Diaspora Diaries

It was the early 1900s in Turkey and Vahan Kololian's grandparents knew they had no choice but to escape. They packed their bags and gathered as much as they could of what they owned, fleeing to Egypt. Kololian's grandfather on his mother's side of the family did not escape. An Armenian community leader, he was executed--one of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians killed by Ottoman Empire forces between 1914 and 1918.

In 1962, the Kololian family left Egypt in search of a new life, choosing Canada even though the United States granted them visas. "I remember my father talking about it and saying Canada has made us feel very welcome. We are staying. Every July 11, I thank my parents for the gift of country," says Kololian.

He was a nine-year old boy then who spoke no English. Today Kololian is a successful financier and director of a number of companies involved in finance, oil and gas mining, shipping and production. He is also a philanthropist, whose knowledge of Armenia's and the world's history of conflict and war drove him in 2007 to launch the Mosaic Institute. Designed and developed by Kololian and Dr. Alidad Mafinezam, the Institute promotes international peace and development by utilizing the human capital provided by Canada and other countries' ethnic and cultural diversity.

"Today the world is incredibly interconnected and we have an opportunity as a result of this interconnection to make sure another Armenian, Cambodian, Rwandan, Jewish genocide, just does not happen. Humanity can learn from others and from the past so as not to repeat its mistakes," says Kololian.

His drive to promote peace comes from an acute awareness of the devastation caused by the Armenian atrocity in the 1900s, the repercussions of which, says Kololian, are still being felt today. Even after almost 100 years, the conflict that lead to the death of more than a million people remains a thorn in the side of Turkish Armenian relations, adds Kololian, who for almost a decade has promoted the healing of wounds and the building of bridges of understanding between members of Armenian and Turkish diaspora communities.

Janet Wallach, Mohammad Al Zaibak, Vahan Kololian, and Margaret MacMillan

Vahan and his wife Susie have supported a number of initiatives including funding Armenian studies courses at the St George campus of the University of Toronto and a project called the Turkish-Armenian Dialogue of Boston. It provided a forum for regular discussions between Turkish and Armenian university students attending Brandeis, Harvard and other universities in Boston. "We wanted to increase Turkish and Armenian students' understanding of their feelings, cultural differences and varying historical narratives," says Kololian.

The Koloians have also tried to engage members of the Turkish business community in supporting a similar dialogue project.

A father of two children who were born in Canada, Kololian sees his adopted country as a global role model, an ideal place for the Mosaic Institute's headquarters. "Canada is the best country in the world. I say that without hesitation. We have very deep-rooted beliefs in our rights and freedoms. We are more cognizant of areas that have less of it and it becomes a spur in our sides when we see so many other countries not evolving," says Kololian.

Promoted as an organization that crafts Canadian solutions to global challenges, the institute's job is to conduct original research, convene focus groups, seminars and conferences, to foster trade and cultural exchanges in the world's hot spots, all in an effort to advance peace, says Kololian.

Its primary focus is on strife and conflict-ridden parts of the world, which have significant expatriate or diaspora communities in Canada.

So far, the Institute has been building a network of people who are globally focused, and active in community work here, says Kololian. Its network includes organizations like the Darfur Association of Canada, Human Rights Watch, War Child Canada, Plan Canada, and individuals from Turkish, East Indian, Pakistani, Iranian, Chinese, and other communities.

Kololian regards Canada as having many of the features of a model society and says Canada's foreign policy and peace-building efforts could be enhanced by a paradigm shift towards conflict prevention and by the positive engagement of diaspora communities.

"We seem to think of diversity as a domestic issue, not as a vehicle for promoting Canada's vision and Canada's interest internationally and that's where we hope to be a part of the growing list of organizations who have as their agenda talking about the role of diaspora in terms of Canada's place in the world," says Kololian.

"Ottawa needs a BHAG, what author Jim Collins refers to as a big hairy audacious goal," adds Kololian who borrows another Collins phrase and argument to drive home his point.

Vahan buying bread from local woman in Gerhart

"Good is the enemy of great. When you are good, you interpret that to be good enough and you don't go on to be great," says Kololian who believes Canada can be a world leader if it would open the door to capitalizing on the knowledge, skills and the government connections within its diverse ethnic communities as it develops its foreign policy.

Kololian is looking forward to a dialogue with Ottawa, and says "We are in a learning curve and are prepared to invest the time and energy, so we are seen as a resource for Ottawa in the area of foreign policy development."

While Kololian attempts to build the new Institute, he continues through his philanthropy to support initiatives that build bridges between Canada and the developing world. He and his wife are part of a group of Canadians who sponsor six children from Kathmandu in Nepal who are now studying at schools in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

The Kololians also see women's education in the developing world as critically important and are heading a multi-million dollar fundraising drive for the Bishop Strachan School in Toronto. The funds raised will bring students from developing countries to Canada for four years of secondary schooling.

A businessman with a concern for international peace and development, Kololian realizes the challenges ahead for his Institute, Canada and the world, are great. However, he is committed to helping Canada play an even more influential role on the world stage.

Utilizing diaspora communities as resources that can better inform foreign policy making in this country's traditional role as peacemaker is the place start, says Kololian.