Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIAN CULTURE IS OF THE OLDEST AND RICHEST CULTURES IN THE WORLD

News from Armenia and Diaspora – Noyan Tapan
16-10-2012 14:35:52

On 16 October Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent an address
to the participants of the International Poetry Festival launched in
the city of Stepanakert.

The address runs as follows: “Dear participants of the festival, I am
glad to welcome all the participants and guests of the international
poetry festival.

We consider important holding the festival in Artsakh and host with
love famous poets from different countries in the ancient Armenian
soil.

Armenian culture is of the oldest and richest cultures in the world,
where the art of poetry always occupied a unique place. Talented
Armenian writers created valuable pieces, which have become treasure
not only for the Armenian but also for the universal poetry.

Today, carrying out the important mission of creating, preserving
and developing cultural traditions writers inspire their native
people, educate and bring up generations cultivating both national
and universal values.

The NKR authorities rate high the role of writers and are ready to do
everything possible to keep supporting the development of literature.

Within this very context, we consider important holding such events
in our republic, which is also a good opportunity for establishing
new contacts and making Artsakh recognizable to the world.

Dear friends, I wish you fruitful work and new creative successes.”

CENTRAL INFORMATION DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE ARTSAKH REPUBLIC
PRESIDENT

CAFESJIAN HAS NEW AND UNIQUE IN THE WORLD ART EXHIBITS

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Cafesjian Center for the Arts is
supplemented with new and interesting works: three new art exhibits
are going to enrich Cafesjian.” Cafesjian continues to represent the
best of contemporary art in Armenia” Lilit Sokhakyan, Public Relations
and Marketing responsible of the Center told Armenpress.

“Armenians are fond of arts reportedly the Center enables a unique
opportunity to get acquainted with World Art pieces, development
trends” the interlocutor stated.

One of the works belongs to South Korean artist Do-Ho Suh Cause &
Effect composition sketched in 2007 evoking a vicious tornado. This
vast ceiling installation is made from acrylic, resin and aluminum.

The next sample is presented by Jenny Pickford composition
called “Circles of Life”. Jenny Pickford is a contemporary artist
blacksmith designing and making unique sculptures, water features and
architectural ironwork. Her designs combine forged, galvanised steel,
with spectacular blown glass. The third one is composed by Guy Buseyn
called “Wall”.

The works are taken from London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva,
Miami , Amsterdam and other places. Cafesjian Center for the Arts
glass exhibition is composed of five thousand samples, three thousand
of which are already in Armenia.

LE CHEF RELIGIEUX DES YEZIDIS MIR MIRA TAHSIN BEG A VISITE TSITSERNAKABERD
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 18 octobre 2012

Mir Mira Tahsin Beg, le chef religieux des Yezidis de la Republique
federale d’Irak et sa delegation ont visite le Complexe Commemoratif
de Tsitsernakaberd

Les deputes Yezidis des Parlements Kurdes et irakiens aussi bien que
les representants de la primaute font parti de la delegation. Les chefs
de la delegation ont depose des couronnes au memorial des victimes du
Genocide armenien après que les membres de la delegation aient depose
des fleurs devant la Flamme Eternelle et ont honore la memoire des
victimes innocentes avec une minute de silence.

Le but de la visite de la delegation est la consecration du premier
sanctuaire Yezidis dans la Republique d’Armenie.

MINI HYDRO-PLANTS DEBATE: “ILLEGAL OPERATORS NEVER PUNISHED”
Narek Aleksanyan

hetq
14:23, October 17, 2012

The issue of mini hydro-plants sprouting like mushrooms across Armenia
has been one of the most hotly contested issues of late in the country.

Local residents and environmental activists have, in many instances,
joined forces to stem the tide of construction or at least to see
that new ones are built according to legal norms.

Today, a number of sector specialists and civic organization reps
took part in a roundtable discussion on the matter. Here’s what a
few had to say.

Inga Zarafyan (President of Ecolur NGO) – These mini hydro-plants
should not be operated for at least two months of the year, especially
in the summer. Sadly, everywhere you look the opposite is happening.

The energy now produced by these mini-plants comprises 10% of what’s
consumed. The price were paying to pipe our rivers is tremendous and
the environment is being defiled.

Aram Gabrielyan (Coordinator of the UN’s Climate Change Framework
Convention in Armenia) – We must compare energy security and
environmental security and try to understand which one is paramount
for us.

>From a socio-economic viewpoint, hydro-plants provide little benefit
to local residents. The owners are the real beneficiaries. Most of
the work is automated, so any talk about new jobs is absurd.

Gevorg Petrosyan (Gyumri Aarhaus Center Coordinator) – In certain
cases the entire river has been piped and siphoned off; for example
the Yeghnajour River.

Two islands in the Shirak Arpi Reservoir that are listed in the Red
Book as endemic bird nesting grounds have now been transformed into
peninsulas. The reason is the large quantity of water being piped
off by the hydro-plants.

In Armenia, hydro-plants are operated without taking into account the
opinion of the real owners of the land and water; the citizens. There
is no defined mechanism for public participation in the process.

For the most part, the various state ministries give their consent
to such projects, and these projects are constructed and operated in
a manner that clearly violates all normal standards.

There has yet to be a case in Armenia when an owner of an illegally
operating hydro-plant is legally prosecuted.

Home page

GETTING TATEV DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BACK ON TRACK
Yeranuhi Soghoyan

hetq
18:26, October 17, 2012

I met three year-old Hayk at a festival on the road to the Tatev
Monastery in Armenia.

The boys was decked out in handmade colourful wool socks, red britches,
leather slippers and a pointy cap worn in olden days.

I asked Hayk what he wanted to be when he grew up. Waving his small
wooden sword in the air, the boy answered he would smite Bel, Armenia’s
archenemy of yore. He then pondered the question a little more and
answered, “I will become a good boy.”

The fact that a bunch of his elders were lined up along the road
didn’t faze Hayk in the least. His main mission was to swipe as many
sweets and walnuts from the cup sitting on the table as possible. The
older folk could discuss and debate issues like planting trees and
talk about the much awaited multi-functional centre planned to be
built in Tatev next year to their hearts content.

Two years ago, when the Tatev aerial tram was opened, there was talk
about ancillary development projects planned for the village of Tatev.

One of the projects involved getting local residents to turn their
homes into bed and breakfast establishments for the tourists attracted
to Tatev by the aerial tramway.

Even before that, Armenia’s National Competitiveness Foundation
(ANCF) had come up with an idea of creating a circulating fund for
Tatev residents willing and able to transform their homes into B&B’s.

The project was launched but it never really took off. A year ago,
there were staff changes at the ANCF and Arman Khachatryan replaced
Bekor Papazyan as director.

Khachatryan avoided commenting on other failed development projects
at Tatev in the past.

In March of this year, the ANCF and the U.N. Armenia Office signed a
memo of understanding regarding the development of the local community
and tourist infrastructure. A three year plan has been designed for
2012-2015 with the assistance of the ANCF and participation of local
residents.

The multi-functional center will house an information unit, an office
and stalls selling local handicrafts and produce. The initial cost
estimate for the project is around $155,000.

There are also plans in 2013-2014 to renovate a 5.5 kilometre stretch
of water pipe> the job is expected to cost $237,500. The following
year a garbage collection and sanitary system will be installed. That
will cost around $82,500. The same year a sewage system costing some
$665,000 will be built.

The bed and breakfast project, allowing for 10 private houses to
be turned into tourist lodging, will start this year at a cost
of $179,500. Families wishing to participate will have to present
competitive bids.

30% of the investment will be supplied by the individual families
and the rest by the ANCF.

Aram Khachatryan says it’s vital that local families participate
directly in the project and invest their resources, thus ensuring
greater overall success.

Tatev Mayor Mourad Simonyan believes the project will help spur
village development.

“I believe that many who have left Tatev will want to return after
the projects are completed,” Simonyan said.

Hripsimeh Manoukyan, an economist in the U.N. Development Program,
said the long-term goal was to get money into the pockets of local
residents. This way they’d have seed money to launch other local
projects.

FOR AND AGAINST: HUNCHAKIANS FOR OBAMA; DASHNAKS FOR NOBODY IN U.S. ELECTION
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
Politics | 17.10.12 | 15:25

Prior to the November 6 presidential election in the United States
two major Armenian parties – Dashnaks and Hunchakians – have opposing
positions on whom the U.S. Diaspora should support.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Armenian Cause Office
has decided not to support either incumbent president Barack Obama’s
or Mitt Romney’s candidacy, urging the more than 1.5 million Armenian
community of the United States not to support candidates “who have
not earned the American-Armenians’ votes”.

The Office is convinced that the executive body of the United States
is acting as dictated by Ankara and Baku when it comes to foreign
policy issues of importance to American-Armenians.

“After coming to the office President Barack Obama did not keep his
vow to recognise the Armenian Genocide and, during the first 90 days
of his tenure, through his administration he had Yerevan accept the
‘road map’ and the protocols using it as a political shield allowing
him to break his vow.”

Moreover, American-Armenians stress that president Obama failed to
keep his promises also in other spheres: “despite the promise to help,
president Obama tried to cut the aid to Armenia” and “had not a single
meeting with the community over the past four years of his presidency,”
says the Armenian Cause statement.

California Courier publisher Harout Sassounian says that this is, in
essence, a boycott to the presidential elections, but the Armenians
will take part in the elections of senators and congressmen to be
held simultaneously.

“If one doesn’t honor a promise, we don’t honor him. The other
candidate – Romney – has given no promises, neither is he planning
to or has a desire to meet us. If we are not important to him, we
won’t give our votes to him. Hence we can’t give our votes to either
of them,” he said in an interview to 1in.am.

Meanwhile, the social-democratic Hunchakian party urges support
of Obama, who “has recovered the destroyed economy” and “the past
four years have proven that President Obama is a wise leader with
foresight, capable of taking the United States out of the difficulties
it is facing”.

As opposed to Dahsnaks, Hunchakians are satisfied with the fact that
although Obama did not use the word “genocide”, he was the first among
U.S. presidents to refer to it as “Meds Yeghern” (Great Calamity).

“Moreover, when speaking at the Turkish parliament he called on Turkey
to face its history, making a reference to the Armenian Genocide”,
whereas “Mitt Romney completely ignores the Armenian electorate”.

Giro Manoyan, Director of the International Secretariat of the ARF
Bureau in Yerevan, says neither of the candidates has responded to
the issues of the Armenian community, not because they regard those
as unimportant; quite the opposite, they are highly important in the
highlight of Turkey’s increased role in the Syrian conflict.

“Yes, the Turkey factor has its impact, and it’s obvious from the
fact that the American-Armenian community’s letters have been left
unanswered so far. However, both candidates view the impact of a
foreign power as more important than their citizens’ opinion and
votes,” he told ArmeniaNow.

HYATT ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR A HYATT PLACE HOTEL IN REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

TendersInfo
October 16, 2012 Tuesday

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has
entered into an agreement with Ginekar Limited Liability Company for
a Hyatt Place hotel in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Hyatt Place
Yerevan is the third Hyatt Place hotel under development in Europe,
joining Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport and Hyatt Place Zurich Airport.

Slated to open in the spring of 2013, Hyatt Place Yerevan will offer
96 guestrooms, in addition to more than 1,300 sq ft (120.7 sq m)
of meeting space, an open market with made-to-order meals and snacks
around the clock, a restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner;
a bar; a four-station e-room, and a well-equipped fitness center. The
hotel will be located next to Republic Square, the heart of Yerevan
s city center, and is in close proximity to the Government House, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Gallery, and Abovyan Street,
the city s main thoroughfare with many boutiques, cafes and gift shops.

We are pleased to introduce the Hyatt Place brand to a city that
is undergoing major commercial and development enhancements and
transformations, said Peter Norman, Senior Vice President Acquisitions
and Development for Hyatt International Europe, Africa, Middle East)
LLC. The opening of Hyatt Place Yerevan will mark a significant
milestone for Hyatt as we begin to introduce the brand worldwide. In
addition to Hyatt Place Yerevan, two Hyatt Place hotels are slated
to open outside of the United States in 2012 in Hampi, India and San
Jose, Costa Rica.

We are proud to develop the first Hyatt Place hotel in Armenia, said
Samvel Sargsyan, Chairman of the Board, Ginekar Limited Liability
Company. The Hyatt Place brand is a unique and refreshing concept,
and we believe that this will be a very successful hotel serving
business and tourist visitors to the Armenian capital.

Launched in 2006, Hyatt Place brings to the upscale select-service
hotel category the authentic hospitality for which Hyatt is known.

Inspired by multitasking travelers 24/7 lifestyle, Hyatt Place combines
stylish design and practical amenities with forward-thinking technology
and purposeful service. Hyatt Place hotels feature complimentary Wi-Fi
access and remote printing, a 24-hour StayFit@Hyatt fitness center,
a coffee and wine bar serving specialty coffees and premium wine,
beer, and spirits, complimentary a.m.

Kitchen Skillet , featuring freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches and
a Grab n Go case stocked with sandwiches and hand tossed salads. The
Guest Kitchen offers lunch and dinner entrees 24/7. Specially trained
Gallery Hosts offer assistance with everything from directions to
check-in to a freshly made meal.

Ltd.

PUBLIC SCREENINGS OF THE FILM PARADA ON OCTOBER 17 AND 18 HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO “UNIDENTIFIED PRESSURE”

Mediamax
Oct 17 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The screenings of the film Parada scheduled for
17 and 18 October have been cancelled.

“The EU Delegation to Armenia and the Embassy of Germany to Yerevan
apologise to the interested public for the last-moment notice, caused
by the sudden withdrawal of Congress Hotel from the initiative, due
to unidentified pressure. The EU Delegation and the German Embassy
are concerned by the abrupt refusal of several venues to show the
film, given that they initially agreed to host the screenings. This
highlights the need for further awareness on tolerance in Armenia. The
organisers affirm that the film viewing, which is part of the EU human
rights activities, will be rescheduled so that those interested in
seeing the film can do so”, EU Delegation said today.

“The film is part of the European Union activities for promoting human
rights awareness in Armenia, and relates to non-discrimination of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons. The screenings,
initially planned for the second week of October, were postponed when
the agreed venues were cancelled the events due to public pressure.

Traian Hristea, the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia and Reiner
Morell, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Armenia
noted that Parada is a film about tolerance, which does not offend
anyone, nor impose opinions. During a press conference on 9 October,
the Ambassadors asserted that those who want to watch the film should
have the opportunity to do so, while those who stand against it,
have the right to express their opinion”, EU Delegation said earlier
this week.

“GRANDPA MARGAR” FILM AWARDED A PRIZE AND DIPLOMA

2012-10-17 23:55:54

The 13th international film-festival “Together” was held in Yalta
from September 24-30 of this year. RA Ministry of Culture supported
young director Guzh Tadevosyan to participate in it with his film
“Grandpa Margar”.

Short film “Grandpa Margar”, which was shot with the support of
Armenian national film center, was awarded a prize and a diploma in
the nomination “Beginning”. About 300 feature and documentary films
from 27 countries participated in the international film-festival.

The jury was chaired by RF People’s Artist Vladimir Khotinenko,
Vladimir Akhadov, Lyudmila Gladunko. Within the frames of the festival
young film directior Guzh Tadevosyan participated in creative meetings
of film director Aelxander Yefremov, actor Sergei Selin, RF people’s
artist Lev Durov; he participated in the master classes of Vladimir
Yepiskoposyan, entitled “smile with the master” and film director
Vladimir Khotianko’s “language of film”; he also participated in
the international conference on “formula of confidence” organized by
Vsevolod Bogdanov.

Presentations of a number of books took place within the frames of the
festival. On January 16 of this year “Grandpa Margar” participated
in “Cinema Perpetuum Mpbile” international film-festival in Minsk
and was awarded a special diploma for referring to the topic of
perpetual freedom. In this year the film will also participate in
“Pomegranate” film-festival in Canada from October 18-21, and in
“I am” 7th international film-festival in Yerevan from October 24-28.

WELCOME NEWS.AM STYLE: ARMENIAN NEWS-NEWS.AM PRESENTS NEW PROJECT

news.am
October 17, 2012 | 23:50

YEREVAN. – Dear readers, we have prepared a very special surprise
for you. Armenian News-NEWS.am information analytic agency presents
a new NEWS.am STYLE entertaining project.

“Uniqueness of our project is in its combination of showbiz and
entertaining articles along with professional newswire, which covers
fashion and show business events. Our readers will have for the first
time an opportunity to follow not only separate episodes but to obtain
the complete understanding of concept and trends of the fashion and
show business developments, to perceive those worlds as professionals
do,” NEWS.am STYLE editor Yekaterina Margaryan said.

NEWS.am STYLE portal will provide all interesting information on
fashion, music, psychology and art of beauty, will tell about love
and sex and the best ways of their combination, will explain how not
to deteriorate health while maintaining beauty and career. We organize
forums and polls for you, where you can share your opinion on fashion
collections, be aware of all secrets of cosmetics and vote for the
favorite star. In addition, our readers will be able to watch all the
latest fashion show videos from Paris, Milan and New-York, intimate
interviews and photos sessions of local and foreign celebrities,
as well as advices by professional psychologists, secrets of best
stylists and collections of leading designers.

“The team, which works on NEWS.am STYLE project, includes professional
journalists, fashion and show business experts and simply people with
taste. We work for those who appreciate beauty and are independent,
who do not imitate others but create own style. At the same time,
all of us are indeed very interested in getting to know about lives
and experience of other bright individuals, who are just like us,”
Margaryan added.

Stay connected to our new project via Facebook, Twitter and VKontakte
social networks.

We are here for you. The NEWS.am STYLE project is a part of the
Armenian News-NEWS.am agency, leader of the Armenian and regional
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