Tebi Abaka: A Guided Journey of Remembrance

Thu, 04/23/2026

April 24 marks the 111th Commemorative Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a day to honor the memory of the victims and the resilience of those who survived.

This year, commemorate this important day with Tebi Abaka (pronounced t’ebi aba-ka— an Armenian phrase meaning “towards the future”), a guided experience centered on survivor testimony, cultural expression, and meaningful discussion.

Created as part of the Keep the Promise—Armenian Genocide Education program on IWitness, Tebi Abaka offers learning communities—including secondary schools, universities, and the general public—to engage in meaningful remembrance, preserve memory and identity, and deepen their understanding of what it means to “keep the promise.”

The experience begins with first-person testimony from Armenian Genocide survivors Haig Baronian, Siranoush Danielian, and Arshag Dickranian. Participants can read the survivor’s biography and watch an abbreviated version of their testimony while reflecting on the importance of this history and the role of survivor accounts in preserving it.

**Armenian Genocide survivors, from left to right: Haig Baronian**, born in 1908 in Bayburt, Ottoman Empire, separated from his family at 7 and lived with Turkish families and in Near East Relief Orphanages, immigrated to the U.S. in 1924. **Siranoush Tozjian Danielian**, born 1900 in Marash, Ottoman Empire, survived deportation and violence in Der Zor (Dayr az Zawr, Syria), and immigrated to the U.S. in 1920. Arshag H. Dickranian, born in 1905 in Izmit, Ottoman Empire, after being deported with his family, avoided exile to the Syrian desert by remaining in Konya until the end of the war and immigrated to the U.S. in 1922.

Tebi Abaka then invites participants to explore cultural expression through traditional Armenian folk songs or videos of cultural performances, highlighting the richness of Armenian culture before the genocide.

Participants can listen to songs and dances from historic Armenian-dominated provinces in the Ottoman Empire.

The final part of the experience centers on discussion; it encourages participants to share initial reactions, reflect on new insights, and make connections to the present. This reflection helps learners consider both personal and collective responsibility in shaping how the Armenian Genocide is remembered across generations.

Through these survivor voices, participants are invited not only to remember the past but to carry its lessons forward.

To learn how to facilitate Tebi Abaka in your learning community and access these resources on IWitness, watch our educational webinars, facilitated by Dr. Sedda Antekelian:

Join us today and every day in keeping the promise to honor the memory of the Armenian Genocide.

Learn more about the Keep the Promise — Armenian Genocide Education program.

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