When Armenia was in a dire state and Artsakh was under threat...

09:07:00 09.02.2026

When Armenia was in a dire state and Artsakh was under threat, Monte Melkonian—newly released from a Paris prison in 1989—could not return to his birthplace of California and live an ordinary life, as the overwhelming majority of the Armenian diaspora does. He clearly understood that he bore a personal responsibility toward the Fatherland, regardless of the fact that he had never set foot there before. For him, coming from the Diaspora to Armenia and fighting for the Fatherland was not surprising; what was surprising was why thousands of Armenians living abroad were not doing the same.

He could not sit on distant shores and watch what was happening in Armenia and how our enemies were trying to tear his country apart. He felt that he was obligated to become a participant in the historical process and to do something—no matter how difficult that “something” might be—because remaining neutral and inactive would have been a betrayal to his nation and to his life's struggle.

The examples of Monte Melkonian and Karo Kahkejian have always inspired me, especially when I was living in the United States. Their glorious memory played an important role in my decisions to move to Armenia after the April War, to serve in the Armenian Army, and later to volunteer during the 2020 war. They taught me—and, in general, all honorable and patriotic Armenians—that when the Fatherland stands on the brink of destruction, we have no right to be anywhere other than in the Fatherland. When the land calls, we are obligated to answer that challenge.

One Nation, One State, One Will

Hail Armenia and Victory!

“I am here today because I have no right to be anywhere else. You will never understand our willingness to die for our people.” — Monte Melkonian