15:55,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Firefighters have contained the fire which broke out in an oxygen device plant in Stepanakert.
The State Service of Emergency Situations of Artsakh said the first-responders managed to prevent possible risks.
All detachments of the State Service of Emergency Situations are dispatched to the scene.
17:31,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in the narrow-format session of the Eurasian Inter-governmental Council in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, the PM’s Office said.
The Prime Ministers of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) discussed issues relating to the strengthening of the domestic market, the development of transportation infrastructure, the regulations of customs tariffs, the cooperation in digital agenda and other areas.
The extended-format session of the Inter-governmental Council will take place on August 26.
[see video]
20:43,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Vakhtang Gomelauri thanked Armenia for offering assistance in extinguishing the forest fire, ARMENPRESS reports, "Sputnik Georgia" informs.
"They offered to help us with equipment. Yes, we have also mobilized the equipment, but you can see that we physically cannot use it in large quantities because of the terrain," Gomelauri said.
According to him, the most effective would be to use airplanes, however, taking into account the scale of forest fires in Europe, Georgia does not expect provision of airplanes.
Earlier, it was reported about strong fires in the forest area at the village of Kvabiskhevi, Borjomi region of Georgia.
A new temporary road will become operational in early September
A new temporary road to facilitate traffic between Armenia and Artsakh, within the existing Berdzor (Lachin) corridor, will begin operating the first week of September, Artsakh’s Minister of Territorial Administration Hayk Khanumyan told Armenpress on Thursday.
“Until then, the Stepanakert-Berdzor-Goris highway will continue to function. The alternate route will operate in the new corridor slightly south of the current road. The traffic on the new road will start after all the border posts of the Russian peacekeeping troops become operational,” explained Khanumyan.
“During that time, a temporary section of the 4.5 kilometers will be ready, a part of which has already been asphalted and will be completely finished in the next few days. It is assumed that in the first week of September, the traffic will be organized on the new road,” added the minister.
According to him, the temporary section of the new route bypasses Berdzor, Aghavno and Nerkin Sus, then joins the Aghavno-Tegh road, about three kilometers from away from the Aghavno village.
These traffic and road modifications are being done since the Armenian and Artsakh authorities, as well as the Russian peacekeeping contingent gave in to Azerbaijani demands to divert the traffic in the area ahead of schedule after Azerbaijani forces launched an attack on Berdzor earlier this month, killing two Artsakh soldiers.
Khanumyan added that the process of relocating all infrastructures to the new corridor has also begun.
“The communication issue has already been resolved. It will take time to move electricity lines, and in terms of gas supply, as I have already mentioned, other solutions should be sought,” explained Khanumyan.
Meanwhile, Artsakh’s Interior Ministry on Thursday said that the section of Shushi-Berdzor-Goris highway connecting Artsakh to Armenia is open for both directions, the security of which is ensured by Russian peacekeepers.
The Shushi-Berdzor (Lachin)-Goris section of the interstate motorway connecting Artsakh to Armenia is open both ways, informs the Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Russian peacekeepers said that they will ensure the unobstructed and safe travel of people entering Artsakh and leaving Armenia, according to the ministry.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its founding on Thursday, September 8, 2022. The event is being hosted in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of Cambridge and the Cambridge Peace Commission. It will be open to the public free of charge and will take place from 5:30-7:30 PM at Cambridge City Hall at 795 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
An invitation to this milestone event has been issued by Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui to the Office of the Mayor of Yerevan. The event will begin at 5:30 PM with a program in the Sullivan Chamber with the participation of Mayor Siddiqui. The program will be followed by a reception with hors d’oeuvres.
In addition, an exhibit highlighting CYSCA’s origin and accomplishments will be on display at Cambridge City Hall from September 8-19, 2022. Over 35 years, CYSCA has organized scores of projects and exchanges engaging individuals and groups of professionals in a variety of fields including education, the arts, public health, entrepreneurship and the environment, as well as two-way student exchanges.
The mission of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) is to foster friendship, mutual trust and dynamic interaction between the peoples of Cambridge and Yerevan as well as their neighboring regions; to build links between them; to promote public awareness of issues of mutual concern; and to appreciate and accommodate the various manifestations of diversity in these communities.
The organization was founded by the Cambridge City Council and the Cambridge Peace Commission.
A monument which is meant to "frighten" Armenians will be promptly erected in Berdzor (Lachin) town, which has passed under the control of Azerbaijan today.
The "Iron Fist" monument has already been brought to Lachin, and it will be installed in the center of the city, Azerbaijani media reported.
"Iron Fist" was one of the main military operations by Azerbaijan in its 44-day war against Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in the fall of 2020.
Azerbaijan supports as a formality the initiative of reconciliation with Armenia, but in reality it continues its provocations and aggressive actions against Armenians.
There is Nagorno-Karabakh and the conflict created around it, without resolving which we will be far from peace, the Ambassador for Special Assignments Edmond Marukyan wrote on his Facebook page.
He noted in particular:
"In Azerbaijan, they think they can decide whether or not the U.S. should appoint a co-chair of the Minsk Group…
Or they can say that there is no Nagorno-Karabakh, the Karabakh conflict is solved, when the whole international community expresses a different opinion, the solution of the Karabakh conflict is necessary for the long-term peace.
That is, it is fixed that there is Nagorno-Karabakh and the conflict created around it, without the resolution of which we will be far from peace.
Military success dazzles and then becomes the basis of failures."
15:24,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) and STARMUS International Festival signed a memorandum of understanding ahead of the STARMUS VI Festival to be held in Yerevan on September 5-11.
As a leader of transforming educational and scientific ecosystem in Armenia, FAST will be the partner of STARMUS in science, art and music fields, contributing to the fulfillment of the organization’s mission and the holding of events in Armenia aimed at popularizing science. Committed to the vision to develop education in science sector, FAST has acquired 100 tickets of STARMUS which it will provide to students of Armenia’s high schools so that they take part in this important event.
The Foundation will also participate in the Science Camp on the sidelines of the Festival, which will take place in the Freedom Square of Yerevan. The Science Camp will focus on different topics. FAST will have a separate pavilion at the Camp where it will present its 5-year activity in artificial intelligence, as well as the products of local AI companies aimed at popularizing the sector.
FAST Founding Director Armen Orujyan highly valued this cooperation, stating that it will contribute to raising interest among new generation towards science. “Our goal is to support Armenia to be included in the list of top five innovative countries in data science and artificial intelligence by 2041.We know that this path is difficult and requires a lot of work, but Armenia’s scientific traditions inspire hopes that in case of having a developed innovative ecosystem we will be able to utilize our potential correctly and ensure that very much desirable drastic growth”, Armen Orujyan said.
“The main goal of STARMUS is to inspire youth to be interested and engaged in science. From the very start we were convinced that we are going to cooperate with FAST and are confident that it will continue in the future as well because the main purpose of FAST is the development of science and technologies in Armenia which is fully in accordance with the tasks set before us. I am sure that we have a long path to pass with FAST in order to draw world’s attention to Armenia as a country of scientific achievements”, STARMUS Founding Director Garik Israelian said.
The Science Camp will take place from September 8 to 11, at 17:00-23:00, it will be open for all visitors. 10 innovative startups, that are beneficiaries of different projects of FAST, will present their AI solutions. The visitors will have a chance to take part in interesting games and competitions by acquiring new knowledge and impressive experience.
The format of STARMUS Festival involves scientific debates, panel discussions, exhibitions, concerts, film screenings and many other events.
This year FAST will hold already the 4th Global Innovation Forum (GIF22) on October 5-6 in Yerevan under the title “Life Altering Technologies”.
The Glendale City Council, on Aug. 23, voted to become a sister city with Artsakh's Martuni
BY TONY ORDOUKHANIAN
GLENDALE—The Glendale City Council led by Mayor Ardy Kassakhian on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution to establish a sister city relationship with the city of Martuni in the Republic of Artsakh.
Glendale City Councilmember Ara Najarian, Elen Asatryan, Dan Brotman and Paula Devine voiced their support for the effort.
During the presentation of this resolution, Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region Government Affairs Coordinator Edward Barsoumian spoke in support of the initiative being taken by the City Council.
“This resolution will undoubtedly promote meaningful discourse on the humanitarian crisis and current situation in Artsakh, cultivating greater cultural exchange, and demonstrating the City of Glendale’s leadership in combating hate and promoting cultural understanding across the globe,” said Barsoumian.
Mayor Kassakhian had first proposed this collaboration to his fellow Council Members in June. Beyond establishing the sister city relationship with Martuni, the councilmembers underscored the importance of promoting the economic development of Martuni, the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage across Artsakh, and the strengthening of relations between the citizens of Glendale and the Armenian population of the Republic of Artsakh.
Councilmember Devine moved the item and Councilmember Najarian seconded it, allowing for Martuni to become the 10th city to establish sisterhood ties with the City of Glendale.
With the pending transfer of the cities of Aghavno, Berdzor and Nerkin Sus to Azerbaijan on August 25, ANCA-WR’s representatives highlighted the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe which has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of Armenian families from their indigenous lands. Moreover, they expressed the determination of Armenians to prevent cultural genocide through the removal of historical and cultural monuments (Khachkhars) from the three cities prior to their transfer to Aliyev’s genocidal regime which has waged a campaign of destruction and desecration against Armenian religious and cultural sites in territories occupied by Azerbaijan during and after the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh Conflict.
ANCA-WR Youth Committee Chairman Tony Ordoukhanian also spoke in high support of this new sister city relationship. “It is through this resolution that we as a collective society, regardless of our heritage, Armenian or not, and our creed that we firmly hold onto, that we can firmly stand against hatred, ethnic cleansing, and work to uplift the human rights that the people of Artsakh deserve.” Ordoukhanian expressed his hope that the passage of the sister-city resolution will spark an improved US foreign policy to Artsakh.
The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.
Tony Ordoukhanian is the Chair of the newly-formed ANCA-WR Youth Committee and a member of the class of 2022 ANCA-WR Summer interns.