Month: December 2008

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`MAN COULD NOT TOLERATE THE GRIEF BUT WE COULD’
[04:23 pm] 05 December, 2008

`Residents of the `zone of calamity’ are filled with anguish twenty
years after the devastating earthquake of 1988,’ says Gyumri citizen
Anik.

At 10:45, in 1988, Anik’s native town, Gyumri, was leveled to the
ground in a trice.

People are unemployed today. Most of local citizens have left abroad
in search of better living conditions. Many cannot even return to
their birthplace as they have no finances.’

Julietta Manukyan was not in Gyumri when the quake struck Gyumri. `I
went to Sovetashen’s prison to visit my husband leaving my children
with my mother-in-law. I didn’t witness the disaster but I heard a lot
about it. On the town we witnessed a terrifying scene. People were all
in mud, sitting beside fires with horror in their eyes. Some were
yelling, others weeping. One could go mad at the sight of the
scene. Man could not overcome the grief but Gyumri citizens could,’
recalled Mrs. Julietta.

`I came to myself after finding my children safe and sound at my
brother’s place,’ she continued.

A few years later Mrs. Julietta was forced to sell her rundown house
and settle in a `hut’ with her nine-member family. Today the family
dreams of having a flat.

We don’t have any chances to get one as I sold my own house after the
earthquake. But I had to sell it as it was safer to live in a hut than
in a dilapidated house. We had no money to repair the building. On the
other hand, my son was recruited to army. He fell ill and we faced
some financial problems,’ she said.

`We live in abject conditions today. One of my sons got married and
departed for Russia. My younger son also got married. Today his wife
lives at her parents’ house with my two grandchildren as there is no
room in the hut,’ said Mrs. Julietta restraining her tears.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

========================================== ======
4 December 2008
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: "THE LAW IS LIKE RUBBER"
ticle_id=1225
President Bako Sahakyan of the internationally unrecognised entity of
Nagorno-Karabakh is considering a restrictive new Religion Law, Forum 18
News Service has found. The new Law imposes vaguely formulated
restrictions, including: an apparent ban on unregistered religious
activity; state censorship of religious literature; an undefined "monopoly"
given to the Armenian Apostolic Church over preaching and spreading its
faith, while banning "soul-hunting" and restricting others to undefined
"rallying their own faithful". Garik Grigoryan, head of the parliamentary
Commission on State Legal Issues, claimed to Forum 18 that "it will be a
more liberal, democratic Law." Members of religious communities have
expressed serious concerns to Forum 18. One member of the Armenian
Apostolic Church rhetorically asked Forum 18: "Where’s the freedom?"
Another described the Law as "like rubber," noting that "you can’t see
exactly how it’s going to be put into practice." The Law also does not
resolve the issue of a civilian alternative to compulsory military service.

3 December 2008
SERBIA: VIOLENT ATTACKS CONTINUING, BUT MAINLY DECLINING
le_id=1224
The latest Forum 18 News Service survey of violent attacks against
Serbia’s religious communities – covering September 2007 to October 2008 –
indicates that fewer attacks are taking place compared to previous years.
As previously, most physical attacks have been on Seventh-day Adventist and
Jehovah’s Witnesses properties, and attacks on Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons) properties have risen. As in
earlier years, a number of Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries have
also suffered attacks. Dragan Novakovic, the Deputy Religion Minister, told
Forum 18 that the police and judicial authorities do not provide his
Ministry with adequate information. Novakovic also regretted that attackers
are usually charged with violating public order, instead of – where
appropriate – the more serious charge of inciting or exacerbating national,
racial, or religious hatred – which carries higher penalties than public
order charges. Novakovic told Forum 18 that the Ministry is determined to
reduce attacks. "We will need years to get it down to an acceptable level,
but we are determined to do it."
* See full article below. *

5 December 2008
UZBEKISTAN: STATE STILL STOPS MUSLIMS MAKING HAJ PILGRIMAGE
cle_id=1226
Uzbekistan is continuing to restrict the numbers of haj pilgrims to 5,000
people, or one fifth of those who could potentially go, Forum 18 News
Service has found. This seriously limits the number of Muslims who can
perform this obligation of their faith. All pilgrims need approval from
local authorities, the NSS secret police and other national authorities,
and are strictly controlled – including isolation from foreigners – on
pilgrimage. Forum 18 has been told of an unwritten state instruction that
pilgrims must be aged over 45. The head of a regional state Religious
Affairs Committee denied this, illustrating his denial by saying that his
region had sent "a 32 year old man" on pilgrimage. However, he did not
answer when Forum 18 asked why there were very few young people on the
pilgrimage. The state also charges pilgrims many times the minimum monthly
wage to make the haj. An Uzbek human rights defender, Surat Ikramov,
pointed out to Forum 18 that this plus the bribes demanded "makes it
impossible for the majority to go on haj."

3 December 2008
SERBIA: VIOLENT ATTACKS CONTINUING, BUT MAINLY DECLINING

cle_id=1224
By Drasko Djenovic, Balkans Correspondent, Forum 18 News Service
<;

The latest Forum 18 News Service survey of violent attacks on Serbia’s
religious communities and their members – covering September 2007 to
October 2008 – seems to indicate that fewer attacks are now taking place
overall, especially compared to the years up to about 2006. As in previous
years, most physical attacks on religious communities in Serbia in 2008
have been against the Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and
the numbers of attacks on properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons) has risen, Forum 18 has
found. As in previous years, there have also been a number of attacks on
Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries.

Serbia’s desire to join the European Union, along with politicians placing
greater weight on Serbia becoming a more open country, appears to be
influencing popular attitudes, and hence the possibility of attacks. The
current government under Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic is seen as
pro-European and does not see all that is not Serbian or Orthodox as
automatically anti-Serbian. Example of these changes in social attitudes
were seen in media reporting of attacks which took place on the night of 21
February 2008, during rioting which followed a government-organised
demonstration against Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.
Media reports in 2008 have been notably less hostile to religious
minorities, and less prone to describe them as "dangerous sects".

However, many members of Serbian religious minorities have complained to
Forum 18 that they still suffer discrimination from officials, as a result
of hostility in society. No non-Christian religious communities other than
those recognised as traditional – Jews and Muslims – have been registered
under the Religion Law (see eg. F18News 8 January 2008
< e_id=1072>). Complaints are also
made that religion classes in schools give children negative impressions of
members of minority communities. They also complain that in court –
including in child custody cases – religious minority members sometimes
face discrimination.

Many of the attacks and threats against religious minority communities are
by extreme nationalists who think that the communities are in some sense
traitors to the nation. An attack on the Evangelical (Pentecostal) Church
in Kraljevo on 21 February was carried out by a nationalist organisation
Obraz. A hand-written threat to the same church in September was issued by
a group calling itself Black Hand, a reference to an early twentieth
century Serbian secret nationalist society. It is unknown whether the
threat actually comes from an existing secret group, or whether the name is
merely being invoked as part of the threat.

Dragan Novakovic, Serbia’s Deputy Religion Minister, welcomed the apparent
fall in the number of religiously-motivated attacks. "It often depends
which glasses you look through," he told Forum 18 in Belgrade on 26
November. "When someone has a problem they see it through each individual
attack. But when we look generally we can see that the trend is for fewer
and fewer attacks."

However, Novakovic lamented that his Ministry does not have "full insight"
into the attacks, knowing only of those that religious communities inform
it of. "Unfortunately the police don’t inform us of these attacks," he told
Forum 18, "even though it would be useful for analytical purposes. Still
less do the judicial authorities inform us of cases underway – they have no
duty to do so."

Novakovic also regretted that those who attack religious communities are
usually charged with violating public peace and order. He would, where
appropriate, like more serious charges such as instigating or exacerbating
national, racial, and religious hatred to be also brought. Under Article
317 of the Serbian Criminal Code, which specifically covers such
hate-motivated attacks on both persons and property, this can result in
mandatory jail terms of between one and eight years.

Under Article 131 of the Criminal Code, "violating freedom of religion and
the performance of religious services", conviction can result in
imprisonment of up to one year. In the case of convicted officials, a jail
term of up to three years can be imposed for this offence.

In contrast, the penalties for public order charges are minor. These
charges are normally used to punish fights between two people, or playing
loud music in public.

Deputy Religion Minister Novakovic insisted that the Religion Ministry is
determined to see the number of violent attacks on religious communities
reduced. "If this year or next we reduced the level of attacks by three or
five percent, it would be very important and we would be very happy," he
told Forum 18. "We will need years to get it down to an acceptable level,
but we are determined to do it."

The Ministry of Justice has not answered questions on why it does not
supply data to the Religion Ministry, or why serious charges are not
brought against alleged attackers, despite several attempts by Forum 18 to
discuss this with the Justice Ministry.

The largest number of attacks in a short time period took place at a time
of large-scale government-organised demonstrations in Belgrade on 21
February 2008 against Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.
Foreign embassies and businesses were attacked, as were religious minority
communities, including Protestants such as Adventists, as well as Mormons.
This may be because these religious communities have their main
headquarters in the United States.

Forum 18 notes that many of the same places of worship have been attacked
time after time. For example, the Evangelical (Pentecostal) Church in
Kraljevo attacked in February 2008 was attacked with Molotov cocktails in
December 2006. Police found no evidence to enable a criminal case to be
brought after the Molotov cocktail attack. Graffiti was daubed on the same
church in September 2007 (see F18News 9 October 2007
< e_id=1030>).

Although most of the attacks have been relatively low-level, their
frequency has left many members of religious minorities feeling afraid.
Windows on the rented building where an Adventist church in the western
town of Uzice met, and their pastor also lived, were broken three times in
March 2008, and three times in April. Following this, Pastor Danilo
Zelenkapic told Forum 18, Church leaders decided to move him from the town
for his own safety. Church members now have to travel 25 kms (15 miles) to
Zlatibor to attend worship services in a chapel in a church-owned holiday
house.

At the same time, Adventist Pastor Dalibor Trajkovic told Forum 18 from
the central town of Kragujevac that his church has frequently been stoned
or had graffiti daubed on the walls. But he adds that knocking on the
church door or windows during the night and yelling "This is Serbia,
Sabbath-keepers get out" or "Sectarians get out" has also become common. He
said that although they are concerned by such lesser harassment, they no
longer bother to notify the police, reporting only more serious damage. The
church is located on the corner of a street, making it easier to attack.

When members of religious minorities attempt to share their beliefs, this
can spark hostility. In the town of Bor in eastern Serbia, local people in
June 2008 tried to prevent construction of a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall
with a petition and blocking of roads. The organiser of the protest told
the Serbian daily newspaper Blic on 8 June: "We do not have anything
against the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but we do not want them in our
neighbourhood".

However, local people can sometimes intervene in defence of religious
minorities. This happened in March 2008, when neighbours of a Jehovah’s
Witness meeting in Bajna Basta protected those attending a service from
attack by a mob of some 500 people.

Those responsible for attacks are often not identified by the police and
prosecuted, Forum 18 notes (see eg. F18News 7 February 2008
< e_id=1083>). Even when the
attackers are caught, they often – as Deputy Religion Minister Novakovic
lamented – face only minor charges, if any. The charge made is typically
disturbing public order.

Forum 18 knows of only a few cases where prosecutions with the possibility
of the serious penalties provided under Article 317, "instigating or
exacerbating national, racial and religious hatred," have been brought. The
most recent instance has been following the arrest of three people for
daubing graffiti in July 2008 on a Catholic church in Pancevo. It may be
significant that Pancevo is in the northern province of Vojvodina, as
prosecutions for those who attack religious communities are more likely in
Vojvodina. This is the most multi-ethnic and multi-religious part of
Serbia.

As in previous years (see F18News 9 October 2007
< e_id=1030>), religious
communities are sometimes reluctant to report attacks to the police or make
them publicly known.

The information in the survey is unavoidably incomplete, due to continuing
deficiencies in the publicly available data, so no attempt has been made to
statistically compare data over the years. But the information has been
gathered from as wide a range of sources as possible, including religious
communities themselves, human rights groups, official information and the
Serbian media. The list below of incidents between September 2007 and
October 2008 does not include incidents in Kosovo. All incidents where no
source is indicated are incidents known to Forum 18 directly.

ATTACKS FROM SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2007

September – Windows of the Adventist Church in Kragujevac stoned, the
exact date being unclear.

18 September – Windows of the Mormon Church in Novi Sad broken.

2 October – Fence around Mormon Church in Novi Sad burned.

22 October – Adventist church windows in Backa Palanka broken. The
attacker was arrested by police and charged (B92)

28 November – Middle-aged man physically attacked three female Jehovah’s
Witnesses and took their literature in Arandjelovac.

ATTACKS FROM JANUARY – OCTOBER 2008

24 January – Graffiti daubed on Adventist Church in Negotin.

25 January – Graffiti daubed on Adventist Church in Belgrade.

26 January – Two young men in Vranjska Banja attacked three teenage female
Jehovah’s Witnesses and tried to rape them. The attackers were identified
and a prosecution has begun.

17 February – Windows of the Adventist Theological Seminary in Belgrade
broken.

20/21 February – Two windows of the Mormon Church in Belgrade broken at
time of riots against Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.

21 February – Windows on Adventist Church in Nis broken.

21 February – The neo-Nazi organisation Obraz attacked the Evangelical
(Pentecostal) Church in Kraljevo, after the evening church service. Stones
and eggs were thrown at the church and windows broken.

During February, one person broke into and stole icons and liturgy books
from the Serbian Orthodox churches of the Birth of the Most Holy Virgin in
Sremska Kamenica, the Three Holy Hierarchs in Kisac, the St. Sava Church in
Cerevic and the Monastery of the Holy Archangel in Kovilj. He was arrested
in early March (Vecernje Novosti)

8/9, 10/11 and 21/22 March – Windows of a building in Uzice rented by
Adventists as a church and home for their pastor stoned in the early
morning.

22 March – During a Jehovah’s Witness service of the memorial of Christ’s
death (the most important service in the year for this religion), in Bajna
Basta, a crowd of about 500 people from Bajna Basta, as well as from Uzice
and the neighbouring Republika Srpska in Bosnia, stoned a private house
where the service was happening. About 20 people who attended, including
several children, were brought to safety with the help of the neighbours.
Some of attackers were identified, but no one has been prosecuted.

2 April – Two older Jehovah’s Witnesses were attacked in Klenak during
door-to-door service. Literature was taken. Attacker was identified and
prosecution begun.

12/13, 18/19 and 25/26 April – Windows at Adventist church and pastor’s
home in Uzice again stoned in early hours of the morning. As a result of
the attacks, Adventists moved pastor from town, told to Forum 18 pastor
Danilo Zelenkapic.

17 May – Two windows of the Mormon Church in Novi Sad were broken.

5 June – Main door of the Adventist Church in Jagodina broken.

6 June – In the town of Bor in eastern Serbia, local people in June 2008
tried to prevent construction of a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall with a
petition and blocking of roads. The organiser of the protest told the
Serbian daily newspaper Blic on 8 June: "We do not have anything against
the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but we do not want them in our neighbourhood".

7/8 June – Neo-Nazi graffiti and messages about Jehovah’s Witnesses was
daubed on the Kingdom Hall in Sremska Mitrovica.

8/9 June – Five windows of the Mormon Church in Novi Sad broken.

11 June – Four windows, including a stained-glass window, of the Mormon
Church in Novi Sad broken.

11 June – Three unidentified young men attacked a Jehovah’s Witness
Kingdom Hall close to the Auto Komanda Bridge in Belgrade. While the
building was being stoned one stone hit a Jehovah’s Witness man in the
stomach. Police were called.

19 June – Gold items stolen from the Church of the Birth of the Most Holy
Virgin Serbian Orthodox Church in Sremska Kamenica, near Novi Sad. (RTV)

26 June – Entrance doors of the Adventist Church in Jagodina broken down,
and the apartment of pastor broken into. Nothing was stolen.

26/27 June – Threatening graffiti daubed on the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom
Hall in Krusevac.

30 June – Liturgical book stolen from Serbian Orthodox SS. Cosmas and
Damian hospital in Belgrade. Thief arrested several days later.

30 June – Three unidentified young men entered a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom
Hall in Vranje in early hours and started to attack the facade with stones
and crowbars. They escaped from police. The police thoroughly investigated
the attack, but without success.

3/4 July – Graffiti reading – "Death to Catholics", "Orthodoxy or death",
"We will avenge Kosovo" – daubed on St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in
Pancevo. (RTV) Three attackers were arrested some days latter, and charged
with spreading racial, religious and national hatred. (Blic) No verdict has
yet been delivered.

17 July – A Serbian Orthodox priest in Despotovac threatened and hit
several Jehovah’s Witnesses. The incident was reported to police, who sent
the case to the public prosecutor.

22/23 July – Items worth about 50,000 Dinars stolen from the Serbian
Orthodox St George the Martyr church in Starcevo, near Pancevo. (Blic)

29/30 July – Serbian Orthodox church in Pancevo robbed of 15,000 Dinars.
(Blic)

31 July/1 August – Unidentified people daubed graffiti with nationalist
symbols and vulgar messages about the Jehovah’s Witnesses on the Kingdom
Hall in Sremska Mitrovica.

6-10 August – Unidentified people again daubed graffiti with national
symbols and vulgar messages about Jehovah’s Witnesses on Kingdom Hall in
Sremska Mitrovica during the night. The graffiti included the names of some
arrested for war crimes trials before the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. The incident may be related to the
arrest by Serbian police of Radovan Karadzic on 20 July.

3 September – Hand-written message "You will burn in Hell" signed by the
"Serbian Nationalist Organisation Black Hand" found in the post box of the
Evangelical (Pentecostal) church in Kraljevo.

9 September – A man armed with gun and 20 metres of cable tried to attack
a Catholic priest in Budisava near Novi Sad. Police prevented the attack
and arrested the attacker. (RTV)

16 September – A group of masked young men attacked the Jehovah’s Witness
Kingdom Hall in Leskovac with stones and staves in the early morning. One
attacker tried to break the window between protective bars while another
prepared a Molotov cocktail. The attackers escaped after police were
called. The police did not appear to seriously investigate the attack.

19/20 September – Graffiti – "Sectarians get out of Serbia" – daubed on
the Adventist Church in Sivac.

22/23 September – Graffiti – "Sectarians get out of Serbia" and "Orthodoxy
is Salvation – 1389" – daubed on the Adventist Church in Kragujevac.

27 September – Windows broken and graffiti daubed on the Adventist Church
in Kula.

29 September – Pastor’s car damaged at Adventist church car park in Novi
Sad.

3/4 October – Windows of the Adventist church and pastor’s home in
Kragujevac stoned.

18 October – Several graves and monuments destroyed at a Catholic
graveyard in Bela Crkva, an ethnic majority German village called
Weisskirchen until the late 1940s, in Vojvodina. Police are hunting for six
attackers (Dnevnik, Novi Sad)

18/19 October – Four windows of the Mormon church in Novi Sad broken.

26/27 October – Windows of a Mormon Church garage in Belgrade broken.
(END)

For more background, see Forum 18’s Serbia religious freedom survey at
< id=387> and coverage of freedom
of thought, conscience and belief in Serbia at
< mp;religion=all&country=53&results=50>.

The previous survey of attacks on religious minorities, from September
2006 to September 2007, is at
< id=1030>.

A personal commentary, by an Austrian lawyer, arguing that Serbia should
not follow Austria’s system of dividing religious communities into
different categories with differing legal rights is at
< id=403>.

A survey of the religious freedom decline in the eastern part of the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) area is at
< id=806>.

A printer-friendly map of Serbia is available at
< s/atlas/index.html?Parent=europe&Rootmap=yugos l>,
under the title ‘Serbia and Montenegro’.
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News

Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

Posted on Fri, Dec. 5, 2008

K. Cyrus Melikian, an inventor with a coffee focus

By Sally A. Downey

Inquirer Staff Writer

K. Cyrus Melikian, 88, an innovative entrepreneur who made coffee
drinking a convenient pastime, died of heart failure Nov. 27 at home
in Haverford.
Mr. Melikian conceived the concept for a coffee vending machine while
serving in the Army Air Force at Wright Field in Ohio during World War
II. He and an officer, Lloyd K. Rudd, were annoyed that the PX was not
serving coffee.

After their discharge in 1946, the men went to work in Mr. Melikian’s
parents’ garage in Mayfair to devise an automatic coffee
dispenser. They tested the machine at an Eagles football game, selling
coffee for 10 cents a cup. "We couldn’t make it fast enough,"
Mr. Melikian told an Inquirer reporter.

In the late 1950s, to improve on the instant coffee that Rudd Melikian
Inc. used, Mr. Melikian developed a frozen liquid coffee concentrate.

In 1967, he and Rudd sold their company. Mr. Melikian and his sons
then established Automatic Brewers & Coffee Devices. At ABCD,
Mr. Melikian developed pods for single or double orders of espresso,
coffee-pod packaging machines and brewers, and coffee-bean grinders
integrated into brewers. His other inventions included a commercial
microwave oven and an ice dispenser for soda cups in vending
machines. He was responsible for numerous patents, his son Robert
said.

Mr. Melikian’s parents escaped the 1919 Armenian massacre and
immigrated to Philadelphia shortly before he was born. After
graduating from Northeast High School, he attended the University of
Pennsylvania before serving in the military. Last year, he was
interviewed for a PBS special on World War II veterans.

An award-winning marksman, Mr. Melikian helped found the trapshooting
program at Aronimink Golf Club. He was a member of several gourmet
societies, and was the founder and chairman of the Philadelphia
chapter of the International Bacchus Society. In 1961, he and Rudd
coauthored The Wonder of Food. In the 1970s, Mr. Melikian wrote a
syndicated newspaper feature about the history of famous dishes, and
in the 1990s he established and taught at a chef’s training school.

He consulted for the Economic Community of West African States and for
the Bank of Liberia, and was a partner in a wine importing and
distributing company.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 63 years, Roxie
Bozoian Melikian; daughters Karen Harrison and Michele Lockwood; and
six grandchildren. A son, K. Cyrus Jr., died in 1979.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Chadwick & McKinney Funeral
Home, 30 E. Athens Ave., Ardmore, and after 10 a.m. tomorrow, followed
by a funeral at 11 at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic
Church, 8701 Ridge Ave. Burial will be in George Washington Memorial
Park, Plymouth Meeting.

Memorial donations may be made to the Armenian Students Association to
benefit the K. Cyrus Melikian Memorial Scholarship, 333 Atlantic Ave.,
Warwick, R.I. 02888.

Contact staff writer Sally A. Downey at 215-854-2913 or
[email protected].

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
T +995 32 75 19 03/04
F +995 32 75 19 05
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<;

Ecological Awards Program (Eco-Awards Program)

Request for Proposals

Organizational Background

Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s (EPF) mission is to empower people to
effect change for social justice and economic prosperity through hands-on
programs, helping them to improve their communities and their own lives.
With locally registered offices in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, EPF is
the legacy institution of Eurasia Foundation (EF), a privately managed
non-profit organization established in 1992 to deliver seed capital to
emerging civil society organizations in the former Soviet countries.
Supported by the United States Agency for International Development and
other public and private donors, EF has invested nearly $70 million in the
South Caucasus through more than 1,700 grants and programs since 1992.

EPF is both a grant maker and a program implementer and is guided by six
program mandates and approaches: Civic Participation and Monitoring,
Corporate and Community Philanthropy, Research and Policy Capacity Building,
Business Environment Improvement, Cross Border Cooperation and Open Door
Grant Making. More information on EPF’s programs and priorities can be found
at <; .

The program is initiated and funded by BP on behalf of its co-venturers in
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC Co.) and the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP Co.)
companies. It is designed to reward those individuals and organizations
involved in promoting awareness and protection of the environment.

BP is one of the world’s largest energy companies, operating in around 100
countries. BP first came to Georgia in 1996 and, on behalf of its partners,
now operates three major pipelines: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
(BTC), the Western Route Export oil pipeline (WREP) and the South Caucasus
Gas pipeline (SCP). BP also operates an aviation fuel business – Air BP – at
Tbilisi’s International Airport. Safe and reliable operations are BP’s
number one priority. You can find out more at
<; .

Invitation to Grants Competition

EPF invites non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to submit grant proposals
focused on the sustainable use of natural resources by educating and
mobilizing communities and engaging in economic development that promotes
environmental preservation.

The deadline for the submission of proposals is January 19, 2009.

Problem Statement

Human activities put significant negative pressure on Georgia’s environment.
These activities can be attributed to economic hardship during the
post-communist transition and a lack of public awareness and state
regulation. These pressures have manifested themselves in various aspects of
environmental degradation, such as an increase in pollution, overgrazing,
deforestation, a decrease in biodiversity and the increased incurrence of
natural disasters, among others.

Program Goal and Objectives

The program aims at promoting the responsible use of natural resources
through projects that conserve the environment while sustaining the
well-being of local people. It will do this by:

* Promoting the use of clean, cost-effective technologies and
practices that have a reduced impact on the environment (the use of energy,
the use of environmentally friendly agricultural technologies, etc)

* Educating communities about the negative impact of certain
traditional activities;

* Mobilizing local communities to solve important environmental
problems;

* Providing economic development opportunities that promote
environmental preservation;

* Building awareness of specific environmental hazards and raising
capacity in managing these hazards (e.g. forest fires, land slides, etc)

The proposal may address any of the priority environmental areas, such as
water and soil pollution, preservation of biodiversity, responsible use of
forests, natural disaster prevention, etc. Projects can be geographically
focused and address the needs of specific ecosystems and communities.

Limitations and restrictions

The competition will not support pure research or the development of policy
documents.

Eligible Organizations

The competition will be open to both Tbilisi-based and regional NGOs. The
program’s focus on local communities naturally calls for partnerships
between Tbilisi-based and local NGOs or community based organizations (CBOs)
if a proposal is submitted by a Tbilisi-based NGO.

Project Duration and Eligible Funding

The project duration can range from 6 to 18 months. The lower limit of grant
funding is USD 20,000. The upper limit is USD 100,000. Fund leveraging from
other interested organizations is encouraged.

Selection Process

To ensure an objective and non-discriminatory selection process, proposals
will be reviewed by a board of independent experts. The final decision on
grant awards will be made by EPF.

During the review process, additional information may be requested. The
applicant will be asked to present any requested information within five
working days of the request.

Selection Criteria

EPF will employ its standard selection criteria for grant proposals,
including:

* Degree of compliance with the objectives and conditions of the
competition;

* Effectiveness of project design;

* Cost-effectiveness of the project;

* Organization’s capacity to implement the project, as demonstrated
by (1) successful implementation of previous projects and (2) professional
qualifications of the organization’s leaders and project participants.

* Organization’s capacity to manage donor-funded projects:
financial stability, effective system of internal controls, professionalism
and competence of accounting and financial staff of organization and
experience in managing grants received from other donors;

In addition, the following criteria will be applied:

* Potential for generating concrete, tangible short-term and
long-term results;

* Programmatic and financial feasibility;

* Use of internationally proven models and technologies;

* Existence of limited risks;

* Alliances among NGOs and CBOs and NGOs, businesses and
governmental agencies are encouraged;

* Programmatic and financial sustainability.

Use of funds

Project expenses may include the following types of expenses, based on the
specific needs of the particular project:

– Wages and fees;

– Publication, purchase, copying, and delivery of training
materials;

– Travel and related expenses;

– Communication and administrative expenses;

– Other direct costs associated with project implementation.

Evaluation of Project Results

During the review of competition proposals, special attention will be paid
to the proposed criteria and mechanisms for evaluation of project results.
The projects shall include both project evaluation criteria and
corresponding indicators. Applicants are requested to collect or provide
baseline data on the indicators included in the project.

Following the completion of projects implemented through the competition,
EPF will carry out an evaluation to determine the degree to which the
project accomplished its aims.

Application Submission Procedure

Applicant organizations shall present the following documents:

* Five copies of the proposal in Georgian, Russian or English;

* Other documents specified in the "Application Packet" and the
"Grants Management Questionnaire" to be found on the EPF web-site
( <; );

* A detailed itemized budget, based on the "Grant Budget Worksheet"
found on the EPF web-site.

All materials and documents submitted for the competition shall be retained
by EPF for record and will not be returned to the applicant. Applicants may
request copies of their proposals. The Foundation guarantees the
confidentiality of applications. The Foundation does not use information
presented by the applicants for purposes other than review and does not
provide this information to any outside persons or institutions, except in
cases where it is required by Georgian law or by EPF’s funders.

The program’s open door session will be held at 3 p.m. on December 10, 2008
at the Auditorium of the Georgian National Museum at 3 Purtseladze Street.
In addition, EPF will provide consultations on how to prepare an application
to interested organizations (the time provided below).

Contact Information

Eurasia Partnership Foundation Georgia Office is located at 3 Kavsadze St.,
Tbilisi, Georgia 0108, Tel/Fax: (99532) 25 39 42/43, 22 32 64.

The contact persons for this competition are Viktor Baramia, Program Manager
and Nino Sutidze, Program Assistant. All proposals should be submitted in
hard copies to Nino Sutidze.

Competition Timeline

Competition announcement: December 4, 2008

Application Help Session at EPF Office: December 26, 2008, 4:00 p.m.

Deadline for submission of applications: January 19, 2009, 6:00 p.m.

Award announcement: January 28, 2009

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, December 5, 2008

AGBU Generation Next Mentees Get Taste of Campus Life

On November 8, AGBU Generation Next Mentorship Program (GenNext)
students and mentors enjoyed a traditional college tailgate party, after
which they attended the UCLA vs. Oregon State football game.

UCLA alumnus and GenNext mentor, Aram Kaloustian, hosted the pre-game
bash with hot dogs, hamburgers and other snacks. He also helped get the
game tickets donated to GenNext through UCLA’s "I’m Going to College"
program, which is focused on getting pre-college-age students attached
to university life. GenNext also promotes this same vision and strives
to make academics both fun and a goal for its students.

GenNext, which has thrived for over 10 years, pairs Armenian students
ranging from age 12 to 19 with young adult volunteers to assist them
with issues involving academics, behavior, and other extra-curricular
interests. The group has at least one set activity per month that
focuses on GenNext’s three goals — career, culture and self-confidence.
In addition, mentors and mentees spend time together, one on one, at
least twice a month, building their relationship.

"We want to prep our children now so they are ready for the real world,"
said Ara Arzumanian, director of Generation Next. "Mentors come from all
different professional backgrounds and national origins. It gives the
kids a great reflection of not only our community, but the world."

In October, the Generation Next participants visited the Ararat Home for
the Elderly, spending time with the residents and touring the
institution’s Armenian culture and history museum. The trip proved to be
extremely enlightening on both a personal and educational level,
according to Arzumanian. Generation Next refers to their programming as
"culturally based mentoring," revolving around the Armenian heritage,
and this trip certainly proved to be a success in this regard.

In February 2009, Generation Next is hosting a 10th-Anniversary Gala for
the program at Castaway Restaurant in Burbank, California. Comedian Aron
Kader will host the event and Carla Garapedian, director of the film
Screamers, will be honored. For more information, visit
se=10267. Generation Next is
also in the process of launching a new professional advertising campaign
to recruit new mentors. Earlier this year, the longstanding work of AGBU
Generation Next Mentorship Program was recognized by an award of
$500,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE grant
has enabled Generation Next to hire two new case managers, who will
facilitate the relationship between mentors and mentees and help connect
mentees to other services available in the community.

Since its establishment in 1997, AGBU Generation Next mentors and staff
have served over 100 Armenian students ranging from the seventh to
eleventh grades. Adult volunteers from AGBU Generation Next assist
students with issues involving academics, behavior, and acculturation.
By providing positive role models, volunteer mentors help these young
Armenians become responsible, self-sufficient young adults. For more
information email [email protected].

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, December 5, 2008

AGBU Young Professionals of Yerevan Help Gyumri Orphans

On November 2, 2008, the AGBU Young Professionals of Yerevan (YP
Yerevan) organized a trip to Armenia’s capital for 70 orphans at the
Nansen Orphanage in Gyumri, Armenia. YP Yerevan members hoped to give
these children a taste of Armenia’s capital city and the trip would
later serve as inspiration for an art project fundraiser.

The children enjoyed walking around Yerevan, visiting outdoor spaces, a
newly renovated Lover’s Park, restaurants, and spending the afternoon in
the National Gallery of Armenia. In the evening, the YPs treated the
children to a circus performance, which made a strong impression on the
young visitors.

After an exciting day in Yerevan, the orphans returned to Gyumri
inspired by their journey. YP Yerevan asked the children to create art
based on their impressions of the capital with the goal of selling the
work during a fundraising event for the orphanage.

Established in 2000, the Nansen Orphanage of Gyumri was created to help
parentless children who continued to feel the impacts of the 1988
Spitak. In 2002, the orphanage came under the administration of the
Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Social Welfare. Today, the Nansen
Orphanage provides art, sports, dance, vocal and foreign language
instruction to dozens of children.

Helping the Orphans

On November 16, YP Yerevan hosted a fundraising event for the orphanage
at the Yerevan Puppet Theater. The theater’s auditorium was filled with
special guests, including famous singers and artists, bankers,
businessmen, and local celebrities, all of whom toured the display of
art that was inspired by their day in Yerevan. The children also
returned to the capital and gave several song and dance performances,
which created a festive atmosphere for the theater guests. A video of
the event is now available on AGBU’s YouTube channel:

The exhibition sale raised over 1,239,000 AMD (more than 4,000 USD),
greatly exceeding the organizer’s expectations. Proceeds from the art
sale will be used to build a computer center at the orphanage. Several
YP Yerevan members have IT training and plan on teaching the children
how to use the equipment. YP Yerevan plans to use any additional funds
from the event to hire English-language teachers to assist the children
to improve their language skills.

The AGBU Young Professionals are committed to preserving and promoting
the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural, and
humanitarian programs. For more information on the AGBU Young
Professionals, please contact the AGBU YP Liaison at [email protected]
or (212) 319-6383.

For more information on AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE

December 5, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

Assembly meets with NGOs and visits mayor of yeghegnadzor

Yerevan, Armenia – On November 20, Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) Country Director Arpi Vartanian traveled to Yeghegnadzor to
meet with 12 NGO representatives participating in the NGO Coalition
Building project. The participants, representing six NGOs from the
Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions have been studying advocacy, leadership
and coalition-building skills.

As part of their training exercises and to better help the participants
understand how to form, maintain, and work within coalitions, the NGOs,
representing diverse sectors, were required to unite around one issue
and form a coalition, as they developed their skills. Motivated by
rampant pollution in their communities, negative environmental impact,
low levels of both ecological awareness and social partnerships in the
Syunik and Vayots Dzor regions, these NGOs formed the Clean Community
Coalition.

In the morning, Vartanian joined the NGO representatives as they met
with newly reelected Mayor Sirekan Babayan and Deputy Mayor Vartkess
Haroutiunian to discuss the coalition. Vartanian spoke of the work of
the Assembly in general, and in particular, outlined the idea behind the
NGO Coalition Building project. Varditer Khachatrian, from Fund Against
Violation of Law, Yeghegnadzor Branch, presented the Coalition, and its
vision, mission, goals, and concerns. Other Coalition members also
joined the conversation. Mayor Babayan, completely aware of the problem,
and receptive to the Coalition’s ideas, extended his support. During the
very warm and open meeting, the Mayor noted that he believed education,
to change society’s attitude toward littering, was one important area on
which to focus, especially working with children and their parents. The
Mayor appointed Deputy Mayor Haroutiunian as the primary point of
contact for the Coalition, as it carried out its work in Yeghegnadzor.

In the afternoon, Vartanian spoke with the NGOs about advocacy and
working with the media. To further illustrate her points, she shared
real-life experiences, "do’s and don’ts," suggestions and specific
examples and documents to help the Coalition members as they planned
their strategies. A lively discussion followed. Vartanian was impressed
with the research and work the participants had done to date, including
outlining on maps the status of garbage and pollution in their
communities. Ranging from clean "green zones" to the most polluted "red
zones," the maps the NGOs prepared showed the problems their communities
face. Sharing the photographs they had taken, the problems faced were
even more clearly illustrated. Vartanian urged them to use these maps
and pictures during their press conference and other meetings. After
all, as she told them, "one picture is worth a thousand words."

One NGO representative told Vartanian, "Your presentation has motivated
me. The practical knowledge and experiences you shared have given me
more confidence, especially in anticipation of our upcoming press
conference."

Vartanian’s visit was timely as it came just one week before the
Coalition’s first press conference held on November 26, in Yerevan. For
some of the participants, it would be the first time they would be
participating in a press conference.

This program is made possible through the collective efforts of the
League of Women Voters (LWV), the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) and the NGO Center Civil Society Development NGO (NGOC).
Funding for this project has been provided in the form of a grant to the
League of Women Voters by private donors and Assembly Trustees Charles
Talanian and Peter Vosbikian.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###

Editor’s Note –

To view a photo of NGO’s visit with Mayor of Yeghegnadzor, please follow
the link below:
ges/PR_-_2008/November/Assemb
ly_NGOs_Meet_with_Ma yor_of_Yeghegnadzor.JPG

Photo Caption: NGO Representatives, Assembly and LWV in group with
Yeghegnadzor’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor – (Seated, L-R) Deputy Mayor
Vartkess Harutiunian, Assembly Country Director Arpi Vartanian, Mayor
Sirekan Babayan and LWV Trainer Barbara Bartoletti

To read the Clean Community Coalition Press Release, please follow the
link below:
2008_recent/LWV_-_Nov_2608_PR
_eng.pdf

To read the NGO Coalition Building Project Summer 2008 Newsletter,
please follow the link below:
2008_recent/NGO_Coalition_New
sletter_11-08.pdf
__ _________________________

Notice: The information contained in this electronic communication is
confidential, may be privileged and is intended only for the use of the
addressee. It is the property of the Armenian Assembly of America. You
are hereby notified that any unauthorized review, use, dissemination or
copying of this communication or any part thereof is strictly
prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by facsimile (202)
638-4904 or by telephone at (202) 393-3434, and destroy this
communication and all copies thereof. Thank you.

December 5, 2008
Press Release
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE AND DELEGATES PARTICIPATE IN THE CATHOLICOSATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

On Monday, December 2nd, the General Assembly of the Catholicosate
of Cilicia convened in Antelias, Lebanon under the auspices of H.H.
Catholicos Aram I.
The Prelates and lay delegates from all Catholicosate Prelacies
participated in the assembly.
Over the four day period, the activities of the executive and
religious councils of the past six years were presented and evaluated. In
subsequent sessions, a wide range of issues were discussed.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, arrived in Antelias
on Monday to participate in the assembly. In the week prior, the Prelate
was at the Vatican as part of the delegation of His Holiness on an official
visit to H.H. Pope Benedict XVI.

COMMEMORATION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIA EARTHQUAKE

Sunday, December 7th, marks the 20th anniversary of the earthquake
in Armenia. By the ordinance of the Prelate, special requiem services will
take place following Divine Liturgy in all Prelacy Churches.
At 6:00 p.m. on the same day, a commemoration will take place at
Glendale High School auditorium. The event has been organized by the
Armenian Consulate General of Los Angeles.
Clergy and council members will be in attendance.

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY ANNUAL CHRISTMAS GATHERING

The annual Christmas gathering of the Armenian Assembly will take
place on the afternoon of Sunday, December 7th, at the home of Stella Der
Rostomian in Glendale. During the gathering, guests will have the
opportunity to hear from newly appointed director of the Western Region
Yeghig Keshishian.
Pastor of Holy Cross Cathedral Rev. Fr. Ashod Kambouria will
represent the Prelate.

WELCOMING RECEPTION FOR MRS. ALICE PETROSSIAN

The Armenian National Committee Pasadena chapter has organized a
welcoming reception for Mrs. Alice Petrossian who was recently appointed
Chief Educator Officer of the Pasadena Unified School District. The
reception will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, December 7th, at the
Pasadena Armenian Center.
Pastor of St. Sarkis Church Rev. Fr. Khoren Babochian will represent
the Prelate.

DAVIDIAN AND MARIAMIAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION ANNUAL BANQUET

On the evening of Tuesday, December 2nd, the annual banquet of
Davidian and Mariamian Educational Foundation took place at Renaissance
banquet hall in Glendale.
At this year’s banquet, Vahan and Anoush Chamlian School was honored
as "Educational Institution of the Year" and Dr. Onnig Hairabedian as
"Educator of the Year".
Rev. Fr. Gomidas Torossian attended and conveyed the Prelate’s
blessings and remarks.

OATH OF OFFICE CEREMONY OF SUPERVISOR
MICHAEL ANTONOVICH

On the morning of Monday, December 1st, the Oath of Office Ceremony
for Los County Supervisor Michael Antonovich took place at the Kenneth Hahn
Hall of Administration in Los Angeles. The ceremony was followed by a
reception.
Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian and Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian attended
on behalf of the Prelate and wished the Supervisor success in his service.

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 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CILICIAN SEE
ACTIVELY CONTINUES ITS SESSIONS

Under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I the General Assembly of the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia continued its sessions with the same vigor
on its second day of meetings on December 3, making the primary focus of its
discussions the report of the Executive Committee.

The participants engaged in an in-depth discussion of the voluminous written
report, which included details of the activities carried out by the
Executive Committee, starting with the national and local levels to the
pan-Diaspora, Pan-Armenian and international levels.

The General Assembly made a comprehensive assessment of the Committee’s
activities, commending its impressive achievements despite shortages in man
force and financial means.

The organization of conferences around various educational, youth-related,
ecclesiastical, inter-faith, intellectual and scientific conferences, among
others, was considered to have been a novel phenomenon in Armenian life.
Particular attention was also paid to the Catholicosate’s publishing
activities, which featured some monumental publications with the unwavering
support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Department.

The Cilician See’s active pursuit of the human rights of its people was
underlined through an acknowledgement of Pontiff’s personal efforts in
international circles.

The Assembly also dedicated sessions to the construction activities carried
out by the Catholicosate both on its own property and in Artsakh, namely the
construction of the village to be renamed "New Cilicia".

Another important issue on the agenda was the mutual relations between the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Catholicosate of All Armenians.
The Assembly re-stated the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s position to continue
demonstrating a brotherly spirit, stay committed to the Cilician See’s
principles in preserving the Armenian nation’s and Church’s unity. As such,
the Catholicosate of Cilicia will continue to cooperate with St.
Etchmiadzin, with renewed vigor, on the basis of pan-Armenian interests and
ideals.

The mutual cooperation between the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the
government of Armenia was positively assessed.

In addition to a an in-depth discussion of the items on the agenda, the
General Assembly also worked actively on setting new paths along which the
Catholicosate of Cilicia’s services could develop. The meeting went beyond a
limited, narrow exchange of ideas to setting new prospects for realizing
nation-building, church-building and homeland-building objectives.

In respect to these issues His Holiness Aram I shared his perspectives
stressing the decisive importance of strengthening the unity of our church
and nation, revitalizing the mission of the Church.

The Assembly will continue its sessions over the next few days.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos344.htm
*****
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

THE SHNORHALI CHOIR CARRIED ITS AUDIENCE TO THE ENCHANTING DEPTHS OF
ARMENIAN MUSIC

The Catholicosate of Cilicia’s "Shnorhali" Choir and its Artistic Director,
Zakar Keshishian, put on their latest dazzling performance during a concert
organized under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I on the sidelines of the
General National Assembly convening in Antelias. The Assembly participants,
members of the Cilician Brotherhood, and art lovers attended the concert in
the "Siran Manoukian" hall of the Yeghishe Manoukian College on December 4.

The concert started with a generally unheard variant of the Lord’s Prayer,
followed by a series of new performances of medieval songs. Included on the
program of patriotic songs were Vahakn Tavtian’s "Khatchkar" (music by
Robert Bedrossian), Avedik Isahagian’s "Ararati Dzer Gadarin" (music also by
Bedrossian), Yuri Sahagian’s "Norits Vodki, Norits Haratch" (music by Stepan
Shakarian) and Kevork Garabedian’s "Hey Katch Zinvornere" (music also by
Shakarian).

Under the highly competent and professional artistic guidance of Zakar
Keshishian, the many singers in the choir became one voice, transporting
their audience to the enchanting depths of Armenian music.

A beautiful list of folk and ashoughagan (troubadour) songs from the
immortalized Sayat Nova, Krikor Suini, Gomidas, Ganatchian and Ashod Kraschi
were also presented to the audience, ending with Nahabed Rousinian’s
"Cilicia" masterpiece (music by Gabriel Yeranian). The Artistic Director’s
participation with the Duduk and the Shevi in some songs brought the
homeland to life in the hall of the concert, conveying the true spirit of
Gomidas’ and Ganatchian’s folk songs.

Speaking at the end of the concert, His Holiness Aram I highly praised the
members of the Choir and its Artistic Director, stressing the importance of
preserving the true character of Armenian music.

The audience left the concert hall having satisfied its thirst for a high
quality artistic performance of Armenian music.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos345.htm#4
*****
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