Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMENIE
Les ménages arméniens ayant des revenus élevés consomment cinq fois
plus d’aliments que les plus pauvres

Les ménages arméniens ayant des revenus élevés consomment cinq fois
plus de nourriture que les ménages les plus pauvres, selon une étude
menée par le Centre de recherche et de développement économique
(EDRC).

Yelena Manoukian a dit que cet écart est plus évident quand il s’agit
de la consommation de fruits, de viande et de beurre. L’étude,
intitulée « Prix et vulnérabilité » a été réalisée en collaboration
avec la branche arménienne de l’organisation britannique Oxfam.

Selon Mme Manoukian, l’étude a révélé que le niveau de consommation de
viande par habitant par le segment le plus pauvre de la population est
de 2 kg inférieur en dessous du plafond minimum établi par le
ministère de la santé.

Selon l’étude, les prix alimentaires ont commencé à augmenter
fortement en octobre-novembre 2010 et cela s’est poursuivie jusqu’à
l’été 2011.

Mme Manoukian a dit que les prix ont commencé à baisser début février
2012, mais l’inflation ces dernières années a atteint de telles
proportions élevées que la légère baisse des prix en 2012 n’a pas eu
beaucoup d’effet sur le panier de la ménagère. Elle a ajouté que les
prix au premier semestre de 2012 ont diminué principalement en raison
de la baisse des prix des légumes et des pommes de terre.

Elle a souligné que l’augmentation des prix des denrées alimentaires
est un fardeau pour les familles de tous les milieux.

« Certaines familles parviennent à maintenir le même niveau de
consommation en augmentant leurs dépenses. D’autres familles
remplacent les produits relativement chers pour des moins chères et de
faible qualité. Et les plus pauvres ont la simple alternative de
réduire la consommation et de nombreuses familles souffrent de
malnutrition », a-t-elle ajouté.

vendredi 4 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Iranians seek relief in Christmas celebrations

January 1st, 2013
12:38 PM ET

By Tara Kangarlou, CNN

(CNN)-Gold, red and green gift boxes decorated a large Christmas tree
in a popular food court in the Islamic Republic’s bustling capital of
Tehran. Nativity scenes of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus added color
to the windows of shops across this lively city, a small symbol of the
growing number of Iranians embracing the Christian holiday.

Iran has a population that is 98% Muslim, and the government is widely
recognized for its repressive rulings, censorship and efforts to cut
ties with the United States and the West, but more Iranians are openly
celebrating Christmas and expressing their desires to be part of the
global celebration.

On Christmas, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad released a statement
praising Jesus as “the messenger of humanism and grace” and noted, “I
believe that the sole way to save the man from severe moral, social
and cultural crises is returning to the exalted teachings of the great
messengers of God.”

While Jesus is recognized as a prophet in Islam, it is uncommon for
Islamic countries to celebrate his birth, particularly with Western
trappings.

`For us, Christmas may not really be about its religious symbolism,
but rather, we would take any excuse to celebrate and create happy
moments and go against the government’s repressive orders,’ said
Meshkat, a 29-year-old engineer who asked not to use his last name
because of the government’s crackdown on those who openly criticize
the regime.

Meshkat and other Muslims said they perceive Christmas and other
Western holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day as a way to
bypass the confines of the regime and the economic toll taken on
Iranians by international sanctions.

The Iranian government is a `repressive theocracy which has an active
campaign of vilification and prosecution of any minority religious
activities,’ said Katrina Lantos Swett, chairwoman of the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom. She commended Iranian
youth’s efforts to blow the `siren on freedom of expression and human
rights in Iran.’

Iran is home to approximately 200,000 Christians, 90% of whom are
Armenian, according to Minority Rights Group international.

For 50 years, Gorgin Haghverdian has lived and worked in the same
neighborhood in Tehran. He has been a successful business owner for
more than three decades, selling refrigerators, and is an active
member of the small Armenian Christian community in Iran.

`Ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, regardless of the challenges,
the Armenian prelacy has created a mutual and respectful relationship
with the Islamic regime,’ Haghverdian said.

Yet he suggests that despite the community’s freedom in practicing its
faith, this minority group still faces some challenges in the
post-Islamic Revolution era.

`Even though our kids can go to universities and have the same
educational rights, we still can’t be employed by the government or
any organization, company or entity that’s operated by the government,
such as public banks, corporations and various agencies,’ said
Haghverdian, who appreciates the community’s freedom in a country
oftentimes accused of marginalizing religious minorities.

`People are warm and loving, no matter Muslim or Christian, I know for
a fact, if I go down the street to buy a Christmas tree, I’ll see five
Armenian-Christians, but I can see eight Muslims who are as excited to
buy the tree. They just want to be happy and joyous,’ he said.

Shoppers in Tehran look at a Nativity scene in a shop window.
Despite the expressions of Christmas celebrations, the Islamic regime
stifles acts of religious convergence or the spread of any other
beliefs than Islam, according to watchdog groups like U.S. Commission
on International Religious Freedom.

Lantos Swett pointed to `thousands’ of cases of discrimination against
religious minorities like the Baha’is and others who express their own
beliefs or any belief besides what she calls the theocratic regime of
the Iranian government.

CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories

While people in Iran are freely purchasing Christmas trees and hosting
Christmas parties, the Iranian regime has shown zero tolerance for
apostasy, or renouncing and leaving Islam. It is subject to capital
punishment.

In late September, Saeed Abedini, a young U.S. citizen who is a
Christian convert, was arrested during a visit to Iran for openly
preaching his Christian beliefs.

In 2010, Youcef Nadarkhani, a Christian pastor who coverted from
Islam, was detained and sentenced to death, charged with `evangelizing
Muslims’ and apostasy. Later, the country’s semi-official news agency
Fars reported that Nadarkhani faced several charges of rape and
extortion. He was released in September.

Haghverdian emphasized that the arrests have nothing to do with the
Armenian-Christians and those officially accepted as Christians by the
regime. `The regime is against any person who suddenly decides to
create a religious following and most importantly renounce Islam,’ he
said.

Touraj Daryaee, a Persian Iranologist and historian at the University
of California-Irvine, thinks many young Iranians are secretly
converting to Christianity in recent years as a way to distance
themselves from the regime’s harsh Islamic practices.

`Christianity seems to be a peaceful religion with a message of love
and peace. That is so different from what they have experienced as
militant Islam right now, so it is effective,’ Daryaee said.

Despite the volatile relationship between Iran and the West,
celebrating Christmas, even in its most basic secular forms, shows a
section of Iranians yearning to belong to the international community,
Meshkat said.

`The Iranian people want to do anything to show that we go side by
side and step by step with the rest of the world, and we don’t want to
be an isolated nation, and we would even celebrate their ceremonies to
prove this point,’ he said.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710
Fax: (212) 779-3558
Web:
Email: [email protected]

** TOP STORY January 4, 2013
————————————————————
Nativitiy of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The altar icon of St. Hripsime Church in Armenia.

** Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord
————————————————————

On Sunday, January 6, the Armenian Church will celebrate the Feast of
the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In Armenian
tradition, this feast day commemorates not only the birth of Christ,
but also His baptism by John the Baptist. The latter is remembered
through the `Blessing of Water’ ceremony, which follows the Divine
Liturgy on January 6.

On Saturday, January 5, the eve of the Feast of the Nativity and
Theophany of Our Lord, the Armenian Church will celebrate the
Jrakalouyts (lamp-lighting) service. At St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral
in New York, services will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Scripture readings
by the Diocese’s Khrimian Lyceum students. The Divine Liturgy will
follow, celebrated by the cathedral dean, the Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon
Kiledjian.

On January 6, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, will
celebrate the Divine Liturgy, which will be preceded by a morning
service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The `Blessing of Water’ will follow
the Divine Liturgy. Sarkis Jebejian will serve as “godfather” of the
Blessing of Water service.

A Home Blessing service and Christmas reception will follow in Haik
and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium. The Shushi Dance Ensemble of
St. Vartan Cathedral, under the direction of choreographer Seta
Kantardjian, will perform during the reception, which is free and open
to the public.

For information on services in your area, contact your local parish
()
to ascertain the date and time of its Armenian Christmas
celebration. Click on the following links to read the Primate’s
Christmas message
()
and to view a brief video
()
about Christmas in the Armenian Church.

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

Ti 2:11-15
Mt 1:18-25

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

With your peace, Christ our savior, which surpasses all understanding
and speech, defend us and keep us fearless of all evil. Make us equal
to your true worshipers, who worship you in spirit and in truth; for
to the most-holy Trinity is befitting glory, dominion, and honor, now
and always. Amen.

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

5 January: Eve of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ

6 January: Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ

7 January: Remembrance of the dead

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
His Holines Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians
His Holiness Karekin II.

** New Year Message of His Holiness Karekin II
————————————————————

In his New Year message, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, reflected on the
accomplishments of the Armenian people over the past year.

`It is my prayer that 2013 may be a year of peace and prosperity for
the world and the Armenian people in Armenia and the diaspora,’ he
said. `May our faith and national identity inspire us to carry forward
our heritage and to realize new dreams and visions for the blossoming
of our homeland.’

Click here
()
to view His Holiness Karekin II’s video message in Armenian.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Annual Appeal

** Support the Diocese’s 2012 Annual Appeal
————————————————————

The Eastern Diocese’s 2012 Annual Appeal is drawing to a close=80’and
we need your help to make it a success! 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 local parishes.

We have set a target of $825,000 for the 2012 Annual Appeal. Please
consider making a contribution to help spread the good work of the
Armenian Church across our local communities-and across the
generations.

Follow these links to donate now
()
, and to learn more
()
about the 2012 Annual Appeal.

Home blessing

** Home Blessing in the Christmas Season
————————————————————

The home is a sacred place where family members maintain and share
their values. It is also a place where they are charged with these
values to live a peaceful and God-pleasing life.

According to the traditions of the Armenian Church, God is asked to
bestow His blessing on homes on the Feast of the Nativity and
Theophany of our Lord. In this season, clergy visit the homes of
parishioners and perform the Home Blessing service.

Parishioners are encouraged to contact their local pastor and request
a Home Blessing service. To learn more about this tradition, and to
download the service booklet, click here
()
.

FAR
>From left: Dr. Hambardzum Simonyan, Dr. Harout Mangoyan, and Dr. Emil
Vardapetyan at the year-end event last month.

** FAR Says Thanks to its Network of Doctors in Armenia
————————————————————

The Fund for Armenian Relief’s Healthcare and Social Programs
Department held a program last month at the Aram Khachaturian
House-Museum in Yerevan to express gratitude to the organization’s
network of doctors. The doctors have made contributions to FAR’s
Continuing Medical Education program, helping train other health
professionals in Armenia’s regional hospitals. The event featured a
tour of the museum, musical performances, and a reception. Click here
()
to view photos.

CME was established in 2005 by FAR in collaboration with FAR’s
Fellowship Alumni Association. The program enhances the professional
training of physicians in Armenia, Javakhk, and Nagorno-Karabagh by
creating opportunities to train and learn the latest medical
technologies, to upgrade physicians’ computer and English-language
skills, to network and information exchange, and to improve medical
supplies in regional hospitals.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
St. George Church, Hartford, CT
Sunday School students, teachers, and parents at a retirement
community in Hartford.

** Hartford Sunday School Spreads Christmas Cheer
————————————————————

Last month students at the St. George Church Sunday School of
Hartford, CT, made their annual visit to parishioners who are unable
to attend church on Sundays.

Following a luncheon and a morning of cookie decorating, students
visited parishioners Albert and Lillian Kandarian at a local
retirement community, where they sang Christmas carols and delivered
the cookie trays they had prepared earlier in the day. Assisting the
students were Sunday School co-superintendents Cynthia Messikian and
Virginia Wasynczuk, teachers, parents, and the parish pastor, the
Rev. Fr. Gomidas Zohrabian.

The Christmas caroling party has become a tradition of the St. George
Church Sunday School. Parishioners say it allows young people to learn
the importance of volunteering, and brings joy to those who are
homebound.

Click here
()
to view the day’s photos.

Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church ACYOA, Providence, RI
ACYOA Juniors deliver gift bags to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

** Holiday Youth Ministry in Providence, RI
————————————————————

This holiday season, Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, RI,
continued its robust schedule of activities for youth and service to
the community.

On November 16, young people attended a Providence Bruins hockey game
and shared dinner after kicking off their Christmas holiday outreach
initiatives. On November 24, they co-hosted a sold-out holiday concert
with Onnik Dinkjian.

On December 16, a group of 34 ACYOA Juniors-led by parish pastor the
Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin, youth director Stephen Megrdichian, and
parents-visited nursing homes and homebound parishioners to sing
Christmas carols. Later the group enjoyed a Christmas dinner at
Wright’s Farms.

The ACYOA Juniors also delivered clothing, toys, books, and other
donated items to three local charities, and delivered gift bags
created during Sports Weekend to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

St. Leon Church Christmas Pagent, NJ
Sunday School children perform in the St. Leon Church Christmas
pageant.

** Little Angels Sing at St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ
————————————————————

The Sunday School of St. Leon Church of Fair Lawn, NJ, held its
Christmas pageant last month. The program was dedicated to
appreciating the special place that angels hold in the Armenian
Church.

Students sang Armenian and English hymns, and read narrations
describing these divine creations. The program concluded with the
teachers singing =80=9CThe Twelve Days of Christmas.’

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. James Church Christmas Eve, Watertown, MA
A Sunday School student reads from the Gospel at St. James Church.

** Christmas Carols Fill Sanctuary in Watertown, MA
————————————————————

On Monday, December 24, parishioners gathered in the sanctuary of
St. James Church in Watertown, MA, for a Christmas Eve candlelight
service.

The evening began with Gospel readings by the Sunday School students,
followed by a program of Christmas carols and instrumental
performances. The Rev. Fr. Arakel Aljalian, parish pastor, delivered a
message on the meaning of Christmas, revealed in the love and light of
Christ’s birth.

A reception followed the program in the church’s Armene & Veronica
Tarvezian Hall. Click here
()
to view photos.

Fr. Khachatur
Fr. Khachatur Kesablyan.

** Appreciation Dinner in Chelmsford, MA
————————————————————

Some 175 parishioners and friends gathered for an `Appreciation Family
Dinner’ last month to mark the Rev. Fr. Khachatur Kesablyan’s fifth
anniversary as pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church of Chelmsford, MA, and
to recognize the loving and active support of Yn. Anna Kesablyan.

Representatives of various parish organizations expressed their
gratitude to Fr. Kesablyan for his pastoral leadership of
Sts. Vartanantz Church. A slide show highlighted the growth of church
organizations and membership over the past five years.

Fr. Kesablyan thanked the community for its warmth, and shared his
vision for the next chapter of the parish’s history. Click here
()
to read more.

Upcoming Events

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

St. Leon Church | Fair Lawn, NJ
St. Leon Church of Fair Lawn, NJ, will host its 6th annual `Winter
Dance Armenian Style’ on Saturday, January 12, from 7 p.m. to 12
a.m. Enjoy music by Onnik Dinkjian and the John Berberian
Ensemble. For information, call (201) 444-5475, or click here
()
to view a flyer.

Armenian Church of Southwest Florida
The Armenian Church of Southwest Florida will welcome the
Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Nersess Seminary, for the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 13, at 1 p.m. The
service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (3901 Davis Blvd.,
Naples, FL). A Iuncheon and bake sale featuring Armenian breads and
pastries will follow the service. For more information, or to make
luncheon reservations, call (239) 348-3804.

** EVENTS
————————————————————
Movie

** “If Only Everyone” Film Screening at the Diocese
————————————————————

`If Only Everyone’-a new film produced in Armenia-will premiere in New
York on Friday, January 4, at 7:30 p.m.

The screening will take place at the Diocesan Center’s Haik and Alice
Kavookjian Auditorium (630 Second Avenue, at 35th Street, in New York
City). A Q&A with writer, actor, and producer Michael Poghosian will
follow the screening.

Tickets are $20, and may be purchased in advance or at the door. Click
here
()
to view a flyer for more information.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
ASP
ASP participants visit churches and other historic sites in the
homeland.

** Register for the Armenia Service Program
————————————————————

The ACYOA Central Council has announced that the 2013 Armenia Service
Program is scheduled for July 1-20.

The program of travel and service gives young adults (ages 18 to 28) a
unique opportunity to discover their homeland and to serve its people
in a meaningful way. In 2013, the service component of the trip will
be carried out in partnership with the Fund for Armenian Relief and
the Fuller Center for Housing.

For information, click here
()
to view a flyer, or contact Nancy Basmajian, ACYOA executive
secretary, at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

Armenian actor Edward Manaryan speaks of New Year presents and country’s future

tert.am
20:22 – 03.01.13

The Armenian actor, producer and art critic Edward Manaryan is
celebrating the New Year with his family.

`I recall he used to bring paper and pencils to me, and he is doing so
now,’ Edward Manaryan’s 49-year-old daughter Arpenik told Tert.am.

Mr Manaryan believed in Santa Claus. `I even recall that he brought us
presents in socks when I was a child,’ he says.

`Our dream is a good and prosperous country. I would not like to take
our mistakes and problems of the past, lack of justice to the year
2013,’ he says. If Armenia’s justice system gains a firm foothold,
every person will live due to his or her God-given virtues without
causing trouble to others.

`Many people in our society have gained the moral right to believe in
Santa Claus because he bring good things, but, I am sorry to say, the
ones that have not this right have greater power,’ Mr Manaryan says.

`We thought that if we built up an independent state everything would
be all right. But it turned out that we have both good and bad. The
bad are raising their heads now, but it will not last long,’ he said.
Mr Manaryan calls for entertaining hopes because no state can make a
real state without a hopeful society.

`True, we are encountering difficulties and making our small state
even smaller, turning it into a city-state,’ he says.

Envoys to discuss what went wrong in Turkish foreign policy
BARÇIN YÄ°NANÇ
[email protected]

The first highly exciting foreign policy event of 2013 will be the
Turkish envoys’ annual meeting, which will take place this week in
Ankara and Ä°zmir. Will they gather to discuss what went wrong in
Turkish foreign policy in 2012? Ideally yes. After all they should not
come together to tell each other how great Turkey is.

It is an absolute must for Turkey’s top diplomats to enter a
brainstorming session among themselves. Yet Turkey’s foreign policy
has never been shaped so single-handedly by one person, and that being
Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu.

I would rather wish that instead of just making the opening statement
and giving a main vision to the diplomats, the minister does some
listening as well.

Alas, as is the case with all the previous ministers, who became
immune to criticism by gaining overconfidence after sitting in that
position for a couple of years, DavutoÄ?lu does look to have his ears
genuinely open to criticism.

Could they say for instance:

¦The more Turkey distances itself from the EU the less influence it
will have in the Middle East, if not now then in the future;

¦It’s great to say `one minute,’ here and there. But look how Turks
behave in traffic. They honk, they swear, they give you the finger;
but when the other person attempts to get out of the car with the real
intention of having a fight, they’ll hit the gas. So let’s not cross
the line from soft power to hard power unless our vital interests are
at stake.

I don’t think they can voice their critical reflections to DavutoÄ?lu,
who has found the easy way to immediately label all criticism as lack
of conscience.

Therefore they probably won’t be able to tell him:

¦Foreign policy based on moral values, humanitarian diplomacy, being a
virtuous power. All these are good and though you might not accept it;
they were always present here and there in Turkey’s past foreign
policy principles. But an overdose of idealism can risk your ability
to even safeguard your own interests, let alone others’ well being.

¦We just cannot be the goalkeeper, striker, midfielder, defender,
winger and the fans all at the same time. We can’t be everything to
everyone at all times.

¦You have recently given the great news that Turkey will become an
observer member of the Arctic Council and that Turkey will be informed
even when a `leaf moves’ in any corner of the world. It’s important to
be connected, but it is equally important what you do with that
information. There is a need to be selective and to focus. Let’s not
get strategically overextended, which, as Paul Kennedy has argued, has
led to the fall of empires.

Let’s hope that the meeting does not become a beauty contest with many
willing to go on the catwalk.
But one final ` personal ` wish. I hope there will be someone who will
raise the question of why the number of females who entered the
ministry in last year’s intake remained under a double-digit number at
a time when the ministry is accepting a record number of candidates.

January/01/2013

Armenians of Australia, Past and Present: Looking Forward to
Refreshing New Breezes
20:29, January 1, 2013

By Arthur Hagopian

Sydney, Jan 1, 2012 – For the Armenians of Australia, the year 2013
may turn out to be one of the most “interesting” (if not momentous) of
times in the century-old history of their presence in this lucky
country.

Relieved at having survived the global calamity foretold for December
21, 2012 by the ancient Maya Codex, they stand on the threshold of a
new era in this hospitable diaspora.

As they await the arrival of a new spiritual leader, dispatched by the
mother church following the death of the charismatic former primate,
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, they will be looking forward to the future
with mixed feelings.

The Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, has
designated one of his most outstanding bishops, Haigazoun Najarian,
as the new Armenian primate of the diocese of the Armenian church of
Australia and New Zealand, an unknown entity to most.

His appointment is to take effect from January 1.

“Bishop Najarian leaves his position as the pontifical Legate of
Central Europe and Sweden to which he was appointed in 2010. Based in
Vienna, Austria he tended to the spiritual needs of Armenian
communities in more than a dozen countries,” a church statement says.

Najarian served in the Eastern Diocese of the United States as Vicar
General and has been pastor of a number of parishes in both the US and
the UK.

A graduate of the Gevorkian theological seminary at the Mother See of
Etchmiadzin, in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, where he also
lectured, he completed his studies at St Augustine’s College in
Canterbury, King’s College in London and St Andrew’s College in
Scotland, obtaining his Masters in History at Columbia University in
New York.

Najarian will arrive in Sydney in time to celebrate Armenian Christmas
on January 6, in accordance with the church’s old “domar” (calendar).
His takeover is expected to be a smooth process, facilitated by
Baliozian’s savvy administration and firm management that has
contributed significantly to the enhancement of the church’s economic
standing.

He will also be following in the footsteps of the region’s s first
primate, Archbishop Karekin Kazanjian (1968), who was later to be
crowned Patriarch in Turkey, after serving as Grand Sacristan of the
Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, regarded by Armenians as their
second most important spiritual fount after Etchmiadzin.

Will Najarian take the helm of the Armenian church in Australia (and
New Zealand), wafting on refreshing new breezes that could herald a
new, dynamic chapter in relations with his fold?

The situation in Australia today is a far cry from a century before,
when Armenian pioneers began landing here, spurred by the Kalgoorlie
gold rush in Western Australia. There were no priests among the
prospectors and they had to trudge for miles to hear a semblance of
divine service conducted by laymen.

(The first Armenian clergyman, Father Asoghig Ghazarian, arrived in
Australia in 1954, following the founding of the first Church Council
in Sydney).

The devastation caused by the First World War spawned another influx
of displaced Armenians, their number swollen by yet another, more
desperate wave of migration after the Second World War.

The wave peaked in the early sixties as more Armenians sought the
safer haven of the land Down Under, “a land of opportunity and a place
that valued the rights of democracy.”

Their numbers have broken through the 50,000 mark (minuscule compared
to the million or so in the US and Canada), concentrated primarily in
the two capital cities, Sydney and Melbourne, the majority of the
emigrants tracing their roots back to the troubled, simmering cauldron
of the Middle East, with Lebanon’s contribution accounting for the
lion’s share.

A generally industrious and loyal community, the Armenians here have
prospered on the whole -several, like Gladys Berejiklian (New South
Wales State Transport Minister) and Joe Hockey (Federal Deputy
Opposition Leader), have risen to political prominence, while others,
like the Soghomonian and Hovagimian brothers, have created powerhouses
in the automotive and associated industries.

“The Armenians of Australia have a lot to be thankful for,” as one
community leader averred, noting that unlike the unsettled political
discombobulations in the Middle East and the proliferation there of
totalitarian and police states, “people here enjoy the protection of a
stable, democratic government, access to health and economic
security, and the freedom and opportunity to be and do what they
aspire to.”

They have their own schools, churches and political parties.

“You can even stand up in the street and criticize anyone, to their
face, without fear of persecution, harassment, imprisonment, or even
death, as is the norm in some third world countries,” he added.

What they don’t have is unity.

“It is true that no two Armenians will ever agree on one thing, but
despite their differences, when they come together, the are family,
and they know how to have a good time,” he said.

The recent visit to Sydney of veteran crooner Harout Pamboukjian
solidly buttresses this assertion.

Pamboukjian sang only half a dozen songs, but his electrifying
performance at an annual Armenian festival, galvanized his audience.
In the euphoric spirit of the moment, they had him carried on their
shoulders, tossing and turning in an ocean of ecstatic Armenian faces,
swarming all over him.

They had come from all parts of the city, the young and the old,
hippies, businessmen, students, children of varying ages, even some
people in wheelchairs, blue-collar workers, to hear Harout sing
Armenia, and accord his unforgettable “Asmar Aghchig” tribute to dark
complexioned girls.

The nationalistic songs echoed along the venue, Darling Harbor’s
Tumbalong Park, where over 15,000 thousand fans had congregated, in a
massive, unprecedented and vociferous show of Armenian camaraderie.

Armenians are fiercely proud of their church, though attendance at
Sunday mass remains pedestrian.

“The Armenian Apostolic Church has been more than a center of
Christian faith and worship. It has been a gathering place for
Armenians to enrich their Christian faith, connect with their
ancestral roots, to connect with other Armenians, to forge new
friendships, new bonds and generally encompass everything Armenian. It
continues to uphold this function until today,” the church says.

“Akin to the beautiful worship services of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, is the vibrant community life that reflects not only religious
teaching but cultural personality. The legacy of 1700+ years of
Armenian Christianity (from 301 CE, when Armenian became the first to
accept Christianity as its state religion), continues in this part of
the world with the loving spirit of perpetuating our beautiful
heritage through the saving grace of our Christian faith,” the church
says.

Yet, behind the seemingly contented facade there lingers, in the heart
of many of these “bantukhds” (“exiles”), particularly those who were
uprooted when in their youth or middle age, a lingering nostalgia for
good old days in the home country, where friendship is forever and
loyalty to the family second only to God.

“I live in a block of 37 units, and it’s like a ghost town. Not a
single one of my ‘odar’ (non-Armenian) neighbors has ever knocked on
my door to say hello, or inquire about me,” one matron complains,
echoing sentiments all too pronounced among migrants from the East.

“They rarely speak, ignoring each other when passing, totally absorbed
in themselves.”

“If this were in Bourj Hammoud, Aleppo, or the Old City (of
Jerusalem), we would all be all over the place, transforming this
block into an oasis of joy and laughter, card-games and kebabs on
Sundays. Every one would be welcome at every home. You would not even
need to know on my door. You would just walk in,” she says.

“And when you walk in the street, a hundred people will know you and
greet you, and wish you well. Here, no one bothers to look you in the
face. If your eyes ever meet, all you get is a bland smile that seems
to say: ‘keep off, not interested.'”

“Back home, we used to kiss our parent’s and grandparent’s hands, even
our aunts and uncles, but here, of course, the young today don’t know
what it is to respect the elders.”

Her children were all born in Sydney.

“They love it here, but I don’t think I will ever get adjusted or
reconciled to this ‘odaroutyoun’ (exile),” she continues.
And she has been here for nearly 20 years.

Director of Yerevan Opera House does disagree with choreographer

news.am
January 01, 2013 | 17:12

The Director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia
after Spendiarov, Kamo Hovhannisyan does not agree with the main
theater choreographer Rudolf Kharatyan on the issue of rehearsal
halls. In an interview with Armenian News – NEWS.am Hovhannisyan
expressed complete disagreement with Kharatyan’s claim that there are
problems with the halls.

According to the director of the theater, the ballet troupe during the
repair works in the theater was provided with rehearsal halls.

`Rudolf Kharatyan put himself beyond the theater. He is interested in
just his personality. And if a man separates himself from the
community and the high goal, he should be thankful that the
authorities in the current difficult conditions found ways to improve
the scenic features. Moreover, we must remember that this scene will
be also used by the ballet troupe,’ Kamo Hovhannisyan said.

ARMENIE
Les écoles et les universités vont bénéficier d’un programme pilote de
notation qui sera lancé en Arménie en 2013

Le ministère de l ‘Education et de la Science va lancé un programme
pilote de notation pour les écoles et les universités en 2013 avec le
soutien de l’entreprise VivaCell-MTS.

VivaCell-MTS a investit 25 millions de drams dans ce programme.

Armen Ashotyan, le ministre de l’éducation et des Sciences d’Arménie,
a déclaré que des évaluations méthodiques ont été développées et
compilées par des experts du ministère qui permettront de coter les
écoles arméniennes et les universités en 2013. Toutefois, si le
programme pilote est mis en `uvre avec succès, la responsabilité de la
cotation pourra être donnée à une compagnie privée digne de confiance,
a-t-il ajouté.

« Nos citoyens ont le droit de choisir leurs écoles ou universités.
Cet outil permettra de présenter une évaluation objective ` a-t-il
ajouté.

A son tour, Ralph Yirikian, président de VivaCell-MTS a déclaré que la
compagnie avait toujours été prête à soutenir les programmes
éducatifs.

mardi 1er janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

PHILATELIE ARMENIENNE
Le 125e anniversaire de l’académicien Hovsep Orbeli honoré par la
Poste d’Arménie

Le 5 décembre, la Poste d’Arménie procédé à l’émission d’un
timbre-poste à l’occasion du 125e anniversaire de l’académicien,
historien et spécialiste des civilisations du Sud Caucase, Hovsep
Orbéli (1887-1961). Hovsep Orbéli fut également le premier Président
de l’Académie des Sciences d’Arménie (1943-1947). Le timbre d’une
valeur de 280 drams est émis en 40 000 exemplaires.

Krikor Amirzayan

mardi 1er janvier 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMEE ARMENIENNE
Le Président de l’Assemblée nationale en visite sur une position frontalière

Le 30 décembre, Hovig Abrahamian, le Président de l’Assemblée
nationale a redu visite à l’occasion du Nouvel An, aux soldats
Arméniens stationnés dans une position à la frontière entre l’Arménie
et l’Azerbaïdjan. Sur place H. Abrahamian fut informé des conditions
de défense et de la vie quotidienne des militaires Arméniens. «
Aujourd’hui, sur décision présidentielle, les députés et les membres
du gouvernement se trouvent en visite auprès des soldats pour leur
souhaiter la Bonne Année. Nous devons soutenir nos soldats. Nous
sommes surs qu’aujourd’hui la défense de notre pays et la question de
sa sécurité est l’une de notre peuple ainsi que pour l’Etat, sachant
que notre pays, nos frontières sont bien gardées (…) nous devons
consolider nos frontières et créer pour nos soldats des conditions de
vie meilleure afin qu’ils donnent le meilleur d’eux-mêmes pour
garantir la sécurité du pays » dit Hovig Abrahamian.

Krikor Amirzayan

mardi 1er janvier 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com