Armen Aroyan Foundation
The Armen Aroyan Foundation preserves the life, work, and legacy of Armen Aroyan—scholar, guide, and devoted steward of Armenian cultural and spiritual heritage.
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For decades, Armen Aroyan dedicated himself to helping Armenians of the diaspora reconnect with ancestral villages in historic Western Armenia. Rooted in faith and community life, his commitment took many forms: scholarship, guided pilgrimages, church involvement, philanthropy, and the careful preservation of libraries, archives, and scholarly collections central to Armenian cultural memory.
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The foundation carries this work forward by safeguarding his collections, supporting research and education, and honoring a life defined by service, generosity, and responsibility to the Armenian people.
News & Media
USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies
Armen Aroyan Collection at USC Institute of Armenian Studies
The first time Armen Aroyan took a group of Armenians to visit the villages of their ancestors was 1991. At that time, he wasn’t sure if this was a one-time visit, but it came after a few trips he had undertaken with a small group of friends.
“I recognized that visiting these places had special meaning for me. And I thought, why not help others experience the same satisfaction,” says Aroyan...
Tom Vartabedian, The Armenian Weekly
Adventurist Armen Aroyan: 20 Years and Winding Down
WATERTOWN, Mass.—Adrina (Goshgarian) Kletjian remembers the time when she toured Western Armenia some years back with guide personified Armen Aroyan.
She had purchased a piece of pottery from Avanos, the land of her ancestors, and wanted it shipped back home to Boston. The parcel arrived shattered to bits, breaking Adrina’s heart like the package in her hands.
The Armenian Weekly
Tribute to Armen Aroyan Held at Ararat-Eskijian Museum
Armen Aroyan, a longtime guide, documentarian and connector of diasporan Armenians to their ancestral homelands, passed away on Jan. 13, 2026. He was 82.
Born in 1943 in Cairo, Egypt, Aroyan was one of four children of Albert and Lucy Aroyan, whose families traced their roots to the Aintab region. He emigrated to the United States in 1962 and settled in Pasadena, Calif., where he earned engineering degrees from the University of Southern California and worked in the field for many years.