Author: Badalian Vardan

February 18, 2015

USC INSTITUTE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact: Salpi Ghazarian, Director
[email protected]
213.821.3943

INNOVATE ARMENIA

Innovate Armenia, a festival of innovation, is a program of the USC
Institute of Armenian Studies, and will take place all day on the USC
Campus, in Founders Park, on Saturday, February 21.
The tightly-packed schedule for the day begins at 10.00 a.m. with
artist Vahe Berberian on the indoor stage and the band Ooshatsank on
the outdoor music stage. The program will continue by featuring tech
companies from Armenia, tech entrepreneurs from California, innovative
civil society, as well as media and educational organizations from
Armenia and the Diaspora.
The outdoor stage will be a festival of old music fused with a
contemporary flair, performed by familiar and new names: Sima
Cunningham, Bei Ru, Element, Palm of Granite, Greg Hosharian Trio,
Antranig Kzirian, Artyom Manukyan and Vahagni, Capital Cities’ Sebu,
and the Collectif Medz Bazar from France.
Throughout the afternoon, global change-makers Alexis Ohanian, Raffi
Krikorian and Lara Setrakian will be speaking about innovation and the
importance of asking the right questions and searching for
out-of-the-box answers. In the same spirit, #InnovateArmenia will be
the hashtag used by participants and those in the Twitterverse will be
invited to articulate the issues facing community and nation. Some
questions require rigorous scholarship and
ongoing research; others need new thinking and new approaches to
reformulate questions.
Everyone is invited to participate. The event is free. Public is
invited to arrive early, enjoy innovative food, listen to creative
music and engage
in thoughtful conversations. Exit the 110 Freeway at Exposition
Boulevard, make a right on Figueroa Street, and follow the signs.

For updates and more information, please follow the USC Institute of
Armenian Studies on social media:
Twitter: @ArmenianStudies
Facebook: /USCArmenian

INDOOR STAGE – ENTREPRENUERS
Taper Hall of Humanities, Auditorium 101 (First-come, First-seated)
10:15 am Artist Vahe Berberian
10:45 am Filmmaker Eric Nazarian
11:15 am Al Eisaian presents Zangi, LionSharp, HIVE, Teamable, as well
as Paolo Pirjanian of iRobot, Zareh Baghdassarian of Armorway and
Alexander Seropian of HALO
12:30 pm Alexis Ohanian
1:00 pm Alex Sardar presents TUMO, Homeland Development Initiative
Foundation, Paros Charitable Foundation, Houshamadyan, American
University of Armenia, Foundation for the Protection of Wildlife &
Cultural Assets
2:00 pm Lara Setrakian
2:30 pm Alex Sardar presents CivilNet, Birthright Armenia, Repat
Armenia, Urban Lab, Impact Hub, the Armenian Center for Contemporary
and Experimental Art
3:30 pm Raffi Krikorian
4:00 pm Raffi Krikorian, Alexis Ohanian & Lara Setrakian in
conversation with Salpi Ghazarian

In between presentations, photos from Scout Tufankjian’s ARMENIAN
DIASPORA PROJECT will be featured.

OUTDOOR STAGE – MUSIC, OLD & NEW
Founders’ Park (Outdoor Seating)
10:00 am Ooshatsank
11:00 am Sima Cunningham
11:45 am Palm of Granite
12:30 pm Greg Hosharian Trio
1:15 pm Antranig Kzirian, Artyom Manukyan & Vahagni
2:00 pm Bei Ru
2:30 pm Bei Ru (Speaking)
3:00 pm Element Band
3:40 pm Collectif Medz Bazar
4:10 pm Sebu

###

February 18, 2015

USC INSTITUTE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact: Salpi Ghazarian, Director
[email protected]
213.821.3943

USC’S YEAR100.ORG DOCUMENTS HOW THE WORLD COMMEMORATES THE GENOCIDE

The University of Southern California Institute of Armenian Studies
has launched a global directory of events — Year100.org — to boost
awareness of the variety of publications, conferences and other events
and activities, marking the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and
thus augment their impact.

“Year100.org does more that just shed light on the past and its place
in memory and scholarship today; it is, in its broadest sense, a
centralized indicator of directions that scholarship and community can
take,” said Salpi Ghazarian, Director of the Institute of Armenian
Studies.

“It is heartening to see how scholars, artists, writers, activists
throughout the world are commemorating the centenary of the Armenian
Genocide in myriad new and significant ways. The directory includes
not just the work of Armenians, or scholars, but of people of
conscience everywhere. We believe it is our responsibility to share
information about events, activities, books and websites, in order to
maximize the flow of information and the conversation around the
content,” said Ghazarian.

The site is in three languages: English, Armenian and Turkish. The
purpose is to reach a broad range of scholars, students and anyone
wanting more information about the Genocide itself, or trying still to
understand its causes and consequences, and the ways in which it is
remembered, studied and discussed. This is a work-in-progress and will
continue to grow as new events are added.

The content on Year100.org is significantly enhanced by the
presentation of evocative images by photographers Hrair Hawk
Khatcherian (Canada), Stepan Norair Chahinian (Brazil) and Matthew
Karanian (US). New publications and exhibitions by each of these
photographers constitute a part of Year100 activities. In addition,
these pictures are the most direct representation of the loss of land
and way of life that are being memorialized through the events listed
on the site, as well as survival and revival.

“It’s the 100th year after the genocidal events of 1915. And this
directory demonstrates that this nation and people have moved past
survival to revival and growth and creation,” concluded Ghazarian.

Year100.org intends to be comprehensive, not selective. The
availability of information and its accuracy depends on organizers
from around the world ready to share their programs and
plans. Submissions are encouraged and welcomed at

“One of the positive outcomes of this commemorative year is the
readiness of many in the international scholarly and artistic
community to share in the memorializing. The variety of types of
events – readings, concerts, books, conferences, exhibitions, lectures
– and the variety of locations from South America to Southeast Asia —
will also spur further sharing by communities, institutions,
organizations thus broadening the reach and impact of each activity,
and supporting deeper inquiry into the subject,” concluded Ghazarian.

Year 100.org is a project of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies
which supports multidisciplinary scholarship to re-define, explore and
study the complex issues that make up the contemporary Armenian
experience — from post-Genocide to the developing Republic of Armenia
to the evolving Diaspora. The Institute encourages research,
publications and public service, and benefits from communication
technologies to link together the global academic and Armenian
communities.

###

PRESS RELEASE – Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (+961- 4) 410001, 410003
Fax: (+961- 4) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Catholicos Aram I Sends Condolence Letters to Egyptian President &
Patriarch Tawadros II

ANTELIAS – 17 February 2015. His Holiness Catholicos Aram I sent
letters of condolences and solidarity to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah
el-Sisi and Patriarch Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church, for
the killing of 21 Egyptian Copts by Islamist extremists in Libya.

After expressing his condolences His Holiness reminded the dangerous
consequences of extremism that could jeopardize the peaceful
Christian-Muslim coexistence in the region.

After reminding that extremism is a global evil Catholicos Aram I
emphasized the crucial urgency of combating extremism in all its forms
and expressions.

Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]

WORLD BANK TO OFFER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN NAIRIT PLANT’S FUTURE: EMPLOYEES STILL WAITING FOR 18 MONTHS WORTH OF SALARIES

02.19.2015 13:18 epress.am

On February 19, the World Bank released a statement in which the
organization plans to support the Armenian government in the prolonged
dispute between the Nairit Rubber Plant and its employees.

“Armenia’s future economic growth highly depends on the development of
a vibrant modern knowledge-based economy, foreign direct investments,
and several other factors, including addressing adequately the
legacy of economic activities in the previous era. The organization
stated that they would help provide a “highly-respectable and
globally-experienced” consulting firm to look over the “technical
and financial viability” of the Nairit plant’s operations in order to
make significant decision for the plant’s future,” reads the statement.

World Bank Country Manager in Armenia Laura E. Bailey clarified saying
that “we have agreed with the Government to mobilize grant resources
of more than $110,000 from within the World Bank for the proposed
expertise that will ensure the quality of analyses the counterpart
needs from internationally recognized experts. We had hoped to have
the work begin in early February, but it took some time to ensure
that we selected the best possible experts.”

The rest of the statement lists details for their plans:

“Throughout the first phase, which is scheduled to begin on 25 February
and take two and a half months, the consulting firm will specifically
review four elements:

– An overview of the global market for the main products that could
be produced by the plant;

– An assessment of the technical feasibility of production based on
the existing plant;

– An assessment of the financial viability of production given current
cost structures; and

– A strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis.

In the second phase, a basic environmental review of Nairit operations
will be undertaken.

The World Bank will provide close monitoring and quality review for
this analysis of Nairit, however we would like to clarify that this
analytical work will be conducted under the leadership of the Minister
for Energy and Natural Resources as part of the cooperation between
the Government of Armenia and the World Bank.”

Recall, Nairit employees have been protesting for over a year for 18
months of unpaid salaries by the failing factory. In recent months,
the workers were promised by the Minister of Energy and Nature
Protection Yervand Zakharyan that they would receive one month’s
salary by February 2, but were left unpaid. On Monday, the workers
demonstrated demanding their salaries in front of the Government
building and were told that their complaints would be responded to
on Friday, February 20, by the Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

LES ETATS-UNIS TRES CONCERNES PAR LEUR PARTENARIAT AVEC L’ARMENIE

Cooperation

Les Etats-Unis se soucient profondement de leur partenariat avec
l’Armenie, a declare hier Victoria Nuland, secretaire adjoint pour les
Affaires europeennes et eurasiennes, lors de son sejour a Erevan. Il
s’agit de la troisième etape de sa tournee au Caucase du Sud, qui
comprend egalement des arrets en Azerbaïdjan et en Georgie.

” Il y a plus de 20 annees de democratie soutenue, de croissance
economique, de prosperite et de paix ici. Nous voulons continuer a
approfondir et elargir notre relation avec l’Armenie”, a-t-elle dit.

“Nous nous soucions profondement de la capacite de l’Armenie a se
renforcer, a devenir plus prospère, plus independante, a representer
une image democratique forte dans cette partie du monde et a proteger
le droit de tous les Armeniens de vivre librement”, a-t-elle ajoute.

Considerant que sa societe civile dynamique doit etre l’une des plus
grandes forces de l’Armenie, la secretaire d’Etat adjoint americaine
a declare que les Etats-Unis commencent une nouvelle initiative avec
le gouvernement armenien pour promouvoir les objectifs anti-corruption
et creer une concurrence equitables pour les investisseurs.

“Nous allons commencer une nouvelle initiative de l’ambassade
avec le gouvernement pour promouvoir les objectifs de lutte
contre la corruption comme l’e-gouvernance, la transparence et
l’approvisionnement, l’amelioration du climat d’investissement, la
fermeture de l’espace pour l’argent sale, le maintien d’un champ de
concurrence equitable pour tous Armeniens et tous les investisseurs
qui non seulement protège l’environnement d’investissement mais
protège egalement la democratie dans le pays”, a declare Nuland.

Après des reunions avec les dirigeants de l’Armenie a Erevan et
auparavant avec les dirigeants de l’Azerbaïdjan a Bakou, la diplomate
americaine a dit qu’elle sentait “que des progrès avaient ete fait
dans les deux capitales.”

“J’ai parle a la fois a Ilham Aliev et a Serge Sarkissian, pour qu’ils
mettent fin a l’effusion de sang qui ne sert personne. J’ai senti que
nous avons fait des progrès dans les deux capitales lors de cette
visite, et j’espère voir la paix s’instituer dans les prochaines
semaines dans l’interet de tous les soldats en service et tous les
parents, et dans l’interet de la paix et la stabilite de la region “.

S’exprimant lors d’une conference de presse a Bakou le 17 fevrier,
Nuland avait dit qu’elle allait parler a Erevan de la liberation de
deux ressortissants azerbaïdjanais condamnes et emprisonnes dans le
Haut-Karabagh, soupconnes d’assassinat d’un adolescent.

Hier, la responsable americaine a convenu que les deux Azerbaïdjanais
ont fait un “crime terrible”. Dans le meme temps, elle a repete
son appel pour leur transfert en Azerbaïdjan.

SOCIAL TENSION IN AKHTALA: ORE DRESSING COMBINE FIRED EMPLOYEES AND REDUCED THEIR SALARIES – VIDEOS

15:27 February 18, 2015

EcoLur

Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine fired 22 employees, who took part in the
protest demonstration against the combine on 15 February. The cause of
the protest demonstration was the decision of the new administration
of “MASKO MINE” CJSC, 100% shareholder, to reduce salaries, as well
as poor working conditions. As the website of “Angle Plus Three”
TV informs, the combine employees also held a protest demonstration
on 17 February.

DIPLOMATIC SCANDAL BREWING BETWEEN TURKEY AND GEORGIA

February 19, 2015 10:32

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu

Photo: REUTERS

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Georgian Foreign Ministry assigned Ambassador to
Turkey Irakli Koplatadze deliver to Ankara Tbilisi’s discontent over
Abkhazian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba’s visit to Turkey.

The Ambassador will hold meetings at the Turkish Foreign Ministry
and with the leadership of Justice and Development ruling party,
the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports.

During the 5-day visit to Turkey, Vyacheslav Chirikba met with
representatives of the ruling party and Chamber of Commerce and
Industry of Turkey. He also met with businessmen and local authorities.

“The Georgian Ambassador will adequately respond to it”, the Foreign
Ministry noted.

Vyacheslav Chirikba offered Turkey to recognize validity of Abkhazian
passports in the country which alongside with South Ossetia is
considered by Georgia as territories occupied by Russia.

ARMENIAN FM, US ASSISTANT SECRETARY TALK KARABAKH, UKRAINE, MIDDLE EAST

17:33, 18 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received Victoria Nuland,
US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

Minister Nalbandian hailed the friendly partnership established
between Armenia and the United States, which has expanded over time.

He voiced hope that the bilateral cooperation would further reinforce
and deepen thanks to joint efforts.

Victoria Nuland noted, in turn, that the United States attaches great
importance to the development of cooperation with Armenia in different
fields and is willing to take efforts in that direction.

During the meeting the parties discussed the joint steps to be taken
towards expansion of bilateral relations. The political dialogue and
cooperation on the international arena were on the agenda of the talks.

Edward Nalbandian and Victoria Nuland praised the fact that the
Armenian-American cooperation embraces important fields such as
international and regional security, peacekeeping, non-proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction, fighting terrorism. The Assistant
Secretary expressed gratitude for Armenia’s active participation in
international peacekeeping missions.

Victoria Nuland emphasized Armenia’s achievements in the spheres of
democratization, reinforcement of civil society, economic reforms
and many others.

Reference was made to the perspectives of development of economic
cooperation, the implementation of joint projects, promotion of
investments.

Minister Nalbandian underlined that the US has provided considerable
support to the development of Armenia and the ongoing reforms in
the country ever since itsindependence. He noted that the assistance
programs have grown into cooperation and development programs over
time.

The parties hailed the agreement on facilitation of the visa regime
reached between the Armenian Foreign Minister and the US Secretary
of State in 2013.

The interlocutors exchanged views on urgent international issues,
namely the Ukraine crisis, the developments in the Middle East.

As for the Karabakh issue, the Armenian Foreign Minister and the
US Assistant Secretary agreed that all efforts should be taken to
solve the conflict exceptionally in a peaceful way on the basis
of the principles of international law – non-use of force or the
threat of force, territorial integrity and the right of peoples to
self-determination. Minister Nalbandian attached importance to the
US role and contribution to the process as a Minsk Group Co-Chairing
country.

Edward Nalbandian asked to convey his warm greetings to Secretary
Kerry and reiterated his invitation to the latter to visit Armenia.

AFAD CAMP ALLEGEDLY BUILT ON ARMENIAN MASSACRE SITE

02.09.2015 09:47

According to a report by Fıratnews, the AFAD camp for Kobane residents
who fled ISIS and crossed the border to Suruc, is built on “Wargeha
Mezin”, the site where thousands of Armenians were massacred in 1895.

Suruc residents Bozan Demir (54), Ä°brahim Halil Kaya (58) of Armenian
origin, and Hakkı Fırat (60) of Kurdish origin claim that the AFAD
(Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency) camp on
the Urfa road is built on the site where around 20 thousand Armenians
exiled from Erzurum, Erzincan, Malazgirt, Sivas, Cizre and MuÃ…~_
were brought to and massacred in 1895, during the reign of Sultan
Abdul Hamid II. Demir and Kaya, both of Armenian origin, related
what they had learned from their parents, and stated that the site
was known as “Wargeha Mezin”, adding that thousands of Armenians had
been slaughtered here.

Ä°brahim Halil Kaya, speaking of the great injustices inflicted upon
Armenians during the Ottoman period, said, “According to the stories
our parents passed on to us, in 1895, Armenians were banished from
their homes and forced upon the path of deportation. Those who manage
to survive the massacres dispersed across all corners of the world.

Like the women of Kobanê today, the Armenian women were left in
devastation. Thousands of Armenians exiled from Cizre, Malazgirt,
MuÃ…~_ and Sivas, were massacred between Urfa and Suruc. This route
is full of their bones.”

Bozan Demir added, “In fact, ‘Wargeha Mezin’ is the first camp of the
Armenians. When the Armenians were brought here, they were brought in
separate convoys, from places with no water. Thousands of Armenians
who were brought to the village known as Xelê osî Å~_irîf were
murdered by drowning when they rushed to drink water from a reserve
kept by the villagers for cattle.”

JAMES WARLICK: INTERESTS OF ALL SIDES WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN KARABAKH NEGOTIATIONS

16:26 18/02/2015 ” COMMENTS

U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick gave an exclusive
interview toArtsakhpress news agency, in which he talked about
some recent statements and developments of the current phase of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

The interview is exclusive also for the reason that it is the first
time when one of the Co-Chairs gives an interview to a media from
Artsakh.

– Mr. Warlick, it is a known fact that since the last year there has
been an escalation of tension along the LoC which seriously undermines
the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Apart from
the statements, do you see any practical mechanisms that can stabilize
the situation?

– The escalation of violence along the Line of Contact and
Armenia-Azerbaijan border over the last year undermines not only the
Co-Chairs’ mediation efforts, but also the Presidents’ commitment to
their people to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully.

There are mechanisms that can reduce the likelihood of unintended
incidents in conflict-affected areas and we support their
implementation to help stabilize the situation on the ground. The
Co-Chairs have raised several proposals with the sides and are
discussing them during our trip to the region.

– The Co-Chairs are currently in the region. Are there any concrete
proposals that are being put at the table during the meetings with
all three sides?

– First and foremost, we are talking to the sides about recent tension
and violence that threaten the region. There cannot be progress on
the diplomatic track if violence continues. We are also raising with
the sides the need to resume meetings of the Presidents, who hold the
keys to peace in their hands. Additionally, we stress the importance
of beginning comprehensive negotiations on a lasting settlement. It
is critical to have a sustained negotiating process that can lead to
a peace agreement.

– According to the Azerbaijani mass media reports, you were cited
as saying that transfer of the two Azerbaijani citizens (charged
with heavy crimes) to Azerbaijan in the spirit of the Astrakhan
Declaration would be an important humanitarian gesture that can help
reduce tensions and build trust between the sides. Do you think
that Astrakhan Declaration is applicable in relation to criminals
and that the impunity of those crimes will not further enhance the
false sense of all-permissiveness in Azerbaijan, as was the case with
Ramil Safarov?

– In the past, the sides have generally found a way to return prisoners
as a humanitarian gesture. With tensions as high as they are, such
humanitarian gestures can lead to a more positive environment for
negotiations to take place.

– Since 1997, Nagorno-Karabakh has not been direct and full-fledged
party at the negotiations. At the same time, the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs have announced on numerous occasions that the Karabakh side
will reengage in the direct negotiations soon. Don’t you think that in
the given situation the restoration of the previous trilateral format
of negotiations will be crucial in moving the negotiations forward?

– The interests of all sides will need to be taken into account in
the negotiations, as well as in a settlement to the conflict. The
first step is for the sides to express their readiness to enter into
such negotiations.

– The Azerbaijani side has announced a number of times that the OSCE
Co-Chairmanship has exhausted itself and there are disagreements among
the Co-Chairs and suggesting a change in the mediation format. Do
you agree with the above?

– As Co-Chairs, we are united in our efforts to mediate a peaceful
and lasting settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Minsk
Group is the only mediation format accepted by the sides. We will
continue to fulfill our mandate to work towards peace as long as all
agree that our role as mediators remains useful.

– Mr. Warlick, thank you for the interview.