New York City,

June 10, 2020

My dear fellow alumni,

The young and the ever maturing,

The near and the far,

Those who remember, and those who cannot spell in Armenian anymore,

Protect your base.

By supporting Djemaran, you are not simply – giving back.

M. & H. Arslanian Djemaran is one of the last few remaining academic institutions in the world that teaches in Western Armenian. Content printed in Western Armenian is greatly diminishing, and we must support any and every institution that raises the leaders who are able and willing to protect our heritage.

Djemaran was founded around the pillars of hard work, preservation, and humility. Thousands of Armenian families in Lebanon are thankful to Djemaran, for uniting our scattered people under one culture, at times of war, and at times of peace; for welcoming and not discriminating. We all thank Djemaran for being a candle of hope, a prayer, and a reminder that our descendants will remain true to their origins.

And whether it is today, next year or in ten years,

Whether you hear it from a friend or a stranger on the streets,

That the fire in our torch has waned, that our hallways have been sad and our classrooms empty, That the good ones have left, and the old ones are all that is left,

Say it is not true, say it is the weekend, say it is summer, say it is the weather,

Say the winds have been notorious, but we make it through, together.

Together, we must stand by Djemaran.

Give, so Djemaran can prevail and can give back to you and your families. Do not turn your back. Protect where you came from.

NP

Class of 2004