135 Years of Unbroken National Will: The Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Continuity of a People

By Vahe Andonian

Today, as the 135th anniversary of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( ARF) is commemorated across the world, our hearts fill with pride for the devotion that, for 135 years, has protected, guided, and carried the Armenian people. This journey was born of the very same spirit we attribute to Haig Nahabed—the symbol of strength, responsibility, and statehood.

The words of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, resonate even more strongly in these days: “After 135 years of service to the nation, every coming year is a new Jubilee for the ARF.” This thought holds truth not only ideologically, but historically and experientially.

The generations who grew up in my birthplace—the Armenian Quarter of the Holy City of Jerusalem—were shaped by an atmosphere where the ringing of church bells, the prayers at the altar, the scent of incense, the sense of national belonging, and the history that emanated from ancient stones made our identity tangible.

Under the roof of the of St. James convent, in the warm homes of Armenian families—mine rooted in Musa Dagh , and many others Armenian Genocide servers decedents from the countless regions of Western Armenia—the heritage of survivors was passed down to us.

From the convent windy courtyards, large and small, ( meds and bzdig pag )from the garden of cows, ( goveru bardez) our neighborhood had become a small Armenian city, where we learned what it meant to be an Armenian Christian—an oath to eternity, a sense of dignity, and a life of responsibility.

This path was not only my personal story, but the shared experience of thousands of devoted educators, mentors, and servants who together shaped a historic movement.

Within those millennia-old walls—in the classrooms of the Saint Tarkmanchats Secondary School , in the clubs of HOMENETMEN AND HOYETCHMEN in our churches and the silence of the Gulbengian Library—generations grew up on the stories of our kings and heroes: from Tigran the Great to the monarchs of Cilicia, from Mesrop Mashtots to the battle of Vardanants. They became the inseparable companions of our childhood.

As a teenager, I often asked myself what it truly meant to be Armenian—is it blood, fate, destiny, or responsibility? As I grew older, new paths opened before us—the ARF, the Hunchakians, the Ramgavars, and the great founders behind them: Kristapor , Rostom, Zavarian, Avetis Nazarian, Mariam Vardanian, Mkrtich Portukalian. And beside them to me stood our giants: General Andranik, Kevork Chavush, Sose Mayrig, Aram Manoukian, Karekin Njdeh, Dro… figures who not only created a movement but rebuilt a nation—struggling, renewing, and resurrecting.

All of this became silent yet profound lessons in my childhood. And I came to understand that the ARF was not merely an ideology but a way of life—rooted in the spirit of Haig Nahabed, fortified by the heroic battles of Van, Sassoun, Zeitoun, and Musa Ler, forged in the messages of Sardarabad, Pash Abaran, and Gharakilisa, realized in the independent statehood of May 28, 1918, and renewed through new generations and new devotees.

That awareness made me not an observer, but a participant. To consciously take the oath and become a member of the ARF in my youth was not simply a decision—it was joining a long chain of belief that national duty is never measured by personal gain. Generations of ARF members served the homeland and the diaspora without expectation of praise, guided by one truth: to serve the nation is an oath, not an option.

The ARF has often stood in the eye of persecution—from Ottoman tyranny to Bolshevik and Stalinist repression, from Soviet prohibitions to Turkish-Azerbaijani hatred, accusations, and brutality.
And sadly, also from internal leaders, factions, and individuals who sought to justify their weaknesses and shortcomings by opposing the ARF.

But despite all this, the ARF never lowered its flag. It is not merely a political party—it is the conscience of the Armenian people, its backbone, its organized strength, the founder and torchbearer of Armenian statehood.

More than fifty years ago, with a desire to pursue my education,
I arrived in Vancouver, Canada. There was already a small but well-organized Tashnagtsagan group there. Joining them felt entirely natural. A few families had gathered a handful of Armenians, organizing cultural, communal, social and national events, forming the foundations of a community identity.

Soon the organized community began commemorating April 24, May 28, ARF Day; a Saturday school and a church council were established. This is not only my Vancouver story, but the story of ARF seeds planted everywhere. Far from the homeland, the survival of this small community proves once again that the ARF is traditional Heritage party in its roots but never “old” in its nature. It constantly stands before new challenges—as a renewing, creative, internally always revolutionizing and inspiring force.

Today, with the spirit of the 135th anniversary, across the homeland and the diaspora, we saw our newer heroes—Freedom Fighters, the Lisbon Five, and the heroes of Artsakh: Arthur Mkrtchyan, Dushman Vardan, Bedo Ghyevondyan, Tatul Krpeyan; and the visionaries of our era: Hrayr Maroukhian, Sargis Zeitlian, Sos Sargsyan, Vahan Hovhannisyan, and many others. From today’s devoted heroes, I will mention only a few—Hambik Sassounian who was held in California prison for 40 years and David Ishkhanyan… who is in Baku prison for over two years.

And countless new defenders stand on the frontlines today—boarder defenders or armed with pen in hand, inside or outside parliament and the courts, or even from within prison walls. They bear the same legacy as Aram, Andranik, Njdeh, and Tehlirian.

History affirms that the giants of the ARF were ARF members, yes—but they were also the sons and daughters of the Armenian people. Their legacy is not confined to party boundaries; it forms a golden link in the chain of our national existence.

The ARF has never waited for others to clear its path. It cleared its own. It built statehood. When Artsakh was in danger, it was there from the first moment. When Armenia’s future was being shaped—by soldiers, teachers, intellectuals, and diaspora communities—the ARF held its place without self-interest or preconditions: Armenian centers, schools, churches, cultural institutions, press, self-defense, community organization, pro-state work… The ARF is not only an echo of history; it continues to shape history today.

When we think of the stories we will tell our future generations—our grandchildren—we understand that the history of our ARF generations must be transmitted not as nostalgia but as guidance. Not as “what I did,” but as how our nation united and continues to stand tall. And that is who we are—135 years of an unbroken reality.

With unwavering faith, unshakeable will, and as one whole—Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora—we continue the journey that began in 1890 and will endure as long as the Armenian and Armenia exist.
For a Free, Independent, United, and Integral Armenia.
For the Armenian People.
For the Armenian State.

Long live the Armenian people.
Long live Artsakh and Armenia.
Long live the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.