Month: May 2021

Asbarez: Library of Congress Digitizes Two 18th Century Armenian-Language Maps

Talar Tumanian

May 4, 2021



The Library of Congress has recently digitized two Armenian-language maps of Africa and Europe from the 18th century, completing the four-map set of the world that also includes Asia and America.

The maps reflect the knowledge of the period’s European cartographers and the ways in which they conveyed it (including pictorial representation of points of interest).

Prepared by Elia Endasian at the San Lazzaro degli Armeni Monastery in Venice, Italy, the maps offer a glimpse into the vast cultural contribution of this Armenian Catholic congregation.

Founded in 1700 by Abbot Mkhitar of Sebastia (Sivas in Turkey), the monastic order was a beacon of knowledge and education. The impact of the Mkhitarist fathers on the Armenian language, literature, history, philosophy, and geography cannot be overstated.

The Library of Congress houses a wealth of material published by the Mkhitarists. They include these four maps by Endasian, produced in 1786 and 1787, which are in the custody of the Geography & Map Division, the largest map repository in the world.

Asbarez: Destruction of More Armenian Monuments in Hadrut Reported

Vardan Badalian

May 4, 2021



A satellite image of the destroyed Mets Tagher cemetery in Hadrut (CHW photo)

An Armenian cemetery in the village if Mets Tagher in Artsakh’s Hadrut district has been destroyed by Azerbaijanis, who not control the area since the November 9 agreement.

A group called Caucasus Heritage Watch, which monitors and documents endangered and damaged cultural heritage using satellite imagery, reported in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

CHW, which is comprised of researchers at Cornell and Purdue Universities, said the Armenian cemetery in Mets Tagher was founded in the early 19th century and was in use when Armenians evacuated the village in 2020. Satellite imagery shows its complete destruction. Signs of bulldozer scars can be seen.

Satellite image of the Holy Savior Church in Hadrut (CHW photo)

In the same village, CHW warned, the Surb Amenaprkitch (Holy Savior) church, founded 1846, appears to be threatened by construction. As of April the area just east of the church was bulldozed, and trucks were parked in the clearing.
This is the latest in a string of reports detailing Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction, demolition or desecration of Armenian churches and monuments.

Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender reported Monday that the Ghazanchetstots Cathedral in Shushi was being dismantled, with all traces of its Armenian characteristics having been erased, including the dome of the iconic church.

Djorkaeff kicks off FIFA Foundation Campus – Armenia 2021

Toneyan Mark

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 10:22, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. FIFA Foundation Campus – Armenia 2021, a joint project by the Football Federation of Armenia and FIFA Foundation – kicked off at the Football Academy in Yerevan.

The FIFA Foundation chose Armenia as the first country for the program, the Football Federation of Armenia said in a news release.

Retired footballer and the CEO of FIFA Foundation Youri Djorkaeff was personally at the inauguration event where the 100 participating children aged 12-14 were given uniforms and presents.

The project organizes a one-week camp for children from vulnerable families, orphans, children with disabilities, and children from families of national minorities and those displaced from Artsakh.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

MP Makunts calls Azerbaijan’s distortion of Shushi’s Ghazanchetsots Church as barbarism

Nyrie Kalashian

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 11:00, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Head of the ruling My Step faction of the Armenian Parliament Lilit Makunts calls the distortion of Shushi’s Ghazanchetsots Church by Azerbaijan under the pretext of “renovation works” as barbarism.

“What is being organized by the Azerbaijani leadership can only be called a policy of a racist state which has an ethnic hatred against Armenians. It’s impossible to describe the policy of the Azerbaijani leadership as anything other than barbarism. This is a policy of a state which leaves an impression that these people do not have a cultural history and treat the Armenian culture with that approach, trying to eliminate all the traces”, Lilit Makunts said during the Parliament session today.

She stated that this issue must be under the spotlight of all international organizations, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

“Ethnic hatred towards Armenians must receive a response”, she said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Parliamentary commission’s report on 2016 April War to be discussed at closed session

Hovsep Chakrian

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 11:10, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. The report of the parliamentary commission investigating the circumstances of the 2016 April War will be discussed at a closed session, lawmakers approved with 71-1 votes.

Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan said the report includes many state secrets and therefore it’s necessary to discuss it at a closed session.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

6 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Artsakh in past day

Meline Chalian

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 11:11, 4 May, 2021

STEPANAKERT, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. 6 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in the Republic of Artsakh in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,679.

50 coronavirus tests have been carried out on May 3, the ministry of healthcare of Artsakh said.

Currently, 21 infected patients receive treatment in hospitals.

On April 19 the vaccinations against COVID-19 have launched in Artsakh.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

COVID-19: Armenia to add vaccination sites in public areas

Vicken Chmshkian

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 12:08, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. COVID-19 vaccination sites will soon be available in public locations across Armenia in order to increase accessibility for citizens willing to get the shot, Shant Shekherdimian – an Armenian-American surgeon who is now carrying out an exchange of experience for the vaccination campaign with the Armenian healthcare ministry told a news conference.

“Practical steps are already being taken in this direction. Be it a plaza, a large shopping center or a street, soon the sites will be opened,” he said. “All necessary processes related to the vaccination which are carried out at the polyclinics will also be carried out in these sites.”

Shekherdimian mentioned the slow pace of the vaccination process in Armenia, noting that it is lagging behind from international trends. He said that 7% of the global population has already been vaccinated, and there are countries for example Israel where the vaccination indicator of the population is reaching around 60%.

“4500 people have been vaccinated as of today in Armenia, and this is a low figure. Although, I have to say that the recent active awareness campaigns are showing results, and activeness is observed in the vaccination process,” he said.  The doctor noted that studies show that the benefits of vaccination are several hundred times more than the risks.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Yerevan police apprehend suspect in Mahatma Gandhi statue vandalism

Emil Lazarian

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 12:25, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenian police said they have identified and detained a man who is suspected in vandalizing the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Yerevan on April 29.

Police said the suspect is a 61-year-old man from Yerevan.

The suspect was taken to a police station for questioning where he confessed in his testimony in vandalizing the statue.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan