Author: Babajanian Karo

OSCE MG CHANGES ITS STATEMENT ON DOWNED ARMENIAN HELICOPTER

Trend, Azerbaijan
Nov 21 2014

21 November 2014, 18:22 (GMT+04:00)

OSCE Minsk Group has changed its statement on the Armenian military
helicopter shot down over the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

In its statement, OSCE Minsk Group has changed the name of the
territory where the wreckage of the helicopter lies, from “neutral”
to “no man’s” land.

Previously, Azerbaijani officials expressed protest against this
fact saying that using the “neutral territory” expression by the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs in their statement is unacceptable.

An Armenian Mi-24 military helicopter flying 1,700 meters northeast
of the Kengerli village of Azerbaijan’s Aghdam district attacked the
Azerbaijani army positions on Nov. 12. The helicopter was shot down
by the Azerbaijani side.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

RANDOM ACTS — HAIL, HAIL, ARMENIA: THE VEM QUARTET

Santa Fe New Mexican.com
Nov 21 2014

James M. Keller SantaFeNewMexican.com

The VEM Quartet, which is the graduate string quartet in residence
at UCLAâ~@~J’s Herb Alpert School of Music, is spearheading a
new incentive there to raise the profile of Armenian musical
traditions. When the group appears in Santa Fe, it accordingly
includes among its offerings a set of Armenian Miniatures by the
Armenian ethnomusicologist and composer Komitas (1869-1935). The
foursome also plays Mendelssohn’s Quartet in E minor (Op. 44, No. 2)
and a movement from Lou Harrison’s Quartet Set. Following intermission,
former Santa Fean Stephanie Nagler (now as violinist, although she is
the quartet’s violist) is joined by a percussion ensemble from Santa
Fe University of Art and Design for Harrison’s Concerto for Violin
and Percussion Orchestra, with Steve Paxton conducting. Although
Harrison’s modernist concerto, begun in 1940 and completed in 1959,
most audibly reflects his interest in Southeast Asian music, it,
too, has an Armenian connection; it was written for Anahid Ajemian,
an American violinist of Armenian heritage, who played its premiere
in 1961. The concert takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at
San Miguel Chapel, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail. Tickets ($15, no charge
for students) are available at the door.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

** TOP STORY November20, 2014
————————————————————
St. Mary
Detail of an 18th-century painting of St. Mary by an unknown artist
(collection of the National Gallery of Armenia).

** Presentation of the Mother-of-God to the Temple
————————————————————
On Friday, November 21, the worldwide Armenian Church will celebrate
the Feast of the Presentation of the Holy Mother-of-God to the Temple.

Shortly after Mary was born, her parents Joachim and Anna took their
daughter to the Temple of Jerusalem to be consecrated to God in
thanksgiving for the gift of their child. According to tradition, Mary
remained there for a time and was given over to the care of pious
widows and maidens who lived at the temple. Later, as a young woman,
Mary became betrothed to Joseph the carpenter.

Click here
()
to view a video about St. Mary in the Armenian Church.

Advent

** Beginning of the Advent Season
————————————————————
This week marks the beginning of Advent, a season of preparation for
one of the greatest feasts of the church, Christmas. In the Armenian
Church, Advent is a period of 50 days called
Heesnag (from the Armenian word for fifty, heesoon). It is a time for
prayer, reflection, devotion to Scripture, fasting, and service.

Throughout the season, Eric Vozzy of the Diocese’s Department of Youth
and Education will be posting weekly Advent reflections on the
Diocese’s blog. Click here
()
to visit our blog for this week’s entry.

** Scripture of the Week
————————————————————

Is 36:1-9
1 Thes 1:1-10
Lk 12:13-31

** Prayer of the Week
————————————————————

Let us hold the holy Mother-of-God and all the saints as intercessors
with the Father in Heaven, that He may be pleased to have mercy and
compassion on us, His creatures, and save us. Almighty Lord, our God,
save us and have mercy on us. Amen.

** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
————————————————————

21 November: Presentation of the Holy Mother-of-God to the Temple

29 November: Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Bishops Consecrated at Holy Etchmiadzin
Bishop Berberian blesses worshipers at Holy Etchmiadzin this week.

** Three Bishops Consecrated at Holy Etchmiadzin
————————————————————
At Holy Etchmiadzin last weekend, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, consecrated three clergymen
as bishops of the Armenian Church.

Among those receiving the episcopal rank was the Very Rev. Fr. Nareg
Berberian, formerly a longtime clergyman of the Eastern Diocese who is
now serving as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil. Bishop
Berberian celebrated his first episcopal Divine Liturgy at the
Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin on November 17. In his sermon, he
stressed the importance of carrying forward the mission of the
Armenian Church in Armenia and across the diaspora.

The other newly consecrated bishops are Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan,
Primate of the Diocese of Canada, and Bishop Vardan Navasardyan,
director of the Christian Education Center at Holy Etchmiadzin.

Click here
()
to view photos.

Poppies
The ceramic poppies installation at the Tower of London.

** “In Flanders field the poppies blow”
————————————————————
How do you begin to visualize death on a mass scale? How does one
memorialize the incomprehensible
magnitude of such a loss?

A monument on a battlefield may be a fitting memorial to a heroic
individual, a lost regiment, a battalion whose individual soldiers
made the ultimate sacrifice. But how should a country honor the untold
thousands of combatants mowed down in the monstrous industrial manner
of modern warfare; buried in nameless graves far from the homeland for
which they died?

A powerful attempt to address this question is on display in England,
through an artistic installation marking the centennial of the
outbreak of World War I. Its essential symbol is the poppy-or rather,
ceramic representations of the red flower that so many English
citizens wore to express their quiet mourning in the aftermath of the
conflict.

The memorial was inaugurated on August 5, 2014-the centennial of `the
guns of August’-when 120,000 ceramic poppies were unveiled in front of
the Tower of London. More were `planted’ over the ensuing weeks, with
the last flowers put in place on November 11: Britain’s annual
Remembrance Day-our own Veterans Day, marking the armistice that ended
`The Great War.’ (Click here
()
to view photos.)

The memorial now contains 888,246 poppies: one for every British
fatality in World War I. The effect of this spectacle is poignantly
encapsulated in the installation’s title: `Blood Swept Lands and Seas
of Red.’

But that question lingers: How do you begin to visualize death on a
mass scale? For Armenians, who are haunted by our own spectacle of
death=80’which likewise had its beginnings a century ago-the question
has a special resonance.

In Armenia, another flower-the forget-me-not-has been adopted as the
symbol for our 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. One
can only imagine the endless sea of violet that would result from a
million and a half such flowers festooning a vast field. What a
reminder that would be of the magnitude of our loss. What a way to
visualize an incomprehensible number, made up of countless
individuals: each as distinct as a single flower. And almost as
fragile.

Orphan Rug
Stitched on the back of the rug is the inscription “In Golden Rule
Gratitude to President Coolidge.”

** Armenian Orphan Rug on Display
————————————————————
A rug woven by Armenian orphans in the aftermath of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 went on display at the White House Visitor Center in
Washington, DC, this week.

The rug, which was a gift to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925 in
gratitude for American relief efforts during the Genocide, is part of
the White House collection. It was initially scheduled to appear at
the Smithsonian Institution in 2013 in conjunction with the launch of
Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian’s book President Calvin Coolidge and the
Armenian Orphan Rug
()
, but the White House declined to lend the rug for last year’s
exhibition.

The rug will remain on display through Sunday, November 23. The White
House Visitor Center is located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, and
is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Dr. Edgar Housepian
Dr. Edgar Housepian.

** In Memoriam: Dr. Edgar Housepian (1928-2014)
————————————————————
The Eastern Diocese mourns the passing of Dr. Edgar M. Housepian, an
internationally-renowned neurosurgeon and a founding member of the
Fund for Armenian Relief, who passed away on November 14. He was 86.

Dr. Housepian was heir to a remarkable family tradition of
compassionate involvement in Armenian life. In an earlier era, his
parents Dr. Moses and Makrouhi Housepian were pioneers in humane
outreach to our homeland. The warmth of their family life in New York
was memorably portrayed in the novel A Houseful of Love, by Dr. Edgar
Housepian’s late sister Marjorie Housepian Dobkin.

Days after the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Dr. Housepian joined the
late Archbishop Torkom Manoogian and the late Kevork Hovnanian on a
visit to our homeland to assess the damage and formulate a
response. From that trip, the seeds of the Fund for Armenian Relief
were planted.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Housepian led FAR’s effort to restructure
the health care system in Armenia. Thanks to his foresight, a new
generation of Armenian physicians would enjoy invaluable opportunities
for training and education.

`In the life of Dr. Edgar Housepian, we witnessed an example of the
Armenian heritage at its best,’ wrote Diocesan Primate Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian in a message this week. `Our Diocese was blessed to
enjoy his incisive counsel, his visionary leadership, and his gentle,
down-to-earth presence for many years.’

Dr. Housepian’s wife Marion predeceased him last
November. Dr. Housepian is survived by his children Stephen, David and
his wife Leah, and Jean and her husband Bart Costello.

A memorial service for Dr. Housepian will be held at St. Vartan
Armenian Cathedral on Saturday, February 14, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. It
will be followed by a hokejash (memorial luncheon) and a special
program of remembrance.

FAR

** FAR Mourns Founder’s Loss
————————————————————
On the occasion of the passing of Dr. Edgar M. Housepian, the Board of
Directors and staff of the Fund for Armenian Relief express their
profound sorrow at the loss of one of FAR’s visionary founders and the
guiding light of its humanitarian mission for the past quarter
century.

`Every now and then you meet someone who is truly a great person with
tremendous accomplishments, wrapped up in a veil of humility and
self-deprecating humor. Edgar Housepian-`Dr. Ed’=80’was that
man. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to help an individual, a
community, or a country,’ said FAR’s board chair Randy Sapah-Gulian.

`His soft spoken voice on the FAR board was a powerful one that
commanded attention and respect from the rest of us. With his passing,
I feel that we have all lost a great leader and humanitarian. May we
all aspire to be half the man he was.’

The Housepian family has asked that in-lieu-of-flowers donations may
be directed to the Fund for Armenian Relief (630 Second Avenue, New
York, NY 10016).

St. Kevork Church, TX

** Primate to Visit St. Kevork Church
————————————————————
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, will visit St. Kevork
Church of Houston, TX, as the parish celebrates the 40th anniversary
of its Armenian School on Sunday, November 23. The Primate will
celebrate the Divine Liturgy, with the Rev. Fr. Martiros Hakobyan,
parish pastor, assisting.

Following services, the parish will inaugurate its new Shahan
Vartivarian Playground, in memory of the late Dr. Shahan Vartivarian,
a young podiatrist and former St. Kevork Church parishioner who passed
away last March.

A banquet and program of songs and poetry recitations by the Armenian
School students is scheduled for the afternoon. Several parishioners
will also be honored for their service. Click here
()
to visit the parish website for information.

Ambassador Tigran Sargsyan
Community members greet Ambassador Sargsyan at St. Mary Church.

** Armenia’s New Ambassador Welcomed in Washington
————————————————————
On Monday, November 17, St. Mary Church of Washington, DC, hosted an
evening to welcome Tigran Sargsyan, Armenia’s new ambassador to the
United States. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, traveled
to Washington to take part in the evening’s program.

The Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, pastor of St. Mary Church, said it was
a good opportunity for the local Armenian community to meet Ambassador
Sargsyan and to learn about Armenia’s diplomatic efforts in
Washington. Archbishop Barsamian welcomed the ambassador and wished
him a productive term. Ambassador Sargsyan thanked the parish for the
warm reception and said he looked forward to getting to know the
community.

Click here
()
to view photos.
New Archbishop of Chicago
Fr. Aren Jebejian and Archbishop Blase Cupich.

** New Roman Catholic Archbishop Installed in Chicago
————————————————————
On Monday, November 17, the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, took part in the
service of installation for Archbishop Blase Cupich, the newly
appointed Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago.

Ecumenical and civic leaders gathered at Chicago’s Holy Name Roman
Catholic Cathedral for Monday’s service. In a sermon that touched on
the importance of transmitting valuable lessons to the new generation,
Archbishop Cupich said, “Young people have always been attracted to
authenticity, where words match deeds. Let’s not be afraid to let our
young people know about our life with God and how it began.”

Fr. Jebejian congratulated Archbishop Blase Cupich, who shared with
him that he is named after the early Armenian church father St. Blaise
of Sepastia. Archbishop Cupich succeeds Francis Cardinal George, who
has retired.

Ordination

** Primate to Ordain Seminarians at St. Leon Church
————————————————————
On Sunday, November 30, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate,
will ordain three St. Nersess seminarians to the ranks of deacon and
sub-deacon at St. Leon Church of Fair Lawn, NJ.

Saro Kalayjian, who graduated from St. Nersess Seminary last spring,
will be ordained to the diaconate. Current seminary students Levon
Asdourian and Eric Vozzy, who also works in the Department of
Christian Education at the Eastern Diocese, will be ordained as
sub-deacons.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
The tower of the Armenian monastery in Bethlehem.

** Armenian Christmas Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
————————————————————
The Eastern Diocese is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the
Holy Land, which will run from January 12 to 22, 2015. The pilgrims
will visit some of the most inspirational sites in the Holy Land:
Jerusalem, Jericho, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, the
Jordan River, Tiberias, and Qumran. Participants will explore
Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter and the Sts. James Armenian Monastery and
Armenian Patriarchate, and will have an audience with His Beatitude
Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The pilgrims will also travel to the city of our Lord’s
birth-Bethlehem-to celebrate Christ’s Nativity with a Christmas
procession and a midnight Divine Liturgy on January 18-19.

The all-inclusive package for this 10-day pilgrimage (departing from
JFK airport) is $2,598 per person (double occupancy, plus a $50
administrative fee). Questions about the trip can be directed to the
Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, the pilgrimage coordinator, at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and to access an online registration form
()
.

Annual Appeal

** Support the Diocese’s 2014 Annual Appeal
————————————————————
The Eastern Diocese’s 2014 Annual Appeal is underway and building
momentum in these final months of the year. The Appeal is the only
Diocesan-wide fundraiser conducted each year to help the Diocese
undertake the many ministries, programs, and resources that enrich
life in our parishes.

Your thoughtful gift brings light to our local churches. It supports
Christian education, Armenian language instruction, summer camps,
youth programs, mission parish outreach, and the use of new
communication technologies.

To our past and prospective donors, we are deeply grateful for your
support of the creative, educational, and inspirational programs that
lift up Armenian communities throughout the Eastern Diocese.

Please accept this invitation to strengthen our efforts. Your generous
contribution to the 2014 Annual Appeal will help spread the good work
of the Armenian Church across our local communities-and across the
generations.

Follow this link to donate now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal.

Giving Stocks

** A Creative Way to Contribute
————————————————————
If you’re considering whether to give cash, stock, or other
appreciated assets, financial experts have a recommendation for you.

Give stock.

You’ll avoid having to book a taxable gain when you sell-and instead
you can deduct the inflated value of your stock against your taxes,
the Wall Street Journal
()
reports.

The timing can be critical. Many longtime Medtronic shareholders are
donating some or all of their shares to charity this year in order to
wipe out a potentially large tax bill on the gain in value of their
stock, says the Minneapolis Star Tribune
()
.

With tax-smart giving, you can get your financial house in order by
New Year’s Day-and make more of a difference to the Armenian Church.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
St. Gregory of Narek, Cleveland, OH
Archbishop Barsamian ordains Ari Terjanian to the diaconate.

** Cleveland Parish Marks 50 Years
————————————————————
St. Gregory of Narek Church of Richmond Heights, OH, celebrated its
50th anniversary on November 15 and 16. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Diocesan Primate, traveled to Cleveland to take part in the weekend’s
activities.

At a banquet on Saturday evening, speakers reflected on the vision and
legacy established by the church’s founders. Also taking part in the
celebration were some of the parish’s former pastors: the
Rev. Fr. Nersess Jebejian (who served at St. Gregory 1961-64); the
Rev. Fr. Diran Papazian (1972-85); the Rev. Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian
(1967-72); and the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian (1992-99).

Each of the clergymen was presented with a plaque in appreciation of
his years of service to St. Gregory of Narek Church. In addition, a
plaque was dedicated to the entire community for their dedication over
the last five decades; it will be displayed in the church narthex.

On Sunday morning, Archbishop Barsamian celebrated the Divine Liturgy,
with the Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan, parish pastor, assisting. During
the service, parishioner Ari Terjanian was ordained to the diaconate.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view photos
()
.

Armenian Language Seminar in Providence, RI
Gilda Kupelian (far right) presents Armenian School resources.

** New England Armenian Schools Seminar
————————————————————
The Armenian School of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, RI,
hosted the New England Armenian Schools Seminar on November 15. Gilda
Kupelian, the Diocese’s Armenian Studies director, traveled to
Providence for the seminar events.

Participants reviewed new resources and best practices, heard from
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian School principal Nvard Danayan about
local programs, and shared concerns and suggestions. Longtime educator
Hagop Ghajanian was honored for more than 35 years of service to the
Armenian School and Marie Ghajanian was honored for more than 20 years
of service. The Ghajanians also received a certificate on behalf of
Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.

On Sunday, the Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin, parish pastor, celebrated the
Divine Liturgy. Following services, Gilda Kupelian gave a presentation
on Armenian proverbs and sayings. Her talk followed the chronology of
Christianity in Armenia, starting with the invention of the Armenian
alphabet, the translation of the Bible, and moving toward the spread
of Christianity and its influence on Armenian folklore and popular
expressions. The interactive talk was enhanced by illustrations by
well-known Egyptian-Armenian artist Saroukhan, as well as new
illustrations by graphic artist Linda Ganjian.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Georg Church, Hartford, CT
>From left: Alexander Demircan, Angel Zohrabian, and Veronica
Sardaryan as King Vramshapuh, Catholicos Sahag, and Mesrob Mashdots.

** A Lesson on the Holy Translators in Hartford
————————————————————
On Sunday, November 16, St. George Church of Hartford, CT, organized a
program dedicated to the Holy Translators.

Stepan Piligian of Holy Translators Church of Framingham , MA, led an
interactive talk on the lives of St. Mesrob and St. Sahag. Sunday
School students Alexander Demircan, Angel Zohrabian, and Veronica
Sardaryan took on the roles of King Vramshapuh, Catholicos Sahag, and
Mesrob Mashdots. Donning costumes, they brought the story of the Holy
Translators to life for the younger Sunday School classes.

Sunday School co-superintendents Virginia Wasynczuk and Cynthia
Messikian said the presentation was well received by students and
parishioners alike.

`The central role of the Armenian language in uniting our people in
their faith is an important message for our students and
parishioners,’ said the Rev. Fr. Gomidas Zohrabian, parish pastor. `We
are grateful to Stepan for sharing his wonderful program with our
parish.”

Veterans in Racine
Veterans pose for a group photo at St. Mesrob Church.

** Giving Back in Racine
————————————————————
Parishioners of St. Mesrob Church of Racine, WI, participated in a
“Sleep Out” to benefit a local homeless shelter this fall. On November
7, they spent the night in cardboard boxes and raised $1,400 for the
shelter, which also provides drug counseling, job placement,
assistance for victims of domestic violence, and other services. In
addition, a portion of the church’s festival proceeds were donated to
the cause.

Later that weekend, on Sunday, November 9, the St. Mesrob Church ACYOA
chapter honored the veterans of the parish. The community gathered to
remember all of its vets-both living and deceased-for their patriotism
and self-sacrifice.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. John Church, Detroit, MI
Sima Trio members with Michael Randall Hawes (far right).

** A Classical Concert in Detroit
————————————————————
The Music Guild of St. John Church of Detroit, MI, opened its third
season with the Sima Trio of New York on Sunday, October 26. The trio
is comprised of Armenian musicians Ani Kalayjian (cello), Sofya
Melikyan (piano), and Sami Merdinian (violin).

The program featured works by Hovhaness, Babadjanian, Tchebodarian,
and Haydn. Local musician Michael Randall Hawes, the grandson of the
late St. John parishioner Michael Minasian (to whom last month’s
concert was dedicated) performed `The Prayer of St. Gregory’ by Alan
Hovhaness.

Click here
()
to read more.

Hye Pointe Church
Children at Smolak Farms.

** Hay Ride at Hye Pointe
————————————————————
The ACYOA of Hye Pointe Church of Haverhill, MA, sponsored a `Hay
Ride’ at Smolak Farms in North Andover, MA, on October 25. Families
enjoyed a pumpkin patch, hay ride, and a campfire.

ACYOA members said `the group had an amazing afternoon filled with
fellowship, laughs, and treats. We look forward to organizing a
similar event next year.’

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

Sts. Vartanantz Church | Chelmsford, MA
Sts. Vartanantz Church of Chelmsford, MA, will host its annual bazaar
on Friday, November 21, and Saturday, November 22, from 10 a.m. to 8
p.m. on both days. Lunch and dinner-featuring lamb shish kebab,
chicken kebab, and losh kebab-will be served from 12 to 7 p.m.;
takeout will be available. Other highlights include homemade Armenian
pastries; an Armenian Country Store offering a wide variety of dry
goods and jewelry; white elephant tables; arts and crafts; silent
auctions and raffles. Click here
()
to visit the church website for information.

Holy Resurrection Church | New Britain, CT
The Women’s Guild of the Church of the Holy Resurrection of New
Britain, CT, will host a Holiday Fair on Saturday, November 22, from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come early to purchase Armenian pastries and
foods. Lunch will be available all day in the `Kitchen Café.’ Other
highlights include vendors’ stations; LD’s Chocolates of Southington,
CT, will be taking holiday pre-orders. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information,

St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church | Wynnewood, PA
The Women’s Guild of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church of Wynnewood, PA,
will host a Thanksgiving Family Night on Friday, November 21, at 6:30
p.m. Enjoy a rich Thanksgiving meal and help support a church
project. This is the second in a series of family nights the Women’s
Guild plans to organize each fall and spring on the third Friday of
each month. Proceeds go towards the renovation of the church’s
Hayatian Hall. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church will host Hye Hop 2014 on Saturday,
November 29. Started by Arik `Ott’ Kazanjian in the 1960s as a youth
dance, the Hye Hop was revived last year. This year’s dance will be a
tribute to Ott who passed away in May 2014. The Vosbikian Band and DJ
Adrian Hardy of Revel’s HQ will provide entertainment. Partial
proceeds from the event will support local centennial Armenian
Genocide commemorations. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Holy Cross Church | Washington Heights, NY
Holy Cross Church in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood
will host its annual bazaar and food festival on Sunday, November 23,
from 1 to 6 p.m. Enjoy traditional Armenian dishes and pastries, a
country store, Armenian music, and a tavloo tournament. Click here
()
to visit the parish website for information.

Holy Trinity Church | Cambridge, MA
The front plaza of Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA, will be named
the `Garabed Bagdasar and Haiganoosh Hagopian Hollisian Plaza’ in a
dedication ceremony on Sunday, November 23, at the conclusion of
church services. A a pre-Thanksgiving Day luncheon will follow. Click
here
(`9342cc92&e=3aa2e2c3e9&utm_source=Eastern+Diocese+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=c631a00e65-September_4_20149_4_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3f0172fcf2-c631a00e65-159688434)
for more information.

Holy Trinity Church will host its Trinity Christmas Bazaar
()
on Friday, December 5 (12 to 9 p.m.) and Saturday, December 6 (10
a.m. to 7 p.m.). The bazaar will feature Armenian food and sweets,
vendors, and raffles. On Saturday, children can enjoy carnival games
at Santa’s Playland
()
and encounter live animals at `Curious Creatures.’

St. Thomas Church | Tenafly, NJ
The Cultural Committee of St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ, and the
Society of Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR-NJ) will present a screening
of the movie Music to Madness: The Story of Komitas on Sunday,
November 23, beginning at 1 p.m. A talk with writer and director David
Robert Deranian will follow the screening. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ, will host its Food Festival and
Holiday Bazaar on December 6 (12 to 9 p.m.) and December 7 (12 to 6
p.m.). Enjoy traditional Armenian food and dessert, Armenian music,
and vendors. Activities for children will include a clown, face
painting, video games, and more. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Mary Church | Livingston, NJ
St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ, will host an ACYOA Reunion Dance on
Saturday, November 29, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The evening will be held
in the church’s Haroutioun and Siranoush Toufayan Hall. Enjoy music by
the Gostanian Ensemble and reconnect with old friends. Reservations
are required by November 22. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Holy Martyrs Church | Bayside, NY
Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY, will host its annual food fair on
Saturday, November 22 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Sunday, November 23 (12
to 4 p.m.). Homemade foods and desserts will be available for
purchase. Hot lunch will be available on Sunday. To view a flyer click
here
()
.

The Women’s Guild of Holy Martyrs Church will host its annual
fundraising event on Thursday, December 4, at North Hempstead Country
Club in Port Washington, NY. The afternoon will feature musical
entertainment, raffle prizes, and other activities. For reservations,
call Claire Bardakian at (516) 248-1166, or Takouhi Tateosian at (516)
216-1950.

St. Peter Church | Watervliet, NY
St. Peter Church of Watervliet, NY, will host its annual Holiday Food
Bazaar on December 6 and 7. Enjoy popular Armenian foods, vendors,
musical entertainment, and a visit from Santa. Click on the following
links to read more
()
and to view a flyer
()
.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
ACYOA Central Council
ACYOA members in Stony Point, NY.

** ACYOA Hosts Leadership Conference
————————————————————
Young people across the Eastern Diocese gathered for the annual
Leadership Conference hosted by the ACYOA Central Council at the Don
Bosco Retreat Center in Stony Point, NY, from November 14 to 16.

Themed `Know Thyself: Responding to Life’s Challenges,’ the conference
program was prepared by the ACYOA Central Council to help ACYOA
members learn more about themselves as individuals and as members of
the Armenian community, and to encourage them to take up leadership
roles in their parishes.

The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan served as the chaplain for the
weekend. On Sunday, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, with ACYOA
members assisting on the altar and singing in the choir.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view photos
()
.

ACYOA Chapter Workshop

** Register for ACYOA Chapter Workshop
————————————————————
The ACYOA Central Council will sponsor an ACYOA Seniors Chapter
Workshop at St. Hagop Church of Pinellas Park, FL, from January 9 to
11.

Current and prospective ACYOA members ages 18 and older are invited to
gather for a weekend of discussion and worship. Participants will also
take part in a `Faith in Action’ service project to benefit a local
Florida charity.

Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and register online
()
. The registration deadline for the discounted fee of $150 is December
22. For information, contact Lorie Odabashian at (212) 686-0710, or
via e-mail at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

One Conference

** Orthodox Youth Conference to be Held in New Jersey
————————————————————
The Northeast American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
is organizing a conference for young parishioners of Oriental and
Eastern Orthodox churches. The `One Conference’ will be held on
Saturday, November 29, at Sts. Nicholas, Constantine, and Helen Greek
Orthodox Church (80 Laurel Ave. in Roseland, NJ).

Themed `Fear No Evil,’ the daylong gathering will focus on violence
facing Christian communities in the Middle East. The conference is
open to young people ages 16 and older.

Click here
()
to view a flyer for information. To register, visit

** EVENTS
————————————————————
Christmas Tree Lighting

** Children’s Christmas Concert at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will host a children’s
Christmas concert and tree-lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 6.

The Zangakner Children’s Choir of Boston will perform Christmas songs
in the cathedral sanctuary beginning at 2 p.m. They will be
accompanied by master pianist Ã…=9Eahan Arzruni and violinist Simon
Hagopian-Roger.

This will be followed by a tree-lighting ceremony on the cathedral
plaza at 3:30 p.m. Admission is free. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Zulal Concert
The Zulal a cappella folk trio.

** Music to Soothe the Soul
————————————————————
Seeking a little harmony this holiday season? St. Vartan Cathedral may
have just the ticket.

On Sunday, December 14, the Zulal a cappella folk trio will offer up
its lovely renderings of Armenian songs in a soul-stirring concert in
Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium, beginning at 2 p.m.

For concert tickets click here
()
and select `Events.’ For concert details see the attached flyer
()
.

Naturally, the day will begin in the cathedral sanctuary with the
magnificent Divine Liturgy, beginning at 10:30 a.m.-to which everyone
is always invited. It will all happen at the Diocesan Center, located
at 630 Second Avenue (at 34th Street), in New York City.

Kalustian
Hermine Kalustyan.

** Remembering Hermine Kalustyan
————————————————————
The Esayan-Getronagan Alumni of New York will celebrate the 100th
birthday of the late educator Hermine Kalustyan, who had a long
teaching career in Istanbul and served as principal of the Esayan
School.

This Pajagi Or event will take place on Sunday, December 7, at 1
p.m. It will be held in Kalustyan Hall at Holy Martyrs Church in
Bayside, NY. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

** note to our readers
————————————————————
The Diocese’s e-Newsletter will not be published on Thanksgiving Day,
Thursday, November 27. We look forward to resuming e-Newsletter
publication on Thursday, December 4.

We wish our readers a happy Thanksgiving. To send a Thanksgiving
e-card to your family and friends, visit our website
()
.

PRINCE CHARLES TELLS ARMENIAN CHURCH OF HIS HEARTBREAK OVER ATTACKS ON MIDDLE EASTERN CHRISTIANS

The Tablet, UK
Nov 21 2014

21 November 2014 16:39 by James Roberts

The Prince of Wales this week followed up his impassioned plea for
religious freedom at the 4 November launch of an Aid to the Church
in the Need report on persecution, with a visit to St Yeghichè’s
Armenian church in South Kensington, London.

April next year marks the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of
the genocide by the Ottoman Government against the Armenian population,
in which 1.5 million were killed.

Some of those who escaped fled to Syria, and the visit by the Prince
of Wales comes as the descendants of those who fled the genocide face
a new persecution at the hands of contemporary Islamists in Syria
and Iraq.

The prince was speaking on Wednesday to a 1,000-strong congregation
that included Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian
Church in the UK, Dr Armen Sarkissian, the Armenian ambassador,
the Armenian Archbishop of Iraq Avak Asadourian.

He said: “Whilst it is a joy for me to be in St Yeghichè this
morning it is the most soul-destroying tragedy that the Armenian
Church is facing such indescribable persecution in the Middle East,
in countries where Armenian Christians have long lived peacefully
with their neighbours.

“It is, literally, heartbreaking to learn of the attacks on Christians
and on the churches where they gather, such as the mindless, brutal
destruction of the Armenian church in Deir el Zour in late September.”

The church in Deir el Zour, eastern Syria, was dedicated to the
Armenian genocide victims. All of its archives, dating back to 1841
and containing thousands of documents on the Armenian Holocaust,
were burned to ashes. The bones of hundreds of genocide victims were
carted from the church’s crypt and thrown into the street.

“Your Grace,” Prince Charles continued, addressing Bishop Vahan,
“I should like to thank you for standing before us today to tell
us about the continued sufferings of the Armenian Church in Iraq. I
should also like to say that I greatly admire the courage and faith
of your flock who are an example to us all of faith, quite literally,
under such grotesque and barbarous assault.”

During the service, Archbishop Avak Asadourian, spoke of the problems
facing Armenian Christians in the region from his own experiences.

“Due to assaults Iraqi Christians are leaving the country of their
forefathers. In 1980 there were 1.5 million, this is now down to
400,000 due to the encroachment of Islamic State,” he said.

The Armenian Mets Yeghern (“great crime”) – the systematic eradication
of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1922,
is recognised as a genocide by the Vatican, the US, France, Germany,
Italy, Russia, Canada and many other Western countries, but not by
the United Kingdom.

The Diocese of the Armenian Church of the UK and Ireland has raised
£15,000 to help the Armenians of Syria during the past year, and is
continuing its fundraising efforts.

St Yeghichè (formerly known as St Peter’s) is a former Anglican church
which was closed in 1973 and taken over by the Armenian Orthodox
Church in 1998.

ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONNECTED TO NETWORK

Energy Monitor Worldwide
November 20, 2014 Thursday

Armenia’s nuclear power plant in Metsamor was re-connected November
18 to the national power grid and resumed production of electricity,
the press service of the ministry of energy and natural resources said.

The facility was brought to a halt on September 27 for an annual
repair to improve its security and for refueling.

The Metsamor plant located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan, was
built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake
in 1988 that killed some 25,000 people and devastated much of northern
Armenia.

One of the plant’s two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was
reactivated in 1995. The government wants to build a new facility that
is supposed to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed
facility. Metsamor currently generates some 40 percent of Armenia’s
electricity. But the government has yet to attract funding for the
project that was estimated as much as $5 billion. 2014 Global Data
Point.

RENA DE: SYRIAN ARMENIAN SINGER RUNS A PUB IN YEREVAN

Features | 21.11.14 | 13:38

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow

By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

The waves of the sounds of jazz overwhelm the Melrose pub. Then jazz
turns into blues, sole, funk… and then a thunder of applause. Rena
De’s voice spreads across the pub and fills the hearts of the visitors.

“Those who come here should relax, for that right music is very
important, and of course, one other thing – the aura of the pub is
very important,” the Syrian-Armenian singer says. It has been five
months that she is running the Melrose pub in the heart of Yerevan.

g Born in Aleppo, she grew up in Australia and then moved back
to Syria.

Rena says that the last harbor was surely supposed to be her historical
homeland where she settled and decided to open a pub.

“I came here at the end of 2013, before that I lived a year and a half
in Lebanon. I had a chance to go to Australia again, because I already
have citizenship there, my two children also have it, but we are here.

My husband is still there working, but he will soon join us here
in Armenia,” Rena, 42, said. “In 1998 I came to Armenia first, and
other three times as well, from the very beginning I wanted to stay,
but the conditions were not that good, and we had settled in Aleppo
already – our work, house, but when it turned like that, it was not
a decision anymore – we knew we were coming here.”

Rena was born into the family of famous singer Karo Daghdevirenian.

Her father sang at the famous Montana club in Aleppo.

“My father sang at the oldest places in Aleppo, and his generation
would remember him well, many of them are not alive anymore… he sang
American and European songs in Italian, French, but most of his songs
were in English,” Rena, whose ancestors were from Ayntap and Musaler
in modern-day Turkey, says. “I inherited the skills of singing,
I was performing with Aleppo’s Big Band when I was eight. Singing
was never a choice for me, but a natural status – love.”

The Daghdevirenian family moved from Australia to Syria when Rena was
22 years old. The singer, who is a trained business market specialist,
taught English and simultaneously sang in Aleppo for almost nine years.

“I already had a band in Aleppo and I worked. I sang with different
bands in Lebanon. When I came here I decided that I was going to do
this. Here I founded the Shiver band,” Rena said.

The singer says people in Armenia are more demanding when it comes
to music.

“This is the very reason they are different from the Aleppo audience,
and there is another thing as well, here art is in another form and
contents, which I cannot compare with Lebanon, Aleppo or Baghdad.

There are a few styles that I started signing here, I did not in Syria,
for instance, rock; I became more deeply interested in classic rock,
I was more in jazz there,” Rena said.

At Melrose people go to listen to the Shiver band almost five days a
week, from 9:30pm till midnight. The playlist varies. Shiver is more
known as a blues band.

“Blues is performed much, our fans like it much. There are many songs
we turned into blues. We perform 60s-70s songs in different variations,
and people like it a lot,” says the singer, in whose band two members
are also Syrian-Armenians.

She says she deals with the pub’s management and says that correctly
chosen strategy is vitally important in that work. There are quite a
few pubs in Yerevan and to survive the competition it is important to
have a purposeful management, and here Rena’s profession comes handy.

“I am in charge of management and PR. This is not an easy job, no
job is easy. The success of the job here depends on good sounding
music, appropriate way of notifications, the way we treat people is
important. And finally what is a pub? It is going to a nice place,
drinking a pint of beer or whisky, listening to wild music and feeling
the good aura.”

Melrose hosts around 100 customers during one evening, 70 of which
around tables. It is the second week they have introduced an entrance
fee on the days when Shiver is on stage.

“We only recently introduced an entrance fee, because it is only now
we’ve gained the crowd that wants to be here always. I mean we got
established and have our customers. Four days a week we have a full
concert situation here – live music, there are also days a DJ plays,
people dance. Most of the customers are not Syrian Armenians. It is
a good mixture of Syrian Armenians and locals here,” Rena says.

The Melrose pub was established as part of the program being
implemented by the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development
National Center of Armenia (SMEDNCA) and the UNHCR Armenia office.

During this program Syrian-Armenians, participating in business
trainings, submit their business plans that, if approved by the
commission, get funding for implementation.

The Melrose pub’s business plan was submitted by Syrian-Armenian
George Akar. It was granted funding after being approved within
the framework of the program implemented by SMENDCA and UNHCR. The
beneficiary presenting the business plan also makes financial
investment depending on the size of the funding he or she applied for.

Funding of up to 5 million AMD ($12,500) is provided at an annual
interest rate of 4 percent.

Rena believes that Syrian-Armenians have “imported” a new culture
in Armenia.

“We are more sensitive. When I walk in the street and everyone speaks
Armenian, it is a completely different sensation for me. Maybe a local
does not get to think like that, but I lived in Syria, Australia,
Lebanon, and after all that I can feel it. We are more sensitive
about our motherland,” she says.

She gets upset when from locals’ mouths she hears the expression
“This country is not a [good] country”.

“It is a country for us, a motherland, we were deprived of that
motherland, being here, and seeing this situation, it is a pain for me
to hear that people who were born and lived their lives here say that.

It is equally difficult for us, also as newcomers, new settlers. I
am trying to start a job here, to stand up, to provide a family,
but I could not for once say “this country is not a [good] country,”
Rena says, smiling.

UN BUS HUMANITAIRE POUR LE KURDISTAN IRAKIEN AVEC ELISE BOGHOSSIAN* (1)

TEMOIGNAGE

C’est toujours troublant de revenir ici et de replonger dans cet
univers. Passer la douane a l’aeroport avec ses panneaux publicitaires
de telephonie ou Dior, attendre sa valise parmi quelques grappes
d’europeens, journalistes ou investisseurs petroliers, quitter
les grands hôtels de luxe de la ville et rouler sur des dizaines de
kilomètres dans les grandes plaines, pour retrouver les camps les plus
isoles, les memes refugies avec les memes tenues, rases ou aux cheveux
longs, le temps semble s’etre arrete sur eux. Meme la dechèterie
où vivent les yezidis n’a pas change, les grilles faisant office
de lit, avec ses corbeaux et sa mise en scène, c’est presque beau,
comme si un artiste avait mis sa patte a l’oeuvre. Le meme decor,
le meme quotidien, le meme abandon.

Viyan est venu me chercher a l’aeroport. Il est kurde, pharmacien,
et fondateur du Kurdistan Medical Charity Foundation. Mon amie Dilnaz,
la fille de la princesse, me l’avait presente comme un homme de terrain
très fiable, devoue. Le grand-père de Viyan a ete torture a mort par
les turcs parce qu’il hebergeait des armeniens en 1915 en Turquie. Son
père s’est alors echappe a Baghdad, il etait un ami très intime de
la famille de la princesse. Viyan a suivi ses etudes en Ukraine,
et il met son temps, son energie, sa vie entière au service des
refugies, quelques soient leur origine, leur religion, leur langue,
que ce soit les syriens, les yezidis, les chretiens, les refugies de
Salaheddin, de Ramadi, de Falluja, les sunnites, les shabaks et les
kakis. Deux cent benevoles medecins et infirmiers travaillent avec
lui. Nous avions eu quelques echanges avant mon arrivee en septembre,
notre collaboration auprès des malades etait reussie et nous sommes
heureux a l’idee de continuer a travailler ensemble.

Par rapport a l’ete dernier où les ONG n’etaient pas presentes, on
ressent une volonte de mettre une vraie organisation en place. Les
jardins publics de Erbil ont ete vides. La nuit est beaucoup trop
froide, et les recents afflux massifs de refugies de Kirkouk et
de Kobane ont eu comme consequence l’ouverture d’anciennes usines,
l’amenagement de caves ou centres commerciaux desaffectes. Les Nations
Unies essaient de federer l’ensemble des organisations humanitaires
et l’UNHCR fournit chaque famille en kit de couvertures et vetements,
de l’eau, des couches et de la nourriture. Dans les tentes, chaque
famille preserve son espace. Les chaussures restent a l’entree et
nous marchons en chaussettes sur la bâche posee au sol, la photo de la
vierge avec un chapelet sont accroches au pied de vis de l’ampoule, la
theière est toujours prete sur le petit rechaud a terre, les matelas
sont empiles avec des couvertures pliees près d’un cageot en bois
contenant du riz, des aubergines et des tomates, les plus riches ont
un poste de radio. A l’entree de ces bâtiments abritant entre 400 et
1500 individus, un ou deux prefabriques permettent d’enregistrer les
nouveaux arrivants, et des benevoles kurdes ou etrangers repondent
aux soins de première necessite. Selon la religion des refugies,
on peut rencontrer aussi un pretre, un imam, etc. Les autorites
publiques essaient de debaucher des medecins des hôpitaux de la ville,
eux-memes par ailleurs engorges. Alors quelques soins sont assures,
notamment auprès des personnes âgees et des enfants. Pour le reste,
il faut patienter …

Dans les plaines environnantes et les villages voisins, c’est bien
pire encore. Près de dechèteries ou de troupeaux de moutons noirs,
les camps sont securises par les barbeles et les peshmergues. Les
epidemies de chaleur de l’ete dernier ont entraîne beaucoup de decès,
et a l’image des camps, les cimetières sont surcharges. Des tracteurs
retournent la terre autour des camps pour les agrandir car il a
fallu heberger des centaines de familles qui sont arrivees la semaine
dernière. Simplement dans la province de Duhok, a 3h de route au nord
de Erbil, il y a 17 camps pour 850 000 residents, ca laisse une idee
du pourcentage de soins reellement pratiques, et le nombre de refugies
presents sur l’ensemble des trois provinces du Kurdistan. Avec leurs
cinquante places assises, les tentes amenagees par l’UNICEF essaient
d’eviter la rupture scolaire auprès des enfants. Mais le desespoir de
ces familles est tel que les enfants eux-memes semblent deja vieux. On
les voit parfois jouer entre eux, en improvisant des jeux de billes a
partir de boue et en faisant des trous dans la terre. Les adolescents
portent l’eau, vous proposent de cirer vos chaussures, vous supplie
de leur donner du travail. Originaires de Mosoul, Baghdad, Alep… ,
les parents sont professeurs, architectes, cordonniers, restaurateurs
d’objets d’art, cuisiniers. On lit dans leur regard la honte d’etre
devenu mendiant du jour au lendemain.

Il y a une explosion des grossesses dans les camps,

VARDAN MINASYAN: “I HAVE A VALID CONTRACT AND I TRAIN MY TEAM WITH PLEASURE”

Thursday 20 November 2014 11:15
Photo: Mediamax

Vardan Minasyan

Former head coach of the Armenian national football Vardan Minasyan
started working in Kazakhstan as Tobol head coach in spring 2014.

After the end of the season, he arrived in Yerevan and spoke about his
team, professional growth, return to the national team and friendly
relations with national team football players in his exclusive
interview to Mediamax Sport.

– You have been living and working in Kazakhstan for already half a
year. What has changed in your life over this period?

– Before working and living in a foreign country, one should understand
the mindset of locals to communicate and work with them more easily. In
terms of work, it was huge experience for me. The club football allows
working on a daily basis and I feel many changes took place. I also
sense changes in professional growth as well.

– Are you happy with the results of Tobol?

Vardan Minasyan Photo: Mediamax

– I am pragmatic and try to assess the situation and opportunities
realistically. The team’s result is in line with its potential in terms
of the budget and players’ choice. Though we could be among the top 6,
many players got injuries all at once which didn’t let us manage it.

– Leaving the national team, you said that you would like to try your
hand at club football. Do you like the work?

– I needed work on a daily basis that’s why I left the national team.

I should have started from something and I should confess my choice
was right. When you work every day you have time for correcting errors
and seeking for right solutions. Also, you can try novelties.

– How did you manage to settle in Kazakhstan and start working?

– Of course, it’s hard to live far away from the family, friends,
hometown, but it’s my job, my chosen path and I don’t have a reason
to complain about it. To get accustomed to anything, one should first
of all respect the traditions of the country he lives in and where
people treat him well. One should accept some things. Though there
is this notion of national mindset, football has a single language
and there is one answer to all the questions.

Vardan Minasyan Photo: Mediamax

– What are the similarities and differences in organization and
management of football in Armenia and Kazakhstan?

– In terms of finances, there are more opportunities in Kazakhstan: one
can invite good players and coaches from abroad. The local specialists
have also considerably grown. The level of the national championship
in Kazakhstan is higher than in Armenia. The football clubs manage to
pass several rounds in the Champions’ League and Europe League. At
the same time, Armenia is in more advantageous position as far as
infrastructures are concerned. We have football academies meeting
European standards which Kazakhstan doesn’t have yet.

– You have a valid contract with Tobol. We would like to know if you
had received invitations from other clubs.

– My contract is valid till November 2015. There are teams which take
interest in me, I even got two offers. But as of now, I don’t even
consider them as I am focused on working in Tobol.

– We can’t pass by the topic of the Armenian national team. You
have been holding the post of the head coach of the team longer than
anyone else and perhaps, you keep track of how our guys play. What
could you say about the current qualifying round?

– I can say the football the team plays is very disciplined and
organized. It has huge potential. There were just many injuries at
the period, and there are players who don’t have much practice on the
field. If all these issues are settled they will have more chances
to pass to Euro 2016.

Vardan Minasyan Photo: Mediamax

– When we interviewed you a year ago, you said you already missed
the national team. What will you say now when quite a long period
of time has passed? Do you miss the football players and fans of the
national team?

– If one spends his best years – and I think for me it was the period
when I worked with the national team – the answer is obvious: of
course, I do miss. I should be honest: the results of the work in the
team allowed me to get the current status and work. I am thankful to
everyone and keep in touch with the guys. I can’t forget the wonderful
days we spent together.

– The fans want to see you the head coach of the national team up to
now. Is it possible for you to return to the national team one day?

– Everything is possible. One always wants to go back to the place he
was once happy and successful. But currently I have a valid contract
and I train my team with pleasure.

– What are your plans for near future?

– I will spend the upcoming month in Armenia and then Tobol will
begin the trainings before Kazakhstan championship. We will try to
strengthen the team as much as possible not to face the same problems
we had this year.

Hasmik Babayan and Gohar Nalbandyan talked to Vardan Minasyan.

Photos by Mariam Loretsyan.

SYMBOL OF ARMENIAN CENTURY-OLD SUFFERING GETS BRIEF DISPLAY AT WHITE HOUSE

Huffington Post
Nov 18 2014

| By BY KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — To Armenian-Americans, the display Tuesday of
a hand-woven rug at the White House Visitor’s Center represented a
hard-fought victory in their push for official recognition of the
killings of their ancestors experienced nearly a century ago.

“It’s a silent, beautiful rebuttal to those who deny the murder of
a million-and-a-half people,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

Schiff was one of several members of Congress, including Reps. David
Valadao, Jim Costa and Judy Chu of California, at the event. The
lawmakers represent districts with thousands of Armenian-Americans.

The rug, hand-woven by orphans and delivered to President Calvin
Coolidge in 1925, has mostly sat in storage since the Coolidge family
returned it to the White House in 1982 as a gift. It measures 11.5
feet by 19 feet, took 18 months to complete and contains more than
4 million knots.

Armenian-Americans want the U.S. government to acknowledge that
the deaths of their ancestors constituted a genocide, a term used
to describe violence intended to destroy an entire group based on
ethnicity, race or religion.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by
scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey, however,
denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been
inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

The United States does not call the deaths genocide; doing so could
risk U.S. relations with Turkey, an important ally. Turkey withdrew
its U.S. ambassador four years ago when a House panel approved
a resolution branding the killing of Armenians as genocide. The
resolution eventually stalled.

As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama pledged to recognize the
deaths as genocide. But in a 2012 event, as president, he stopped
short of using that term, calling it “one of the worst atrocities of
the 20th century.”

Mark Stroh, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security
Council, said the president and other senior administration officials
have repeatedly acknowledged as historical fact that 1.5 million
Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days
of the Ottoman Empire

“(They have) stated that a full, frank and just acknowledgement of
the facts is in our all interests, including Turkey’s, Armenia’s and
America’s,” Stroh said.

The rug was previously displayed in nonpublic settings as a result of
extraordinary requests, Stroh said. In one instance, in the 1980s,
for a member of Congress, and in the other, in the 1990s, to allow
it to be seen in the White House by a woman involved in its making.

Among the first visitors to view the rug Tuesday was John Marshall
Evans, who served as ambassador to Armenia for two years under
President George W. Bush. Evans said he was replaced as ambassador 18
months after he described the Armenian deaths as genocide and that
the U.S. needs to recognize the facts. He’s not satisfied with the
Obama administration’s approach, either.

“It’s a very miserly recognition,” Evans said.

Lawmakers began a letter-writing campaign to the White House last
year after reports that the display of the rug at the Smithsonian
Castle had been cancelled. Stroh said the rug was not lent to the
Smithsonian in that instance because its display for an afternoon
would have been in support of a book launch, which he said would not
have been appropriate.

Aram Hamparin, executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of America, said the display of the rug was progress but added,
“We’ve let a foreign country impose a gag rule on what Americans can
and cannot say on the Armenian genocide.”

AMBASSADOR ANDRZEJ KASPRZYK DIDN’T VISIT HELICOPTER CRASH SITE, OSCE REPRESENTATIVE SAYS

APA, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2014

[ 19 November 2014 13:20 ]

“We never said he visited the crash site”

Baku. Anakhanum Hidayatova – APA. Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk didn’t
visit helicopter crash site, Media and Outreach Officer at OSCE,
Mersiha Causevic Podzic told APA while commenting on the reports that
Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kaspzyk
visited the area where the Armenian Army’s military helicopter was
shot down.

“That is not what we said. We said: Ambassador Kasprzyk did visit in
the region of the crash site. We never said he visited the crash site.

Nor we every published anything on our web page,” she said.

Recall that, RIA Novosti reported that Andrzej Kasprzyk visited
helicopter crash site.