April is Armenian Heritage Month for Los Angeles County and KTLA is paying tribute by shining a light on those making a positive impact in their community.
KTLA’s Ellina Abovian sits down with Steve Papazian, the former President of Production at Warner Bros. Studios and takes a look back at his storied career in Hollywood.
Watch the video at the link below:
An earthquake, cement factory, portable baptismal font are all part of the story of the Church in Armenia
YEREVAN, Armenia — Hripsime Zatikyan Wright was born when Armenia was part of the Soviet Union, and she was never taught that there was a God.
When she was 12 years old, a huge earthquake destroyed 90% of her hometown, killing at least 25,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. Wright, who has recounted her experience in an article found in Gospel Library, was in school when the shaking began. As a crowd started to run down the stairs, she followed an impression to go back and get a red knit scarf her mother had made.
She then watched, red knit scarf in hand, as the stairway collapsed, killing everyone on it. Her family also survived the earthquake and its ensuing destruction.
After college, Wright met two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yerevan. She learned the gospel from them, praying for the first time in her life and receiving a witness that Heavenly Father was real and the gospel was true.
Wright was baptized, and later served a mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Eventually her family was also baptized, as well as other relatives and friends.
Elder Noah Zatikyan Wright, center, with his mother, Hripsime Zatikyan Wright, and one of the missionaries who taught her in Armenia in 1999, Ben Mathews, are pictured together at Elder Wright’s mission farewell in Bountiful, Utah, Aug. 28, 2022.
Provided by Hripsime Zatikyan Wright
Wright later married and now lives in Utah. She started to cry when her son, Elder Noah Zatikyan Wright, opened his mission call and read that he had been called to serve in her homeland.
Elder Wright has been in Armenia since November 2022, teaching the gospel like the missionaries who taught his mother.
“My whole family — we are covenanted together for eternity,” he told the Church News in Armenia on April 18. “How could I not love my mother? She wouldn’t give up, and because she knew it was true and wouldn’t deny it, I am here.”
Elder Wright’s first area on his mission was Gyumri — formerly known as Leninakan — the same town where his mother survived the earthquake. “From that moment, her life was consecrated, it was different.”
During a ministry assignment to Europe this April, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Armenia — where approximately 50,000 people died and half a million became homeless after the Armenian earthquake on Dec. 7, 1988.
One week after the 1988 disaster, then-Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with the Soviet ambassador in Washington, D.C. to convey condolences and present a check for humanitarian aid, according to information about Armenia on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Meanwhile, after visiting Leninakan, businessman Jon M. Huntsman Sr. also felt that he must do something about the humanitarian crisis.
The poorly-built buildings collapsed quickly in the earthquake. He felt that he could help the people the most by helping them rebuild safer, stronger buildings.
Jon M. Huntsman Sr. and his sons, David H. Huntsman and Peter Huntsman, in Gyumri (formerly known as Leninakan), Armenia, on Jan. 4, 1990.
Huntsman family
Huntsman’s son, Elder David H. Huntsman, currently serving as an Area Seventy in the Church’s Utah Area, said one of the things his father noticed was that all of the humanitarian efforts were short-term.
“My father wanted to do something different,” Elder Huntsman said. “He knew that to truly recover from such a devastating natural disaster would take decades.” He decided to make an investment in the country by helping build new, safer apartments and to build self-reliance at the same time.
Jon M. Huntsman Sr. and his business associate, now-Elder Rasband, came to Armenia in January 1990 to begin the process of starting a cement factory.
In response to the earthquake and resulting crisis, humanitarian and rebuilding efforts at the factory were completed in partnership with volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jon M. Huntsman Sr. and Elder Rasband attended a dinner at Lake Sevan with government officials. Huntsman talked about how the endeavor would need humanitarian missionary couples to come and serve at the plant and also have a place to worship.
Elder David Huntsman remembers sitting around the table with his father, Elder Rasband and the others.
“I remember the question being asked about missionaries,” he said. “I remember the minister giving permission for missionaries to get into the country. That was the formal opening of the door. It was at a government retreat, a private residence. I’ll always remember the meal and the conversation.”
The Republic of Armenia — a mountainous country bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran — became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Visits from Church leaders in the early 1990s included President Howard W. Hunter, who traveled with Jon Huntsman Sr. and Elder Rasband to the country. Then-Elder Nelson and then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks, serving at the time in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the area presidency worked to ensure the Church could be recognized in the country.
Meanwhile, the Huntsman factory was producing materials to help re-house tens of thousands of Armenians left homeless by the earthquake.
David M. Horne lived on the ground in Armenia for the Huntsman Corporation and was instrumental in this process. He also coordinated the shipment and delivery of dozens of railcars of food to residents during the severe winters.
In light of these efforts, the Church was officially registered in Armenia in December 1995.
But Horne died in January 1996 after an accidental propane gas explosion in his Yerevan apartment. A plaque was placed on the outside of the cement factory to honor Horne as a longtime friend of the Armenian people.
The Huntsman cement factory — which helped so many Armenians rebuild — has long been out of operation and the property has new owners. But Elder Rasband was able to briefly see the site once again on Wednesday, April 19.
With emotion he touched the plaque on an outer wall honoring Horne, who was Elder Rasband’s friend.
Margarit Ayvazyan walked to the old building with Elder Rasband. “Standing by his side and watching him feel so deeply, I could tell he loved the place. I’m glad he could see it,” she said.
Elder Paul Picard, an Area Seventy in the Europe Central Area who accompanied Elder Rasband to Armenia, was a young full-time missionary in the country in the late 1990s. From the street he pointed to the window of the room where he and other missionaries before and after him baptized new members in a portable baptismal font.
Elder Paul Picard, General Authority Seventy in the Europe Central Area, is pictured on the back row, third from left, when he was a young full-time missionary in Armenia in 1998. He and other missionaries baptized people in a portable baptismal font at offices by the Huntsman concrete factory in Yerevan.
Provided by Elder Paul Picard
“The people of Armenia have great faith and they have a real commitment,” Elder David Huntsman said. “You knew once the gospel got there and took root, it would grow and flourish.”
Armenia has some of the oldest Christian roots of any nation in the world. The restored gospel of these latter-days began to grow in the Ottoman Empire in 1884 when a Mr. Vartoogian wrote a letter asking missionaries to come teach his family in Istanbul. Many people from the Armenian community became converted, and by the early 1900s, branches had been established in the area.
But in 1921, with fighting in the area, many Church members were suffering. The mission president, Joseph W. Booth, was able to get the group permission to leave Aintab (now called Gaziantep) for Aleppo, Syria. This was called the Armenian exodus. When they safely arrived, Booth said, “This is an incident wherein the power of God has been clearly manifested, and the Saints are grateful for His wonderful care and mercy.”
Over time, the Saints left Aleppo, most immigrating to Utah or to other countries.
The Book of Mormon had been translated in 1937 into Western Armenian, which is spoken by Armenians living outside of Armenia. In March 1991, the first translation of the Book of Mormon into Eastern Armenian was published.
Mikhail Oskar Belousaov, the first man to join the Church in Armenia, was baptized in March 1992. In April, 1992, Nara Sarkissian was baptized as the first woman to join the Church in Armenia. The Yerevan Branch was organized in January 1994.
In the 1990s, as missionary work increased, baptisms moved from the temporary font at the Huntsman cement factory offices to a chapel. Membership steadily grew in Armenia, and a stake was formed in June 2013.
But a few years later, activity and membership numbers declined and Church membership in the country was organized in a district; members and the missionaries are working to rebuild its branches.
Like the physical rebuilding after the earthquake in 1988, the visit of Elder Rasband this week to Armenia brings hope of a spiritual rebuilding for the Church.
Margarit Ayvazyan said: “When an Apostle comes to visit, it means the heavens are open.”
Three Armenian Greco-Roman wrestlers have advanced to the quarter-finals of the European Wrestling Championships being held in Zagreb, Croatia.
World and European champion Malkhas Amoyan crushed his opponent 10-0 in the 1/8 finals, the Armenian Wrestling Federation said.
The other two athletes who qualified for the quarter-finals are Vigen Nazaryan and David Ovasapyan.
Rudik Mkrtchyan and Hrachya Poghosyan from Armenia are set to start their performances in the quarter-finals.
12:30,
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. 1,4 km of the 5km problematic part in the section of Tegh village has been clarified, border guards worked together and are deployed at a certain distance from each other, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told ARMENPRESS during a press briefing in parliament when asked on the security situation in Tegh village.
“We have a 11km part there, and we consider 5km in this 11km to be problematic. As of today, I can say that this problematic part has been cut by another 1,4km. This means that an additional that much of the border has been clarified. What do I mean by saying clarified? This means that we and the Azerbaijanis have a common opinion on that part, and our border line passes there. This also means that border guards of Armenia are deployed at a certain distance from that border, and the Azerbaijani border guards also at a certain distance from that border,” Pashinyan said.
Pashinyan said that the Azerbaijanis were in territory of Armenia.
“In my previous statement that problematic part was more than 5km, now that 5km is reduced to 3,6. Meaning, the border guards worked together, clarified the border point and were deployed at a certain distance,” he added.
Pashinyan added that experience shows that when border guards work together it could lead to certain result. Armenia hopes that the remaining 3,6km section will be clarified and the subject will be closed.
13:22,
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. A group of school students in Armenia were given the opportunity to speak with the crew of Shenzhou 15, the Chinese spaceflight that launched on 29 November 2022.
China’s Ambassador to Armenia Fan Yong said that this event – first of its kind organized in Armenia – is a very good chance for Armenian young people to get to know China’s achievements in space.
“Because Armenia and China are very good partners and friends, we try to share our experience of development with Armenia. I think this is a very good chance to spark interest for space among Armenian young people, which will then develop the country. The development of astronautics played a big role in China’s path of development,” the Ambassador said.
“I think the knowledge in this sector is highly important for Armenia because Armenia has also launched a satellite into space,” he added.
Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Artur Martirosyan said the event is a sign of the friendship between Armenia and the People’s Republic of China.
“Around 60 children are participating in this online dialogue. I am sure that this will be a very good opportunity for them to choose a future profession,” he said.
Students from 14 other countries from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation were also participating in the video conference with the crew of the Shenzhou 15 .
The students got to know the activities of the crew, their daily routine and work.
15:25,
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani troops opened fire at several Armenian farmers working in the agricultural fields in Nagorno Karabakh around 12:00, April 18, the Nagorno Karabakh authorities announced.
The shooting happened in the Aknaghbyur village.
The Azerbaijani troops used various caliber small arms in the shooting.
The farmers stopped the agricultural work.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno Karabakh said they notified the Russian peacekeepers on the shooting.
No injuries were reported.
18:47,
YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of the official visit to the Republic of Lithuania, the President of the Republic of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, along with his counterpart Gitanas Nausėda, participated in the official opening ceremony of the Armenian-Lithuanian business forum, during which the presidents made opening speeches.
ARMENPRESS reports President Vahagn Khachaturyan welcomed all the participants of the Armenian-Lithuanian business forum, expressing gratitude to the Lithuanian side for their support in organizing the event.
“The interest shown by the representatives of various business circles in the forum is really encouraging. At the same time, I must admit that the interest of the Armenian side in participating in the forum was much greater. I am committed to provide all the necessary steps to hold the next business forum in Armenia. As an economist and politician, I would like to note that economy is tight politics, while tight economy is successful business. Therefore, the success of the business is the evidence of the success of both the economy and politics,” he said.
The President emphasized that, guided by that logic, from the beginning of the planning of his visit, he wanted to include a business component in the visit, and he is happy that they succeeded in this.
“Greeting all of you once again, I urge you to take this opportunity to identify, consolidate and implement your interest in businesses that are important for both countries and make the best use of this platform kindly provided by the Lithuanian authorities.
I will end my speech with the note that business is not about long-winded speeches, but about actions and results, so I wish you all a fruitful event and assure you that I am ready to support all your ideas and initiatives,” concluded Vahagn Khachaturyan.
At the start of the business forum, in the presence of Presidents Vahagn Khachaturyan and Gitanas Nausėda, the Ministers of High-Tech Industry of Armenia and Lithuania signed a cooperation and mutual understanding agreement. Agreements and memorandums were also signed between Armenian and Lithuanian businessmen participating in the conference.
Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralized digital cryptocurrency, has had a significant impact on the technology of Armenia. The country’s tech-savvy population and its embrace of blockchain technology have made it one of the leading countries in the region when it comes to developing and implementing Bitcoin-based services. Visit bitcoin union for further information.
In 2017, Armenian citizens were granted access to Bitruble, Russia’s first government-backed cryptocurrency. This allowed local traders to benefit from lower transaction costs associated with digital currency transactions compared to fiat money transfers. In addition, Armenia is also home to a number of high-tech startups that are leveraging blockchain technology to create efficient payment solutions for businesses.
The most prominent example is P2P Cash, which was founded in 2018 as an alternative payment system for merchants and consumers. The company enables customers to make payments without having to incur fees associated with traditional payment systems like credit cards or bank transfers. Additionally, P2P Cash provides users with enhanced security through their use of multi-signature wallets.
Armenia is also at the forefront of other innovative uses of Bitcoin such as smart contracts and distributed ledger technology (DLT). For instance, Smart Valley is a platform that harnesses DLT to facilitate investments between companies and venture capitalists all over the world by providing them with immutable records on all financial activities taking place within their network.
Furthermore, the country has seen an emergence of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) that allow traders to exchange cryptocurrencies in a secure manner without entrusting sensitive data such as personal information or KYC documents to any third party counterparties.
Overall, Bitcoin has had far-reaching implications on the technology sector in Armenia due its widespread adoption across various industries, including finance and tourism. The prevalence of blockchain applications has enabled businesses and individuals alike to reap greater benefits from digital transactions while enjoying increased privacy and security features not available with traditional banking options.
The introduction of Bitcoin and blockchain technology has seen a drastic rise in the use of various digital technologies in Armenia. Bitcoin has allowed for new advancements that have led to an increase in the development of innovative solutions to some of the most pressing economic and technological issues faced by Armenia.
One advantage is that Bitcoin provides an alternative financial system which is not reliant on government or banking institutions, allowing Armenians greater access to financial services. This also eliminates costly fees associated with conventional banking and enables more transparent transactions. Additionally, blockchain technology prevents fraud and money laundering, allowing for more secure transactions between users.
Another benefit of Bitcoin is its ability to facilitate faster payments and transfers for both individuals and businesses. By using cryptocurrency, users can make payments almost instantaneously without having to wait for banks to process their transactions. This makes business operations much smoother and more efficient by eliminating time-consuming procedures related to traditional methods of payment.
In addition, Bitcoin provides a more cost-effective infrastructure for online commerce as well as other online activities such as gaming or streaming services. By removing the need for traditional payment methods, businesses are able to lower operational costs while still providing customers with convenient options for purchases or subscriptions. Furthermore, this also allows consumers to make cross-border payments at a much lower price than traditional methods offer.
The presence of Bitcoin in Armenia has also helped foster a climate of innovation that has seen numerous startups launch their products or services over the past few years. These startups are utilizing the advantages provided by cryptocurrencies such as low transaction costs and secure transactions, which helps them create profitable business models where otherwise they would have failed due to the expensive fees associated with traditional banking systems..
Overall, Bitcoin has had a significant impact on technology in Armenia by offering numerous advantages over traditional methods of payment such as improved security, faster processing times, reduced transaction costs, increased accessibility and innovation opportunities fueled by cryptocurrencies. As such, it serves an invaluable role in helping Armenians take advantage of digital technologies in order to improve their lives and their country’s economy overall.
09:41,
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. Day 6 at the 2023 EWF European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan will see athletes in the 76kg women’s category and 89kg men’s category take the stage at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex.
Below is the schedule for Day 6.
10:42,
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. Repatriation trends remain high in 2023 and the flow that began in 2022 is maintained, according to High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan.
Sinanyan said his office received 1000 letters, 200 calls and 60 visits in January-March of 2023. Another 32 Syrian-Armenians applied for healthcare issues.
He said that the Center for Integration of Repatriates, which will be opened soon, will facilitate the process by offering comprehensive services in a single location.
The High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs said his office has been working in very difficult conditions in the past years, because the COVID-19 pandemic was followed by the war, and all of that impacted the Armenia-Diaspora relations.
“We must be able to restore the atmosphere of honesty, sincerity based on mutual respect between the Diaspora and Armenia. And most importantly, we must all understand what needs to be done and what unites us all. Our priority objective is to formulate this, the rest are tactical steps, while the development of this healthy atmosphere doesn’t only depend on our work, but also the nature of relations between Armenia and our compatriots in the Diaspora, and by creating this all we can bring qualitative change into our relations, which will bring huge benefits to both Armenia and the Diaspora,” Sinanyan told ARMENPRESS.
It is important to establish relations not on the principles of a donor and a philanthropist, but based on mutual dialogue, understandable, profitable foundations for all sides.
The Global Armenian Summit, which was held in October in Yerevan, is part of that dialogue, he added.
As a result of the event, Sinanyan’s office began developing the Armenia-Diaspora Strategy, which will be submitted to the government’s approval.
Another idea generated during the summit is the creation of the Global Armenian Congress, a consultative body under the Office of the High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs. The congress is now under development.
The National Youth Conference, another event organized by Sinanyan’s office, will take place August 1-3, 2023. Over 450 participants are expected to attend the event.
He praised the program, noting that 68% of participants chose to stay and work in Armenia.