Month: February 2012

SINGERS JOINED ENVIRONMENTALISTS IN MASHTOTS AVE

03:28 pm | Today | Social

Environmental activists have gathered in Mahstots avenue in Yerevan to
continue their week-long protest against the construction of kiosks
in the green space. On Friday evening, the RA police issued a report
saying that any citizen who would join the group and interfere with
the construction would be fined.

A1+’s journalist reports from the ground that more people are joining
in the action.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Karen Movsesyan told A1+ that the citizens
had not violated any law and were silent.

Yesterday police officers had to form a human barrier to keep the
group away from the construction site. Today they have installed a
metal fence.

The environmentalists have already expressed their determination to
continue the protest as long as they achieved positive results. Today a
group of singers and musicians has joined the protesters. Many others
are expected to show up later on, activist Arpine Zargaryan told A1+
without giving any names.

The activists today cleaned the area off snow and read aloud Armenian
fables “The Wolf and the Fox,” “The End of the Evil” and others.

Despite the heavy snowfall in the Armenian capital, construction is
proceeding on the site.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY MAY VISIT ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 18, 2012 – 15:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Vladimir Ashkenazy, principal conductor of the Sydney
Symphony Orchestra and legendary pianist may pay a visit to Armenia. In
a recent interview he said he hopes to conduct in Armenia later this
year or early next. “My teacher for many years was Armenian,” he said,
according to J-Wire.

Vladimir Ashkenazy born in Gorky, Soviet Union (now Nizhny Novgorod,
Russia), to the pianist and composer David Ashkenazi and to the
actress Yevstolia Grigorievna, born Plotnova.

Ashkenazy went on to graduate from the Moscow Conservatory where he
studied with Lev Oborin and Boris Zemliansky, winning second prize in
the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1955 and the
first prize in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels in
1956. He shared the first prize in the 1962 International Tchaikovsky
Competition with British pianist John Ogdon.

Ashkenazy moved to Iceland with his wife in 1968 and became an
Icelandic citizen in 1972. In 1978, the couple, with five children
(Vladimir Stefan, Nadia Liza, Dimitri Thor, Sonia Edda, and Alexandra
Inga), moved to Switzerland.

He was the principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from
1987 to 1994 and was principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic
from 1998 to 2003. He became musical director of the NHK Symphony
Orchestra in 2004.

Besides these positions, Ashkenazy is conductor laureate of the
Philharmonia Orchestra, conductor laureate of the Iceland Symphony
Orchestra, and music director of the European Union Youth Orchestra,
with which he performs regularly.

Ashkenazy has also appeared in several Christopher Nupen music films,
conducting extracts from the composer profiled, including Ottorino
Respighi and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and performing at the piano.

He succeeded Gianluigi Gelmetti as the chief conductor and artistic
director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in January 2009.

S. TARASOV: MYTHS ABOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT

Panorama.am
18/02/2012

“Myths about Karabakh conflict” book by Stanislav Tarasov has been
published, “Regnum” news agency reported.

The book includes collection of stories authored by Tarasov. The book
unveils frauds formed over the NK conflict. “It’s time for truth,
time to unveil tragedy and heroism that took place in Karabakh,”
Tarasov said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CREATION OF PROFESSIONAL ARMY WILL INCREASE ARMENIA’S DEFENSE CAPABILITY – MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 14:55

YEREVAN. – The creation of a professional army will increase
Armenia’s defense capability, opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party MP,
and chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Defense, Arthur
Aghabekyan said during the 9th congress of Yerkrapah (War Veterans’)
Volunteer Union (YVU).

“Let me bring you an example. The recruitment of the British Armed
Forces is conducted on the basis of the cadet school. [And] It is the
sacred duty of each soldier to take part in the formation of a cadet,”
Aghabekyan noted.

In his words, the adolescents who choose the military career must be
sent to sports, military and experimental games with field clothing.

“Together with the youth, the schools, military commissariats,
[and] work must become the main components of this program,” Arthur
Aghabekyan added.

THE MAYOR OF BUENOS AIRES TO ATTEND THE CELEBRATIONS OF THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN PRINTING

armradio.am
18.02.2012 15:50

Armenian Ambassador to Argentina Vladimir Karmirshalyan had a
meeting with Mauricio Macri, the Head of Buenos Aires Government. The
Ambassador invited the Mayor to participate in the events in Yerevan
dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Armenian book-printing and the
proclamation of Yerevan as World Book Capital 2012.

The head of Buenos Aires city government said the visit to Yerevan
would promote the reinforcement of ties between the two sister-cities.

Earlier the Armenian Ambassador met with the Minister of Culture of
Buenos Aires Ernan Lombardi to discuss the details of the Argentinean
delegation’s participation in the events in Yerevan.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMAN PASHIKIAN LEADS FERDOWSI CHESS TOURNAMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 18, 2012 – 14:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – After the 8th round of 2nd Ferdowsi International
Chess Open Tournament in Mashhad, Iran, Armenian grandmaster Arman
Pashikian tops standings with 7,5 points.

He will face off against Azerbaijan’s Rasul Ibragimov in the 9th
round after scoring a win over Pouria Darini (Iran).

Meanwhile, another Armenian representative Levon Babujyan comes 7th
with 6 points.

Pashikian’s wife and Armenian women’s chess team member Maria Kursova
ranks 2nd with 5,5 points after beating Minoo Asgarizadeh (Iran).

Kursova will rival Sopiko Khukhashvili (Georgia) in the 8th round.

NISHAN KAZAZIAN’S BEIRUT: VIRTUAL AQUARIUM PROJECT IS INCLUDED IN THIS EXHIBIT

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS / NEW YORK

ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING IN THE MIDDLE EAST: 2000-PRESENT / AND / CITY
OF MIRAGE: BAGHDAD, 1952 – 1982 and related activities.

February 22 – June 23, 2012
OPENING RECEPTION:
PLEASE RSVP

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Where: At The Center

The Center for Architecture
536 LaGuardia Place
NY, NY 10012
(212) 683-0023
[email protected]

Join us for the opening of two related exhibitions: Change: Architecture
and Engineering in the Middle East, 2000-Present, New York City’s first
exhibition on contemporary architecture and engineering in the middle east;
alongside the U.S. debut of City of Mirages: Baghdad, 1952-1982.
6pm doors open 7pm performance by Heather Raffo and Salaam, Iraqi maqam
and jazz

Cost: free

Architectural production in the Middle East ranges from the preservation of
heritage, social housing, governmental buildings, and tourist resorts to
mega theme parks, supertall towers, knowledge cities, sustainable cities,
and artificial islands. CHANGE: Architecture and Engineering in the Middle
East, 2000-Present shows how architects and engineers have participated in
the rapid transformation of the region, translating the rich geographical,
cultural, and economic resources of the Middle East into contemporary form.

RELATED PROGRAMMING

Opening Reception
Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 6-9pm

Change in the Middle East: Preserving the Past, Inventing the
Future
Saturday, February 25, 2012, 11am-5pm

LIVE FEED: Middle East Collaborations
2005-2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 6-8pm

Culture and Climate: Contemporary Architectural Responses in the Middle
East
Thursday, March 1, 2012, 6-8pm

Guided Exhibition Tour
@theCenter
Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 6-7:30pm

Iraqi Culture Pre- and Post- Invasion: From Secular to Sectarian

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 6-8pm

Building ANew: Noor Theatre Presents A Reading of Short Plays by
Award-Winning Middle Eastern
Playwrights
Friday, March 16, 2012, 7pm

Faster and Bigger: Building in the Middle
East
Monday, April 2, 2012, 6-8pm

FamilyDay@theCenter
Saturday, April 14, 2012

Architecture in Baghdad, Then and
Now
Thursday, April 26, 2012, 6-8pm

The National Mosque of Baghdad Competition: A Conversation Between Denise
Scott Brown, Renata Holod and Frederic
Schwartz
Friday, May 4, 2012, 6-8pm

IRAQ FILM SERIES
Fridays throughout the exhibition duration starting at 6:30pm
February 24, 2012: About Baghdad
(2004) – Q&A
with Iraqi poet and writer Sinan Antoon and Pedro Azara, curator of Baghdad,
1952-1982
March 2, 2012: Nice Bombs
(2006)
March 9, 2012: Son of Babylon
(2010)
March 23, 2012: Daily Baghdad
(2004)
April 13, 2012: 16 Hours in Baghdad
(2004) – Q&A
with Iraqi actor Abbas Noori Abbood

back to exhibitions list

‘IRAN DOES NOT HAVE MORAL-POLITICAL RIGHT TO GIVE NOTE TO AZERBAIJAN’

News.Az
Thu 16 February 2012 12:00 GMT | 12:00 Local Time

Iran has neither moral nor political right to give note or any other
statement to Azerbaijan.

Chairman of the Azerbaijani Islamic Democrat Party Tahir Abbasli told
the statement to Gun.Az.

“I am surprised to see how Iran sends a note to Azerbaijan. And
moreover, it attempts to form spy networks in our country. Instead
of asking Azerbaijan for apology, it gives a note.

As a saying goes ‘it is easy to dance if there is no embarrassment’.

Iran’s note is alike. It wants to put its terrorist image to
Azerbaijan. Today, it’s clear to all that in essence, Iran was formed
on false ideology,” Abbasli said.

He said that Iran will gain nothing with such acts which are done to
divert the attention of its people from socio-economic and political
problems dominating in the country and make compensation by looking
for an enemy outside.

“Iran would better review its ties with Armenia instead of showing
such attitude to Azerbaijan,” the party chairman said.

From: A. Papazian

FRENCH OFFICIAL BANNED FROM EVENT IN ANKARA

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 16, 2012 – 15:40 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey hosts annual meeting of organizers of the
event honoring the memory of those perished in Gallipoli Campaign
during the First World War.

However, this year French military attache was banned from the meeting
due to deterioration of Turkish-French ties in the light of the French
Senate’s adoption of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide
denial, according to Turkish media outlets.

“Two Turks in uniforms requested the French representatives to leave
the conference hall,” Milliyet reports.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. Expected
to be signed into law by President, the bill will impose a 45,000
euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this
crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation
– from both the Senate and the lower house – said they had formally
requested the constitutional council examine the law. The groups said
they each had gathered more than the minimum 60 signatures required
to ask the council to test the law’s constitutionality. The council
is obliged to deliver its judgment within a month, but this can be
reduced to eight days if the government deems the matter urgent.

From: A. Papazian

‘STRESS TEST’ TO BE HELD IN ARMENIAN NUCLEAR PLANT

Panorama.am
16/02/2012

Security of Armenians nuclear power point is Energy Ministry’s top
priority, Minister Armen Movsisyan said in a news conference.

According to him after Fukushima disaster the European Union decided
to examine the security situation in nuclear plants during emergency
conditions.

A. Movsisyan said Armenia has also been recommended to hold “stress
test.”

“We’ve agreed to hold a stress test. It’s a pivotal issue not only for
the power plant but for the security of our country,” Minister said.