Through this Socrates in the City conversation filmed in Yerevan, Armenia, Grace Payne is joined by Eric Hacopian, an Armenia-based political consultant with more than 25 years of experience in American and Middle Eastern politics. Together, they explore the evolving relationship between Church and State in Armenia and the ripple effects this dynamic has on the West. As Armenia finds itself at the center of global attention—caught between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Russia—the conversation unpacks what this geopolitical moment means for the preservation of Christianity in the land where it took root, the fragility of emerging democracies, and the uncertain but consequential future that lies ahead.

In this illuminating Socrates in the City conversation, Grace Payne sits down with Dr. Rouben Galichian, the British-Armenian historian and cartographic scholar born in Tabriz, Iran, to a family of genocide survivors. Their discussion examines the Armenian Genocide—its defining role in the field of genocide studies, and the ongoing struggle for global recognition. Dr. Galichian reflects on why some atrocities become widely acknowledged while others can be overlooked, the long-lasting emotional and cultural consequences for the Armenian people, and how resilience becomes not only a response to trauma but a way of embracing life with hope and fullness.

In this Socrates in the City conversation, Grace Payne speaks with Antranig Kasbarian—lecturer, activist, long-time community leader in the Armenian Diaspora, and current director of development for the Tufenkian Foundation. Together, they delve into the enduring history and identity of the Armenian people, exploring how Armenia’s legacy as the world’s first Christian nation has shaped the Western imagination. Kasbarian reflects on how traditional expressions of art, faith, and culture have preserved the Armenian spirit through centuries of upheaval, and why that legacy matters today.