Armenians in Uruguay
Encyclopedia
Armenians in Uruguay number around 19,000. The Armenian community in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...

 is one of the oldest in South America. Most live in the capital Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...

.

History

Being one of the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...

's smaller communities, Armenians in Uruguay are concentrated mostly in the capital city. Many of the Armenians are third or even fourth-generation descendants of the first wave of immigrants from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

. The Armenian General Benevolent Union
Armenian General Benevolent Union
The Armenian General Benevolent Union abbreviated as AGBU, is a non-profit Armenian organization. It was established in Cairo, Egypt in 1906...

 (AGBU) established a chapter in Uruguay in 1938 and inaugurated a community center complex in 1953.
Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide recognition refers to the formal acceptance that the massacre and forced deportation of Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923 constitute genocide...

 by various world parliaments was spearheaded by Uruguay's Parliament
General Assembly of Uruguay
The General Assembly of Uruguay has two chambers.*the Chamber of Deputies has 99 members, elected for a five year term by proportional representation....

, when in May 1985 it became the third country in the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...

. The Parliament has subsequently consistently supported various resolutions in favor of the Armenians.

Community

Between 1974 and 1975, the AGBU Uruguay Chapter established an educational center which was completed in two phases: first to be completed was the Nubarian Elementary School in honor of the founder of AGBU, Boghos Nubar; then came the Alex Manoogian High School, named after the then AGBU President.

The Armenians are very active in the arts. Alvaro Hagopian is the conductor of the Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra. Also operating are Cordoba Dance Group "Ararat" (AGBU) and the Armenian National Center "Gayane" Dance Group (of Uruguay's Armenian National Center).

There is a long-running radio station "Radio Armenia" broadcasting from Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...

 heard across Uruguay, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 to the Armenian community of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...

 and into southern Brazil.

Montevideo has a public square named Armenia. The Uruguay Parliament also has a member of Parliament of Armenian origin, Liliam Kechichian.

Religion

Most Armenians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...

. The main center is the Armenian Church of Montevideo, Uruguay (Iglesia Armenia del Uruguay in Spanish). The church also has a memorial statue dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...

.

Notable people

  • Joaquín Boghossian
    Joaquín Boghossian
    Joaquín Antonio Boghossián is an Uruguayan professional footballer of Armenian origin. He currently plays for Urugyayan side Club Nacional de Football.- Playing career :...

     - Footballer for Newell's Old Boys
    Newell's Old Boys
    Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...

  • Sergio Markarián
    Sergio Markarián
    Sergio Apraham Markarián is a Uruguayan-Armenian football coach. Currently, he is the head coach of the national football team of Peru.-Early life:...

     - Coach for Peruvian national football team, former coach of Universidad de Chile
  • Mauro Guevgeozián
    Mauro Guevgeozián
    Mauro Guevgeozián is an Uruguayan professional footballer of Armenian origin. He currently plays for C.A. Peñarol. He is usually called Armenio by his teammates.-External links:*...

     - Footballer for Everton
    Corporación Deportiva Everton de Viña del Mar
    Everton de Viña del Mar is a Chilean football club based in the city of Viña del Mar.The club was founded June 24, 1909 after a group of Anglo-Chilean teenagers formed a football club and named it after the English team Everton that had just made a pioneering visit to South America.The club are...

  • Adrian Sarkissian
    Adrian Sarkissian
    Carlos Adrián Sarkissian Balerio is a retired Uruguayan footballer who played as a side midfielder or winger. He is of Armenian descent.-Career:...

     - Retired former footballer
  • Garo Arakelián - Musician
  • Liliam Kechichian - MP

External links

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