Author: Babajanian Karo

L’ARMENIE PASSERA EN 7E POSITION LORS DE LA FINALE DE L’EUROVISION 2014 DEMAIN SOIR A COPENHAGUE (DANEMARK)

EUROVISION 2014

l’Arménie est parmi les favoris, votons ARMENIE !

Nous connaissons l’ordre de passage des 26 pays dans la finale
du concours de l’Eurovision 2014 qui se déroulera demain soir a
Copenhague (Danemark). L’Arménie, l’une des favorites avec ”
Not Alone ” d’Aram Mp3 passera en 7e position. L’Azerbaïdjan
en 3e. Rappelons que lors de la seconde demi-finale hier soir,
la Géorgie a été éliminée. La Turquie ne participant pas a
cette édition de l’Eurovision 2014. Le ministère arménien de
la Diaspora -ainsi qu’Armenews- appelle les Arméniens de France
et d’Europe a voter demain soir -par sms, internet et téléphone-
pour l’Arménie. Rappelons que selon les bookmakers britanniques,
l’Arménie est la favorite pour le titre de l’Eurovision 2014.

Ci-dessous la liste des passages de la finale de l’Eurovision 2014 :

1.Ukraine 2.Belarus 3.Azerbaïdjan 4.Islande 5.Norvège 6.Roumanie
7.Arménie 8.Monténégro 9.Polonge 10.Grèce 11.Autriche 12.Allemagne
13.Suède 14.France 15.Russie 16.Italie 17.Slovénie 18.Finlande
19.Espagne 20.Suisse 21.Hongrie 22.Malte 23.Danemark 24.Pays-Bas
25.San Marin 26.Royaume Uni

Krikor Amirzayan

vendredi 9 mai 2014, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

‘FOLLOW YOUR HEART’ AT FLECK DANCE THEATRE TELLS MIDDLE EASTERN LOVE STORY THROUGH DANCE

Toronto Star, Ont. Canada
May 8 2014

The story probes a recurrent Canadian theme: the struggle between
contemporary norms and traditional values.

By: Michael Crabb Dance, Published on Thu May 08 2014

Photos View photos

zoom

Follow Your Heart, the title of Toronto-based Evolution Dance Theatre’s
new production, pretty much sums up the life and mission of company
founder/director Armineh Keshishian.

Keshishian, a Christian of Armenian descent born and raised in
Muslim-dominated Iran, has defied culture and custom to fulfil a
personal dream. She’s brought to the stage a series of works, five
so far, strongly coloured by her own Middle Eastern heritage yet
informed by a modern vision that celebrates cultural diversity.

“My interest has always been in the commonalties, not in the things
that divide us,” says Keshishian.

Follow Your Heart, a spectacle composed of a 47-member cast of dancers,
actors and musicians, along with dazzling costumes and decors, video
imagery and evocative lighting, tells the story of Almaza (Teria
Morada), a modern Middle Eastern woman in love with a very traditional
man, Jivan (Mateo Galindo Torres), with a controlling mother.

Apart from providing the pretext for some steamy dance duets, it’s a
story that probes a recurrent theme in Canada’s multicultural society:
the struggle between contemporary — effectively Western secular —
norms and traditional values.

Around this core narrative, Keshishian has built a show that fuses
a kaleidoscope of dance styles from belly dance to hip hop and
traditional Middle Eastern music to African drumming. The show’s
finale features a fusion drum ensemble that includes female Persian
percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand. In one scene, Erepuni, the dance
ensemble of Toronto’s Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural Association,
will perform a sabre dance to Aram Khatchachurian’s familiar music.

Although she has been able to attract small sponsorships and a number
of donors, Keshishian herself has been Evolution Dance Theatre’s
primary financial support. When she’s not working on a production,
Keshishian earns her living as a certified financial planner.

A multi-tasking woman by necessity, Keshishian is wise enough to know
she can’t do everything. Among the experienced team she’s assembled
for Follow Your Heart is rehearsal director Kendra Ray from Detroit.

Ray is an accomplished belly dancer but, like several members of the
company, she came to it from the outside.

“I don’t have a drop of Middle Eastern blood in my veins,” says Ray.

“I was drawn to it by the music and the movement.”

And Ray became very, very good at belly dancing. Last year she was
called in as an expert consultant to put a little Middle Eastern
sensuality into the Scheherazade free dance program that propelled
American skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White to ice dance Olympic
Gold in Sochi.

Now Ray is using her skills to ensure that Keshishian’s choreographic
vision, incorporating such a fusion of styles, is achieved. It’s
a complex task, as Ray explains, because the dance inhabits a
technically complex production with lots of tight cues and multiple
costume changes. Happily, Keshishian has a seasoned stage manager,
Isolde Pleasants-Faulkner, to keep it all running smoothly.

Keshishian arrived in Toronto on a student visa — she has a business
degree from York University — just before Iran’s 1979 revolution. She
has never returned. Keshishian regards Canada as a place where someone
from a traditional background, such as herself, can forge her own
destiny and follow her heart. The liberation and self-empowerment of
that journey is what she wants to share with audiences.

Says Keshishian: “It’s a universal message.”

Follow Your Heart runs May 8 to 11 at the Fleck Dance Theatre, 207
Queens Quay W., May 8 to 11; 416-973-4000 or

POPE TELLS ARMENIAN PATRIARCH THAT THE “ECUMENISM OF SUFFERING AND MARTYRDOM” LEADS TO UNITY

AsiaNews, Italy
May 8 2014

“In truth, the number of disciples who shed their blood for Christ
in the tragic events of the last century is certainly superior to
that of the martyrs of the first centuries, and in this martyrology,
the children of the Armenian nation have a place of honour,” the
Holy Father said. Their testimony, at once high and tragic, must not
be forgotten.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – “As in the ancient Church, the blood of the
martyrs became the seed of new Christians,” said Pope Francis, “so
in our day the blood of many Christians has become the seed of unity”.

Indeed, “The ecumenism of suffering and the ecumenism of martyrdom”
was the main point Pope Francis mentioned during his meeting with
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians.

In speaking to the leader of about 10 million Armenians, whom he had
previously met when he was still a cardinal, the Pope spoke about
“the tragic testimony” given by the Armenians to their faith, a clear
reference to the genocide that was inflicted on that people during
the First World War.

The Holy Father went on to mention Catholicos Karekin’s participation
in the Jubilee year commemoration of the Witnesses to the Faith of
the 20th century.

“In truth,” the Pontiff said, “the number of disciples who shed
their blood for Christ in the tragic events of the last century is
certainly superior to that of the martyrs of the first centuries,
and in this martyrology, the children of the Armenian nation have a
place of honour.”

Indeed, “The mystery of the Cross, Holiness, so dear to the memory
of your people, represented in the splendid stone crosses that adorn
every corner of your land, has been lived by countless of your children
as a direct participation in the chalice of the Passion. [. .

.] Their testimony,” he continued, “at once high and tragic, must
not be forgotten.”

“The suffering of Christians in recent decades have also brought a
unique and invaluable contribution to the cause of unity among Christ’s
disciples. As in the ancient Church, the blood of the martyrs became
the seed of new Christians,” Pope Francis explained, “so in our day
the blood of many Christians has become the seed of unity.”

“The ecumenism of suffering and the ecumenism of martyrdom, the
ecumenism of blood is a powerful call to journey along the road of
reconciliation among the Churches, with decision and with trusting
abandonment to the action of the Spirit. We feel the duty to go down
this road of fraternity, also because of the debt of gratitude we owe
to the suffering of our brothers, which has become salvific because
it has been united to the passion of Christ.”

In addition, Pope Francis noted that “the links between the Armenian
Apostolic Church with the Church of Rome have been consolidated in
recent years, thanks to events that remain etched in our memory,
such as the journey of my holy Predecessor John Paul II in Armenia,
in 2001, and the welcome presence of Your Holiness in the Vatican for
many occasions of special importance, including the official visit
to Pope Benedict XVI in 2008, and the celebration of the beginning
of my ministry as Bishop of Rome, last year.”

“In this regard, I wish to thank Your Holiness for the effective
support he gave to ecumenical dialogue, particularly the work of
the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and for the qualified
theological contribution offered in that venue by representatives of
the Catholicosate of All Armenians. ”

“May the Holy Spirit enlighten us and guide us towards longed-for
day in which we may share in the Eucharist,” the pope said. Equally,
“Let us praise the Lord with the words of Saint Gregory of Narek:
‘Accept the hymn of blessing from our lips / and deign to grant this
Church / the gifts and graces of Zion / and Bethlehem, / so that we
may be worthy / to partake of salvation’. May your All Holy Mother
of God, intercede for the Armenian people, now and forever!”

POPE FRANCIS: THE BLOOD OF MARTYRS IS THE SEED OF CHRISTIAN UNITY

Catholic Culture
May 8 2014

Catholic World News – May 08, 2014

Pope Francis received the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in
audience on May 8 and said that the blood of martyrs is the seed of
Christian unity.

The Pontiff’s remarks come one year before the centenary of the
Armenian genocide, in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians perished
at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish regime.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is among the Oriental Orthodox churches
that ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the
Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (451). Since Vatican II, ecumenical
talks have produced closer ties between the Armenian Church and the
Holy See, and in 1996, Armenian Patriarch Karekin I, the predecessor of
the current prelate, joined Pope John Paul II in a common statement of
faith, ending the theological disputes that had divided their churches.

After paying tribute to the progress made in relations between the
Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church, Pope Francis said
that “the number of disciples who shed their blood for Christ in
the tragic events of the last century is certainly higher than that
of the martyrs of the first centuries, and in this martyrology the
children of the Armenian nation have a place of honor.”

“As in the ancient Church the blood of martyrs became the seed of new
Christians, so in our day the blood of many Christians has become the
seed of unity,” the Pope continued. “The ecumenism of suffering, the
ecumenism of martyrdom, the ecumenism of blood is a potent reminder
to walk along the path of reconciliation between the Churches, with
determination and trusting abandonment to the action of the Spirit.”

Francois Hollande to pay a two-day state visit to Armenia

May 10, 2014 | 16:34

YEREVAN. ` President of France Francois Hollande will arrive in
Yerevan on Monday for a two-day state visit at the invitation of his
Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.

During the visit, President Hollande is expected to have a meeting
with Serzh Sargsyan that will be followed by a meeting of delegations.
A number of documents aimed at development of cooperation in various
fields will be signed, president’s press service reported.

The presidents will sum up the talks during a media conference.
Besides, the leaders will attend Armenia-France business forum.

Armenian and French leaders will visit Tsitsernakaberd where they will
lay flowers to the Memorial to Armenian Genocide victims. They will
attend a concert of world famous Charles Aznavour.

The President of Armenia will give an official dinner in honor of
Francois Hollande.

The leaders will visit opening of a park renamed after French national
hero, poet Missak Manouchian. They will also inspect the construction
site of Carrefour hypermarket.

Armenians hold candlelight vigil in front of Ukraine embassy

15:49 ¢ 10.05.14

A crowd of Armenians gathered in front of the Ukrainian Embassy on
Saturday afternoon for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims
in the violent turmoil in Odessa.

The participants of the ceremony headed to the embassy with Ribbons of
St George, making calls for an end to fascism.

Speaking to reporters, President of the Yerevan Geopolitical Club
Arman Boshyan said fascism, which was condemned and punished in 1945,
will be punished again. `History will re-establish everything,’ he
noted.

Asked by Tert.am if he isn’t afraid that they are kind of involving
Armenia and the Armenian society in the Ukrainian conflict with such
public events, Mr Boshyan dispelled those concerns. `No, we are not
involving Armenia in the problems of Ukraine. We cannot remain aloof
to the developments in the country. Are you aware, at least, that the
Armenians there face persecutions and have their houses burnt?’ he
asked.

Mr Boshyan said the Armenians in Ukraine are trying to remain maximum
neutral to the continuing conflict. He added that their candlelight
event was just a tribute of respect to the victims of violent
protests.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Reporters without Borders calls on Hollande to raise human rights
issue during his visit to Baku

15:00 10/05/2014 » LAW

In regard of the forthcoming visit of French President Francois
Hollande to Azerbaijan the Secretary General of the international
human rights organization “Reporters without Borders” Christophe
Deloire, published an open letter to Hollande in which he calls to
raise the issue of human rights violations in Azerbaijan, the release
of the arrested journalists and bloggers, as well as to remind
Azerbaijani counterpart about his commitments in human rights area.

`As you prepare for an official visit to Baku on 11 and 12 May,
Reporters Without Borders, an international organization that
campaigns for freedom of information, wishes to draw your attention to
the elimination of media pluralism in Azerbaijan. The country lies in
160th place out of 180 in our 2014 World Press Freedom Index. In a
media sector already largely controlled by the authorities, the
crackdown on journalists, bloggers and independent news outlets
continues to intensify,’ reads the statement.

As General Secretary, Reporters Without Borders reports a biased
regulatory authority, dubious acquisitions and the manipulation of the
advertising market have given the authorities complete control over
the broadcasting sector. The main foreign stations such as the BBC and
Radio Free Europe have been barred since 2009. A handful of
independent newspapers struggle to survive. The main one, Azadlig, is
crumbling under the weight of astronomical fines and is close to
financial strangulation.

According to the statement News providers that criticize the
government face all kinds of attempts to intimidate them: threats,
assaults, blackmail, smear campaigns. At least 10 journalists and
numerous bloggers are in prison because of their activities of
informing the public.

The threats that independent journalists face have forced many to flee
the country. However, the authorities’ reach goes well beyond the
country’s borders. On 18 April this year, the journalist Rauf
Mirkadyrov of the independent newspaper Zerkalo was extradited to
Azerbaijan from Turkey where he was based. As soon as he arrived, he
was accused of spying for Armenia and put in prison.

`Although we understand perfectly well the economic and strategic
advantages of closer ties with Baku, a frank dialogue between partners
should not ignore a basic freedom,’ notes Christophe Deloire stressing
that the abolition of media pluralism considerably hampers the rule of
law and the fight against corruption in Azerbaijan, without which Baku
cannot be considered a reliable partner.

Earlier a similar statement was made by Human Rights Watch, which
urged the French President during his visit to raise the human rights
issue in Azerbaijan. Also, parliamentarians from France-Karabakh
friendship group appealed to the President of France, for the latter
to remind his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev about his
commitment on human rights in the frameworks of assumption of the
chairmanship in the Council of Europe and about European Convention on
Human Rights.

Source: Panorama.am

France-Azerbaïdjan-Arménie-Géorgie-président-diplomatie-économie
Délicate tournée de Hollande dans le Caucase, en pleine crise ukrainienne

François Hollande est attendu dimanche en Azerbaïdjan, première étape
d’une délicate tournée dans le Caucase du Sud qui le mènera jusqu’Ã
mardi soir en Arménie et en Géorgie, trois pays aux premières loges de
la crise en Ukraine, sur le flanc sud du puissant voisin russe.

La visite du président français interviendra dans un climat de grande
tension avec le jour même de son arrivée à Bakou la tenue du
référendum d’indépendance que les insurgés pro-russes d’Ukraine
comptent bien tenir en dépit de l’appel du président russe Vladimir
Poutine à le reporter.

Anciennes Républiques soviétiques, l’Azerbaïdjan, l’Arménie et la
Géorgie entretiennent des relations complexes et parfois
conflictuelles avec la Russie de Poutine qui s’agace du rapprochement
de ces anciens satellites de l’URSS avec l’Union européenne,
rapprochement déjà à l’origine de la crise ukrainienne.

Les relations russo-géorgiennes, en particulier, ont été sérieusement
mises à mal par la guerre éclair qui avait opposé les deux pays en
2008. Un cessez-le-feu avait mis fin au conflit, négocié par Nicolas
Sarkozy (la France assurant à l’époque la présidence tournante de
l’Union européenne). Mais dans la foulée, Moscou avait reconnu
l’indépendance de deux territoires séparatistes géorgiens pro-russes,
l’Ossétie du Sud et l’Abkhazie.

Dans ce contexte et celui des efforts des occidentaux pour convaincre
Moscou de contribuer à une `désescalade` de la tension en Ukraine,
François Hollande se gardera de jeter de l’huile sur le feu, notamment
en Géorgie, pays qui entend rejoindre l’UE mais aussi l’Otan, au grand
dam de la Russie.

`Nous ne concevons pas le travail de rapprochement avec l’Union
européenne comme un travail mené contre la Russie`, souligne-t-on Ã
l’Elysée où l’on estime que `le pire` serait de `polariser` ces pays
en les conduisant à choisir entre Moscou et l’UE.

`Ce n’est pas une visite de combat mais une visite visant à favoriser
leur rapprochement`, insiste-t-on dans l’entourage de François
Hollande. De la même manière, le président français devrait se
contenter de rappeler son attachement au principe de l’intégrité
territoriale de la Géorgie.

– Déséquilibres commerciaux –

Comme dans la plupart de ses déplacements à l’étranger, François
Hollande, adepte d’une `diplomatie économique`, sera accompagné d’une
conséquente délégation de dirigeants d’entreprises.

Les relations commerciales avec l’Azerbaïdjan tout particulièrement
apparaissent très déséquilibrées avec, en 2013, 266 millions d’euros
d’exportations françaises pour 1,7 milliard d’importations, des
hydrocarbures pour l’essentiel. Et en dépit des liens politiques et
historiques étroits entre la France et l’Arménie ‘500.000 Français
sont d’origine arménienne’, les échanges commerciaux bilatéraux
restent lilliputiens, de l’ordre d’une cinquantaine de millions
d’euros l’an dernier.

Au chapitre des symboles, François Hollande assistera lundi soir Ã
l’Opéra d’Erevan à un récital de Charles Aznavour et inaugurera un
square Missak Manouchian, du nom de ce Résistant communiste exécuté le
21 février 1944 par l’occupant allemand avec 21 membres de son réseau
au Mont Valérien.

François Hollande évoquera également avec ses homologues
azerbaïdjanais et arménien, Ilham Aliev et Serge Sarkissian, le
conflit du Haut Karabakh qui empoisonne depuis des décennies les
relations entre les deux pays.

Le chef de l’Etat français sera d’ailleurs à Erevan le 12 mai, 20 ans
jour pour jour après l’entrée en vigueur de l’accord de cessez-le feu
signé par l’Azerbaïdjan et l’Arménie à l’issue du conflit qui les
avait opposé de 1988 Ã 1994 pour le contrôle de cette région
séparatiste à majorité arménienne. Le conflit avait fait 30.000 morts
et des centaines de milliers de réfugiés.

A ses interlocuteurs, François Hollande fera valoir l’intérêt bien
compris pour les deux parties de relancer les négociations sur le
statut de cette enclave en territoire azerbaïdjanais, les appelant Ã
prendre des `mesures de confiance` réciproques. Mais aucune avancée
majeure n’est attendue dans ces laborieux pourparlers.

Par Hervé ASQUIN

AFP

samedi 10 mai 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Putin Warns of Growing Militant Nationalism, Nazi Ideology in Europe

© RIA Novosti. Alexey Nikolsky
15:56 08/05/2014

MOSCOW, May 8 (RIA Novosti) ` Militant nationalism, which has led to
the appearance of Nazi ideology, is raising its head in Europe,
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

`Here and there militant nationalism is again raising its head, the
same kind that brought on the appearance of Nazi ideology,’ Putin said
during a meeting with the leaders of Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
and Belarus.

On Monday, Putin signed a bill making attempts to `whitewash Nazism’
punishable with hefty fines and prison sentences. The law is based on
the results of the Nuremberg Trials held by the Allies in 1945-1949,
which convicted most surviving Nazi leaders of war crimes, denounced
fascism and proclaimed most Nazi organizations as criminal.

The law provides for a monetary penalty of up to 500,000 rubles
($14,000) or a jail term of up to 5 years as punishment for
rehabilitating fascism and spreading false information about the
Soviet Union’s actions during World War II.

Publicly desecrating symbols of Russian military glory or spreading
information disrespecting public holidays related to the country’s
defense will be punishable by a fine of up to 300,000 rubles ($8,400)
or community service for up to a year.

The Soviet Union’s role in the Allied victory in World War II is an
important component of many Russians’ sense of pride and patriotism,
with spectacular anniversary parades and ceremonies held each year on
May 9.

Pro-federalization supporters have called Ukrainian nationalists, who
have protested and fought against federalists in the country’s east
since the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych and deadly riots in
Kiev, followers of Nazi ideology. Europe has been supporting Ukraine’s
so-called Euromaidan activists, who wish to see Ukraine become part of
the EU.

Yerevan municipality to open second bike track

YEREVAN, May 8. / ARKA /. The Yerevan municipality plans to open the
second bike track this year, Samvel Mertarjyan, an aide to Yerevan
mayor Taron Margaryan, said today.

“We hope that the launch of the second track will prompt more of our
city fellows to ride bicycles’, – he said.

Mertarjyan said the new bike track will run along many historical and
cultural monuments of the capital including Matenadaran depository of
ancient manuscripts and Erebuni archaeological museum. He said the
municipality will decide the date of the launch of the second track on
May 20.

“We do not want to rush because before opening the track we need to
solve a lot of questions,’ he added.
The first 2.5 km long bike track in Yerevan stretching along the Ring
Park – from Aragats café to monument to the Armenian military leader
Andranik, opened in 2012 October. -0-

– See more at: