Month: June 2022

Washington and Paris stopped contacts with Russian Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group – Zakharova

Boshkezenian Garik

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 15:31,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Moscow doubts the sincerity of the statement of Washington to continue the cooperation with Russian within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly press briefing in  response to the question of Lurer news program.

“If Washington and Paris had really considered important the unique mediation format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, they would not have ignored that mandate approved by all participating states of the OSCE and would not have demonstratively stopped the contacts with the Russian Co-Chair on February 24 without any consultation. This caused an irreversible damage to the work of the Co-Chairs. And now they are making such statements”, she said.

Zakharova said that the United States and France have not provided yet a concrete explanation over this step.

She stated that Russia is interested in the normalization of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Armenia presents its information technology adavnces at Orion summit in Yerevan

Boris Nahapetian


  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Orion technology summit in Armenia

“Armenia has a great potential for success in the field of information technology”, both the organizers of the Orion Summit technology conference and its participants declared one after another.

The founders and representatives of foreign tech giants have arrived to participate in the summit.

The event is organized by the Orion Worldwide Innovations Center for Startup Growth and Connected Ecosystems.

  • “Armenia can repeat the success of Singapore” – Russian entrepreneurs continue to flock to Yerevan
  • Armenia needs five times more programmers – preliminary count
  • Launched in secret: Armenia’s first satellite joins Earth orbit

Orion Summit is held for the first time. The goal of the technology summit is to support Armenian startups and to give them the opportunity meet the world’s largest tech companies.

During the conference, the most relevant topics for the development of the IT sector, and the techno sector were discussed. The participants of the summit paid special attention to the possibilities of creating future Armenian Unicorn companies (private start-up companies, the value of which exceeds $ 1 billion in 10 years from the moment of their creation). The directions of “development of the fast-growing Armenian market” and the launch of the “Digital Julfa Network” were also discussed.

The Digital Julfa Network initiative, as conceived by its authors, should unite the technological, commercial and cultural potential of Armenia, and help strengthen Armenia’s intellectual position in the world.

“The 300-year-old network of Armenian merchants in New Julfa was a powerful trade route from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. Now, as an evolution of world-class innovation, we are creating the Digital Julfa Network, which will bring together the technological, financial, business, legal and cultural potential of Armenia,” said Emma Arakelyan, Director and Founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations.

Representatives of both Armenian and leading foreign companies Adobe, SADA, Embodied, cognaize, Scylla, Grand Thornton, Startup Lithuania spoke during the discussions.

As a possible impetus for the rapid development of Armenian startups, the possibility of “mergers and acquisitions” was discussed.

The aim of the organizers and partners of the summit is to achieve global growth through mergers and acquisitions, promote the growth of Armenia’s GDP, and create a model of success for other emerging markets.

About 2,500 companies are registered in the Armenian startup system. The summit participants believe that in the event of a merger and enlargement, they will be able to become more competitive in the international market.

Over the past 2.5 years, the number of electric cars in Armenia has increased significantly. However, experts believe that the government could do more to encourage people to buy them

According to the Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia, Orion Summit is an initiative that really contributes to the development of the information technology sector.

David Sahakyan stressed that the summit has become a platform both for clarifying the problems of the sphere and for a joint search for solutions with international partners. In addition, he said, the event was a good occasion for the department to inform about its programs for the development of the sphere.

In particular, the ministry organizes courses on cybersecurity, blockchain, engineering, artificial intelligence, and technological entrepreneurship.

“We are positioning Armenia based not on today’s needs, but on the basis of future needs”, David Sahakyan stressed.

Orion Worldwide Innovations was founded in 2017 in the USA, and is engaged in the growth and development of startups. With offices in New York and Yerevan, Orion works with organizations around the world, including investor networks.

In 2023, the Orion summit will be held in New York and then in Frankfurt.

https://jam-news.net/armenia-presents-its-information-technology-adavnces-at-orion-summit-in-yerevan/

Embellishing Beirut with artist Lena Kelekian

David Nargizian
Lebanon –

With countless solo exhibitions and international awards to her name, multidisciplinary Lebanese artist Lena Kelekian has carved out a successful career in the art world. Here, we learn more about her journey, her contribution to the country’s artistic and cultural scene, and why the benches project on Beirut’s famed corniche boulevard is her most cherished to date.


It started in 1992, when I had my first solo exhibition at the inaugural event of the Salon de Artistes art gallery. Following the exhibition, my artwork was acquired by the Billy Graham Museum in Illinois; it is part of their permanent collection. Since then, I have had over 17 solo and 320 collective exhibitions in 65 countries.

My Olympian achievements have definitely marked my career. I won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics for Fine Arts and won a Torino Winter Olympics Torch for Lebanon, which was only awarded to a small number of gold-medal winners. In fact, I was the only recipient of the torch in the Middle East.

In 2012, I was also awarded a gold medal at the London Olympics for Fine Arts and was honored by the International Olympic Committee for my artistic endeavors and achievements.

Furthermore, I won first prize in the Sassine tunnel murals embellishment competition in 1997. My environmental design was titled “Trees of Lebanon.” More recently, following the devastating explosion of the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, I decided to create a special icon, “The Virgin Theotokos, the Protector of Lebanon,” which was auctioned off to help rebuild the homes destroyed by the blast. Thousands of copies of the icon were distributed to citizens affected by the blast, and pocket-size prints of the same icon were placed inside the little chapel at Rafic Hariri International Airport for travelers to take with them.

My city embellishment works can be viewed all over Beirut and Greater Beirut. I have more than 100 pieces of public art on display, including: the Ain Mreisse benches and the mega chess board; the Sassine and Salim Salam tunnel walls’ the 500-meter Beirut river wall, featuring floral designs; the 8-meter-high monument in Karantina displaying the “Power of Art” and the 65-meter backdrop wall; the 13-meter-long monument along the Damascus highway at the Aley roundabout; and the 60-meter Kempinski Summerland resort jetty and 300-meter marina wall, which depicts a shoal of fish. Elsewhere, I worked on the Haigazian University stele and the Armenian Genocide “Forget-me-not” monument, which can be seen on campus.

My murals can also be spotted in public gardens across Nabaa, Bourj Hammoud and Achrafieh. These projects are very special to me, as we wanted to transform former wastelands into playgrounds for children.

CMC Clemenceau Medical Center in Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh and other hospitals also showcase my work. It is hugely rewarding to help soothe the pain of patients and their families with colorful art.

Finally, my artworks can be found in over 23 museums, from Japan to Mexico.

The Ain Mreisse – Avenue de Paris Corniche benches project is the dearest to my heart because of the impact it has had on visitors, tourists and people frequenting the promenade on a daily basis. Each bench has become a landmark, combining functionality with artistic design and cultural interaction.

In addition, the art therapy project titled “Beirut Heals through the Arts” was our direct intervention through our MEADOWS NGO, which I established in 2007. The members trained in Greece and Jordan as art therapists, and we put their know-how to great use following the Beirut explosion to help heal the psychological wounds of hospital nurses, social workers and the youth.

In April, I curated the “Meadows Mask Art – Venice 2022” art exhibition installation, with the participation of 100 international artists from 65 countries within the Venice Biennale. Similarly, I am curating the 19th Asian Biennale in October 2022, which will showcase the works of 500 artists from 100 countries.

My upcoming exhibitions will be in Mexico, Romania and China.

In my art studio.

I love nature. My favorite area is Bois de Boulogne, Metn, where I spend time in my summer house relaxing or creating art pieces and hosting dear friends. I also love clubbing and discovering new restaurants!

https://www.lebanontraveler.com/en/magazine/lena-kelekian/ 






Lavash: Tradition meets innovation in Austria’s first Armenian restaurant

Karagyozian Lena
CREME GUIDES
Wednesday,
Pomegranate wine. The first and only thing that came to my mind when I thought of Armenian cuisine. Harutyun Hakobyan and his mother Narine opened Lavash to combat this (because many people in this country feel the same way I do). Their mission: to bring the “taste of Armenia” to the plate and familiarise the Viennese with the cuisine of the small Caucasus country.

Lavash – here comes the first lesson of the evening – is the name of the thin bread that is ubiquitous in Armenia and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014. Also indispensable: nuts, cereals, legumes, many herbs and, yes, the pomegranate also appears in many dishes – as a raw fruit or as a syrup, the “balsamic of Armenia”, as Harutyun says.

This is also the case in the beetroot tartare we get as a starter. Fresh and creamy thanks to sour cream (lesson two: sour things like yoghurt and co. play a significant role in Armenian cuisine), topped with crunchy beetroot and accompanied by crispy baked lavash wedges.

“When you eat Armenian food, you travel 2500 years back in time,” says Harutyun. It is one of the oldest cuisines in the world, he says. Mama Narine gives these traditional dishes a modern makeover, serving the classic Armenian dolma (vine leaves stuffed with beef and vegetables) with yoghurt-garlic foam instead of simple sauce.

Narine Manukyan has worked as a cook in Tyrol for over 20 years, most recently as head chef in an Austrian restaurant. But for a long time, she and her son dreamed of having their own restaurant. She is proud of the traditional cuisine of her home country and especially proud that they have opened the country’s first Armenian restaurant with their Lavash.

Her eyes light up when she talks about food. About their recipes, which “all come from the family, from grandmas and great-grandmas”. About personal kitchen secrets and creative ideas that distinguish her dishes and make them unique. If you like, you can watch her cooking in the small open kitchen where she is busy (all alone!). “I don’t trust anyone,” she says with a laugh. “That’s why I have to cook everything myself.”

Good thing, I think to myself as I take the first spoonful of her spas. Spas is a yoghurt-based soup with hulled wheat, fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds and lavash chips – one of the most traditional Armenian dishes. It is lukewarm, which suits this summer evening wonderfully. The combination of yoghurt and wheat may sound unusual (to our palates) but makes perfect sense taste-wise. We use the soft flatbread to scrape the last bits out of the bowl.

With the soup, we drink white wine from the Karas winery: behind it is a family that returned to its Armenian homeland after many years in Argentina to make innovative wines. Wine culture in Armenia goes back many thousands of years. “Many people think of sweet wines first,” Harutyun says. I was no different. But, and here comes the subsequent learning, “In the last ten years, the wine landscape has completely reinvented itself.”

The result is wines like Kraki Ktor, made from the local Kangun grape variety, which tastes of bitter orange, and is fruity but not a bit sweet, rather mineral, as the vines grow in the volcanic soil around the sacred Mount Ararat.

Mount Ararat is the national symbol of Armenians – you can find it in their passports, on their coins, on their football shirts – even though it is no longer on Armenian soil but on Turkish ground. Armenia, squeezed between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, was under foreign rule for a long time. Again and again, they had to cede territories to neighbouring countries, and to this day, there are border disputes. As a result, many people have left the country.

That is why the kitchen is so important as a symbol of identity, says Harutyun. Mother and son not only want to pass on their country’s culinary heritage but also want to do a little cultural mediation work. Do I know any famous people from Armenia? He asks me before the main course? I have to pass. And I learn that the singer Cher, the French chansonnier Charles Aznavour and the Kardashians all have Armenian roots. The first Viennese coffee house was also opened by an Armenian in 1685.

After this little history lesson, Harutyun brings our main courses: Butter-soft, juicy aubergines stuffed with minced meat and tomato sauce. As a vegan variant, the Garni yarakh is also available with bulgur. Just one of many plant-based dishes on the menu here.

Our second main course, Tsaghkazart, is also vegan: baked flower cabbage with roasted nuts, pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs and creamy cashew sauce. This, too, is a modern creation by chef Narine, which – like everything from her kitchen – comes beautifully presented to our table.

Our evening ends with sweet puff pastry (“handmade, of course”) and thick yoghurt, matured overnight like labneh. It is accompanied by Armenian brandy (which I had never tasted before!) and finally, a glass of pomegranate wine.

OPENING TIMES

Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00am – 10:00pm

At lunchtime there is a separate menu with small, quick lunch dishes

ADDRESS

Lavash


Hamerlingplatz 2
1080 Vienna-district 8
.How to get there

CONTACT

[email protected]
+43 660 202 1111
.lavash.at

Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center announces opening of applications for EWC Armenia 2022

Dabaghian Diana

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 15:55,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA) announces that Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) 2022 applications are now open.  

EWC is one of the world’s largest and most diverse pitch competitions and entrepreneurship support programs for emerging entrepreneurs. Since its launch in 2019, EWC has supported more than 300,000 participants from 200 countries, awarded $2 million in cash prizes, and provided in-kind support and services valued at $150 million.

EPIC is the official lead organizer for Armenia, working in partnership with the Ministry of High Tech Industry, GIZ Armenia, Startup Armenia Foundation, National Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (NCIE), TUMO Labs, and Team Telecom Armenia.

“For the second year in a row, we strive to make the EWC Armenia a truly pan-national event that will include the entire spectrum of Armenia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, from individual entrepreneurs and the government to the IT industry and educational institutions. Thus, we place no limitation on the type or nature of entrepreneurial ideas and ventures that may be presented for competition in the Entrepreneurship National Cup. As a growing entrepreneurial nation, we believe we can surpass our achievements from last year and build on our global visibility and impact,” remarks Nejdeh Hovanessian, assistant director of EPIC and national coordinator of EWC in Armenia.

The National Final is open to both Armenian startup teams and those relocated in Armenia.

In the Armenian national competition, prizes will exceed $100,000.

EWC is more than just a global pitch competition with a shot at life-changing prizes. It advances entrepreneurs from all stages — idea-stage, early-stage, growth-stage, or beyond — by providing them with tools and resources to grow their ventures.

All applicants to EWC Armenia 2022 will have access to EWC Accelerates, a virtual training program that helps entrepreneurs hone their skills and increase their chances of winning national competitions and advancing to the Global Finals.

The EWC online platform also offers all contestants who start the application access to $1,000 worth of perks. All founders who complete an application to the EWC Armenia 2022 will receive access to over $25,000 worth of perks. The top EWC100 will receive $100,000 in in-kind services from partners such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Freshworks, Google Cloud, Hubspot, Stripe, Zoom, and others.

The National Finals competition for Armenia will be held in mid-August. In October, all global finalists will be invited to participate in an intensive virtual startup boot camp and the top EWC100 will advance to pitch live at the EWC Global Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November.

For those who wish to participate in EWC Armenia 2022, please register at the following website:  www.entrepreneurshipworldcup.com.

All the interested candidates can join our Info Session tomorrow (June 23) at 8 pm to learn more about the competition and ask questions.

Please, register to participate. Here’s the registration link Entrepreneurship World Cup is hosted globally by the Global Entrepreneurship Network and Monsha’at.

The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a platform of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for promoting entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and startup venture incubation. EPIC provides an ecosystem for emerging entrepreneurs consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspace, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors, and investors. EPIC fosters the understanding and application of entrepreneurship in students and faculty at AUA to craft high-impact multidisciplinary ventures.




Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani deputy PMs bring their positions closer on a number of issues – Zakharova

Jhanna Virabian

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 16:50,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Russia welcomes the intensification of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial working group dealing with the unblocking of regional communications, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly press briefing, in response to the question of a reporter of Armenian Public TV’s Lurer program.

“We welcome the intensification of the activity of the trilateral working group led by the deputy prime ministers of the three countries dealing with the unblocking of economic and transportation communications in South Caucasus. As you know, the working group held its 10th meeting on June 3, the sides managed to bring their positions closer on a number of issues. The discussions continued on June 16-17 on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The Russian side will continue providing close support to this process”, Zakharova said.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 22-06-22

Chatinian Lara

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 17:14,

YEREVAN, 22 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 June, USD exchange rate down by 4.39 drams to 412.62 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 5.99 drams to 434.08 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 7.76 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 6.84 drams to 505.42 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 209.46 drams to 24412.83 drams. Silver price down by 2.85 drams to 287.48 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Armenpress receives letter of gratitude for the cooperation with Orion

Ani Kharatian

ARMENPRESS receives letter of gratitude for the cooperation with Orion

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 18:45,

YERERVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. The Orion Summit 2022 in Yerevan ended with granting letters of gratitude to colleagues.

ARMENPRESS reports Orion handed letters of gratitude to the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, the American University of Armenia, the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology, the Angel Investors Club of Armenian, and other organizations.

ARMENPRESS state news agency received a letter of gratitude for its contribution to the growth of the Armenian startup ecosystem and for its cooperation with Orion Worldwide Innovations. The Public Television and News.am also received letters of gratitude.

The Orion Summit 2022 was held in Yerevan on June 22. Orion Summit 2022 is a one-of-a-kind international event bringing together globally recognized professionals from different industries, venture capitals, and Angel Investors.

Established in 2017 in the USA, Orion has offices in New York and Yerevan. Orion’s business activities include assistance in fundraising, designing go-to-market strategy, obtaining IP protection and acquiring businesses and IP intellectual assets to extract commercial value.

The new Digital Julfa Network initiative was introduced during the Summit. New Julfa 300+ year old Armenian merchants’ powerful network was running trade from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean region. Digital Julfa is its evolution at a global level, with innovation being the key driver.




Armenpress: Maria Zakharova comments on the death of an Armenian soldier in Vardenis on June 19

Manouk Vasilian

Maria Zakharova comments on the death of an Armenian soldier in Vardenis on June 19

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 20:38,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Regular incidents in certain border section between Armenia and Azerbaijan confirm the need for coordinated, regular work of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border delimitation commission, ARMENPRESS reports official representative of the Russian MFA Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing, commenting on the death of an Armenian serviceman in Vardenis on June 19. 

She also stressed the importance of taking steps to improve border stability and security, as documented in the November 26, 2021 statement of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in Sochi.