Month: September 2008

BELARUS TO ATTEND SESSION OF CSTO SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARIES IN YEREVAN

National Legal Internet Portal
Sept 2 2008
Belarus

State Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus
Yury Zhadobin will take part in the 15th session of the committee
of the chiefs of the security councils of the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Yerevan, BelTA learnt from the press
centre of the State Secretariat of the Security Council of Belarus.

The session will discuss the draft documents to be submitted for a
session of the CSTO Collective Security Council which will be held
on September 5 in Moscow.

The participants of the session will exchange the opinion on the
development of the military-political situation in the zone of the
CSTO responsibility and will analyse the course of implementation
of the resolutions passed at the Minsk (2006) and Dushanbe (2007)
sessions of the CSTO Collective Security Council.

The chiefs of the delegations of the states – CSTO members are expected
to be received by President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

ALOVSAT ALIYEV: "ARMENIANS USE ANY FALSIFICATIONS BY MEANS OF WHICH THEY TRY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THE CITIZENS OF ARMENIA AND "NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC"

Today.Az
politics/47351.html
Sept 2 2008
Azerbaijan

The leadership of Azerbaijan should draw attention of the world
society to facts of issuance of passports, which fix "Nagorno Karabakh
Republic" as a country of residence to the citizens of different
countries, especially, Iran, said head of the Azerbaijani Center of
Legal Protection of Migrants Alovsat Aliyev.

He said there is a European convention "On citizenship" under which
any state, along with providing refuge, may also provide citizenship
of their country to a citizen of other state.

"But Nagorno Karabakh has no right to present citizenship, as it is
an Armenian-occupied territory of Azerbaijan, which means that the
passports of this formation are illegal documents.

Since the Soviet times, it has been a specific tradition of Nagorno
Karabakh to overstate the real number of the citizens of Armenian
origin, residing in this Autonomous Oblast. Thus, Armenians tried
to prove their quantitative supremacy over Azerbaijanis, residing
there, so that to substantiate their claims on this integral part of
Azerbaijan. And today Armenians continue this tradition.

In this connection, Armenian-approved law on facilitated rules
of getting citizenship under which Armenia is ready to recognize
Armenians, residing all over the world, as its citizens, is not
surprising. It has been the policy of the Republic of Armenia but
not Nagorno Karabakh.

But it seems that separatists of Nagorno Karabakh decided to follow
the same way. They have no other way out: the demographic situation
not only in Nagorno Karabakh but also in Armenia is poor. Therefore,
they use any falsifications to raise the number of citizens of Armenia
and "Nagorno Karabakh Republic".

I consider that the leadership of Azerbaijan should treat this problem
seriously and inform the world community about Armenians’ actions. In
this very case the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan should inform the
Iranian leadership about Azerbaijan’s concerns over such facts",
concluded Aliyev.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA SHRUGS OFF EU ‘PUNISHMENT’
Jessica Le Masurier

Sky News
Sept 2 2008
UK

As the Russian Prime Minister struck a macho pose with a Siberian
tiger, the EU looked rather toothless after its emergency "what to
do about Russia" summit.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev (right) and Tajik counterpart
Imomali Rakhmon inspect troops in Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Could the European Union’s so-called "punishment", the postponement
of EU-Russia partnership talks, actually play in Russia’s favour?

Russian affairs expert Alexander Rahr told Sky News Online the move
may have suited Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. He said: "Medvedev
wants to avoid an outdated partnership deal with the EU as he would
like a more strategic approach.

"Russia doesn’t want to be pressed into obeying EU rules. It wants
to stall the talks. The EU has played into Russia’s hands."

The European Union re-emphasised its support for Georgia on Monday
and criticised Russia’s continuing military presence there. There
was, however, no real condemnation of Russia’s behaviour – just a
vague statement about potentially postponing EU-Russia partnership
negotiations if Russia does not withdraw its troops from Georgia
within the next three months.

Meanwhile, both Russia and Georgia took the opportunity to whip up
more patriotic fervour over the Caucasus crisis.

Georgians held anti-Russian protests to coincide with the summit in
Brussels while the Russian media branded the talks a failure.

In the Georgian capital Tbilisi, protesters formed a human
chain. President Mikhail Saakashvili claimed a million people had
gathered there as he rallied the crowds.

He said: "The whole of Europe, the whole world is with us. Georgia
will never stop resisting, Georgia will never surrender."

More protests were held across Georgia as well as in London and
Athens. Demonstrators waved red and white national flags and chanted
"Georgia! Georgia!".

Russian newspapers claimed Moscow had got the upper hand after the
EU said although it would freeze talks on a partnership deal with
Russia it would not impose economic sanctions.

The Russia daily Kommersant called it a "victory for Russian
diplomacy". Russian newspapers led with sarcastic headlines like;
"Europe can keep sucking our oil and gas". The government newspaper
Rossiiskaya Gazeta said the outcome was no surprise: "The mutual
dependency between Russia and the EU leaves no alternative to
developing close bilateral relations. This was once again confirmed
at the EU summit in Brussels."

It appears the EU is keen to negotiate rather than row with
Russia. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to lead an EU delegation
to Moscow and Tbilisi next week.

Tensions in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region
between Armenia and Azerbaijan are all to be factored into an EU
Caucasus "stability pact". But critics say the EU is already too
stretched in Iraq and Afghanistan to channel enough money into a
serious plan for stabilising the Caucasus.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had some advice for the West
on how to deal with the crisis. He picked up the Russian tiger theme
again, implying, in his Shere Khan-esque voice, that it might just
be best to let Russia remove the Georgian President.

He said: "If instead of choosing their national interests and the
interests of the Georgian people, the United States and its allies
choose the Saakashvili regime, this will be a mistake of truly
historic proportions."

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Ave.
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

LECTURE BY PROF. RUSSELL AT NAASR ON ARMENIAN-SLAVIC FOLKLORE CONNECTIONS

Prof. James R. Russell, Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at
Harvard University, will give the first lecture of NAASR’s fall 2008
series on Thursday, September 11, at the National Association for
Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont,
MA. Prof. Russell’s lecture will be entitled "The Rime of the Book of
the Dove: Zoroastrian Cosmology, Armenian Heresiology, and the Russian
Novel." The lecture will be a "Roman Jakobson Memorial Lecture" in
honor of the pioneering linguist, Slavicist, folklorist, and one of the
intellectual giants of the 20th century, NAASR Founding Member Prof.
Roman Jakobson (1896-1982).

The spiritual ballad or poem, or Coleridgean "rime," the Book of the
Dove (Rus. Golubinaia kniga, Stikh o golubinoi knige) exists in a number
of transcribed oral variants, most of which were collected in northern
and northwestern Russia-emanating most likely from the region of Great
Novgorod. The poem relates the deep secrets, that is, the ones that
concern cosmology. It has been called the "pearl of the Russian
mythological epic."

Russian Text with Armenian and Iranian Sources

Many aspects of the Book of the Dove suggest an Iranian source, and in
the Byzantine period the route of transmission would have been Armenia,
most likely via oral teachings transmitted by itinerant preachers and
minstrels, of the adherents of heterodox sects that flourished in
Armenia at that time.

In this lecture, Prof. Russell will take a subterranean (and, at times,
submarine) journey through the dark world of medieval Russian folklore
and Armenian and Iranian religion and spirituality, with detours through
the visionary poetry of Grigor Narekatsi and the groundbreaking novels
of Vladimir Nabokov.

Prof. James R. Russell has been the Mashtots Professor of Armenian
Studies at Harvard University since 1992. His books include Bosphorus
Nights: The Complete Lyric Poems of Bedros Tourian, Armenian and Iranian
Studies, The Book of Flowers, An Armenian Epic: The Heroes of Kasht,
Zoroastrianism in Armenia, and Hovhannes Tlkurantsi and the Medieval
Armenian Lyric Tradition.

Tribute to Roman Jakobson, a NAASR Founding Member

With Prof. Russell’s lecture-one of numerous examples of his
explorations of Armenian and Slavic linguistic, cultural, and literary
connections-comes an opportunity to pay tribute to a predecessor at
Harvard who looked at similar issues. Roman Jakobson is considered the
father of modern structural linguistics, the founder of phonology, and
one of the leading Slavi-cists of his time. A founder of the
pre-revolution Moscow Linguistic Circle and later the famed Prague
School of Linguistics, his work has been a profound influence on all who
have followed him, including Claude Levi-Strauss, Roland Barthes, Paul
Ricoeur, Gilles Deleuze, and Jacques Lacan.

Among Jakobson’s interests, albeit not one for which he is well known,
was medieval Armenian literature and Armenian folklore. Jakobson
received his bachelor’s degree at the Lazarev Institute of Oriental
Languages in Moscow (established in the early 19th century by the
Armenian Lazarev/Lazarian family), where he learned Armenian and became
interested in Armenian affairs.

Jakobson was the Samuel Hazzard Cross Professor of Slavic Languages and
Literatures at Harvard when NAASR was developing in the 1950s and NAASR
Chairman Emeritus Manoog S. Young recalls meeting Jakobson through Prof.
Richard N. Frye, also a NAASR founding member. He took a keen interest
in NAASR’s early development and the growth of Armenian Studies and
participated in the first ever NAASR symposium in June 1955 on "Armenian
Studies and Research-Problems and Needs." He also spoke at NAASR’s
second anniversary symposium in 1957, giving a talk on "The Importance
of Ancient and Medieval Armenian Literature." In 1964, Prof. Jakobson
gave a NAASR-sponsored lecture at Harvard on "Slavic and Armenian
Questions in the Middle Ages."

Admission to the event is free. The NAASR Center is located opposite
the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Ample
parking is available around the building and in adjacent areas. The
lecture will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m. More information about the
lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759,
e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont,
MA 02478.

ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION-DASHNAKTSUTYUN BUREAU

Mher Lazarian 12/1, Yerevan, Armenia
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 123 – Yerevan, Armenia 0010
Tel.: (37410) 52-18-90, 52-19-66 – Fax: (37410) 52-14-53
E-mail: [email protected]   Website:

Public Rally Marks the 17th Anniversary of the Republic of Mountainous
Karabakh

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION GUARANTEES SECURITY

AZERBAIJAN SHOULD SIGN A LEGAL DOCUMENT NOT TO USE FORCE OR THE THREAT OF
FORCE

YEREVAN, 2 Sept. 2008, ARF Press Office — The Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun rallied several thousand supporters
in Yerevan on today to mark the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the
Republic of Mountainous Karabakh.
The MC was Hrayr Karapetyan, member of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun
Supreme Body of Armenia and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of
Armenia.
The first speaker was Arthur Aghabekyan, Chairman of the
parliament’s Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal
Affairs.
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Bureau member and Leader of the ARF Parliamentary
Faction Vahan Hovhannesyan spoke next.
He was followed by ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Bureau members Levon Lazarian
and Aghvan Vardanyan.
The concluding remarks were delivered by Armen Rustamyan,
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body of Armenia Representative and Chairman of
the parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.
With the backdrop of the recent war and subsequent events in the
South Caucasus, the speakers focused on the regional developments, Artsakh’s
right to self-determination, Turkish-Armenian relations and Armenia’s
internal situation.
At the end, the rally adopted a declaration (see below).
The rally was held at the footsteps of Yerevan’s Matenadaran (museum of
ancient Armenian manuscripts), in scorching weather.

DECLARATION

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Artsakh movement and on the
17th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Mountainous
Karabakh, we, the participants of the public rally organized by the
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun and held in Yerevan on 2 September 2008, assert:

– The recent war and developments in the South Caucasus have created a
new situation in our region;
– It is evident that if from now on the international community is not
able to prevent the use of force, then the unforeseen developments could be
calamitous. What happened also demonstrated that how dangerous it is to
apply double standards.
– The OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries by recognizing, together or
alone, the independence of Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have
underlined the primacy of the principle of peoples’ right to
self-determination in international law;
– The international community’s respect of the right of the people of
Artsakh to self-determination and freedom has no alternative. The people of
Artsakh have repeatedly expressed their will to live independent of
Azerbaijan. The people of Artsakh have exercised their right to
self-determination based on the principles of international law and the
Constitution of the Soviet Union. Mountainous Karabakh has never been part
of independent Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani domination over Mountainous Karabakh
ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
– In the Karabakh-Azerbaijan war, Azerbaijan was the aggressor.
Artsakh defended its right to live securely and was successful; Azerbaijan
is responsible for launching the war and for its consequences;
– For seventeen years, the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh exists as
a democratic state, with its relevant state structures and local
self-government bodies;
– Azerbaijani ambitions to re-conquer Artsakh by force are doomed to
failure and will lead the region to more unforeseen upheavals;
– Having de facto recognized the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh and
having signed with it economic and other cooperation agreements, Armenia has
refrained from de jure recognizing the RMK solely because of its stand to
remain true to the spirit of resolving the conflict peacefully through
negotiations;
– Escalation of EU-RF-USA relations to a confrontational level cannot
be beneficial for the region; it is imperative to find ways to resolve all
outstanding problems through dialogue. Armenia can and should contribute to
these efforts.

Furthermore, we assert that:

1) The negotiations to resolve the Artsakh conflict can bear results
and promote peace only when Azerbaijan signs a legal document with the
Republics of Armenia and Mountainous Karabakh not to use force or the threat
of force;
2) The Republic of Armenia should sign a treaty with the Republic of
Mountainous Karabakh undertaking to act as the guarantor of the independence
and security of the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh;
3) The authorities of the Republic of Armenia should anticipate the
official recognition of the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh if Azerbaijan
continues to consider the military route as an acceptable means to resolve
the issue, or if through its actions endangers the negotiation process.

We declare:

a) Armenia and Artsakh shall not relinquish their security guarantees;
b) Regarding the security of Armenia and Artsakh, the Armenian people
is unified and united; no internal political issue should threaten the
existence and security of our statehood;
c) The best guarantee to consolidate the Armenians and to be defended
from external dangers is the irreversibility of internal reforms, the
advancement of democracy and the establishment of justice.

Participants of the Rally of
2 September 2008
Yerevan, Armenia

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA RELEASES THE DVD
OF THE BLESSING OF MURON

The Communications Office of the Catholicosate of Cilicia announced today it
has released a DVD documenting the historic Blessing of the Muron
(Muronorhnek) service held on 7 June 2008 in the Saint Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias.

Attending the ceremony performed by His Holiness Aram I were the
representatives of the Holy Sees of the Armenian Church- the Catholicosate
of All Armenians in Etchmiyadzine, The Orthodox Seat in Jerusalem and the
Patriarchate in Istanbul. Also present alongside the Pontiff were the
Primates of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the members of the Cilician
Brotherhood.

His Holiness Aram I addressed the entire Armenian nation during his Sermon
on this holy occasion, greeting all Armenians worldwide from the
Catholicosate’s Antelias headquarters. A huge crowd of believers attended
the ceremony in addition to representatives from sister churches, as well as
government and diplomatic officers.

##
View the cover here:
tos/Photos305.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the books
published in the Printing House of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate,
The Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE AMBASSADOR OF CYPRUS VISITS HIS HOLINESS

His Holiness Aram I and the Ambassador of Cyprus to Lebanon, Dr. Kiriakos
Kouros, held a meeting in the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s summer
establishment in Bikfayya on September 1.

The Ambassador briefed the Pontiff on the positive outlook within official
Cypriot circles with respect to his recent visit to Cyprus. During last
month’s official visit His Holiness met with the President, Parliament
Speaker and the Archbishop of Cyprus.

The two also discussed His Holiness’ visit to Turkish occupied Cyprus to
examine in person the situation of Armenian properties and the historic
Monastery of Magar in the region.

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos305.htm#2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES AN OFFICIAL
FROM THE CATHOLIC RELIEF AGENCY

His Holiness Aram I received the General Secretary of the International
Catholic Relief Agency and the director of the organization’s Lebanon bureau
in Bikfayya on August 30.

The organization has ceased its operations for ten years now. Consequently,
the General Secretary’s visit aimed at examining local needs given the
efforts to revitalize the organization. The organization has also provided
humanitarian aid to the Armenian community of Lebanon, particularly during
the Civil War in the country.

The officials briefed the Armenian Pontiff about their future plans and
requested His Holiness’ blessings and prayers for the venture’s success.

His Holiness expressed his thoughts on the need for humanitarian aid at the
regional and local levels. He presented practical proposals for the
provision of aid to Lebanese communities in the social, educational and
health-related fields.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
DISAPPEARANCE
OF IMAM MOUSA SADR

An event marking the 30th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Mousa
Sadr was organized in Beirut on August 30 under the auspices of the Shiite
community’s Spiritual Leader, Sheikh Abdul Amir Kabalan.

The Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian,
represented His Holiness Aram I, who was invited to participate in the event
and address the attendants. Bishop Khatcherian also read the Armenian
Pontiff’s speech. Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian and Dr. Jean Salmanian were
also present.

In his speech, His Holiness recounted his meeting with Imam Mousa Sadr
thirty years ago and the values he had seen in the Shiite religious leader.
The Pontiff stressed the importance of dialogue, portraying Sadr as a
supporter of dialogue and Lebanon as a country of dialogue.

On August 31 the same delegation appointed by His Holiness attended the
event organized by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Nabatiyeh also
dedicated to the anniversary of Imam Mousa Sadr’s disappearance.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
September 2, 2008
Contact: Zoe Kevork
[email protected]
(818) 415-9848

ADAA RED CARPET GALA WOWS GLENDALE — SAROYAN PRIZE ANNOUNCED

Saturday night, August 23, the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA) held
its third annual Celebrity Gala at Stars Palace in Glendale. It was a night
of glamorous performances, awards, music and festivity.

The classic restored theater welcomed 200 people from the Armenian and
American theater and film communities. The Master of Ceremonies for the
evening was Richard Horvitz, actor and voice-over artist. Presenters
included correspondents Jill Simonian (ReelzChannel) and Anita Vogel (FOX
News Channel) and president of the William Saroyan Foundation, Haig
Mardikian. The evening also featured a performance by comedian Sam Tripoli
and a special video tribute to William Saroyan. The audience was also
treated to anecdotes about Saroyan by his nephew Hank Saroyan, an
Emmy-winning director, who told of the humor that permeated his uncle’s life
and work.

Folk/rock singer-songwriters John Hodian and Bet Williams performed for a
mesmerized audience. There was also a special surprise performance by Arto
Tuncboyajian, founder of the Armenian Navy Band, who surprised the audience
and treated them to several musical selections including his signature
piece, The Bottle Song.

At the Gala, the inaugural $10,000 William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting was
awarded to Lilly Thomassian for her play, Nadia. The other finalists were
Kristen Lazarian’s Flesh and Tenderness and Matthew Yaldezian’s The
Living and the Dead. The honorary jury, which evaluated the finalists,
included Obie Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mac Wellman, acclaimed
playwright Leslie Ayvazian and founder of Playwrights Project Deborah
Salzer. ADAA Officer and playwright Lisa Kirazian and William Saroyan
Foundation President Haig Mardikian presented the prize to Thomassian. The
award was established in January 2007 by the William Saroyan Foundation, and
is granted biennially to the best play based on an Armenian theme. Next
year, ADAA will host the Paul Award for Screenwriting on Armenian themes.

The audience was treated to excerpts from all three finalist plays, with the
winner being announced at the conclusion of the evening. The playwrights
were thrilled to have their words performed by some of the brightest talents
of the Armenian community including: Katie Boland (Adoration), Ken
Davitian (Borat), Magda Harout (Raising the Bar, My Life), Karen
Kondazian (Master Class), Ludwig Manukian (The Shield), Anoush Nevart (
General Hospital, Must Love Dogs), Anahid Shahrik (producer of the ADAA
Reading Series), and Marty Papazian (Jarhead).

Also awarded during the evening was the ADAA Armenian Star Award to
Michael Peretzian, Hollywood literary agent and director of Red Dog Howls.
The play had its international debut in Los Angeles to wide acclaim by both
the entertainment/theatre and Armenian communities. Mr. Peretzian was deeply
touched by the honor and fervent in his acceptance of the award. He spoke of
the shame many Armenians feel about our history. He encouraged the Hollywood
community in attendance "to be proud of our heritage and our stories =85 to
tell [those stories], so that our future generations don’t feel that same
shame." California State Assemblyman Paul Krekorian surprised Mr. Peretzian
with the presentation of a Certificate of Appreciation for directing Red
Dog Howls and telling the story of the Armenian Genocide so passionately.

Assemblyman Krekorian presented a second Certificate of Recognition to the
Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance and its president, Bianca Bagatourian. It
read: "Your work in preserving and supporting Armenian drama and art is
unparalleled and greatly appreciated. Congratulations on your wonderful
2008 Annual Celebrity Banquet."

Prominent members of the Armenian community were also in attendance included
Vartkes Yeghiayan, attorney; Ara Najarian, Glendale Councilman; producer Bob
Papazian; Harut Sassounian, editor-and-chief of the California Courier;
Karen Kondazian, Ovation award-winning actor; Simon Levy, playwright and
Fountain Theatre Artistic Director; directors Michael Arabian and Martin
Bedoian (Syzygy Theatre Artistic Director).

The ADAA Celebrity Gala Event Committee was Bianca Bagatourian (ADAA
President), Zoe Kevork (Chair), Lisa Kirazian and Anahid Shahrik. The
evening was sponsored by Francis Ford Coppola Wines and Final Draft. Food
was donated by Phoenicia Restaurant and Carousel Restaurant and dessert by
Sweet Lady Jane. Red carpet interviews were conducted by Horizon TV and
photographs taken by Karine Armen.

The ADAA "has surpassed all expectations with this evening’s event," said
Anita Vogel, apparently echoing the sentiments of many. Funds from the gala
will support ADAA’s productions and programs intended to project the
Armenian voice on stage and screen around the world. For more information
on ADAA, visit

PRESS PHOTOS CAPTIONS

1. Saroyan Playwriting Contest Finalists: Kristen Lazarian, Matthew
Yaldezian and Winner, Lilly Thomassian

2. Bianca Bagatourian, President of ADAA Receiving Certificate of
Recognition from Assembleyman, Paul Krekorian

3. ADAA Gala Performers Magda Harut and Ken Davitian

4. ADAA Gala Guests – Valerie McCaffrey, Board Member Janet Janjikian, Gary
Simonian, Irene Sasounian, Harout Sasounian, Board Member Karen Kondazian
and Simon Levy, Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre