1- Azerbaijan Donated to Queen of England
A ‘Karabagh’ Horse: An Obvious Bribe!
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Protesters Disrupt Zareh Sinanyan’s Speech in North Hollywood
3- Homenetmen Embraces the Young Heroes of Hrashq
4- Hovnanian, Hovsepian Stage Installations at Venice Art Biennale
5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
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1- Azerbaijan Donated to Queen of England
A ‘Karabagh’ Horse: An Obvious Bribe!
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
A delegation led by President of the Equestrian Federation of
Azerbaijan, Elchin Gulliyev, presented on May 16 ‘a rare Karabagh
horse’ named ‘Shohrat’ (glory) to the Queen of England as ‘a gift’
from President Ilham Aliyev.
Azerbaijan was invited to perform at Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee
celebrations. Among the participants in the May 12-15 Windsor Royal
Horse Show were Azerbaijan’s cavalry detachment and in national
costume the Border Guard Service’s dance ensemble who performed a
program called ‘Land of Fire.’ Azerbaijan has been participating in
this Show since 2012.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, holding a walking cane due to her mobility
issues, waited in the courtyard of Windsor Castle to personally
receive Azerbaijan’s ‘gift.’ The Monarch, who has a lifelong love of
horses, said it was a “very kind, very generous” gesture. A similar
horse was recently sold at an auction for $17,000. The Queen was also
gifted two sculptures of horses, made by Azerbaijani sculptor Faiq
Hajiyev. Interestingly, Nikita Khrushchev, the First Secretary of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union, during his visit to the UK in
1956, had also presented to Queen Elizabeth II ‘a Karabagh horse’
named ‘Zaman.’
Making no secret of the propaganda value of the Azeri ‘gift’ to the
Queen, the press center of Azerbaijan’s State Border Service
explicitly stated, with an obvious distortion of the historical facts,
that the UK Horse Show “has become an extremely important platform for
promoting the ancient and unique Azerbaijani culture.”
However, the Azeri propaganda backfired when Phil Miller, chief
reporter of ‘Declassified UK’ wrote a highly critical article titled:
“Anger as Queen Bags ‘Generous’ Gift from Dictator.” The article
started with: “As the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, she is
facing calls to return a horse she recently received from a repressive
regime—the third autocracy from which she has accepted such a gift.”
Miller reported: “Republic, a group that wants to abolish the monarchy
and replace it with an elected head of state, slammed the Queen for
having a ‘cozy relationship where she receives horses from
dictatorships.’ Republic spokesman Graham Smith told Declassified: ‘It
doesn’t look good for a British head of state to be having these kinds
of relationships with people who have very questionable records in
office and who are repressing their own people. I think it is
distasteful and something that a different head of state might have
chosen not to do. I’m surprised the government hasn’t advised her to
refuse these sorts of gifts but I assume that it’s something she’s
very invested in—horse racing. I think the best thing she could do is
return the gifts and ask them not to offer her any more in the
future.’”
Miller added: “The Aliyev family network is widely accused of
embezzling state funds and acquiring more than $500 million worth of
property in London, one of which was sold to the Queen’s crown estate
in an $82 million deal.”
Miller quoted dissident Azeri journalist in exile Arzu Geybullayeva:
“President Ilham Aliyev is not only notorious for his authoritarian
leadership, but he has also successfully managed to corrupt the whole
governing system — [putting] cronies, oligarchs, and family members
in high government positions.”
On June 2nd, the Armenian National Committees of Australia, Canada,
New Zealand and United Kingdom, all four British Commonwealth
countries, issued a joint statement titled: “Your Majesty, Beware of
Dictators Bearing Gifts!” The ANCs stated that Azerbaijan was
attempting to “gift their way to whitewashing an appalling human
rights record.” The ANCs called the gift “the latest in a series of
cynical attempts by the authoritarian regime of Azerbaijan to color
their shortcomings in a positive light.” The joint statement also
highlighted that “human rights organizations have consistently exposed
Azerbaijan’s use of Caviar Diplomacy in several corruption scandals,
where they were found to pay their way to enhancing the country’s
image amongst the international community.”
The four ANCs reminded that “in 2012, President Aliyev became the
inaugural winner of the Organized Crime and Corruption Person of the
Year award bestowed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting
Project (OCCRP).” The ANCs alerted the Queen that “Freedom House has
summarized Azerbaijan’s human rights record as follows: ‘Power in
Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime remains heavily concentrated in the
hands of Ilham Aliyev, who has served as president since 2003, and his
extended family. Corruption is rampant, and the formal political
opposition has been weakened by years of persecution. The authorities
have carried out an extensive crackdown on civil liberties in recent
years, leaving little room for independent _expression_ or activism.’”
ANC-UK Chairperson Annette Moskofian stated: “There is no doubt in our
minds that the gift is a deliberate and targeted act by the
Azerbaijani regime to glorify its war crimes and cause psychological
harm to Armenians in the Commonwealth countries, as well as in their
ancestral homeland of Artsakh, who are facing an existential threat
and who have witnessed parts of their ancestral homeland be occupied
and ethnically cleansed by a foreign dictatorship.”
Sevag Belian, Armenian National Committee’s Executive Director in
Canada, added: “We are confident that, upon being fully apprised of
the above, Her Majesty should rightly reconsider acceptance of this
‘gift’ and reject Azerbaijan’s blatant and nefarious caviar
diplomacy.”
There is little chance that the Queen will return the Azeri horse,
unless the British public pressure their government that this ‘gift’
is nothing more than a crude bribe to whitewash the Aliyev regime’s
crimes against the people of Azerbaijan as well as Artsakh and
Armenia.
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2- Protesters Disrupt Zareh Sinanyan’s Speech in North Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (Oragark)—On June 7, Zareh Sinanyan, Armenia’s Diaspora
High Commissioner attempted to gather supporters for a meeting at the
“La Reve” restaurant in North Hollywood, California. The restaurant
was filled near its capacity with attendees. However, the vast
majority of attendees were not there to hear or support Sinanyan in
defense of the Pashinyan regime, but rather to protest both his
presence in Los Angeles and his ongoing role in Pashinyan’s
government.
The capacity crowd greeted Sinanyan with boos, along with chants of
“Sinanyan Traitor” and “Nikol Traitor”. Sinanyan was visibly shaken.
He has been visiting the United States and had thus far managed to
avert large crowds, opting instead to hold small, controlled meetings.
On June 7, however, Sinanyan was unable to avoid coming face to face
with a large crowd.
Armenian Youth Federation held up “Zareh Sinanyan Traitor” signs at
the event. Similar signs had also been posted in multiple locations in
Los Angeles, including freeway bridges and the Armenian Consulate.
Last month, Sinanyan had outraged the Diaspora by stating that those
who are against Pashinyan’s policies regarding Artsakh and his
government’s propositions are “traitors.”
The organizers of the event, upon realizing that the crowd was
gathered to protest Sinanyan, became visibly hostile and began to hurl
insults and threats against the demonstrators. According to video
evidence, there were several instances where organizers tried to grab
signs away from protesters as well as to pull them off the venue’s
stage. Sinanyan, who also was visibly irritated, started yelling at
the crowd and was rushed out by the organizers.
The owners of the restaurant then notified the crowd that the event
was being cancelled. The large group of protesters exited the venue,
but later discovered that Sinanyan had re-entered via the back door
and was trying to meet with the remaining dozen or so people,
including the organizers, who remained inside. About one hundred
demonstrators continued their protest outside the venue.
An hour into the protest, the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at
the scene and inquired about the ongoings. The police had apparently
been called by Sinanyan’s organizers.
It was explained to the police that the demonstrators had gathered to
protest Sinanyan, whose policies they disagreed with, and the police
left shortly thereafter.
The demonstrators concluded their protest by singing Armenian
patriotic songs “Zartir Lao” and “Gini Lits”, along with the Armenian
National Anthem.
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3- Homenetmen Embraces the Young Heroes of Hrashq
By Katy Simonian
“You are stars and the world is watching you. By your presence you
send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message
of hope. A message of victory.” Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s words echo
through eternity and continue to create a ripple effect for families
in America and across the world. As the founder of the Special
Olympics, she shared her vision of inclusion with the world, opening
hearts and minds to the powerful gifts of a community that had long
been kept in the shadow.
Homenetmen Western US Region established Hrashq, a program for
athletes with special needs. With a unique coaching system tailored
for the needs of each child, Hrashq builds skills and confidence in
young athletes, providing them with socialization and inclusion
opportunities, while combating the stigma often associated with
disabilities.
For members, Hrashq (which means “Miracle”) is an opportunity to
create a resource of support for parents and children alike, as they
meet the challenges of life.
The story of Hrashq began back in 2018, when Founding Member Dr. Nanor
Kabakian joined a group of parents who sought to create an avenue for
their children to participate in athletic activities and be part of an
Armenian organization. Kabakian has long served as the facilitator of
the Armenian Parents Support Group of the Lanterman Regional Center,
which offers parents of children with special needs presentations and
resources to enable them to advocate for their rights.
She approached Homenetmen’s leaders with the prospect of having a
booth at the Games. Their conversation led to a transformative
idea—having athletes with special needs participate in the 43rd
Navasartian Games on the occasion of the Homenetmen Centennial.
Homenetmen’s Western Regional Executive Board gave the concept the
green light, forming a committee whose mission it was to plan Hrashq’s
inaugural participation in Navasartian Games. Their goal was to
provide the athletes with the accommodations needed to make their
historic debut a success. Indeed, Hrashq athletes participated in
competitions and the Parade of Champions, a highlight of the annual
Navasartian Closing Ceremonies.
The program quickly went from 20 athletes to 50, and has benefited
from the leadership of an Adaptive Physical Education Teacher, Dave
Beard, who has created specific lesson plans for each individual
student. Athletes receive one-on-one support from volunteers,
including parents, speech and language pathologists, occupational
therapists, Homenetmen members, and AYF Sardarabad Pyunic Basketball
Committee members.
One of the most influential figures to support Hrashq’s noble mission
is State Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who secured a grant of
$100,000 to support Homenetmen’s many programs including Hrashq.
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4- Hovnanian, Hovsepian Stage Installations at Venice Art Biennale
VENICE (Combined Sources)— For the past 127 years, the Venice Biennale
International Art Exhibition has been dominated by male curators and
artists. But the 59th iteration of the show—which opens this week and
borrows its title, The Milk of Dreams, from a text by the surrealist
Leonora Carrington—primarily features women artists. Among them are
the Sheree Hovsepian and Rachel Lee Hovnanian.
Angel iconography is universal, but there’s something truly arresting
in the seven cherubs created by Rachel Lee Hovnanian, cast in white
bronze and silenced by two sculpted, crossed pieces of tape over their
mouths.
The artist’s immersive installation, “Angels Listening,” which is will
be on view at the Venice Biennale until Nov. 27, has the angels staged
around a silver confessional, dubbed the “Cathartic Box.” The artist
invites viewers to write on a ribbon their most personal thoughts,
whether repressed due to fear of judgment or out of an inability to
speak them.
Visitors will be able to place the ribbons into the box while ringing
an awakening bell that symbolizes the role of the angels as mute
listeners.
At the end of each day, the messages will be taken out of the box and
ironed on prayer-like mats in the garden, and made permanent. “The
performers become the listeners,” Hovnanian explain.
“‘Angels Listening’ offers a space that transforms hundreds of
silenced voices into a chorus of confessions, allowing to reflect on
issues related to identity and relationships, and on the role of art
in this unprecedented moment in history,” says Hovnanian.
The messages at the installation will also contribute to a sense of
freedom as “you can’t be traced through a global platform.”
This is a very personal installation, reflecting Hovnanian’s own
struggles to speak up as a victim of sexual harassment and, as a
child, growing up with a father whose issues with alcohol drove her to
silence, thinking that “maybe nobody will want to be friends” with her
if others knew what was happening at home. The artist has explored the
image of a silenced angel before, illustrating the suppression of
truth and the _expression_ “be an angel and keep your mouth shut.”
The Venice Biennale’s epic proportions tend to lure artists into
blowing up their own scale of choice to meet the show’s expectations
but Sheree Hovsepian stuck to her guns, making her contributions to
the show some of the most intimate viewing available in the Giardini’s
main pavilion. “Sometimes asking a viewer to come close is actually
asking them to come with you. You are demanding more but through that
process you become more connected,” Hovsepian explains,. “I often
refer to my practice as a kind of exquisite corpse process,” the
artist explains. “Using all these materials, the ceramic, the string,
the wood—I’m putting together limbs and making the body whole again.”
These anecdotal references to the body, sometimes literal and
sometimes more abstract, accumulate within Hovsepian collages—building
towards a larger more inclusive body that can reflect back on all its
disparate parts. “I often refer to my practice as a kind of exquisite
corpse process,” the artist explains. “Using all these materials, the
ceramic, the string, the wood—I’m putting together limbs and making
the body whole again.” The Venice Biennale’s epic proportions tend to
lure artists into blowing up their own scale of choice to meet the
show’s expectations but Sheree Hovsepian stuck to her guns, making her
contributions to the show some of the most intimate viewing available
in the Giardini’s main pavilion. “Sometimes asking a viewer to come
close is actually asking them to come with you. You are demanding more
but through that process you become more connected,” Hovsepian
explains, Hovsepian will be showing seven new works she created
especially for her debut at the exhibition, which are composed from
silver gelatin prints and tactile materials.
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5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
More than 2.2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been
administered in Armenia since commencing the vaccination program a
year ago, authorities said on Monday, June 13. For the first week, no
new caes or deaths were reported. Armenia has recorded 423,006
coronavirus cases. Armenia has recorded 8,629 deaths; 412,661 have
recovered. ***************************************************************************************************************************
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