Washington, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) mourns the loss of former Assembly Board Member, community leader, writer, and editor Edmond Yervant Azadian. In his many capacities, Azadian dedicated his life’s work to the betterment of the Armenian people, serving as a high-ranking member of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, to the Advisor from the Diaspora to the Ministry of Culture in Armenia, to the Advisor of the Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum, to his numerous influential editorial roles with the newspapers Baikar, Armenian Mirror Spectator, Arev, Azg, and Abaka, published across the Armenian diaspora. Azadian was a major thought leader and organizer for Armenians in the United States and globally, as reflected in the outpouring of condolences on the great loss his passing represents.
A participant in the Airlie conferences that founded the Armenian Assembly of America in the early 1970s, Azadian served for a number of years as a member of its Board of Directors and played a valuable role in extending the reach of the new organization into wider sectors of the Armenian American community.
A member of the Union of Writers of Armenia and the Republic of Armenia’s Academy of Sciences, Azadian was widely respected as an author and editor. He issued more than 21 books and published over 1,500 articles, book reviews, and essays in daily newspapers and literary magazines.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1935, Azadian received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut, and pursued higher education in the U.S. at Northeastern University and Wayne State University.
While living in Detroit, Michigan, Azadian formed a longstanding and fruitful working relationship with businessman and philanthropist Alex Manoogian. He served as the longtime Executive Administrator at the Alex and Marie Manoogian Cultural Fund, which supported the publication of Armenian books, newspapers, and other cultural activities.
He also served as President of the Central Board of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States and Canada, in which capacity he traveled widely and strengthened the presence of the organization in promoting Armenian culture and education.
Azadian received several recognitions for his lifetime of service, including the St. Sahak-St. Mesrop Medal by Catholicos of All Armenians Vasken I for his journalistic and literary achievements, the Movses Khorenatsi Medal, the Hakob Meghapart Medal from the Armenian National Library, and other awards from the presidents of Armenia.
