Introduction

“HE WHO DOES NOT FORGET THE PAST
WILL WALK INTO THE FUTURE
WITH CLEAR VISION.”

— Dr. Hampar Kelikian, in a letter to then-Representative Bob Dole, March 27, 1964

In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began an organized campaign against its Armenian population that would end up killing 1.5 million people and evict hundreds of thousands of others from their homes in an act of genocide that would later inspire Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust in Europe.

Searching for a fuller recovery from grave injuries sustained during World War II, a young Bob Dole connected with Armenian surgeon Dr. Hampar Kelikian.

In the foreground, a large fire pit and flame sit within a round dropped section. In the background, four people stand in the shadow of a structure. Behind them, concrete pylons reach skyward, with gaps in between showing a blue sky.

Bob and Elizabeth Dole visit the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia, in August 1989.

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Over the course of seven surgeries in seven years, “Dr. K” shared his story of loss, survival, and renewal around the Armenian Genocide – inspiring Dole as he worked to reimagine his future and build a new life.

Kelikian’s lessons resonated for decades after, as Dole entered public service and championed Armenia in the U.S. Senate, calling for official recognition of the Armenian Genocide despite long odds and competing national interests.