Author: Andres-Papazian

U.S. EMBASSY BEGINS ISSUING TOURIST AND BUSINESS VISAS TO QUALIFIED ARMENIANS

15:21 22/12/2014 >> SOCIETY

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia is pleased to announce that the
United States will begin issuing 10-year tourist and business visas
to qualified Armenians sooner than expected.

The Embassy previously announced that the United States would
begin issuing visas in accordance with a new reciprocal arrangement
beginning January 1, 2015. Instead, effective today, Dec. 22, 2014,
the United States will begin issuing visas in accordance with the
new reciprocal arrangement.

Armenian applicants who qualify for a B-category nonimmigrant visa
may be issued multiple entry visas for up to 10 years for business and
tourist travel. Qualified Armenian students and exchange visitors and
their dependents who qualify for F, M, or J-category visas are now
eligible for multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years. Visa
application fees remain unchanged, the Embassy’s press service reports.

From: A. Papazian

LE PROGRAMME DE DEVELOPPEMENT DE L’ENERGIE PRET EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

Des mesures globales sont en cours d’elaboration actuellement en
Armenie selon l’instruction du Premier ministre pour le developpement
de l’energie a annonce le ministre de l’energie et des Ressources
naturelles Ervand Zakharyan.

Il a declare que le programme sera pret avant la fin de cette annee.

Le Directeur regional de la Banque mondiale pour le Caucase du Sud
Henry Kerali a remercie le gouvernement armenien pour la cooperation et
a parle des resultats sur l’etude realisee dans la sphère de l’energie.

Soulignant les progrès considerables qui ont ete accomplis dans ce
domaine au cours des 15 dernières annees, il a souligne la necessite
de la prochaine etape des reformes.

lundi 22 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

CEOs of Four Commercial Banks Resigned

Lragir.am
Business – 20 December 2014, 13:13

The Armenian Time reported that CEOs of four banks resigned during the
past week. The president of Artsakhbank Kamo Nersisyan, CEO of
Inecobank Avetis Baloyan, General Director of Areximbank Arsen
Khandkaryan and CEO of BTA Bank Nur Bakbergenov stepped down. The
heads of Artsakhbank and Inecobank tendered their resignations on
December 17, the newspaper reports.

The CEO of BTA Bank Nur Bakbergenov resigned last week because he is
returning to his home country Kazakhstan. The general director of
Areximbank is allegedly transferred to another position in Russia. For
the time being, the reason reasons of resignations of the CEOs of
Artsakhbank and Inecobank are not known.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY, INC.
Central Office
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: 617-926-5892
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web:

NEWSLETTER
PUBLISHED BY THE ARS, INC. U.N. COMMITTEE
ISSUE 1. VOLUME 2 DECEMBER 2014

Dear Members,
Welcome to the First Issue of the “Armenian Relief Society at the
United Nations”. We hope that you will find the newsletter a useful
tool in the update of our activities at the United Nations (UN) and
understand better the role the ARS has, and continues to play, in the
International Arena. As a volunteer organization, the ARS recruits
members who are able to give their time and energy by networking and
ensuring that the ARS priorities are shared with decision makers and
incorporated into statements and policy whenever possible.
Our representatives learn to monitor UN activities by attending annual
commissions, special sessions, Non-governmental Organization (NGO)
meetings and take every opportunity to share the mission and vision of
the ARS. We hope you will enjoy this latest version of the newsletter,
and we look forward to updating you on our activities throughout the
upcoming year.
Sincerely,
ARS UN Team and Editors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Activities in New York
New York is the headquarters for the UN, and so it is here that we
have the largest team of representatives. Major annual meetings
include the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Commission on
Social Development, and the Commission on Population and
Development. New York is also the headquarters for UN Women and the
Department of Public Information (DPI), which is the information
center for NGOs. While the Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is now based in Geneva, most
meetings are still held in New York, its former base.
The ARS has been participating with United Nations activities since
1975. In 1978, the ARS was granted DPI status, and on May 28, 1998,
the ARS was granted consultative status in the Roster category with
the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be found during the
founding of the UN and is used within the UN community to refer to
NGOs in Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC. Having Consultative
Status is a privilege granted to only a select few NGOs. ECOSOC status
provides NGOs with the opportunity to participate at UN conferences
and events, make oral and written statements at these events, organize
side events, enter the UN premises, and have the opportunity to
network and lobby with diplomats, UN staff members and other NGO
representatives. DPI status is another privilege granted to NGOs
within the UN system by the Department of Public Information
(DPI). NGOs granted DPI status are given access to the UN premises and
permitted to attend meetings, conferences and events. Unlike ECOSOC
status, NGOs with DPI status do not have the additional benefits of
making oral and written statements.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FROM MDGs TO SDGs
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international
development goals that were established following the Millennium
Summit of the United Nations in the year 2000. There are eight goals
in particular: to halve the number of undernourished people; to
achieve universal primary education; to promote gender equality and
empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health;
to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to ensure
environmental sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for
development.
Each one of these goals has a set target date of achievement by the
year 2015. We are very close to the year 2015, and these goals have
not been met yet in all parts of the world. Although these goals have
not yet been completely achieved in all geographical regions, for the
past two years, the United Nations has been working on a new set of
goals post-2015.
These post-2015 goals are called the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). On July 19, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly’s Open
Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals forwarded its proposal
for a set of SDGs to the Assembly. The proposal contains 17 goals with
169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues,
including ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education,
making cities more sustainable, combating climate change, and
protecting oceans and forests. The purpose of these goals will be to
“narrow the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should
be”.

THIS YEAR’S SUCCESS
The Committee on Non-governmental Organizations, also known as CoNGO,
based in Geneva and New York alternately, was established 66 years ago
to support NGOs within the UN system. Its mission is to facilitate,
through various means of development, a dynamic and informed
world-wide NGO Community able to influence policies and actions at all
levels of the United Nations. On April 4, 2014 during the Conference
of NGO’s General Assembly, Armenian Relief Society was elected as an
Executive Member of the CoNGO Board from 2014 to 2017.

ACTIVITES OF ARS IN NEW YORK
Currently, the ARS has been an active member with four specific NGO
Substantive Committees within CoNGO: first, the NGO Committee on the
Status of Women; second, the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development;
third, the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights; and fourth, the NGO
Committee on Human Rights; as well as the Working Group on Girls. In
addition to being an Executive Member of the CoNGO Board, the ARS has
been part of the Executive Committee of the NGO Committee on the
Status of Women (CSW) for the past year and a half.

RESULTS FROM CSW SIDE EVENT ON SEX SELECTION
A few years ago, ARS, Inc. discovered through UNFPA Armenia (United
Nations Population Fund) the issue of “Sex Selection”. In Armenia, sex
selection comprises selective abortions of female fetuses. Driven by
strong son preference, the use of prenatal sex determination
technology and declining fertility, this trend hinders progress toward
gender equality and has serious social, demographic, and health
implications.

Attendees of the CSW ARS side event on Sex Selection, in 2014.

ARS members at the CSW58 session, in NYC.

ARS is proud to claim a major influence in helping eradicate the
much-repudiated practice of sex selection in Armenia. ARS UN
Committee organized a panel discussion during the Commission on the
Status of Women 58 (CSW58) in 2014, in partnership with World Vision
while advocating with the Armenian Mission to the UN. After two years
of hard work, in May 2014, Armenia’s Health Ministry introduced a
bill to the parliament that will ban the fetal gender determination
until the 30th week of pregnancy. About 20 ARS members from the
Eastern Region and Canada participated at the Sex Selection side
event.

ARS members from New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Montreal, at
the CSW58 forum, in 2014.

DPI NGO CONFERENCE 2014
ARS NGO Representatives participated in the 65th Annual DPI/NGO
Conference held August 27 to August 29, 2014. Ungerouhi Nory
Boiatchian, a Youth Representative for the ARS, had been involved in
the planning process of the conference as part of the DPI/NGO Youth
Sub-Committee. The purpose of the conference was to harness the
strategies, expertise and resources across the broadest spectrum of
civil society to include poverty eradication, sustainability, human
rights, and climate justice in the mainstream discourse and to spark
sustained public demand for political action in support of ambitious
outcomes from the post-2015 sustainable development process. A
conference declaration was produced as a result of the meetings in
order to frame an ambitious “Action Agenda” for civil society networks
and activists to look at and follow.

69th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ARS members attended the 69th Session of the General Assembly open
debate. They heard President Barack Obama and various other heads of
State address the Assembly. Armenia’s President, Serzh Sargsyan, also
addressed the Assembly on various issues related to Armenia’s national
foreign policy.

ARSers attending the 69th Session of the General Assembly.

UN ACTIVITIES IN GENEVA
As part of the Executive Committee of the NGO Commission on the Status
of Women (CSW), ARS UN Coordinator attended the NGO CSW Geneva Forum
on November 3-5, 2014 alongside ungerouhiner in Geneva. The Forum is
part of a Global Regional Review to celebrate and help implement the
Beijing Platform for Action which took place almost 20 years ago in
Beijing and produced an unmatched document that addresses women’s and
girl’s rights, signed by 187 member states. Ungh. Armik Yeromian of
Geneva and Ungh. Houry Geudelekian of New York participated in many
round table discussions and submitted strong recommendations in the
outcome document.

Yeromian and Guedelekian at the NGO CSW forum in Geneva.

For more information, visit:

* []
Outcome document:

*
[]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ARS UN Executive Committee

* Pauline Getzoyan – USA, CEB liaison
* Rosie Bedrosian- USA, CEB liaison
* Valentine Berberian – USA, Chairperson
* Stephanie Killian – USA, Advisor
* Lara Nercessian – USA, Communications Coordinator
* Tamar Der Bedrosian- Lebanon
* Frida Kezelian-Hadjian- Armenia
* Araxie Apelian-Kolanian- Greece
* Lucy Pamboukjian- South America
* Lucy Pampalian- Australia
ARS UN Representatives in New York

* Suzi Azarian
* Valentine Berberian
* Nory Boiatchian
* Carol Jaffarian
* Linda Tarzian
ARS UN Representatives in Geneva

* Dorine Kouyoumjian
* Armik Yeromian
* Annie Yeromian-Sallier
ARS UN Coordinator

* Houry Geudelekian
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING UN EVENTS

* Armenian Genocide Centennial Event at UN New York Headquarters from
March 5 to March 6, 2015.

* The fifty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women
(CSW59)will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from
March 9 to March 20, 2015.

LINKS OF INTEREST

* Sustainable Development Goals:
[]
* DPI/NGO Conferences: []
* NGO Committee on the Status of Women: []
* Millennium Development Goals: []
* CoNGO:

From: A. Papazian

ITAR-TASS, Russia
December 17, 2014 Wednesday 07:12 PM GMT+4

Speaker urges settlements in national currencies in Eurasian Union

MOSCOW December 17.

. The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member countries should more
actively use national currencies in mutual settlements, the speaker of
the Russian Federation Council upper house of parliament said on
Wednesday

“This is a major step that would be useful for the national economies
of the EEU countries,” Valentina Matviyenko told reporters, adding
however that the EEU countries should not rush into a single currency.

“A single currency may appear only when it will be in demand from the
national economies of the four countries,” she said, noting that it
had taken the European Union long to adopt a single currency, and even
now not all EU countries were ready to join the eurozone.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Federation Council ratified a treaty on
Armenia’s entry into the Eurasian Economic Union.

The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan came into
existence on January 1, 2010. In May 2014, the presidents of the three
countries signed an agreement on the Eurasian Economic Union, which
comes into effect on January 1, 2015.

Before that date, the parliaments of Belarus and Kazakhstan must
ratify the treaty on Armenia’s joining the EEU. –0-zhe/

From: A. Papazian

Anti-Semitism in Armenia
By Alexander Murinson
Dec. 17, 2014

[Murinson, PhD, is a professor at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic
Studies, Bar-Ilan University International; Advisory Board member of
Outre-Terre, the European Journal of Geopolitics; and author of
Turkey’s Entente with Israel and Azerbaijan: State Identity and
Security in the Middle East and Caucasus.]

While the Armenian diaspora clamors for international recognition of
their treatment during World War I, at the same time Armenians have a
dirty secret crying for international recognition: brazen
anti-Semitism and a profound hatred of Israel. This hypocritical
streak runs deep within Armenian society.

Horrifically, many Armenians have taken to addressing Jews as `ocar,’
the Armenian word for soap. This is an underhanded reference to the
Nazi practice of turning corpses of the victims of their extermination
camps into soap, wallets, lampshades and other `useful’ things. It has
taken far less obvious intolerance to destroy a political campaign,
yet, incongruously, certain members of Congress support the agenda of
Armenia and its diaspora.

In the Armenian body politic today, anti-Semitism is readily relied
upon to besmirch or delegitimize political opponents. WikiLeaks cited
a 2008 U.S. Department of State cable subtitled `ARMENIAN PRESS
CONTINUES TO USE ANTI-SEMITISM TO VILIFY THE OPPOSITION.’ Beginning in
mid-May 2008, pro-government print media and state-run public
television made outlandish anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic accusations
against leaders of political opposition with gusto. Even a former
Armenian president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, did not escape paranoid
anti-Semitic diatribes against him in Armenian print media and even
state-run television, simply because his wife is fabled to be Jewish.

According to the cable in WikiLeaks, the accusations appeared in
several scathing articles in the pro-government Russian-language Golos
Armenii (Voice of Armenia) and Armenian-language Hayots Ashkhar
(Armenian World) dailies. The articles portray Ter-Petrossian is as a
traitor to Armenia and claim his true allegiance lies to the West —
particularly to Israel and the Freemasons. Both papers also published
an article entitled “Levon Hakob Ter-Petrosan or Levon Frayim
Pliskovsky — Armenian National Congress or Jewish Congress?” The
author questions Ter-Petrossian’s loyalty to the Armenian state by
speculating on his alleged conspiratorial meeting with a wealthy
Russian Jewish businessman where he presumably received $100-200
million USD for his presidential campaign. The author then claims
that “the Jewish-Masonic lobby spent $65-70 million USD on the same
campaign.

American-Jewish organizations, who visited Armenia on good will
missions through the years following Armenian independence in 1991,
received their share of anti-Semitic vitriol in the Armenian press. If
these assertions are to be believed, the May 27-28, 2011 visit to
Armenia of representatives of the American Jewish Committee was for
Ter-Petrossian to receive further instructions on how to advance the
Jewish cause. “It will be extremely interesting to ask L.
Ter-Petrossian why the members of the Jewish-American Committee (sic)
(arguably the most effective and prestigious Jewish organization in
the United States and Europe) are arriving in Armenia on May 27-28?
It should be noted that those arriving in Armenia are not ordinary
members of the organization but rather, its leaders, i.e. Peter
Rosenblatt, Barry Jabes (sic) and John Waters. According to available
information, the leaders of the Jewish organization want L.
Ter-Petrossian to report to them on his accomplishments; thereafter,
they will specify the ex-President’s further steps in the following
three directions: 1. Armenia’s domestic problems; 2. US-Armenian
relations; and 3. Turkish-Armenian relations.” Such fear-ridden
propaganda has become regular fare in the Armenian press today, and
has created a Nazi-reminiscent atmosphere. As this climate of
vilification in Armenia spreads, the small remnant of Jews in Armenia
unsurprisingly lives in fear.

The Jewish community in Armenia is caught in a limbo between not
upsetting the authorities vs. the need to raise an alarm about
Armenia’s increasingly hostile atmosphere towards Jews. In a country
with state-controlled media, it is almost impossible to find criticism
of the current government’s anti-Semitic campaign; only the lone voice
of Rimma Varzhapetian, head of Armenia’s Jewish community, has raised
an alarm. According to the WikiLeaks cable, Ms. Varzhapetian
expressed her distress about the articles, calling them “a provocation
and a kindling of anti-Semitism.” She added that “I am afraid to
think that this has the backing of the people in power.” Varzhapetian
said that she has no plans for a public response, though she believes
it is incumbent upon the international community to condemn the
hateful rhetoric. She noted with concern that people are starting to
believe such hateful lies, including some of her acquaintances. They
have reacted to her remonstrations about the anti-Semitic articles by
attributing her objections to the fact that she is Jewish.

Since ancient times, Armenian lands were not welcoming of Jews, yet
their South Caucasus neighbors, Georgia and Azerbaijan, proudly claim
the mantle of protection and tolerance towards their Jewish
compatriots. The American tax payers spend quite a lot of money each
year as `friends of Armenia’ via acts of Congress. Perhaps it is time
for Congress (and the American voters) to reconsider?

From: A. Papazian

ARMEE ARMENIENNE
Au village frontalier d’Ardzvapert 12 nouveaux appartements remis aux
familles des officiers de l’Armée arménienne

Lors d’une cérémonie, Seyran Ohanian le ministre arménien de la
Défense a remis au village frontalier d’Ardzvapert (région de Tavouche
au nord-est de l’Arménie) les clés de 12 appartements à des officiers
de l’Armée arménienne. Ainsi 12 familles d’officiers seront les
propriétaires d’appartements leur permettant d’assurer le confort de
leurs familles. Seyran Ohanian a promis que prochainement dans la
région de Tavouche, 50 autres familles d’officiers disposeront
également de leur appartement. Profitant de cette cérémonie de remise
des clés des appartements, le ministre de la Défense, accompagné du
ministre de la Justice Hovhannés Manoukian et du préfet de la région
de Tavouche ont visité les positions frontalières et conversé avec les
soldats afin de s’informer sur leurs conditions de vie et de
l’exercice de leurs activités de défense frontalière.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 21 décembre 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

AYF Australia gets Robertson’s book on Armenian Genocide into Libraries

Source: armenia.com.au | Wednesday, 17 December 2014

SYDNEY: The Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF Australia) has
announced it has succeeded in getting libraries around the country to
purchase and display “An Inconvenient Genocide”, which is Geoffrey
Robertson’s recently-released book on the Armenian Genocide.

Over the past month, AYF Australia worked closely with libraries in
Sydney and Melbourne, writing letters and making phone calls, to
ensure this book – which unequivocally proves the legal case of the
Armenian Genocide – is available to be borrowed by community members,
as well as students who study the Armenian Genocide as part of the NSW
syllabus.

Australia’s largest Armenian youth organisation was pleased to
announce the following libraries have purchased the book:

NSW State Library
VIC State Library
Melbourne City Library
Mount Waverley Library
Willoughby Library
West Ryde Library
North Sydney Stanton Library
Macquarie University
Sydney University Fisher Library
Marrickville Library
Mosman Council Library
Turramurra Library
Parramatta City Library

From: A. Papazian

TURQUIE
Une université turque lance un concours sur le génocide commis sur les
Turcs par les Arméniens

Une université Ã Ankara a ouvert un concours controversé d’affiche
pour marquer le 100e anniversaire des événements de 1915 dans une
perspective inattendue Р`se souvenir du g̩nocide commis par les
Arméniens contre les Turcs` rapporte le journal turc Hurriyet.

`Le concours, intitulé « Alors que tout le monde dormait : Atrocités
arméniennes de l’Anatolie au Caucase,` sera organisé par le Faculté
des Beaux Arts de l’Université Gazi d’Ankara, et sera ouvert à tout le
monde` selon un communiqué des organisateurs.

Une exposition aura lieu après la compétition et les gagnants seront
admis aux spectacles organisés en Turquie et Azerbaïdjan, a ajouté le
communiqué.

L’objectif de la compétition est décrit par ses organisateurs comme
étant « de rappeler aux gens le génocide commis par les Arméniens
contre les Turcs, pour mettre fin aux revendications du soi-disant
génocide arménien et aux campagnes de dénigrement, de contribuer à la
lutte de ceux qui résistent face à l’injustice contre la nation
turque, de faire que les résistants sentent qu’ils ne sont pas seuls
et à part la douleur d’élever la conscience et l’étendre aux masses `.

Le communiqué annonçant la compétition a également été accompagnée par
une longue interprétation des années qui ont précédé 1915, affirmant
que les Arméniens ont connu un `ge d’or` de leur histoire sous la
domination ottomane, en particulier entre les 15e et 19e siècles

`Pendant le règne du sultan Mehmet le Conquérant, ils ont été reçu un
maximum de liberté de pensée et de foi. Le Patriarcat arménien a été
créé pour gérer les activités religieuses et sociales de la communauté
arménienne. La période allant jusqu’au 19ème siècle – quand ils
vivaient aux côtés des Turcs – a été enregistré dans l’histoire comme
l’ge d’or des Arméniens, ` dit le communiqué ajoutant que les
circonstances ont changé` avec les émeutes d’Arméniens, sous
l’incitation de certains pays occidentaux ».

`Ils ont enflammé de nouvelles émeutes en divers lieux de l’Anatolie,
principalement dans Zeytun et les montagnes du Musa, et lancé des
attaques sur les convois transportant des munitions et de la
nourriture pour les champs de bataille. Afin de prévenir les activités
susceptibles de nuire à l’armée, le gouvernement ottoman décida
d’évacuer les Arméniens vivant dans la zone des émeutes,
principalement dans les provinces du sud-est [de] Van, Mouch, Bitlis,
Çatak et Erzurum.

En conséquence, les plans ont été faits pour assurer la migration des
Arméniens à Mossoul en Irak. Le but n’était pas de les détruire, mais
de maintenir la sécurité de l’État et de protéger la communauté, ` dit
la déclaration se référant à la réinstallation forcée des Arméniens
comme une« nécessité ».

`Malheureusement, les victimes se sont produits à la suite des
attentats commis par les Arméniens au cours de leur voyage vers la
région de Mossoul en 1915,` indique le communiqué, ajoutant que ces
victimes étaient maintenant `exagérées par les gouvernements et les
groupes d’une manière biaisée.`

`Alors que les décès ont été causés par des maladies épidémiques et la
faim, la majorité des pertes a été connu en raison de la guerre
russo-ottomane par les Arméniens fuyant vers la partie russe. En
outre, les dossiers d’archives montrent que près de 2 millions de
musulmans ont également perdu leur vie dans des incidents semblables
`, indique le communiqué, ajoutant que les victimes arméniennes
n’étaient pas de 1 million, mais d’environ 50000.

`Les vrais malades de la Première Guerre mondiale étaient les Turcs,
qui avaient été massacrés par les Arméniens. Les gangs arméniens qui
ont organisé les attaques contre les troupes turques au début de la
déclaration de la mobilisation ont sérieusement nui aux civils en
menant des raids sur des villages turcs `, indique le communiqué.

Pendant ce temps, un universitaire de l’Université d`Eylül à İzmir a
récemment fait les manchettes après avoir exigé que ses élèves
préparent un document sur les meurtres de 1915 et `prouvent avec des
documents qu’il n’y a pas eu de génocide arménien.`

dimanche 21 décembre 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee – Western USA
104 North Belmont
Street, Suite 205
Glendale, CA 91206
Tel: 818.646.1166
Fax: 818.646.1177

December 20, 2014
Contact: Berdj Karapetian(818) 426-1178

Lord Cultural Resources to Help Develop Master Plan forArmenian
American Museum Glendale, CA – An internationally recognized
firmspecializing in planning services for museums andcultural centers
started work this week on developing themaster plan for the Armenian
AmericanMuseum in Glendale, California.

The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Western US(AGCC)
leadership participated in aworkshop this week conducted by Lord
Cultural Resources (Lord)consultants to define the vision for
theMuseum and formulate the guiding principles for the masterplan
phase of the project.

Founded in 1981 in response to an emerging need forspecialized
planning services in the museum,cultural and heritage sector, Lord is
recognized as theworld’s largest cultural professional
practice. Withthe successful completion of more than 2,000 projects in
52countries on 6 continents, the firm has earnedan international
reputation for sector leadership,innovation and excellence.

Lord offers a comprehensive range of integrated servicesincluding
master planning, cultural and heritagetourism planning, facility
planning, architect selection,exhibition design, project management,
trainingand recruitment.

The firm was instrumental in developing the conceptual andmaster plans
for the recently completedCanadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg
and theNational September 11th Memorial andMuseum in New York. Lord
has also provided consulting andplanning services to the Los
Angelesbased Japanese American National Museum and CaliforniaAfrican
American Museum.

The AGCC earlier this month launched the search for anarchitect to
design the Museum. Interestedarchitects can obtain a complete request
for qualifications(RFQ) packet by writing
[email protected]. Responses to the RFQare due by
January 21, 2015.

In the coming weeks, the AGCC will organize communityoutreach meetings
and assemblies to engagelocal residents and the public in the planning
andfundraising phases of the Museum.

The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Western UShelps oversee,
coordinate and organizeevents and activities in observance of the
100th Anniversaryof the Armenian Genocide in the region.

The representatives of the following organizations andinstitutions
serve on the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee -Western USA:
Armenia Fund – Western Region USA; ArmenianAssembly of America;
Armenian Bar Association; ArmenianCatholic Church; Armenian Council of
America; ArmenianCultural Foundation; Armenian Evangelical Union of
North America;Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western
District;Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region;
ArmenianRelief Society – Western USA; Armenian Rights Council;Armenian
Youth Federation; Ignatius Foundation; Nor Or CharitableFoundation;
Nor Serount Cultural Association; Organizationof Istanbul Armenians;
Unified Young Armenians; Western Dioceseof the Armenian Church of
North America; Western Prelacy ofthe Armenian Apostolic Church Berdj
Karapetian

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any attached files contain
confidential information belonging to the sender, which is legally
privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the
person to whom this email is addressed. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying,
distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents
of this email is strictly prohibited.

From: A. Papazian