Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Interfax, Russia
Dec 26 2014

Russian export duty exemptions on hydrocarbons, diamonds for Armenia
extended to 2015-end

MOSCOW. Dec 26

Russia will continue to export gas, oil products and diamonds to
Armenia without charging export duties throughout 2015, the Cabinet
said on its website on Friday.

The day before, the government approved a draft instruction on signing
the protocol to the December 2, 2013, agreement between the
governments of the two countries concerning deliveries of natural gas
and oil products and rough diamonds to Armenia.

The protocol extends the agreement, which provides for duty free
exports of those goods to Armenia in volumes needed for domestic
consumption, for another year, to December 31, 2015.

Jh of

From: Baghdasarian

Turkmen Foreign Ministry website, Turkmenistan
Dec 26 2014

Turkmen-Armenian political consultations held in Yerevan

Text of report by website of Turkmen Foreign Ministry on 24 December

Scheduled political consultations at the level of deputy foreign
ministers were held between the Turkmen-Armenian Foreign Ministries in
Yerevan [Armenian capital] on 24 December. The sides analysed the
current state of and prospects for bilateral relations in the
political, trade and economic, cultural, humanitarian and other
spheres.

The sides noted with satisfaction the efficient development of
mutually beneficial cooperation and said that holding regular
political consultations was one of the important mechanisms that
contributes to promotion of Turkmen-Armenian all-around cooperation.

At the same time, the foundation for the cooperation remains political
dialogue that is being successfully developed by the two countries
within the framework of international organizations, above all, the
UN.

Also it was noted the importance of developing trade and economic
relations by using Turkmen-Armenian potential as well as holding
Culture Days of the two countries, business forums with participation
of Turkmen and Armenian business circles.

At the end of the meeting, the sides stressed the need to continue the
established dialogue for further diversification of the fruitful
cooperation that are of mutual interest.

From: Baghdasarian

Yezidis’ New Year traditions not much different from Armenians’ – Amo Sharoyan

12:15 * 28.12.14

Although Yezidis celebrate their national New Year or Melek Taus in
spring, Yezidis that have for centuries been living in Armenia
celebrate the New Year according to the Christian calendar, Amo
Sharoyan, Chairman of the Midia Shangal NGO told Tert.am.

“There was a period when Armenians used not to celebrate the New Year
in January. And now we celebrate the New Year, wish one another happy
New Year and host one another,” he said.

“At midnight, all the family must gather round the table and the head
of the family must kiss and bless everyone,” Mr Sharoyan said.

Regrettably, hundreds of Yezidis have been killed in Iraq this year,
and Yezidis cannot celebrate this New Year on a full scale.

From: Baghdasarian

Expert: Extremists will come to power after color revolution in Azerbaijan

12:17 23/12/2014 >> POLITICS

The year 2014 can be considered a crucial year since it was marked by
the start of the second Cold War, director of Noravank Foundation
Gagik Harutyunyan told reporters on Tuesday.

“Unlike the first Cold War, this war is distinguished by an increase
in extremism,” he said, adding that extremists are currently active in
the Middle East and Ukraine.

According to the expert, Azerbaijan is a country where Islamists are
being recruited. “A color revolution is being prepared in Azerbaijan,
as a result of which extremists, not democrats, may come to power,” he
said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

The Pasadena Star-News, California
Dec 27 2014

Attack on interracial couple in Pasadena being investigated as hate crime

By Brian Day, San Gabriel Valley Tribune

PASADENA >> Police are seeking a man in connection with an unprovoked
attack on an interracial couple outside a Pasadena coffee shop, which
authorities are investigating as a hate crime, officials said.

A 29-year-old black woman and a 36-year-old man of Armenian descent,
both Glendale residents, were outside a Starbucks at Los Robles Avenue
and Colorado Boulevard about 7 p.m. when the attacker confronted them,
Pasadena police Lt. John Luna said.

“Without provocation, he made reference to the race of both victims,”
Luna said. “The suspect spat on the female victim and punched the male
victim.”

The male victim sought his own medical treatment for a cut to his
lower lip, the lieutenant said. The woman wasn’t hurt. The couple did
not report the crime to police until several hours later.

Luna said the suspect apparently objected to the man and woman being
of different races.

“Based on the fact that race was the provocation, we’re investigating
it as a hate crime,” he said.

Police described the suspect as a black man in his 20s, about 6 feet 2
inches tall and 190 pounds, with his hair in dreadlocks. He wore a red
jacket and blue jeans.

From: Baghdasarian

ATOP MEANINGFULWORLD WINTER NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2014

HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZAA, HAPPY EID, Merry Christmas and a HAPPY
NEW YEAR 2015

Dear Friends:
As we carefully review the year of 2014, and get ready to embrace the
New Year 2015, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to you
for your continued support. We had 4 humanitarian outreach projects
in 5 following countries: Haiti (June), The Middle East, Palestine,
Israel, Jordan (May), Armenia, also working with Syrian refugees
(Sept). Kindly find the Youtube links to all of our activities and
events at the bottom of the page.
-From all of us at ATOP Meaningfulworld

ATOP Meaningfulworld Ebola Task Force

ATOP Meaningfulworld has formed a task force on Ebola Education,
Healing, And Prevention. Members of the Task Force are Dr Ani,
Patrice Dume, Kate Mcavoy. The Task Force has researched, educated,
and submitted papers to the Eastern Psychological Association
Conference, joined the PCUN to organize a conference at the United
Nations, and has integrated healthy prevention modalities to its
monthly Humanitarian Outreach Educational & Empowerment Programs. The
Task Force has also submitted an article to the International
Psychology Bulletin. For more information kindly contact Dr. Ani:
[email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNITED NATIONS NEWS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peace Award, Dr Patch Adams

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
“On 21 September, at concerts around the world – in major cities and
small towns, in conflict zones and peaceful communities-

Inamori Art Project with participants

people will broadcast this essential message. They will celebrate the
value of human diversity and the strength of our unity… The United
Nation invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of
hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commem orate the Day
through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.”
-Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. ATOP Meaningfulworld once again
expresses their gratitude to Speaker Dr. Patch Adams, wonderful
performers Inamori Art Project, Farah Chandu, and Nirvana Lucie Nixon,
award recipient Amanda Neshweiwat, and to all the attendees for making
it a truly special night! For a detailed press release of the evening
click
here. []
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION DAY

Health, Transformation, and Spirituality (HTS), a working group of the
CSVGC-NY, organized a conference titled “Sustainable Health and Peace:
Integrative Approaches for a Healthy Planet” held on 24 October, 2014,
at the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations. More than 100 attendees
participated in this program,

Click here for a press release on the Sustainable Health and Peace
Symposium. []
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROAD TO DIGNITY BY 2030
The Secretary-General informally presented an advance, unedited
version of his synthesis report, entitled “The Road to Dignity by
2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the
Planet,” to UN Member States today. The advanced unedited version of
the report is available at:
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOLIDAY GIFT FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr Kalayjian and Armenian children with the Heart Hug Dolls

MEANINGFULWORLD HEART HUG DOLLS
A hug shows someone how much you care. These delightful dolls are
handmade with love and will be given to the children on humanitarian
missions around the world. The dolls are made without faces so the
children can draw on their own expressions and there is a heart pocket
to place their wishes and prayers.

Heart Hug Dolls

These special Meaningfulworld dolls are made by our Educational
Coordinator, Lorraine Simmons, in New York, and students of Ijevan
added notes of courage/ love/ kindness addressed to the children and
placed in the heart pocket of the dolls. This was the active circle of
love and kindness from New York to Ijevan, to Gumri. FOR SALE NOW –
$20 USD will allow you to purchase your own Meaningfulworld Heart Hug
Doll and allow us to donate one to a child in need locally or globally
in a dozen of countries and orphanages.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPCOMING EVENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Kalayjian and interns, EPA New York City 2013

EPA CONVENTION PHILADELPHIA 5-7 MARCH
ATOP Meaningfulworld has submitted 2 proposals addressing global
humanitarian outreach, as well as Ebola Challenges. For more
information see easternpsychologicalassociation.org
[]

TEACHERS COLLEGE 7TH ANNUAL HEALTH DISPARITIES

The Center for Health Equity and Urban Science Education (CHEUSE) is
pleased to present the HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE
a.k.a The 7th Annual Health Disparities Conference at Teachers
College, Columbia University SAVE THE CONFERENCE DATES: March 6 and 7,
2015 (Friday and Saturday). ATOP Meaningfulworld will be presenting.
For more information click here
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UNITED NATIONS NGO CSW 59TH

CSW 2014

ATOP Meaningfulworld has submitted a proposal for a parallel event
entitled: Transforming trauma of political violence: lessons from the
middle east, africa, and carribean. For more information visit

[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr Ani with APA Participants

APA CONVENTION TORONTO 6-9 AUGUST 2015
ATOP Meaningfulworld will be presenting at the American Psychological
Association Convention. For more information please visit The APA
Convention page
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HUMANITARIAN TRAINING & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 2015
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Training and Educational Program September 2014

On January 31st ATOP Meaningfulworld will be starting a new year of
eight training sessions. This program will focus on post trauma
healing, meaning making, and healing ancestral wounds.
31 January (Stage I)
28 February (Stage II)
28 March (Stage III)
25 April (Stage I)

MW Ambassdor graduation at the United Nations

30 May (Stage II)
4 June Graduation of Meaningfulworld Ambassadors
Annual Mind-Body-Eco-Spirit Conference at the United Nations
RSVP to Lorraine Simmons, at [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO MIDDLE EAST
In May of 2015 ATOP Meaningfulworld will be sending a team to provide
humanitarian aid and healing to the conflict-torn countries of the
Middle East. ATOP is truely grateful for your

Meaningfulworld Middle East Mission 2014 []

Meaningfulworld Middle East Mission 20

continuing support in enabling our humanitarian teams to go during
these times where they are very desperately needed. Keep us in your
thoughts and prayers as we go out to teach forgiveness and healing
among those who endure the harsh trauma of war.
Click the link to the right to watch the full video

HUMANITARIAN MISSION: ARMENIA

Diyramr vocational school, Armenia

The Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Mission began on August 28, 2014,
with the following goals: 1. Train participants in the 7-Step
Integrative Healing Model; 2. Start a Suicide Hotline, as one of the
first projects of Meaningfulworld Armenia; 3. Train psychologists to
work at the Suicide Hotline; 4. Train psychology faculty and students
in trauma healing; 5. Help transform Horizontal Violence; 6. Conduct
research on the impact of trauma, forgiveness, and meaning-making;
7. Work with refugees from Syria; 8. Work with orphans in a children’s
center; and 9.Start Peace & Forgiveness Gardens.

To keep reading click here
[]
and to watch the video click here
[]

2015 Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Missions

May, Middle East

June, Haiti

July, Africa

August, Armenia

November, India

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HUMANITARIAN AWARD 2014
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr.Ani receives humanitarian award

On Nov 8, 2014, The Advisory Board of the University of Missouri
International Center for Psychosocial Trauma (UMICPT) awarded the 2014
Humanitarian Award to Dr. Ani Kalayjian. This award is given annually
to an individual who has made significant contributions throughout
his/her professional career to promote the mental health of children
and their families. The ICPT board recognized Dr. Kalayjian’s lifelong
contribution in the field of mental health and its impact on the lives
of children worldwide. UMICPT had selected Dr. Kalayjian from amongst
a large number of peers to receive the 19th Annual Humanitarian
Award.Press Release Here
[]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Essay Contests
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peace Building Essay Contest “Stop bullying”
Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP) Meaningfulworld

Krieger Essay Contest Winners 2014

Announces Youth Empowerment Program(YEP) ESSAY (POETRY, RAP, SKIT)
Deadline for submissions is 15 August 2015 Winners will be announced
at the UN International Day of Peace event, which ATOP Meaningfulworld
hosts at the Bronx Museum of the Arts on 21 September . Details here
[]

[]
Prevention of Genocide 2nd Annual Krieger Essay Contest

Deadlines for submissions is 26 February 2014

“What the Legacy of Genocide Means to Me”

AWARD:
$100.00 for High School student winner (Special for Centennial, 2 Awards)
$200.00 for College/University student winner (Special for Centennial, 2 awards)

The winners will receive personal notifications by 24 April 2015, the
anniversary date of the Ottoman Turkish Genocide of the Armenians. Awards
will be given in April, at the United Nations, date TBA. Click here
for more details
[]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PAST EVENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr Gergerian conducting sound therapy

Integrative Healing Party Held at Dr Kalayjian’s home on 13 December,
ATOP Meaningfulworld’s Holiday Healing Party was a huge
success. Attendees were able to receive healing from Sound Therapy
(provided by Dr. Edmund Gergerian), Angel Reading (Upuli Ranaweera),
Reiki Healing ( Robert Zahn), Flower Healing (Dr Ani Kalayjian), and
artistic healing (Lorraine Simmons). Food, entertainment, and
information on Meaningfulworld’s humanitarian missions were also
provided and enjoyed. It was truly a great way to enter the holiday
season. For more information visit meaningfulworld.com
[]

[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ICERM

ICERM 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS CONFLICT
RESOLUTION AND PEACEBUILDING We are happy to release the full video
(playlist) of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation’s
1st Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict
Resolution and Peacebuilding, New York, U.S.A., October 1, 2014. The
theme of this conference is: “The Advantages of Ethnic & Religious
Identity in Conflict Mediation and Peacebuilding.”

Dr. Kalayjian was an invited featured speaker on Forgiveness and
Peace: Transforming trauma into lessons learned. She also showed the
Youtube film of the Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Mission to Haiti, and
its rehabilitation challenges and lessons learned.

You can watch the full video here
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Ani speaking on Genocide Prevention

COMMEMORATION OF THE ASIA MINOR GENOCIDE AND THE CATASTROPHE OF SMYRNA
14 September Guest Speakers were: Panos Stavrianidis, Ph.D. “The
history of Hellenism of Asia Minor- A Panoramic Journey of Glory and
Tragedy” Ani Kalayjian, Ph.D. “Ottoman-Turkish Genocide Against
Christian minorities 1915-1923: Impact on Survivors and Generational
Transmission”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture 28 September Sunday Platform
PEACE BEGINS IN OUR HEART AND SOUL: THE 7-STEP INTEGRATIVE HEALING MODEL
Dr. Ani Kalayjian, Psychology Professor
See the press release for the event here []
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Health, Transformation, and Spirituality (HTS) presented a Symposium
on Sustainable

Dr. Ani with participants

Health and Peace CSVGC Spirit of UN, Week of Spirituality 24 October
2014, Nigerian Mission to the United Nations, New York During the last
week of October the Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global
Concerns-NY celebrated the Spirit of United Nations with a
collaboration of events that pertain to spirituality, values, ethics,
peace, and forgiveness. Health, Transformation, and Spirituality
(HTS), a working group of the CSVGC-NY, organized a conference titled
“Sustainable Health and Peace: Integrative Approaches for a Healthy
Planet” held on 24 October, 2014, at the Nigerian Mission to the
United Nations. More than 100 attendees participated in this

ATOP MW Interns and Ambassadors with Dr. Ani

program, including diplomats, ambassadors, psychologists, UN
representatives, musicians, and academicians from around the
world. The ATOP Meaningfulworld team joyfully greeted all guests with
colorful cards in the shape of stars, flowers, and butterflies that
contained meaningful handwritten quotes, and positive statements
welcoming all into the beautifully staged auditorium. The ambience was
lovely, with symbolic figures, vanilla candles; essential oils, flower
remedies, and an interfaith alter draped with colorful cloths from
around the world.
To read the rest of this press release, click the following link
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

69th Annual United Nations General Assembly

In September, United Nations New York Headquarters held its 69th
session of the UN General Assembly beginning 16 September- 1 October,
2014. The air was filled with excitement and booming with activities
as Presidents, Ambassadors, UN personnel, Delegates, and Academicians
from all over the world reunited in the newly renovated GA to address
many global issues such as climate change, terrorism/war, peace, and
education as well as the actions ready to be taken in creating a
sustainable change. ATOP Meaningfulworld has participated in the GA
sessions annually.

To read the rest of the press release written by ATOP UN
Representative Renoude Charles, click the following
link. []
ATOP MW Website:

[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

65th Annual DPI/NGO Conference

Trusteeship Chamber at the UN before one of the round tables.

The Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference this year was held in New York on
27-29 August. The theme of the conference was: “2015 and Beyond: Our
Action Agenda.” The subjects discussed during the three days of the
conference were all related with the post-2015 agenda. As a matter of
fact 2015 is the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. The conference aim was to give to the civil society
a place where to express their opinion on the post-2015 process.

To continue reading the press release click here. []
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

29 October 2014 R.I. Women’s Health Organization, Roosevelt Island

Dr Ani Kalayjian was the Keynote speaker and presented on Healthy
Transitions, Dr. Kalayjian has developed a 7- Step Integrative
Healing Model which includes a Bio-psychosocial and Eco-Spiritual
model for healing, transforming disputes, conflicts, peace building,
forgiveness, and mind-body-eco-spirit health. She will address
violence especially against women, its impact on family and the world
community.

The audience was engaged and people wanted more training and an
opportunity to build partnerships, 6 people signed up, and there is
potential for a separate to be organized at Roosevelt Island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRESS & PUBLICATIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9 WAYS TO BATTLE SAD THIS WINTER
If the onset of winter makes you feel like hibernating due to sadness,
don’t just grin and “bear” it. Instead, take steps to feel healthy and
energetic all winter long. It’s normal to have an occasional bout of
the winter blues and yearn for the sunny days of summer. But if you
experience long stretches of feeling down or being unusually fatigued
and irritable, find yourself withdrawing from social events or
activities you used to enjoy, or start gaining weight due to carb
cravings, you may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of
depression. Your doctor may diagnose you with SAD based on these
symptoms, especially if you’ve had the same pattern of symptoms for at
least three consecutive winters and your symptoms vanish completely in
the sunnier months.

Dr. Ani Kalayjian was interviewed by Alex Orlav for her expert opinion
on how to treat and cope with SAD. To read on click here
[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PUBLICATIONS BY MEANINGFULWORLD

Angyal, B, and Kalayjian, A. (Summer 2013). Transforming Horizontal
Violence in the Middle East. International Psychology Bulletin. Volume
17, No. 3, 58-61. Kauffman, A., Kalayjian, A., & Mukasa, M. (2014,
Winter). Migration and the United Nations and International NGO:
Challenges and Lessons Learned. International Psychology Bulletin,
Volume 18, No. 1, 59-61.

Takooshian, H. (Fall, 2014). ATOP Meaningfulworld Symposium on
Prevention of Genocide.

International Psychology Bulletin. p 49.
***************************************************************************
Susan Smith, Blerina Marku, & Ani Kalayjian (Fall, 2014). Healing
Trauma of Domestic Violence Around the World. IPB pp 53-55, (based on
conference at UN on 20 March).

Saths C., Thompson, C., Tumbling, S. (Fall, 2014) Toward an Inclusive,
Global Psychology.

International Psychology Bulletin, p 44.

Martinez, Katrina. (2014). Psychology’s Contributions to Sustainable
Development:
Challenges and Solutions for the Global Agenda. International
Psychology Bulletin. pg 50 Shah, N. (2014 summer). Refugee Youth:
Shedding Light on Resilience. RSC Africa l US Refugee Admissions
Program Nairobi, Kenya. International Psychology Bulletin Smith, S.,
Kalayjian, A. (2014). Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Mission to the
Middle East. International Psychology Bulletin.
Kalayjian, A. (2014). APA New International Psychology
Fellows. International Psychology Bulletin, p 12.
Kalayjian, A. (2014). Middle East: Empowerment for Peace
Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Mission. International Psychology
Bulletin. P 43-45.
Ferraro, A., Kalayjian, A. (2014). From MDGs To SDGs: Human Rights for All.
International Psychology Bulletin.
Ferraro, A. & Charles, R.(2014). ATOP Meaningfulworld, 65th Annual UN DPI/NGO
Conference, International Psychology Bulletin. pp 40-41-
Baniabbasi, R. and Kalayjian, A. (2014). Ethnic Psychology
Associations in action.
General Psychology. pp 29-31.
Baniabbasi, R. and Kalayjian, A. (2014). International Graduate
Student’s Experience of the 2014 APA Convention. International
Psychology Bulletin.

Bales, E. & Kalayjian, A. (2014). Community Healing in Haiti Post Earthquake:
Physical Healing, Meaning-Making, and Ecological Peace & Forgiveness Gardens.
International Psychology Bulletin.
Kauffman, A., Kalayjian, A., Bales, A., Tumbling, S. (2014). Haiti
Empowered and Community Healing Post Earthquake: Meaningfulworld
Ambassadors Return to Work on Resilience and Meaning-Making.In press:
Kalayjian, A. (2014). The Forgiveness Challenge: Why and How to
Forgive in the Presence of State-Sponsored Denial, Revisionism, and
Injustices. Journal of Living Together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COMMITTEES
Vice President,
Jennifer De Mucci
UN Interns & Representatives, D
r. Ani Kalayjian, Renoude Charles
Co-Chairs of Publications Committee,
Jennifer Doran & Nira Shah
Research Committee,
Dr Ani (Interim Coordinator) Daria Diakomovo-Curtis
Grant Committee,
Evelyn Lopez (Coordinator), Margaret Ruiz
Education and Clinical Training Program,
Alanna Miyajima (Coordinator) and Mikaella Caruncho, Associate Coordinators
Public Relations & Fund Raising,
George Stavrianidis
Social Media,
Julien Rosenbloom
Youth Empowerment Program Director, Open
Secretary,
Amanda Shields
Press Secretary,
Miriam Mukasa
Web Master,
Yuki Shigemoto
Doctoral International Internship Coordinators,
Shayla Tumbling & Richard Griff
Newsletter Editors,
Victoria Garrick and Michael Reda
Editors,
Seta Papazian

[]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEANINGFULWORLD YOUTUBE LINKS
Humanitarian Mission to Haiti []
Facial Transplant with Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Kemberly Richardson []
Annual conference at the United Nations on Mind-Eco-Body-Spirit healing []
CSVGC-New York. Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns []

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End of Training Hugging 2014 UN Health Transformation Symposium Armenia Mission 2014
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow us on Twitter []

Like us on Facebook []

ATOP Meaningfulworld
[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
[]
View our profile on LinkedIn []

Copyright (C) 2013. All Rights Reserved.

From: Baghdasarian

Police Forcibly Detain RFE/RL Baku Staff For Questioning
By RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service
December 28, 2014

Police in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, have forcibly apprehended
several RFE/RL staff members for questioning two days after
prosecutors ransacked RFE/RL’s Baku bureau and shut down operations.

Kamran Mahmudov, the anchor of the daily radio show for Radio Azadliq,
as RFE/RL is known in Azerbaijan, was taken from his apartment early
in the morning of December 28 after police forced their way into his
home.

Mahmudov’s wife, Latifa, said he was taken from the apartment without
time to put on shoes or outdoor clothing.

Police have also detained Chingiz Sultansoy, the editor of Azadliq’s
Russian-language site, as well as the bureau’s cleaning woman, Matanat
Abdinova.

The employees were later escorted to the heavy crimes unit of the
state prosecutor’s office for questioning.

Kenan Aliyev, the director of RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, says as
many as 12 employees have been physically summoned for questioning.

None were accompanied by a lawyer.

A lawyer representing the Azadliq staff was told by prosecutors that
he was being stripped of his right to work with RFE/RL and that he
himself would have to submit to questioning.

The forced apprehensions are the latest step in a crackdown on RFE/RL
activities in Azerbaijan.

On December 26, inspectors from the prosecutor’s office raided the
Azadliq bureau. They ransacked the company safe, seized computers,
memory sticks, and documents, and sealed the office shut.

Since then, nearly all Azadliq staff members and freelancers have been
requested by telephone to appear for questioning.

Many have refused to appear until they can arrange for a lawyer to be present.

One lawyer representing the Azadliq staff said people were being
“dragged” to the prosecutor’s office “by force and threats.”

RFE/RL Editor in Chief Nenad Pejic said Azerbaijani authorities were
“terrorizing staff and their families.”

‘Armenian Lobby’

The office raid and forced questioning come as prosecutors are
investigating the Azadliq office as a foreign-funded entity. RFE/RL
and its bureaus are funded by the U.S. government.

Siyavoush Novruzov, a high-ranking member of the ruling Yeni
Azerbaycan Party, defended the raid as a national security issue.

Speaking to local media, he said it was necessary to close the bureau
to prevent espionage, adding, “every place that works for foreign
intelligence and the Armenian lobby should be raided.”

The focus on RFE/RL comes amid a broader crackdown on independent
journalists, activists, and nongovernment organizations working in the
oil-rich Caspian country.

As many as 15 journalists and bloggers are currently behind bars in
Azerbaijan, including Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative reporter
and RFE/RL contributor.

Other detainees include Leyla Yunus, one of the country’s best-known
human rights activists, whose work includes the promotion of
normalized ties with neighboring Armenia.

She and her husband, Arif, are currently being held in pretrial
detention on charges including high treason.

The U.S. State Department, Helsinki Commission, Broadcasting Board of
Governors, and Reporters Without Borders have all condemned the raid
on RFE/RL.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, the chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission,
said in a statement, “the free and independent press in Azerbaijan
remains under attack by the very authorities who should be most
committed to its protection.”

Reporters Without Borders has condemned the raid on the Baku bureau of
RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service as the latest attempt to stamp out media
pluralism in the country.

The organization ranked Azerbaijan 160th out of 180 countries in its
2014 press freedom index. ?

Eliminating Critical Voices

RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, which is known inside Azerbaijan as
Radio Azadliq, has been banned from broadcasting since 2009 but
continues to reach the public through its website.

The closure of the Baku bureau follows similar measures taken recently
against nongovernmental organizations supporting free-media efforts in
Azerbaijan.

The offices of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety, the
Media Rights Institute, and the International Research and Exchanges
Board (IREX) were all raided in August and sealed shut.

Additional NGOs like the National Democratic Institute and Oxfam have
also been closed following similar raids.

Critics have accused Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, of
using its energy wealth to ingratiate itself with the West despite its
rampant rights abuses.

Azerbaijan in November concluded a six-month presidency of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the leading European
organization tasked with upholding human rights values.

The Council of Europe said in a statement on December 28 it will
request the reason and legal justification for this action from the
Azerbaijani authorities.

From: Baghdasarian

FRANCE ANTI-RACISM NEWSPAPER DEVOTES ISSUE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

00:43, 26.12.2014Region: World News, Armenia, TurkeyTheme: Politics, Society

The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) of
France has devoted the 653rd issue of its Le Droit de Vivre newspaper
to the Armenian Genocide, reported the French-Armenian Nouvelles
d’Armenie magazine.

This special issue of the Le Droit de Vivre (The Right to Live)
anti-racism newspaper covered the Armenian Genocide topic in thirteen
pages.

LICRA was established in France in 1927, and it is an international
association that fights against intolerance, xenophobia, and exclusion
throughout the world.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

KOLKATA’S PARK STREET REVELS IN CHRISTMAS

IANS – India
December 25, 2014 Thursday

Kolkata

Kolkata, Dec. 25 — India’s iconic British-era Park Street here
Thursday hosted thousands of revellers from across the world as they
soaked in the Yuletide spirit with generous helpings of cakes, carols
and heritage.

Festooned with lights, streamers and decked up with everything and
anything related to Christmas – light displays of Santa Claus on
sleigh, the ceremonial giant Christmas tree, Park Street truly showed
its organic side Dec 25.

>From being the hub of the Kolkata Christmas Carnival celebrations to
having a music video dedicated to it, the historic promenade reflects
the changing times.

“Kolkata has always been a cosmopolitan city and controversies like
these have never affected its spirit. Something like this happened
last year too.

“However, Christmas in Kolkata always sees diverse communities and
people of all age groups participate – be it the annual Christmas
Festival sponsored by the West Bengal government or be it the family
festivities. Controversies will pass,” Rev. Abir Adhikari, secretary,
Calcutta Diocese of the Church of North India, told .

A silent witness to history since the 1700s, the famous thoroughfare
Thursday got its own music video, titled, “Park Street – A Living
Ballad”.

“The music video captures the golden era of the street. The song
dedicated to Park Street is called ‘Keep Dreaming on’, composed by
Grammy Award-nominated jazz musician Louiz Banks,” Supriyo Nandy,
secretary, Society for Park Street Rejuvenation Kolkata (SPARK), told .

The eight-minute-long video is a nostalgic trip down memory lane
through the legendary diners, confectioners, nightclubs, burial grounds
(the well-known Park Street cemetery), auction houses, churches,
business centres, heritage structures – that contributed to its
unique identity.

The street had rather murky origins in the 1700s as an unpaved,
nondescript connector between Fort William (the seat of the British
military) and three cemeteries. It transitioned to one of the most
elite boulevards in India by the turn of the 20th century with the
influx of the Jews, Armenians, Parsis and Europeans.

Taking its name after a deer park owned by Sir Elijah Impey, the first
chief justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in
Bengal (then British India), Park Street’s metamorphosis mirrored
the edifices that came up-some of which were firsts for India.

While Mocambo is said to be independent India’s first nightclub,
Magnolia is the country’s maiden ice cream parlour. Hall and Anderson
is believed to be the first departmental store.

Dotted with quaint tearooms (Flurys), stately edifices erected by
wealthy Jewish and Armenian merchants (Park Mansions and Stephen
Court), some of the finest restaurants and nightclubs in the country,
Park Street was the place to be seen and spotted during the 19th and
20th century.

The creme-de-la-creme of the city held sway at Park Street till
the stretch lost a bit of its sheen with the migration of the Jews,
Armenians and Europeans.

Park Street now sits at the crossroads of globalisation what with
shiny new-age cafes, clubs, pubs, fast food centres, gift shops and
bookstores attracting an increasing number of youngsters.

And come Christmas, the illuminated street (re-christened Mother
Teresa Sarani) is engulfed in aromas of plum cakes, Dundee cakes and
chicken patties as citizens draped in woollens brave the chill to
queue up for their favourite bites.

Performances by choirs, Armenians, Army band and Kolkata Police band
are staples at the Allen Park at one end of Park Street. Children and
adults, sporting red Santa Claus caps and other Christmas paraphernalia
gather around the tree.

At the other end, food stalls buzzing with customers, border the
neighbourhood post office, creating a carnival-like atmosphere.

From: Baghdasarian

PROMINENT LAWYER AMAL CLOONEY TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT ECHR

Legal Monitor Worldwide
December 24, 2014 Wednesday

Amal Ramzi Alamuddin, wife of prominent actor and human rights
activist George Clooney, will be one of the attorneys representing
Armenia next month at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),
according to Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier.

“Mrs. Clooney is a highly regarded attorney specializing in
international law, criminal law, human rights, and extradition. She
has been involved in several major lawsuits such as return of the Elgin
Marbles from Great Britain to Greece, and defending Julian Assange of
WikiLeaks and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She has
also worked with the Prosecutor of the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon,
and the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia,”
Sassounian says.

She was born in Lebanon to a Druze father and Sunni Muslim mother in
1978. At the age of two, her family moved to the United Kingdom. She
received her law degree from New York University School of Law and
clerked at the International Court of Justice (World Court). After
returning to London in 2010, she became a barrister at the Doughty
Street Chambers. She served as advisor to Kofi Annan, UN Special Envoy
on Syria, and as Counsel to the 2013 UN Drone Inquiry team. She is
fluent in English, French and Arabic. Her marriage to George Clooney
in September 2014 made worldwide headlines.

“With such impeccable credentials, Mrs. Clooney will be a great asset
to Armenia’s legal team in Strasbourg, in the appeal of Perincek vs.

Switzerland before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human
Rights on Jan 28. The case involves the conviction by Swiss courts
of Dogu Perincek, a minor Turkish political party leader, who had
travelled to Switzerland in 2005 with the explicit intent of denying
the truth of the Armenian Genocide. In 2008, Perincek appealed the
Swiss ruling to the European Court of Human Rights. A majority of
five out of seven ECHR judges ruled on Dec 17, 2013 that Switzerland
had violated Perincek’s right to free expression,” Sassounian says.

“This ruling was an unfair and unacceptable double standard, as the
court considered denial of the Jewish Holocaust a crime, but Armenian
Genocide denial an infringement on free speech. The five judges who
ruled against Switzerland made countless judgmental and factual
errors, misrepresenting Perincek’s allegations, misinterpreting
Switzerland’s laws and court rulings, lacking basic knowledge of the
Armenian Genocide, and repeatedly contradicting themselves. Two of
the seven judges disagreed with the majority’s ruling and submitted
a comprehensive 19-page report on the Armenian Genocide, siding with
the Swiss court,” he says. On March 17, 2014, Switzerland decided
to appeal the ruling to ECHR’s 17-judge Grand Chamber, to defend the
integrity of its laws and the country’s legal system. Specifically,
the Swiss government challenged the court’s decision on three grounds:

1. ECHR had never before dealt with the juridical qualification of
genocide and the scope of freedom of expression;

2. The undue restriction of “the margin of appreciation” available
to Switzerland under ECHR’s jurisprudence;

3. The establishment of ‘artificial distinctions’ – in the absence
of an international verdict, ECHR should have considered the Turkish
Court’s 1919 guilty verdicts against the masterminds of the Armenian
Genocide as evidence related to World Court’s jurisprudence.

Last year, when ECHR’s lower court was considering Perincek’s case,
Armenia did not participate. Turkey, however, intervened by submitting
extensive documentation questioning the veracity of the Armenian
Genocide. This time around Armenia will take part with a strong legal
team, which includes Geoffrey Robertson QC, a preeminent international
lawyer and author of the remarkable book, “An Inconvenient Genocide:
Who Now Remembers the Armenians?” Robertson will be joined in court by
his associate Amal Clooney, and two Armenian government representatives
Gevorg Kostanyan and Emil Babayan.

It is imperative that on the eve of the Armenian Genocide’s Centennial
in 2015, ECHR’s Grand Chamber reverse the lower court’s flawed
ruling, restoring the integrity of Swiss laws and preventing Turkey
and Perincek from exporting their genocide denialism to Europe and
beyond, Sassounian concludes. 2014 Legal Monitor Worldwide.

From: Baghdasarian