May 18 | USC Campus
10 AM – 6 PM
A Festival of Ideas, Music, and Action
Introducing scholars and policymakers whose work impacts lives and changes thinking, as well as the best in music, culture and politics from Armenia, Los Angeles, and the world.
FAQ
Where and when will Innovate take place?
On the beautiful USC campus located on 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA 90089.
What is the theme of this year’s Innovate Armenia?
Old Routes to New Roots.
The Old Routes are those that take us through the historical Armenian lands. Scholars will address issues of geography, genealogy, memory, identity.
The New Roots are those being put down in the Republic of Armenia – the new Armenia. Scholars, policy experts and senior members of government will talk about goals, strategies and challenges at this new and transitional time in Armenian history.
What is Innovate Armenia?
Innovate Armenia is a festival of ideas, music and action, featuring talks by young scholars on ancestral roots, post-revolution leaders from Armenia, art, music, and Armenian beer.
Is the event inside or outdoors?
Both. The talks will be held indoors at Bovard auditorium. Simultaneously, right outside, in Founder’s Park, you can enjoy live music, meet active and innovative public organizations from Armenia, sample Armenian coffee and Armenian craft beer!
Is the event free?
Yes!
Do I need to reserve my spot?
No. Just show up any time during the day and enjoy!
Is Innovate Armenia family friendly?
Yes. Innovate has something for everyone.
Engaging talks ✓
Live Music ✓
Active organizations looking for partners ✓
Food ✓
Armenian Coffee ✓
Armenian Craft Beer ✓
Oversized chess board ✓
More… ✓
What about food?
A variety of delicious (and innovative) food will be available for purchase. Anush!
Where should I park?
The best place to park is Parking Structure X on the corner of Figueroa and McCarthy Way. This is the address you can put into your GPS: 3499 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089.
Is there convenient public transport to USC?
Yes! The event is a short 5 minute walk from Metro Expo Line’s Expo Park/USC station. For route information, see: https://www.metro.net/
How can I get updates about the event?
Sign up here for updates. Or check armenian.usc.edu regularly.
Where can I get more information about the Institute of Armenian Studies?
You can visit armenian.usc.edu to learn more.
I can’t attend this year but would love to hear the talks and experience from afar. Will the event be live streamed?
Yes, the event will be livestreamed in both Armenian and in English. Following the event, the talks will be posted on the Institute’s YouTube Channel.
Innovate Armenia Schedule
May 18, 2019
10:00AM – 6:00PM
Bovard Auditorium
10:00AM – 11:45AM
MC: Syuzanna Petrosyan, Alex Sardar
Landscapes of Memory
Matthew Karanian, Photographer | Author
The Armenian Highland
Genealogy as Identity
George Aghjayan, Genealogist | Curator
westernarmenia.weebly.com
How to Forget
Avedis Hadjian, Author
Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey
Identity: It’s Complicated
Mehmet Fatih Uslu, PhD, Translator of Zabel Yesayan
The Tangible Past
Heghnar Watenpaugh, PhD, Author
The Missing Pages: The Modern Life of a Medieval Manuscript, from Genocide to Justice
Places of Memory
Vahakn Keshishian, Curator
Hrant Dink Foundation Cultural Heritage Map
11:45AM
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Live via Skype
Republic of Armenia
Salpi Ghazarian
Director, USC Institute of Armenian Studies
12:15PM – 1:15PM
SOUND STORIES
“The Songs You Know, With the Stories You Don’t”
Element Band in collaboration with the USC Institute of Armenian Studies
1:30PM – 5:00PM
MC: Dr. Shushan Karapetian
Security Policy
Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Security Council of Armenia
Karabakh – Real Life in an Unrecognized Republic
Armine Aleksanyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Karabakh
And
In Conversation with
Dr. Shushan Karapetian
Economy
Dr. Kate Weber, Executive Director of the Academy in the Public Square, USC Dornsife
In conversation with
Vache Gabrielyan, PhD, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia and Dean of College of Business and Economics at American University of Armenia
And
Martin Galstyan, PhD, Central Bank of Armenia
The Role of IT
Vach Hovsepyan, ServiceTitan
In Conversation with
Zaré Baghdasarian, Avata Intelligence
Vahe Kuzoyan, ServiceTitan
Environmental Policy
Irina Ghaplanyan, PhD, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Nature Protection
Rural Armenia: Challenges and Prospects
Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Healthcare Policy
Kim Hekimian, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nutrition in Pediatrics at Columbia University
In conversation with
Shant Shekherdimian, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery at UCLA
And
Arsen Torosyan, Armenia’s Minister of Health
Crafting the Message
Vladimir Karapetyan, Press Secretary of the Prime Minister of Armenia
Education Policy
Arevik Anapiosyan, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Education and Science
In conversation with
Mark Power Robison, PhD, Chair of Global Executive Doctor of Education Program at USC Rossier School of Education
5:00PM – 6:00PM
The Diaspora Question
Professor Daniel Mazmanian, USC Price School of Policy
In conversation with
Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Security Council of Armenia
Irina Ghaplanyan, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection
Vache Gabrielyan, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia
Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan
Music Stage
10:00AM
Nur Qanon Ensemble
10:45AM
Liana Aghajanian, on the Dialects of Coffee
11:00AM
Richard Hagopian Family Quartet
12:15PM
SOUND STORIES
“The Songs You Know, With the Stories You Don’t”
Element Band in collaboration with the USC Institute of Armenian Studies —
LIVE in Bovard Auditorium, Broadcast to the Music Stage
1:15PM
Garabala
2:00PM
Charlie Papazian, on Beer
2:30PM
Nur Qanon Ensemble
3:30PM
Garabala
4:30PM
Charlie Papazian, on Beer
5:00PM
Richard Hagopian Family Quartet
English Stream
Armenian Stream
Parking
Dialects of Coffee
Come sip free samples of KAVAT COFFEE and HENRY’S HOUSE OF COFFEE. Author Liana Aghajanian will talk and record conversations about the memories that Armenian coffee evokes. If you’re here, you can be one of the storytellers.
Innovative Food
From jingyalov hats to pastrami nachos, innovative food will be a part of the day long festival.
From Old Routes to New Roots
From around the world: Scholars will discuss how to remember the Genocide and reclaim the past. From Armenia: Ministers, economists, and policymakers, all on one topic – HOW TO BUILD A COUNTRY.
Armenian Craft Beer
Enjoying Armenian craft beers produced in a millennia-old tradition. Charlie Papazian, the beer guru and the founder of the American Homebrewers Association will join the conversation. (Free samples).
Dialects of Coffee
Come sip free samples of KAVAT COFFEE and HENRY’S HOUSE OF COFFEE. Author Liana Aghajanian will talk and record conversations about the memories that Armenian coffee evokes. If you’re here, you can be one of the storytellers.
Innovative Food
From jingyalov hats to pastrami nachos, innovative food will be a part of the day long festival.
From Old Routes to New Roots
From around the world: Scholars will discuss how to remember the Genocide and reclaim the past. From Armenia: Ministers, economists, and policymakers, all on one topic – HOW TO BUILD A COUNTRY.
Armenian Craft Beer
Enjoying Armenian craft beers produced in a millennia-old tradition. Charlie Papazian, the beer guru and the founder of the American Homebrewers Association will join the conversation. (Free samples).
4000+
Sips of Coffee
30+
Speakers
7+
Hours of Music
6+
Styles of Craft Beer
∞
Endless Ideas
∞
Endless Ideas
RECLAIMING THE PAST
10 am - Bovard Auditorium
HOW TO FORGET
Avedis Hadjian
GENEALOGY AS IDENTITY
George Aghjayan
THE TANGIBLE PAST
Heghnar Watenpaugh
LANDSCAPES OF MEMORY
Matthew Karanian
IDENTITY: IT’S COMPLICATED
Mehmet Fatih Uslu
PLACES OF MEMORY
Vahakn Keshishian
PRIME MINISTER PASHINYAN LIVE VIA SKYPE
11:30 am - Bovard Auditorium
A journey through the Armenian experience in music and stories
12 noon - Bovard Auditorium
HOW TO BUILD A COUNTRY
1:30 pm - Bovard Auditorium
SECURITY POLICY
Armen Grigoryan
Secretary of Security Council of Armenia
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan
Deputy Minister of Nature Protection
EDUCATION POLICY
Arevik Anapiosyan
Deputy Minister of Education
HEALTHCARE POLICY
Arsen Torosyan
Minister of Health
ECONOMY
Professor Vache Gabrielyan
American University of Armenia
CRAFTING THE MESSAGE
Vladimir Karapetyan
Spokesperson for Prime Minister Pashinyan
KARABAKH
Armine Aleksanyan
Deputy Foreign Minister of Karabakh
ECONOMY
Dr. Martin Galstyan
Central Bank of Armenia
MUSIC STAGE
10 am - 6 pm
Nur Qanon Ensemble
Yerevan, Armenia
The Richard Hagopian Quartet
Fresno, California
Garabala
Beirut, Lebanon
ORGANIZATIONS
10 am - 6 pm
“INNOVATE ARMENIA is like a box of carefully selected, assorted chocolates.”
– Emil Sanamyan, Journalist
“INNOVATE ARMENIA is uniquely organized so that people interested in Armenian arts, culture, intellectual discussion, AND policy come together in one space. I can think of no event like this.”
– Katy Pearce, PhD University of Michigan
“It’s great to see the Armenian past, present and future at INNOVATE ARMENIA.”
– David Ignatius, The Washington Post
“INNOVATE ARMENIA is an interplay between Armenian culture, arts and politics. What makes this beautiful thought experiment complete is the public’s participation.”
– Talar Chahinian, PhD UC Irvine
“INNOVATE ARMENIA is a one-of-a-kind showcase of Armenian art, culture, and thinking that inspires everyone who participates in it.”
– Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize 2016