Վկայութիւն Ազատուհի Գալայճեանի Մասին

Ազատուհի Գալայճեանի մասին կատարուած այս վկայութիւնը Տոքթ. Ակասիի կողմէ նուազագոյն իրականութիւնն է ըսուած այս ժիր, աշխոյժ, բարի, արդար եւ զարգացման ու զարգացողին երկրպագու տիկնոջ մասին: Յօդուածագիրը ճիշտ մէջբերում է կատարած Մայր Թէրէզայի խօսքերէն թէ «Սէրը կը սկսի տունէն»: Իսկ ի՞նչ կը նշանակէ տուն Ազատուհի Գալայճեանի համար , եթէ ոչ Երկիրը, Անջրպետը, Տիեզերքն ամբողջ:Ուշադիր կարդացէք յօդուածը եւայս իրականութեան պիտի անդրադառնաք եւ տողերուն մէջ եւ տողերուն ետին:
Հայ Կնոջ Տարուան առթիւ «Նշանակ» պատիւն ունի պատուելու ՝ ուսուցիչ, գիրքերու հեղինակ , ազգով տագնապող այս հայուհին,Ազատուհին , իր կողակիցին՝ գրագէտ,հրապարակագիր, ուսուցիչ, ազգային գործիչ Պէպօ Սիմոնեանի հետ միասին, զոյգ մը՝ ներդաշնակուած մտաւորականներու յատուկ իրենց յատկութիւններով:
Իր հարազատութիւնը չկորսնցնելու համար Ակասիի այս յօդուածը կը հրապարակենք բնագրի լեզուով՝ Անգլերէնով:
Կեանք ու արեւշատ օրեր կը մաղթենք սիրելի Ազատուհի Գալայճեանին:

«Նշանակ»
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Mrs. Kaladjian
I am greatly honored to speak on behalf of a dear friend and colleague Mrs. Azadouhi Kaladjian whom I have known since 1986. It was during this period that I discovered the strong bond that ties her to the Lebanese American University. Her love affair with LAU goes back to 1958 when she first joined Beirut College for Women as a young undergraduate student. An ambitious young woman, Azadouhi wanted to complete her higher education, but was aware of the desperate financial situation of her father who owned a small bakery. Refusing to abandon this serious and hard-working student, the College gave her 25 hours of work in the Library. In addition to the money she was able to send her family, she was given free food and free accommodation on campus. Until today, Azadouhi always remembers the loving-kindness of the American missionaries who stood by her and gave her support. Right after graduation in 1960 with a B.A. in English Literature, she was hired as assistant to the Academic Dean Dr. Rhoda Orme, while teaching Intensive English at the same time. Her dedication and hard work won her a grant from the Ford Foundation (through the Beirut College for Women) in 1962-63 to help her update her teaching skills. Accordingly, she received training in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language at the University of Michigan. On her return to the College she continued to teach Intensive English and to assist the Dean of Students Ruth Hembekides. In 1980 she received an M.A. in English Literature from AUB, after which she served as supervisor of the Intensive English Lab for the coming five years. In 1982, she received a British Council grant to attend the Summer Institute for Teaching of English at the University of Reading. Another opportunity came her way when she was given the chance to enhance her expertise in the Learning Lab by surveying Language laboratories at Columbia, UCLA, University of Toronto, York University, and Concordia University. In 1976 when the civil war was well under way, BCW had only 50 students. In the midst of the chaos, the College was forced to end the services of many faculty members who could not report to work, and those who remained received half salaries. But Mrs. Kaladjian’s loyalty to the institution was unbounded and she went on crossing the Green line between the divided city, despite imminent danger. Sensing her devotion and sacrifice, the university decided to provide her with accommodation on Campus. In 1985, she joined the communication Art program at LAU where she taught Sophomore Rhetoric in addition to other Freshman English courses in the department of Communication Arts. It was during this period that I became acquainted with Mrs. Kaladjian. What can I tell you about her? She had that unworldly innocence and magnanimous goodness that was hard to find, especially in the midst of the violence and cruelty of a city at war. Despite the doom and gloom, Azadouhi came to work with a smile that lifted our spirits and really made a difference. She brought sunshine into our world, and her healthy well-being and positive attitude were the main factors that helped her, too, to deal with the depressing reality of war. I have always been impressed by her positive approach to all matters where she always seemed optimistic and ready to deal with problems in a confidant, self-assured, warm and compassionate manner. Her conscientiousness, diligence, work ethic, honesty and truthfulness, all testify to a genuine dedication and high integrity that touches the hearts of all those who come in touch with her. She taught me that a positive outlook even in the midst of despair generates strength to resist hatred, violence and inertia, and keep going despite all hurdles.
I cannot tell you enough about Mrs. Kaladjian. Her indefatigable willingness to learn and her craving for knowledge are just amazing. There is no end to her learning and to her desire to enhance her knowledge academically, intellectually and professionally and to update herself on various topics in her field. If “learning”, as Plato tells us, “has an emotional base”, teaching too is an act of love and passion. That’s why Mrs. Kaladjian is such a successful educator.
Ever since I met her, she always struck me as a mother figure to her students who simply adored her. When they failed she gave them a helping hand. She did not discourage them but rather sat with them, corrected their mistakes, and gave them more resources to improve themselves. Where did all this love and devotion come from? How right mother Teresa was when she said that “Love begins at home.” True. Mrs. Kalaidjian’s love and care come from a family that she talks about incessantly and with so much pride. Within her home. That’s where she learned the true meaning of giving, with her children Dekran and Razmik, and mainly her husband Mr. Pedros Kaladjian, a brilliant poet, writer, and intellectual who gave her the inspiration to move on and excel in her career as educator and activist. And all these gifts come, as she has always emphasized, from her love for God, the sustaining force that guided her life. Azadouhi is a genuine human being whose sensitivity, natural modesty, and wonderful rapport with people have enabled her to deal with all sorts of people without prejudice, and discrimination, and with a strong sense of understanding and tolerance.
In addition to being a unique human being who has succeeded in making life-long friends at the personal level, she has been the best ambassador to her people and her community. For 47 years, she has raised funds to help Armenian students to pursue their education, contributing of her own money whenever the need arises. In order to promote her rich cultural heritage and to make it accessible to non-Armenians, she started contributing to Al-Raida [a quarterly publication by the Institute of Women’s Studies in the Arab World at the Lebanese American University] numerous articles related to Armenian women: Artists, musicians, poets, activists etc. Her lecture last year on “Zabel Yessayan (1878-1943): Great Writer and Humanitarian” is a tribute to an Armenian writer and feminist. Azadouhi also carried the torch to Armenian women who were less privileged than herself. She wanted to be sure that Armenian women were kept informed of the latest developments in the areas of family planning, mothering, raising children etc. Her active presence within the Armenian community and unwavering commitment to her people can be seen in her two books, lectures, panel discussions, articles, and research on the educational, cultural, literary and social issues related to the Armenian community particularly women’s issues. In her book titled The Armenian Woman: Family and Youth published by the Christian Education Department of the Catholicoste in Antelias (1988), she deals with the Armenian family, keeping a well-balanced focus on tradition as well as modernization. Azadouhi’s struggle for her people is such that she never thinks of the schisms that divide the Armenians. All Armenians are her brothers and sisters and she feels a deep sense of responsibility for each and every one of them.
Today we are celebrating the year of the Armenian woman, but I can say that Azadouhi celebrates and sings the Armenian woman every single day. Today is Azadouhi Kaladjian’s day too. Let us all pay tribute to an exceptional woman who made her mark with faith, purpose, passion, and persistence.




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