author
Diana Agabeg Apcar
1859–1937
A writer, humanitarian, and diplomat based in Japan, she used her voice and her connections to speak out for Armenians during years of crisis. Her life joined literature, public advocacy, and an unusually early role for a woman in international diplomacy.
1 Audiobook
Betrayed Armenia
by Diana Agabeg Apcar
About the author
Born in Rangoon, British Burma, on October 17, 1859, Diana Agabeg Apcar—also widely known as Diana Abgar—came from an Armenian family with roots in Iran. After marrying Michael Apcar, she moved to Japan and made her life in Yokohama, where she raised a family and began writing in English.
She became known for books and articles about the Armenian people, especially during and after the Armenian massacres and the Armenian Genocide. Writing from Japan, she appealed to international readers and political leaders, trying to draw attention to the suffering of Armenians and to help refugees and survivors.
Apcar is remembered not only as an author but also as a historic public figure: she was appointed honorary consul in Japan for the short-lived First Republic of Armenia, making her one of the earliest women to hold such a diplomatic role. She died in Yokohama on July 8, 1937, and is remembered today for her courage, persistence, and humanitarian work.