10:32, 16 January 2024
YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Various reconstruction works worth over 46,6 billion drams (equivalent to $114,000,000) were implemented in the Armavir Province in 2018-2023, the government said in a statement.
In particular, 111,4 kilometers of roads, 87,4 kilometers of lighting, 143,5 kilometers of gasification, 336,2 kilometers of water lines and 28 kindergartens were either built, reconstructed or repaired.
09:51,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. 492 billion 933,5 million (over $1,2 billion) in construction was carried out in Armenia in January-November 2023, a significantly high figure said to be pushed by various factors.
Narek Karapetyan, a researcher at Amberd Research Center, told Armenpress that the construction boom is associated with several factors, such as the revenue tax-mortgage interest rate program (mortgage tax relief) and its gradual cancellation in Yerevan, the increase in demand in the real estate market and growth in revenue.
“This is a high figure. And it has been high all the time in the past few years,” Karapetyan said.
“The main moving force is the [mortgage tax relief] program and its gradual cancellation in Yerevan, this has contributed to faster construction,” he added.
Speaking about the growing demand in the real estate market, the expert said the increase is mostly due to foreign travelers, but not necessarily because they are buying homes, but actually because they have become the main actors in the rentals market, which subsequently increased the prices and made homeowners in Armenia buy new apartments and rent them out. This, in turn, leads to increase in demand, i.e., construction of new housing projects.
23% of the total construction of 2023 was carried out from the state budget. This mostly encompasses road construction, according to Karapetyan.
Most of the construction was carried out by private companies (256,6 billion drams), growing 22,5% compared to 2022’s same period. Foreign investors carried out over 3,9 billion drams in construction, which is a 63,9% YoY decrease.
Commercial banks issued a total of over 483,6 billion drams in loans to the construction sector in 2023 November, which is 143 billion more compared to 2022 November.
Although the construction volume of the past few years is still behind the figures of the construction boom of the 2000s, the actual number of buildings that are being built now contain characteristics of a boom. The present-day figures are behind those of 2007-2008, but now the model has changed, and there’s a boom in this new model which encompasses a broader circle of people.
According to Karapetyan, in the 2000s people were mostly buying real estate in downtown Yerevan, whereas now they prefer the suburbs. Apartment purchases are now attributed to the middle class, he said, adding that in the 2000s most of the buyers were either foreigners or people with significantly higher income.
Varak Ghazarian with students in the school in Askeran, Artsakh in 2018
What a year it has been. What a chaotic past three years. I feel like I am finally recovering from all the trauma, and, wow, there was a lot of trauma. It has been a world of pain, and I found myself struggling to differentiate between new wounds and those from the past, a disorienting combination that became a recipe for disaster. I tried to breathe while drowning, but every time I tried to resurface and catch a breath, I kept getting pulled down into newfound depths. Last year, I reached the depth of depths with the handover of Artsakh. It had been a whole year of struggling with the blockade, feeling useless, going insane and preparing mentally for war, a war that never came. Rather, simply, genocide – the worst possible outcome I had never imagined occurred. I was worried for my friends. I was worried for everyone in Artsakh. I felt trapped and useless yet again. The place I call heaven became unreachable for my brothers, sisters and me. I accepted this fact immediately and fell into the depths of my sadness and grief. I tried keeping myself as busy as possible to not go completely insane from the terrors of this world.
The worst part was walking around Yerevan as if nothing had happened, as school and work continued. Life did not take a pause to grieve for the genocide of 100,000 Armenians collectively. I was furious at the government, my university and all the people in the cafes and restaurants. The anger was driving me crazy. How could people be so careless toward their brothers and sisters who had lost everything? I saw a considerable amount of people working to ensure the Artsakhtsis some sort of future, but we as a whole seemed not to care about what just happened. I felt like Komitas, who went mad walking through Etchmiadzin after the Genocide, due to the carelessness of his people.
Not a single day to grieve. And here we are, three months later, celebrating the holidays as if nothing happened. “No Varak, life must go on. We must continue with our lives and persist. We cannot grieve now,” people tell me. I am sorry, but we must grieve in order to move forward in a healthy manner and to respect all the lives that were affected by the genocide. We must grieve in order to learn from our past and create a better tomorrow, one that ensures such tragedy does not occur again, and never again truly means never again.
A wise man compared the current moment in Armenian history to a donkey whose colt was slaughtered. He said that the very next day that same donkey would go on with his life, continuing to graze as if nothing had happened. That is what is currently happening, sadly. How are we any different than that donkey? People are told to carry on and be strong, but that makes us exactly like the donkey.
When we actually grieve and think about what has happened, only then will we become the humans we like to think we are. If we do not stop history from repeating itself, we will live a vicious cycle like that donkey. It is time to stop, reflect, grieve and then move forward. I have grieved and feel like I am still in the process, but I will allow that process to flow naturally and not resist it. I have realized what is important to me and the value of gratitude. We must be grateful for what we have today, for we may not have it tomorrow. That gratitude has driven me to work ever more diligently to actualize my goals to create a stronger and more beautiful Armenia—an Armenia that holds on firmly to its traditions, its culture and its people. The future does not seem bright, the work seems insurmountable and the time does not seem sufficient, but I am fully committed. Are you?
Simon Maghakyan
Investigative researcher Simon Maghakyan will speak in a virtual presentation on “Heritage in Peril: Artsakh’s Cultural Monuments in the Aftermath of Invasion” at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 29, 2024. The Zoom registration link is: https://bit.ly/armenianstudiessimonmaghakyan. The event is the first in the Armenian Studies Program Spring 2024 Lecture Series and is supported by the Leon S. Peters Foundation Fund.
The last Armenian prayer in Artsakh was held at Dadivank on October 1, 2023, following Azerbaijan’s invasion and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh. What happens to the monuments that Armenians had to leave behind? What can stakeholders do to prevent the scenario of Nakhichevan, where from 1997-2006 Azerbaijan eradicated the entire known inventory of Armenian Christian heritage? The talk will discuss current monitoring efforts and explore pathways for raising the cost of destruction to Azerbaijan and creating sustainable incentives for preserving Artsakh’s cultural monuments.
Maghakyan is an investigative researcher and cultural heritage defender. He is a doctoral candidate in heritage crime at Great Britain’s Defense Academy (Cranfield University), a community scholar at the University of Denver, a visiting scholar at Tufts University, and an incoming postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University’s Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Maghakyan’s investigative exposés on Azerbaijan’s state-sponsored erasure of Armenian cultural heritage have been cited at the International Court of Justice and praised as “rock solid” by The Guardian. His writing has been featured in numerous news outlets, including Time, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and he has appeared on Democracy Now! and the BBC, among other outlets. Maghakyan’s recent collaborative investigation in New Lines Magazine exposed the secret Azerbaijani facility that served as a basis for “concentration camp” fears in Artsakh in 2023.
For information about upcoming Armenian Studies Program presentations, please follow us on Facebook or the program website.
After midnight on September 13, 2022, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Armenia utilizing drones, artillery and caliber firearms. Azerbaijani forces shelled the Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Gegharkunik regions, including military positions, civilian settlements and infrastructure in Goris, Kapan, Jermuk, Vardenis, Sotk, as well as Mount Ishkhanasar and Mount Artanish.
During the three days of fighting that ensued, many Armenian heroes were martyred, including Valodya Abrahamyan, Gourgen Gasparyan, Hayk Gasparyan, Hovik Gevorgyan, David Gishyan, Hayk Hakobyan, Gevorg Hayrapetyan, Zohrab Hovhannisyan, Sargis Khanoyan, Zorik Margaryan, Levon Melkonyan, Azat Nesisiyan, Mikayel Poghosyan, Argishti Stepanyan and many other lion-hearted Armenian soldiers. One of those heroes is Arman Tsaturyan, who heroically fought to keep Mount Ishkhanasar invincible like an impregnable fortress.
Arman Tsaturyan
Mount Ishkhanasar, or the Big Ishkhanasar (3,550m), literally “the mountain of lord,” is located in southern Armenia in the Syunik province. It has a volcanic crater, steep slopes and Sev Lich (Black Lake) at an altitude of 2,666m. Noravan, Metsdzor, Vakhatin and Shamb rivers flow from the mountain slopes. Mount Tsghuk (3,581m) and Mount Ukhtasar (3,500m) are located nearby, with a serene azure lake and ancient petroglyphs dating back to the Paleolithic age.
On September 14, 2022, Junior Sergeant Arman Tsaturyan became immortal, falling victim while defending Mount Ishkhanasar. He fired eight times from artillery in one minute, destroying all the enemy targets and breaking a military record.
Tsaturyan’s roots come from Hay Paris Village of the Shahumyan region of northern Artsakh. He was born on July 4, 2003 and attended school N191 named after David Hovsepyan. In 2015, he continued his education in secondary school N176 named after Gourgen Mahari, participating in a number of competitions (Kangaroo, Meghr) and being awarded a number of prizes. From 2018-2021, he completed high school named after Galust Gyulbenkyan.
While he was given the chance to study in Russia, Tsaturyan gave up that opportunity for the sake of his homeland. He returned to Armenia, leaving his studies in Russia unfinished. He was admitted to Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE), where he was a top student and a member of Student Council.
Dean of the Faculty of Management Manuk Movsisyan remembers: “He was a pioneer as an individual and was the first to help and assist his friends. When I look at his photo, I am sure that he would really be the first.”
Tsaturyan was also a connoisseur of history. He loved to read historical novels, and his favorite book was Gevorg Marzpetuni by Muratsan, which he read three times. He had also read Garegin Nzhdeh’s writings.
On January 19, 2022, Tsaturyan joined the army, serving in Lusakert military unit where he stood out for his high morality and willingness. After six-month service in Lusakert, he became a Junior Sergeant and continued his service in Sisian, Syunik.
July 4, 2023 commemorative matinee dedicated to Arman Tsaturyan’s 20th anniversary. Tsaturyan’s sister Luiza Tsaturyan is speaking on stage.
During the September 2022 attack, Tsaturyan fought heroically with swiftness, precision and bravery. While two of the artillery broke down, he acted quickly to create a false impression that they still worked. On September 14, Azeri forces fired more intensively. Hearing the sound of a drone, Tsaturyan called on his friends to conceal themselves, facing the attack alone. Tragically, the drone spotted Tsaturyan, and he was fatally wounded. While breathing his last, Tsaturyan released an eighth fire of artillery, fully destroying the enemy units.
On January 31, 2023, a classroom named after Arman Tsaturyan was opened in Yerevan’s High School N190. On July 4, 2023, a commemorative matinee was held in Malatia-Sebastia, Yerevan, dedicated to Tsaturyan’s 20th birthday.
Eternal glory to Arman Tsaturyan and all Armenian heroes who fell for the sake of their motherland, keeping the heights of the Armenian Highlands unapproachable.
“The army is a priority for me nowadays, as there is no defense without the army, and if there is no army, I cannot be sure that my family will live in peace,” Tsaturyan said.
The Academy also announced that MaryJane Partlow will become executive vp, awards production and special events.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has promoted Teni Melidonian to chief Oscars officer, a newly created position, and MaryJane Partlow to executive vp, awards production and special events, Academy CEO Bill Kramer announced Tuesday.
Melidonian will continue to report directly to Kramer. Partlow will report to Melidonian.
Melidonian will lead strategy, talent relations, special events and production teams for all awards programs and events. She will collaborate closely with the Oscars producers and show host, Disney/ABC and Academy leadership, including the board of governors and its committees and oversee the teams involved in developing and executing the Oscars for a global viewing audience.
Melidonian will lead strategy, talent relations, special events and production teams for all awards programs and events. She will collaborate closely with the Oscars producers and show host, Disney/ABC and Academy leadership, including the board of governors and its committees and oversee the teams involved in developing and executing the Oscars for a global viewing audience.
As the lead liaison with Disney/ABC, the Academy’s broadcast distribution partner, Melidonian heads Oscars ad sales, marketing, advertising and synergy strategies supporting audience growth opportunities globally.
Partlow will lead the teams in producing all awards special events throughout the Oscars season, including the Governors Awards, nominations announcement, nominees luncheon, Scientific and Technical Awards and the Oscars Governors Ball.
“These positions and department are vital to the Academy’s evolution and success as we head into our 100th Oscars and beyond,” Kramer said in a statement. “Teni is creative and forward-thinking — and her years of Academy experience and strong knowledge of our awards are a huge asset for our organization during this exciting and historic time. She played a critical role in the success of last year’s show. MaryJane is a truly innovative leader, and her prowess in producing top-notch events is exceptional. I am deeply grateful for their strategic partnership and support.”Melidonian will lead strategy, talent relations, special events and production teams for all awards programs and events. She will collaborate closely with the Oscars producers and show host, Disney/ABC and Academy leadership, including the board of governors and its committees and oversee the teams involved in developing and executing the Oscars for a global viewing audience.
As the lead liaison with Disney/ABC, the Academy’s broadcast distribution partner, Melidonian heads Oscars ad sales, marketing, advertising and synergy strategies supporting audience growth opportunities globally.
Partlow will lead the teams in producing all awards special events throughout the Oscars season, including the Governors Awards, nominations announcement, nominees luncheon, Scientific and Technical Awards and the Oscars Governors Ball.
“These positions and department are vital to the Academy’s evolution and success as we head into our 100th Oscars and beyond,” Kramer said in a statement. “Teni is creative and forward-thinking — and her years of Academy experience and strong knowledge of our awards are a huge asset for our organization during this exciting and historic time. She played a critical role in the success of last year’s show. MaryJane is a truly innovative leader, and her prowess in producing top-notch events is exceptional. I am deeply grateful for their strategic partnership and support.”
In 2022, under Kramer’s leadership, Melidonian led the newly created Oscars strategy division, successfully creating a unit working year-round on all awards-related programs. The team also oversees guest and nominee ticketing and seating for awards season events and spearheads member screenings.
Melidonian was most recently executive vp, Oscars strategy. She began her Academy career in 2005 as a publicist, advancing to head communications and publicity and overseeing brand strategy and marketing before moving over to lead the Oscars strategy team. Prior to the Academy, Melidonian worked in Washington, D.C., including for the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia.
Partlow joined the Academy in 2013 and most recently held the position of senior vp, awards production and special events, contributing significantly to the Academy’s marquee events. Prior to joining the Academy, Partlow produced events for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Emirates airline and several high-profile global philanthropic families.In 2022, under Kramer’s leadership, Melidonian led the newly created Oscars strategy division, successfully creating a unit working year-round on all awards-related programs. The team also oversees guest and nominee ticketing and seating for awards season events and spearheads member screenings.
Melidonian was most recently executive vp, Oscars strategy. She began her Academy career in 2005 as a publicist, advancing to head communications and publicity and overseeing brand strategy and marketing before moving over to lead the Oscars strategy team. Prior to the Academy, Melidonian worked in Washington, D.C., including for the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia.
Partlow joined the Academy in 2013 and most recently held the position of senior vp, awards production and special events, contributing significantly to the Academy’s marquee events. Prior to joining the Academy, Partlow produced events for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Emirates airline and several high-profile global philanthropic families.
12:14,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. A pileup involving 17 cars apparently caused by snow injured 8 people in Kotayk Province Friday evening, the Rescue Service said in a statement.
The crash happened on the 43rd kilometer of the Yerevan-Sevan highway.
All eight injured victims have been hospitalized and are in non-life-threatening condition.
Armenians forcibly displaced from Artsakh experienced a deeply emotional Christmas Eve in Armenia on January 5, 2024 within the hallowed walls of St. Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin. Conducted by the Artsakh Diocese, this service marked an unprecedented moment for the Armenian community. For the very first time, the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh gathered to celebrate this sacred night on Armenian soil, away from their native lands.
The Chragaluyts, or Candlelight Divine Liturgy, holds a significant place in the heart of Armenian Christian practices. It’s a vivid embodiment of sacred light, mirroring the celestial glow of the Bethlehem Star, an important symbol in the Christian narrative. According to Christian texts, this star played a crucial role in guiding the Magi to the newborn Christ. The Chragaluyts service at St. Gayane Church is a pivotal cultural element, transcending the bounds of a mere religious rite. It weaves together faith and ancestral heritage, particularly resonating with Armenians displaced from Artsakh.
In this spiritually charged atmosphere, the act of taking lit candles and lamps back to their homes is a cherished tradition among the faithful. These candles are not only sources of physical light; they are laden with symbolism and considered carriers of blessings. The practice represents the transfer of the holy light from the church to the home, symbolizing the presence and protection of the divine in their personal lives.
The 2024 Christmas Eve celebration in Armenia for the people of Artsakh was not just a religious event; it was a poignant reminder of resilience, cultural identity and the enduring spirit of a community facing the challenges of displacement. It highlighted the deep-rooted traditions and the strong faith that continue to guide and comfort the Armenian people, especially those from Artsakh, in times of upheaval and change.
Armenians displaced from Artsakh wait outside the seventh century Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve, January 5, 2024 Armenians displaced from Artsakh wait outside the seventh century Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve, January 5, 2024 The Armenian Apostolic Church holds a Candlelight Divine Liturgy outside of Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1999, outside of Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1999, outside of Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve Armenians displaced from Artsakh wait outside the seventh century Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve, January 5, 2024 Armenians displaced from Artsakh wait outside of Saint Gayane Church with candles in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve, January 5, 2024 Armenians displaced from Artsakh wait outside the seventh century Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Christmas Eve, January 5, 2024 Armenians from Armenia and Artsakh light candles inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass on January 5, 2024 Armenians pray inside Saint Gayane Church located in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass Armenians from Armenia and Artsakh light candles inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass on January 5, 2024 Armenians from Armenia and Artsakh light candles inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass on January 5, 2024 Armenians attending Christmas Eve mass inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on January 5, 2024 Armenians attending Christmas Eve mass inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia on January 5, 2024 Armenians from Armenia and Artsakh light candles inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass on January 5, 2024 Armenians from Armenia and Artsakh light candles inside Saint Gayane Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia during Christmas Eve mass on January 5, 2024
WASHINGTON—U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee member Joaquin Castro (D-TX) hosted a congressional briefing last week calling attention to escalating attacks by developers seeking to seize land from Jerusalem’s sacred Armenian Quarter to build luxury hotels, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“We want to thank Representative Castro for shining a much-needed congressional spotlight on the escalation of violent attacks against Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter – a central pillar of Christendom, a true treasure for all faith traditions,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “It was encouraging to see such a broad array of legislators represented in this comprehensive Capitol Hill briefing on the legal, political and spiritual aspects of this crisis.”
The January 5 briefing featured testimony from Daniel Seidemann, a globally-respected Israeli lawyer and expert on Jerusalem; Hagop Djernazian, a leader of the Save The ArQ Movement defending the rights of the Jerusalem Armenian Quarter; and Karnig Kerkonian, a prominent U.S.-based attorney representing the community in the ongoing legal dispute over the land.
Over the past several months, Israeli developers have sought to seize land from the Armenian Quarter for private commercial real estate projects. On December 28, in the wake of civil society pushback from the indigenous Armenian community, an angry mob of masked men, apparently mobilized and directed by the developers, brutally attacked a dozen Armenians, including clergy.
The ANCA has called on U.S. Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain to clearly and unequivocally condemn the ongoing efforts to intimidate Jerusalem’s historic Armenian Christian population in an X (formerly Twitter) campaign.
The Armenian Quarter is an integral part of the Old City of Jerusalem – with the Armenian presence in the city dating back to the 4th century AD, when, after Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a national religion, Armenian monks settled in Jerusalem.
The American Armenian Rose Float Association’s 2024 float entry, “Armenian Melodies,” won the “Grand Marshal” award for Most Outstanding Creative Concept and Float Design at the 135th Tournament of Roses.
This year marked the 6th anniversary of the American Armenian Rose Float Association’s participation in the iconic parade.
Inspired by the strength of Armenian matriarchs throughout history, “Armenian Melodies” featured dynamic Armenian mother and daughter figures dressed in vibrant, traditional garb —“taraz” — surrounded by important symbols within Armenian heritage and culture. Tying in perfectly with the 135th Tournament of Roses theme of “Celebrating a World of Music,” “Armenian Melodies” showcased several musical instruments endemic to Armenia.
The “Armenian Melodies” float captured the heroism of Armenian mothers as exemplars of determination, resilience and fortitude in the face of centuries of upheaval. The float was a reminder that, through their steadfast support, Armenian mothers inspire their families and communities to persevere, even through turbulent times.
The float featured Armenian birds that are indigenous to the Armenian Highlands, including the crane, chukar and little ringed plover. Traditional wind and percussion instruments native to Armenia were also on display. Instruments included on the float were: the duduk, shvi, blul, parkapzuk, as well as the dhol and nagara.
Other objects symbolic to Armenian culture, made entirely of flowers, were also on display on the “Armenian Melodies” float, including the AARFA’s tricolor logo, pomegranates, apricots, and an “arevakhatch” or sun cross, which symbolizes eternal life.
Lilia Margaryan Dance Studio, based in Glendale, also took part n the 135th Tournament of Roses. A total of 10 students performed alongside the American Armenian float throughout the parade’s 6.5-mile route.
AARFA is a nonprofit organization for the sole purpose of presenting the American Armenian community’s achievements to the world. Help AARFA continue this tradition by donating online.