Author: George Mamian

“Iran Ideal Place for Coexistence of Monotheistic Religions”

George Mamian
Iran Front Page
– 09:32

Bishop Krikor Chiftjian, the Prelate of the Diocese of Iran’s East and West Azarbaijan provinces, has referred to Iran as a great model for peaceful coexistence among monotheistic religions in the world.

In an address to 64th annual religious ceremony of Armenians in Qara Kelisa or St. Thaddeus Monastery in Chaldoran, northwest of Iran, Chiftjian said next week during his speeches in the US, he will serve as Iran’s cultural ambassador to inform the whole world of the deep respect paid by the Islamic Republic to religious minorities in the country.

“Iranian government officials are attempting to provide religious minorities with prosperity,” he was quoted as saying in a report by IRNA.

He then referred to the Islamic Republic’s efforts to reconstruct the holy sites of the religious minorities in Iran and said the St. Thaddeus Complex in Chaldoran in which Armenians hold their annual gathering has been reconstructed and refurbished by the Islamic Republic.

Bishop Chiftjian said monotheistic religions don’t bear animosity towards each other, but unlike the teachings of these religions, certain groups of their followers promote animosity in the region and the world.

There is mutual respect between these religions in Iran, he noted, adding that Iranian Armenians attach significant respect to religious sites.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Armenians’ Badarak ceremony in Chaldoran, he said the Islamic Republic played a key role in preparing the ground for holding the annual gathering.

“Under the guidelines of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Seyyed Ali Khamenei, there is no restriction on religious minorities for practicing their religions in Iran,” he said.

Thousands of Armenians from Iran and other nations including Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Germany and Canada took part in the three-day Badarak event which began on July 14.

Badarak ceremony is held to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Saint Thaddeus — one of the apostles of Jesus Christ (Peace Be upon Him).

During the ceremony, the worshippers perform religious practices, including sacrificing sheep, lighting candles, baptism of infants, etc.

Scores of Armenians, Assyrians and Catholics from Iran and other countries attend the annual event as part of their pilgrimage on the Day.

The ceremony is known as one of the largest religious ceremonies held by Armenians.

Qara Kelisa, also known as the St. Thaddeus Church, is one of the oldest and most notable surviving Christian monuments of Iran that has great significance for the country’s Armenian Orthodox community.

Armenians believe that Qara Kelisa is the world’s first church constructed in 68 CE by one of the apostles of Jesus, St. Thaddeus. According to Armenians, he had travelled to Armenia, the then part of the Persian Empire, to preach the teachings of Jesus Christ.

What follows are IRNA’s photos of the Badarak ceremony recently held in Chaldoran:

http://ifpnews.com/exclusive/iran-ideal-place-for-coexistence-of-monotheistic-religions/

Head of Arzni community resigns

George Mamian
  • 14:53 | July 17,2018 | Official
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

On , the community Council of Elders submitted a statement on the resignation of the head of Arzni community Veniamin Veniaminov. The community Council of Elders fixed the resignation and appealed to the Governor in the order established by law.

In accordance with the established procedure, according to Articles 26 and 27 of the Law of the Local Self-Government Body, the Governor will appoint the acting head of the community until the extraordinary elections of the head of the community, regional administration of Kotayk region informs.

Armenian government makes adjustments to media reports on amount of expenditures for visit of government delegation to United States and Canada

George Mamian
Arminfo, Armenia


Armenian government makes adjustments to media reports on amount of expenditures for visit of government delegation to United States and Canada

Yerevan June 14

Naira Badalyan. The Armenian government makes adjustments to the media’s information about the amount of expenses for the visit of the delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan to the United States and Canada. It is reported that in the material “Tigran Avinyan and his team of 2 people spent 7 million 464 thousand AMD during the 6-day working visit” there was a misprint in the amount of financial expenses for the visit. In particular, as is said in the government’s explanation, the total amount of financial expenditures from the state budget of Armenia for a working visit to the US and Canada of the delegation led by Tigran Avinyan in the period from June 26 to July 2 was 4.857.000 AMD, and not 7.464.597, as was noted in the early information.

168: National attorney to tackle Armenia-related cases workload at ECHR

George Mamian
| 09:03 | July 5 2018
Category
Society

A national attorney from Armenia will be dispatched to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with the purpose of decreasing the workload of examinations of cases relating to Armenia, justice minister Artak Zeynalyan said on Facebook.

The minister said a committee will be formed for organizing the selection of candidates.

He said that a public tender will be announced to select nominees.

Top three qualified candidates who will pass the tender will be presented to the Council of Europe for selection.

Sports: Mkhitaryan scores incredible goal in Arsenal training

George Mamian
Panorama, Armenia
July 5 2018

Armenian national football team and Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has scored from behind the goal during an Arsenal training session.

The club posted a video showing the Armenian international’s incredible goal on Twitter, writing: “Score from behind the goal? No problem for Henrikh Mkhitaryan!”

Watch the video at

President of Artsakh holds meeting with Armenia’s minister of labor and social affairs

George Mamian
| 15:27 | June 30 2018
Category
Artsakh

President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on June 30 received Armenia’s minister of labor and social affairs Mane Tandilyan and first deputy minister Arsen Manukyan, the Artsakh Presidential Office reported.

During the meeting issues relating to the cooperation of the two Armenian states in the field of social insurance were discussed.

The meeting was also attended by Artsakh’s minister of labor, social affairs and resettlement Samvel Avanesyan.

NASA awards its highest honor to Yervant Terzian

George Mamian
Cornell Chronicle, Cornell University
June 27, 2018
 
 
NASA awards its highest honor to Yervant Terzian
 
By Linda B. Glaser |
 
June 27, 2018  

NASA has announced it will award the Distinguished Public Service Medal, its highest honor, to astronomer Yervant Terzian, the Tisch Distinguished Professor Emeritus. The medal will be presented by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston on Aug. 2. The ceremony will be broadcast live at noon EDT on NASA TV.

“Dr. Yervant Terzian has dedicated his life to education, public service and scientific research,” according to NASA in its award citation. “He has used his enthusiasm for space exploration and education to bring inspirational experiences to students and the general public across the country.”

NASA continued: “Dr. Yervant Terzian has made an indelible impact on education and inspiring young minds. … He has evoked comprehension and wonder in his students and in his public audiences. These accomplishments and his eminent humanity prove Dr. Terzian worthy of this Distinguished Public Service Medal.”

Terry Herter, chair and professor of astronomy, agrees. “Dr. Terzian has been a relentless, eloquent ambassador for the sciences over his entire career, reaching and influencing undergraduates, graduate students, colleagues and the general public. This is a very well-deserved award.”

Terzian has served on eight NASA committees, including the Hubble Space Telescope Fellowship Committee, NASA’s Diversity in Science Education and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Radio Astronomy Evaluation Committee. For 20 years, Terzian directed the NASA New York Space Grant Consortium, comprising 19 universities and five industries and science centers. In 2012, the 52 state NASA Space Grant directors elected Terzian chairman.

“The Space Grant has been very successful in implementing space programs for the brightest students across New York state to provide them with opportunities to develop their interest in space,” said Terzian. “This is what will keep the United States as the leader.”

For 12 years, Terzian served as a visiting lecturer in astronomy for the American Astronomical Society, traveling across the U.S. enhancing college communities’ scientific understanding of the universe. He has also contributed to dozens of radio and television programs for public listeners, on topics such as life in the universe, NASA and the space program, the U.S. space shuttle program, and the state of astronomy.

Terzian said he has been inspired throughout his life by the ancient Greeks and their deductive method of science. “When I was very young and asked my father why there were stars, I was not satisfied with the answers, and I started reading everything I could from the American Library in Cairo,” he explained. “The description of nature through our science, through our scientific methods, is still young, and we should expect major discoveries in the future. From the work humans have achieved so far, we can deduce that we are not alone in the universe, and the day will come that we will find life in other planets.”

Terzian is known for his studies of stellar evolution and the discovery of regions of hydrogen gas between distant galaxies – a finding that indicated the presence of unseen matter in intergalactic space. His research using national radio astronomy observatories has been supported by NASA and the National Science Foundation. He is the author or co-author of more than 235 scientific publications and the editor of seven books, including “Carl Sagan’s Universe.”

A member of the faculty since 1965, Terzian served as chair of Cornell’s Department of Astronomy from 1979 to 1999. He initiated the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Cornell, which offers summer research for students, particularly women and members of underrepresented groups.

Among Terzian’s many honors are NASA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Republic of Armenia’s Gold Medal, its highest honor for scientific achievement. He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2001.

At Cornell, Terzian has been recognized for the excellence of his teaching with the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984 and the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowship Award in 2001.

Linda B. Glaser is a staff writer for the College of Arts and Sciences.

 
 

Expert: Without proper assessment of threats to the economy it is pointless to talk about economic development in Armenia

George Mamian 
Arminfo, Armenia
Expert: Without proper assessment of threats to the economy it is
pointless to talk about economic development in Armenia
Yerevan June 26
Alina Hovhannisyan. Until the threats to the economy are properly
assessed, it is not necessary to talk about economic development in
Armenia. The head of the research center Alternative, economist Tatul
Manaseryan stated on June 26 at a press conference.
"Without considering threats, it is not worth talking about a good
economic future, which is akin to a physically sick person who intends
to lead an active lifestyle," the expert said. Answering the question
of ArmInfo, T. Manaseryan stated that the key task for the Armenian
economy is to ensure food, energy, financial, investment and
demographic security. "Thanks to the revolution, we entered a
favorable environment. However, the outflow of intellectual potential
from the country continues, which will lead to the aging of the
nation, "he said. In addition, the economist raised the issue of human
capital from a professional point of view. "I do not want to offend
anyone, but we still do not know what country we live in." For whom is
the new government program being written? In the same IT area, which
is a priority for the government, we are actually not aware of the
number of specialists. Those figures that are published are not exact.
Armenia is going to become a health, educational, scientific center.
But who will serve? It is necessary to call on the new government to
address this issue in order to know who is dealing with, "T.
Manaseryan stressed.
In addition, he noted that there are no serious geologists in Armenia.
The school of geologists in Armenia, according to the expert, died
along with the old specialists. When foreign experts come to Armenia,
he continued, and they give an evaluation of this or that mining
project, there is not one Armenian specialist in state institutions
who would have expressed disagreement or would have indicated an error
in the conclusions of a foreign specialist. "Therefore, I first of all
noted the human potential, not touching the issue of production and
financial opportunities," the economist stressed.
T. Manaseryan noted that the assessment of the economy by experts is
not in demand in Armenia. He stressed that during 28 years of
independence of the RA no government had in any way formed possible
options for solving existing problems. "After all, not everything is
connected with money, there are questions for the solution of which
logic and experience are more likely. Naturally, the new government
has no experience and that's what we are here for. We should help in
this matter," he said.
The expert underlined the importance of involving Armenian Ambassadors
in the development of the economy, which, according to him, in general
terms, does not engage in anything other than organizing forums and
official meetings. "If each Ambassador once a year finds at least one
medium or small investor, let alone large investments, then imagine
how the economic situation in the country will change," he said.
T. Manaseryan added that it is impossible to assess and develop the
economy on an amateur level, calling it not just a science, but an art
where it is important to take into account all the nuances.

Yerevan’s Choco Fest targeting the sweet-toothed on July 11

George Mamian
PanArmenian, Armenia
– 11:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian capital city of Yerevan will host the annual Choco Fest on July 11, organized by The LOFT self-developmental center for the sweet-toothed.

All the producers and importers of chocolate are invited to participate in the festival, and according to preliminary estimates, 10-12 companies will join the event in total.

Those attending the fest will be able to taste and buy locally-produced desserts and even prepare chocolate themselves in a special laboratory – the ChocoLab – people behind the initiative told PanARMENIAN.Net

A chocolate-making master class will be offered too, and the guests will drink a unique type of coffee, according to the organizers.

The event will give local businesses an opportunity to introduce their products to wider audiences, expand their customer base, advertise their companies and become familiar with their competitors.