Author: Andres-Papazian

ARGENTINEAN-ARMENIAN COMMUNITY GREETS ARMENIA’S NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR

21:27, 11 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 11 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Center of Argentina hosted
a reception in honor of newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of
Armenia Alexan Harutyunyan. As the Armenian press center in Argentina
reports to “Armenpress”, among those attending the reception were
diplomats, government officials, representatives of Buenos Aires, MPs,
leader of the Armenian Diocese, Father, Archbishop Gisak Mouradian,
as well as clergymen and members of the local Armenian community.

President of the Armenian Center Alberto Jerejian introduced the
newly appointed Ambassador and talked about his diplomatic service.

Afterwards, Ambassador Alexan Harutyunyan gave a speech in which he
stressed the importance of the Armenian Diaspora during the events
for the commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. He
also touched upon the relations between Argentina and Armenia, which
are on the right track.

From: A. Papazian

CARREFEUR TO SELL ANY PRODUCTS AT LOWER PRICES – CARREFEUR COUNTRY DIRECTOR

15:12 * 11.03.15

The French hypermarket chain Carrefeur on Wednesday launched its
trading center in Yerevan in an official opening ceremony attended
also by Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan.

The Carrefeur chain in Armenia will prioritize domestic products,
Carrefeur Country Director Christian De Nale told reporters at the
opening ceremony.

He noted that imports constitute only 5%.

Like in any other country, in Armenia Carrefeur remains committed to
its ideology: classes of goods for any family regardless of whether
they are food products or not.

The hypermarket’s task is to sell any product at a lower price than
other supermarkets do.

Asked about steps to sell imported products at reasonable prices
given the lack of outlet to the sea, Mr Christian De Nale said that
selling prices consider logistics, but in a balanced way.

He said that Carrefeur has not encountered any difficulties in entering
Armenia’s market.

Carrefeur has worked in Armenia for two years, and opening hypermarkets
in any country requires two or three years. The chain will soon start
operating new, safe equipment, and preparations require time.

Carrefeur is seeking for opportunities to expand its activities in
Armenia, Mr Christian De Nale said.

From: A. Papazian

WHO MADE OUTRAGEOUS DECISION ON PARTICIPATION IN BAKU OLYMPICS?

Siranuysh Papyan, Interviewer
Interview – 11 March 2015, 16:02

Mr. Papyan, the National Olympic Committee decided to participate in
the first European Olympics in Baku in summer. What is your opinion
on this decision and does it contain risks?

Ahead of the European Olympics in Baku some European organizations,
including human rights organizations, have been calling their
countries to boycott the games for the violations of human rights in
that country.

At least several such statements have been published in press.

Now in this context there is no need to hurry and announce a decision
on participation. As if we are hereby telling the whole world that
human rights are not violated in Baku, everything is fine, whereas
we know a lot of cases when our civilians, having lost their way into
Azerbaijan, were killed, tortured to death. At least, I would not hurry
yet, it is still March, we could take our time to make a decision. We
have been placed in a setting where if tomorrow the situation gets
worse, and we refuse, we will appear in a very bad situation.

Could the Olympic Committee make this decision beyond the policy
of Armenia?

Of course, not. I think this is a decision made outside Armenia. Not
even the Armenian government made this decision. Some are again doing
a favor to Baku at our expense.

Do you think as of now that it will be possible to cancel this
decision? And why would they ever make a decision for us outside?

Well, there are no facts, it’s just my assumption. Such a hasty
decision was not in our interests. Where do we rush, why couldn’t
we do it in June, considering that the games will be in mid-July? We
could at least wait to see how it is going. It is changing every day,
that country is killing an [Armenian soldier] every day. After all, the
ceasefire is an international commitment. People signed and committed
to respect the truce, they were begging that truce and now they are
breaching it. I think one should not deal with such people at all
because sports are fair competition, and we have seen one hundred
times that they are not fair players even in sports.

Besides, sport is politics.

It is big politics. You know the teams that Azerbaijan invites and
covers their expenses fully. This is something unique, in other words,
Azerbaijan is bribing everyone, making a showcase. And we are going
to participate in that show. What are we trying to demonstrate to the
world? That we are so good? Or what are we after? A couple of stupid
medals? What are we going to do with the medals of Baku Olympics?

Note that we boycotted Eurovision in Baku.

We have boycotted more narrow things, and this is a big show. Let
alone the serious psychological problem for our tourists. Security is
also important but there is a psychological problem too. How will our
athletes perform? Will they perform outrageously? And then we will not
be able to criticize our athletes because it is really hard. There
is a general mania in our politics to appear good. We want to look
like something fluffy to make sure that we don’t hurt anybody.

After all, we are at war with Azerbaijan. Everyone understands that
the war is still going on. I don’t understand whether we could imagine
that countries would participate if the Olympics were held in Germany
in 1940. Imagine the USSR participating in the 1920 Olympics in Berlin
to make sure that everyone said it’s so nice of the USSR. Since the
beginning of this year, January 1, we have a victim every day. So,
such a decision is not comprehensible.

From: A. Papazian

ONE CURRENCY?: PUTIN CALLS FOR “MONETARY UNION” IN EEU

ECONOMY | 11.03.15 | 16:10

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call for a “monetary union” to
operate within the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has raised questions
and concerns in Armenia, the EEU’s newest member.

Enlarge Photo

What is a monetary union, does it imply a single currency in the EEU
territory, would participation be mandatory?

Putin instructed the Bank of Russia, jointly with the Government of the
Russian Federation and in cooperation with the Central Banks of the EEU
member states, “to determine future directions of integration in the
monetary and financial sectors within the framework of the Eurasian
Economic Union with the study of the feasibility of establishing a
currency union in the future.”

There was a dialogue about creating a single currency in the EEU
space still a year ago, but the program was provisioned to be passed
in 2020-2025 when the EEU would be more stabilized.

However in the EEU countries, specifically, in Russia, economic
changes have drastically changed the situation, Armenian National
Congress (ANC) Party representative, economist Vahagn Khachatryan
told ArmeniaNow, and now only economic tools will not be effective
without financial tools in the EEU.

“Since certain problems have appeared in the EEU related to currency
fluctuation, EEU country economies greatly suffer. A single customs
union is not enough to provide equal economic opportunities for
those countries, and the crisis made the situation even clearer,”
Khachatryan says, explaining the need for a single currency.

According to Khachatryan, even though for countries with small
economies it is hard to keep their own currency stable, Armenia has
been able to do so through the efforts of its Central Bank.

“However, we must consider also, that the Armenian economy has
dependency on the Russian currency and must always take into
consideration the Russian currency policy,” the economist said.

From: A. Papazian

COE COMMISSIONER: ARMENIAN JUDGES SHOULD BE SHIELDED FROM PRESSURES

March 10, 2015 13:59

Photo:

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The on-going justice sector reforms should be
used to achieve the long-standing aim of ensuring an independent,
impartial and effective judiciary in Armenia.

Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights,
stated this today publishing the report of his visit to Armenia from
5 to 9 October 2014.

“Judges should be better shielded from internal and external pressure
and it is necessary to reinforce self-governance and to circumscribe
the role of the President of the Republic in selecting, appointing,
promoting and dismissing judges. Necessary safeguards should also
be adopted to prevent the arbitrary use of disciplinary proceedings
against judges”, noted the Commissioner.

Noting the still-dominant position of the prosecutorial authorities
in the criminal justice system, the Commissioner underscores the
importance of ensuring defence rights, in particular by upholding
the principles of equality of arms, adversarial proceedings and the
presumption of innocence, as well as reinforcing access to legal aid.

The persistent reports of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials
as well as the lack of effective investigation into serious human
rights abuses are of deep concern to the Commissioner.

“It is high time that the Armenian authorities address these issues
in line with their human rights obligations. Strengthening safeguards
against torture and ill-treatment, excluding all evidence obtained
under duress and pursuing more vigorously policies and practices to
ensure accountability for serious human rights abuses, including
those committed during the March 2008 events, are among the most
urgent measures to be taken.”

Nils Muižnieks also touched upon gender inequality in Armenia and
violence against women noting that they are serious human rights
concerns in Armenia.

As a matter of priority, the Commissioner recommends eliminating
all vestiges of gender bias in school curricula, the adoption of
a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, an increase in women’s
representation in public and political life, as well as more resolute
measures to promote gender equality, including in the labor market.

The Commissioner noted that existence of violence against women,
including domestic violence, is increasingly acknowledged in the
public debate in Armenia. However, the authorities have yet to adopt
measures commensurate to the extent of the problem.

“The ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing
and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence would also
be an important step”, concluded the Commissioner.

From: A. Papazian

IRAK : L’ONU CONDAMNE LA DESTRUCTION DU PATRIMOINE CULTUREL MONDIAL

Publié le : 10-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose ce communiqué de presse publié sur le site de l’ONU le 8
mars 2015.

Légende : Les jihadistes de Daesh ont saccagé le musée de Mossoul
dans ces images de propagande.

© Image Etat islamique

ONU

Le 8 mars 2015

Communiqué de presse

Le Secrétaire général est indigné par la destruction du patrimoine
culturel mondial en Irak et demande qu’il soit mis fin a ces actes
terroristes odieux

La déclaration suivante a été communiquée aujourd’hui par le
Porte-parole de M. Ban Ki-moon, Secrétaire-général de l’ONU:

Le Secrétaire général est indigné par la poursuite de la
destruction du patrimoine culturel en Irak par l’Ã~Itat islamique
d’Irak et du Levant (EIIL), au moment où des informations font état
de la démolition de la ville ancienne de Hatra, qui, dans le nord
du pays, est un site classé au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.

Le Secrétaire général lance un appel urgent a la communauté
internationale pour qu’elle mette fin rapidement a cette activité
terroriste odieuse et contrecarre le trafic illicite d’objets d’art
culturels, comme l’exigent les résolutions du Conseil de sécurité
2170 (2014) et 2199 (2015).

Le Secrétaire général réitère que la destruction délibérée
de notre patrimoine culturel commun constitue un crime de guerre et
que les auteurs de ces actes doivent en être tenus responsables.

Lire aussi :

Syrie/Irak : L’UNESCO en faveur de zones de protection culturelle

L’EI détruit au bulldozer les ruines d’une cité antique en Irak

” A Mossoul, nous assistons a la destruction de l’histoire du
mondeâ~@~I! ”

Source/Lien : ONU

From: A. Papazian

DECES DE MONSEIGNEUR GRIGORIS BOUNIATYAN

UKRAINE

Le 7 mars, a Kharkiv (Nord-Est de l’Ukraine), alors qu’il se trouvait
en visite pastorale, est decede l’archeveque Grigoris Bouniatyan,
Primat du diocèse d’Ukraine de l’Eglise armenienne.

Age de 69 ans, Mgr. Bouniatyan etait bien connu de la communaute
armenienne de France puisqu’il avait ete etudiant dans les
Instituts catholiques de Lyon et Paris et servi les communautes de
ces deux villes. Il y a quelques mois, lors d’une visite a Paris,
Mgr Bouniatyan avait assiste a une soiree litteraire a la Maison des
Etudiants Armeniens où il avait ete resident durant ses etudes. Mgr.

Bouniatyan disparaît a un moment crucial pour l’importante communaute
armenienne presente dans toutes les regions d’Ukraine depuis Lviv,
Kiev et l’Est en proie a la guerre.

Une figure de l’episcopat armenien disparaît

Originaire de la ville d’Etchmiadzine, Monseigneur Grigoris Bouniatyan
(Grigor dans le monde) etait ne en 1946 au sein d’une modeste et pieuse
famille. En 1960, il entre a l’Academie de theologie Kevork IV du
Saint-Siège d’Etchmiadzine où est ordonne diacre en 1965. Diplôme du
seminaire en 1966, il se rend a Moscou afin de poursuivre ses etudes
a l’Academie de theologie de l’Eglise russe au monastère de Zagorsk.

De retour en Armenie, il a ete nomme secretaire de redaction de
mensuel officiel “Etchmiadzine” en 1967-1968. En 1969, il est nomme
a Ordjonikidze (Vladikavkaz), en Ossetie du Nord, afin de servir
comme diacre en l’eglise saint Gregoire l’Eglise Illuminateur. La
meme annee, il prend l’habit monastique et il est ordonne hieromoine
sous le nom de Grigoris. Après son ordination, il est nomme recteur
de la paroisse armenienne de Rostov-sur-le-Don (Russie).

En 1971, avec la benediction de sa Saintete Vasken I, il gagne la
France afin de poursuivre ses etudes a l’Universite catholique de
Lyon. Dans le meme temps, il apporte sa contribution a la vie des
paroisses de la region.

De 1973 a 1975, il sert dans l’Armee sovietique en Ukraine. Au terme
de son service militaire, il poursuit son ministère et est eleve a
la dignite d’archimandrite (vartabed) en 1975.

De retour en France entre 1975 a 1979, le père F. Grigoris poursuit
ses etudes a l’Universite catholique de Paris en meme temps qu’il
sert l’eglise cathedrale de la rue Jean Goujon.

Durant l’annee universitaire 1979 et 1980, il occupe temporairement
la charge de recteur de l’Academie de theologie de la saint Siège
d’Etchmiadzine.

En 1981, il est invite en Argentine par le conseil diocesain local
afin de servir la paroisse de la cathedrale de Buenos Aires. En 1982,
il est elu primat du diocèse. En 1983, le P. Grigoris est consacre
eveque par sa Saintete Vasken I.

En 1990, il devient Primat du diocèse de Chirag (Nord de l’Armenie)
où il cree un petit seminaire dans la ville de Gumry en 1992. La
meme annee, il est eleve a la dignite d’archeveque et nomme membre
du Conseil Spirituel Supreme (Saint Synode).

En 1995, il est candidat lors du concile reuni pour elire un successeur
au Catholicos Vazken decede en août 1994. De 1998 a 1999, il est
nomme a Kitchinev en tant qu’administrateur provisoire des paroisses
armeniennes de Moldavie.

De 1999 a 2001, il est nomme vicaire general du diocèse d’Armavir
(Etchmiadzine).

Monseigneur Bouniatyan etait devenu primat du diocèse d’Ukraine
en 2001.

mardi 10 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

GARY: “ARREGLAR ESPANA ES MAS FACIL QUE ARMENIA”

Diario de Soria, España
9 mar 2015

P. Perez Soler 09/03/2015

De pequeño soñaba con ser militar vigilante de fronteras y llego a
lo primero. Pero la Union Sovietica dinamito el futuro previsto y ya
nada volvio a ser como antes. Claro que el antes de Armenia ya estaba
enganchado al pasado. Gareguin Shahbazyan (Erevan, Armenia, 1966)
mira al futuro con un realismo pasmoso, pero no olvida el genocidio
al que sometieron los turcos a su pueblo en 1915. Soria reconvirtio
su vida hace 15 años, agradece trabajar diez horas al día y aunque
tuviera la llave para abrir la puerta del futuro, no la usaría.

Pregunta.-Entre Gary Cooper y el hostelero soriano Gary, ¿por cual
se cambiaría?

Respuesta.-Gary Cooper fue famoso como actor, y el de aquí es conocido,
sí…, pero a mí me gustaría ser yo mismo. (¿Tan bien lo trata la
vida?) Sí, hay que agradecer lo que tienes.

P.-Oiga, ¿Armenia existe?

R.-¡Hombre, claro! Desde el siglo uno. Es el primer país, la primera
raza, que acogio la religion cristiana, en el año 301.¿Como puede
no existir? (Es tan minúscula…) Quedo pequeña porque los turcos
hicieron genocidio a los armenios. No se si lo sabes. En el año 1913
y siguientes fue una matanza que mataron 1.500.000 armenios para
quedarse con nuestros terrenos.

P.-Y ahí siguen recordandolo.

R.-Claro. Este año, el 24 de abril se cumplen 100 años del genocidio.

Bajaremos a Madrid y nos juntaremos todos los armenios de España. Lo
hacemos todos los años, pero este año sera fuerte porque siguen sin
reconocer el genocidio.

P.-¿Usted busca o encuentra?

R.-Quien no busca no encuentra, si no llamas a la puerta nadie te abre.

P.-¿Que hay en el corazon de un armenio?

R.-Muchas cosas… (No me acuerdo de la palabra en español….) Ser
un buen hombre, ser buen padre… Todos los armenios educan a sus
hijos de una manera que dice que tu familia es una cosa santa.

P.-¿Que tendría que pasar para que volviera a Armenia?

R.-(Silencio). ¿Para vivir allí y quedarme? Bufff. No se… Cada
vez me siento mas soriano. Arreglar las cosas aquí es mas facil que
arreglar las cosas en Armenia.

P.-¿Por donde empezar a hacerlo?

R.-¿Dices para salir de la crisis? Es algo global. Cada 40 años ocurre
esto, aunque se le eche la culpa a los políticos. La crisis llega a
todo el mundo cada 40 años y dura lo que dura. Aquí falta unos tres
años. Hay que ser optimista.

P.-¿Donde se siente como en casa?

R.-En mi trabajo. Mi trabajo es mi refugio.

P.-¿Cual es su llave mas preciada?

R.-(Pone cara de visualizarla y se ríe). ¿Me hablas de una llave
normal, de la cerradura…? Mira, ¿por que cuando se brinda se
dice ‘por salud’ y ‘por trabajo’?, ¿por que? Porque el trabajo es
importante…

P.-¿Que le gustaría mas, que le adivinaran el futuro o le cambiaran
el pasado?

R.-¿La palabra adivinar? (Explicamos). Ni lo uno ni lo otro. Mejor
vivir sin saber lo que va a pasar mañana.

P.-¿Que le provoca curiosidad?

R.-No me hace falta mucho… Si pasa algo, una situacion, yo me imagino
lo que va a pasar luego…Sí, veo lo que va a pasar mañana o pasado.

P.-¿Cuanto lloran los autonomos?

R.-No se por que lloran pero un autonomo no tiene que llorar. Si la
Ley esta para todos, bien, aunque llores no va a cambiar nada. Hay
que seguir, no hay que pararse, ni quejarse. hay que ir hacia adelante.

P.-¿Que ha perdido de armenio?

R.-No, no, no. Al reves. Aquí me siento mas armenio. Ademas, cada
persona que esta fuera de su país es cara de su país, de su raza. Y la
tiene que presentar fuera de una manera para que se vea como es. En
su país puede hacer lo que quiera, pero fuera tiene que presentar
bien a su raza.

P.-¿Que puertas le ha abierto la crisis? Se arreglan mas zapatos…

R.-Nooooo. Al reves, se arreglan menos. En tiempo bueno me entraban
30 o 40 pares al día. Ahora tres, ocho… Como mucho, 12 o 15 pares.

P.-¿Sellaría alguna a cal y canto?

R.-Es difícil la pregunta. No tengo puertas para no abrir. Pero sí
creo que hay que pensar antes de hacer algo malo. Tú sabes que depende
de lo que hagas te puede esperar carcel. Y yo pienso, si sabes eso,
hay que pensar las cosas antes.

P.-¿Que ha hecho Soria por Gary?

R.-Soria me ha cambiado mi vida. Todo lo que tengo es por Soria. Yo
en mi país no vivía como vivo aquí…. Sería culpa de esos comunistas,
porque no se permitían muchas cosas. Soy hijo de pasado comunista. La
gente que vivía bien no se va a quejar, vale. Pero a mí ¿que me ha
dado?, ¿por que estoy aquí?

P.-Tendra mucho trabajo de cerrajero. Por los cacos, digo…

R.-A parte de eso hay mucho cerrajero, competencia. (¿Se llevan bien?)
Por ahí, por ahí….

P.-¿Que valla tuvo que saltar cuando llego a España?

R.-Cuando llegue pase la frontera de Checoslovaquia hacia Austria,
andando por la noche. Había mucha gente que pasaba, mujeres con niños,
que no podían pasar, y hombres solos, que pasabamos, pero corriendo.

Nos amenazaban con disparos pero no parabamos. Corriendo, corriendo
pasamos a Austria. Allí tambien la Policía corría detras de nosotros.

Yo me escondí en un jardín de una casa hasta que amanecio, que salte
otra vez a la calle.

P.-Pongale nota a Soria.

R.-De súper. (¿Algo negativo?) No veo nada malo en Soria. Bueno…,
que cuando se cambia la luz verde, no pasan de repente, van con
muuucha calma. Es lo único malo que veo.

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN SUSPENDS JUDGE WHO ISSUED VERDICTS AGAINST POLICE

03.09.2015 13:08 epress.am

Administrative Court Judge Robert Sargsyan’s authority was suspended
by President Serzh Sargsyan’s decree an Friday, March 6th. Last year,
Judge Sargsyan issued favorable verdicts on three cases of citizen
activists against the police. The activists considered the verdicts
unexpected.

The administrative proceedings were related to three cases between
police and citizens who had organized a sit-in in front of the Yerevan
City Hall in 2013 after the protest movement against the raising of
public transportation fees to 150 from 100 drams.

In August 2013, the activists demanded the dismissals of the Yerevan
Municipality Transportation Department head Henrik Navasardyan and
Yerevantrans company president Misak Hambardzumyan. During the sit-in,
police took a dozen citizens into custody. A sit-in participant Vahagn
Minasyan was taken into custody and kept for 3 hours.

Police demanded the court make Minasyan give compensation of 50,000
AMD, while the defendant (Minasyan) countered with his own suit. Judge
Robert Sargsyan found the police actions unlawful, rejected the
compensation demand, and demanded 200,000 AMD compensation for Minasyan
in the verdict.

Robert Sargsyan also handed a favorable verdict toward Suren Sahakyan.

Police demanded in court 50,000 AMD in compensation from Sahakyan.

Judge Sargsyan once again rejected the demand, found the police actions
unlawful and issued a verdict in favor of Sahakyan, compensating him
with 150,000 AMD

The Judge also rejected the police suit against Babken Der-Grigorian
and considered the police actions unlawful.

Epress.am spoke to Suren Sahakyan about Sargsyan’s suspension; “At
least for me, Robert Sargsyan made a surprising decision against
the police. I was shocked, why, if there was no pressure from the
‘upper echelons’, do all the other cases turn out differently?”

Babken Der-Grigorian raised a question on his personal Facebook
page, wondering, if Sargsyan’s authority was suspended because of
his favorable verdicts toward the activists.

From: A. Papazian

IDEA FUND WILL SOON LAUNCH 100LIVES PROJECT SOON, SAYS CEO

14:50 * 09.03.15

Armenpress has interviewed Armen Gevorgyan, a former vice prime
minister who now heads the Initiative for Development of Armenia
(IDeA), over the fund’s projects dedicated to the Armenian Genocide
centennial.

Development of Armenia (IDeA) Foundation are mainly aimed at the
development of infrastructures, the Foundation is also going to
carry out activities and programs dedicated to the Armenian Genocide
Centennial. We would like this interview to reflect on particularly
them. Could you please specify what activities you are planning to
hold this year?

Initiatives for Development of Armenia (IDeA) Foundation does carry out
a number of activities of various scale and content dedicated to the
Armenian Genocide Centennial. They range from rendering assistance
to the Armenian Genocide Museum¬Institute to conducting lectures
by distinguished historians and experts in genocide studies at UWC
Dilijan College. As you know, the lecture delivered by lecturer at
the Open University of Israel, expert in genocide studies and author
of “The Banality of Indifference” book Yair Auron marked the start
of the series of lectures at UWC Dilijan College. The College is
expected to host other famous scholars as well. The general topic
will refer to humanism, and we believe it will be really useful for
young people studying there. The Foundation has also supported the
shooting of “1915” movie and if my memory serves me well, the movie
will premiere this April. It’s true, IDeA foundation is carrying
out large¬scale and long¬term programs aimed at the development of
regions and infrastructures, but it also attaches importance to the
humanitarian and pan¬Armenian area, and so one of our projects will
be dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide and will be
known as “100 LIVES”.

In one of his recent interviews IDeA Founder Ruben Vardanyan spoke
about that new project, which will allow to express gratitude
to nations and organizations that stretched out a helping hand to
Armenian people during the Armenian Genocide. Which is the main aim
and core of the project, and when are you planning to start it?

The project 100 LIVES will be launched in New York City on March 10.

IDeA Founder Ruben Vardanyan, US-based Armenian entrepreneur and
benefactor Noubar Afeyan and President of Carnegie Corporation of New
York Vartan Gregorian are the co¬founders of the project. The project
will bear several important components. The first is the launch of the
new website () available in five languages. It will
feature the stories of Armenians who survived the Genocide and whose
stories remained unknown to date – stories of the rescue of more than
100 lives, to be presented to the entire world. A board comprised
of prominent historians was set up adjunct to the project – it is
engaged in the elaboration and refinement of the stories. Edelman,
which is a leading public relations company, has been involved in
the advocacy of these stories. Besides, the website visitors will
also have an opportunity to submit stories recounting the rescue of
their own families. The next component refers to the digitization of
Armenian Genocide archive materials. Over 600 000 pages of Armenian
Genocide documents preserved in the archives of various countries
are expected to be digitized. We also support the digitization of the
documents of the Armenian National Archive and to this end, IDeA has
already purchased two professional scanners and has donated them to the
National Archive. The next and perhaps the most important component of
the project will be unveiled at the project presentation. Besides the
mentioned components, we also plan to carry out symbolic projects –
projects of gratitude. These will be various programs, which will
be aimed at those organizations and communities or which will be
implemented in those places that were associated with the rescue of
Armenians during the Genocide. 100 LIVES project is dedicated to the
Armenian Genocide Centennial but it should be stressed that it is not
about genocide but rather about rebirth. We pay tribute to those who
granted our people an opportunity to be reborn by reaching out a hand
to them.

From: A. Papazian