L' Orient-Le Jour, Liban
Mardi 14 Novembre 2017
Les Arméniens du Liban : cent ans de présence
Vient de paraître
L'ouvrage historique publié aux Presses de l'Université Saint-Joseph a
fait l'objet d'une présentation, vendredi dernier, au Salon du livre
francophone de Beyrouth.
Anne-Marie El-HAGE | OLJ
Cent ans déjà que les Arméniens ont trouvé refuge au Liban, fuyant le
génocide perpétré par l'Empire ottoman.
Que sont-ils devenus au bout d'un siècle ? Quelle a été leur
contribution au développement du Liban ? À ces questions parmi tant
d'autres, qui mettent en exergue la nécessité pour les Arméniens du
Liban de maintenir leur identité arménienne, tout en devenant libanais
à part entière, l'ouvrage historique Les Arméniens du Liban, cent ans
de présence apporte des réponses.
Entrepris par une trentaine de chercheurs sous la direction de
Christine Babikian Assaf, Carla Eddé, Lévon Nordiguian et Vahé
Tachjian, ce livre, publié aux Presses de l'Université Saint-Joseph, a
fait l'objet d'une présentation, vendredi dernier, au Salon du livre
francophone de Beyrouth.
Il fait suite à l'ouvrage Les Arméniens, 1917-1939 : la quête d'un
refuge, publié en 2006 par le même éditeur.
Devant une salle pleine à craquer, les historiens Vahé Tachjian,
Boutros Labaki et Henry Laurens et l'archéologue Lévon Nordiguian ont
tour à tour intervenu dans un débat modéré par Mme Babikian Assaf,
historienne et doyenne de la faculté des lettres et des sciences
humaines de l'USJ.
L'influence arménienne au Liban
Les Arméniens du Liban, cent ans de présence ne peut se lire d'un trait.
Avec ses 500 pages et ses 350 photos, le livre est un concentré de
vies, d'histoires, de thèmes et d'événements.
Composé de quatre grandes parties, non seulement il raconte les
Arméniens dans la cité et se penche sur des parcours collectifs et
individuels, mais il montre la richesse de l'apport des Arméniens,
leur influence sur le plan culturel notamment.
À tel point qu'il décrit Beyrouth comme « capitale culturelle arménienne ».
Des témoignages et récits de vie viennent étayer ce travail
titanesque, parmi lesquels des membres de la communauté arménienne
parfaitement intégrés à la société libanaise, mais aussi d'autres, peu
ou pas intégrés.
La photo occupe une place de choix dans cette recherche à plusieurs mains.
Il faut dire que « les photographes arméniens ont joué un rôle
prépondérant dans la capitale libanaise », explique Lévon Nordiguian.
« Entre le XIXe et le début du XXe siècle, il n'existait pas une ville
du Proche-Orient qui n'abritait pas un ou plusieurs photographes
arméniens », révèle l'archéologue, précisant que Beyrouth était alors
l'une des capitales provinciales de l'Empire ottoman les plus actives.
À titre d'exemple, raconte-t-il, « les frères Sarafian se sont
installés à Beyrouth à partir de 1887, d'abord rue de l'émir Bachir,
puis à Bab Idriss.
En 1920, avec l'arrivée massive des Arméniens fuyant le génocide, ce
quartier était déjà le cœur de la photographie du pays ».
Et d'ajouter que « dans les années soixante, un peu plus de 60 % des
photographes opérant à Beyrouth étaient arméniens ».
« Ils se sont imposés par leur talent et leur savoir-faire »,
observe-t-il, citant quelques photographes arméniens célèbres, comme
Manoug, les frères Jean et Harry Naltchayan, Varoujan...
qui étaient sollicités par les stars, les hommes politiques ou par des
institutions de prestige comme la MEA.
Avec son lot de saccages et de pillages de commerces, la guerre civile
est venue balayer et détruire une grande partie des documents de
l'époque, déplore M.
Nordiguian.
Une richesse pour l'histoire du Liban
L'ouvrage « permet de comprendre la communauté arménienne du Liban »,
fait remarquer à son tour l'historien Vahé Tachjian.
À savoir ses origines, les camps de réfugiés, la vie quotidienne, la
construction progressive des quartiers...
« Des sources écrites sont à la base de ce travail », souligne-t-il,
précisant que « la plupart de ces sources sont rédigées en arménien et
qu'il faut une bonne maîtrise de la langue pour les comprendre ».
Accompagnés de 350 photos rassemblées de diverses sources,
bibliothèques, associations, archives personnelles et universitaires,
les textes permettent de plus, de manière générale, « d'enrichir la
connaissance de l'histoire du Liban », assure M.
Tachjian.
Il illustre ses propos par des photos de groupes d'orphelins à leur
arrivée au Liban en 1920, au port de Beyrouth, ou dans des orphelinats
à Ghazir, Antélias, Jbeil, Saïda et au Chouf.
Des photos qui montrent également d'anciennes demeures, palais,
paysages ou lieux emblématiques libanais.
« Ma famille a été témoin des massacres d'Adana en 1920 et mon oncle
figure parmi les victimes », révèle de son côté l'historien Boutros
Labaki, dont le grand-père originaire de Baabdate avait émigré en
Cilicie.
Sur l'arrivée au Liban de la famille de son père après la déportation,
il observe qu'elle « parlait le turc et un peu l'arménien ».
Et d'observer que dans les années cinquante, lors de la campagne
électorale, les discours électoraux commençaient en arménien et se
poursuivaient en turc.
« La communauté arménienne était surtout turcophone à l'époque », explique-t-il.
Et d'observer que le Liban est le pays où les Arméniens ont le mieux
réussi à conserver leur identité.
« Le système communautaire libanais repose sur l'indépendance des
communautés, note-t-il.
Les Arméniens ont su épouser ce système qui leur assurait une
participation à la vie politique et leur permettait de préserver la
langue arménienne au sein de leurs écoles.
»
L'historien français Henry Laurens salue enfin l'ouvrage qui, à partir
d'une trentaine d'études, « permet d'identifier l'évolution d'un
groupe de réfugiés sur des décennies ».
« Un livre nécessaire, mais à la fois splendide par son iconographie,
d'une richesse telle qu'on pourrait passer des heures rien qu'à
regarder les photos », souligne-t-il.
Il précise que « le travail, comme tout ce qui est libanais, relève à
la fois du particulier et de l'universel ».
Le professeur Laurens, qui avoue « ne pas connaître le sujet alors
qu'il est historien », se penche sur le processus « d'arménisation »
des réfugiés arméniens à leur arrivée au Liban.
« La grande masse était turcophone.
Il était impensable qu'elle continue à parler la langue de
l'oppresseur, quitte à perdre sa langue », conclut-il, constatant que
la transformation s'est opérée en deux ou trois générations.
Author: Garnik Tadevosian
Film: ‘Yeva’: Film Review
Hollywood Reporter
Nov 18 2017
An old-fashioned film in an unusual setting. TWITTER
The long-running conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh lends a quiet tension to Yeva, a rather old-fashioned yarn about a heroic woman doctor on the run with her little girl, who find temporary shelter in a village. Her in-laws believe she’s responsible for the death of her husband and want her to stand trial, while Yeva fears they’re really after her daughter. It’s a convoluted story written and directed dutifully but with little flair by first-time filmmaker Anahit Abad. Audiences with an interest in Armenia and a working knowledge of the region will find more to love than others in the stirring locations and self-sacrificing characters. It bowed at the Montreal Film Festival.
Two curious facts about the film: it is only Armenia’s sixth submission to the Foreign Language Oscars since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and it is an Iranian coproduction. The National Cinema Center of Armenia joined hands with Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation, and Taghi Ali Gholizadeh, known for the spectacular Iranian religious epic Hussein Who Said No, signed off as producer. Given that the main character is an independent-minded Christian woman wanted for murder, it seems an unconventional choice for a co-project and a bit daring.
But the storytelling itself is terribly familiar. The opening scenes show how brave and resourceful Yeva (Narine Grigoryan) is as she flees Yerevan with her young daughter Nareh through dark underground passages and a dripping wet night, a setting as atmospheric as it is unreal. Much later, we learn her husband has died under suspicious circumstances and the police have a warrant out for her arrest as his killer. Her immediate focus is on saving Nareh from the clutches of her in-laws, who believe she is their property.
After an overnight trip in the back of a truck, mother and daughter are deposited in a remote village in Karabakh, where they find refuge with Yeva’s uncle and aunt. No one is supposed to know her there (she pretends not to be a doctor.) In reality, she sticks out like a sore thumb. She was famous in those parts during the war (presumably the war with Azerbaijan in the early 1990’s) when she was nicknamed “Crazy Yeva” for volunteering at a frontline hospital. Flashback to her meeting with the dashing, wounded villager Ashout. Their great love ends tragically when he is killed in fighting, and she quickly marries a more influential suitor. Why such haste, Yeva, certain resentful ex-combatants wonder? Of course, the heroine is too noble not to have had her reasons.
After all this exposition, Abad’s screenplay offers a narrative breather with some views of life in the good-hearted village, where Nareh makes friends and people celebrate weddings. Since this is Christian territory, the women wear no headscarves, except in church, and joyfully participate in the singing, dancing and flirtation. Yeva’s dignity, reserve and aura of mystery make her a popular target of gossip and interest. She finally gives herself away when a little boy is injured and she flips into medic mode, taking charge of the situation. Ironically, it is the only time pro actress Grigoryan loses her cool and seems on the verge of hysterics.
Meanwhile, she goes to the post office every day to check whether their false passports and visas have arrived so they can escape to France. There remains an undercurrent of danger that she might be “discovered”, not to mention the way the whole village lives on the uncertain edge of a cease-fire with the unseen enemy, surrounded by silent soldiers.
The old cars and trucks have a Soviet-era feel and one wonders when the action is set; what time would justify the film’s old-fashioned aura, the stiff, formal dialogue, and the dark colors, makeup and framing that recall a WW2 film? But the hardest thing to identify with is the way the heroine’s self-sacrifice as a mother, a doctor and a patriot is never enough. In the end, a slippery subplot about a rebellious teenage girl gives her one more chance for heroics.
Melodious folk songs and a touching musical score by Vakan Artzeruni lend some welcome Armenian atmosphere, while most of the other tech credits are handled by Iranian pros.
Production companies: National Cinema Center of Armenia, Farabi Cinema Foundation
Cast: Narine Grigoryan, Shant Hoyhannisyan, Marjan Avetisyan, Rozi Avetisyan
Director, screenwriter: Anahid Abad
Producer: Taghi Ali Gholizadeh
Executive producers: Behrouz Paknahad, Viktor Mnatsakanyan
Director of photography: Hasan Karimi
Production designer: Behzad Kazzazi
Editor: Siavesh Kardjan
Music: Vakan Artzeruni
World sales: Farabi Cinema Foundation
94 minutes
Armenia delegation: PACE discussed another initiative on Azerbaijani Laundromat corruption scandal
News.am, Armenia
Nov 16 2017
Armenia delegation: PACE discussed another initiative on Azerbaijani Laundromat corruption scandal Armenia delegation: PACE discussed another initiative on Azerbaijani Laundromat corruption scandal
12:52, 16.11.2017
Another initiative with respect to the Azerbaijani Laundromat corruption scandal was discussed at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Vice Chairperson Arpine Hovhannisyan, who also heads the NA delegation to the PACE, informed about the aforesaid on her Facebook page.
“Another initiative which referred to money laundering, including the ‘Azerbaijani Laundromat,’ was discussed at the [PACE] Committee on Legal Affairs [and Human Rights],” Hovhannisyan wrote, in particular. “It is noteworthy that it will become an independent report at the initiative of the very Committee on Legal Affairs.
“At the [PACE] Monitoring Committee, the PACE co-rapporteurs [on Armenia] orally presented the developments taking place in the Republic of Armenia during this period. The report on Armenia will be discussed during the next sessions.”
20th Arpa Festival Celebration Wraps with Touching and Emotional Tributes
Winning Films Include Joe Berlinger’s ‘Intent to Destroy’ for Best Documentary and ‘Mariam’s Day Off’ from Armenia for Best Short Honorees Terry George, Carl Weathers, Chris Cornell and Alexander Dinelaris Presented with Unique Gifts
HOLLYWOOD–The 20th Arpa International Film Festival and Awards Gala was full of memorable moments this year. An unprecedented number of guests attended the three-day film festival, held at Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre from November 3-5. The opening night program featuring the French biopic ‘Dalida’ was sold to capacity, as were the centerpiece films ‘Intent to Destroy’ and ‘Dead on Arrival’ on Saturday evening.
The celebratory weekend closed with a spectacular sold-out Awards Gala held at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on Sunday, November 5. Over 400 guests attended the special 20th anniversary evening hosted by filmmaker Eric Nazarian (The Blue Hour, Bolis, Three Christs, The Sandcastle Girls). The program included special musical performances by theremin virtuoso Armen Ra and vocalist Mister X.
Awards were presented to the 5 winning films in the Best Shorts, Best Documentary, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Feature categories. Honorees Terry George, Carl Weathers, Alexander Dinelaris and Chris Cornell (posthumously) were given touching tributes, along with one-of-a-kind gifts.
Special guests throughout the weekend included Serj Tankian, Angela Sarafyan, Billy Flynn, Barbara Carrera, Ara Keshishian, Ken Davitian, Stephen C. Sepher, Rory Fradella, Nazo Bravo, Lillo Brancato, Scottie Thompson.
Unique Khachkar presented to Terry George
Academy Award-winning screenwriter-director Terry George (The Promise, In the Name of the Father, Hotel Rwanda, The Shore, Some Mother’s Son) received the prestigious Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award named after the German soldier/medic who was stationed in the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian Genocide and documented the atrocities he witnessed in photographs.
Arpa’s coveted Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award, presented each year to a filmmaker whose work contributes toward the struggle for social consciousness and human rights, was awarded to Terry George in recognition of his extensive body of films that have shed light on the situation in his native Northern Ireland, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Armenian Genocide.
Terry George also received a unique khachkar (stone-cross) sculpted by local artist Hrach Gukasyan. The tradition of etching crosses on stone is unique to the Armenian and Irish nations. A special khachkar with a Celtic cross surrounded by Armenian motifs was commissioned by Arpa, symbolizing the Armenian people’s gratitude to the Irish filmmaker.
Boxing Belt presented to Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers, the beloved actor best known for his portrayal of Apollo Creed in the Rocky series, was the recipient of Arpa’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Weathers has also starred in films such as Predator, Action Jackson, Hurricane Smith, Happy Gilmore and Little Nicky. Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to the legendary actor was award-winning writer/producer Jason Wilborn, best known for his work on Queen Sugar, Brothers and Sisters and American Dreams.
Weathers received a special personalized authentic championship boxing belt designed and gifted by SARTONK, originator of the modern boxing belt. Edward Majian’s SARTONK was founded based on the designs of his grandfather Ardash Sahagian’s boxing belts which serve as the blueprint for all of today’s championship boxing and MMA belts.
Portrait presented to Angela Sarafyan to be gifted to Family of Chris Cornell
This year’s Lifetime Legacy Award was posthumously awarded to music icon Chris Cornell, whose life came to a tragic end early this year. Chris Cornell, best known as the lead vocalist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, as well as the founder and frontman of Temple of the Dog, was also a human rights activist committed to the world refugee crisis and the despair of vulnerable children. The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s last solo release was the charity single “The Promise” written for the motion picture of the same name.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Cornell Family was unable to attend the Gala. There to accept the Lifetime Legacy Award on behalf of the family was beloved actress Angela Sarafyan (Westworld, The Promise), a recipient of the Arpa Rising Star Award in 2014. Sarafyan was visibly moved after a touching tribute reel to Chris Cornell and emphasized his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. A specially-commissioned portrait of Chris Cornell was gifted by renowned artist Emil Kazaz and presented to Sarafyan.
Specially Engraved Mont Blanc Pen presented to Screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris
Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris, best known for his original screenplay for the 2014 film Birdman, received Arpa’s Career Achievement Award. His body of work includes numerous theatrical pieces and musicals, including The Bodyguard featuring the music of Whitney Houston, and the critically-acclaimed On Your Feet! Broadway musical about the life and career of Gloria Estefan. Alexander Dinelaris’ earlier works include the powerful play “Red Dog Howls” in which he touches upon the Armenian Genocide. The piece was influenced by his Armenian grandmother, who played an important role in his younger years.
The Award was presented to Dinelaris by Michael Peretzian, with whom he collaborated with on the play “Red Dog Howls.” Peretzian is known for representing many distinguished screenwriters and directors, including John Madden and Anthony Minghella. Both Peretzian and Dinelaris in their remarks touched upon their Armenian ancestry and the need to be more accepting of Americans who come from different ethnic backgrounds. Dinelaris was also presented with a specially engraved Mont Blanc pen gifted by Bhindi Jewellers, in recognition of his superb writing.
2017 Arpa IFF Winning Films
Best Feature Film – “DALIDA” (France, 2016)
The award was presented by two-time Golden Globe nominated actress Barbara Carrera who starred in close to 40 movies, including the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Embryo.
DALIDA is an intimate portrait based on the real story of a strong, fiercely independent woman whose 30-year dazzling career was punctuated by tragic events, with no less than three of her lovers committing suicide. With over 170 million albums sold, Dalida was the first singer to receive platinum and diamond discs, some of her best hits including “Bang Bang”, “Paroles Paroles”, and “Avec Le Temps”. Dalida continued to hold concerts until her last days, but her suicide in 1987 immortalized her iconic image as a diva and renowned singer.
Best Documentary Film – “INTENT TO DESTROY” (USA, 2017)
The award was presented to Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger by top Eileen Ford model Ronnie Carol known for her role as Juliette Bagradian in the movie “40 Days of Musa Dagh” along with a recurring role on the soap As the World Turns.
Pulling back the curtain on mass murder censorship in Hollywood due to U.S. government pressure to appease a strategic ally, INTENT TO DESTROY embeds with a historic feature film production as a springboard to explore the violent history of the Armenian Genocide and legacy of Turkish suppression and denial over the past century.
Joe Berlinger’s thirteenth feature documentary film captures the cinematic and political challenges of producing a historically meaningful, big budget feature film in an environment rife with political suppression and threats of retaliation. By intertwining these three separate threads the modern-day production of THE PROMISE, the history of the Genocide and the century of international repression, INTENT TO DESTROY coalesces to provide a comprehensive view on the atrocities of 1915 to 1923 and their resounding aftermath right up until the present day.
INTENT TO DESTROY will be released theatrically on November 10 at the following locations: (Laemmle’s Playhouse in Pasadena; Pacific Theaters 18 in Glendale at the Americana at Brand; Village East Cinema in New York City.
Best Short Film – “MARIAM’S DAY OFF” (Armenia, 2016)
The Award was presented by actor Yancey Arias from the NBC series Kingpin and the FX series Thief. Arshak Amirbekyan’s film, shot in Armenia, is about a young prostitute who meets an artist in a park, gets invited to a modeling session and finds herself in a rather new and exciting world of artists; but when night falls, she has to return to her regular life in the park. The Award was accepted by actor/director Ashot Adamyan who stars in the film.
Best Screenplay – “THE LIBERATION OF SKOPJE” (Macedonia/Croatia/Finland, 2016), Writers: Dusan Jovanovic, Rade Šerbedžija, Danilo Šerbedžija
THE LIBERATION OF SKOPJE captures the horrors and suffering of the Second World War, portrayed in bittersweet terms through the eyes of 11-year-old Zoran whose father has joined the partisans to fight the German occupiers and whose mother becomes involved with a German officer.
Best Direction – “H.O.M.E” (USA, 2016) Director: Daniel Maldonado
H.O.M.E. is a film about urban communication, alienation and the human condition. Part lyrical tone poem of NYC, its comprised of 2 stories involving intimate & meaningful encounters through the lens of a “disconnected” city in constant motion.
Over the course of 20 years, Arpa International Film Festival has continuously provided a platform dedicated to cultivating cultural understanding and global empathy for international cinema. Recognized as one of the oldest independent film festivals for international cinema in Los Angeles, Arpa has bridged cultural divides by fostering dialogue among people of diverse backgrounds. By showcasing local, international and Armenian films that explore critical issues such as war, genocide, dual identities, exile and multi-culturalism, Arpa has solidified its role in safeguarding films that continue to make a social impact.
One of the overarching goals of Arpa Foundation for Film, Music & Art (AFFMA) in launching its signature Arpa International Film Festival two decades ago, was to create an arena that offers Armenian filmmakers, Armenian films and Armenian-themed films wider exposure in Hollywood. In light of its landmark anniversary, AFFMA has decided to create internship opportunities for students of Armenian heritage who are pursuing careers in cinema and entertainment. This will augment previous forms of support given to filmmakers over the past 20 years, and allow the organization to deliver an increased number of film screenings and other events promoting Armenian artists year-round.
Students Continue Protests as Government Defends Military Draft Law
University students protest against the law on military service
BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
For the past three days students from university students in Yerevan have been staging demonstrations protesting a new law passed by parliament that would eliminate deferment from Armenia’s mandatory military service for students attending university, essentially calling for all males to enlist in the military at the age of 18.
The student protesters argue that without the determents currently in place it would become harder to go to college and “become scientists or scholar.”
Prime Minister Karen Karepetyan meets with leaders of student protests against new law on military draft on Nov. 9
On Thursday, several organizers of the student protests met with Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who was accompanied by Armenia defense and education ministers, Vigen Sargsyan and Levon Mkrtrchyan, who had already met with student leaders a day before.
Much to the dismay of the students, Karapetyan was steadfast in defending the measure, which the government argues only impacts a small percentage—15 percent—of students who receive scholarships to study at state universities. Students who pay for higher education already are drafted at 18.
The prime minister also told the students to offer amendments that may be considered at the time of implementing the measure.
“The opposite side did not share our view. Therefore, we will continue our struggle,” one of the protest leaders told more than a 100 fellow students rallying outside the prime minister’s office in Yerevan, reported Azatutyun.am. Another leader urged the students to continue the boycott that began on Tuesday.
On Nov. 8, Armenia’s education minister, Levon Mkrtchyan, met with protesting students
Mkrtchyan, the education minister, gave the students a similar explanation when he met with them on Wednesday.
“When it comes to serving the homeland, no citizen of the Republic of Armenia will have privileges,” Mkrtchyan told several organizers, according to Azatutyun.am. He argued that more than 85 percent of male students attending state-run universities are already drafted for military service at 18.
“There is quite strong political support behind [the bill] … I don’t think that this bill is subject to withdrawal,” added Mkrtchyan.
Should there be a larger discussion about—the elephant in the room—what has given impetus to this bill?
Will children of government officials also enlist at 18 or will they use their parents’ positions to avoid military service? And, is emigration of young people from Armenia impacting service in Armenia’s Armed Forces?
ARS of Western USA Journeys to Armenia, Artsakh, and Javakhk
Tour Participants arrive at the border of Artsakh from the Vardenis Highway
Witnesses Reopening of ARS Stepanakert “Soseh” Kindergarten
GLENDALE, Calif. – Over 125 members and supporters of the Armenian Relief Society of Western USA traveled to Armenia and Artsakh for a two-week period in September 2017 for a tour of the motherland and to witness the reopening of the ARS Stepanakert “Soseh” Kindergarten. The tour was headed by Jasik Jarahian.
Travelers filling three tour buses were able to visit numerous sites in Armenia, including Echmiadzin, the Sardarabad Monument, Saint Hripsime Church, Tsakhkadzor, Kecharis Monastery, Gyumri, Garni, the Keghart Monastery, the Lori Pert, Haghpat, museums, local restaurants, and more.
On September 4, tour participants headed to Dilijan for an overnight stay and visited the spectacular campus of United World College Dilijan. The next day, travelers departed for Artsakh via the Vardenis Highway, a beautiful and newly constructed route, which is a project that was undertaken by Armenia Fund, engaged the support of individuals and organizations worldwide, and has shortened the commute between Yerevan and Artsakh.
Prior to arrival in Stepanakert, a visit to the Dadivank Monastery left a memorable and lasting impression on travelers. Upon arrival in Artsakh, participants received a warm welcome, and due to the large size of the ARS of Western USA group, travelers stayed in three hotels until September 8.
During the morning of September 6, members delivered memorial flowers for fallen servicemen in Artsakh. Thereafter, the official reopening of the ARS “Soseh” Kindergarten in Stepanakert was held, a project toward which the ARS of Western USA has brought its monumental support and raised over $345,000 over a two-year period.
Alongside the ARS of Western USA, hundreds of individuals gathered at the kindergarten’s reopening ceremony. The ceremony saw the attendance of Artsakh President Bako Sahakian, Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Artsakh Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Speaker of the Parliament Ashot Ghulyan, ARS Central and Regional Executive members, ARS members from various countries, and supporters. ARS of Western USA Regional Executive Board members Varduhi Petrosyan, Nora Shirikian, Armenouhi Tomassian, and Maral Touloumian, as well as ARS Stepanakert “Soseh” Kindergarten Rebuilding Project Committee members from the Western Region, including Jasik Jarahian, Seda Khojayan, and Vicky Marashlian were also present.
After remarks were delivered by guests, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held and attendees were able to tour the site of the kindergarten. As a result of the vast support demonstrated by individuals and communities of the Western United States toward the kindergarten rebuilding project, the region contributed toward 1 hall, 3 classrooms and 2 small rooms at the kindergarten, as well as 11 roots, 39 branches, 52 pavers, and 108 leaves on the donor recognition tree. The region is also grateful for the instrumental role of sponsors and donors, who made donations in the form of classroom furniture, children’s beds and bedding, office furniture, backpacks, school uniforms, children’s sleepwear, and more, in benefit of the kindergarten and its students. In-kind donations were made by Armenia School Foundation, Focus on Children Now, Modella Uniforms, and Sebouh and Elizabeth Sarkissian. The ARS of Western USA is thankful for the generosity and kindheartedness of each individual and establishment, who made worthwhile donations to this cause, including donations made on both happy occasions and in memoriam.
Following the reopening ceremony, on the evening of September 6, members attended an exceptional dinner reception in Shushi hosted by President Sahakian, which saw the attendance of over 800 guests. This event allowed participants to have a close encounter with the President of the Artsakh Republic.
On September 7, travelers spent time with servicemen in Martakert and, thereafter, the ARS Glendale “Sepan” Chapter executive and chapter members met with families and servicemen to offer and distribute financial assistance in the amount of $40,000 the chapter had raised, as well as 35 boxes filled with donation items.
While in Artsakh, travelers also visited Tigranagert and Kantsasar, and spent an enjoyable afternoon at the Dzaghgashad Village-Nigol Douman museum, hosted by Jasik Jarahian, and became closely familiarized with Armenian village life and cultural traditions.
On the evening of September 7, the 25th anniversary of ARS Artsakh was celebrated during a banquet during which memorabilia was presented to the ARS of Western USA Regional Executive, alongside Regional Executives from other regions, for their support of the Artsakh Republic. En route back to Yerevan, Armenia, travelers experienced sightseeing in Shoushi and a visit to the Tatev Monastery with the tramway. On September 9, the ARS Armenia banquet was held.
A total of 82 members and individuals traveled to Tiblisi and Javakhk on September 10, for a three-day trip (of which 54 participants were from the ARS of Western USA tour), returning on September 13, 2017. This trip allowed the opportunity to visit the youth centers in Javakhk, including the Akhaltskha Youth Center, which is supported by the ARS of Western USA, and to meet with the Javakhk Fund Chairperson Bagrat Sargsyan, as well as ARS members in the region.
For those who remained in Armenia during this time period, the tour included visits to the Komitas Museum, Yerablur, the Armenian Genocide Memorial (Dzidzenagapert), the ARS Mother & Child Clinic and Birthing Center in Gyumri, the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, Stepanavan, Aparan, Oshakan, Ashtarak, senior centers, and attendance at evening events, such as the ballet, opera, theater, and concert, as well as on the Armenian television program Kisapac Lusamutner.
Upon the conclusion of the region’s tour, Jasik Jarahian was accompanied by Artemis Gregorian from ARS Artsakh to visit the ARS Soseh Kindergarten in the village of Ashan, which is one of the two kindergartens in Artsakh sponsored by the ARS of Western USA region.
This memorable tour allowed the opportunity for its participants to fully experience the motherland with all its beauty and to promote the noble mission of the Armenian Relief Society.
The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA, established in 1984 and with regional headquarters in Glendale, CA, has 26 chapters and more than 1,200 members in four western states. The ARS operates a Social Services Division and Child, Youth, and Family Guidance Center, one-day schools, and funds numerous youth programs, scholarships, and relief efforts. For additional information, visit www.arswestusa.org or call (818) 500-1343.
Russia ready to facilitate development of free economic zone between Armenia, Iran – PM
ITAR-TASS, Russia Tuesday 2:19 PM GMT Russia ready to facilitate development of free economic zone between Armenia, Iran - PM EREVAN October 24 HIGHLIGHT: Russia is ready to participate in development of a free economic zone between Armenia and Iran, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday. /Update/ EREVAN, October 24. /TASS/. Russia is ready to participate in development of a free economic zone between Armenia and Iran, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday. "We have good relations with Iran, regardless of whether somebody likes it or not, therefore if our friends plan to create such a free economic zone, we are ready to take part in its development, including by inviting our Russian business there," Medvedev said. Armenia offered various format of co-investing during talks, the Russian prime minister said. "We will think of ways to implement that, probably with use of Russian development institutions, such as the Russian Direct Investment Fund and VEB," Medvedev added.
Film: Andy Serkis’s Miniature Worlds
The NewYorker
Oct 26 2017
AYF’s Pyunik Basketball Program Serves Special Needs Youth
ENCINO, Calif.—The Armenian Youth Federation San Fernando Valley “Sardarabad” Chapter on Sunday held the first practice of the fourth season of its Pyunik Basketball Program, an initiative that serves young Armenians with special needs. About a third of the practice’s participants were new to the program, and it ran successfully as both old and new volunteers came to assist this community effort.
The “Sardarabad” Chapter’s basketball program was launched in 2014 after careful planning and coordination with the Armenian Autism Outreach Project (AAOP), which has been instrumental in informing families about the program and recruiting members. The chapter created the program with the aim of creating a safe space where children with special needs could experience the thrill of the game while building motor skills and bonding with members of the Armenian community.
Koko Abounayan, a chapter executive member, said the volunteers are very excited to start the fourth season of this program. “Our goal was to build relations and connections with parts of our community that we had not worked with before, and we did just that. The sense of community grows stronger at each practice as we gain more and more participants. We are looking forward to having another productive year!”
The chapter is aiming to expand the program to provide all Armenian children with special needs the opportunity to participate. One does not need to be an AYF member to volunteer, and the program is open to the public. All members of the community are highly encouraged to participate, and new volunteers are always welcome.
If you would like to participate in the program or would like more information, please email [email protected].
Founded in 1933 with organizational structures in over 17 regions around the world and a legacy of over eighty years of community involvement, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the world, working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian youth.
Turkish Press: Talat Pasha: Secret leader of Committee for Union and Progress
Daily Sabah, Turkey
Sept 23 2017
HAKAN ARSLANBENZER
1915 was an epic year in modern Turkish history. In that year, our armies defeated the Western aggressors in Gallipoli. The Entente Powers deployed nearly half a million troops for the attack, which they called the Gallipoli Campaign with some 345,000 British troops were supported by 79,000 French, 50,000 Australian and 15,000 New Zealander troops and 2,000 civil laborers. The Gallipoli Campaign led to nearly 200,000 battlefield casualties for the aggressor. In addition, 110,000 men were evacuated sick while thousands died of disease.
However, that same year was also a great tragedy. Warring on seven fronts, the Ottoman government decided to relocate a great number of the Armenian minority from Istanbul and eastern Anatolia to the south to secure the inner land of the Ottoman Empire. The decision and its practical consequences, both controversial in the field of history, have been continuously discussed for decades.
Recent literature evidently shows that the planner and the decision maker of the Armenian relocation was Talat Pasha, who was the last prime minister during the Committee for Union and Progress rule during World War I. He was the interior minister in 1915. He was the primary politician behind the Temporary Act, which is widely known as the Code of Relocation that came into effect on May 27, 1915.
According to Talat Pasha’s own notebooks, the Ottoman government decided to relocate more than 950,000 Armenians, but the exact number relocated to Syria and Iraq was 440,000. The Armenian relocation aroused great reaction in the West and Armenian armed organizations. After the World War I, Talat Pasha was assassinated by a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, also known as Dashnaktsutyun, namely Soghomon Tehlirian, in Berlin on March 15, 1921.
Tehlirian was caught and charged with murder. Although he admitted to the crime before the court, he was found not guilty by a controversial jury and released in hours. He moved to Serbia, Belgium and eventually the U.S. Tehlirian died in 1960. He is buried in a monumental grave in Ararat Cemetery in California. Several other monuments and statues have also been put up in Armenia for his heroic crime.
Talat’s early life
Talat Pasha was born Mehmet Talat in Edirne on Sept. 1, 1874. He was the son of Ahmed Vasıf Efendi, an Ottoman judge from Kardzhali, Bulgaria. Mehmet Talat was first educated in Vize, Kırklareli. After that, he graduated from the Military Secondary School in Edirne.
Talat would not become a military officer. He was unable to continue his education after his father’s death. He worked for the Postal Service. He also taught Turkish in the Alliance Israelite Universelle School in Edirne. He received French lessons privately. According to his civil servant records, he could speak Greek as well.
Revolutionary
İsmail Yürükoğlu, a close relative, introduced him to the Young Turks movement. Talat joined a small group of adversaries in Edirne, which was informed to the government. After that, the committee members were arrested. In 1897, he was sentenced to three years in prison. He lost his civil servant rights as well.
Talat was pardoned and released from prison with other CUP members in 1898. However, he was exiled to Thessaloniki. He returned to his position in the postal service. He worked there until he was finally deposed in 1907.
Various resources say that Talat joined the Freemasons in 1903. He was a member of the Macedonia Risorta lodge. He was also a member of the Bektaşi Sufi order, where he organized political meetings.
Political organizer
Talat established a revolutionary organization called Ottoman Freedom Society in 1906, together with other opponent figures in Thessaloniki. The Union and Progress Society decided to give a hand to their peers in Thessaloniki. Thus, Dr. Nazım Bey visited the city secretly. They decided to unite the two branches of opposition. The Ottoman Freedom Society joined Union and Progress under the name Ottoman Progress and Unity Society Inner Central General.
Talat was the secretary-general of the new organization. He communicated with the Paris branch. He also met members of the Istanbul branch. He was acting as party inspector along with the famous Bahaattin Şakir. These two would act as double secretaries of the CUP both in the Ottoman government and also against Europe after the 1908 revolution.
Revolution, war and exile
After the 1908 revolution, the lives of CUP leaders began flowing like a rapid river. Though they had overthrown Sultan Abdülhamid II, the situation was too ambiguous for them. They were still too young and inexperienced to rule the Ottoman Empire on their own.
The years from 1908 to 1913 passed with gradual changes toward direct rule by the CUP. Talat was one of the most prominent CUP policy makers. He entered parliament in 1908 representing Edirne province and was elected as the first deputy chairman of parliament. In 1909, he was assigned as the interior minister. In 1912, he was assigned as the postal service minister. He joined the Balkan War as a volunteer. However, he was sent to Istanbul since he was making negative propaganda about the Ottoman campaign.
After the Balkan War, he led the Ottoman committee meeting with the Bulgarian side to sign a peace treaty. He was also among the planners of the notorious Sublime Port Raid, which was a CUP coup.
In 1913, Talat Pasha entered the Said Halim Pasha cabinet, which was the first CUPs cabinet ruling directly, as the interior minister for a new go. He played a significant role in the grand strategy of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He applied a blockade over the Ottoman Greeks to force them to migrate to Greece. He also tried to convince Bulgaria to stand with the Ottoman Empire and Germany against the Entente Powers.
Yet, the most well known decision by Talat Pasha as interior minister is the Armenian Relocation Code made and applied in 1915. He held number one responsibility for the relocation of hundreds of thousand Armenians to Syria and Iraq. This was an edgy decision and had tragic consequences for both the Armenians and Talat Pasha himself, though it helped the Ottomans cut the Russian army and Armenian rebel groups out of Anatolia.
Prime minister
Said Halim Pasha resigned in 1917, and Talat Pasha became the Ottoman grand vizier, equal to the prime minister. Talat Pasha was the first Ottoman grand vizier from parliament.
After World War I, Talat Pasha resigned from office. He also led the last conference of the CUP where they decided to terminate the party. He went into exile in Berlin, where he lived more than two years before Tehlirian assassinated him as he walked out of his house on March 15, 1921.
Talat Pasha’s body was buried in the Turkish cemetery in Berlin. In 1943, his grave was moved to Istanbul. His body is now buried on Hürriyet-i Ebediye (Eternal Freedom) hill in the Şişli neighborhood of Istanbul.