Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIAN SPEAKER AND PREMIER DRINK TOASTS WITH VETERANS

news.am
May 9 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan celebrated Victory Day with veterans in the
Victory Park.

The officials congratulated veterans on Victory Day drinking toasts
to Motherland and to the Victory.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanyan, representatives of diplomatic missions laid wreaths on
Monday at the monument to Unknown Solider in the Yerevan Victory Park.

Representatives of NGOs and common citizens come to the park to pay
tribute to the memory of the killed soldiers.

On May 9 Armenia marks Victory Day, Liberation of Shushi and the Day
of NKR Defense Army.

From: A. Papazian

SENOR HASRATYAN: AGAINST EACH KILLED ARMENIAN SOLDIER THE AZERBAIJANI ARMY GOT AND WILL GET INCOMPARABLY SERIOUS RESPONSE

ARMENPRESS:
YEREVAN
MAY 9, 2011

The propaganda service of the Azerbaijani defense army continues
spreading news as if the Karabakhi party is periodically violating the
ceasefire regime in different sectors of the line of contact. Speaking
to Armenpress, head of the Defense Army’s press service department
Senor Hasratyan said that especially during the recent period the
cases of violation of cease fire regime have become quite often. But
the issue is which side first initiates it and what forces and means
are being applied during the activities.

According to operative information of the Defense Army, in April 2011
the enemy violated the ceasefire regime more than 950 times during
which 6500 shots were opened from weaponry of different calibers. It
is necessary to note that during the violation of ceasefire regime
the Azerbaijani side used “o÷a”, “Black Arrow” and “ISTIGAL” sniper
guns of Turkish production.

“By the way the official Baku has many times stated that Azerbaijan is
carrying out active work toward preparation of snipers and imports
from Russia and Turkey necessary arms and clothing. It is not a
secret too that besides own forces Azerbaijan uses foreign snipers
paying them good salaries. The proof of it is the losses the Defense
Army had April 28-29. It shows that the Azerbaijani side is not only
inclined to bypass the arrangement reached at the peace talks but with
cynicism peculiar to it spread false information about the incident”,
Hasratyan said.

According to the opinion of the international experts, the tensions
in the Azerbaijani-Karabakhi contact line are exclusively agreed with
the military strategy of Baku aimed to first of all remind about
the possibility of resuming the unfinished war, second to ensure
inner-political stability in the own country and third, present
the Armenian side to the international community as initiator of
provocative actions.

And how Azerbaijan succeeds in bringing to life these ideas may become
clear from the frequency of growing inner-political uprising and of
course the neutral attitude of international community toward Baku’s
monotonous and senseless statements.

Hasratyan said during the past four months of 2011 the Azerbaijani
frontier forces violated the ceasefire regime about 3200 times killing
five Armenian soldiers and wounding 4. In the same period, according
to the statements of the Azerbaijani defense ministry the Armenian
side opened fire about 150 times. According to the same source, in the
running year about the 40% of the 51 killed and 29 wounded soldiers of
Azerbaijan is ascribed to the cases of violation of cease fire regime.

If we take into consideration this statistics of Azerbaijan, it
will appear that the rival violated the ceasefire regime 20 times
more than the Karabakhi side. But opposite to the frequency of fire
wounding, the number of losses of Azerbaijan is incomparably big and
more concretely 5 against one. And how this information corresponds
to reality is difficult to say.

“But the fact that against each killed Armenian soldier the Azerbaijani
army got and will get incomparably serious response is unequivocal”,
he said.

From: A. Papazian

4 MILLION EMAILS ABOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT SENT WORLDWIDE

Tert.am
09.05.11

Four billion e-mails illustrating the history and the current stage
of the Karabakh conflict have been sent to various locations worldwide
within a month.

Titled “Nagorno Karabakh: Truth and Facts” the program was launched by
the United Liberal National Party (ULNP) and is aimed at contributing
to the recognition of Karabakh’s independence.

The program started on April 8 and lasted till May 9.

The emails, which contained information about the historical
circumstances of the Karabakh conflict, the current stage and
real facts, were sent to several governments, non-governmental
organizations, as well as prestigious international agencies.

The ULNP activists sent the 4th billion email on Monday as the program
was summed up at a press conference.

The ULNP Secretary Gerasim Barseghyan said: “The emails sent by the
activists and supporters of our party had a large response.”

The party also used Facebook and other social networking websites to
distribute those emails.

“And the number of the emails send in Facebook and other social
networking websites is already beyond control,” said Naira Karapetyan,
another ULNP secretary.

Karapetyan, went on to say that besides insulting emails from
Azerbaijan, they received also some in which they senders thanked
them for the presentation of the facts.

Similar emails were received also from Turkey, she added.

“We managed to organize an internet campaign, something that had not
been done before,” said the ULNP secretaries.

A total of ten days will be required to summarize all the results of
the program.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE

The Genocide Education Project
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 264-4203
[email protected]

Contact:
AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles – [email protected]
The Genocide Education Project – [email protected]

May 9, 2011

GENED DELIVERS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PRESENTATION TO GLOBAL LEADERSHIP STUDENTS

Los Angeles, CA – Five hundred middle and high school students at the
Ambassador School of Global Leadership learned about the Armenian
Genocide last week at a special assembly program and discussion
presented by The Genocide Education Project (GenEd), in partnership with
the AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles (YPLA).

Suzanne Douzmanian, GenEd’s Southern California Regional Coordinator led
the discussion, which examined the political and historical context of
the Armenian Genocide, as part of the continuum of genocides of the 20th
century. She also incorporated an examination of the historical journey
of her own grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide, into the
presentation.

For many of the students, this was the first they had heard of the
Armenian Genocide. Although state law requires that the Armenian
Genocide be taught in California schools, many schools still do not
include this history in their curriculum.

`This was an eye-opening assembly for my students `Since we are part of
the International Studies Schools Network, the presentation was
especially relevant to our global leadership theme. I would definitely
ask them to come back every year.” The International Studies Schools
Association (ISSA) is a national network of schools dedicated to
improving students’ understanding of the world.

School counselor Nicole Nigosian spearheaded the event to coincide with
the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. “My grandparents were
Armenian Genocide survivors, so organizing this presentation really
meant a lot to me. I was happy to be able to share a part of my cultural
and family history with my students. In fact, I feel that this is one of
best things I could have done as a personal contribution toward
awareness and remembrance,’ said Nigosian.

`The role of GenEd, as the conduit for educating teachers and students
on the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide is an important one,’
said AGBU YPLA Chair Yeghig Keshishian. `We value the incredible work of
this organization and its behind-the-scenes approach to bridging the
educational gap on a topic that has long gone untaught in our school
curriculum.’

The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
providing instructional resources and teacher training about human
rights and genocide, with a particular focus on the Armenian Genocide.
For more information on the Genocide Education Project, please visit

YPLA is the Los Angeles Chapter of the AGBU Young Professionals–a
growing network of individuals, between the ages of 22 and 40, who
individually and collectively mirror the AGBU’s mission to preserve and
promote Armenian identity and heritage by adding dimensions to the lives
of young professional Armenians through educational, cultural, social
and humanitarian programs. For more information on how to get involved
with YPLA, please contact: [email protected]

####

Photo Captions:
– Over 500 Ambassador School students attend Armenian Genocide assembly
– GenEd’s Suzanne Douzmanian delivers Armenian Genocide presentation

From: A. Papazian

Armenia: Kobe Bryant Getting Heat for Turkish Airlines Endorsement
May 9, 2011 – 2:09pm by Liana Aghajanian

Eurasia.net

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have been bumped from the National
Basketball Association playoffs, Kobe Bryant, the team’s star, faces
an off-the-court

challenge. This winter, Bryant alienated a large segment of the
Lakers’ fan base, members of California’s large Diaspora Armenian
community, with a decision to endorse Turkish Airlines. Now, some hope
Bryant will use the off-season to make amends.

When the season started, many experts believed Bryant and his
teammates would be playing the Miami Heat in June for the NBA
championship. Now, he can only expect to get more heat from diaspora
Armenians. Bryant’s summer vacation began far earlier than expected
when his team suffered the ignominy of a 4-0 second-round series sweep
at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. The shocking way the Lakers,
defending NBA champs, exited the playoffs could end up sharpening the
residual resentment that many Armenian fans feel for Bryant.

When the two-year Turkish Airlines endorsement deal was announced last
winter, Armenian diaspora groups reacted with outrage. The Armenian
Youth Federation (AYF), the youth wing of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, as well as the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA), issued statements calling on the Lakers’ star to cancel the
deal. Given the Turkish government’s 49-percent stake in Turkish
Airlines, diaspora groups suggested that Bryant was accepting `blood
money’ because of Ankara’s refusal to acknowledge the 1915 Ottoman
Turk slaughter of ethnic Armenians as genocide [7].

The hard feelings intensified this spring as billboards featuring
Bryant, who has never been to Turkey, began popping up in southern
California to publicize the launch of direct Turkish Airlines flights
from Los Angeles to Istanbul. He also appeared in a television
commercial touting the direct flights. Turkish Airlines, which turned
a $191-million profit in 2010, is no stranger to using athletic stars
to promote its brand. The company also has endorsement deals with two
of the highest profile soccer clubs in Europe, Manchester United and
FC Barcelona.

Now that Bryant doesn’t have to concentrate on basketball again until
the fall, diaspora community leaders hope the supremely talented guard
will have time to reflect on his endorsement choice. `My hope is that
he’ll show his fans that in selling his brand, that he has not sold
his soul, and he can do that by speaking openly and honestly about the
Armenian Genocide,’ ANCA Executive Director Aram

Hamparian told EurasiaNet.org.

Bryant and his agent, Robert Pelinka, have remained mum on the matter,
despite attempts by the AYF to arrange a meeting to explain their
concerns. Pelinka and his company Landmark Sports Agency, who takes
all media queries via email, did not respond to interview requests.

Zanku Armenian, a corporate communications specialist and columnist
who has written several editorials condemning the deal, says Bryant’s
continued silence speaks volumes. `If they do nothing and continue to
ignore the situation, I think that ultimately there is going to be a
chilling effect,’ he said. `It will have set a precedent by the
Lakers and by Kobe that he is insensitive and doesn’t really care
about the community – that in of itself will be a statement.’

Armenian says the controversy reached a high point when Turkish
Airlines Director Fatma Yuceler released a statement in which she
maintained that the endorsement deal was in no way related to
`sensitive and complex controversy

over highly contested history.’ Many diaspora Armenians interpreted
the statement as being dismissive of genocide claims. Yuceler, who
appeared with Bryant at a celebration of the LA-Istanbul service’s
launch in March in Los Angeles, didn’t respond to interview requests
from a EurasiaNet.org correspondent.

Many Lakers’ fans of Armenian descent said they felt betrayed by
Bryant’s Turkish Airlines deal. `I thought he would have a better idea
of sensitive issues and people’s cultural background,’ said Max
Nazaryan, one of the disappointed Lakers fans.

But not all diaspora Armenians are ready to condemn Bryant. Anush
Avejic, whose son is an avid fan of the Lakers, asserted that the
Armenian community’s expectations of Bryant are unrealistic. `We as a
people need to move on and do something constructive and of worth,
rather than this hoopla that goes on with no outcome,’ she said. `We
spend so much time and energy and money on lobbyists just to get our
point across and our point is not being made, because we’re still in
that victim mentality.’

Editor’s note: Liana Aghajanian is a freelance writer based in Los
Angeles.

From: A. Papazian

IRAN ‘SENT WEAPONS’ TO AZERBAIJAN DURING KARABAKH WAR

Tert.am
09.05.11

Iran reportedly provided Azerbaijan with weaponry during the Karabakh
war, an Iranian Imam has said.

According to the Iranian news agency Arannews, Seid Ameli, said in a
statement that the Karabakh war created a dilemma for Iran: either to
interfere and protect Azerbaijan, which would mean a second front line
with Russia, or turn a “blind eye on the killings of brother Azeris”.

“But Iran chose the third variant: not to take part in the war openly,
but at the same time not to be an observer either,” Seid Ameli said in
the statement released on the occasion of the death of Alikram Aliyev,
the former leader of Islamic Party of Azerbaijan.

Ameli further said that though Iranian political figures have never
spoken about it, Iran sent weapons to Azerbaijani soldiers during
the battle in Shushi.

Ameli also said that Iran assisted Azerbaijan in bringing “thousands
of gunmen” to the front line from Afghanistan.

According to him, thousand of Azeris living in Azerbaijan today can
prove his words true.

From: A. Papazian

TURKEY’S MYTHS, PRAGMATISM AND THE WEST
By Mark Paredes

Middle East Matters
May 9, 2011 7:00 a.m. MDT

At first glance, Turkey appears to be behaving like a spurned lover.

After reaching out to the West for half a century, it is now
turning its sights on the Muslim world, which appears to welcome its
leadership. I see this as a pragmatic move that is both a response to
anti-Turkish feelings in the European Union and an attempt to advance
Turkey’s interests in a changing region.

However, until Turkey comes to terms with its past, it does not
deserve to become a member of a club of modern European nations that
have largely done so.

There is no question that Turkey has actively sought to gain respect
and acceptance over several decades by joining Western alliances. It
is a charter member of the UN, sent troops to fight in the Korean
War, joined NATO in 1952, has troops in Afghanistan (indeed, it has
commanded the coalition troops there four times), started accession
talks leading to full membership with the EU in 2005 and is a proud
member of the G-20 group of major economies.

In this May 19, 2007, photo, Turkish military cadets of the Kuleli
Military High School stand in front of a giant poster of modern
Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk during the Youth and Sports Day
celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey was also a dependable American ally during the Cold War and
has sought to strengthen its relationship with the United States in
recent years. President Barack Obama spent two days in Turkey during
his first official trip abroad in 2009, and Prime Minister Erdogan
reciprocated by visiting Washington in December of that year.

While many Americans remain upset with the Turkish government for
refusing to allow U.S. troops to use the country as a staging ground
for the invasion of Iraq in 2003, this decision should be evaluated
in its proper context. Turkey had allowed U.S. planes based there to
enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq for 12 years, and it subsequently
allowed American troops to use Incirlik Air Base for the rotation of
thousands of troops in Iraq. Today the base can be used to transport
non-lethal cargo to Iraq.

Given Turkey’s longstanding support for the West, what can we make
of its recent tilt towards despicable regimes like Syria and Iran,
its freezing of ties with Israel, and its attempt to play the role
of mediator in the Middle East?

It looks like the pursuit of perceived self-interest to me. Turks once
headed a great empire and believe that they have a leadership role to
play in their region. They also may feel rebuffed by their supposed
allies: Many members of the EU publicly oppose Turkish membership in
the organization and refuse to recognize Turkish rule in Cyprus. In
addition, Armenians and Kurds continually remind the world of Turkish
atrocities past and present.

Turkey’s ruling party, the AKP, has been in power for over eight
years and looks set to win yet another mandate in the upcoming
June elections. Its core is the reformist faction of the Islamist
Virtue Party (banned in 2001 for violating the country’s strict
mosque/state separation policy), along with several mainstream
conservative figures. (Basically, it’s the Muslim version of the
Christian Democratic parties found in many European parliaments.)

While previous secular Turkish governments regarded the ayatollahs
in Teheran as a major threat, the AKP has decided to include Iran as
part of its outreach to the Muslim world. I don’t like hearing the
Turkish prime minister refer to Iranian President Ahmadinejad as a
“friend” more than anyone else does, but a case can be made that this
is a pragmatic way for Turks to approach the region.

Turkey shares a long border with Iran, it has strong energy ties
to the country, and, as I outlined in my column last week, Iran’s
influence in the region is growing by the day. In addition, Turkey
believes that it is necessary to work with Iran, Iraq and Syria to
ensure that the Kurds are not permitted to establish their own country.

Sadly, last year’s freeze in Turkish-Israeli relations by Turkey was
perhaps the easiest governmental action to predict. Israel’s deadly
attack on a flotilla carrying Turkish and international pro-Gaza
activists was the pretext for the freeze, but it doesn’t take a genius
to identify the dynamic at work here.

When a predominantly Muslim country is actively reaching out to
the Muslim world, throwing the region’s – if not the world’s – most
unpopular country under the bus is a logical thing to do. It might also
make sense for the AKP to do this if, as some analysts have concluded,
the party is trying to rid the powerful army of foreign military allies
(i.e., the Israeli Army) in order to lessen its power.

Finally, the Turks may also have been responding to the perceived
lack of U.S. support for the current Israeli government, which has
the most incompetent foreign minister in its history.

Recent statements by European leaders on Turkey’s proposed membership
in the EU have made it easy for Ankara to turn its gaze eastward.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has declared, “I do not think
that Turkey has a place in Europe,” while his German and Italian
counterparts have voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of Turkey
in their club.

Turks detect an anti-Muslim bias in these statements, and it’s hard
to disagree with them. Some experts point out that it took Spain
eight years of negotiations to become a member, so the Turks need to
be more patient. One of the main impediments to Turkish membership
in the EU is Cyprus, a problem that will require not only patience,
but also pragmatism on Turkey’s part.

I have always felt that the Turks were wronged on the Cyprus issue.

Yes, the Turkish military invaded northern Cyprus in 1974, but only
after a coup d’Ã~Itat backed by the Greek military junta installed
as president a fanatical Greek nationalist, Nikos Sampson, who told
the Greek press after he was deposed that had the Turkish Army not
invaded, he would have massacred the Turkish Cypriots.

The Turks had every right to invade, but the world doesn’t see it
that way. Unfortunately, the world also fails to appreciate that the
Turkish Cypriots voted for the Annan Plan in 2004 (against the wishes
of their leader, it must be admitted), which would have established
a federation arrangement for the Turkish and Greek communities on
the island. The Greek Cypriots, who had been admitted to the EU the
previous year, voted against the plan.

In this May 19, 2007, photo, Turkish military cadets of the Kuleli
Military High School stand in front of a giant poster of modern
Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk during the Youth and Sports Day
celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey can complain about unfairness
all it wants, but here are the cold, hard facts: Greece and Cyprus
are members of the EU, and will never consent to Turkish membership
unless and until the Turks back down on Cyprus. Period. Either the
Turks want to hang onto their government in northern Cyprus, which is
recognized by no other country, or they want to join the EU. I think
the choice is an easy one to make. Anti-EU sentiment continues to
rise in Turkey, but I interpret it as an attempt by Turks to reject
a potential suitor before he can reject them.

In the end, I think that the European leaders who oppose Turkey’s
membership in the EU are correct, though perhaps for a different
reason. Great nations come to terms with their history, admit mistakes
and move on. Turkey may be a strategic nation and it may be a powerful
nation, but it is not a great nation like post-WWII Germany.

A century ago the Ottoman Turkish government organized and carried out
the Armenian Genocide, yet the Turks refuse to recognize this fact,
prosecute those who question their party line and threaten governments
that attempt to recognize the genocide.

While the current state of Turkish-Kurdish relations is not always
easy to sort out, there is absolutely no doubt as to how the trouble
started: The Young Turks organized deportations, death marches,
and forced “Turkification” of Kurds during WWI, and the post-Ottoman
Turkish government tried to forcibly assimilate Kurds.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds perished in this genocide (or ethnocide,
if you prefer). One reason why Turks are unwilling to admit that
these atrocities occurred is that some of the perpetrators were
revered heroes like Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state.

There is no question that the Young Turks, including a young Ataturk,
visited horrors upon the Kurds, and I believe that Ataturk also played
a role in the Armenian Genocide.

While these actions don’t negate the good that Ataturk did later on,
it reflects poorly on a Turkish state wanting to join a club of serious
nations that it can’t bring itself to admit that its past leaders
weren’t perfect and/or that some Turks were capable of atrocious
behavior 100 years ago.

Whether Turkey becomes a more Islamic nation should be of concern
only to Turks. After all, it’s their country. Turkey’s outreach to the
Muslim world, while sometimes troubling, should be seen as realpolitik
for a nation seeking more prestige and influence in the Middle East.

In this May 19, 2007, photo, Turkish military cadets of the Kuleli
Military High School stand in front of a giant poster of modern
Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk during the Youth and Sports Day
celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey. Moreover, I believe that Turkey
is already anticipating the eventual denial of its application to
join the EU, and is pursuing Iran as an insurance policy of sorts,
given its ascendancy in the region. That said, Turkey will ultimately
have to decide whether it is willing to give up useless myths in its
quest to become a great nation.

Whether it’s the useless Turkish government in northern Cyprus,
the denial of Ottoman cruelty or the glorification of all-too-human
political heroes, the Turks will have only themselves to blame if
the Europeans reject their application.

As they say in Ankara, “Ne ekersen, onu bicersin.” One harvests what
one sows.

Mark Paredes served as a U.S. diplomat in Israel and Mexico,
blogs for the Jewish Journal, and will begin leading tours to
Israel next year for Morris Murdock Travel. He can be reached at
[email protected].

From: A. Papazian

,0,1301550.story
Glendale News Press

Think Again: Communities must respect their roots
By Zanku Armenian
5:44 PM PDT, May 9, 2011

As an American of Armenian descent, it’s hard to avoid history given
its impact on culture, both the good and the ugly.

This is why there is a special respect for the elderly in Armenian
culture. As grandparents age, Armenian families take them in to live
with them; that’s just the way it’s done, no questions. As a result,
grandparents remain part of the nuclear family. Our baby son is
fortunate because he’s not only growing up with the loving care of his
grandparents, but he’s also spending precious time with his only
surviving great-grandmother.

While for Armenians their history covers thousands of years, as
Americans our history covers a couple hundred years. That’s the reason
you can say we mostly all are immigrants in this country. But the
youthfulness of our country doesn’t make the history any less
meaningful, if one takes time to appreciate it.

Looking at where I live, our house was built in 1928 and was part of
the early development in Glendale’s Rossmoyne area. It is named after
Judge Robert Erskine Ross, who owned 1,100 acres of property on which
the Rossmoyne neighborhood was later built.

Many of the original homes are still standing, surrounded by old olive
trees Ross had planted. Our house has three olive trees from that era,
so they’re even older than our house. Anyone who has olive trees on
their property knows they can be a pain when you have to clean up all
the fallen olives.

Despite the inconvenience, I love our olive trees because for me they
exude wisdom and are a symbol of the area’s history. A few months ago,
I wanted to prune the trees but wanted it done by an expert
horticulturalist, so I called my friend Arsen Margossian from Bardez
Landscape Services.

These trees should be handled with great care out of respect for their
age. Though it’s more expensive, the pruning was done by hand,
without chainsaws, which I learned from Margossian is the proper way
to do it.

Last week, Margossian left one of the most meaningful surprises on my
doorstep.

Turns out when he did our pruning he had collected the olives from the
cut branches and over the last couple months had been curing them. He
left a big jar of cured olives from our own trees. I can’t tell you
how delicious they are and what a meaningful gift it is, like a
message in a bottle from Judge Ross from more than 100 years ago.

The Rossmoyne/Mountain Homeowners Assn. is in the process of getting
our neighborhood designated as a historical district, and I’m a big
fan of this effort. We need to respect the history of our
neighborhoods. Whether it’s renovating the original houses, making
sure historical streetlights are refurbished, or caring for things
like the old olive trees, the challenge is balancing historical
preservation while also looking toward the future. The answers are
never simple or easy.

Just like we respect the history of our neighborhoods, businesses must
show the same responsibility. I was unhappy when the Americana at
Brand planned to demolish the 1928 former recording studio building
that Rick Caruso acquired to make room for Nordstrom. It’s the one
building with real history in the Americana shopping center.

Caruso now says he’ll incorporate the façade. If he can create a
shopping center in the spirit of the `good ole days,’ then surely he
and Nordstrom can respect a building with real history and incorporate
it entirely into the design. Preserving historical buildings can make
business sense, too, because it has an anchoring effect; just look at
the success of Old Town Pasadena.

When you bulldoze such a building, you’re bulldozing history, losing
something precious in the process. This brings me to Marcus Garvey’s
point: `A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin
and culture is like a tree without roots.’

ZANKU ARMENIAN is a Glendale resident and a corporate communications
professional. He can be reached at [email protected].

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
UCLA Armenian Students Association
Email: [email protected]

As you all know, this is the last year at UCLA for our distinguished
professor of Armenian history, Dr. Richard Hovannisian. In light of his
retirement, the ASA (Armenian Students Association), AGSA (Armenian Graduate
Students Association), and current and former students at UCLA have decided
to host an event honoring his many years of dedication to the UCLA
community. There will be a presentation of live and video testimonials.

The event will take place on
May 12th, 2011 at 6:30pm
6:30-9pm
Kerkhoff Grand Salon on the UCLA campus

Parking Stations available at Lot 2 on Hilgard Ave.
Refreshments will be served.

It would be great if the event could get some media coverage since it is
unique in being completely organized by the students from the UCLA community
in recognition of the Professor’s impact on their lives.

If you need more information, please contact me at
[email protected]

From: A. Papazian

DUTCH CHOIR PERFORMED KOMITAS’ SONGS
ARMEN HOVAKIMYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:39:48 – 09/05/2011

The Dutch choir performed 10 love songs by Komitas, great Armenian
composer who lived in the first half of the 20th century, in Sisian
Town, Armenia. The travelling singers of Utrecht learned the songs
from the Armenian community in Holland. The choir was helped by the
singer Bilda Simonyan.

The Dutch singers say the Armenian melodies are special, they sound
different. In Holland there are a lot of choirs which perform Armenian
songs, especially the Armenian oratory by Khachatur Avetisyan which
is very popular in Holland.

The travelling singers’ choir was established 6 years ago. It includes
23 people of different age and occupations. They go on tours twice a
year and choose the countries where choir art is popular. Armenia is
the third country after Slovenia and Macedonia. This time the Dutch
choir performed together with the Armenian women’s choir of Sisian.

From: A. Papazian