SOAR-Athens Chapter
SOAR-Athens joined the SOAR family in July 2014. The Armenian presence in Greece began centuries ago when Armenians settled in the wider area of Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thrace. Armenians in Greece, however, acquired the character of a community after the 1920s, when 70,000 to 80,000 survivors of the Armenian Genocide fled to Greece from Cilicia, Smyrna, Ionia, Constantinople and Asia Minor, scattering all over Greece.
Today, the number of Armenians in Greece is estimated at approximately 20,000-35,000, living mainly in Attica (Athens, Piraeus and the suburbs) and in smaller communities in Thessaloniki, Kavala, Komotini, Xanthi, Alexandroupolis, Didimoticho, Orestiada and Crete. The majority of Greco-Armenians are Armenian Apostolic. There are a number of Armenian institutions in Greece, among them being: two kindergartens and elementary schools and one high school, in Athens and Piraeus, which belong to the Armenian Blue Cross; the Armenian Community Cultural Center in Thessaloniki; and Armeniki, an amateur soccer club in Athens.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Naira Tamamyan
President
Naira Tamamyan is a distinguished scholar in the field of Armenian philology and medieval literature. She earned her PhD in Philology with a focus on Armenian medieval literature. Naira has a rich academic background, having studied Armenian Philology at the Armenian State Pedagogical University (1991-1996) and continued her education with various online courses from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard and Wellesley.
Since 1995, Naira has worked as a freelance editor. Since 2012, she has been working as an active blogger, with a special interest in the preservation and dissemination of Armenian historical and literary works. She has held significant roles in research and editorial positions, including at the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran) in Yerevan, Armenia (2002-2011, 2022-2023). She also contributed as a scientific editor for the Historical-Philological Journal (2005-2011). Naira has also lectured at universities such as “Gitelique” (2004-2011) and “Hrachya Acharyan” (2004-2007) University, and has contributed to various Armenian journals as a scientific editor. She has worked as a journalist and editor for multiple newspapers in Armenia, including “Zhamanak,” “Hayastan,” and “Kecharis.” She was the editor-in-chief and designer of the newspapers “Bazmanist” and “Araqyal” (2002-2005) and a producer at First Channel of the Public TV of Armenia (2003-2005).
Her scholarly contributions include one published book and sixteen scientific articles, along with active participation in conferences. She has also served as an opponent for doctoral theses in 2011 and 2024.
In addition to her academic and editorial pursuits, Naira has an active public presence. She is a member of the Editorial Board and an expert for the “Four Rivers” Fund of Oriental Christian Studies Development. Her dedication to cultural preservation and communication is evident in her previous role as Vice-President of the NGO Women Journalists of Armenia, as well as her volunteer work with the Greek Council of Refugees.
Fluent in Armenian, Russian, English, and Greek, Naira is a passionate advocate for academic collaboration and cross-cultural understanding. Naira Tamamyan possesses strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills. Her diverse interests include reading, writing, hairstyling, yoga and creative arts such as clothes designing, doll making, and cake decoration.