Author: Badalian Vardan

VOROTNAVANK MONASTERY IN ARMENIA A REMARKABLE PLACE TO VISIT

14:08 30.07.2013

The Vorotnavank Monastery in Armenia is a remarkable place to visit,
Travel Video News writes.

The Vorotnavank monastery is a monastic complex located along a ridge
overlooking the Vorotangorge, between the villages of Vaghatin and
Vorotan in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The complex is surrounded by
a high stone wall for defense against foreign invasions and once housed
workshops, stores, a seminary, resort, cemetery and an alms-house. A
pillar stood in the yard of the monastery symbolizing that there
were monks entering into religious service and kings inaugurated at
this location.

Hovhan Vorotnetsi (1315-1398), an Armenian medieval philosopher and
theologian as well as the founder of Tatev Vardapetaran University
lived and worked at the monastery.

S. Stepanos Church

The main church of Surb Stepanos was built in 1000 AD by Queen
Shahandukht, ruler of the lands of Syunik and grandmother to Katranide
(consort to King Ashot I Bagratuni). Prior to the construction of
the church stood a shrine to Saint Grigor Lusavorich. Four sacristies
were placed at the southeastern end of S. Stepanos.

S. Karapet Church

The adjoining church of Surb Karapet was constructed in 1006-1007 by
Queen Shahandukht’s son Sevada. The structure has a triple-arched
portico at the front facade. A circular drum and a recently
reconstructed dome rest above the cruciform plan of the church.

Vorotnavank was destroyed multiple times by foreign invasions as well
as an earthquake in 1931 during which S. Karapet’s dome collapsed. In
1104 Seljuk-Turks attacked the monastery and the nearby fortress
of Vorotnaberd (3 km southeast). Ivane Zakaryan liberated them and
gave control of Vorotnavank and Vorotnaberd to Liparit Orbelian of
the Orbelyan family. The monastery was repaired and made functional
during this time. Other foreign invasions included the Mongol-Tatars
(1236) and later Amir Timur in 1386. An underground passageway was
connected to the fortress of Vorotnaberd, and was used during sieges
by invading armies. Reconstruction efforts have been underway since
1980 and are nearly complete.

You can marvel at the funeral VII building in the village Aghitu. Over
two deep crypts arranged area with a stepped entrance from the rear.

Above it, the three pillars of the tower – two pylons and a column
between them, connected by arches, over which was cornice. The whole
structure is crowned by three arcs in the curly-poster does not come
down to us.

There is folklore about this monument: It is said that the Persian
ruler summoned the three princes of Syunik to capture them. Guessed
his intention, the princes did not go to him. Then with a large Persian
army marched on the village Aguda. In a fight with him Armenians won,
but three brave princes died on the battlefield. To keep the memory
of them, the residents built a tomb Agudo, which placed the remains
of the dead princes, and on the tomb erected this monument.

BAREV YEREVAN FACTION CALLS FOR CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING “TRANSIT COMMITTEE”

10:31, July 30, 2013

The Barev Yerevan faction in the Yerevan Municipal Council has asked
Mayor Taron Margaryan to clarify some points regarding his July 29
call to set up a committee to look into the issue of transit fares.

The new committee is supposed to include representatives of the
Council, civic activists and other interested parties.

Faction head Anahit Bakhshyan, in her communique to the mayor, asks for
clarification about the status and powers of the committee, and whether
or not it will have the authority to independently make decisions
about transit fares, given that the Council itself has no such powers.

Bakhshyan also asks whether the committee will be able to independently
set the parameters of its agenda, or will it receive its instructions
from the mayor.

ARMAVIA SUSPENDS BANKRUPTCY PROCEDURE

ARMINFO
Monday, July 29, 22:24

Armavia national air carrier of Armenia has suspended the bankruptcy
procedure and started paying its debts to the lenders, the company’s
press service reports.

The source says that the debts to both the employees and the lenders
are gradually being redeemed. The debts to some banks have already
been repaid. The company does not specify the total amount of the
debts and the repayment schedule. The company does not report whether
Armavia is going to return to the air service market after repaying
all its debts and to participate in the tenders. Armavia launched
the bankruptcy procedure on 1 April 2013 and stopped its flights.

In the meantime, the Armenian State Revenue Committee applied to the
Administrative Court of Armenia to impose 7,035 bln AMD on Armavia in
favor of the state budget, the Committee’s press service told ArmInfo.

The preliminary court sessions took place on June 14 and July 4. The
next session is scheduled for July 30.

Armavia was earlier reported to owe 24.2 bln AMD (about $58 mln)
to the state budget of Armenia, including 6.9 bln in taxes, and 17.3
bln in fines. The company was founded in 1996. It belongs to President
of MIKA Limited Mikhail Bagdasarov, one of the largest businessmen of
Armenia. Armavia made over 100 flights weekly to over 40 destinations.

(As of July 29, the Central Bank’s AMD/USD exchange rate was 410.30
AMD/1 USD).

FIRST ARMENIAN CHILD IS BORN IN LIECHTENSTEIN – NEWSPAPER

July 30, 2013 | 07:41

YEREVAN. – On July 10, nine children were born in Liechtenstein,
the city-state in the heart of Europe and with a population of solely
36,000, and one of these babies is Armenian, Aravot daily reports.

“Leo-Alex Papikyan, the first Armenian child who is born in the
state of Liechtenstein, is the first-born of Alik Papikyan and
Tatevik Yesayan.

“Incidentally, the Papikyan family, which settled in Liechtenstein
in the late 1990s, is the first Armenian family to reside in this
country,” Aravot writes.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

MILANO: CONCERTO SYSTEM OF A DOWN 27 AGOSTO 2013 EVENTI A MILANO

MilanoToday, Italia
26 luglio 2013

System Of A Down (talvolta abbreviato semplicemente in S.O.A.D.) sono
un gruppo alternative metal statunitense, formatosi a Los Angeles nel
1995. I componenti sono tutti originari dell’Armenia, e discendono
dai superstiti del genocidio subito dal loro popolo, di cui parlano in
molte canzoni. In particolare il nonno di Serj Tankian è un superstite
del genocidio, che il frontman della band intervista nel documentario
“The Screamers”.

Nonostante l’origine comune dei quattro membri del gruppo, solo
il bassista Shavo Odadjian è nato in Armenia, il 22 aprile 1974 a
Yerevan, capitale del piccolo Stato transcaucasico. Si fanno notare
per le numerose influenze stilistiche, ma anche per l’impegno sociale
e politico.

Insieme al chitarrista Tom Morello guidano l’organizzazione non profit
Axis of Justice, che riunisce associazioni politiche, fans e musicisti
di varia estrazione per difendere la giustizia sociale. Hanno venduto
più di 20 milioni di dischi, di cui quasi la meta nei soli Stati Uniti.

ARMENIAN NIGHT: UN PONTE TRA ORIENTE E OCCIDENTE

La digetto, Italia
29 Luglio 2013

Martedì 30 luglio alle ore 21.30 la Piazza III Novembre di Riva del
Garda si fara teatro di un evento eccezionale, un incontro tra due
culture millenarie nel segno del linguaggio universale della musica.

Alla presenza dell’Ambasciatore della Repubblica d’Armenia in Italia,
S.E. Sargis Ghazaryan, la splendida piazza rivana sara quinta
d’eccezione per l’Armenian Night, un concerto interamente dedicato
all’arte, alla cultura e alla musica armena.

In programma musiche di Khachaturian, compositore-simbolo della musica
armena nel mondo, Rachmaninov e Babajanian.

Sul palco il soprano Lussine Levoni, la violinista Elena Tansky e
la State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, orchestra residente di questa
trentesima edizione del Festival, diretta dal Maestro Sergey Smbatyan.

La musica, lingua universale e portatrice del messaggio di pace e
fratellanza, si fara ponte tra Oriente e Occidente per celebrare in
questa grande festa l’amicizia e la vicinanza tra l’Italia e l’Armenia.

Fondata nel 2005, l’orchestra giovanile di Stato dell’Armenia (SYOA)
è stata pensata come un insieme di giovani musicisti talentuosi che,
tramite la loro serieta di vita, la loro diligenza e la loro devozione
all’arte, potessero apportare un grande contributo al mondo musicale.

Sergey Smbatyan, direttore artistico e direttore principale
dell’orchestra, ha radunato tutti quei giovani strumentisti della
sua eta che, pieni di energia e di grandi propositi, hanno saputo
guadagnarsi subito la via ai grandi palcoscenici, ottenendo in poco
tempo importanti riconoscimenti internazionali.

Dal 2007 la SYOA è l’orchestra ufficiale del Concorso Internazionale
Aram Khachaturian, da quest’anno gemellato con il Concorso
Internazionale per giovani cantanti lirici “Riccardo Zandonai” di
Riva del Garda.

Nel 2008, tramite una delibera speciale del Governo della Repubblica
dell’Armenia, l’orchestra è stata nominata “Orchestra di Stato”, per
la sua grande professionalita e per la sua capacita di diffondere la
m usica contemporanea.

NPF: SYRIA’S STEADFASTNESS AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW

Jul 29, 2013

Damascus, (SANA)_The National Progressive Front (NPF) central
leadership said Syria’s steadfastness in the war targeting it is
an example to follow which proved that the people armed with free
political will and independent decision can conquer uphill challenges.

During a meeting on Monday chaired by its Deputy chairman Suleiman
Qaddah, the NPF reviewed the political Arab, regional and international
landscape and the latest developments, pointing out that Syria’s
steadfastness has had far-reaching effects in the Arab and regional
arenas.

The central leadership highly appreciated the role of the Syrian army
and armed forces in the battle against terrorism, stressing that
the national and public support base is spurring them to make more
resounding achievements in defense of the homeland.

The NPF also listened to a economic report submitted by Prime Minister,
Dr. Wael al-Halqi in which he reviewed the measures undertaken to
counter the economic warfare on Syria.

Syria is capable of confronting the economic war thanks to its own
capacities and the support of friends, the PM pointed out, highlighting
the policies charted to ease the suffering of citizens and provide
their basic needs, confront monopoly and curb the rising prices.

The leadership also listened to a political report submitted by Deputy
Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem
that tackled a variety of political issues, with the leadership
considering the policies to confront the war on Syria as an expression
of a strategic vision that is “capable of aborting enemies’ attempts
to bring Syria to its knees and make it succumb to what contradicts
its national interests.”

The Front saw that the forces of terrorism are an extension of Arab
and regional countries that seek to prevent Syria from carrying out
its national, regional and international role, affirming that the NPF
parties will continue to work for protecting Syria until realizing
victory in the unprecedented war waged on Syria.

M. Ismael

N. Aghabalian: Number of tourists to Artsakh considerably grew

Sunday,
July 28

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is interesting not only for Armenians,
but also for foreign tourists whose number has considerably grown this
year, Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic Ms. Narine Aghabalian told the correspondent of Aysor.am.

`It is obvious from the example of the Shushi Visual Arts Museum. The
museum opened only a month ago, on May 9, but it has more than 100
visitors daily. Most of them are foreign travellers. This also shows
that the number of tourists is on the increase. All of them say that
Artsakh’s attraction lies in its nature, clean air, fine cuisine, and
warmness of people,’ she said.

In the words of N. Aghabalian, cultural life in NKR is active. She
stressed that all this contributes to dissemination of true
information about Artsakh. `Our words can be considered subjective,
whereas impressions of foreigners are impartial,’ N. Aghabalian noted.

She informed us that an agreement was reached with theaters and music
groups of Armenia regarding their performances in Nagorno Karabakh,
but the problem of halls still remains unsolved.

According to N. Aghabalian, a number of musicians and singers from
Artsakh plan to give concerts in Denmark. Besides, Artsakh State
Chamber Choir `Mrakats’ recently participated in the 4th International
Sacred Music Choir Festival & Competition `Laudate Dominum’ in Vilnius
where it took the third prize in the general program and the first
prize in the obligatory program.
A concert of Russian bands and singers is scheduled to take place at
the stadium on September 6. Part of the event is funded by friends of
Artsakh.

Speaking about problems, Ms. Aghabalian mentioned financial issues,
lack of modern concert halls and musical instruments.
`There are many gifted children in Artsakh, but they need more
comfortable conditions for self-fulfillment. Of course, many want to
support them. A group of musicians from Finland visited Artsakh quite
recently. They initiated an action, thanks to which our performers
received musical instruments as presents,’ the minister said.

She added that many famous musicians do not perform in Nagorno
Karabakh only because of the lack of halls and funds. As regards the
visit of Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballe to Karabakh,
Narine Aghabalian noted that M. Caballe was impressed by Artsakh whose
residents have acquired a good friend.

27.07.2013, 21:14
Aysor.am

REVUE DE PRESSE
Génocide arménien : un avocat saisit la cour d’appel d’Aix
Nouvelle attaque de Philippe Krikorian pour faire pression sur l’État

Un an et demi après le vote de la loi Boyer visant à pénaliser le
négationnisme du génocide arménien, qui a par la suite été rejetée par
le Conseil constitutionnel, la cour d’appel d’Aix vient d’être saisie
d’une requête déposée par un avocat marseillais, Me Philippe
Krikorian. Inspirateur du texte voté par l’Assemblée, il bataille
depuis 2011 contre le refus par le gouvernement de retranscrire en
droit français une décision de l’Europe de 2008 `sur la lutte contre
certaines formes et manifestations de racisme et de xénophobie au
moyen du droit pénal`.

Volonté de saisir la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne

L’objectif de la démarche est d’obtenir la saisie de la Cour de
justice de l’Union européenne : `Actuellement, les victimes de
négationnisme ne peuvent saisir la justice que si les auteurs du
génocide ont été condamnés par une juridiction nationale ou
internationale.` Ce qui exclut pour certains juristes le génocide
arménien, qui n’a pas eu droit à son procès de Nuremberg…

À terme, s’il obtenait raison, la France serait dans l’obligation
d’adopter une loi pénalisant le négationnisme du génocide arménien, du
fait de la suprématie du droit européen sur les réglementations
nationales. Me Philippe Krikorian a dans un premier temps saisi le
Conseil d’État, sans succès. Il s’est alors adressé en référé au
tribunal de grande instance de Marseille. Nouvel échec puisque voici
deux mois, sa demande a été rejetée.

Pour lire la suite cliquer sur le lien

dimanche 28 juillet 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

‘S ARABIA SIGNS DEAL WITH ISRAELI ARMY TO BUY WEAPONS FOR MILITANTS FIGHTING SYRIA GOVT.’

Israeli soldiers sit atop a tank as they watch the Syrian border in
the Golan Heights July 3, 2013.

Sat Jul 27, 2013 5:30AM GMT

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies –
especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey – are supporting the
militants.”

Related Interviews: ‘Dogs of war seek instability in Syria’ ‘Qatari
emir, basically secretary of US’ Related Viewpoints: West support
for Takfiris to backfire Saudi Arabia reportedly reaches a deal with
Israeli army to buy Israeli weapons for militants fighting against
the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Israeli Radio reported that Saudi Arabia signed a 50-million-dollar
deal with Israeli army to supply the foreign-backed militants with
old Israeli military equipment and arms.

The reports added that the weapons include different kinds of anti-tank
missiles, military vehicles, artillery equipment, and night vision
devices.

Other sources have quoted Takfiri sources as saying that the
Israeli weapons will be used to maintain control over Aleppo and its
surrounding areas in northern Syria.

The report came as The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported last month
that Saudi Arabia has provided the Takfiri militants with Russian-made
Konkurs anti-tank missiles.

It quoted militant sources as saying that they had received the
first batch of the heavy weaponry from Saudi Arabia in northern city
of Aleppo.

On June 14, US President Barack Obama ordered his administration to
provide the militants with weapons, claiming that the Syrian government
had used “chemical weapons” against the militants and thus crossed
Washington’s “red line.” Damascus has rejected the allegation as
“lies.”

Israeli President Shimon Peres voiced support for Washington’s arming
of the Takfiri militants in Syria. Takfiris accuse most Islamic sects
of being infidels.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned other states
against providing weapons to the militants in Syria, saying that the
arms could end up in Europe one day.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies –
especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey – are supporting the
militants.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to the
United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions
of others displaced in the violence.

DB/HN