Diana Abgar: The First Officially Appointed Female Diplomat in Modern History

By Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska

At a time when women around the world were still fighting for basic political rights, Diana Abgar emerged as a remarkable pioneer in diplomacy. In 1920, the Armenian writer, humanitarian, and political advocate was appointed Honorary Consul of Armenia to Japan, making her the first woman in the world to hold a formal diplomatic title. Diana Abgar’s achievements were especially remarkable considering the historical context. In 1920, women in the United States had only just gained the right to vote, while many other countries would follow much later such as France in 1944 and Switzerland in 1971. Despite these global barriers, Abgar was already representing her nation internationally, proving that women could play vital roles in diplomacy and international relations. Her appointment was extraordinary not only because of her gender but also because the First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920) was a newly formed state struggling for international recognition.

Diana Abgar (Armenian: Դիանա Աբգար), also known as Diana Apcar, was born on 17 October 1859 into an Armenian diaspora family. Over time she settled in Japan, where her family operated a trading business. Living far from her ancestral homeland did not diminish her connection to Armenia; instead, it strengthened her sense of responsibility toward the Armenian people during one of the most turbulent periods in their history. After her son took over the family business, Abgar devoted more time to writing, diplomacy, and humanitarian work. Her home in Japan became a hub for activism and advocacy concerning the Armenian cause.  In 1918, Armenia declared independence and established the First Republic of Armenia. However, the young nation faced enormous diplomatic challenges because it lacked international recognition. Through her persistent diplomatic efforts, Japan became the first country to recognize Armenia’s independence. In appreciation of her work, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Hamo Ohanjanyan appointed her Honorary Consul to Japan in 1920. This historic appointment made Diana Abgar the first officially appointed female diplomat in modern history. Unfortunately, her diplomatic role was short-lived. Later that same year, the First Republic of Armenia collapsed, and her official position ended.

Beyond diplomacy, Abgar was deeply involved in humanitarian work, especially during and after the Armenian Genocide. She tirelessly advocated for Armenian refugees , international awareness of atrocities, protection and resettlement of displaced Armenians. Her efforts helped thousands of refugees find safety and drew international attention to the suffering of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

Diana Abgar was also a prolific writer. She used journalism and literature to raise global awareness about the Armenian struggle and broader issues of imperialism, international relations, and peace. She contributed articles to publications such as: The Japan Advertiser, The Far East, The Japan Gazette, Armenia (later renamed New Armenia).  By 1920, she had written over nine books addressing the Armenian situation and global political issues. Her selected works include:  Susan (1892), Home Stories of the War (1905), Betrayed Armenia (1910), The Truth about the Armenian Massacres (1910), In His Name… (1911), Peace and No Peace (1912), The Peace Problem (1912), The Great Evil (1914), On the Cross of Europe’s Imperialism: Armenia Crucified (1918).

Diane Abgar passed away on 8 July 1937. Mimi Malayan, her great-granddaughter found a box of her writings in 2004 and started researching her life. In 2018 she completed a documentary film ‘’The Stateless Diplomat’’ and founded a website making available many of Apcar’s publications.

Image: Public domain: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Abgar#/media/File:Anahit_Diana_Abgarian_(Aghabekian),_1854-1937._The_first_female_ambassador_of_the_World.jpg

Author: Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska is an award-winning Dutch-Polish journalist and author. She is the chief editor of the Central and Eastern Europe Center and president of the European Institute on Communist Oppression. Born in Warsaw, Poland and currently residing in the Netherlands, Beata has roots in Lviv, Ukraine and has Armenian heritage.