Author: Babajanian Karo

NAVASARTIAN GAMES CLOSING CEREMONIES ELEVATES COMMUNITY TO NEW HEIGHTS

asbarez
Friday, July 13th, 2012

The Homenetmen Marching Band enters the field during the Closing
Cermonies Parade (photo by Berj Djamdjian)

VAN NUYS-Of the many events that surround Homenetmen’s Navasartian
Games, the closing ceremony, held each year on the last day of the
festival, represents the pinnacle of the achievements of Navasartian.

This year’s closing ceremony of the 37th Navasartian Games was held
on Saturday, July 7 at Birmingham High School before thousands of
Homenetmen members and supporters, who enjoyed a performance by singer
Harout Hagopian prior to the start of the official ceremony.

At 7 p.m., members of the Regional Scouting and Athletic Councils led
the procession, whereby His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Honorary President Mr. & Mrs. Gagik and Madine Gevorkian, 2012
Exemplary Homenetmen Member Maro Kechichian, the 35th Navasartian
Games’ Honorary President George Jamgochian, and the Homenetmen
Regional Executive, led by Chairperson Garnik Abrahamian, entered
the field.

Homenetmen members Suzy Ohanian and Arman Kilijian addressed guests,
highlighting the accomplishments that have filled the 37 years of
Navasartian’s history. Sevag Garabedian, an active Homenetmen member
who contributes to the organizing efforts of the Navasartian Games,
served as Master of Ceremonies the closing ceremony. He invited guests
to stand in a moment of silence to honor the memories of departed
Homenetmen members and the late Rima Abedi-Sagherian of the Regional
Executive, in particular.

Garabedian emphasized the spirit of volunteerism, which contributes
to the success of the Navasartian Games year after year and expressed
pride in its ability to draw together Armenian youth. “Homenetmen’s
volunteers and a handful of employees have spent endless hours
organizing 668 basketball games, 90 plus soccer games, volleyball,
track, swimming, tennis, table tennis, and chess competitions; all
the while 17 chapters worth of volunteers sell a variety of foods,
along with 55 vendors, over a dozen entertainers and more,” stated
Garabedian.

Following his remarks, attendees peered at the skies as four
parachuters plummeted through the air bearing the American, Armenian,
State of California, and Homenetmen flags. Accompanied by the
Homenetmen band, girl and boy scout flag bearers marched the field
as the anthems played.

Thereafter, Regional Executive Chairperson Garnik Abrahamian took to
the podium. First and foremost, he conveyed how fortunate Homenetmen
is to have Mr. & Mrs. Gevorkian as this year’s Honorary President,
as well as an Exemplary Homenetmen Member such as Maro Kechichian.

Abrahamian affirmed the healthy and safe environment that Homenetmen
offers and the rapid growth in its ranks and supporters. He paid
special mention to all the parents, who continue to have faith and
trust in the organization.

Homenetmen Central Executive member Hagop Tufenkjian delivered a
message on behalf of the Board. He emphasized the organization’s
ability to remain faithful to its mission, announcing the recent
establishment of Homenetmen’s 103rd chapter in Beirut, Lebanon and
participation in a competition organized by the Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Diaspora during which Homenetmen placed in the first
three categories.

Archbishop Mardirossian delivered his blessings and encouraging words,
stating “May you continue on with the same dedication and resolve we
have witnessed throughout the years, all the while staying true to the
beautiful motto of Homenetmen, ‘elevate yourself and others with you,’
for the progress of Homenetmen, our community, and our people.”

Following remarks, the much-anticipated parade commenced with Armenian
veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars marching at the forefront. A
special plaque of recognition was presented to honor each veteran,
including Robert Assadrian, Armen Babasloukian, Sarkis Boyajian,
Garo Kritikashian, Hovig Margossian, John Mergorian, and Ara Tamamian.

Spectators looked on as athletes and scouts of the region’s 18
Homenetmen chapters marched and then collectively gathered on the
field. This parade was surely a source of pride for all the onlookers.

Once this procession ended and participants collectively gathered on
the field, the championship trophies were presented to the victorious
chapters with the help of members of the Regional Athletic Council, as
well as Honorary President Mr. & Mrs. Gevorkian, the exemplary member
Maro Kechichian, Central Executive member Hagop Tufenkjian, Regional
Executive Chairperson Garnik Abrahamian, Alec Araratian, Regional
Executive liaison to the Athletic Council; and Vicken Dakessian,
Regional Executive liaison to the Navasartian Organizing Committee.

The closing ceremonies’ official program concluded with the traditional
presentation of the Navasartian flag to Honorary President Mr. &
Mrs. Gevorkian by Taleen Hindoyan, Regional Scoutmaster General,
as well as a performance by Karnig Sarkissian.

This year’s championship trophies were dedicated to the memory of
Bedros Akpolat at the wishes of his wife Edna and son Alan.

After the end of the closing ceremonies, the festival continued on the
grounds of Birmingham High School until midnight with entertainment
and lively performances by Hayro Sarabian, Arsham, Sahag Sisslian,
Aram Baghgedjian, Antoine Bezdjian, and Harout Pamboukjian.

Overall Rankings

TENNIS 1st Place: Glendale “Ararat” Chapter 2nd Place: Fresno
“Sassoon” Chapter

TABLE TENNIS 1st Place: Glendale “Ararat” Chapter 2nd Place: Burbank
“Sipan” Chapter 3rd Place: Fresno “Sassoon” Chapter

SWIMMING 1st Place: San Fernando Valley “Massis” Chapter 2nd Place:
Burbank “Sipan” Chapter 3rd Place: Santa Clara “Ani” Chapter

TRACK & FIELD 1st Place: San Fernando Valley “Massis” Chapter 2nd
Place: South Bay “Arakatz” Chapter 3rd Place: Pasadena “Azadamard”
Chapter

VOLLEYBALL 1st Place: San Fernando Valley “Massis” Chapter 2nd Place:
Glendale “Ararat” Chapter

SOCCER 1st Place: Los Angeles Chapter 2nd Place: San Fernando Valley
“Massis” Chpater 3rd Place: San Francisco Chapter

BASKETBALL 1st Place: Glendale “Ararat” Chapter 2nd Place: Los Angeles
Chapter 3rd Place: Pasadena “Azadamard” Chapter

GROUP OF EXPERTS FROM IRAN WILL VISIT ARMENIA TO MONITOR ARAKS RIVER

On July 15-18 a group of Iranian ecological experts will visit
Armenia. As the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Nature
Protection informs the experts will monitor the volume and quality
of the water of Araks River and the discussions will be held on
this theme.

Armenian experts will participate in the discussions as well.

The discussion will take place in Syuniq region.

Issues connected with the monitoring of the border territory and water
resources will be on agenda. After it the works will be continued
in Yerevan.

ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION MEMBERS TO MEET IN GEORGIA

news.am
July 14, 2012 | 10:11

Representatives from the opposition Armenian National Movement Party
will attend a conference entitled “Assistance to Freedom, Peace and
Prosperity in the Caucasus.” The event, which is taking place between
Friday and Sunday in the Georgian capital city Tbilisi, is organized
by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The conference is bringing together representatives from political
parties and the civil society. At the event, Azerbaijan and Georgia are
represented by opposition Musavat and Republican parties respectively.

The discussants are examining the situation in the South Caucasus
countries and the avenues for the region’s integration to European
institutions. In addition, the participants will touch upon
democratic reforms and elections, resolution of conflicts-and that of
Nagorno-Karabakh, first and foremost-ensuring of rights, and several
other matters.

REVOLUTION STARTS FROM ECOLOGY
Siranuysh Papyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:38:39 – 14/07/2012

Interview with Inga Zarafyan, Chairwoman of Ecolur NGO, candidate of
biological sciences

Mrs Zarafyan, you have been raising ecological issues for many years.

Can we say the Green movement has come out of its civil functions,
like in 1988? What are the possible developments?

In 1988 as well we were members of the movement, then we were
scientific workers. There is a principled difference between the
two movements. The ’88 movement was fighting for the closure of the
nuclear power plant and Nairit chemical plant and it was led mainly
by scientific workers who understood the essence of the issue. But
then, the scientific community was very active, now I can see no such
activeness since some of them left Armenia, others are passive. In
1988, they believed we could win. That movement coincided with
the Karabakh movement and there was the enthusiasm which wanted to
reform the world. Then various events happened so I don’t think the
green movement grew political. We are in the same situation when we
need changes.

Now the active movements start in the field of ecology since there are
many environmental issues, an intensively destroyed environment. In
’80ies the environment was not destroyed so quickly and now everyone
sees it so the movements have many more followers.

Isn’t there a relevant change of consciousness relating to the issue?

Merely, the situation has changed. Then, the situation forced us
participate and believe that we needed to live in a reformed world,
but now, there are few people who believe in this. Now, many think that
they should change the situation only for themselves and few want to
change the world. They have access to a huge field of information on
the events in the world, so they understand it is very difficult to
change. Many of them want a small shelter for them, but they don’t
understand that they can’t have it if everything is destroyed in
the world. Neither the people not the authorities understand this
important element. But it is important to encourage these movements
because without them there would be no possibility to develop.

Though you say those who want to change the world are few, many
changes have been recorded recently: the Mashtots Park and Trchkan
victories for example.

When I say they are few I mean the civil movements which want to do
that. They say the number of such initiatives has grown, I think they
are just formed more like a movement. I can say that the quality of
the movements has significantly grown. There are about 20 “green”
movements on Facebook.

In order to ensure activeness, we just need to forget ourselves and
fight in the sun and rain, this is the main function of the movements,
since when it is different when you declare something and when accept
deprivations for it. We see willingness to sacrifices.

We have governmental decisions of 2010-2012 period and we can see
many lands categories changed into mining and energy areas.

Can’t the society influence on the decisions of the government?

The society’s influence is evident on Shikahogh, Sevan, Trchkan,
Jrvezh, Khosrov reserve, Mashtots Park and other cases. When people
feel they need to unite for a concrete issue, they do it. The Mashtots
park issue was not ecological, but purely political. I think the
activists don’t want to deal with the political forces. It is a
difficult question whether they will become political forces or not
because additional conditions are necessary for it that I don’t see.

When the conditions are formed, when leaders appear and provide an
ideology it may unite many as a political force. Taking the example
of Harsnakar we that it is necessary to unite the civil initiatives.

What conditions do you mean?

The point is that the ideology of the greens does not unite all the
movements here. Other elements that would unite everyone are necessary
to form a political force. A new platform is required otherwise we
are losing a great potential. It is not only the mass to carry out
the revolution, the mass needs strong leaders. It is necessary to
prove to the authorities that they are not invincible but vulnerable.

LE CINEMA ARMENIEN A 100 ANS
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 14 juillet 2012

Le cinema armenien a 100 ans. Il n’est pas ne en 1925 avec le film
” Namous ” de Hamo Bek Nazarian mais en 1912. C’est ce qu’affirme
Ardzvi Bakhtchinian qui vient de sortir un livre intitule ” Cinema
armenien-100 ans “. ” Il nous semblait que l’ont connaissait tout
du cinema armenien. Mais il n’en est pas ainsi. Jusqu’en 1923 des
Armeniens avaient a titre personnel tente de realiser des films. Mais
ils n’eurent pas de succès ” affirme A. Bakhtchinian. En parcourant
les pages de la presse armenienne des annees 1910 Ardzvi Bakhtchinian
a rencontre a de nombreuses reprises le titre ” cinema armenien “. ”
Cela prouve que dans de nombreux pays les Armeniens avaient realise
un minimum de cinq films portant sur un thème armenien. Le premier
de ces films fut tourne en 1912. Malheureusement l’ensemble de ces
films ne furent pas conserves. Mais nous disposons la preuve de leur
existence ” continue A. Bakhtchinian. Le cinema armenien fete donc
cette annee ses 100 ans.

HYE VOTES REGISTERS HUNDREDS AT NAVASARTIAN GAMES

Asbarez
Thursday, July 12th, 2012

Some of the Hye Votes volunteers at Navasartian

VAN NUYS-Hundreds of Armenian-American registered to vote through Hye
Votes, the ongoing voter registration initiative of the Armenian
National Committee of America-Western Region, during the five-day
Navasaratian Games and Festival.

Young Hye Votes volunteers, including ANCA-WR Executive Interns, were
omnipresent throughout the Games, wearing t-shirts and crisscrossing
the grounds with clipboards ready to register any willing and eligible
individual.

Future Hye Voter
The Navsartian Games and Festival, which has become an annual
tradition for the Los Angeles Armenian community, attracts thousands
of attendees. The Games, the largest Armenian athletic event outside
of Armenia, culminate in a closing ceremony which this year had
present a number of notable figures in government, including
Congressmen Howard Berman and Brad Sherman, Los Angeles City
Councilman Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel,
and candidates for California State Assembly Adrin Nazarian and Greg
Krikorian.

Few, if any, attendees did not know about the voter registration
program, either having been approached by a Hye Votes volunteer,
seeing the balloons tied to every chair at the Festival, or hearing
one of the many announcements from the stage.

“The significant level of excitement about Hye Votes and especially
about seeing young people actively involved in registering new voters
was evident among the Festival’s attendees,” said Tereza Yerimyan,
External Affairs Deputy of the ANCA-WR. She continued, “This was the
first large event we attended with Hye Votes and we intend to register
thousands more new voters in the coming months.”

Hye Votes is a project of the ANCA-Western Region to encourage higher
civic participation in the community through voter registration and
voting. Individuals who have not registered to vote or have moved
residences since their last registration may register online.

CAVUSOGLU WARNS ABOUT HOLLANDE

TurkishNY.com
July 12 2012

Thursday, 12 July 2012 00:15 .Turkish ruling party member and the
PACE former president Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that French president
Francoise Hollande is “more dangerous than Sarkozy” when it comes to
the issue of criminalizing the denial of so called Armenian Genocide.

Meanwhile, Hollande has reached out to the French-Armenian community
and reiterated his campaign pledge to shepherd a law that would make
it a crime to deny so called Armenian Genocide.

According to Cavusoglu, incumbent French President Francoise Hollande
is more dangerous than ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy in regard to the
criminalization of so called denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Although the bill was proposed by Sarkozy’s party last year, most of
its supporters were from Hollande’s party, Cavusoglu said.

Hollande, over the weekend, stated that he would stand by his pledge,
made to French Armenians while on the campaign trail ahead of his
election in May.

A ‘SPECTACULAR’ GIFT FOR CHEO; KARSH PORTRAITS DONATED TO THE HOSPITAL ARE NOW BRINGING LIFE TO A LONELY HALLWAY

Ottawa Citizen
July 11, 2012 Wednesday
Canada

by: Karen Chen, Ottawa Citizen

Famed photographer Yousuf Karsh had always wanted to be a physician,
said his widow Estrellita Karsh, 82.

Although the admired artist never pursued his first love, his work
found a place in the halls of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern
Ontario on Tuesday after his widow donated 30 more of his intimate
portraits to the existing collection, making CHEO the home of the
largest permanent Karsh photography collection in the world.

Walt Disney’s wrinkled smile twinkles from a portrait hung above a
label at a child’s height, where it’s alongside luminaries including
Sir Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso
and Helen Keller. The 50 portraits bring life to the previously
lonely white walls of a hallway near The Estrellita and Yousuf Karsh
Emergency Department, where thousands of staff, young patients and
their families and visitors can catch the eye of Andy Warhol, who
playfully holds a paintbrush to his face.

“It really is Extreme Make-over: Hospital Edition,” said Alex Munter,
president and chief executive of CHEO. “Mrs. Karsh has taken a long,
drab hallway and transformed it into a spectacular, beautiful space.”

Karsh said medicine and art have always been “sitting together in
the same couch,” a connection her husband always understood.

“You’re meeting a stranger and you expect them to help you, you
take your clothes off and you let them to see your wart, it’s
a collaboration of trust,” Karsh said, alluding to the comfort
found in a doctor-patient relationship and a photographer-subject
relation-ship. Karsh was dressed in a floral white blazer with her
hair perfectly fixed.

As media photographers rushed to take her picture, she was unflustered,
letting them take shot after shot and adjust the flash.

“I’m used to photographers,” she said playfully.

The Karshes have long been donors to CHEO, and will always call
Ottawa home. Yousuf Karsh never had much of a childhood, growing up
in politically torn Armenia.

Donations have gone toward training, hospital labs, equipment and
scholarships. Estrellita Karsh said she hopes the photographs will
add warmth to the hospital, so patients and their families can think
about something other than illness and injury.

Pelle Stenbring, a CHEO physiotherapist who uses the hallway to help
his patients get on their feet and move, said the portraits helped
create a bit of normal in the abnormal.

“(Inside the hospital) it’s black and white – there is no grey, you’re
sick or you’re not. This is a little spot where there is no hospital,”
Stenbring said.

His favourite part is showing the young patients Walt Disney’s face,
saying they all recognize Mickey Mouse, but few know what the man
behind the mouse looks like.

“If the things around you bring you comfort, it registers,” Estrellita
Karsh said.

“That is why it is so important to have beauty around us.”

UNDP SUPPORTS SEVAN MUNICIPALITY TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION LEVELS

news.am
July 12, 2012 | 14:27

SEVAN. – Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident
Representative in Armenia and USAID/Armenia staff visited the town of
Sevan on July 12 to tour the waste collection and recycling activities
of the USAID-UNDP plastic recycling program, which recently installed
140 plastic waste bins in the town and in recreational areas around
Lake Sevan.

Partners met with Deputy Mayor of Sevan Pap Petrosyan and transferred
a garbage truck to the municipality for plastic waste collection in
the project area.

In order to address Armenia’s environmental challenges, USAID and
UNDP launched a joint initiative in March 2011 – the Collection and
Reuse of Plastic Refuse (CRPR) project – to improve the quality of
potable water sources in Armenia through the collection and recycling
of plastic containers. The program also sought to spur private sector
investment in the recycling of plastic waste.

As of June 2012, a total of 1,000 specially marked bins were
installed in Vanadzor, Hrazdan, Alaverdi, Sevan, Tsakhkadzor, Ararat,
Charentsavan, Artashat, Ashtarak, Berd, Etjmiadzin, Armavir, Sisian and
Dilijan, resulting in the recycling of nearly 80 tons of polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) waste.

“UNDP’s support is aimed at creating a better environmental condition
for the population. Proper management and recycling of this toxic
material is not only urgent from the environmental point of view,
but it also carries an essential potential for delivering currently
unrealized economic benefits,” said Dafina Gercheva, UN RC/UNDP
Resident Representative.

During the initial phase of the project, UNDP provided special bins
for PET waste, balers, and compactors in the target communities for
separation of PET bottles and relevant plastic products immediately
at the first stage of the waste collection cycle. The project then
helped design and implement partnerships between the local authorities
responsible for solid waste management and private companies with
capacities to buy and recycle the PET waste. An intensive public
awareness campaign in the project areas was an important component
to inform the general population on the importance of separating the
PET waste into the special bins.

Based on the results and proved interest and support of the authorities
and community residents, the project plans to expand to other towns
of Armenia, including Yerevan, where around 3,000 tons PET waste is
still thrown out to landfills each year.

PROPOSAL TO WITHDRAW SNIPERS NOTHING NEW – ANALYST

tert.am
12.07.12

The OSCE’s proposal to withdraw the snipers from the Line of Contact
does not say anything new, Narek Galstyan, a political analyst,
told reporters on Thursday.

“They promise to address the proposal once the Armenians withdraw
their snipers from what they call occupied territories. This is an
old policy that suggests nothing new,” he said.

According to him, the breach of agreements caused by the border
tensions makes preconditions impermissible.

The expert called for being prepared for continuing subversion and
taking proper retaliatory measures once they occur.

“I even back the point that a counter-attack has to be strong enough
to prevent Azerbaijan from such operations against Armenia or across
the borderline of Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

Galstyan called for stepping up pressures against Azerbaijan, noting
that a solution cannot be restricted only to proposals.

“Our region is interesting to the west from the military viewpoint,
but the energy interests to play a certain role. This region can be
said to have around 10 stakeholders, with each attempting to push
ahead with its interests,” he added.

As for the OSCE’s statement on involving Nagorno-Karabakh in the
conflict settlement efforts, Margaryan said that the question has
been permanently addressed at the negotiations.

“Artsakh’s involvement in the negotiations will positively affect the
process and may bring it closer to an outcome. In case the Minsk Group
makes proposals to the two countries, Azerbaijan will not naturally
agree to that,” he said, adding that great efforts will be required
to obtain the country’s consent.