SOAR - Copenhagen Chapter
Copenhagen joined the SOAR family in May 2014. In the modern era, Armenians began settling in Denmark in 1970, coming from Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Armenia. In 1983, Armenians established an Armenian Cultural Union that aimed to unite Armenians of Denmark and preserve the Armenian identity, language, and culture. The Armenian Cultural Union operated until 1992 when it gradually slowed down its activities due to the dispersion of Armenians across Denmark and the immigration of Lebanese and Iranian Armenians to the United States and Canada. In 2005, the Danish-Armenian Association and “Nectar” Armenian cultural organization made efforts to organize the community life. The members of these organizations are Armenian immigrants who want to create an Armenian ambiance, preserve the Armenian language and culture, and introduce Danes to Armenia and the Armenian culture. The 3,000 Armenians who live in Denmark today are primarily centered in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Ashot Margaryan
President
Ashot is a geneticist and bioinformatician at the Danish National Genome Center. He was born in Yerevan, Armenia where he lived until late 2013 before moving to Denmark for his PhD studies. Yerevan State University is Ashot’s alma matter, where he studied biochemistry and biophysics. After obtaining his master’s degree he worked as a researcher at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Yerevan, Armenia in the field of human and population genetics. During his PhD years at the University of Copenhagen, he specialized in ancient DNA and worked with skeletal remains of Vikings.
Lusine Nazaryan-Petersen
Vice President
Co-Network and Event Manager
Lusine was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia. She graduated with her Bachelor and master’s degrees from the Faculty of Biology of Yerevan State University. Afterwards she worked as a clinical cytogeneticist at the Center of Medical Genetics (Yerevan, Armenia) for 5 years. In 2008 Lusine moved to Copenhagen to conduct her PhD at the University of Copenhagen (Faculty of Health Sciences). After obtaining her PhD, Lusine have been working at Rigshopital (the main public hospital in Denmark) and at the University of Copenhagen as a Post Doctoral researcher for 5 years. During last 3 years she is working within the genetic diagnostics field at Rigshospital, by analyzing genetic data of patients with different diseases, interprits genetic variants and makes genetic reports.
Lusine has been a member of SOAR Copenhagen since 2014. She is married and has two children.
Anne Elisabeth Kobæk
Humanitarian and Operations Expert
Anne was born and raised in Denmark and lives in Copenhagen.
She has an M.Sc. in International Business and Development as well as a Master’s in international health. She has worked her entire career in the development and humanitarian sector living in several countries around the world. From 2014-2017 Anne lived in Tbilisi, Georgia working as Danish Red Cross delegate covering South Caucasus. In this connection Anne visited Armenia regularly working in support of Armenia Red Cross activities in Tavush, Gyumri, Ararat and Yerevan. Anne continues to have close contact with friends in Armenia and Georgia and visits the region as often as possible.
Gohar Chakhoyan
Co-Network and Event Manager
Gohar Chakhoyan was born and raised in Armenia. After getting married she moved to Denmark, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Gohar studied Linguistics and Intercultural Communication at Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. Brusov. During her studies she was an intern at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. After moving to Denmark, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer. Gohar is now working on her Master’s Degree in Law at the University of Copenhagen. She is especially interested in personal data protection and hopes to contribute to the development of this area of law after she graduates.
Helping children in need is a cause Gohar has always supported. She is very excited to join the SOAR-Copenhagen team and to make a difference in children’s lives with like-minded people.
Julieta Andriasyan
Julieta was born in Yerevan, Armenia. She studied Biology at Yerevan State University and continued on at National Institute of Health of Armenia specializing in Clinical Microbiology . After graduation, Julieta worked in a Maternity Hospital as a Bacteriologist. She has also been a researcher in Food Safety and Medical Microbiology. In 2012 Julieta got a scholarship for her Master’s studies in Food Science and Technology and studied at the University of Copenhagen and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In 2014 she moved to Copenhagen and lives there with her husband.
Anahit Mughnetsyan
Anahit was born in Spitak, north of Armenia.
She’s a graduate of music college after M. Tavrizyan in Vanadzor as a musicologist and a graduate of Yerevan State Conservatorium after Komitas as a choir conductor. Anahit is licensed as a coordinator of procurement by the ministry of finance in Armenia, tour guide, Trainer of Trainers and management and marketing in establishing new businesses levels. She has extensive working experience of all these areas in Armenia, Belgium, and now in Denmark. Anahit moved to Danmark in 2021 with her Danish husband from Brussels and currently lives in Helsingør.
She founded the first Armenian folk and classical Komitas choir in Copenhagen,
Vocal classical ensemble in Helsingør and is a choir conductor of DLS in Sthens church in Helsingør. She also sings solo in Danish and Armenian arrangements promoting Armenian culture and language in Denmark.
Anahit is a board member of DanArmen association in Copenhagen and member of IWC.
Ashkhen Nalbandyan
Ashkhen was born in Russia and grew up in Yerevan, where she lived until 2014 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Physics from Yerevan State University. She then moved to Germany to pursue a master’s degree at FH Aachen. In 2017, Ashkhen relocated to Denmark for her PhD studies in Physics at DTU, graduating in 2021. Since then, she has been working as a technology consultant at Accenture in Copenhagen, focusing primarily on software and data architecture, and bridging the gap between business and IT.
Giving back to the community, especially being able to contribute to her homeland, has always been a high priority for Ashkhen. She is happy to utilize her skills and time for SOAR.