Performance of ‘Women of Ararat’ to benefit women in Armenia

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Members of the Armenian community of Rhode Island are bringing a performance of the acclaimed play “Women of Ararat” to Providence on Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m. The performance, in tribute to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, will take place at the Scottish Rite Auditorium, 2115 Broad St., Cranston.

“Women of Ararat” is a poignant play written by Boston playwright Judith Boyajian Strang-Waldau to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Strang-Waldau’s play focuses on her family’s role in the genocide through the love story of two young musicians, Julie and William, who meet in London in the 1970s, and their relationship with Julie’s family, four generations of Armenian women living in Watertown, Massachusetts. The play explores the themes of family, memory, pain, love, and, ultimately, hope, through the relationships of these characters.

Proceeds from the performance will benefit Mer Doon, The Women’s Resource Center and The Women’s Support Center, all located in Yerevan, Armenia.

Mer Doon’s mission is to help orphaned and disadvantaged young women in Armenia break the cycle of dependency through education, job training and a loving family environment.

The Women’s Resource Center is a non-governmental organization that was founded in 2003 by women from Armenia and the Diaspora. The center works in the area of women’s human rights and reproductive rights, sexual violence and women’s role in conflict resolution and peace building in the South Caucasus.

The Women’s Support Center’s objective is to create a safe environment for women — a place where they receive support, empathy and the knowledge that they are not alone in their struggles. Women are provided with practical information about domestic violence, as well as counseling that bolsters self-esteem and confidence. The center offers a hotline, walk-in services, legal and psychological counseling, training sessions and community outreach.

Tickets to “Women of Ararat” are $20, with a discounted price for teachers and students.

For more information, contact Dorothy Martiesian at 401-749-0269 or dmartiesian@yahoo.com, or Naomi Thovmasian Marsh at 401-942-3886 or Naomi.Marsh@verizon.net.

– Submitted by the Holocaust/Genocide Education Committee whose goal is to implement Rhode Island legislation, passed in June, 2016 stating that all middle and high school students shall receive instruction on Holocaust and Genocide.