NEF 2004 Annual Report - Near East Foundation

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The exhibition provided many New Yorkers and
especially Armenians with the first-time
opportunity to see memorabilia from their history
—in some cases their own family history. In that
regard, Dr. Vartan Gregorian, president of the
Carnegie Corporation of New York, spoke for his
fellow Armenian-Americans, crediting the
foundation with “saving a generation of
Armenians.” Dr. Gregorian also discussed his
new book, The Road to Home: My Life and
Times, at one of several conjunctive events held
during the run of the show.
They included a book talk by Peter Balakian,
author of Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide
and American Response, and the lessons to be
learned about the moral accountability of bystanders, trauma and survivor experience, and the
immediate and far-reaching impact of mass violence committed against innocent civilians.
Leading experts such as Eveline Herfkens, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s Executive
Coordinator for the Millennium Development Goals, participated in a panel exploring an
American approach to development in the Middle East and Africa in the ongoing worldwide
fight against poverty. Neery Melkonian, curator of the exhibition, led a gallery talk; and
children’s author Alidz Agbabian offered a family program of Armenian storytelling from
national oral traditions.
The event also launched the fundraising efforts of the Committee of Armenian Friends of the
Near East Foundation. The group came together to pay tribute to the work of the NEF in
saving Armenian genocide survivors and to demonstrate the gratitude of Armenians by
supporting our current work. It is chaired by Antranig Sarkissian, NEF director and treasurer,
with NEF director Shant Mardirossian serving as co-chairperson. Special fundraising support
was given by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) which promoted the event to its
membership and encouraged participation.
“Near East/New York” provided a timely look at American philanthropy in the early 20th
century and the truly innovative ways NEF pioneered humanitarian fundraising. By 1930, Near
East Relief (which that year changed its name to the Near East Foundation) had raised more
than $110 million to respond to the needs of refugees—an astonishing $1.25 billion in today’s
dollars. The funds were used for food, clothing, shelter, and education for approximately one
million Armenian victims and later for orphanages, health clinics and vocational training