The Consequences of the Syrian Conflict for the Armenian Community of Syria

Occupation: Post-graduate student, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Affiliation: Lomonosov Moscow State University
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Journal name

Asia and Africa Today

Edition

Issue 12

Pages

75-79

Abstract

The article discusses the main consequences of the Syrian conflict for the Armenian community of Syria. Major attention is paid to studying some of the specific characteristics of the community as well as examining different data sources regarding the Armenian population in Syria both before and after the outbreak of the conflict.

Before the war the Armenian community in Syria had been one of the biggest ethno-confessional communities in the Middle East with its history going back many centuries. The main centres of the Armenian community had been Aleppo (with largest Armenian population), Damascus, Latakia, Kesab, Qamishli and some other.

Being integrated in the socio-economic life of Syria the Armenian community has been affected by the consequences of the war in many ways. First, the Syrian Armenians have faced economic hardships, a lot of them have had their houses and trades destroyed. Moreover, due to the direct threat posed by the conflict, many of them have chosen to leave Syria seeking for refuge in other countries, primarily in Armenia as well as the countries with large Armenian communities, thus leading to a decrease in the number of Armenians living in Syria.

It is highlighted that the community has a developed organizational structure which includes the following communal institutions: the Armenian church, Armenian national schools, parties, cultural, youth and sport centres, charitable organizations. They have always served as a basis for the preservation of Armenian identity and culture. Following the outbreak of the conflict in Syria they have also helped the community to survive it.

Despite that, due to the decrease in the number of the Armenian community members and all the damage to the Armenian communal organizations caused by the war, the process of its recovery will be very difficult and effort consuming.

Keywords

the Armenian community of Syria, the Syrian conflict, the recovery issue, the Syrian Armenians

Publication date

13.12.2019

Number of characters

17465

Cite

GOST	Petrosyan A. The Consequences of the Syrian Conflict for the Armenian Community of Syria // Asia and Africa Today – 2019. – Issue 12 C. 75-79 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750007661-9-1 (circulation date: 27.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750007661-9
MLA	Petrosyan, Aida "The Consequences of the Syrian Conflict for the Armenian Community of Syria." Asia and Africa Today 12 (2019):75-79. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750007661-9
APA	Petrosyan A. (2019). The Consequences of the Syrian Conflict for the Armenian Community of Syria. Asia and Africa Today (12), pp.75-79 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750007661-9

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