Armenian Australian

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Armenians in Australia
poptime = 50,000 [http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/Lookup/C41A78D7568811B9CA256E9D0077CA12/$File/20540_2001%20(corrigendum).pdf]
popplace = Sydney, Melbourne; New South Wales,
langs = English, Armenian
rels = Christianity, Orthodox, Roman Catholic.

The Armenian diaspora in Australia has become one of the key Armenian diasporas around the world and the second largest in the English world after USA. While the Armenian community in Australia is amongst the youngest of all diasporas, Australia’s economic prosperity over the past decade has attracted a large number of skilled Armenian migrants. The official relationship between Australia and Armenia started on 26 December 1991, and diplomatic relations were established on 15 January 1992. [ [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/armenia/armenia_brief.html Armenia Country Brief ] ]

Brief overview

The influx of Armenians into Australia has come from many different Diaspora countries; these countries include Armenia, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and India [ [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/armenia/armenia_brief.html Armenia Country Brief ] ] . In the late 1960's Australia recorded its peak influx of Armenian migrants with numbers steadily growing due to chain migration [ [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/armenia/armenia_brief.html Armenia Country Brief ] ] . Today the Austral-Armenian community includes members born in up to and over 43 different countries. The estimated Armenian community size is between 45,000 - 50,000 mostly residing in Sydney, with about 5,000 in Melbourne [ [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/armenia/armenia_brief.html Armenia Country Brief ] ] .The main concentration of Armenians in Sydney are in the City of Ryde (12,000 - 15,000) followed by City of Willoughby and City of Warringah. Smaller communities exist in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

Below are some of the operating organisations within the Armenian Australian community:

* Armenian General Benevolent Union
* SBS Armenian Radio [ [http://www.radio.sbs.com.au/language.php?page=info&language=Armenian SBS Radio - Armenian ] ]
* Armenian Chamber of Commerce in Australia [ [http://www.armenianchamber.com.au/ Armenian Chamber of Commerce in Australia Website ] ]
* Social Democratic Hunchakian Party [ [http://www.hunchak.org.au/aboutus/acaa.html Social Democrat Hunchakian Party ] ]
* Homenetmen Australia [ [http://www.homenetmen.com.au/ Homenetmen Australia Regional Website ] ]
* Hye Hoki [ [http://www.hyehoki.com/ Hye Hoki ] ]
* Armenian Revolutionary Federation
* Armenian Youth Federation of Australia [ [http://www.ayf.org/ AYF.ORG > Home ] ]
* Hamazkayin Regional Committee breaking down into sub-divisions/committees. [ [http://www.hasg.nsw.edu.au Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun School ] ] [ [http://www.ararat.org.au/index.php?id=62 Hamazkaine Nairi Chapter & Homenetmen Ararat Branch - Home ] ]
* Armenian National Committee of Australia [ [http://www.anc.org.au Armenian National Committee of Australia ] ]

Cultural centers

In Sydney there are several main cultural centers to which Armenians gather, one located in Willoughby, New South Wales named the Armenian Cultural Centre and another located in Bonnyrigg, New South Wales [ [http://www.armenian.org.au/index.php?id=66 Armenian Info & Portal Web Site ] ] named the Armenian Cultural Panoyan Centre, and smaller Cultural Centres in Neutral Bay, Ryde and Naremburn, Sydney.Melbourne also has several cultural centres.

Education

Armenian is an accepted language in the NSW HSC also known as Armenian Continuers the course is taught at Saturday schools or as a subject at full time Armenian schools.

Armenian Schooling has become stronger throughout the Australian community with 3 fulltime schools operating in sydney, these are:

* Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstauan School [ [http://www.hasg.nsw.edu.au/forms/HASG_NewsEvents.aspx HASG_NewsEvents ] ]
* St Gregory's Armenian School [ [http://www.nareg.com.au/stg/index.html St Gregory's Armenian School, K-12 Primary and High School, Sydney, Australia ] ]
* A.G.B.U. Alexander Primary School [ [http://www.agbu.org.au/SATURDAY_SCHOOL/body_saturday_school.html Saturday School ] ]

Alongside which a number of Saturday schools operate as listed below:

* Toumanian Armenian Saturday School [ [http://www.ararat.org.au/index.php?id=62 Hamazkaine Nairi Chapter & Homenetmen Ararat Branch - Home ] ]
* A.G.B.U. Alexander Primary School [ [http://www.agbu.org.au/SATURDAY_SCHOOL/body_saturday_school.html Saturday School ] ]
* Tarkmanchatch Armenian Saturday School
* Serop Papazian Armenian Saturday School

Religion

The most prominent church in the Armenian community in Australia and throughout the world [Armenians#Religion] is the Armenian Apostolic Church, lead by Archbishop Aghan Baliozian who is the Primate of the Australian and New Zealand Armenian Apostolic churches. Catholicism led by Father Parsegh (Basil) Sousanian is also a part of Austral-Armenian religions alongside the Armenian Evangelical Church. Also part of the Armenia-linked religion evident in Australia is the newly founded Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church of Australia also known as the Armenian Brotherhood Holy Trinity Church. [ [http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/66f306f503e529a5ca25697e0017661f/006d6434b588843cca25697e00184be5!OpenDocument 1266.0 - Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups (ASCRG), 1996 ] ]
* The Armenian Apostolic Church is located in Chatswood, New South Wales [ [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=5&indexview=toc CNEWA – The Armenian Apostolic Church ] ] .
* The Armenian Catholic Church can located in Lidcombe, New South Wales [ [http://www.armeniancatholic.org.au/ Our Lady of the Assumption - Armenian Catholic Church - Sydney Australia ] ] .
* The Armenian Evangelical Church can located in Willoughby, New South Wales.
* The Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church is located in Davidson, New South Wales [ [http://www.abcy.am/Pages/ABC-world.html This page contains addresses of all Armenian Brotherhood Churches Around the World ] ] .

Notable Armenian Australians

The Austral Armenian community has shaped many notable figure throughout the community which have become key members who shape the identity of Armenians in Australia. Below are a few of these members.

*Joe Hockey (Family Name "Hokeidonian") - Member of Federal Parliament Shadow Minister for Health
*Gladys Berejiklian- Member of Parliament, Shadow Minister for Transport, Shadow Minister for Citizenship. [ [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/b05953691b7f47f1ca256e7b0013973f/89c3317e637e318aca256cfa0012d282!OpenDocument Ms Gladys BEREJIKLIAN, BA, DIntS, MCom MP - NSW Parliament ] ]
*Clr Sarkis Yedelian- Deputy Mayor of Ryde, New South Wales. [ [http://www.yedelian.com Sarkis Yedelian ] ]
*Archbishop Aghan Baliozian- Primate of Australian and New Zealand Armenian Apostolic Church. [ [http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Aghan_Baliozian Aghan Baliozian - Armeniapedia.org ] ]
*Vic Darchinyan - IBO Super flyweight world title holder
*George Donikian - Network Ten news presenter
*Brian Goorjian - Regarded as Australia's most successful basketball coach
*Slava Grigoryan - classical guitarist, two time ARIA winner
*Yurik Sarkisian - Two time World Champion Weightlifter, set 17 world records during his career
*Rouben Vesmadian - Armenian professional basketball player residing in Frankfurt, Germany
*Michael Carapiet - Executive Director of Macquarie Bank residing in Sydney
*Stephan Kerkysharian - Chairman of the NSW Ethnic Affairs

References

External links

* http://www.agbu.org.au
* http://www.anc.org.au
* http://www.armenianchamber.com.au
* http://www.armenian.org.au/
* http://www.homenetmen.com.au/
* http://www.ararat.org.au/