Author: Ani Basmajian

President Sarkissian holds meeting with tourism sector representatives

Ani Basmajian

Save

Share

 10:56, 26 August, 2020

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian had a meeting with heads of several companies operating in the tourism sector, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian said this is his second extended-format meeting with the tourism sector representatives and proposed to hold it in a practical environment discussing concrete assistance opportunities by the President and the presidential institute.

The meeting participants presented a number of problems, in particular touching upon the possible steps, including the need for state assistance, aimed at restoring the tourism sector in Armenia. They stated that after the previous meeting with the President certain actions have been taken on this direction.

President Sarkissian attached importance to the information both about the situation, the country and concrete areas. He also highlighted focusing on the local market in line with the foreign tourism market. “Domestic market should become one of your directions, and you need to support the local tourism to develop”, he said. “The main development assistance by you I see that you must be able to dictate certain conditions and demands for the right organization of work, ensuring service quality and the necessary hygiene. Over the past two weeks I visited many provinces, communicated with the local residents. I noticed that people have started to think about giving one or two rooms of their homes for rent which can become an additional source of income, especially when these infrastructures do not exist, there are no small hotels in each village”.

As for the assistance by the presidential institute, President Sarkissian proposed to form a working group and clearly outline the main directions. “We can assist you with participation to international structures or exhibitions at forums”, he said, adding that people need to know Armenia, what it is and what they can expect from Armenia.

He also touched upon the implementation of several projects and international events in Armenia at the initiative of the presidential institute which will also contribute to the tourism development and awareness raising on Armenia. “We are ready to cooperate with you within the frames of each project. Each of them has a connection with tourism in some sense. The first project is ATOM. It’s about the development of artificial intelligence in Armenia, and in addition to the city of artificial intelligence and cooperation with major companies, it also involves a number of other programs. One of them is the Armenian Summit of Minds. Here as well we are ready to involve you as a partner. The working group can directly work with us. Invitation is sent to nearly 3000 individuals, of which we choose 300.

The next one is STARMUS. I think that we can cooperate starting today. All these measures can contribute to tourism development. Many of the guests arrive with their families, discover Armenia and establish ties.

The next project is the Hay Park. It’s an Armenian project over which we expect the whole Armenian people to unite starting from the Diaspora to Artsakh and Armenia. We also aim at cooperating with you on the sidelines of this project”, the President said, once again expressing readiness to cooperate and assist the tourism sector representatives.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia may appear in list of very high digitized governed countries – minister

Ani Basmajian

Save

Share

 13:57, 26 August, 2020

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. According to the specialists of the UN e-government development survey, Armenia will soon appear in the list of very high digitized governed countries, Minister of High Technological Industry Hakob Arshakyan said during a press conference today.

“According to the survey results Armenia is in the list of countries with very highly developed human capital. According to the forecasts of the research specialists Armenia will soon change its group from high EDGI to the very high EDGI group”, the minister said.

The minister said according to the survey in 2020 Armenia has improved its positions by 19 points compared to 2018 and recorded the highest progress in the Asian region, capturing the 68th place against the previous 87th.

Minister Arshakyan informed that Armenia’s 2020-2025 draft digitization strategy has been developed. The digitization processes and the process of developing cyber-security standards are underway.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia boosts development of astro-tourism in the region

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 28 2020

<img width=”700″ height=”467″ src=””https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Byurakan-Observatory-2.jpg” class=”attachment-full size-full wp-post-image” alt=”” srcset=”https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Byurakan-Observatory-2.jpg 700w, 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px” data-pagespeed-url-hash=”1688006033″/>

Being the pioneer of scientific (and astronomical) tourism,the Victor Ambartsumian Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) of teh Armenian National Academy of Sciences has initiated the creation of an astronomical tourism webpage for the region.

Continuing to host the IAU South West and Central Asian Regional Office of Astronomy for Development, BAO implements international astronomical project focused on the region.

Within the framework of the above-mentioned project Astro Tourism webpage has been created to introduce places of certain astronomical value that present interest for the astronomical tourism.

Here one can learn about the history of astronomy and its development not only in Armenia but also in other countries of the region. The webpage also provides information on modern and ancient observatories, sundials, planetariums, Space related museums and many more.


Initiative group announces plan to draft legislation specifying the role of Armenian Church, language and cultural heritage

Ani Basmajian
Panorama, Armenia
Aug 28 2020

“Protection of National Values” initiative has announced a plan to draft legislation covering the Armenian national values and reaffirming their role in the public life of the country. At the initial stage, the legislation will be drafted through public consultation. As the members of the initiative stated at a press conference on Friday, the legislation will regulate relations involving the Armenian Apostolic Church, the issues of family and childhood. The final draft will be submitted to respective state bodies for consideration.

As the member of the initiative Ara Zohrabyan said, the organizers do not seek any political interests. “We will not enter into any political process through this initiative, and our aim is to help authorities to eliminate the spiritual-moral risks and threats to our nation,” Zohrabyan stressed, adding both opposition and the ruling force attach high importance to the protection of national values.

Zohrabyan noted that the first legislative initiative to be submitted for a public debate will cover the “Basis of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian language, cultural heritage, family and child protection.” The legislative proposals will be disseminated through public channels, discussed with expert groups to consider proposals and amendments. Afterwards, a petition will be organised over the final draft before submitting to state bodies.



Apart from antibody study, Armenian researchers to look into COVID-19 impact on nervous system

Ani Basmajian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Aug 21 2020
 
 
 
 
 
 09:50,
 
YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. More than 130 people who recovered from the coronavirus have already volunteered since August 7 for participating in the COVID-19 antibody studies conducted by the Yerevan State Medical University, Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs Konstantin Yenkoyan told ARMENPRESS.
 
The first results are expected by the end of August, he said.
 
The study will last between 6 and 12 months.
 
“When the virus enters a person’s system it causes an immune response. The antibodies begin developing within several days. At the final phase of the illness the immunity IgG develops. Our objective is to find out how long it stays in the system,” Yenkoyan said.
 
Yenkoyan says their researchers are also going to launch another study, the COVID-neuro, to study COVID-19’s impacts on the nervous system.
 
Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian President congratulates Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan on 75th birthday

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 19 2020

<img width=”910″ height=”573″ src=””https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/xArmen-Sarkissian-Ian-Gillan-e1597838169184.jpg.pagespeed.ic.8uzjwo3Pkv.jpg” class=”attachment-full size-full wp-post-image” alt=”” srcset=”https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/xArmen-Sarkissian-Ian-Gillan-e1597838169184.jpg.pagespeed.ic.8uzjwo3Pkv.jpg 910w, 300w, 768w” sizes=”(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px”/>

President ARmen Sarkissian has congratulated Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan on 75th birthday.

“You have been creating for more than 50 years, you are one of the unique artists who is adored by several living generations. I know that Deep Purple’s album, released in early August, topped the charts in various countries, which is another proof of the inexhaustible talent of yours and your friends,” the President said in a congratulatory message.

President Sarkissian thanked Ian Gillan for being a friend of Armenia since 1990.

“You are very popular in Armenia. Therefore, I reserve the right to congratulate you on behalf of the citizens of our country. I warmly remember our meeting in Yerevan in June 2019, I will be glad to see you in Armenia again,” the President said.

Ian Gillan and Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi last visited Armenia in June 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Rock Aid Armenia charity project.

Asbarez: Armenian Bar Member Lucy Boyadjian Solimon Rises High in New Mexico with Judicial Appointment

Ani Basmajian
August 3,  2020

Judge Lucy Boyadjian Solimon

BY ARMEN K. HOVANNISIAN, ESQ.

It is rare enough for Armenian-Americans to become judges in states with sizable and long-established Armenian communities stretching from California to Illinois to New York. It is an another, altogether eye-opening blessing to welcome the judicial appointment of a deserving Armenian-American in places where our tracks are more fresh and our communities less dense.

Try New Mexico on for size!

On July 2, 2020, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Lucy Boyadjian Solimon as Judge of the Second Judicial District Court, serving Bernalillo County. Judge Boyadjian Solimon, a recent member of the Armenian Bar Association, was born and spent her early years in Lebanon, was raised and educated through college in California, and graduated from law school and entered the legal profession in New Mexico nearly thirteen years ago. For the past two years, Boyadjian Solimon had been Enforcement Bureau Chief for the New Mexico Workers Compensation Administration. Boasting a broad criminal law experience for both the prosecution and the defense, Boyadjian Solimon has also held the posts of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for Laguna Pueblo, Assistant Public Defender in the Public Defender’s Office, and a private practitioner in defense law firms, including her own firm. She is married to Justin Solimon who practices Federal Indian Law in Albuquerque.

In June 2020, the Armenian Bar’s Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC), which is comprised of the organization’s most experienced lawyers across the profession’s broad spectrum, met and conferred with Boyadjian Solimon in a rigorous vetting process. The JEC concluded that she embodied the unique, sought-after qualities that make her highly qualified to serve as a judge with honor and distinction. Following the Armenian Bar’s in-depth interview protocol, the JEC Co-Chairs, Lucy Varpetian and Garo Ghazarian, addressed a letter of unqualified support for Boyadjian Solimon’s appointment to Governor Lujan Grisham.
Varpetian and Ghazarian encapsulated the findings of the evaluation committee, writing, “We believe that Ms. Boyadjian Solimon will maintain an excellent judicial temperament as we have found her to be an active listener, measured in her responses, and even-keeled in her demeanor. We also took note of and appreciate her engagement in community and civic affairs, ranging from her provision of pro bono legal services to participation in New Mexico bar associations to her involvement with Native American and Armenian organizations, as well as her support of various non-profit organizations. These activities reflect Ms. Boyadjian Solimon’s deep roots in her community and commitment to its well-being.”

Summing up its support for Boyadjian Solimon’s appointment, the Armenian Bar impressed upon the Governor that, “Based on the totality of our evaluation process, we believe Ms. Boyadjian Solimon will continue, as she has demonstrated during her career, to be a devoted public servant to the people of New Mexico. We are confident that if given the honor of serving as a member of the New Mexico judiciary, Ms. Boyadjian Solimon’s courtroom will be a bastion where fair play, due process, and the rule of law will prevail over all else. She will exhibit compassion, empathy, and understanding to the litigants that appear before her, qualities which are so critical today for our judiciary.”

In explaining her own reasons to Governor Lujan Grisham for wanting to become a judge, Boyadjian Solimon explained, “For several generations, my family has constantly been forced to flee and relocate due to threats of war, violence, and instability in the rule of law. My grandfather lost most of his family in the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and was forced to start a new family in Syria and Lebanon. When I was a six-year-old child, my family emigrated from Beirut, Lebanon to Los Angeles, California to escape the war. This direct family history has instilled in me a deep respect for the judicial system, both as a means to prevent and deter crime and to promote fairness and protections offered under the Constitution.”

The long and storied tradition of Armenian judges in America has opened a fresh new chapter in a state whose nickname is The Land of Enchantment. Lucy Boyadjian Solimon’s appointment as a District Court Judge makes clear that New Mexico is, indeed, worthy of that endearing description.

Armenian PM hopes the project on planting 10 mln trees will be implemented next year

Ani Basmajian

Save

Share

 10:36, 31 July, 2020

YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hopes that the project of planting 10 million trees in Armenia will be possible to implement already next year.

“Unfortunately, this year we will not be able to implement the big project of planting 10 million trees due to the coronavirus, but we hope we will implement it next year”, the PM said at the ministry of environment while introducing the newly-appointed minister to the staff.

 

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Coronavirus: Iran’s total number of recoveries passes 250,000

Ani Basmajian

Save

Share

 14:38,

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. The number of patients who recovered from the novel coronavirus in Iran has surpassed 250,000, the healthcare ministry’s official said, RIA Novosti reports.

2,316 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Iran in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 288,839.

The death toll has risen to 15,484.

Reporting by Angela Hambardzumyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Haypost and Post of Russia the first companies in region to launch a new money transfer system

Ani Basmajian

Save

Share

 16:24,

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Having joined the new program of the Universal Postal Union, Haypost CJSC jointly with the Russian Post launches the new “PosTransfer” money transfer system since, Haypost CJSC told Armenpress.

This is the first official corridor to be opened not only in the CIS region but also among all UPU members-signatories to the Postal payment services agreement. The opening was warmly welcomed by the customers.

The system allows making money transfers from Armenia to Russia and vice versa from any post office of Armenia and Russia for only 1.2% commission. Money transfers will be served in more than 800 post offices in Armenia and in more than 30.000 service points in the Russian Federation, which means that thanks to Haypost now money transfers will be available even in the most remote locations.

The system is also available online, ensuring maximum speed. In just 15 minutes after the money transfer, the addressee can get the amount from any post office in Armenia or Russia.

The decision to create a single money transfer system was adopted during the Universal Postal Congress in Istanbul in 2016. The remaining member states of the UPU are expected to join PosTransfer system at subsequent stages.

The Universal Postal Union is an international intergovernmental organization and a specialized agency of the United Nations, which unites 193 states.