Author: Babajanian Karo

PHILADELPHIA AREA ARMENIAN SISTERS ACADEMY MARKS 45 YEARS

Published: Friday October 19, 2012

ASA students perform.

Radnor, Pa. – Hundreds of supporters from across the Philadelphia
area raised their voices in praise of the Armenian Sisters Academy of
Radnor, PA, in harmony with the school’s multi-talented 6th, 7th and
8th grade students, who took to the school stage in song and dance
in salute of the 45th anniversary on the evening of September 30.

“Go Light the World,” the children hailed, capturing the school’s
mission in 1967 and still today to radiate the Philadelphia area
youth with a guiding light to the Armenian Christian cause.

Messages of congratulations engulfed the celebration, as guests enjoyed
a memorable night of warm reunions, sentimental reflections, moving
tributes, inspiring musical performances, and delicious ethnic fare.

Befitting an institution created through the combined efforts
of the five Philadelphia area Armenian churches, representatives
of all denominations toasted the school’s continued academic and
cultural successes and saluted its leaders’ efforts to raise the
bar ever-higher. The Academy is in the process of implementing
recommendations of a five-year strategic planning review, with many
new cutting-edge 21st Century teaching and learning endeavors on
the horizon.

Principal Sister Emma extended her heartfelt thanks to the students
and praised the Sisters, teachers, parents, alumni, volunteers and
friends throughout the years for making the school the outstanding
institution it is today. His Eminence, Bishop Mikael Mouradian, of the
Armenian Catholic Eparchy of the U.S. and Canada, opened and closed
the gala in prayer and expressed sincere gratitude for the work of
the Sisters and all segments of the community to create an Armenian
Christian school that puts the child’s Armenian Christian education
first and foremost and above all else. Academy Board of Directors
President Asadur Minasian and the gala chair, Silva Santerian
(Class of 1977), saluted the school community for its invaluable
and decades-long work to keep the Armenian future strong, as Board
President Emeritus Joseph Hoplamazian reflected on the founders of the
school and the vision and courage it took to build an Armenian school
in a diverse community. The speakers drew particular attention to the
enormous accomplishments the school has enjoyed along the way. There
are 484 Academy graduates today, they said, many of them with advanced
degrees and professional credentials, impressive career pursuits and,
importantly, extensive involvements in the Armenian community.

Several letters of congratulations were read from those unable to
attend the gala, including Mother Eudoxie Kechichian, Superior General
of the Order of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception; and
Sister Arousiag, former principal of the Radnor Academy and founding
director of the Sisters’ orphanage in Armenia. Special recognition
went to Sister Hripsime Tchiftelian, Superior of the Armenian Sisters
of the Immaculate Conception, and a founding Sister of the Radnor
Academy. Sister Hripsime is a former principal of the Los Angeles
Armenian Sisters Academy, former Vicar General of the Order, and
former Mistress of Novices. Together with the late Sister Valentine,
Sister Hripsime and Sister Arousiag first opened the Philadelphia
Academy in 1967.

Celebrating their love for the Armenian heritage that the Academy
works tirelessly to foster, Academy students of the 6th, 7th and
8th grades sang the nationalistic song “Ask Parabandz,” as 7th and
8th grade girls graced the stage with ethnic and contemporary dance,
and an alumnus of the Class of 2012, Brian Damerau, entertained with
an impressive piano solo.

The Gala’s success was the result of the tireless efforts of the
committee, Sister Emma Moussayan, school principal; Silva Santerian
(Class of 1977), gala chair; Vivian Ghazarian Bouloutian (Class
of 1981), Virginia Garabedian, Jeanne Ellen Gulasarian (Class of
1977), Annette Megerian, Asadur Minasian, school board chair; Lena
Ohannessian, Linda Preske, Sona Selverian, Ani Semerjian, Ashkhen
Setrakian, Diane Uber, and Rosa Zeibari (Class of 1990). Special
acknowledgements were extended to the Academy’s Class of 2012
for serving the evening meal, Phil Magee of Blake Florists for
centerpieces, Soprano’s Catering for catering the event and for the
dessert, Lena Ohannesian for the champagne, Nora Babaian for flowers;
Aram Hovagimian, James Kzirian (Class of 1995) and Armen Sevag (Class
of 1990) for music; Raffi Jehanian for photography, Maroush Paneyan
Nigon, school musical director; and Fran Torcomian and Lauren Yeremian,
dance instructors.

Written by Melissa Selverian, Class of 1977
[email protected] 215-275-1641

“ARMAVIA” HAS A DEBT OF USD 3 MILLION 215,000 TO “ZVARTNOTS” AIRPORT

11:41, 19 October, 2012

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. “Zvartnots” Airport again stopped the
flights of “Armavia” Airlines in the morning of October 19. This was
announced by the press secretary of the airport Gevorg Abrahamyan. In
a conversation with “Armenpress” Abrahamyan said: “”Armavia” should
have already reduced its debts to USD 2 million 360,000 long ago,
but now it has a debt of UDS 3 million 215,000. The airlines promised
to partially pay its debt off reducing it to USD 3 million”.

Press Secretary of “Armavia” Airlines Nana Avetisyan mentioned that
they keep paying off the debt by transferring some money each day.

Avetisyan said: “In few hours “Armavia” Airlines will announce the
needed period of time to be able to reduce the debt to the amount of
USD 2 million 360,000 mentioned in the agreement. This question is
now under discussion at the conference in the company”.

This is not the first time that the airport refuses to serve flights
of the airline due to the debts. “Zvartnots” Airport again stopped
serving “Armavia” flights in the morning of October 18.

LES CHRETIENS DE SYRIE MENACES DE NETTOYAGE ETHNIQUE

Publie le : 19-10-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Les importantes
communautes chretiennes de la Syrie dechiree par la guerre, sont
plus que jamais, sur les terres de leurs ancetres, sous la menace
d’un nettoyage ethnique – souvent le fait de ceux qui se qualifient
eux-memes de combattants de la liberte tellement loues par la presse
occidentale. Ces combattants, de plus en plus souvent des agitateurs
djihadistes sans liens reels avec les affaires de Damas, ne voient
pas les chretiens dans leurs enclaves comme de bons voisins aux
côtes desquels ils ont vecu pendant des siècles, comme de nombreux
Syriens rebelles les considèrent. ” L’auteur oublie de souligner que
la Turquie verrait d’un bon ~il la disparition des Armeniens de Syrie,
descendants des rescapes du genocide armenien perpetre par les Turcs en
1915, et etablis a Alep. Le Collectif VAN vous soumet une traduction
de Gilbert Beguian d’un article en anglais mise en ligne sur le site
de NAM (Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine) le 17 octobre 2012.

NAM

Syrie

Des agitateurs djihadistes harcellent une minorite chretienne

Comment des agitateurs djihadistes harcellent une minorite chretienne
ancienne de la Syrie de Bachar el Assad

Mark Field, The Independent

14 octobre 2012

Un membre conservateur du Parlement dit que l’Occident a abandonne ses
amis chretiens a un regime brutal. En 1945, ma mère, trop jeune meme
pour aller a l’ecole, en compagnie de millions d’autres Allemands,
quittait Breslau et fuyait vers l’ouest, l’Armee Rouge avancant. Mes
ancetres avaient vecu dans cette region de Silesie (allemande depuis
1242) pendant au moins neuf generations a ce que je sais.

L’expatriation forcee – un processus que l’on nomme aujourd’hui
nettoyage ethnique – de la famille de ma mère et de millions d’autres
civils de groupes dont la nationalite serait plus tard inevitablement
rattachee a leur appartenance ethnique, etait largement ignoree dans
l’euphorie qui avait balaye le monde a la fin de la Seconde Guerre
Mondiale.

Ils ne sont jamais retournes

A present, nous assistons a une autre vague de deplacement de civils
au Moyen Orient, avec des centaines de milliers de chretiens forces
de fuir, etant bannis des terres sur lesquelles ils vivaient depuis
2000 ans, dans la remarquable remontee en puissance des peuples
arabes a laquelle nous assistons. Leur sort a ete largement oublie,
l’attention des media du monde s’est deplacee d’Egypte et de Lybie pour
s’installer en Syrie pour rendre compte des terribles bains de sang
a Damas, Houla, Alep et Homs. Des personnes innocentes de toutes les
parties endurent des souffrances terribles, la mort et la torture ;
la guerre civile ne fait aucune difference entre les jeunes et les
vieux, les riches et les pauvres, dans l’horrible saignee que nous
voyons sous nos yeux, personne n’est apparemment a l’abri d’une mort
soudaine et de la destruction de ses biens.

Desespoir

Il en va ainsi pour plus de deux millions de Syriens adeptes de la foi
du Christ, et dont la presence remonte a 2000 ans, au premier siècle
après J.C., lorsque Saint Paul y prechait le christianisme. Nettoyage
ethnique, une expression laide, mais qui decrit exactement ce que
subissent en ce moment les chretiens de Syrie. C’est a present
l’indicible verite : les importantes communautes chretiennes de la
Syrie dechiree par la guerre, sont plus que jamais, sur les terres de
leurs ancetres, sous la menace d’un nettoyage ethnique – souvent le
fait de ceux qui se qualifient eux-memes de combattants de la liberte
tellement loues par la presse occidentale.

Ces combattants, de plus en plus souvent des agitateurs djihadistes
sans liens reels avec les affaires de Damas, ne voient pas les
chretiens dans leurs enclaves comme de bons voisins aux côtes desquels
ils ont vecu pendant des siècles, comme de nombreux Syriens rebelles
les considèrent. C’est vrai, les minorites religieuses trouvent
souvent la protection la plus efficace sous les regimes dictatoriaux.

Il n’y a rien a gagner a changer le statu quo. Mais user de cet
argument pour les attaquer, pour detruire les eglises anciennes, et
les tenir en otages apparaît comme un pretexte de circonstance. Les
djihadistes les voient simplement comme representant une foi infidèle
et les considèrent d’une facon rarement admise par les rebelles
syriens du debut. Les chretiens de Syrie, qui forment moins de dix
pourcent d’une population estimee a 23 millions, sont des orthodoxes
grecs, des orthodoxes syriaques, des maronites et des melkites grecs
de foi catholique. Des milliers s’en sont deja alles, elements de
la grande maree de Syriens deplaces, fuyant un conflit dans lequel,
disent les groupes d’opposition, 27 000 personnes sont mortes. Dans
la region d’Homs, 80 000 se sont enfuis, les eglises et les centres
des communautes ont ete pris pour cibles, defigures et leurs icones
religieuses volees. S’il est vrai que quelques chretiens ont tenu
du temps d’Assad des postes en vue, il y en a eu certains qui ont
tenu des rôles de chefs d’opposition a Assad, comme George Sabra, qui
postula au poste de president du Conseil National Syrien d’opposition,
clairement anti-Assad.

L’exemple irakien

Ces chretiens sont a present a l’etranger, accueillis par des amis,
dans les jardins ou dans les eglises au Liban, en Turquie, loin de la
ligne de feu. Quelques-uns ont resolu de prendre les armes et de se
battre du côte du gouvernement, un acte anathème pour eux a travers
leur histoire. Ce que les chretiens syriens de ma circonscription
craignent le plus, c’est qu’une fois partis, il n’y aura plus de
retour. Une victoire rebelle et l’installation d’un regime islamique
plus dur pourraient bien interdire le retour d’une societe pluraliste,
avec des chretiens vivant parmi les musulmans chiites et sunnites
comme cela etait le cas depuis des temps bibliques.

Les evenements en Irak fournissent un exemple opportun. Au milieu
d’une effusion de sang sauvage entre sunnites et chiites au lendemain
de l’invasion de l’Irak dirigee par les USA en 2003, l’histoire des
populations chretiennes fait partie de celles dont on parle rarement.

Mais depuis l’invasion, on estime a la moitie le nombre de ceux qui
ont dû, desesperes, quitter le pays.

Quelques 330 000 chretiens irakiens ont fui vers la seule Syrie dans la
decennie passee – et ils doivent fuir a nouveau. D’autres ont trouve
refuge en Jordanie et naturellement d’autres sont venus jusque sur
nos rivages, y compris sur ceux de ma circonscription, les cites de
Londres et de Westminster. Sous Saddam Hussein, quelques chretiens
se sont eleves au sommet de la politique, comme Tarek Aziz, le Vice
– Premier ministre d’Hussein. Mais depuis la chute du dictateur,
la violence contre la minorite chretienne, souvent associee aux ”
croises envahisseurs “, se traduit par des enlèvements, la decapitation
d’un pretre, la destruction a l’explosif d’eglises anciennes et la
conversion forcee a l’Islam.

Telle est la toile de fond du sort qui je le crains attend dans la
decennie a venir la population chretienne etablie dans cette region
depuis longtemps. L’Occident doit agir maintenant pour proteger
les chretiens de Syrie, d’Egypte et d’Irak et assurer la liberte de
religion des chretiens qui seront soumis aux lois de tout nouveau
regime futur si nous voulons eviter que le bannissement de leurs
terres de chretiens d’Orient au cours des annees qui viennent ne soit
un avatar du soulèvement du Moyen – Orient.

mercredi 17 octobre 2012, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

Traduction Gilbert Beguian pour Armenews

Article en anglais :

How rent-a-mob jihadis are tormenting a benighted Christian minority
in Bashar al-Assad’s Syria

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : NAM

“THE JUBILEE CUSTOMER” MOVIE BY ARA YENRJAKYAN WILL BE SHOWN IN CIS

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. Russian version of “The Jubilee
Customer” movie by Art Director of Yerevan State Musical Chamber
Theatre Ara Yenrjakyan has success simultaneously in three
Georgian cinema theatres. This version of the movie was entitled
“Hundred Thousand Seconds”. In a conversation with “Armenpress”
Ara Yenrjakyan~Rs daughter Lousine Yernjakyan mentioned that after
the Georgian premier of the movie there will be premiers in Russia,
Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Yernjakyan said: “Presently the movie is going simultaneously in two
cinema theatres in Tbilisi and one in Batumi, and we are planning to
continue showing the movie, as it has success”.

According to Lousine Yenrjakyan the show of the movie in Georgia is not
accidental, as actress Louiza Nersisyan is starring in the film with
David Katsavara, Georgian by nationality, who was specially invited
to Armenia to take part in the movie. David Katsavara is also the
producer of Georgian version of the film.

“The Jubilee Customer” movie was also nominated in international
film festival in Bucharest on October 1-10, although it did not won
any prize.

Yerevan State Musical Chamber Theatre has just returned form
Los Angeles where it was participating in “Theaters of the World”
international festival and represented ~SNazar, Nazar till the End~T
performance. By the end of this year Yerevan State Musical Chamber
Theatre is also planning to represent “The Armageddon” performance
with quite new actors.

ARMENIA IS AMONG THE LEADERS OF THE EU EASTERN PARTNERSHIP, SERZH SARGSYAN SAYS

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 18 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated that
“Armenia is among the leaders of the Eastern Partnership”.

The President said this speaking at the European People’s Party
convention in Bucharest on October 17.

“Today, Armenia is among the leaders of the Eastern Partnership
regarding the Association negotiations and the initiated large-scale
reforms. We welcome the declaration by this Summit on the Single
Market. In the future, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement
will allow Armenia too to benefit from the opportunities provided by
the Single Market.

We have initiated development of the agenda for comprehensive reforms,
which will result in a much more efficient system of governance. For
the implementation of these goals, Armenia needs considerable financial
assistance from the European Union. Towards this end, together with
the European Commission we have been jointly conducting preparations
work for the organization of the donors’ conference for Armenia”,
said Serzh Sargsyan. –0–

Paper: ANC member may be replaced in PACE Armenian delegation

October 20, 2012 – 18:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary group
leader Levon Zurabyan has recently learned that Orinats Yerkir member
Mher Shahgeldyan may replace him in the RA delegation to Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), 168 Zham daily reported.

This is mainly conditioned by the decision to replace the earlier
agreed Zaruhi Postanjyan- Armen Rustamyan rotation by Zurabyan-
Shahgeldyan one.

The ANC leader has voiced a hope for the authorities to abandon the
intention to replace him, thus avoiding disgrace in international
institutions.

Though the paper failed to get comments from Zurabyan himself, he is
said to coordinate his statements not only with his direct leader
Levon Ter-Petrossian, but also with Prosperous Armenia head Gagik
Tsarukyan.

Expert rules out PAP’s joining coalition, in exchange for vice-PM’s post

October 20, 2012 – 18:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – With three months left until the presidential
elections in Armenia, the Prosperous Armenia will hardly join the
ruling coalition in exchange for a deputy prime minister’s post,
political analyst said.

Commenting on media reports about Prosperous Armenia’s possible
assuming three ministerial seats and the vice prime minister’s post,
in exchange for support at presidential race, Yervand Bozoyan said the
information aims to reveal the party’s weakness.

`Prosperous Armenia would have joined the coalition in May as it was
offered more then,’ he said.

Armenia records 7. 6 % economic activity grow current year nine months

16:15, 20 October, 2012

YEREVAN,OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: Armenian economic activity index has
grown by 7. 6 percent in the course of 2012 first nine months as
compared with the same period of the previous year. As National
Statistics Service informed Armenpress, a growth has been recorded in
the services and agriculture sectors. As drew parallel with previous
year first nine months the volume of services increased by 11.2
percent, 10.5 percent in agriculture sector. Growth has been recorded
in all sectors except construction, where the decline made two
percent. Trade turnover volumes increased by 2.9 percent as compared
with 2011 January-September. Growth has been registered in foreign
trade turnover volumes amounting 2.4 percent. Simultaneously the
export increased by 6 percent, while the import by 1.2 percent.

Ten Years to Armenia

HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:06:11 – 19/10/2012

Two important intergovernmental events followed each other in Armenia
in the form of commission meetings. First, the Armenian-Russian, then
the Armenian-American commission meetings were held in Armenia.

Both were accompanied by interesting developments. The
Armenian-Russian meeting focused on the Compatriots program. The
Armenian side said dissatisfied with it, and the Russian side answered
the reason for emigration from Armenia is not their program but a
domestic issue.

After all, the meeting ended in the signing of a protocol containing
the positions of the sides. The Russians agree and the Armenians
disagree with the continuation of the program. The vice-foreign
minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan stated that Armenia must
discontinue the program but no one said when it will stop.

The meeting of the Armenian-American intergovernmental commission
ended in signing of an agreement which may open up significant
prospects for Armenia. In particular, the point is about the
Armenian-American energy cooperation. The sides discussed the U.S.
support to the Nuclear Power Plant of Armenia. But it is still unknown
whether the U.S. will assume any task relating to the construction of
the new nuclear reactor in Armenia.

The American side assumed the responsibility to support the existing
plant and to help maintain it for another 10 years, until Armenia will
build a new one with the same power.

For the construction of the new power plant, Armenia is alleged to
have agreed with Russia. Russia even said ready to allocate 1 billion
for this aim. But the total cost is said to be 5 billion. Several
months ago Russia stated that the control package of the plant should
belong to Armenia. It is not ruled out that it was a message hinting
that Russia rejects the responsibility to build the plant up to the
end. Russia prefers emptying Armenia so it does not need a nuclear
plant here.

The minister of energy of Armenia Armen Movsisyan stated after the
Armenian-American intergovernmental meeting that Armenia will need 10
years to build the new plant, so Yerevan wants to prolong the
operation of the existing plant for ten years, as the European Union
demands.

10 years is a long period for building a power plant. All the more so
if we assume this 10-year period will start in 2016, hence we have 14
years in total. Armenia used to state that it had already launched the
calculation process. It is evident that Armenia is unable to raise
funds.

France has also announced support to Armenia when its ex-president
Nicolas Sarkozy came to Armenia in the autumn of last year. But
Sarkozy left and Holland’s position is unknown.

The U.S. is getting involved in the NPP process more actively. Will
the U.S. government care for the billions which Armenia lacks to start
the construction of the new power plant.

The answer to this question is political. After all, 4 billion is not
peanuts. Economic interest or political motivation is required. There
can be no economic interest since the plant will hardly be feasible.

The only hope is politics. The nuclear power plant is a political
factor which will boost the importance of Armenia. The political
weight of Armenia is beneficial only to the United States. Hence, it
is not a surprise that the U.S. is assuming the task of maintaining
the power plant for ten years. This means the U.S. prolongs Armenia’s
chance to be an important state for another ten years.

Serzh Sargsyan attended Dalma Garden Mall complex inauguration and
visited Armprodexpo exhibition

14:35, 20 October, 2012

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: Serzh Sargsyan, President of the
Republic of Armenia was present in the official opening ceremony of
Dalma Garden Mall multifunctional three-storied shopping center on
October 20. As Presidential Press Office informed Armenpress,the head
of the country had a walk in the newly built complex accompanied by
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan and Tashir Group President Samvel
Karapetyan .

President was told, the mall and grounds covering an area of 45,000
square meters comply with the requirements of the same nature centers
which will stimulate and promote the import of well known brands to
Armenia. Besides Dalma Garden Mall comprises entertainment areas,
theaters, children’s playground, cafes and hyper market. The complex
seeks to become an area of exhibitions, presentations, fashion
exhibitions, concerts, other celebrations and an integral part of city
life.

After the opening ceremony of the complex President Sargsyan visited
annually held Armprodexpo specialized food exhibition , where local
leading food companies,food and drink producers as well as small and
medium-sized businesses , whose products also have their special place
in the domestic market demonstrate their products. Serzh Sargsyan had
a walk over the pavilions of Armprodexpo exhibition accompanied by
Armenian Minister of Agriculture and the exhibition organizers, talked
with exhibition participants and got acquainted with their products
and development programs.