Armenian politician Raffi Hovhannisyan: biography, activity, photo

The leader of the Armenian opposition party "Heritage", the first in the history of independent Armenia, Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian is the son of the world-famous American orientalist and historian Richard Hovhannisyan. Their family was among those Armenian refugees who managed to escape from one of the most severe crimes in the history of mankind - the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century - and find refuge on American soil. After 40 years of comfortable life in the USA, Raffi, who by this time managed to excel in the sphere of international relations, at the first call of the Motherland threw everything and moved with his family to the country of his ancestors - to head the Armenian Foreign Ministry. The country was at war, and everyone who heard of his decision came into perplexity. But he was not going to retreat, because to live on his native land was his most cherished dream.

Biographical information

Raffi Richardovich Hovhannisyan was born in 1959 in the United States of America, in the city of Fresno (California), in a family of immigrants from Western Armenia. His father's grandfather, Gaspar, born in the village of Bazmashen in Kharberd province (Western Armenia), was one of the soldiers of the army of the famous Armenian commander Andranik. A grandfather on the maternal side, Ovakim, was a member of a volunteer squad formed in the Karina district and fighting against the outrages of the Turkish authorities directed against the Armenians-the local population. As for Raffi's parents, as already mentioned, his father is Richard Hovhannisyan - an outstanding academic historian, an academician, and his mother is Dr. Vardeter Kvcholozyan-Hovhannisyan. He has two brothers, Armen and Karo, and sister Ani.

Education

Since 1977, R. Hovhannisyan studied for two years at the faculty of political science UC Berkeley, and then transferred to the University of California in Los Angeles to the Department of Oriental Studies and began in-depth study of the history of his homeland. In 1980 he finished his studies, having received immediately from two chairs - history and oriental studies - the medal Summa cum laude and the title Bachelor of Art. Two years later, he defended his master's degree in international law, history of diplomacy and foreign policy, but by that time had already left the University of California in Los Angeles and studied at the Tufts Massachusetts University Fletcher Diplomatic School. The theme of his thesis was the following: "America's policy towards the Republic of Armenia in 1918-1920". Doctorate (JD) Raffi Hovhannisyan received in the legal center of the University of Georgetown. And this time the theme of the dissertation was connected with the most painful issue for Armenians about the genocide of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire.

Activities in the USA

In 1981-1982, the future Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia taught the history of Armenia at Tufts University. In 1982, together with his brother, Armen went to Western Armenia (by the way, if it were not for American citizenship, he would not be able to do this) in search of abandoned houses of his ancestors. In 1985-1988, he became a lawyer in civil litigation, and also specialized in international law. As a lawyer he served in famous California law offices "Hill", "Brill and Ferer", "Brothers Kuder", "Whitman and Ransel", etc. During the same period he founded and directed the Union of Armenian Lawyers Armenian Bar Association. In 1988, after the first news of the devastating earthquake in the ASSR, he went to the zone of destruction with a charity mission and set up an Armenian-American assembly to restore the disaster zone.

State and public activities in Armenia

In 1991 R. Hovhannisyan was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the young republic and headed the Armenian Foreign Ministry. In this position he remains until the end of 1992, but resigns at his own request. In 1993, he founded the Armenian Center for Strategic and National Studies (ACNIS) in Yerevan, which found international recognition, as well as the magazine "A View from Yerevan". In 1998, he served as the head of the "Information and Printing" Department of the RA and served as the Executive Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.

Political activity

In 2005 R. Hovhannisyan founded the opposition party "Heritage". During the 2007 elections he was elected a deputy of the People's Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from the party he founded. From 2007 to 2009, he represented Armenia in NATO and the EU. In 2013 he put forward his candidacy for the presidential post of the RA during the presidential elections. On February 18, 2013, it became known that he had gained 36.74 percent of the vote, being in second place after the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan. However, many believed that the election was falsified, and this led to mass riots, rallies in the republic, and Raffi Hovhannisyan began a 20-day hunger strike at the legendary Liberty Square in protest against unfair elections. The rallies continued even after the inauguration of Serzh Sargsyan.

Personal life

Armenian politician Raffi Hovhannisyan is married to a beautiful Armenian woman named Armenuy, married with whom they had 5 children: Karin, Van, Taron, Shushi and Armen-Richard. The pair first met during the congress of Armenian youth in San Francisco. As Armenova says, a handsome, handsome young man whose appearance also reminded the famous American writer of Armenian origin Viliam Saroyan, son of the famous academician Richard Hovhannis, was in the center of attention. Of course, she turned her gaze to him, but she was not able to get acquainted with him on that day. However, when they accidentally met the next day and began to communicate, he told her that he noticed her among the crowd of girls thanks to the original pantyhose. Armenoui was dumbfounded, but this phrase was the reason for their further acquaintance and rapprochement. Then he invited the girl to her lecture about Western Armenia to the neighboring state, where she went with her friend. His fiery emotional speech made Armenowi look at him with completely different eyes. Then the bouquet-confectionary relations began between them, which eventually led to a couple in the Armenian church in Fresno, where their wedding took place. For 30 years now, Armeniu has remained faithful to his oath given before the altar - to be always near to her husband: both in trouble and in joy. Armenuhi Hovhannisyan is engaged in charitable activities and is the founder of the Orran Center ("Cradle"), created for children deprived of their homes. He is also the president of the NGO "Youth Achievements" (Junior Achievement).

Karin Hovhannisyan is the son of the leader of the Heritage Party

The young man, incredibly beautiful, courageous and intelligent, inheriting all the good from his famous ancestors in 2015, by the centenary of the Armenian genocide, became famous as a wonderful director, having removed the artistic picture "1915". The film was presented at the international film festival in the now Turkish city of Van (Western Armenia). The picture told of the tragic events that occurred at the dawn of the last century. It was noteworthy in the tape that the world-famous composer and rock musician Serge Tankian wrote music to her.

As a conclusion

Today Raffi Hovhannisyan continues to engage in political activities, but the number of his followers has unfortunately decreased today. And all because any policy to achieve success needs, first of all, determination. Fine education, patriotism and high moral and human qualities for this, alas, is not enough.