Month: May 2008

"ALPHA-SPHERE" TEAM ANNOUNCED WINNER OF "IMAGINE CUP" COMPETITION HELD
BY MICROSOFT FOR FIRST TIME IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MAY 6, MOYAN TAPAN. "Alpha-Sphere" team of programmers was
announced the winner of the first-ever Armenian stage of "Imagine Cup"
competition held by Microsoft for the 6th time. This was announced at
the award giving ceremony of the Armenian stage which took place in
Yerevan on May 5.

The theme of the competition was "Imagine a World where Technology
Enables to Maintain Sustainable Environment". "Alpha-Sphere" presented
"Global Electronic Garbage Market" system, whose introduction may allow
organizations to search and obtain garbage material for processing. The
winning team received the right to participate in the worldwide final
in Paris in July 2008, while the team members were rewarded with cash
prizes of 450 thousand drams each.

The RA minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian congratulated the winners
and participants of the competition. According to him, the Armenian
government will always assist with implementation of ideas which aim at
"forming a globally thinking and entrerprising youth that looks ahead".

In the words of Bagrat Yengibarian, director of Enterprise Incubator
Founadtion – co-organizer of the competition, 5 out of numerous teams,
which took part in the competition announced in late December 2007,
have managed to pass successfully the path of realization of the
competition’s ideas and to present software solutions that have
exceeded expectations.

Director of Microsoft RA company – Microsoft’s Armenian subsidiary
Grigor Barseghian said that Imagine Cup competition was initiated in
some Baltic countries as well but it did not take place due to the
absence of technological solutions.

Artak Ghazarian, director of USAID-financed Competitive Armenian
Private Sector (CAPS) Project – another co-organizer of the Armenian
competition, expressed a hope that the winning team will successfully
present its work in Paris, which will open an opportunity to improve
reputation of Armenia as a country of information technologies. He
expressed an opinion that the works to have won first places are
interesting, adding that steps on their application will be taken.

The teams in 2nd and 3rd place also received cash prizes and diplomas,
while those in 4th and 5th place were given encouraging cash prizes.

To recap, more than 100 thousand students from over 100 countries
participated in "Imagine Cup 2007" on the use of information
technologies in education, while the number of participants in the
finals in Seoul made over 200 from 57 countries. "Imagine Cup 2008" is
held in the following categories: software development, software
algorithms, software interfaces, computer game creation, photos, short
videofilms, creation of IT infrastructures, "Save Professor" game
contest (students must help Professor Khoshimi to overcome difficulties
by creating small software packages), and creation of portable devices.
The competition in all categories, except for software development, is
held online. The prize fund of "Imagine Cup" finals is 200 thousand
dollars.

The Armenian stage of the 2008 competition is held under the patronage
of the Union of IT Enterprises of Armenia, and Bi Line, Unicomp and
Synopsys companies.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PANTOMIME THEATERS TO BE HELD ON AUGUST
10-15 IN TSAKHKADZOR

YEREVAN, MAY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. An International Festival of Pantomime
Theaters will be held on August 10-15 in Tsakhkadzor on the initiative
of the RA Ministry of Culture, Yerevan State Theater of Pantomime,
Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia and National Theatrical Creative
Union. As Zhirayr Dadasian, festival’s Executive Director, said at the
May 6 press conference, the festival will be held once every two years.

Pantomime theaters from Spain, Italy, Greece, Russia, and other
countries have already submitted bids for taking part in the festival.
Armenia’s theatrical companies will also take part in the festival
presenting performances of that genre. The theatrical companies will
present their art during five days, in Tsakhkadzor streets in the
daytime and on the open-air stage of the festival in the evening.

The festival will be opened with a great festive parade with the
participation of theaters, circus groups, orchestras. Within the
framework of the festival Tsakhkadzor streets will be turned into
exhibitions, stages for puppet and circus performances, playgrounds,
and fairs.

Z. Dadasian also said that master-classes, forums, discussions will be
organized every evening, which, in his opinion, will give a possibility
to establish a direct contact between the spectators and companies of
actors. There will be party-concerts with live music and dance floors,
Armenian performers of folk, jazz, blues, hip hop, breakdance, and rock
will present their art.

According to the Executive Director of the festival, the festival’s
main goal is to establish cooperation with international theatrical and
cultural organizations, involvement in world theatrical processes, as
well as making accessible the best experience of pantomime in the
international sphere to spectators of Armenia and abroad.

Z. Dadasian considers that there are proper resources in Tsakhkadzor
that can provide conditions meeting international standards of culture,
creative work, and rest, and it will be interesting that cultural
traditions be also formed in that small town where sports events are
mainly organized.

DAVIS CUP TOURNAMENT EURAFRICAN ZONE 3rd GROUP TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD
IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Men’s 3rd group Tournament of Davis
Cup Tournament Eurafrican zone will be held on May 6-11 in Yerevan.
Besides Armenia’s tennis-players, sportsmen from Estonia, Lithuania,
Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gana, Moldova, and Norway are included in
the sub-group.

Hayk Zohranian, Haroutiun Sofian, Hovhannes Davtian, and Roman
Yedigarian are included in Armenia’s national team. Sporstmen taking
the 1st and 2nd places will go up to the 2nd group.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS LEAVES FOR VATICAN AT INVITATION OF POPE
BENEDICT XVI

ETCHMIADZIN, MAY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. At the invitation of His Holiness Pope
Benedict XVI, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II left for the
Vatican, NT was informed by the press service of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin.

On May 6-9, His Holiness Karekin II will meet with Pope Benedict XVI,
the president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promotion of
Christian Unity Walter Cardinal Kasper, and will visit the Salesian
University. The Supreme Patriarch will take part in a conference on
Armenian Holy Liturgy at the Eastern University on May 8.

An ecumenical ceremony will be held with the participation of Benedict
XVI and Karekin II.

Catholicos of All Armenians will meet with members of the Armenian
community of Italy on May 10-13. At the end of the visit, he will go to
the island of San Lazzaro (Saint Lazarus) near Venice to have a meeting
with the Mechitarist Congregation.

TOTAL CAUCUS MEMBERSHIP ON ARMENIAN ISSUES MAKES 156

WASHINGTON, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

Congressman Ed Perlmutter has officially joined the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, bringing the total Caucus Membership to 156
lawmakers to date.

"I am proud to join the Armenian Caucus along with so many of my
colleagues in Congress. This Caucus will help me to better represent
Armenian-Americans in Colorado, while strengthening U.S.-Armenian
relations," Representative Perlmutter told the Armenian Assembly of
America."

SURB KHACH CHURCH OF DAMALA VILLAGE IN ASPINDZA REGION RE-CONSECRATED

AKHALKALAK, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Surb Khach (Holy
Cross) Church of the village of Damala in Aspindza region was
re-consecrated on May 1 with the participation of the head of Georgian
Armenian diocese Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian and clergymen of the
diocese.

Damala is the biggest village of Samtskhe-Javakhk’s Aspindza region.
The ancestors of its residents migrated from Erzrum in 1829-1830. A
parish school was opened in the village in 1865. Surb Khach Church was
founded in the 1830s, later it underwent major repairs and was
re-opened in 1873. There is an old graveyard near the church. In the
1920s the church was closed and its priest exiled. For some time the
church was used as a warehouse, later its roof collapsed.

According to the press service of the Georgian Armenian diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, a lot of people gathered in Damala village
on May 1. Among them were former residents of Damala and guests,
high-ranking heads of Samtskhe-Javakhk local government body, deputies
of the Georgian parliament, the Armenian ambassador to Georgia Hrach
Silvanian.

The guests were welcomed by Armenia-based "Karin" ethnographic dance
group that performed festive songs and dances.

The numerous guests and villagers led by clergymen went to Surb Khach
Church. The re-consecration ceremony started by the blessing of the
church, signing of salmons and sharakans (Armenian church psalms),
after which Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian performed the re-consecration
ritual with the participation of Samthskhe-Javakhk’s vicar, monk Babken
Salbiyan. Then the first liturgy was celebrated by priest Manuk
Zeynalian.

Following the liturgy, a festivity took place in the church yard, and
"Karin" ensemble gave a performance. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian and
priest Babken Salbiyan addressed those present with words of blessing.
The Armenian ambassador to Georgia Hrach Silvanian made a speech of
welcome and congratulation.

Surb Khach Church was repaired and the surrounding area was improved
with financial assistance of Damala’s former residents who currently
live in Armenia, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan and under the
supervision of deputy of the Aspindza regional assembly Emin Baloyan.

MUSIC EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE IN FRESNO ON OCCASION OF ANNIVERSARY OF
WILLIAM SAROYAN

FRESNO, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

Two musical events will take place in Fresno, the birthplace of
world-famous writer William Saroyan, on May 10 on the occasion of the
latter’s centennial. In the afternoon, Richard Hagopian and his
grandsons will perform a concert at the Fresno Art Museum and in the
evening, the Fresno Community Chorus will perform in the Concert Hall
at California State University in Fresno.

METTHEW KARANIAN TO BE GUEST OF 106.7 RADIO PROGRAM OF MINNESOTA

MINNEAPOLIS, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.
Writer Matthew Karanian will talk about tourism in Armenia and his
award-winning guidebook "The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh"
on May 8, during a 30-minute radio broadcast on 106.7 FM in Minneapolis.

"The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh" has won three national
book awards.

ANNUAL CONCERT OF KARKACH CHORUS DEDICATED TO 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF
HAMAZGAYIN AND 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARTSAKH LIBERATION STRUGGLE

BEIRUT, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Karkach children’s
and youth chorus of Hamazgayin has performed an annual concert for
already the 11th year in the American University of Beirut on May 4.

As Azdak reports, this year’s concert was dedicated to the 80th
anniversary of Hamazgayin and the 20th anniversary of the Artsakh
liberation struggle. Official guests, representatives of bodies and
administrations, parents and nationalists were present at the event. In
the first part of the concert the youth then the children’s choruses of
Karkach performed 13 songs, including the "It is a peaceful night" by
Levon Shant, the "Breeze" by Yuri Sahakian and the "Lilies" works by
Nansen Mikayelian. The members of the Karkach choruses also performed
one English and one Arabic song each.

In the second part of the concert a direct contact was established with
the Varanda chorus of Shushi and the two choruses performed the "My
country, my dream" song together.

PUPILS’ CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARTSAKH LIBERATION
WAR HELD IN LEBANON

BEIRUT, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. A pupils’ conference
dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Artsakh liberation war took
place in the Yerevan center of Burge Hamud on May 4.

As Azdak reports, 38 10th and 11th form pupils from the National Levon
and Sofia Hakobian college, Saint Hripsimyants secondary college,
Armenian Katoghike Mesropian Higher college, Armenian Evangelical
college, Armenian Evangelical Shamlian-Tatikian college and National
Haraj-Galust Gyulbenkian college took part in the conference.

The opening speech of the conference was delivered by Maro
Anushahotian. She stated that the objective of the conference is to
re-estimate the 20th anniversary of the Artsakh liberation struggle, as
well as to touch upon the importance of the liberation struggle.