Author: Babajanian Karo

BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DIASPORA AND HOMELAND
by Tania Sahakian

Published: Wednesday August 08, 2012

Tania Sahakian.

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I find it harder and harder to express myself from an outsider’s
perspective when it comes to Armenia. I guess my first time here was
not all that long ago, visiting with family in 2004, but during my
time with Birthright the following year, I really got my bearings
in Hayastan.

My experience with Birthright Armenia helped in making Armenia part
of my life. Not only have I been back six times since, but my seventh
time – a year ago now – I made the move.

So I feel quite confident in thinking of myself as a Yerevantsi,
since Armenia is very much and undeniably a part of my life. I also
feel that I am in a unique position to simultaneously understand the
dilemmas and challenges of what it means to be an Armenian in the
Diaspora and what it is like to live in Armenia itself as a local
thus becoming a connector between the two.

In the past year I have been working two jobs that I can only consider
to be dream jobs for me, both in fields about which I am passionate,
leading toward the career path on which I had hoped to end up. My
move to Armenia did not mean in any way to sacrifice my career or
standard of living, in fact it did quite the opposite. Not only that,
but both jobs deal with today’s Armenia on tomorrow’s terms. It’s no
secret that this country faces many challenges.

My work at Counterpart International has to do with strengthening
civil society, and promoting the rule of law, democracy and human
rights. And working at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies
allows me to do my part in putting the steering wheel in the hands of
the next generation of Armenia’s programmers, animators, musicians,
robotics experts, and creative geniuses of other varieties.

They are both environments that offer me opportunities to feel really
encouraged about the future of Armenia.

And I couldn’t have done it without Birthright Armenia. This
organization allowed me to connect with Armenia in a way that nothing
else could have, and it also helped put me on the path that eventually
led me to move here.

Birthright Armenia is one of those unique organizations that is opening
the lines of communication and helping bridge the gap between the
Diaspora and Armenia. The key to any relationship is communication,
in order to understand what each entity needs. It’s time to invest
in organizations that are helping bridge this gap for a healthier
future both in the Diaspora and in Armenia itself.

For more information visit

RUSSIAN GENERAL KILLED IN SYRIA, REBEL GROUP SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 8, 2012 – 11:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Syrian rebel group said on Wednesday, August
8 it had killed a Russian general working as an adviser to Syria’s
ministry of defense in an operation in the western Ghouta region on
the outskirts of the capital Damascus, Reuters reported.

A video statement from a group calling itself the “Hawks Special
Operations Battalion…a division of the Military Leadership of
Damascus City and Province”, gave the name of the general as Vladimir
Petrovich Kochyev. The video, sent to Reuters, showed what the rebels
said was a copy of his ID, as issued by the Syrian military.

The same group claimed responsibility for the assassination of four
of President Bashar al-Assad’s top lieutenants in Damascus last month.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian authorities.

Russia, which has an estimated several hundred military personnel in
Syria, is one of the few countries still backing Assad diplomatically
since a popular uprising against his rule erupted 17 months ago.

HRAPARAK: MUNICIPALITY-RUN KINDERGARTENS OVERLOADED

Panorama.am
08/08/2012

It proves that taking children to kindergarten is a problem is Armenia,
Hraparak daily reports. A woman residing in Kentron administrative
district of Yerevan told Hraparak that her child was denied admission
to any of 4 kindergartens in Kentron district with an explanation
that all kindergartens are overloaded, and therefore she had to take
her child to a kindergarten in Davitashen district.

Yerevan Mayor’s Office told the paper that kindergartens are overloaded
because they are free of charge.

“Mayor’s Office did not take into account possible consequences that
might follow its decision to make kindergarten attendance free of
charge,” the paper writes.

“WE DEMAND JUSTICE” UNION ASKS TURKISH PRESIDENT TO GIVE NEW IMPETUS TO CASE OVER HRANT DINK’S MURDER

arminfo
Wednesday, August 8, 10:57

President of Turkey Abdullah Gul received members of the We Demand
Justice Union behind closed doors, who asked the president to give
a new impetus to the case over murder of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief
of the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Agos.

Omar Faruk Gergerlioglu, representative of the Union, says the
president assured them that the report of the Supervisory Chamber
on Dink’s murder unveiling new details will not remain on the shelf
for long.

To recall, the State Supervisory Council of Turkey (DDK) conducted
inquiry into Dink’s murder and published a 653-page report saying
that the law-enforcers were informed of the threat to Dink’s life
beforehand, but took no relevant measures. The report says that those
guilty in improper investigation in the given case must be brought
to justice.

Hrant Dink was assassinated on Jan 19 2007 in front of Agos newspaper
editorial office in Istanbul. The Turkish court sentenced two people
accomplice in the murder to life imprisonment.

ARMENIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF BELGIUM “HAYASA”: IT IS TIME TO CLEAR THE COUNTRY OF THE TRASH

arminfo
Wednesday, August 8, 10:49

Armenian Student Association of Belgium “Hayasa” has issued a statement
in connection with the 40th day of Vahe Avetyan’s death.

The statement runs that candle lighting and an informative meeting
took place in Belgium organized by Hayasa in the St. Mary Magdalene
Armenian Church.

The Armenian Student Association is concerned about the atmosphere
of fear, impunity and permissiveness in Armenia where the ordinary
citizen in not protected.

According to them, Vahe Avetyan’s tragedy is a challenge to the
healthy forces of the Armenian society, which don’t stop fighting
for the supremacy of law and justice.

The Armenian students say they won’t be silent since silence is
equal to suicide. It is time to clear the country of the trash,
the statement runs.

To recall, V. Avetyan was viciously beaten to on June 17 at Harsnaqar
Restaurant belonging to parliamentarian, a member of the Republican
Party, President of the Football Federation of Armenia Ruben
Hayrapetyan. He died on June 29.

TAX AND CUSTOMS PRIVILEGES GIVEN TO IRAN-ARMENIA ELECTRIC POWER LINE CONSTRUCTION

ARMENPRESS
8 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: Tax and customs privileges will be
determined for the construction work of Iran-Armenia 400 kV power
transmission air line segment passing through the territory of the
Republic of Armenia. The draft proposal of ” determination of tax and
customs payments privileges to the sector passing in the territory of
Republic of Armenia Iran -Armenia 400 kV power transmission air line
” is scheduled to be in the agenda of Executive Body August 9 session .

In accordance with the draft the privileges are defined taking into
the consideration that taxes and customs payments ,as to the agreement
,are set to be stand by the client.

For the implementation of the program a financial agreement was signed
by the client and Export Development Bank of Iran in 2011 June 26,under
which 83.083 million euro loan will be provided to the customer for
the construction of electric power line segment passing through the
territory of the Republic of Armenia.

In accordance with the agreement electric power line construction is
carried out by the Iranian ” Sanir” company. The project is set to be
implemented by the means of external financing and co-financing funds.

MINISTRE TURC A KIRKOUK : BAGDAD VA REEVALUER SES RELATIONS AVEC ANKARA
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 8 aout 2012

BAGDAD, 7 août 2012 (AFP) – L’Irak va reevaluer ses relations avec
Ankara après la recente visite dans la ville contestee de Kirkouk
du chef de la diplomatie turque Ahmet Davutoglu, effectuee sans que
Bagdad en ait ete avise, a annonce le gouvernement irakien. Bagdad
avait proteste contre la visite jeudi de M. Davutoglu a Kirkouk,
une ville que se disputent le gouvernement central de Bagdad et la
region autonome du Kurdistan irakien.

“Le conseil des ministres a examine les recents developpements dans
les relations avec la Turquie et decide de reevaluer l’avenir de ces
relations (…) lors d’une prochaine reunion aussitôt que possible”,
a indique un porte-parole du gouvernement irakien, Ali Dabbagh,
dans un communique.

Le conseil a ainsi decide de former un comite preside par le
vice-Premier ministre Hussein Chahristani pour “enqueter sur les
circonstances de la visite du ministre turc des Affaires etrangères
a Kirkouk et presenter des recommandations au gouvernement”, a ajoute
le porte-parole.

Au cours de sa visite, M. Davutoglu a rencontre des responsables de la
province de Kirkouk, où il s’est rendu au lendemain de son arrivee dans
le Kurdistan irakien, sans en avoir informe les autorites centrales de
Bagdad. Mercredi, il avait rencontre le president du Kurdistan irakien,
Massoud Barzani, evoquant notamment avec lui le conflit en Syrie.

Les dirigeants kurdes irakiens souhaitent l’integration de la ville
petrolière de Kirkouk dans la region autonome du Kurdistan, alors
que le gouvernement de Bagdad s’y oppose farouchement.

Les exportations de petrole en provenance de la region autonome kurde
vers la Turquie sans l’approbation de Bagdad ont en outre aggrave la
tension entre les deux pays.

ARTHUR ALEKSANYAN OLYMPIC GAMES BRONZE MEDALIST

ARMENPRESS
7 August, 2012
YEREVAN

Yerevan, August 7, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Greco-Roman style 96 kg
wrestler Arthur Aleksanyan won bronze medal in London Olympic Games
defeating the Cuban Falcon Estrada in the decisive tournament.

As”Armenpress” reports Aleksanyan gained a victory in an excellent
way in the two tornaments with the accounts of 2:0 and 1:0.

Our young wrestler had defeated the Turk Chenk Ildem in his first
tournament for the bronze medal.

This is already the second medal of the Armenian wrestlers in London.

74 kg Arsen Julfalakyan has won a silver medal. 75 kg weightlifter
Hripsime Khurshudyan has won a bronze medal.

Aleksanyan was born on October 21, 1991. His personal trainer is his
father Gevorg Aleksanyan.

Aleksanyan is the world and European adults champion

SYRIAN ARMENIANS FIND IT HARD TO LEAVE BOMB-POUNDED ALEPPO

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 7, 2012 – 18:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Aleppo-based Syrian Armenians are afraid to leave
their homes, the founder of “Outreach to Syrian Armenians” Facebook
page, writer/publicist Anahit Adamyan told PanARMENIAN.Net According
to a Syrian Armenian, who wrote to Facebook page administrators,
the situation in Aleppo is very serious, with his family hiding in
the cellar of their house to escape shelling.

“Electricity and phone service outage are common in the city, with no
municipal service operating. The family would like to leave Aleppo
for Armenia, yet are unable to in view of the danger of leaving the
city,” Ms Adamyan said.

Mortar fire and tank shells exploded across Aleppo district of
Salaheddine early on Tuesday, August 7 forcing rebel fighters to take
cover in crumbling buildings and rubble-strewn alleyways.

Tanks have entered parts of Salaheddine and army snipers, using the
cover of heavy bombardment, deployed on rooftops, hindering rebel
movements.

TWO ARMENIANS KILLED IN ALEPPO

tert.am
07.08.12

Two Armenians were killed, one wounded at clashes in Syrian town of
Aleppo. The information has been confirmed by the representatives of
the Armenian community.

Speaking to Tert.am, community representative said one of the victims
is Vigen Galachyan, the other Jan Tapash. The wounded young man is Mko,
but the surname is not known yet.

The young people died while defending the Armenian district of
the city.