Armenians in Greece - Post 1991 Independence of Armenia

Post 1991 Independence of Armenia

Armenia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It had faced enormous problems by the 1988 Spitak Earthquake and, soon after its nationhood, got involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh War. This constituted a new challenge for the Armenians in Greece (just like for the entire Armenian Diaspora). They tried to be of help to their country when the devastating earthquake stroke the northern part of their country, then with the conflict for Nagorno-Karabakh, followed by major economic and living problems such as hunger and energy thirst caused by the embargo imposed on Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan. The provisional also accommodation and the caring of some hundreds of refugees that resorted to Greece were covered up to one degree by the Armenian community.

As of 2007, 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 Christians, with the rest being Catholics and Evangelicans. There are a number of Armenian institutions in Greece, among them being:

• Two kindergarten and elementary schools and a three-class high school, in Athens and Piraeus with almost 350 pupils, which belong to the Armenian Blue Cross.
• A kindergarten and an elementary school of almost 60 pupils, in Palio Faliro, that belongs to the Armenian General Benevolent Union (A.G.B.U.).
• Two single day elementary schools are founded by the Armenian Blue Cross, in Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis, with 50 and 70 pupils accordingly.
• The Armenian Community Cultural Center in Thessaloniki.
• Armeniki, an amateur soccer club in Athens.

Armenians also have two newspapers: the over fifty years old daily "Azat Or" (Free Day), which has the largest circulation all over Greece and the weekly "Nor Ashkharh" (New World); The magazine Αρμενικά (Armenian) is published every two months in Athens. The community's main political representative is the Armenian National Committee of Greece. Its headquarters are in Athens with branches all over Greece. It expresses the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (Dashnaktsutiun) political perspective. The organization Homenetmen is also active in Greece, organizing sporting and Scouting events for Armenians in the country.