Diana Abgar

Diana Abcar (or Apgar; , 17 October 1859 – 8 July 1937) was a diaspora Armenian writer and humanitarian, who was appointed Honorary Consul to Japan of the short-lived First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920). She was the first female Armenian diplomat and one of the first women to have ever been appointed in any diplomatic post in the twentieth century.

Life Diana Agabeg (Agabegian), whose baptismal name was Gayane, was born in Rangoon, British Burma (today Yangon, Myanmar) on 17 October 1859. Her father was an Armenian from New Julfa, Iran who migrated to South East Asia. Diana Apcar's mother Avet was from the Tateos Avetum family from Shiraz, a city in south-central Iran. Diana was the youngest of seven children in the family. Apcar was raised in Calcutta and received her education in a local convent school. Diana Apcar became fluent in English, Armenian, and Hindustani.

Apcar married Michael Apcar, At the age of sixty-seven, Apcar was experiencing numerous physical problems, such as failing eyesight, hearing loss, and arthritis. These health issues led to her death on the morning of 8 July 1937 in Yokohama. In His Name ... Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette,” 1911. 52 pp. Betrayed Armenia. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette” Press, 1910, 77 pp. The Truth about the Armenian Massacres. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette,” 1910, 26 pp. Home Stories of the War. Kobe, Japan: The Kaneko Printing Works, 1905, 47 pp. Susan. Yokohama, Japan: Kelly and Walsh, Limited, 1892, 109 pp.

The Stateless Diplomat A great-granddaughter of Diana Apcar, Mimi Malayan, found a box of her writings in 2004 and began researching her life. In 2018 she completed a documentary film The Stateless Diplomat, drawing on previously unpublished writings. She also established a website making available many of Apcar's publications.