Ferghani - the master-builder of the Armenian ancestry who
rebuilt the Nilometer on the southern tip of Rawda.
Badr al-Gamali - a manumitted slave of Armenian descent was called by Caliph
al-Muntasir in 1073 to assist him during the Fatimid period when Egypt was
weakened by the inner strife and ravaged by drought, famine, and epidemics.
Badr’s army, composed of mainly Armenian soldiers, is believed to have been
formed after the fall of the Bagratuni capital, Ani (1066) when many Armenian
refugees sought shelter in other countries. Badr al-Gamali was the first military
man to become the Vezir (minister) of the Sword and the Pen, thus setting the
trend for a century of mostly Armenian Vezirs with the same monopoly of
civilian and military powers. At the height of their power, the Armenian Vezir
could count on the personal loyalty of more than 30,000 Armenian soldiers.
Al-Afdal – the son of Badr al-Gamali, who succeeded his father as Vezir. He
constructed the Palace of Vezirate, or Dar al Wizarra, besides creating two
public parks with exotic gardens, and a recreation area with a man-made lake
called Birket al Arman, or Armenian Lake.
Three Armenian brothers – all architects and masons skilled in cutting and
dressing stones, constructed the three monumental gates of Cairo: Bab al-Nasr
and Bab al-Futuh in 1087 and Bab Zuwayla in 1092. The gates with their
flanking towers still stand today.
The ramparts and gates, which have a certain similarity to the fortifications of
the Bagratuni Capital Ani, are regarded as masterpieces of military architecture
by international standards.
Bahram al-Armani – after restoring order and peace in the country at the
request of Caliph al-Hafiz, was appointed by the latter as the Vezir in 1135.
Sinan Pasha - the Ottoman Empire’s chief architect of Armenian descent, who
constructed the historic Mosque of Bulaq, as well as Cairo’s grain market, and
Bulaq’s public bathroom (Hammam Sha’bi).
Amir Suleyman Bey al-Armani - held the position of the Governor of
Munnifeya and Gharbiyya provinces in 1690 and was so wealthy that he had
Mamluks at his service.
Ali al-Armani and Ali Bey al-Armani Abul Azab - served as regional
commanders.
Muhammad Kehia al-Armani – was an incorruptible leader who in 1798 was
sent to negotiate with Napoleon Bonaparte in Alexandria to spare the
population of Cairo. Napoleon was so impressed by the conciliatory tone, the
political astuteness, and the diplomatic skill of the Mamluk of Armenian
descent that he later appointed him the Head of Cairo’s Political Affairs
Administration.
Rustam (or Petros) - a native of Karabakh was brought to Egypt as a slave
soldier. He accompanied Napoleon to France as his bodyguard, fought with the
French army at the famous battle of Austerlitz, and then took part in the
conquest of Spain.
Apraham Karakehia - an eminent money changer who supported Muhammed
Ali’s projects and plans. Karakehia would become Egypt’s money changer, with
the honorary title of Misser Sarrafi. That position and title would belong to the
Karakehia family for generations to come.
Mahdesi Yeghiazar Amira Bedrossian – another money changer from Agin
who was named the Wali’s, or Governor’s, tax collector, and special counselor.
At various times, Armenian money lenders held the sole rights of exploiting the
Cairo bathhouses, the salt mines of Matariya, and the fish market of Damietta.
The influence of the Armenian money lenders increased even more during the
1830s when due to the Russo-Turkish war and open persecution of Armenians,
many merchants and financiers settles in Egypt and even succeeded in
launching Egypt’s first bank, which operated from 1837 to 1841.
Notable Armenians Who Contributed To Egypt’s Modern State-Building.
Boghos Bey Yusufian (1768 – 1844)
He was such a successful businessman that he soon became Governor
Mohamed Ali’s partner. Boghos Bey was appointed the Wali’s chief dragoman,
or translator, first counselor, official spokesman, Minister of Commerce and
Foreign Affairs, and for decades Egypt’s leading statesman. The Wali placed
such implicit trust in him that he signed documents even before they were
drafted by Boghos Bey.
As Afaf Lutfi al-Sayyid Marsot, a historian of modern Egypt, testifies, “Boghos
has been given several cartes blanches by the Wali and could draw on the
treasury for any sum whenever he needed funds for himself. He was never
paid a regular salary but the Wali trusted him to do as he pleased in terms of
payment. For a man as suspicious as Mohamed Ali was, this was a signal proof
of trust and a unique favor allowed to no one else.” In the reign of Mohamed
Ali, Boghos was the first Christian to be granted the title of Bey.

Nubar Pasha Nubarian (1825 – 1899) - the first Prime Minister of Egypt
He was a unique gifted statesman, held the highest administrative posts for
five decades, achieved international stature, and left his decisive imprint on
Egypt’s modernization, especially in the sphere of social justice. Nubar initially
served as his uncle's, Boghos Yusufian’s secretary, then after his death, he
became dragoman to the Wali and second secretary in the Department of
Foreign Affairs. In addition to translating, his work entailed acting as a
diplomat and counsellor.
Later during the reign of Abbas I, Nubar Nubarian was appointed counsellor
and delegate for special missions. He established Cairo’s Water Company,
which introduced piped water, and led to the creation of the city of Heliopolis
in the mid desert. During Sa’id, Abbas I’s successor, Nubar Nubarian was
appointed the director of health services, then-Attorney General, policy
coordinator between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassies as well
as the viceroy, and finally, trade representative in Paris.
Afterwards, during Ismail’s rule, Nubar became stationed in Paris handling
financial and legal matters concerning the Suez Canal, and then in 1865, he
was appointed Minister of Public Works, where he prepared a well-studied
irrigation plan. The results of his plan were so excellent that Ismail honoured
him with a new canal in the province of Beheira, named after him Nubariyya.
Also, as a reward for his encouragement in improving the various types of
cotton, Egypt's single most profitable and prized product at the time, a type of
long-staple cotton was named Nubari after him. Moreover, Nubar was the first
Egyptian statesman to raise humanitarian issues and the principle of social
justice in the 19th century. Among his significant achievements were legal
reforms and the establishment of Mixed Courts in Egypt.
Nubar Nubarian was the first Christian to be granted the title of Pasha and the
gift of a large plot of fertile land. He also was appointed the first Prime
Minister of Egypt in 1878 and reserved the right to head the ministries of
Foreign Affairs and Justice. In 1895 Nubar Pasha was decorated with the Nile
Medal of Honor, Egypt’s highest award. He retired after having served six
viceroys and Khedives (hereditary rulers).

Dikran Pasha D’abro (1846 – 1904)

He started his career by becoming a secretary to Nubar Pasha. Within a year
Dikran became the recording secretary of the International Conference on the
Mixed Courts, and then in 1873–1876, he was appointed the secretary of the
Committee for Judicial Reform. Dikran was granted the title of Bey in 1873. In
1881, he was appointed Foreign Minister.
After the Urabi revolt of 1882, Dikran was selected by Khedive Taufique, along
with another Armenian, Yervant (a counsellor of the Minister of War), to
negotiate with the British, and find a formula to satisfy the parties involved.
The two negotiators managed to save the lives of Urabi and his aides, in
addition to preventing the radical dissolution of the Egyptian army and
asserting Egypt’s sovereignty.
Pleased with the outcome of the negotiations, the Khedive granted the title of
Pasha to his Foreign Minister and lavished gifts on the counsellor of his
Minister of War. Refusing to tolerate the constraints imposed by the British
Consul-General, Dikran Pasha tendered his resignation, and in 1884 acceded to
Nubar Pasha’s request and left to London to observe the proceedings of the
International London Conference on Egyptian finances.

Ya’cub Artin Pasha Cherakian (1842-1919)

He was known as al Ustaz al Kabir, or the Great Teacher, for his landmark
reforms in Egyptian education. After beginning his longtime service in the
Ministry of Education, Ya’cub Artin Pasha was able to complete the work
initiated by his father, Artin Bey, and his father’s brother-in-law, Yusuf Bey
Hekekian, who stressed the need to adopt progressive ideas and instituted a
secular program of public education, which would benefit the children of the
elite and the commoners alike.
Artin Bey and Yusuf Bey collaborated in establishing the Arts and Crafts School
of Alexandria, founded the Engineering School of Bulaq, and played an
important role in creating the Department of Antiquities within the Ministry of
Education to list the classified monuments.
Artin Bey organized the Bookkeeping and Accounting School and in 1835 the
School of Administration and Translation in the Citadel. Once in office, Ya’cub
Artin Pasha oversaw the establishment of a vast network of schools and
encouraged urban and rural parents to send their children to the public
schools, where food, clothing, school equipment, and in some instances pocket
money were provided for the students.
He also founded Cairo’s Teachers’ Training Institute in 1872, to ensure
qualified teachers, and tightened the standards of the teaching profession by
instituting mandatory entrance examinations for elementary school teachers.
Furthermore, in 1873 Ya’cub Pasha established the Siyufiyyah School for Girls.
With financial aid from Ya’cub Artin Pasha, the Immaculate Conception School
was founded in 1897 to care for orphan girls, to educate and to teach them
skills to support themselves. He also encouraged the formation of the
Yeghiayan Educational Fund for the higher learning needs of orphans and the
poor.

Boghos Nubar Pasha Nubarian (1851-1930)

After completing engineering studies in France, the son of Nubar Pasha,
Boghos Nubar Pasha Nubarian, returned to Egypt in 1878 and became director
of the Railway Administration. He expanded the railway system and carried out
administrative reforms with the collaboration of Takvor Pasha Hagopian. He
also participated in the formation of the Agricultural Company and in 1986
organized an association for the development of the Ramle Tramways in
Alexandria as well as the Menzele Estates.
For the Water Company, he prepared extensive irrigation plans for Cairo and
an all-inclusive plan for Sudan, which was then under Egyptian rule. He was
awarded many gold medals for his invention of the automated plough, which
broke up even the driest soil. He used his high position to employ many
Armenian immigrants who escaped the massacres in the Ottoman Empire at
the end of the 19th century. In 1899 Boghos Nubar Pasha formed the Oasis
corporate Enterprise with Belgian businessman Baron Edouard Louis Joseph
Empain and others, and transformed 5952 feddans of desert land into the
beautiful suburb of Heliopolis, with the help of a mostly Armenian workforce.
Boghos Nubar Pasha and his associates built public housing for the
disadvantaged, started a train service that linked Heliopolis to Cairo, and
provided an ambulance operation. In 1906, Boghos Nubar Pasha prepared the
blueprint and supplied most of the funds for the construction of the Kalousdian
Community School in the Bulaq district of Cairo, and later on, for a new school
to replace the old Shavarshan School.
During Boghos Nubar Pasha’s lifetime, crucial events shaped the fate of the
Ottoman Armenians: the first periodic massacres and forced deportations
culminating in Genocide, and then waves of refugees. The unswerving
dedication of Boghos Nubar Pasha and his close collaborators who founded the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) inspired hope in the uprooted
masses and strengthened their will to survive and preserve their national
identity.
Today, AGBU has its centres, schools, chapters, and offices in many countries,
including the USA, Canada, Australia, several European countries, Ethiopia,
Iraq, Syria, Uruguay, Egypt, and others. The Organization celebrated its
Centennial in 2006.

Engagement OF Egyptian-Armenians In Various Industries:

Light industry
Armenians in Egypt contributed to the development of many industries
including shipbuilding, textile production with spinning and weaving, carpentry
and blacksmithing, stone masonry, shoemaking, jewellery, agriculture, and
Tobacco production.
Egypt’s largest tobacco factory was founded by the Matossian brothers of
Tokat. Some 70,000 Armenians worked at the Matossian Tobacco factories.
Between 1895-1896, 90% of Egypt’s cigarette production bore the trademark
of Armenian-owned factories. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the
Armenian tobacco industry expanded to such an extent that it dominated the
markets of Egypt and Sudan, becoming the chief supplier of Adis-Ababa and
other Ethiopian cities.
Also, Melkonian brothers had been engaged in the tobacco trade in Egypt
during World War I and their business was of great volume.
Another area of an industry dominated by the Armenians was shoemaking
famous for its state-of-the-art workmanship and designs. Krikor Papazian was
the shoemaker serving the royal family and elite circles. The Sukiassian
Company specialized in tanning, leather treatment, and shoe manufacturing
for the wholesale market.
Tailoring and shirt-making were also common occupations among Armenians.
Muhammed Ali’s tailor was Hadji Garabed. During the reign of King Fuad I,
Arsen Sarafian served as the palace tailor.

Publishing and Printing

The Egyptian Armenian community established printing presses in Cairo and
Alexandria, publishing newspapers, periodicals, different books, as well as
textbooks, stimulating its cultural life to new heights. In Cairo, Sarkis Darpinian
founded Ararat Press in 1895, and Marie Beylerian started Ardemis Publishing
House and a women’s journal of the same name in 1902.
The publisher Bakraduni and then Yervant Messerlian operated Vosguedar or
Golden Letterpress in 1914. The Nubar Printing Press, a family enterprise
founded at the turn of the century, still operates today.
In Alexandria, K. Nazaretian established the Nazaretian Press in 1899, S.
Tufenguian started Petag or Beehive House, in 1903, and the poet Vahan
Tekeyan formed Tekeyan and Company Publishers in 1905.

Commerce
In the 17th century, Armenians in India held the monopoly of the indigo trade.
In the 19th century, the Armenians of India grew the best indigo plants and
were the principal merchants of its particular dye in the state of Bihar.
In 1824 Boghos Bey Yusufian, Egypt’s Minister of Commerce, brought into the
country 40 Armenian families with indigo-producing skills to teach Egyptians.
In less than two years, indigo due became the most important Egyptian export.
In 1824 Armenians from Izmir expanded the cultivation of the opium poppy. In
1883 the annual yield ensured one million French Francs for Egypt. However,
after 1845, the export of opium was no longer lucrative.
Another profitable development was the cultivation and large-scale export of
the mandarin, a fruit introduced by Yusuf al-Armani. Yusuf Effendi al-Armani
bought and brought with him mandarin saplings from the Island of Malta, and
planted them in Muhammed Ali’s orchard.
The fruit became popular and its production was so lucrative that it was named
Yusuf Effendi after the enterprising Armenian who introduced it.
Other Armenians who gave impetus to Egyptian trade were the money
lenders. One of them is Mahdesi Yeghiazar Amira Bedrossyan, a native of Agin
who became Muhammad Ali’s business consultant and the overseer of his
accounts. After his death, his nephews were brought from Agin, based on the
Wali’s request, and they initiated money lending and commercial enterprises
in Musqi, and later were granted the right to develop the salt mines of
Matariyya.
After 1837, when the Balta Liman Treaty gave foreigners unlimited rights to
conduct business in Egypt, money lending became irrelevant.

Education
In 1816, Boghos Bey Yusufian was instrumental in establishing Egypt’s first
school at the Citadel for the sons of the ruling family and high-ranking officials.
Consequently, a number of the citadel graduates were Armenians.
In 1834, Artin Cherakian, who had studied civil administration, organized the
School of Engineering, or Madrasat al-Handasah, at Bulaq, with the help of
Yusuf Bey Hekekian, who had studied engineering in England. In September of
the same year, he started the Bookkeeping and Accounting School, or
Madrasat al-Idara. In 1835, he joined with Sdepan Demirdjian, who had studied
diplomacy, in organizing the School of Civil Administration and Translation at
the Citadel. In his turn, Yusuf Hekekian organized the School of Mines, which
later became a division of the School of Engineering.
Ya’cub Artin Pasha, Egypt’s Education Minister and son of Artin Bey Cherakian,
inaugurated Egypt’s first school for girls in 1873. Armenians also took the
initiative of opening Egypt’s first kindergarten in 1890.
In 1937, upon the request of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate, three
Armenian Catholic Sisters came to Egypt to inaugurate a preparatory school for
Armenian girls in Cairo. The school was limited to Armenian girls until 1967,
however, the school later opened its doors to accept female students from all
races.

Community Organizations
Community activism of Armenians also flourished giving impetus for the
formation of diverse organizations. Among these were the Fund for the
Defense of National Interests, the AGBU, the Women’s Red Cross, the
Aidzemnig Society; the Social Welfare Association, the Educational Society of
Cairo, Armenian Students Association, Hamazkayin Association, the Housaper
Cultural Association, Friends of the Promotion of Fine Arts, the Intellectual
Service of Cairo, the Armenian Home, and others. Among the community
organizations of Alexandria, there were the Bibliophile Group, the Progressive
Cultural Association, and the Dikran Yergat Cultural Society.

Migration Of Armenians To and From Egypt

One of the oldest and most prosperous communities of the Armenian
Diaspora, the Armenian community in Egypt has gone through major changes
and transformations in the last five decades. Before the beginning of the 20th
century, the migration of Armenians to Egypt was primarily voluntary.
However, forced migration occurred due to the Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Empire in 1915. Egypt hosted a large number of refugees and
survivors. The migrations increased the number of Armenians in Egypt to reach
40,000 at its peak in the 1940s.
In the 1960s an exodus of Egyptian Armenians occurred due to changes in
political and economic conditions. Nasser’s newly introduced “Socialist Laws”
and the nationalization of many basic economic firms led to the reverse
migration of Armenians primarily to the USA, Canada, and Australia.
Today, there are only about 8,000 Armenians living in Egypt.

The Community Today

Most of the current Egyptian Armenians were born in Egypt and now reside
primarily in Cairo or Alexandria. Structures like clubs, schools, and sports
facilities reinforce communications among Armenian Egyptians and revive the
heritage of their forefathers.
Once every 8 years, the community elects 24 members of the community
council. In turn, the 24 legislators elect an executive body of 7 for 2 years to
run the institutions of the Armenian Patriarchate, including the schools,
churches, cemeteries, and endowments.

Military and Policy

Armenians in Egypt are Egyptian citizens, with Egyptian identity cards, serving
in the army, but rarely participating in Egyptian political affairs.

Church
The Armenian Church and the apolitical structure of the Armenian community
have a very important role in unifying Armenians in Egypt. There are 6
operating churches in Egypt: the Armenian Patriarchate and St. Gregory the
Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church (Cairo), the Armenian Catholic
Patriarchate and the Church of Assumption (Cairo), the St. Therese Armenian
Catholic Church (Cairo), the Armenian Patriarchate and St. Peter and Paul
Armenian Apostolic Church (Alexandria), the Immaculate Conception of Virgin
Mary, the Armenian Catholic Church (Alexandria) and the Armenian Evangelical
Church of Alexandria.
The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Egypt, which is under the
jurisdiction of the Holy Etchmiadzin, is the primary guardian of community
assets such as endowments, and real estate in the form of agricultural land,
and other property bequeathed by the generations of philanthropists.

Schools
Armenian schools play an instrumental role in maintaining the Armenian
language among the Armenian community in Egypt. The schools integrated a
secondary education program and students who have graduated can
immediately enter the Egyptian university system, after passing the official
Thanawiya 'Amma exams. There are now three Armenian schools in Egypt:
Nubarian-Kalousdian in Heliopolis, Catholic Sisters in Heliopolis, and
Boghossian in Alexandria.
Clubs
In total, the Armenian community has four cultural clubs in Cairo and two in
Alexandria where there are activities for young people like dance troupes and
choirs. There are three sporting clubs in Cairo and two in Alexandria where the
main activity is basketball.
The AGBU is the main benevolent organization that is involved in cultural
activities as well. The other benevolent organizations are The Armenian Red
Cross, The Orthodox Armenian Charity Committee, and The Catholic Armenian
Charity Committee. There is also a home for the elderly "Aidzemnig”.

Media
The first Armenian Newspaper published in 1865 in Egypt was "Armaveni."
Many more followed throughout the years reaching 140 in total, although
some of them were short-lived.
Today there are two daily newspapers: "Houssaper" founded in 1913 and
"Arev" founded in 1915. There is a bi-weekly "Tchahagir" founded in 1948, a
monthly supplement of "Arev" in Arabic, a musical quarterly supplement of
"Tchahagir"; "Dzidzernag", and "Teghekatu" the quarterly of AGBU.
Community members also get their daily dose of Armenian culture through the
one-hour-long Armenian Radio broadcast. Also, a community internet news
site Armaveni.

Business
Certainly, those who decided to stay in Egypt, mostly skilled artisans and some
visionary industrialists, developed survival techniques, especially after Nasser’s
1952 revolution. The most vigorous ones saw the fruits of their patience under
a free-market-oriented by President Anwar Sadat.
Today, Egyptian Armenians are mostly engaged in the private sector as
successful businessmen, and skilled handicraftsmen, especially jewellers and
dentists. There are also prominent Armenian businessmen involved in the
metal industry, furniture making, printing, tourism, and chemical industries.
 Matossian Brothers The Cigarette Producers

Nestor Gianaclis The Founder

The story started a long time ago before the Matossian brothers, it begins with
Nestor Gianaclis, the founder of the industry, a Greek who arrived in Egypt in
1864 and 1871 and established a factory in the Khairy Pasha palace in Cairo.
After the British troops began being stationed in Egypt in 1882, British officers
developed a taste for Egyptian cigarettes and they were soon being exported
to the United Kingdom. Gianaclis and other Greek industrialists such as Ioannis
Kyriazis of Kyriazi frères successfully produced and exported cigarettes using
imported Turkish tobacco to meet the growing world demand for cigarettes in
the closing decades of the nineteenth century.
Egyptian cigarettes made by Gianaclis and others became so popular in Europe
and the United States that they inspired a large number of what were, in
effect, locally-produced counterfeits. Among these was the American Camel
brand, established in 1913, which used on its packet three Egyptian motifs: the
camel, the pyramids, and a palm tree. Tastes in Europe and the United States
shifted away from Turkish tobacco and Egyptian cigarettes towards Virginia
tobacco, during and after the First World War.

Matossian Brothers of Tokat

They founded Egypt’s largest tobacco factory, 70,000 Armenians worked at the
Matossian Tobacco factories. Between 1895-1896, 90% of Egypt’s cigarette
production bore the trademark of Armenian-owned factories. In the first
quarter of the 20th century, the Armenian tobacco industry expanded to such
an extent that it dominated the markets of Egypt and Sudan, becoming the
chief supplier of Ethiopia’s capital, Adis-Ababa, and other cities.

1952 Revolution and Nationalization program

What remained of the Greek-run tobacco industry in Egypt was nationalized
after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. Egyptian-made cigarettes were sold only
locally and became known for their poor quality (and low price). Of all the
many foreign imitations of Egyptian cigarettes, only Camel survived the rest of
the twentieth century.
The 1961 nationalization program of President Gamal Abdel Nasser affected
the Armenian community, the majority of which was engaged in the private
sector. The size of the community shrunk in that period, but not all felt
compelled to leave, choosing instead to adapt to the new landscape. There
was Joseph Matossian, then the chairman of Egypt’s Chamber of Tobacco.
 Kabarik Jacobian the Egyptian Armenian Hero

He is an Egyptian Armenian spy, according to the Israeli security authorities,

and was given careful training for spying operations inside Israel over years.
Security officials said after catching him: “We have a fat fish here.”
Jacobian’s story and his preparation for an espionage career on behalf of the
Egyptian intelligence started in Cairo, where he had become a photographer.
He attended an Egyptian intelligence school. Given false identity papers, with
which he registered as an Arab refugee, he was sent to Brazil. There, an
Egyptian agent, Salim Aziz El-Said, sent him to Sao Paulo, where Jacobian
presented himself as a Jew by the name of Rzhak Kochuk.
In preparation for his posing as a Jew, he had been circumcised in a hospital in
Cairo and had been trained in a certain amount of Jewish tradition. He
“proved” his Jewish background in Sao Paulo by showing photographs of the
Jewish cemetery in Cairo and claiming that one of the tombs had held the
remains of his Jewish grandmother.
From Sao Paulo, he went back to Rio de Janeiro, where he registered with the
Jewish Agency as a Jewish emigrant to Israel. Arriving in Israel in 1961, with
secret Egyptian orders to join the Israeli army, particularly the armored corps,
he tried to get into the army. However, he was sent first to Kibbutz Negbah to
learn Hebrew. Later, he did join the Israeli army and, after a year’s service,
asked for a release from the service.
An application for release was granted. After uncovering him, he was finally
arrested at his home in Ashkelon. The court sentenced him to the maximum
penalty, which is eighteen years in prison, and he remained in prison for only
two years. On the twenty-ninth day of April 1966, he was exchanged with
three Israelis who had crossed the Egyptian border without permission. Egypt
requested the extradition of two Palestinian commandos, Kochuk, commando
Hussain Hassan Al-Hafani and Saeed Khamis Abd Al-Qader, who were arrested
in Israel on their way to carry out a commando operation inside.
 Egyptian Armenians the unforgettable brotherhood

Armenians in Egypt have their language, schools, churches, and social

institutions. They are highly educated. The number of Egyptian Armenians is
decreasing due to migration to the West and weak return migration to
Armenia. Most of them reside in Cairo and Alexandria.
Their migration to Egypt started long before the Armenian Genocide in 1915 as
a voluntary migration as they appeared in Ancient Egypt during the Third
Pharaonic Dynasty. Then, after being under the role of one controlling body
such as Persia, Rome, and the Ottoman Empire, which allowed folks to move
between the two countries with no political constraints. In recent history, the
Armenian migration to Egypt started at the beginning of the 19th century. The
reign of Mohamed Ali (1805 – 1849).

Integration, Culture, and Networking

The Armenian community operates two benevolent; the Armenian Red Cross
Association, and the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and one cultural
association; the Houssaper Cultural Association. The community has four social
clubs in Cairo and two in Alexandria, additionally to three sporting clubs in the
capital and two in Alexandria. There is one home for the elderly, and lots of
activities for young people, including a dance troupe, Zankezour, a choir,
Zevartnots, and a child’s choir, Dzaghgasdan.
Armenian artists contributed to the Egyptian art, music, and cinema industry.
The Egyptian Armenian Ohan Hagob Justinian (1913-2001) was the first
manufacturer of cameras for cinema production and preparation of Cinema
studios in Cairo and Alexandria and he was the cameraman of 12 Egyptian
movies between 1948 and 1957. Among the well-known and famous movie
stars and actresses come Fayrouz (Bayrouz Artin Kalfaian), her sister Nelly,
Lebleba (Nonia Kobelian), and Mimi Gamal (Mary Nizar Julian).
In the field of Music, Foad Al-Zahery (Foad Grabit Panosian) was one of the
most famous Egyptian composers and musicians. He composed the Shadow
music for 350 Egyptian movies. Anoushka is a well-known Armenian Egyptian
Singer. However, The Armenian Church and the apolitical structure of the
Armenian community have a vital role in unifying Armenians in Egypt.
Education and language
The first Armenian school in Egypt, the Yeghiazarian Religious School, was
established in 1828 at Bein Al-Sourein. In 1854, it was moved to Darb
AlGeneina and its name was changed to Khorenian, after the Armenian
historian Movses Khorenatsi. In 1904, Boghos Nubar moved it to Boulaq. then
In 1907, he founded the Kalousdian Varjaran Armenian School and
kindergarten. Today, only one building and a playground remain on Galaa
Street (downtown Cairo). The second Armenian school in Egypt was founded in
1890 by Boghos Youssefian in Alexandria.
The newest Armenian school is Nubarian in Heliopolis it was founded in 1925
with a donation from Boghos Nubar. The three Armenian schools in Egypt
eventually integrate a K-12 program. These schools are partially supported by
the Prelacy of the Armenian Church in Egypt.
Armenian education is critical in maintaining the language among the
Armenian community in Egypt. In Addition, Armenian is the only language that
Armenians use within their families and communities.

The Future of Armenians in Egypt

Most current Armenian Egyptians who are permanent residents of Egypt were
born in Egypt. Armenia to them are folkloric stories and cultural practices that
every generation hands them to the successor generation. Armenian Egyptians
are full Egyptians with an additional cultural layer. Egyptians are Pharaohs,
Copts, Christians, Muslims, Arabs, Africans, and Middle Easterns. Armenian
Egyptians are all of this plus Armenians.
 The story of the famous cartoonist Saroukhan

Alexander Hagop Saroukhan -born on the 1st of October 1898 in Ardanoush a

town which at that time was part of Batumi province, one of the administrative
regions of Trans-Caucasia, under the Russian Empire, he was Hagop Zadig
Saroukhanian’s third child succeeding two daughters.
Saroukhan was an Armenian-Egyptian cartoonist and caricaturist whose
drawings have appeared in several Arabic and international newspapers and
magazines. He is considered one of the best and most famous caricaturists in
the Arab world.

Saroukhan’s starting point

In 1908 at age ten he moved to the Ottoman Empire where he studied
languages. With his brother Levon Saroukhan, he published a weekly
magazine-
Both of them started their 1st drawing attempts at home when still children,
encouraged by their father, whom himself did not have the talent at all. Later
on, Alexander was enrolled in Russian primary school in the area, where under
the guidance of his Russian art teacher he developed his imagination.
This teacher became Alexander’s 1st real inspirer and encourager, filling his
mind and soul with the love of art-Later on, he worked as a translator of
Russian, Turkish, and English languages in the British army.
At the same time, his caricatures were published in Armenian newspapers and
magazines, and notably in the satiric paper "Gavrosh." In 1922, he left Turkey
for Europe and studied at the Brussels Graphic Art Academy, where he excelled
and finished his studies in two years instead of the usual four.

The turning point and moving to Egypt

Abd el-Qader El-Shenawy was an Egyptian intellectual from a wealthy family in
Mansoura, who liked journalism. He had gone to Vienna to study printing and
was planning to establish a printing house and publish a satirical and humorous
newspaper or magazine in Cairo. During that time, he was searching for a
highly-qualified cartoonist, who would go with him to Egypt and illustrate the
pages of his future publication with cartoons. The materialization of Abd el-
Qader’s ambitions was based mainly on his grandfather’s wealth that he was
planning to inherit after his death.
One day, El-Shenawy heard about Saroukhan, the Armenian artist who was
drawing caricatures during beaks. On the 15th of March 1924 he got
acquainted with Saroukhan; a date which the latter always remembered as
being one of the most important milestones of his life. He immediately
discovered Saroukhan’s talent and invited him to Egypt, making big promises
that were never materialized. However, Saroukhan saw Abd el-Qader as an
honest and decent person, which he was, yet his misfortune and difficult life
conditions were major impediments to the realization of his dreams and his
promises to Saroukhan.
In 1924 Saroukhan moved to Egypt with more than 125 pieces of his artwork.
His drawings were published in a satiric magazine called "Armenian Cinema".
He presented some of his works at an exhibition in Cairo and then in
Alexandria. Through those exhibitions, he met Egyptian journalist Mohamed El-
Tabii. Through cooperation, they both became the most important and
influential journalists in Egypt for 20 years. Saroukhan worked as a caricaturist
for the widely circulated Rose el-Yusuf magazine, where El-Tabii was the
editor.
Saroukhan’s drawing of Rose el-Yusuf was his first to appear on the cover of
the magazine in March 1928. From then on, Saroukhan became known as a
‘political' caricaturist.
His character "El Masri Efendi" also helped establish his fame. However,
because of a dispute between Rose (aka Fatima) El-Yusuf and Mohamad el-
Tabii, Saroukhan left the magazine and joined the staff of another Egyptian
well-known paper, "Akher Sa’a" (Last Hour), which el-Tabii published until
1946.
In 1955 Saroukhan became an Egyptian citizen after getting Egyptian
nationality.
When Mohamed El-Tabii sold "Akher Sa'a" to "Akhbar El Yom", Saroukhan
moved to the new newspaper and worked for it until his death on January 1,
1977, at the age of 78.
Saroukhan’s works in brief
Other than his cartoons published on the pages of Rosa el-Yousef, Akhbar el-
Yom, and Akher Sa’a, He drew thousands of cartoons and caricatures in
different journals which are listed here, based on different available
references.
He established a French-language humor magazine, "La Caravane," published
between 1942 and 1945. He also contributed to Egypt's foreign-language
press, with cartoons in "La Presse Egyptienne", "Image" and Armenian daily
Arev. He had many exhibitions in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Romania.
 Van Leo the Man Ray of Egypt

Van-Leo “Born Levon Alexander Boyadjian in November 1921’’ was Egypt’s

premiere 20th-century studio photographer who became known for his
numerous self-portraits and portraits of celebrities of his time such as Omar
Sherif, Doria Shafik, and Taha Hussein.
Elevated portrait photography to new heights by creating imagery that
accentuated his subjects’ features through the manipulation of lights and
shadows, during the period from the late 1930s to the late 1990s.
He pursued art photography, most notably in a series of inventive self-
portraits. His work also extended to producing commercial and travel images,
as well as studio photography for everyday people, ranging from family and
wedding portraits to passport photos.

Life and Career Path

He was of Armenian background and moved with his family from Turkey to
Egypt in 1924. Levon’s primary and secondary school years were spent at
Cairo’s College de la Salle (1931-1932) and the English Mission School (1932-
1939). Enchanted by Hollywood and the world of cinema, Levon decided to put
his studies on hold, after having enrolled in the American University in Cairo in
1940 to pursue his passion.
He undertook an apprenticeship at Studio Venus owned by a famous Armenian
photographer named Arakel Artinian before opening his studio with his
brother Angelo in January 1941, in the living room of their downtown Cairo
family apartment. In 1947 Levon established his studio, he purchased the
portrait studio Metro, located at 7 Fuad I Avenue from Kourken Yegorian for
450 Egyptian pounds – a price that included the equipment and furniture and
where he worked until the end of his professional life. Later the name of the
studio changed to “Studio Van Leo” by Boyadjian.
The combination of Hollywood-style glamour, romanticism, and sentimentality
with electric eroticism, gave Van Leo’s portraits a truly artistic dimension that
went beyond the scope of studio portraiture.
Alongside his commercial practice, his collection of self-portraits, created from
his 20s to 40s is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Each self-portrait
represents a character inspired by films, theatre, crime novels, news, and
dreams. In their pastiche-like approach, they predate Cindy Sherman’s
‘Untitled movie stills’ by some thirty years.

The revolution of 1952

Despite ups and downs in his career, which resulted from changes in Egyptian
politics and society and the commercialization of photography, Leo tried to
maintain high standards and stay faithful to his art. During the first decade
after 1952, he managed to keep his business afloat, However, his clientele
largely dried out. Out of necessity, the art photographer had to resort to taking
passport pictures, and wedding and family portraits. He was never motivated
by money. His true passion was his art as announced on his business card,
which read, “Van Leo-Art Photographer.”

The Van Leo Collection

On January 24, 1998, Van Leo took his last portrait, which was of photographer
Barry Iverson and his wife Nihal. Leo announced the closure of the studio
marking the end of an era. In April 1998, his work was chosen for preservation
at the American University in Cairo. Fearing for the future of his negatives and
prints, he decided at the encouragement of a friend and fellow photographer,
Barry Iverson, to donate his entire corpus of work and equipment to the Rare
Books and Special Collections Library at the American University in Cairo,
which today houses “The Van Leo Collection”. In March 2002, Van Leo passed
away from a heart attack at his apartment in Cairo at the age of 80.
 Chant Avedissian the Contemporary Artist of Egypt

Chant Avedissian is an Egyptian artist with Armenian roots-his grandparents

fled from Izmir, Turkey during World War I-was born on 24 November 1951 in
Boulaq Cairo. He was known for his stenciled Pop Art portraits of famous
Egyptians of the 1950s and 1960s, notably singer Om Kulthum, former
president Gamal Abdel Nasser at the Suez Canal, and movie star Faten
Hamama. Besides, The touba reflected the inspiration of his friend Egyptian
architect Hassan Fathy, a champion of traditional building techniques for
whom Avedissian worked as an archivist and photographer.
In 1967 he graduated from the Kalousdian Armenian school. In October 1967
he takes art classes in Ashod Zorian’s atelier.
He started designing posters, stage sets, costumes, and catalogs. In December
1968 Avedissian exhibited hand-painted Christmas cards in Chake Alban’s
studio in Cairo. In May 1969 he made his first solo exhibition under the
direction of art teacher Nora Ipekia-Azadian and in June 1970 he had his
second solo exhibition at Carzou Hall. In October he moves to Montreal and
studied fine art at the School of Art and Design.
After returning to Egypt in December 1972, he mixed the techniques, concepts
and cosmopolitan experiences acquired abroad with the Armenian-Egyptian
heritage to produce striking commentaries on the world around him.
His creativity ranges from photography to costume and textile design to
painted stencils.
Avedissian passed away on October 24th, 2018 at the age of 67, in Cairo, the
same city in which he was born.

Education
1976 Major in sculpture. École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs
(ENSAD), Paris. France
1973 Graduate Montreal Museum of Fine Arts at School of Art and Design,
Montreal, Canada.
1967 Kalousdian Armenian School, Boulaq, Cairo. Egypt.
Solo shows
2018 Al Musiqa, voix et musiques du monde arabe. Paris Philharmonie. Paris,
France.
2018 Un levantino camino del Este. Casa Árabe. Cordoba, Spain.
2017 Un levantino camino del Este. Casa Árabe. Madrid, Spain.
2017 Transfer, transport, Transit. Sabrina Amrani. Madrid, Spain.
2006 Gallery Janine Rubeiz. Beirut, Lebanon.
2000 Solo show curated by Elizabeth Harney. National Museum of African Art,
Smithsonian Institution. Washington, USA.
1998 New Stencils on Arab Women. British Council. Cairo, Egypt
1996 Panels and Stencils. Tropenmuseum. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1995 Stencil show. Icons of the Nile. Leighton House Museum. London, UK.
1994 Stencil show. Icons of the Nile. Galerie 50 x70. Beirut, Lebanon.
1992 Stencilled panels. Curated by Basma El-Husseiny at the British Council.
Cairo, Egypt.
1991 Stencils. Mireille and Kenton Keith’s house in Cairo. Egypt.
1990 Costume show. The Institut du monde arabe. Closing of the exhibition
Egypt-Egypt. Paris, France.
1988 Costume show. Organized by Shahira Mehrez, at Manial Palace, Golden
Hall. Cairo, Egypt.
1985 Textile hangings. Organized by historian and art collector Shahira Mehrez.
Cairo, Egypt.
1979 Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Centre art gallery. Los
Angeles, CA, USA.
1979 Carzou Hall. Cairo, Egypt.
1978 Atelier of Alexandria. Alexandria, Egypt.
1976 Carzou Hall. Cairo, Egypt.
1974 Carzou Hall. Cairo, Egypt.
1973 Carzou Hall, Kalousdian School. Cairo, Egypt.
1971 Tekeyan Armenian Cultural Association. Montreal, Canada.
1971 Tekeyan Armenian Cultural Association. Boston, USA.
1970 Carzou Hall, Kalousdian Armenian School. Cairo, Egypt.
1969 Kalousdian Armenian School parents’ council. Cairo, Egypt.

Group shows
2019 Arabicity|Ourouba. The inaugural exhibition for the Middle East Institute
(MEI) Art Gallery. Curated by Rose Issa. Washington DC, EEUU.
2018 Soundlines of Contemporary Art. International Contemporary Art
Exhibition: Armenia 2018. Cafesjian Center for the Arts. Yerevan, Armenia.
2017 From Sound to Silence. Galerie Tanit. Beirut, Lebanon.
2015 Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915–2015,
Whitechapel Gallery. London. The UK.
2014 What Remains Part I. Rose Issa Projects. London, UK.
2012 Re-Orientations II. Rose Issa Projects. London, UK.
2012 Green: A Spring Hanging. Rose Issa Projects. London, UK.
2010 Arabicity. Beirut Exhibition Centre. Beirut, Lebanon.
2009 Taswir -Pictorial Mappings of Islam & Modernity, Martin Gropius Bau
Museum. Berlin, Germany.
2008 Re-Orientations: Contemporary Arab Representations, curated by Rose
Issa. European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium.
2003 Love Affairs. Curated by Rose Issa. IFA Galleries, Stuttgart, Bonn and
Berlin, Germany.
1998 The Shape of Memories. Curated by Rose Issa. Berchem Cultural Centre.
Antwerp, Belgium.
1984 Fotografia Mediterrania. Centre Cultural de la Caixa de Pensions.
Barcelona, Spain.
1995 The Art of African Textiles. Curated by Carole Brown. Barbican. London,
UK.
Biennales
1995 Kwangju Biennale, Korea.

Art fairs
2018 Art Basel in Miami. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Miami, USA (solo).
2018 Artissima. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Turin, Italy.
2018 Art Basel in Hong Kong. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Hong Kong, China. (solo)
2018 ARCOmadrid. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Madrid, Spain.
2017 Abu Dhabi Art. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Abu Dhabi, UAE. (solo)
2017 Artissima. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Turin, Italy.
2017 Art Brussels. Sabrina Amrani Gallery. Brussels, Belgium.

Public Collections
Victoria and Albert Museum. London, UK.
National Museum of African Art – Smithsonian Institution, Washington, USA.
British Airways Collection, London, UK.
The British Museum, London, UK.
British Council, Cairo, Egypt.
National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
National Gallery of Jordan. Amman, Jordan.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi, UAE.
 Vahe Varjabedian the realism artist

Vahe Varjabedian is an Egyptian-Armenian realism artist and photographer,

who studied at Zorian’s studio (1964–1966), and then studied at Leonardo da
Vinci academy (1966–1971). His style is realistic, enriched by Impressionism
and Fauvism. Varjabedian’s art praises nature and existence.

Like father like son

After his graduation, he worked in his father’s photo studio “Studio Garo”,
which was founded on Kasr Al-Nil Street in 1946.
Without leaving his passion. Varjabedian the father began to work as a
debutant with Alexandria-based photographer Apkar Retian in 1930. After
moving to Cairo, he met Aram Alban, another well-known Egyptian/Armenian
photographer.
Garo’s work came into its own during the 1950s and 60s, when his classic,
stately portrait style- as he followed his father’s footsteps by becoming a
master of the portrait- was aligned with Egypt’s elite and ruling parties whom
he frequently photographed. His studio “Garo” became notable for its high-
quality colour photography.

Exhibitions
During his latest exhibition “Colours from Egypt and Armenia” at the Armenian
school in Heliopolis, vahe showed his paintings inspired by a Nile Cruise
between Luxor and Aswan and a 2019 visit to Armenia. He has given 27 solo
exhibitions between Cairo, Alexandria, Beirut, and Montreal.
Varjabedian is currently living in Egypt and continues to hold regular
exhibitions of his new creations.
 Karim Mekhtigian The Brilliant Designer

Karim Mekhtigian (1964, Cairo, Egypt), is a global artist of Armenian origin and
a pioneer in the world of design, architecture, interior, product design, art
direction as well as design management in general.
Mekhtigian studied architecture, interior design, and scenography in Paris,
where he posteriorly worked for ten years. He worked for companies in France
for a while, before starting his own interior design company, which he named
Dessil, meaning vision in Armenian. He focused more on product design and
successfully distributed his products to places like Japan and beyond. Also, he
has been designing furniture for the past two decades, his works include
collaborations with international brands.
When an interior design project brought him back to Egypt, he decided to stay
and work. He set up Alchemy, his interior design office in Cairo in 1998. In
2003, Mekhtigian opened his first showroom and was joined by his first
partner, Mohamed Fares. In the following years, his business flourished and
Alchemy became one of the most sought-after interior design companies in
Egypt, with three showrooms in Cairo and one in Bahrain. After the 2011
revolution and the economic difficulties that followed, the company closed all
its showrooms and focused more on architecture and commercial projects, like
the design of major compounds like Seashell and La Playa on the North coast,
and other ones in Cairo.
Besides, commercial projects, like restaurants, bars, and hospitality. Also,
branding, strategy, and design for all its commercial projects. This includes
conceptualizing their logo, communication strategy, and visual identity.

The Pharaohs' Golden Parade

Alchemy had a lot of cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
as it had to be historically corrected. Three elements were used in the
designing of the logo, The sun rays which symbolize eternity, scarbs that
represent rebirth, and eagle feathers, which stand for the pride and honor of
the pharaohs. These elements were used by pharaohs with their mummies and
their ceremonies.
The Egyptian spirit abroad
"Making the ordinary - extraordinary, lies at the heart of Analogue’s design
philosophy and collections." Karim Mekhtigian
Mekhtigian has recently started to promote Egyptian products through
Analogue, his new brand of high-quality handmade products crafted in Egypt.
His products are high-end, contemporary, and very well suited for
sophisticated markets abroad, where he is marketing them.

Urban development sustainability

He founded Tchai Tea House, a place in Maadi where tea products are offered;
Life Lab, an interactive space, and The Yar, a grand experiment to introduce
environment-friendly “Green” village designs that follow the sustainability
principles of modern urban developments.
 The story of an Egyptian-Armenian artist

Vahan Telpian is a mystic artist who practices painting, sculpting, and

decorative designing. Born in 1963 to an Egyptian Armenian family, inheriting
the Armenian artistic genes, and growing up in multicultural Cairo, he is an art
lover. Inspired by his father’s passion for photography, it was his first step
towards his unique path in the world of art.
At 17, he started to draw in the “Le Progrès Egyptien” daily newspaper, as a
weekly painter, and that was the starting buzzer, mentored by great Egyptian
artists such as Ahmed Fouad Selim. He studied art academically in the Faculty
of Art Pedagogy (Helwan University) and graduated with honours in the year
1988/1989.
He believes that art is not a stiff structure, that you can isolate one part from
its whole, it’s rather a complete connected coherence existence that we are
part of that formed his personality as a well-known painter and sculptor whose
art pieces won various prizes and acquired by top collectors such as
Mohammed Hassnin Heikal and Naguib Sawiris, his painting and sculptures
were presold.

The starting point

As a pioneer in introducing artificial rocks installations, he designed,
constructed, and decorated as early as 1997 the artificial rock mountain and
fountains of “Dream Land”, which was his first step to conquer the design and
implementation of the landscape, interior, exterior, lighting units, and the
decoration world.
Additionally, he participated in several group exhibitions with his paintings and
sculptures and received several prizes, including:
The International Symposium of Sculpture
Telpian participated twice in the Aswan International Sculpture Symposium
which extended over two months during the 1998 & 1999 rounds. It is a
festival held annually in Egypt, on the hill overlooking the legends of the Nile
Basin, connected to the “Nubian Museum”, famous for its amazing Pharaonic
sculptural treasures. The enchanting geology and mythology. They spread giant
straw umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun, and proceed with their
creations connected to the traditions of pharaonic sculpture, and the
achievements of the sculptors of ancient Egypt who left unfinished obelisks,
monuments, and statues.

Music that addresses the conscience 2019

Telpian participated in the first scrap iron forum in Marsa Matrouh, which was
implemented by the General Authority for Cultural Palaces at the Matrouh
Culture Palace in November 2019.
The city of Matrouh was chosen to hold the forum, due to the connection of
the art of sculpting scrap iron with the remnants of the Second World War,
especially the presence of a huge amount of weapons remnants, which
prompted artists to use these metal remnants to produce artworks that
express the woes of war.
His artwork “Music that addresses the conscience” is formed from scrap iron,
which is a formation of long metal pipes stacked side by side as if they were
engraved decorations. When the air passes through these pipes, it creates a
sound like the musical bell that delights the ears, as well as the artist reviews
the factors of time and life and their impact on us and the extent to which our
memory is tested towards everything that we have been fascinated and loved
since a long time ago, and the effect of time factors in confirming this love and
its authenticity or erasing it from the memory.

Father-Son Art Exhibition 2021

An exhibition by Vahan Telpian explores the complex relationship between a
father and his son through a series of artworks curated by Vahan’s son, Kayan.
 Anoushka the Egyptian-Armenian butterfly

Vartanoush Garbis Selim (aka Anoushka) is an Egyptian singer, actress, and TV

host. Born in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt, to an Egyptian father and an Armenian
mother. She studied Business Administration at the American University of
Cairo.

The starting point

Parallel to her studies of Business Administration at the American University of
Cairo, Garbis started as a singer in advertisements with Tarek Nour advertising
firm. In the 1980s, her first Egyptian public song was in a children’s television
program teaching the Arabic language directed by Fehmi Abdel Hamid. She
had the lead role in an operetta entitled “El Ward we Fosoulu” at the
Children’s Day festivities.

The fame sparkle

Anoushka participated in an international song competition organized by the
International Federation of Festival Organizations (FIDOF) by singing an original
French song, with lyrics by Gamal Abdel Halim Hasan and music by Kamel
Cherif. Besides, in 1988, she participated in international festivals in Finland,
Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, France, and Latin America.
In Turkey’s Antalya Festival, she won the 3rd prize with the song “Habetak”
and the 1st award in the Francophonie competitions in France in 1985, where
she represented Egypt, with her composition “Ya Habibi “ and “Ya Leyl” in
French composed by Midhat el Khawla.
In 1997, she sang in the world cup ceremonies and the handball world cup
closing ceremony in 2000.

Pan-Arab sensation stage

She was awarded by the Egyptian Minister of Tourism for her efforts in
promoting Egyptian music in the Arab World and worldwide. Moreover, she
released many albums in Arabic-
Habbaytak (1988), Nadani (1989), Tigi Tghanni (1990), Abayyan Zayn (1992),
Keddab (1994). Her last album was in 2001 and was titled Nefsy Akoon- and
participated in many national, pan-Arab, and international music events.

Salon Anoushka
As a gifted person who doesn’t believe in expressing herself in just one art
form, Anoushka did theatre, several TV series, and a series on the radio. She
first appeared in the cinema in Salah Abou Seif’s film Al-Sayed Kaf (1994), co-
starring alongside Abdelmoneim Madbouly and Sanaa Gameel. She also acted
in many television series, including Al-Tawoos in 1991, and more recently in
2022, the Rag’een ya Hawa series.
Salon Anoushka, her show, is regarded as one of the most successful television
shows. It is produced by Content Plus and shown on the DMC channel.
 Miral Mahilian the Egyptian Princess

Miral Michelle (Aka Miral Mahilian) is an Egyptian-British model & actress with
Armenian roots, born to an Egyptian man and a British woman. She studied
broadcasting at the Faculty of Mass Communication at MSA University, and
had a major leading role and a prominent activity in the global ceremony “The
Golden parade” that was held on the 3rd of April, 2021 as 22 royal mummies
were paraded through the streets of Downtown Cairo, in the presence of
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, witnessed the singing of the singers Reham
Abdel Hakim, Nasma Mahjoub, the Egyptian soprano, and the opera singer
Amira Selim, during a singing performance, an event that the whole world
witnessed with great interest.
Mahilian is known for her participation as a “model” for several brands inside
and outside Egypt. She also enjoys a variety of artistic contributions, played the
role of “Engy El Mougy”, in the first part of the series “Kalbash”, starring the
star Amir Karara, in 2017, and in the same year, she performed the character
“Michel” in the movie “The Monkey is Talking”.
Besides her career, Miral finds her passion in sports, especially football,
traveling, and all simple things. When it comes to fashion, Miral mostly goes
for classic looks despite her huge love for changing things up with a growing
talent and an effortless charm, she took no time winning hearts.
 Armen Agop the Contemporary Artist

He is an Egyptian–Armenian contemporary artist and sculptor, born to

Armenian parents living in Cairo, Egypt, where he was influenced daily by the
two ancient cultures. The two heritages created in him a continuous
reevaluation of values, which led him to look for the essence at the core of
things. His search resulted in realizing the importance of both the physical and
the spiritual in his work.
Agop was drawn to the endurance of historical art and artifacts, affected by
the dry landscape of Egypt, saying, "It was in the desert, where there seems to
be nothing, that’s where I learned to see". At thirteen he was a student of
Simon Shahrigian. Agop finished the Faculty of the Fine Arts at Helwan
University in Cairo. After graduating, he received an assistant researcher
scholarship.

Artistic Journey
Agop is a minimalistic artist following an ascetic approach to abstract
sculpture, mainly using black granite and basalt. His work has also been
described as "Contrasting Art" where the contemporary and the ancient meet;
his artistic presence springs from his cross-cultural philosophy. His sculptures
can be staggering, often appearing as futuristic beings or UFOs, and at the
same time, remind one of the sagacity of ancient Egyptian art in its powerful
lines and simple forms.
"The ancient and the contemporary may seem very different, but I think the
essentials are the same", he said in Art Plural: Voices of Contemporary Art
(2014).
Through his meditative practice in his work, he developed a personal relation
with matter and time, resulting in works that describe accurately, mysterious
entities.

Awards
In 2000, Agop was awarded the Prix de Rome, the State Prize of Artistic
Creativity in Egypt. In 2013, he was awarded the Premio Sulmona, Rassegna
Internazionale D’Arte Contemporanea, and Presidential Medal of the Italian
Republic.
His works are represented in the Egyptian Modern Art Museum, Egypt, Villa
Empain/Boghossian Foundation in Belgium, Giardino di Piazza Stazione in
Barge, Italy, and Coral Springs Museum of Art in Florida, USA.
 The talented man we lost

Dr. Viken Djizmedjian left our world a few days ago at 61, after a short illness.
He was a dentist by profession, known to most of the Egyptian sports
community as one of Egypt’s sports administration pioneers. He was a
dedicated fan of Egyptian football club Zamalek and had a long history in the
Century Club case that broke out between the Whites and Al-Ahli.
Former minister of youth and sports Khaled Abdel-Aziz mourned him: “God
bless your soul, my friend. You were a wonderful and knowledgeable person.
We collaborated in organizing the 2006 African Nations Cup and the World
Youth Cup in 2009.”
Djizmedjian was a member of the Egyptian Football Association and former
public relations and information director for the Confederation of African
Football (CAF). Additionally, he was chairman of the Armenian General
Benevolent Union (AGBU) Cairo District and an active community member
until his death.