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06/03/2004
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1) ARF’s Margarian Meets with France’s Socialist Party Representative
2) ARF Western Europe Convention Convenes in France
3) Ghukasian Says Karabagh Constitution First Step to Statehood
4) US Karabagh Envoy Again in Yerevan
5) Conference to Tackle New Challenges in the Changing Armenian American Youth
Identity in Armenian Schools
1) ARF’s Margarian Meets with France’s Socialist Party Representative
PARIS (ARF Press Office)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau
representative Hrant Margarian congratulated France’s Socialist Party first
secretary François Hollande for his party’s firm stance on Turkey’s entry into
the European Union, suggesting the party exert efforts to convince other
European socialist parties to follow suit. Hollande confirmed that he has
pursued the matter with newly elected President of the European Socialist
Party
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, and will work more actively in the coming weeks to push
the issue. The two met at the Paris headquarters of the Socialist Party on
June
3.
Hollande explained that though it was not possible to get an ARF
representative to an electable position in the upcoming European Parliament
elections, he assured that the matter would be resolved in time for other
European and French elections.
Noting ARF’s integral participation in Socialist International, Margarian
said
the ARF of Armenia, as a coalition government partner, is able to advance
socialist ideology through its activities, and works toward Armenia’s European
integration. The Bureau representative invited Hollande to visit Armenia as a
guest of the ARF, on the occasion of General Assembly of CIS Socialist
parties;
Hollande accepted.
Margarian revealed that the ARF plans to establish the Hrair Maroukhian
Foundation to follow the example of France’s Jean Juares Foundation, which
seeks to foster democracy and social justice by assisting Socialist
International party members in the “new democracies” that emerged following
the
collapse of dictatorships in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hollande
promised to collaborate with the ARF on the venture.
Also participating during the meeting between Holland and Margarian were
France’s Socialist Party international secretary Philip Cordery and ARF
Western
Europe Central Committee members Mourad Papazian and Charles Papazian.
During a joint press conference that followed, Hollande announced that in a
recent letter he appealed to the president of Turkey to address the issue and
recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The sides also announced that a joint ARF, Socialist Party of France
announcement had been signed that calls for Turkey’s recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and calls on [European] citizens to cast their votes in
favor
of Socialist party candidates.
2) ARF Western Europe Convention Convenes in France
YEREVAN (Yerkir)–A reception marking the opening of Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Western Europe’s 68th regional convention took place at the
French Parliament building on June 2, with a guest list that included ARF
Bureau representative Hrant Margarian, Armenia’s Ambassador to France Eduard
Nalbandian, Mountainous Karabagh Republic’s representative to France Hovhannes
Gevorgian, as well French Parliament members and representatives of Armenian
organizations.
ARF Western Europe Central Committee representative Murad Papazian explained
the ARF decided to hold its regional convention at the French parliament in
order to pay tribute to France which recognized the Armenian Genocide in the
very building.
“As a result, and through the Armenian National Committee’s active
involvement, the ARF has registered several victories in countries that have
recognized the Armenian Genocide,” explained Papazian. “And the party
continues
to work in two directions in Europe: to pass a law in France punishing those
that deny the Armenian genocide; and prevent Turkey from joining the European
Union unless it admits the genocide.”
Papazian said the regional convention will review a draft program on
Mountainous Karabagh, strengthen Armenia-France cooperation in 2005, and
discuss the fate of Javakhk, as well as issues on advancing the Armenian
issues
in Europe’s cultural and political arenas.
ARF Bureau representative Margarian welcomed the gathering, stressing the
importance of the party’s European organization. He also spoke of the ARF’s
activities in Armenia that promote a comprehensive fight against corruption,
the implementation of a drastic poverty reduction program, and Constitutional
reforms to strengthen democratic mechanisms.
Representatives of various political parties expressed support for many
issues
the ARF advances, while Ambassador Nalbandian said it is difficult to imagine
the Diaspora without the ARF, whose history is amalgamated with that of the
Armenian nation.
3) Ghukasian Says Karabagh Constitution First Step to Statehood
STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)–At the first session of the Constitutional
Commission
of Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR), President Arkady Ghukasian said that
Karabagh must have a Constitution. “The adoption of standard law will
become an
important step on the way to gaining statehood,” said the president, who
chaired the session of the new commission that met on Thursday.
“Mountainous Karabagh Republic cannot wait forever, hoping Azerbaijan will
agree to engage in direct dialogue with Karabagh on a final resolution to the
conflict. Karabagh must develop into a democratic country with the rule of
law,” he stated.
A work group has formed to elaborate on formulating a Constitution.
4) US Karabagh Envoy Again in Yerevan
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–US chief negotiator on Mountainous Karabagh paid a low-key
visit to Yerevan on Thursday to focus on international efforts to resolve the
conflict.
Steven Mann was recently appointed the US co-chair of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group tasked with finding a
resolution to the Karabagh conflict.
Mann held separate meetings with President Robert Kocharian and Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian for the second time in six weeks. No details of the
talks were made public, with the Mann declining to comment on the purpose of
his trip and the current status of the peace process. “I am just having talks
with the Armenian government,” he said, without elaborating.
A brief statement by Kocharian’s office said Mann discussed the Karabagh
conflict and informed the president about his talks with Azeri leaders in Baku
on Wednesday.
Mann’s previous trip to Yerevan was followed by a meeting in Poland between
Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov met in Strasbourg two
weeks
later, emerging from it with cautiously optimistic statements. The Armenian
Foreign Ministry said the two ministers will meet again in Prague on June 21,
adding that Oskanian and the US mediator spoke about details of that meeting.
Speaking at Yerevan State University earlier on Thursday, Oskanian said that
the negotiation process is “not on a bad track” at the moment and is
“following
in the footsteps of previous talks.” “I think that in the next two months we
will have more clarity as to whether we can build on the base that has been
created during all these years…or Azerbaijan wants to divert that process to
another direction,” he said, reiterating Yerevan’s hopes of reviving peace
accords reached by the parties three years ago.
Oskanian repeated the Armenian side’s insistence on a single “package” accord
that would resolve all contentious issues. He added that it will agree to a
phased settlement only if the majority of Armenians want so. “If there is
really a public consensus that we should go for a phased solution, then we
will
have no problem,” he said. “But to be honest, I don’t see popular demand for a
phased solution.”
5) Conference to Tackle New Challenges in the Changing Armenian American Youth
Identity in Armenian Schools
BURBANK–In an effort to address and reassess the cultural identity
development
process of the Armenian-American youth, the Board of Regents of Prelacy
Armenian Schools has organized a conference, “Armenian Education In North
America: Reassessment In The Context Of The Changing Armenian American
Identity,” June 4-5, at Woodbury University.
A variety of questions will be tackled, including the sociological and
psychological view on cultural identity development, pedagogical challenges in
Armenian education and instruction, and the need for reassessing the existing
Armenian curriculum.
Over the past 30 years, the concept of cultural identity development has been
the focus of a wide body of research. During this period, as society has
become
structurally more complex, the findings of research related to cultural
identity have confirmed that members of culturally diverse groups undergo a
developmentally-based process through which they form a cultural identity that
defines their bi- or multicultural status in society. Thus, regardless of the
specific characteristics of a cultural group, an individual’s minority status
in a dominating culture (i.e., White) triggers the process of cultural
identity
development as a result of the larger majority-minority dynamics in society.
As such, the cultural identity development of the Armenian American
student is
a critical factor that must be taken into account in the context of the
curricula of Armenian schools in America. The conference will attempt to
systematically explore the relevance of cultural identity development to
Armenian American students, and to find practical ways of giving students the
opportunity to successfully integrate the various components of their cultural
identity into a constructive whole.
After opening remarks by Yeznig Kazandjian of the Board of Regents and a
program introduction by Dr. Rubina Peroomian of UCLA, the Friday session will
commence.
Session I, from 10:00 AM12:00 Noon, will address the Development of the
Armenian American Cultural Identity: A Sociological Perspective. Panelists
include LAUSD School Psychologist Garine Minasian, LAUSD School
Psychologist/Bilingual Armenian Assessment Jeannine Topalian, and Mesrobian
Armenian School Principal Hilda Saliba, among other distinguished experts in
the field. Session II, from 1:30 PM3:30 PM, will focus on the psychological
perspective of the development of the Armenian American cultural identity,
with
a presentation by Rose & Alex Pilibos School Principal Dr. Viken Yacoubian,
and
panelists including Pasadena High School Assistant Principal Curriculum and
Instruction Marisa Sarian, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nora Sahakian, and
Krouzian Zakarian Vasbouragan Armenian School Principal Olia Yenikomshian,
among others.
With the instruction of Armenian subject matters a primary component in
Armenian schools, Saturday’s session will be devoted to how the Armenian
language, history, national-religious studies, and cultural heritage are
taught
through traditional curricula, using content-appropriate textbooks, as well as
the challenges and necessary steps to be taken.
Session I, from 10:00 AM12:00 Noon will delve into the pedagogical challenges
in Armenian education and instruction. Presenters on the topic include UCLA
Research Associate Dr. Rubina Peroomian, and Educational Consultant/trainee
David Ghougassian.
The reassessment of the Armenian curriculum is the focus of Session II, from
1:30 PM3:30 PM, with presentations by AGBU Manoogian-Demirjian School
Principal
Hagop Hagopian, and Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School Principal John Kossakian.
The Armenian daily schools in North America have a history that dates back
more than forty years. The 21st century places new challenges in terms of
reassessing Armenian education and identity, and the praiseworthy input of all
the participants will surely mark it as a productive and successful
conference.
Location: Woodbury University
Cabrini Hall (New Woody’s)
7500 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91510
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