Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Armenia, Commonwealth of Dominica to sign visa waiver

Emil Lazarian

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 17:11,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia approved during the Cabinet meeting the signing of a visa waiver with the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, a move expected to develop and strengthen the relations.

The agreement on lifting visa requirements will “contribute to the development of relations through encouraging mutual-visits of official delegations and citizens, tourism and increasing promotion.”

The Armenian government said it is working to sign visa waivers with other countries of the region as well, since as of this moment it has such agreements only with three Central and South American countries – Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian FM and EU Special Representative discuss issues of regional security and stability

Emil Lazarian

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 18:31,

YEREVAN, 21 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan on October 21 received Special Representative of the EU for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar discussed issues related to Armenia-European Union partnership emphasizing the importance of promotion of further efficient cooperation. The sides exchanged thoughts also about the works of forthcoming summit of Eastern Partnership.

The interlocutors discussed in detail the issues of regional security and stability.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to the peaceful settlement process of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the five-party meeting that took place in New York, emphasized the importance of restart of peaceful negotiations. Both sides emphasized the necessity of lasting and comprehensive settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Ararat Mirzoyan mentioned that despite many calls of the international community, Azerbaijan continues to keep hostage Armenian prisoners of war and civilian persons and emphasized the necessity of their immediate repatriation.

CivilNet: Deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia meet in Moscow

Emil Lazarian
CIVILNET.AM

21 Oct, 2021 10:10

The deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia met in Moscow on October 20 to discuss the unblocking of communications infrastructure. 

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s US affiliate raises $1 million for the Armenian community in Lebanon. 

Around $3.5 million has been spent thus far on hotel costs to house displaced people in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

ARF youth launch pan-Armenian resistance

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 21 2021

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktsutyun) youth organizations have launched a pan-Armenian resistance movement which as they said  will bring about the long-awaited revolution of our national values and priorities through consistent work and struggle. In a released press statement, the initators insist the resistance is launched considering the dangers posed to the statehood of Armenia, as well as the imperative duty of preventing the loss of Syunik and additional losses to Artsakh.

According to it, the pan-national resistance movement will focuses on 5 key fronts: spread and amplify the struggle against the Turkish and Azerbaijani aggressors, convey to the world powers that their policies cannot be implemented at the expense of the interests of the Armenian people, using impactful and abrupt measures, reject the divisive and destructive policies of the Armenian government, combat the expulsion of Armenians of Artsakh, the attempts of Turkey and Azerbaijan to isolate Artsakh from Armenia and the Diaspora, and the emigration of the population of Syunik, unite and organize Armenian youth with the goal of creating a strong network of resistance.

The Youth organisations call on all to join the resistance movement. “We do not have the luxury of sitting on the sidelines. Now is the time for a national awakening and to change the trajectory of the national downfall into a national uprising,” the call read. 

Earthquake recorded 15km northeast of Bavra village in northern Armenia

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 21 2021

An earthquake of 2.3 magnitude was registered in Armenia’s Shirak province on Thursday at about 13:17 (GMT 09:17), National Service for Seismic Protection reported. The geographical coordinates of the epicenter were northern latitude 41.15⁰ and eastern longitude 43.98⁰. The quake was recorded 15km northeast of Bavra village on the Armenian-Georgian border. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the depth of 10 kilometers.

According to the source, the earthquake was felt in Metsavan and Dzoramut villages Armenia’s Lori province with 2-3 points.

Venice Commission confirms that Armenia Human Rights Defender is A-Status Ombudsman

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Oct 21 2021
00:15, 21.10.2021

Based on the report released by the Venice Commission, the Venice Commission has confirmed that the Human Rights Defender of Armenia is an A-Status Ombudsman and National Human Rights Institution NHRI with long experience in the field of protection and promotion of human rights and other specific aspects of the mandate assigned to it by the Constitutional Law. This is what Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan informed on his Facebook page, adding the following:

“The Venice Commission concluded that the Human Rights Defender of Armenia is an A-status Ombudsman and National Human Rights Institution NHRI with long experience in the field of protection and promotion of human rights and other specific aspects of the mandate assigned to it by the Constitutional Law. This institution, as a key player in strengthening the rule of law, democracy and human rights, can play a key role in their development and consolidation in Armenia, the opinion said.”

A little while ago, the OSCE/ODIHR also adopted a similar document.

At this moment, I can only say that it is a pride when, at the most reputable international levels, it is declared that the Human Rights Defender of Armenia is an A-Status, is not dependent of anyone, is truly independent and has played a key role in the country.

I thank our international partners for assessing our work, and I congratulate our whole personnel for receiving such honorable appreciation.

I will touch upon the essence of the documents in detail soon.”

Asbarez: Minas and Kohar Tölölyan Prize Winners Announced

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Arts & Culture, Books, Latest, News, Top Stories

Minas and Kohar Tölölyan

The Hamazkayin Eastern U.S. Regional executive announced Karenn Chutjian Presti and Lola Koundakjian as winners of the 2021 Minas and Kohar Tölölyan Prize in Contemporary Literature.

Chutjian Presti was recognized for her children’s book in Western Armenian “Աստղիկը Կ՚ուզէ Արագ Մեծնալ (Astghig Wants to Grow up Quickly,” with the prize for work in English language being given to Koundakjian for her bilingual (English and Spanish) collection of poems entitled The moon in the cusp of my hand.

arenn Chutjian Presti (Photo by Stephanie Betjemann

Karenn Chutjian Presti is an award winning author, musician, teacher, performer and lecturer at UCLA H. Alpert School of Music. States, Dr. Presti’s “superbly offered” evening of art song in Bavaria’s Dr. Presti currently arranges, composes, improvises, and plays for the Redondo Ballet.Dr. Presti completed her masters and doctorate degrees at USC, where her awards included Koldofsky Memorial Music Scholarship, the Briggs Memorial Music Scholarship, and the Recognition for Excellence in Collaborative Piano.

She graduated with her bachelors degree as commencement speaker from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she was also the recipient of numerous scholarships.Dr. Presti’s musicological work began with her dissertation under Dr. Richard Dekmejian, “The Reality of Social Realism: Socialist Realism and Its Application to Soviet Armenian Composers”. She lectures on nationalism in music and the history of Armenian music. 

Lola Koundakjian at the Cloisters (Photo By Farida Soumar)

Lola Koundakjian is an award winning poet, editor, artist living in New York. She is also the founder of the Armenian Poetry Project.

In 2020, Nueva York Poetry Press published Lola’s third volume of poetry, The Moon in the Cusp of My Hand/La lune en la cúspide de mi mano.
Lola Koundakjian’s poetry has appeared in many journals. She also has published several volumes of poetry, and her poetry has been translated into Arabic, Ukrainian, Austrian, French, Italian, Spanish.

Koundakjian holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University and has participated in many conferences and her papers have been published in various conference proceedings.

Named after one of the major Armenian literary critics of the second half of the 20th century and his wife, a devoted teacher of that literature for decades, the annually awarded Minas and Kohar Tölölyan Prize in Contemporary Literature recognizes the work produced by talented writers working in North America. The prize is intended to encourage new work in all the major genres of literary production, as they are currently understood in North America.

Asbarez: Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian Named Interim Minister of Armenian Evangelical Union

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories
 0
Armenia Evangelical Union of North America’s Interim Minister Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian

ARF Western U.S. Central Committee welcomes Shanazarian

Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian assumed the post of Interim Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America on October 1. He was unanimously confirmed by vote of the AEUNA Board of Directors in June 2021, and will be officially presented as the candidate to the full AEUNA General Assembly for approval as Minister to the Union during the next biennial meeting of the General Assembly in June 2022.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S. Central Committee had an opportunity to meet and welcome Rev. Shahnazarian when he accompanied Rev. Berdj Djambazian to the party’s headquarters in Glendale for a meeting with the body.

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues of concern to the community, the important role the Armenian Evangelical Union North America plays in the advancement of our national aspirations, the current crisis in Lebanon and the Middle impacting the Armenian communities there, as well as the challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh after the devastating 44-Day War.

Welcoming reverends Djambazian and Shanazarian were ARF Western U.S. Central Committee chairperson Dr. Carmen Ohanian along with CC member Vahan Bzdigan and Avedik Izmirlian, who serves as Central Committee’s representative to community organizations.

From l to r: ARF Western U.S. Central Committee’s Vahan Bzdigian, Dr. Carmen Ohanian, reverends Berdj Djambazian, Hendrik Shanazarian and Avedik Izmirlian

“We look forward to working with Rev. Shanazarian and strengthening our already positive working relations with the Armenian Evangelical Church of North America,” said ARF Central Committee chair Dr. Ohanian. “Our community has been fortunate to have a leader like Rev. Djambazian at the helm of the AEUNA for the past several years. He has worked tirelessly to advance the Armenian Cause and bring unity and cooperation to our community efforts.”

Born in Tehran, Rev. Shanazarian was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament in November 2000 in the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church of Iran. He holds a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from the Allameh Tabatabaie University in Tehran, Iran, and M.Div. from the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon. Rev. Shanazarian is married to Dr. Mariet Mikaelian, and they have two children, Anna and Tadeh.

In 1981, he started his ministry in the Armenian Evangelical Church in Tehran as a youth leader, and has served in different capacities since then. Before coming to the U.S. in 2007, he served on the leadership of the Synod of the Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church in Iran, and taught Old Testament, Systematic Theology, and Christian Counseling and Worship at the Synod’s Bible School.

Rev. Shanazarian was elected Moderator of the AEUNA at the General Assembly 2020 meeting held virtually, and was instrumental in assisting with ecclesiastical and community projects. He was most recently Associate Pastor at United Armenian Congregational Church, Los Angeles.

Armenian FM, Brazilian Ambassador highlight activation of political dialogue

Emil Lazarian

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 18:53,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the Ambassador of Brazil to Armenia Agemar de Mendonça Sanctos.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the Armenian FM and the Brazilian Ambassador emphasized the importance of activating political dialogue by holding consultations between the foreign ministries and organizing high level mutual visits.

The interlocutors expressed readiness to make efforts to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest, specially emphasizing the spheres of high and information technologies, space, human contacts, agriculture.

Foreign Minister Mirzoyan and Brazilian Ambassador Agemar de Mendonça Sanctos praised the bridging role of the Armenian community in Brazil in the relations between the two countries.

The parties also expressed satisfaction with the effective cooperation on various international platforms. Prospects for cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and MERCOSUR were discussed.

During the meeting FM Mirzoyan also referred to the humanitarian situation caused by the Azerbaijani-Turkish agression, emphasizing the unconditional necessity for returning the Armenian POWs and civilian hostages.