Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

President Satgsyan extends condolences to his Iranian counterpart

armradio.am
14.08.2012 12:36

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to the President
of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the devastating
earthquake which occurred in Iran. The letter reads:

`Your Excellency,

I learned with profound pain about the devastating earthquake in
Eastern Atrpatakan province of Iran, which claimed hundreds of human
lives, left thousands wounded and caused huge destruction.

I express my sincere condolences to the friends and families of the
victims, and in Your person to the friendly people of the Islamic
Republic of Iran.

At this difficult moment, we stand by the people of Iran and are ready
to provide all necessary assistance for overcoming the consequences of
this tragedy.’

From: Baghdasarian

Radikal, Turkey
Aug 11 2012

Shame on You!

by Cengiz Candar

They announced it one day in advance. They said that Akit would
publish Semdin Sakik’s “bombshell” letter and that the letter would
contain important PKK-related disclosures about Cengiz Candar and
Hasan Cemal.

Yesterday, Akit published the letter it allegedly received from Semdin
Sakik under the front-page headline “Bombshells from Sakik.” One of
the four photographs under the heading was mine and one was Cemal’s.

According to Sakik, I have been “praising and glorifying the PKK
[Kurdistan People’s Congress, KGK] and its leader more than the most
fanatical PKK members.” Apparently, I did this in the TESEV [Turkish
Foundation for Economic and Social Studies] report entitled “Coming
Down from the Mountains: How May the PKK Disarm?” I was the author of
the said report, which was published last year.

What else?

[According to Sakik’s letter,] I have been “inducing the PKK to
establish a state in Syrian Kurdistan, which is a tiny and flat
region.”

No Limits to Lying

At first glance, these all sound like incoherent absurdities that do
not deserve any attention. Anyone interested can get a copy of the
said report and read it. No one needs Sakik’s “bombshells” dropped
through Akit.

There seems to be no limit to lying. “Inducing the PKK to establish a
state in Syrian Kurdistan, which is a tiny and flat region…” Every
word I have written about Syria has been published in Radikal. Anyone
who reads my articles knows that I have not written a single line to
support this “allegation.” One wonders how anyone might serve as
“trigger man” in such a foolish way?

Consequently, one might think that Akit’s headline, “Bombshell from
Sakik,” does not need to be taken seriously. Last month, the same
newspaper wrote that Ali Bayramoglu has been “concealing his Armenian
ancestry” and suggested that this has created strong indignation among
Yeni Safak readers. That led to a public outcry against Akit’s “hate
speech” practices.

I was with Bayramoglu overseas when Akit published its repugnant
story. He became very upset. He was upset because he could sense
“certain elements” of the “state security bureaucracy” behind the
allegation. He interpreted the story as a harbinger of dark
initiatives that might put the security of his life in jeopardy.

Not First Time

I am well aware that Bayramoglu’s sense and concern are not unfounded.
For nearly a year now, Akit has waged a systematic campaign of lies to
suggest that the DPI (Democratic Progress Institute) is an “auxiliary
organization of the PKK.” The DPI is the address of the joint work we
have been conducting with several parliamentary deputies. One website
that is known to be associated with this newspaper published a false
news story with a picture of me alleging that I was entering “a
Masonic lodge to receive instructions.” The photograph that was
allegedly taken in front of the Masonic lodge was in truth taken
before the Cezayir restaurant, which is located one block away.

When I investigated why they were publishing these lies, sources I
trust very much told me that certain people in Akit – they named them
– were serving as the “trigger men of police and military
intelligence.”

This information was quite disturbing in itself. However, what [Akit]
did yesterday goes beyond that and is shameful. It is shameful for the
so-called “civil servants” who are using Akit. Could you not find a
“source” better than Semdin Sakik to engage in a “character
assassination” and “discrediting” campaign against me? Shame on you!
It has now been 14 years since your ploys of 28 February. Fourteen
years ago, the infamous “Memorandum” [Andic] was published in Hurriyet
and Sabah under the rubric of Confessions of Semdin Sakik.” Mehmet Ali
Birand, Akin Birdal, and myself were subjected to the same lies and
“dirty schemes” at that time. Ten days after that publication, Akin
Birdal was attacked by TIT (Turkish Revenge Squads) and was shot by a
full clip of bullets.

Signatures Under ‘Memorandum’

Soon afterward, it became known that the “Memorandum” was drafted at
the General Staff headquarters and that it was approved by Generals
Cevik Bir and Fevzi Turkeri. Both of these men are now under arrest
within the scope of the investigation of 28 February.

It is not that difficult to identify correctly the source of this
“new” simplistic, uncouth, and vulgar ploy. Indeed, in a tweet sent
yesterday, our colleague Faruk Mercan wrote: “Vakit has put Semdin
Sakik on its front page to declare Hasan Cemal and Cengiz Candar as
virtual PKK members. This is very similar to the General Staff
‘memorandum’ of the old days.”

The two tweets Faruk Mercan sent subsequently go as follows:

“I have read everything Cemal and Candar have written about the
Kurdish problem. Anyone who has not read these works would not be
properly informed.”

“It is incumbent upon the government and the state to protect Cemal
and Candar whose pictures have been placed on the front page of a
newspaper as virtual PKK members.”

The real problem at this point is the following: If the “source” is
Sakik and the “intermediate channel” is Akit, it is possible that “the
government or the state” is behind this new “character assassination”
and “discrediting” campaign. Let us not forget that we have a
government in which Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin serves as a
cabinet member. The “memorandum” that was supposedly based on “Sakik’s
confessions” during the 28 February period was the work of the state.
This latest shameless and insolent “ploy” based on “Sakik’s
bombshells” may again be the work of the state even if it has been
staged by a group that is different from those who were responsible
for the 28 February version.

I cannot think of anything to say other than “shame on you” in the
face of this infamy and treachery perpetrated against us.

[Translated from Turkish]

From: Baghdasarian

WPS Agency, Russia
August 13, 2012 Monday

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

by: Goar Karapetjan
Source: Novye Izvestia, No 43, August 13, 2012, p. 3

ARMENIA MIGHT BE GRANTED MEMBERSHIP IN THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC ZONE
DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF COMMON BORDER WITH OTHER MEMBER STATES; Will
Armenia join the Customs Union?

Russian Duma Chairman Sergei Naryshkin said that Moscow intended to
consider making Armenia a member of the Eurasian economic zone. This
country has been an observer since 2003, any other status denied it on
account of there being no common borders with founders of the
international union.

Attitude toward integration within the Commonwealth in Armenia remains
definitely equivocal. Very many regard this integration as a threat to
national sovereignty. Sergei Minasjan, Assistant Director of the
Caucasus Media Institute, upholds different views. He is convinced
that the cost of the project is the only threat posed by the Eurasian
Economic Community. “The cost is going to be colossal but Russia is
prepared to underwrite it,” he said.

In any event, there are certain obstacles standing between Armenia and
membership in the Eurasian economic union Russia means to establish.
First and foremost, Armenia lacks borders with other member states. It
has Azerbaijan on one side, a country it is at odds with over
Nagorno-Karabakh. On the other side, it has Georgia that will have
nothing at all to do with Russia or any projects Russia might suggest.
It follows that there is essentially no point in trying to coordinate
customs policy with Armenia.

Gagik Minasjan, deputy of the National Assembly or parliament, is of
the opinion that Armenia ought to value its current status and aspire
to nothing more than that, at least for the time being. “It is its
status that keeps Armenia updated on the latest developments. It is
this status of observer that assures Armenia is not going to miss the
most convenient moment for joining the Customs Union,” he said.

Some experts maintain that Armenia’s membership in the Customs Union
will establish a free trade zone and remove the existing barriers and
change customs duties. They say that it will have a thoroughly
positive effect on market competition in Armenia and restrict the
existing monopolies.

On the other hand, experts point out that closer economic integration
between Armenia and CIS countries might impair development of its
relations with the European Union. Gagik Minasjan disagreed with it…
and so did Naryshkin. Duma chairman said on a visit to Yerevan that
Armenia’s close economic integration with post-Soviet countries would
only promote its relations with the European Union.

The parliament of Armenia is supposed to consider ratification of the
CIS free trade zone at its autumn session.

[Translated from Russian]

From: Baghdasarian

Iran earthquake tremors felt in Armenia

August 14, 2012 – 19:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Tremors measuring 3-4 on Richter scale were felt in
Armenian towns of Agarak, Meghri, Qajaran, Kapan and Goris on August
14.

A 5-magnitude earthquake hit 64 km to the North-East of Iran’s city of
Tabriz at 5:32 pm Iranian time (6:2 pm Yerevan time), European
Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported.

The tremors measuring 6-7 on Richter scale were recorded in the epicenter.

Two earthquakes that struck the northwestern province of East
Azerbaijan on Aug. 11 destroyed dozens of villages, killing at least
306 people and leaving thousands homeless.

From: Baghdasarian

`Truth Coercion’ book is an open letter to the world about the Armenia
Genocide and NK conflict

18:21, 14 August, 2012

Yerevan, August 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Genocide, perpetrated
massacres against the Armenian people, violence, Artsakh war
documentary materials are summed up in the famous publicist Angela
Sahakyan’s “Truth coercion” work. The book presentation was held in
the Armenian Writers’ Union on August 14.

`Angela represents a serious claim in the modern Armenian literature
by this book, the book is another stone to the Genocide recognition
`wall’, which everyone should put’, stated the president of the
Armenian Writers’ Union Levon Ananyan. To his word valuable is the
idea the author guided by and the principle she had classified all the
materials about the historical truths.

Ananyan noted that the testimonies of the eyewitnesses, the words of
diplomats, excerpts from the press, the most emotional responses of
the writers give the book a specific value.

`This book is worth to a wide range of readers, it can have
continuation, as many foreign authors wrote and write about the
Armenian Genocide. It may be the first volume of the coming editions’,
the editor of the `Truth Coercion’ book Arevshat Avagyan stated.

Sahakyan’s book represents the author’s publications, as well as
testimonies of eyewitnesses, documents and papers with undeniable
grounds.

The book tells about the 20th century’ first genocide implemented by
the Ottoman Empire. `I have used all the materials without any changes
preserving the Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian’, the author
writes in the book’s preface.

It was submitted to the readers’ judgment with two parts. The first
part is called `Open letters to the world written by truth coercion’,
where the bloody carnage is represented with the testimonies foreign
eyewitnesses and facts.

In the second `The Armenian Genocide is ongoing’ part the author
touched upon the Sumgait, Baku pogroms, the Artsakh liberation
struggle and the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The book will be soon translated into French, English, German, Russian
and Turkish.

From: Baghdasarian

Peninsula Marine killed in Afghanistan
Henry K. Lee
Updated 9:12 p.m., Monday, August 13, 2012

Capt. Matthew Manoukian was going to go to law school. Photo:
Santa Clara County, Superior Court / SF

U.S. Marine Capt. Matthew Manoukian of Los Altos Hills planned to
leave the service next year and enroll in law school, following in the
footsteps of his parents who both serve on the bench.

But Capt. Manoukian, 29, and two other Marines were killed Friday
“while conducting combat operations” in Helmand province, Afghanistan,
the Defense Department said.

The three, who were assigned to the 1st Marine Special Operations
Battalion in Camp Pendleton (San Diego County), were shot and killed
at a police checkpoint, the Associated Press reported.

Capt. Manoukian was the son of Judge Socrates “Peter” Manoukian of
Santa Clara County Superior Court and Associate Justice Patricia
Bamattre-Manoukian of the Sixth District Court of Appeal in San Jose.

“On behalf of the entire court family, I wish to express our profound
sorrow. Matt was killed in action serving his country and the death of
this amazing man is a tremendous loss to our community and nation,”
said Presiding Judge Richard Loftus Jr. of Santa Clara County Superior
Court. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Manoukian family.”

Capt. Manoukian joined the Marines in 2006.

A year later, he was serving in Iraq when he was injured by an
improvised explosive device. He received a Purple Heart medal, one of
many decorations he would receive during his career.

Capt. Manoukian was also a parachutist and held a first-degree black
belt in the Marine Corps martial arts program.

“Matt was just a remarkable man of his generation,” state Supreme
Court Justice Carol Corrigan, a family friend, said Monday. “He was
kind and brave and smart and was absolutely committed to serving his
country and the Marine Corps. It’s just a tragedy to lose him.”

He was planning to leave the Marines in 2013 to attend law school,
possibly at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco
where he had already been accepted, Corrigan said. He had hoped to
become a public defender, she said.

Besides his parents, Manoukian is survived by his brothers, Michael,
27, and Martin, 21.

A public memorial will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Francis High
School, 1885 Miramonte Ave. Mountain View, CA 94040. Contributions can
be sent to the Matthew Patrick Manoukian Scholarship Fund, in care of
the school.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @henryklee

From: Baghdasarian

All In the Family: Manvel Grigoryan’s Brother and Son Running for
Mayor in Armavir Marz
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
12:01, August 11, 2012

Local elections in Armavir Marz are scheduled for September 9. Looking
at the pool of candidates, it’s a safe bet that the current crop of
community leaders will be easily re-elected.

In the town of Etchmiadzin, there are two candidates – current Mayor
Karen Grigoryan, the son of MP Manvel Grigoryan, and Armineh
Hovhannisyan, better known to the public as the chief of staff for
Gortzik Ltd.

We can confidently predict that Grigoryan will be returned to office
given that Hovhannisyan’s candidacy is merely for show and a means to
satisfy the electoral code.

The same can’t be said for the town of Metzamor where there are four
candidates running for the job of mayor – current Mayor Robert
Grigoryan; independent Sargis Haroutyuyan, who runs the Mouslaer
branch office of the Armavir electric utility; former Metzamor mayor
Ashot Grigoryan, brother of MP Manvel Grigoryan, and Asya Arakelyan, a
Russian language specialist with the Armavir branch of the National
Educational Institute.

The contest in Metzamor will focus on Robert Grigoryan and Ashot
Grigoryan. In the last election, Ashot wasn’t backed by his brother
Manvel and lost out to Robert.

It appears that Ashot won’t be backed by his brother Manvel this time as well.

Regarding elections in the villages, most of the nominated candidates
are the current mayors and it doesn’t look like much of a contest.

To satisfy the electoral code, secondary candidates, again for show,
have been picked to run alongside the favourites. These candidates are
mostly employees from the village municipal staff or are either
relatives of the top candidates themselves.

From: Baghdasarian

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 13 2012

Ilham Aliyev receives Islamic ambassadors

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the ambassadors of the
Islamic countries to Azerbaijan on the occasion of Ramadan Holiday,
APA reports.

Underlining the support of Islamic countries to Azerbaijan in the
election of the member of UN Security Council, Aliyev said that Baku
awaits support by the Islamic countries to the solution of
Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

President of Azerbaijan said that the first country in the world that
recognized the Khojaly genocide was exactly the Islamic country –
Pakistan. Expressing gratitude to the leadership of Pakistan,
president of Azerbaijan said that OSCE sent a fact-finding commission
to the occupied area and they witnessed that the mosques and other
holy monuments were destroyed by Armenians.

The Head of State said that Azerbaijan attached great importance to
the Islamic solidarity and declaration of Baku as a capital of the
Islamic culture is a great support of the Islamic world to our
country. `The Islamic values are dear to us. Our national values are
based on the Islamic values’, said president Aliyev.

Azerbaijani president wished peace to all Muslim countries and
underlined that Baku supported the position of the Arab League on the
processes going on in the Middle East.

President also emphasized the importance of joint struggle against
rumor spread in the world about Islam and noted that the attempt to
link Islam with terror was a great sin and crime.

From: Baghdasarian

The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 13 2012

Armenia applies benefits for Iran-Armenia electricity connection

By Messenger Staff

Monday, August 13
The Armenian government submitted a special draft law for certain
benefits for the electricity line connecting Iran with Armenia has
been under the construction. The project will be exempted from
Armenian taxes. It will be Armenia’s investment into the project. The
project is financed by Iran Development Bank which issued credit of 83
million Euro for Armenia. So far there are two power lines connecting
Iran and Armenia. The agreement of construction of third line was
achieved in 2006.

From: Baghdasarian

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, August 13, 2012

Young Athletes Make AGBU History at the 19th World Games in Los
Angeles

Over 1,700 Athletes, Members & Supporters Gather for a Week of
Athletic, Cultural & Social Events

In its near 60-year history, the AGBU World Games has brought
international youth to various global cities with the goal of
reinforcing their commitment to the organization and lifelong
friendships with peers, through good sportsmanship and teamwork. This
July, over 500 young athletes from Argentina, Australia, Brazil,
Canada, Egypt, France, Uruguay and the U.S. gathered in what is
unofficially dubbed as the capital of the Armenian diaspora: Los
Angeles. There, for one unforgettable week that began on Saturday,
July 28, 2012, they engaged in sports competitions, social events and
excursion tours, which were made possible by the AGBU 2012 World Games
Committee and a dedicated network of over 200 volunteers who have been
hard at work for nearly a year. When the Games came to an end on
Sunday, August 5, culminating with the traditional Victory Ball the
night before, participants knew they were returning home not only with
trophies, but with memories to cherish forever.

Kicking off the Week: Opening Ceremonies Welcome Global Athletes and
Local Officials

The countdown for the AGBU World Games had been ongoing for months,
and as the drum roll began at the Opening Ceremony on the evening of
Sunday, July 29, it signaled that the much-anticipated time had
finally arrived. While the marching band, the majority of them AGBU
Scouts, began to circle the track of the Pasadena City College
Stadium, the bleachers filled with an excited crowd. They soon put
their hands together for the members of the Vartan and Siranush
Gevorkyan Academy who performed on the field, the local John Muir High
School drummer group and the procession of AGBU athletes that
followed, waving their respective flags proudly. The guests’ attention
was then turned to the welcoming remarks delivered by AGBU Vice
President Sinan Sinanian, World Games Chairman Shahe Seuylemezian,
Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America,
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, and veteran AYA athlete Hratch Manoukian,
who made the sportsmanship pledge.

Among the spectators were a host of dignitaries and representatives,
including Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles, Grigor
Hovhannisyan; Mayor of Glendale, Frank Quintero; Glendale Councilmen
Rafi Manoukian and Ara Najarian; Former Primate of the Western Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America, Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian;
Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America (AEUNA),
Rev. Joseph D. Matossian; Police Chief of Pasadena, Phillip L Sanchez;
clergymen representing the Western Prelacy and the Armenian Catholic
Church; and official leaders and representatives from the major
Armenian political parties.

The entertainment portion of the night then got underway, as David
Foster, the 16-time Grammy-award winning musician who has helped
produce some of the world’s most successful artists, including
Madonna, Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion, took the stage. The popular
group Element Band and singer Hovhannes Shahbazyan also
performed. Foster even invited a few members of the audience on stage
to sing along with them, while across the stadium everyone rose to
their feet to dance. Off to a festive start, the athletes returned to
the Universal City Hilton Hotel, where they stayed throughout the
week, ready to carry their energy onto the field the following day.

Scoring Points and Showing Spirit

Throughout the week, youth displayed their talents and skills in an
array of team and individual sports. Competitions included basketball,
chess, futsal, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, and
volleyball, all of which drew hundreds of enthusiastic spectators. A
buzz of excitement filled the air at each of the matches’ venues, the
AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Center and High School, the AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian School and the Pasadena Public High School, with
fans continuously shouting encouraging words and cheers. As they
progressed from the preliminary games to the finals rounds, the
players always demonstrated good sportsmanship and support for one
another, ensuring that the games were more fun than competitive. As
coach Kev Dertadian of Sydney, Australia commented, “Year round, we
watch the players on our teams learn and grow, and it’s been a huge
thrill to watch them apply all the skills they’ve developed back at
home here at the World Games with their global peers.” The youth
shared that enthusiasm, and the athlete Melina Tchintchinian of
Montevideo stated, “This week has been incredible. It’s so amazing to
be surrounded by so many young Armenians like myself from around the
world who love the same sports I do – I already can’t wait to reunite
in a new city in 2016.”

Social and Cultural Events Fill the World Games Calendar

Day in and day out, the World Games attendees were on the fields or in
the stands, but in the evening they had the opportunity to relax and
enjoy many planned social and cultural events. On Saturday, July 28,
all athletes and guests gathered at the AGBU Pasadena Center for a
“Meet and Greet,” where they caught up with old friends and sparked
conversation with new ones. On Tuesday night, a summer soiree
organized by the Young Professional of Los Angeles (YPLA) brought
together AGBU World Games athletes with their local YP counterparts to
the rooftop of the Sheraton Universal Hotel, where they enjoyed views
of the famous Hollywood Hills and Universal Studios.

Halfway through the week, participants were ready for some fun in the
sun, and on Wednesday, they got just that with a private party on
Huntington Beach, which was organized by the AGBU World Games
Committee and managed by the dedicated women within the World Games
Special Events Committee. When they weren’t cooling off in the Pacific
Ocean, guests were at the beach volleyball court for a friendly co-ed
game. When the weekend approached, everyone was invited to view an
encore performance of the AGBU Ardavazt Theater Company’s hit comedy,
“Ser Yev Dzidzagh” (“Love & Laughter”) at the AGBU Pasadena
Center. For over three decades, the theatrical ensemble’s productions
have drawn critical acclaim, and their show on Friday night was no
exception.

As they watched the Games unfold, each of the athletes knew that they
were part not only of a series of events spanning that week, but of a
great, long-standing AGBU tradition six decades in the making. A
special collection of photos and keepsakes from World Games past, put
together by the youth group AGBU Impact, was unveiled on the evening
of the “Meet and Greet” and remained on exhibit at the AGBU Vatche and
Tamar Manoukian Center’s Boyajian Hall over the next few days. Young
athletes admired old team banners and jerseys, spotting their parents
and even grandparents in the black and white photographs that filled
the display. World Games Chairman Shahe Seuylemezian reflected on the
tremendous preparation that went into both the collection and all the
World Games’ activities, stating, “The workload was immense and not
without its share of difficulties and hurdles. However, the initiative
that came from all the volunteers who eagerly reached out to lend us a
hand was key. For without their dedication, tenacity and allegiance,
the success we had could simply not have been achieved.”

For the volunteers, the World Games were a labor of love. As volunteer
Carine Imasdounian remarked, “We knew since the Volunteer kickoff
event in April that we were committing to a project that was larger
than life, but incredibly worthwhile. I have so enjoyed being part of
such a passionate and devoted team. Watching the Games unfold over the
past few months until this week has been very rewarding. As
volunteers, a huge number of us spent countless hours at this week’s
different events, and I only wish we could have spent countless more.”

Victory Ball

After the final games wrapped up on the afternoon of Saturday, August
4, the athletes were ready to change out of their AGBU uniforms and
into more formal attire for that evening’s Victory Ball. At six
o’clock on the dot, over 1,700 guests began streaming into the
Universal Studios Backlot. It was on the Studios’ legendary “New York
Avenue” set that they were greeted by the Special Events Committee
Chairwoman, Aline Patatian, who delivered the opening remarks. The
microphone was then passed to London-based entertainer Kev Orkian,
renowned singers Armenchik and Joseph Krikorian, and members of the
Vartan and Siranush Gevorkyan Dance Academy whose performances
inspired everyone to stay on the dance floor well into the night.

Those present at the Victory Ball included AGBU Vice President Sinan
Sinanian, AGBU Western District Committee Chairman Haig Messerlian,
and Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. Mr. Sinanian was full of praise for
the World Games’ athletes and the organizers as he stated, “I have
never seen so many people, of all ages and from so many countries
around the world, come together and have an unforgettably positive and
impactful experience as they did here in Los Angeles during the AGBU
World Games. An occasion such as this is truly an incredible and rare
opportunity for our youth to gather and meet other Armenians from
places such as Alexandria, Cairo, Montevideo, Montreal, Paris, Sao
Paulo, Sydney and Toronto, and create special memories and life-long
friendships. Everyone kept telling me they had the best week of their
lives. I only wish we could have more occasions for our AGBU members
to come together like this. I salute all the volunteers who have
worked tirelessly to make these unparalleled AGBU World Games an
enormous success.”

During the evening, Athletic Coordinator of the World Games, Jano
Baghdanian invited former AYA athletes to the stage to present the 1st
place winners with their trophies. They were followed by former AGBU
Southern California District Chairman Vahe Imasdounian, who handed the
Sportsmanship Award to Toronto, as well as longtime athletics
supporter Albert Boyajian, who presented the Friendship Award to
Montevideo. The team leader of the Montevideo delegation, Jose
Handalian, commented, “Every minute of this week’s World Games, I felt
at home. It was a great pleasure, and a gratifying experience, for all
of us from Uruguay to participate in the Games and meet the other
delegations. This is a brilliant organization, a brilliant event, and
most importantly, brilliant people who are behind the games.”

Everyone is a Winner at the World Games Trophy Ceremony

No one went home from the Games empty handed, and on Saturday, August
4, at the Trophy Ceremony in Pasadena High School, all the athletes
received cups, medals and recognition for their participation in
AGBU’s 19th World Games.

The words of AGBU Western District Committee Chairman Haig Messerlian
captured the feelings of all participants at the ceremony, as they
reflected on the week that had passed. He said, “The AGBU World Games
2012 in Los Angeles was an event that marked AGBU’s commitment to our
youth, its power, popularity and prestige among the participants, our
AGBU membership and the community in general, perfectly in line with
AGBU’s slogan, “Unity is Strength.” Our thanks and appreciation go to
the hundreds of athletes, coaches and chapter representatives for
their enthusiastic participation, to our diligent organizing committee
for their perfect planning and execution, to the hundreds of dedicated
volunteers and our hardworking staff. A job truly well done!”

As the players and teams congratulated each other on the matches they
had completed, they were already looking forward to the next time they
would play together. With the next World Games scheduled for 2016,
they still have time, but will no doubt keep in touch until then, not
letting distance weaken the strong bonds that were formed both on and
off the courts.

To see the official photos and competition results from the 2012 AGBU
World Games, please visit:

The AGBU 2012 World Games would not have been possible without the
hard work and dedication of the World Games Committee, which included:
Chairman Shahe Seuylemezian, Honorary Chairman Hratch Manoukian, Vice
Chairman Hagop Sepetjian, Treasurer Hagop Jazmadarian, Recording
Secretary and Volunteer Coordinator Aleen Khanjian, English
Corresponding Secretary Aline K. Yeterian, Armenian Corresponding
Secretary Kevork Keushkerian, Fundraising Committee Chairman Vahe
Imasdounian, Sports Committee Chairman Jano Baghdanian, Special Events
Committee Chairwoman Aline Patatian, Opening Ceremony Committee
Chairwoman Sonia Babayan, Protocol Committee Chairwoman Hermie
Janoyan, Security Committee Chairman Garo Babian, Facilities Manager
Ara Manoukian, Registration Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Simonian,
Information Technology Committee Chairman Jack Svadjian, Committee
member at large Ara Yessaian, Committee member at large Bared
Gosdanian, and Production Manager Stepan Partamian.

Since 1955, the AGBU World Games has brought together thousands of
youth from around the world to engage in sporting competitions and
create lifelong bonds. Over the years, the endeavor has been held in
numerous major cities, such as Beirut, Buenos Aires, Geneva, Los
Angeles, Paris and Sydney. The positive outcome of these Games has
proved so popular that AGBU Regional Games now take place regularly in
North and South America.

For more information about AGBU and its youth program, please visit

From: Baghdasarian