Author: Arbi Tashjian

YEREVAN—World Congress on Information Technology 2019, one of the largest and most prestigious ICT events in the world, will be held in Yerevan this year. Major hotels in Yerevan and adjacent areas have been reserved for participants of the upcoming 23rd World Congress on IT, to ensure they are fully accommodated. WCIT 2019 will take place from October 6 – 9. Congress guests can book hotels through the event’s official website.

The congress will host technology leaders—CEOs and investors, policy makers and government officials, academics, and technologists. The event promises to explore how information and communications technology is transforming our lives for better and for worse. WCIT will also study its impact on profits and prosperity, safety and security, democracy, and humanity.

WCIT 2019 expects to gather over 2,000 participants from over 70 countries who will come to Armenia to discuss issues such as: “The Power of Decentralization: Promise and Peril,” “Rise of the Machines,” “The Black Swan,” “Blockchain Innovation Meets Capital,” “How Green is Silicon?,” “Smart Cities,” “Start-ups and Incubators,” and others.

Over 1,500 rooms at 50 hotels have been reserved in response to high numbers in preliminary registration. Hotels in cities not far from Yerevan, such as Tsaghkadzor and Aghveran, are also ready in the event Yerevan reaches maximum capacity. Senior officials will be accommodated at Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan and Radisson Blu hotel Yerevan—both main partners of this year’s conference.

WCIT 2019 organizers in Yerevan will provide airport-hotel transportation services for delegates, attendees, including shuttles to and from the city center and the Demirchyan Sport and Concert Complex where the conference will be held.

Conference organizers have also announced a special cooperation with Sky Team Airline Alliance, which unites 19 leading airlines worldwide. Travelers taking part in WCIT 2019 are being offered up to an exclusive 15% discount on flights to Yerevan. A special page titled “WCIT 2019“ has been created on Sky Team’s website allowing online reservations from anywhere in the world

WCIT 2019 will be held in Yerevan on October 6 – 9. The Congress is hosted by Armenia with the support and under the high patronage of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. The World Congress on Information Technology was established by the World Information Technology and Services Alliance. Its main organizing body is the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia on Friday said that relations between his country and Armenia were on an upward trajectory. He met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the Eurasian Economic Union Inter-governmental Council session in Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan.

The two leaders discussed a broad range of issues concerning the strategic Armenian-Russian partnership and specifically discussed the further development of trade-economic ties, increase of trade turnover volumes and implementation of joint programs.

The two prime ministers said that relations between the two countries have seen dynamic growth, adding that efforts must actively continue to strengthen and develop the ties.

Medvedev commended Armenia’s successful presidency in the EEU and noted that an upward development exists in bilateral relations, which can be seen in the frequency of meetings and discussions between high ranking official from both countries, as well inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Pashinyan particularly specified the growth in Russian tourism to Armenia, saying the number of Russian tourists visiting Armenia had surged by 19 percent in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period in the previous year when the overall number of visiting tourists in Armenia grew 12.8 percent.

Pashinyan attached importance to the complete utilization of the entire potential of the EEU in the context of further developing bilateral relations.

The sides also touched on cooperation in the areas of natural gas, the nuclear power station and air transportation, as well as a number of other issues.

GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, in line with its partnership agreement signed with the U.S. Census Bureau, formed and inaugurated the Armenian American Complete Count Committee in an effort to ensure maximum participation of the community in the 2020 Census. It is the first time in history that there is a CCC formed specifically to facilitate outreach to Armenian Americans. The AACCC kick-off meeting was attended by representatives from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as a number of Armenian American faith-based and community organizations that have a broad grassroots reach and ability to spread the word effectively.

“The Armenian American community plays a dynamic role in the United States. Unfortunately, that reality has not been properly reflected over the decades through U.S. Census numbers, as we have been historically under-counted,” remarked ANCA-WR Chairperson Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “We hope that through the formation of the AACCC, we will be able to increase our collective effort to reach out and educate the Armenian American community about the benefits of participating in the upcoming 2020 Census by identifying themselves as Armenians.”

Among the participants were representatives from the Western Diocese of North America, the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, the Armenian Catholic Eparchy, the Armenian Relief Society – Western Region, Homenetmen – Western Region, Hamazkayin – Western Region, California Armenian Students of Public Schools, Armenian Youth Federation, ARF Shant Student Association, ANCA – Professional Network, Asbarez newspaper, and Horizon TV. Representatives from the U.S. Census Bureau, Partnership Specialists Anahit Tovmasyan and Michael Khouri, were also present to provide general information and answer questions of attendees.

During the meeting, the representatives of the U.S. Census Bureau Anahit Tovmasyan and Michael Khouri spoke about the recent efforts undertaken by the government to reach out to the Armenian American community at large, as well as the important role that community organizations can play in this endeavor. Over the next few months, the AACCC will coordinate a number of activities aimed at raising awareness and encourage participation not only in Southern California, but throughout the United States. The Constitutionally-mandated census carries significant political, economic, and social repercussions from deciding the number of seats for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives to allocating close to $700 billion in federal funds for housing, education, healthcare, etc. to state and local governments, as well as providing grants to community-based organizations.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

The Premier of Australia’s New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian is on a personal visit to Armenia, where on Thursday she met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian.

While in Yerevan, she sat down with Norayr Soghikyan of Armenpress and discussed efforts to strengthen relations between Armenia and Australia, as well as her country’s efforts to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Below is the interview.

 

NORAYR SOGHIKYAN: Mrs. Berejiklian, as a result of elections held in New South Wales on March 23, 2019, you become the first female and Armenian Premier of NSW. NSW exceeds Armenia with its size and number of population for several times, as well as exceeds a number of leading countries with its economy. What cooperation prospects do you see with Armenia? Are there any mutual partnership programs which you already discussed with the Armenian President or the PM?

GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN: The programs are very broad, but I hope we will be able to establish strong ties at the official level in the future, because at a non-official level our hearts are very close. The Armenian community of New South Wales is very powerful. The members of the community always want not only to visit Armenia, but also be useful for the country. We have thoroughly discussed the issue of deepening the relations at an officials level both with the PM and the President, and I hope that we will be able to give an official status to our relations in the future.

N.S.: You visited Armenia also in 2013 with the delegation of Austrian politicians. Six years have passed since that visit, what change do you see in Armenia and what are your impressions today?

G.B.: This is the first time I am visiting Armenia as a prime minister, but, in general, this is my fourth visit. I have relatives here and always try to visit Armenia. I saw a lot of changes in Armenia. I think the people here are more optimistic, full of hope about the future, construction is developing, but there are some issues which need to be solved in the future. But I am optimistic about Armenia and feel that the Diaspora-Armenians always stand together with Armenia.

N.S.: What has impressed you most in Armenia? And what can attract NSW tourists to visit Armenia?

G.B.: I think Armenia’s history, beautiful sites can be attractive. Armenia should show its wealth in a better way, especially the monuments with a historical value. For instance, if the western world is informed that there are churches here dating back to the 4th-5th centuries, they will be interested in visiting here.

N.S.: Last time you also visited Artsakh. Are you planning a similar visit this time?

G.B.: Unfortunately no. This time the visit is very shot, I came here for a week to attend a wedding. But I will visit Artsakh in the future, I have been there for two times and always urge my friends to visit there. Another group of Australian lawmakers will visit Armenia in the near future, and I hope they will visit Artsakh as well.

N.S.: You proudly state that you are the granddaughter of a family who survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide. During your activities you repeatedly called on the Australian authorities to recognize the Armenian Genocide. What do you think when Australia will recognize the Armenian Genocide, what are the possibilities for that and what actions do you take on this direction?

G.B.: It’s already 20 years New South Wales has recognized the Armenian Genocide and is recognizing the independence of Artsakh. We hope that Australia will also recognize, if Germany and some countries can recognize, and I always raise this issue among my parliamentarian friends. I hope Australia will recognize the Armenian Genocide in the near future.

N.S.: What will be your advice to Armenians living in Diaspora who are just starting their activities in politics?

G.B.: Two things have always helped me, the belief and diligence. If you work hard, you can do everything. I’m always asked what is the secret, I say there is no secret. You need to work day and night and should always be optimistic, these two things are very important.

N.S.: Do you have any plans and goals to occupy higher positions in the future?

G.B.: No, my position as PM is enough. But 17 years ago when I was elected as member of parliament, I didn’t imagine that one day I will become a premier. But gradually when you are recording one success, you understand that you can achieve another as well. Thus, I achieved this position in that way.