Lezginka Legend Brings Dance of Dagestan to US

Lezginka Legend Brings Dance of Dagestan to US

RIA Novosti
Features & Opinion
30/07/2013

By Maria Young

BROOKLYN, New York, July 30 (By Maria Young for RIA Novosti) – In a
roomful of pint-sized performers, swirling and stomping like they were
born to dance in their forefathers’ footsteps, a tanned and muscular
Anatoliy Vartanian is waving his arms like a madman, shouting
frustration in a voice filled with disgust, his salt-and-pepper hair
jutting out at crazy angles, outrage spewing from his soul.

`What are you thinking??! Tighter! You’re not trying!’ he fumes in his
native Russian tongue, inches away from the face of a wide-eyed
eight-year-old boy who instantly manages to sharpen his moves, leaping
higher, turning with a precision that wasn’t there a moment before.

That’s the kind of respect you command when you are one of the most
famous lezginka dancers of Dagestan, where this fast-paced, frenzied
dance, filled with jumping, twirling and high-pitched screams
originated hundreds of years ago.

`I love each of them tremendously… but when I shout at them, when I
tell them off, I have a result. If I were soft with them, they
wouldn’t have danced like that,’ said Vartanian through a translator
in an interview with RIA Novosti.

It is late in his upper-floor studio on a non-descript street in
Brooklyn, New York where dozens of kids with family ties to Dagestan,
Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region of Russia have just finished their
Friday night classes.

=80=9CThere’s a fire inside of me; I’m giving them so much and I want
them to give even a little bit back. But not all of them do, and
that’s why I shout. I love every hair on their heads, but when they
are lazy, when they’re fooling around, it drives me insane,’ he added.

You can almost imagine some young American children in such a class
dissolving in tears, their parents frantic about the effects of such
treatment on fragile young self-esteems.

And yet, the kids in this Brooklyn studio clearly adore
Vartanian. They idolize him. They practically worship the man,
whispering his name in a tone of something close to reverence. Their
parents watch the classes on a monitor from another room, laughing at
some of the antics but clearly proud of their children carrying on a
cultural tradition from the homeland.

Vartanian, who is 77 years old, is more than a teacher. He is the
grand patriarch of this incredibly close-knit family of sorts of
first-generation Americans who share a common heritage. They look to
him as a cherished grandfather. And the more he yells, the more loved
they feel.

`Anatoliy has his own way of teaching. When it’s during a class he can
be loud… precisely because he likes everything to be perfect to the
tee. But outside of class we all refer to him as our grandfather. He
drives us home, he comes to our parties with us, we have our own
little family gatherings,’ said 14-year-old Alexandra Goldshmidt, who
has been studying lezginka with Vartanian since she was eight.

`We wouldn’t say he’s nuts. It’s just, that’s the way he teaches,
that’s the way he trains us, and the way he raises us,’ she added.

Eighteen-year-old Adi Avishalom was an infant when he came to the
United States with his family as refugees from Baku,
Azerbaijan. There, lezginka is quite popular, he said.

Avishalom has been studying lezginka for as far back as he can
remember, and describes the dance, with its sharp, angular movements,
pounding drumbeat and fiery music, in almost poetic terms.

`You can get so much emotion out of it. It’s very aggressive, so you
can get your anger out and at the same time, you can dance it very
sharply, very accurately, but not forcefully. It can be gentle at the
same time,’ Avishalom said.

`Hip hop’s too common. It doesn’t touch my heart like lezginka
does. When I dance this, I just get a joy that’s pretty
extraordinary,’ he added.

Avishalom’s extended family of several hundred people in the New York
area, along with neighbors and friends who migrated to the United
States, are thrilled to find their native dance alive and kicking
through the next generation.

`Even though it’s not very popular among New Yorkers or even
Americans, it’s very popular among our culture. So whenever we get
together for a wedding we would dance this and everyone would be
shocked. They’d be like, `Wow, where’d you learn this?” he said.

But it almost didn’t happen.

Vartanian was a leading dancer with the Lezginka Ensemble in Dagestan
for years, performing for crowds packed with admiring fans and heads
of state across Europe, and was named an Honored Artist of
Dagestan. His was a classic `rags-to-riches’ tale that began in an
orphanage in Dagestan and led him to the top of his field.

Video URL:

By the time he reached a level of fame, Vartanian said, he was `living
grandly’ and `could get a studio for free. They just wanted me to be
there. `

When he moved to the United States in the mid-1990s after the collapse
of the Soviet Union, he was in his late 50s and found no such fame or
fortune. People in America didn’t recognize his face and they had
never heard of lezginka. He struggled to find a job that was suitable,
working first in a kebab house, then as a chef, and later in a bakery.

`I changed lots of jobs, and there was a moment when I wanted to
leave. I went to Kennedy Airport three times,’ planning to go back
home, but turned around each time, he remembered. `There wasn’t much
for me here.’

He missed his homeland, and he missed lezginka, which he called `the
dance of the mountains,’ and `a temperamental dance that could even
make the dead want to come back to life.’

That bleak existence began to change through a stroke of fate, a
chance meeting in 1999 with some friends from Makhachkala, the capital
of Dagestan, and their sons. Young Zoriy would become his first
student in the United States.

`I started practicing with him, then at a certain point I showed his
skills, and people started calling me, ‘Can you teach my daughter? Can
you teach my son? Can you stage a wedding dance?”

Working with overjoyed parents and the local community, he found
studios for the kids to dance in, and gradually the number of students
grew to more than 60.

`In the beginning the kids were looking at the clock to see when the
session would end, and now I can’t make them leave the studio,’ he
said.

Today, Vartanian is the director and choreographer of the LezginkaNYC
dance ensemble, which has performed in Manhattan and Washington, as
well as scores of private parties and celebrations. At nearly 78, he
has found a new home and a family at last.

`I’m feeling amazing thanks to these kids,’ he said, adding with a
smile, `Those are the people for whom I live. I love them very much
because they are like my children.’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nJhDehEsSEg

eNewsletter of the Eastern Diocese – 08/01/2013

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710
Fax: (212) 779-3558
Web:
Email: [email protected]

** TOP STORY August 1, 2013
————————————————————
Hye Camp
Campers pose for a photo at the pool.

** Hye Camp Kicks off 50th Season
————————————————————
On Sunday, July 28, Hye Camp welcomed more than 125 campers for a
two-week program in Ingleside, IL. The day began with a prayer service
in the chapel followed by a barbeque for parents and campers.

Campers have been busy taking classes in religion, Armenian language,
culture and heritage, and arts and crafts. They also take part in
athletic games and special programs, such as camp-wide Olympics and
scavenger hunts.

This year Hye Camp is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Click here
()
to visit the camp blog to read more about daily activities and to view
photos.

** Scripture of the Week
————————————————————

Is 62:1-11
2 Tim 2:15-19
Jn 6:39-47

** Prayer of the Week
————————————————————

Heavenly King, grant me your kingdom which you promised to your
beloved, and strengthen my heart to hate sin and love you only and to
do your will. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, a great
sinner. Amen.

** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
————————————————————

3 August: St. Gregory the Theologian

10 August: 200 Fathers of the Holy Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.)

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Supreme Spiritual Council in Etchmiadzin
Supreme Spiritual Council members stand in prayer at the start of this
week’s meeting.

** Supreme Spiritual Council Meets at Holy Etchmiadzin
————————————————————

The Supreme Spiritual Council met at Holy Etchmiadzin this week, with
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, presiding. Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Patriarchal Vicar
of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, chaired the
meeting. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese,
was among the attendees.

Participants heard a report on plans to observe the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Armenia and the diaspora. Bishop
Arshak Khachatryan gave a report on the Global Diocesan Bylaws, and
explained how various Armenian dioceses have been working with the
document. Also discussed was the upcoming Bishops Assembly, scheduled
for September 21 to 28 at Holy Etchmiadzin.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Panos Titizian
Mr. Titizian speaks about the importance of passing on the Armenian
heritage to a new generation.

** Panos Titizian Honored at the Diocesan Center
————————————————————

On Thursday, July 25, the Eastern Diocese hosted a tribute dinner in
honor of Panos Titizian of Los Angeles, CA-a longtime AGBU member and
a distinguished leader in the Armenian-American community. Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, presided over the evening’s
program.

Remarks were made by AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Mr. Titizian’s
daughter Nelly Kazman. The Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan
Vicar, served as the master of ceremonies. His Excellency Garen
Nazarian, Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, presented
Mr. Titizian with the `Movses Khorenatsi’ medal of honor on behalf of
the government of the Republic of Armenia.

Mr. Titizian expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Barsamian,
Mr. Setrakian, Ambassador Nazarian, and his family and guests. He went
on to speak about the importance of passing on the Armenian heritage
to a new generation.

`Tonight we are honoring a man who plays an important role in the
Armenian diaspora,’ said Archbishop Barsamian. `It is because of
people like Panos Titizian that we can hope for a bright future for
Armenian communities across the globe.’

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Nersess Seminary
An artist’s rendering of the seminary’s new chapel.

** Fundraising for St. Nersess Seminary’s New Campus
————————————————————

St. Nersess Armenian Seminary has launched a new `LEGACY’ brochure,
which details the seminary’s expansion of mission on its new Armonk
campus. The seminary is reaching out to all Armenian Church members to
contribute to the St. Nersess Expansion Fund. Naming opportunities are
also available, and all donations can be made in honor/memory of a
loved one(s).

As the only Armenian seminary in the Western world, St. Nersess is
committed to preparing priests and lay leaders whose knowledge and
leadership help strengthen the Armenian Church.

Click here
()
to view the `LEGACY’ brochure.

FAR
Dr. Asatour Hovsepyan examines a patient in Armenia.

** Armenia’s Elderly Receive Eye Exams
————————————————————

Last week, 12 elderly beneficiaries of the Fund for Armenian Relief’s
Vanadzor Old Age Home
()
received eye exams with the support of the Armenian EyeCare Project
()
(AECP). As a result of the screenings, eight of the patients underwent
eye surgery performed by Dr. Asatour Hovsepyan
()
, AECP’s Mobile Eye Hospital
()
coordinator and surgeon at the S. Malayan Ophthalmological Center.

Some of the Vanadzor Old Age Home beneficiaries had been experiencing
problems with their eyesight for years and had almost completely lost
their eyesight prior to receiving treatment from AECP.

The Armenian EyeCare Project, a nonprofit founded in 1992 by Roger
Ohanesian, M.D., works to eliminate preventable blindness in Armenia
and to make quality eye care accessible to all. AECP has five primary
programs: direct patient care; medical training and education,
including on-site training in Armenia and U.S. ophthalmology
fellowships; public education and awareness; research; and
strengthening the Armenian eye care delivery system through capacity
building.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
Hye Pointe Church visits Armenia
Pilgrimage participants at the Armenian alphabet monument in
Artashavan.

** Hye Pointe Parishioners Travel to the Homeland
————————————————————

A group of 30 parishioners from the Hye Pointe Church in Haverhill,
MA, made a two-week pilgrimage to Armenia from June 28 to July 12,
under the leadership of their pastor, the Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian.

In addition to a tour of Yerevan, the group visited a number of
historic sites and monasteries across Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh,
including Tatev, Noravank, and Keghart. At Holy Etchmiadzin they met
with His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians.

Click on the following links to read the group’s blog
()
, and to view a video
()
and photos
()
.

St. John Church, Detroit

** Lecture Series on Sacred Music at St. John Church
————————————————————

On Thursday, July 25, more than 65 parishioners gathered at St. John
Church of Southfield, MI, for the first in a series of lectures on
Armenian sacred music. The lecture was delivered by Dn. Rubik Mailian,
music director of the St. John Church Komitas Choir and chair of the
Diocese’s Sacred Music Council.

Dn. Mailian gave an overview of the different types of sacred songs
and spoke about their evolution, meaning, and significance. Future
topics include the Music of the Divine Liturgy (September 19), Music
of the Sacraments (October 24), and Music of Holy Week (February
2014).

The lecture series is free and open to the public. Musical training is
not required. To register, contact Dn. Mailian at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

Mission Parish
Fr. Abdalian with parishioners in Tidewater, VA.

** Mission Parish Director Visits Tidewater, VA
————————————————————

Last weekend the small mission parish of Tidewater, VA, welcomed the
Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian, director of the Diocese’s Mission Parish
Program. Fr. Abdalian celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, July
27, at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.

A fellowship hour followed services. Later in the day, parish council
chair Dr. Vardan Gyurjyan and his family hosted Fr. Abdalian and other
parishioners at a luncheon in their home.

The Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor of St. James Church of Richmond,
VA, visits the Tidewater community on a regular basis, along with
St. James choir members, organist, and altar servers. The “big sister”
relationship that has been established between the two communities is
an example of how even a small parish can reach out in loving service
to a mission parish.

On Sunday, July 28, Fr. Abdalian traveled to Richmond, VA, and
celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. James Church.

Upcoming Events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

St. Gregory the Illuminator Church | Chicago, IL
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, will host its
annual Summer Fest on Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11. Hours
are 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 12 to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The event will feature live music and dancing; Armenian food,
including shish kebab, rice pilaf, homemade pastries and bread; and
activities for all ages. On Saturday, visitors are invited to take a
cooking class or learn Armenian dance steps. On Sunday, the fest will
offer a range of activities for kids.

For information, visit the church website at
()
, or call (773) 637-1711.

Church of the Holy Resurrection | New Britain, CT
The Church of the Holy Resurrection of New Britain, CT, will host its
annual Armenian Festival on Sunday, August 18, from 12 to 6 p.m.

Enjoy Armenian food, including shish kebab, pilaf, kheyma, Armenian
losh burgers, and more. Music will be provided by the Harry Bedrossian
Ensemble. The festival will also have Armenian vendors, a wine tasting
exhibition, and kids’ games.

The event will be held on church grounds (1910 Stanley Street in New
Britain). Admission is free. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information, or contact the church office at (860)
223-7875.

** EVENTS
————————————————————
St. Vartan Cathedral
St. Vartan Cathedral during its construction in 1967.

** St. Vartan Cathedral to Mark 45th Anniversary
————————————————————

The celebration of the 45th anniversary of the consecration of New
York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will take place on Sunday,
September 15, with services and a luncheon and program.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, will celebrate the
Divine Liturgy in the cathedral sanctuary, beginning at 10:30 a.m. A
hokehankisd (requiem) service will be held directly after the badarak
for the souls of the departed cathedral godfathers and Cathedral
Project committee members. Immediately following the Divine Liturgy
and requiem service, a luncheon and program will be held in Haik and
Alice Kavookjian Auditorium.

Tickets to the luncheon are $40 per person. To make reservations,
please mail a check payable to St. Vartan Cathedral to the Diocesan
Center (630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016) by September 10.

Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and to learn more about the cathedral’s history
()
.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
Camp Nubar
Archbishop Barsamian blessed Camp Nubar during a special ceremony on
Sunday.

** Primate Visits AGBU Camp Nubar
————————————————————

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, visited AGBU Camp Nubar
on Sunday, July 28, as the camp celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The Primate blessed the camp in a special ceremony, with campers,
staff, and guests participating. Assisting Archbishop Barsamian was
the Rev. Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian. The Primate also presided over the
re-dedication and blessing of the camp’s Lake Arax.

Click here
()
to view photos.

http://www.armenianchurch.org/
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Crossroads E-Newsletter – August 1, 2013

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:

SYRIAN ARMENIANS IN NEED

The crisis in Syria continues to inflict great suffering on the
population. The situation in Aleppo, a heavily Armenian populated
city, is very serious. There is a shortage of basic needs including
food, fuel, medical services, and medications.

Please help us continue our humanitarian aid of food, water, and
medicine without interruption.

Make a donation to the Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief. Donations can
be made on-line (see below) or can be mailed to the Armenian Prelacy,
138 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY
IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT.
THE NEED IS REAL.
THE NEED IS GREAT.

DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON LINE.
TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE () AND
SELECT SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU.

The Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief is a joint effort of: Armenian
Apostolic Church of America (Eastern Prelacy); Armenian Catholic
Eparchy; Armenian
Evangelical Union of North America; Armenian Relief Society (Eastern
USA, Inc.); Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

PRELATE VISITS ST. GREGORY CHURCH IN NORTH ANDOVER

Archbishop Oshagan traveled to St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
Massachusetts, on Monday, where he met with the parish’s leaders and
Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, who has been called to serve as the parish’s
new pastor.

Der Stephan, pastor of St. Gregory Church in Granite City, Illinois,
for the past five years, will celebrate his final Divine Liturgy in
Granite City
on Sunday, August 11. Following the Liturgy, the parish is hosting a
farewell luncheon and concert to express good wishes to Der Hayr,
Yeretzgin Alice, and their two sons, two-year old Nishan and
three-month old Hovhaness.

Der Stephan will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy as pastor of the
North
Andover parish on Sunday, August 25. The Prelate and Executive Council
extend their heartfelt best wishes to Der Hayr and his family.

To read a feature article by Tom Vartabedian click here
().

Archbishop Oshagan and Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian met with the
leadership of
the St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley in North Andover,
Massachusetts, on Monday, July 29.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL TRAVEL TO CAMP HAIASTAN IN MASSACHUSETTS

Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Camp Haiastan in Franklin,
Massachusetts, this Sunday, August 4, where he will preside over the
Blessing of Grapes and Madagh at the annual St. Stephen’s Church
(Watertown) picnic.

ANEC TEACHERS SEMINAR ON SEPTEMBER 7
The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) is sponsoring a
seminar for teachers on Saturday, September 7, 2013, at the Prelacy
headquarters in Manhattan. All schools and teachers are invited to
participate. Several lectures and an open discussion are scheduled. To
view the program, click here
().

A REPORT ON THE 2013 ST. GREGORY OF DATEV INSTITUTE
Sixty-eight teenagers from 10 parishes, along with 20 clergymen and
lay leaders, gathered at the St. Mary of Providence Center in
Elverson, Pennsylvania, for the 27th annual St. Gregory of Datev
Institute Summer Program, from June 30-July 7, 2013, under the
auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, the Prelate of the
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

The following impressions echo the sentiments expressed by many
participants: `The balance of learning how to be a better Christian
and meeting new people is great’ (Aleen Takvorian, 1st year student);
=80=9Cmeeting new Armenian teenagers, learning about my faith and my
Armenian
heritage means a lot to me. I love Datev and can’t wait till I return
next year’ (Maralle Arakelian, 2nd year student); `I am
blessed that I had the opportunity to join the Datev Institute’ (Peter
Baghdadlian, 3rd year student); `Datev is something that I look
forward to every year’ (Armand Charkhutian, 3rd year student).

This year’s Datev Institute took place with the generous support of
Mr. and Mrs. Hagop and Ica Kouyoumdjian of Holmdel, New Jersey. Their
substantial donation made it possible to maintain the Institute’s high
level of education in the Armenian Christian faith and heritage.

Sponsored by the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council
(AREC), the Summer Program offers a unique opportunity for youth ages
13-18 to enhance their knowledge of the Christian faith, as well as
better understand its distinctive expression in the Armenian Church
tradition through her
feasts, worship, and sacraments. Worship, discipleship,
friendship-these three elements, motto of the Institute, structure the
communal life of the program. The curriculum of the Institute is
designed to be completed
in four weeks (one week each summer). Those who complete the four-week
program have the option to return for postgraduate classes. The
classes for all five levels take place concurrently, about twenty-five
50-minute sessions
for each level.

Every day the students participated in morning and evening services,
attended 5 or 6 hours of lectures, Bible studies and open discussions,
and in the afternoon enjoyed recreational activities such as
volleyball, soccer, and
swimming.

To read the full report click here
().

The Institute was privileged to have three prominent scholars as guest
lecturers: Fr. Paul Tarazi, Professor of Biblical Studies and
Languages at St.
Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, S. Peter Cowe, Professor
of Armenian Studies at UCLA, and Siobhan Nash-Marshall, Professor of
Philosophy at Manhattanville College.

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, August 4, Fifth Sunday of Transfiguration
of Our Lord Jesus Christ, are Isaiah 62:1-11; 2 Timothy 2:15-19; John
6:39-47.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a
worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of
truth. Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and
more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are
Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming
that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the
faith of some. But God’s firm
foundation stands, bearing this inscription: `The Lord knows those
who are his,’ and, `Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
turn away from wickedness.’ (2 Timothy 2:15-19)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here
().

ST. GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN

This Saturday, August 3, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Gregory
the Theologian, also known as Gregory of Nazianzus, who is considered
to be one
of the four great doctors of the church during the 4th century, along
with
Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, and Athanasius the Great. He is
noted for being an accomplished and eloquent speaker. He is also known
as one of the Cappadocian Fathers, along with Basil the Great and
Gregory of Nyssa. Some of his sermons and poetry have survived,
largely due to his great-nephew,
Nichobulos, who preserved and edited his writings.

NEWS FROM THE CATHOLICOSATE

GENOCIDE MEMORIAL MUSEUM AT BIRDS NEST HOME

His Holiness Aram I, along with five members of the construction
projects committee, met with the architects Raffi and Viken
Tarkhanian, and inspected the site and progress of Genocide Memorial
Museum at the Birds Nest Home for Orphans near Byblos, Lebanon.

The Bird’s Nest Orphanage was established by Danish Missionaries,
through the initiatives of a young nurse, still in her early 20s,
Maria Jacobsen, who devoted her entire life to the Armenian
orphans. Thousands of orphaned Armenian children called her `Mama.’
The museum will
be in the old historic Birds Nest building and is expected to be
completed
by 2015. The museum will tell the story of the orphans and their
tragic history of survival. After Maria Jacobsen’s death in 1960,
Danish missionaries kept the orphanage open. In 1970 the Bird’s Nest
was transferred to the care of the Holy See of Cilicia. It continues
to care for needy children.

His Holiness once again requested that any historic artifacts relating
to the Birds Nest, be offered for display in the museum. These could
be items such as books, copybooks and other learning material; school
uniforms; photographs; diaries, letters, essay or poem written by the
students; handiwork
made by the children, or any other pertinent artifacts. Inquiries can
be made to the Birds Nest by phone (+961 (0) 9 540 867; fax (+961 (0)
9 540 027; or email ([email protected]).

THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY

Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Birth of Gurgen Mahari (August 1, 1903)

Modern Armenian literature had three major enemies: tuberculosis,
Turkish genocide, and Stalinist repression. The so-called `second
April 24′ harvested the lives of many remarkable Armenian
intellectuals and public figures between 1936 and 1938, who were shot,
died in prison, or in exile. Many others suffered short or long years
in prison, labor camps, internal exile, and were fortunate enough to
survive until the death of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin when they
returned.

Poet and novelist Gurgen Mahari (Ajemian) was born in Van. His father,
Krikor Ajemian, was an important member of the Armenagan Party (the
first Armenian political party, founded in Van in 1885). Mahari became
an orphan in 1907, when his father was shot by his brother-in-law, an
A.R.F. member, in a
confusing incident. In 1915, after the heroic self-defense of Van
during the genocide, the future writer migrated to Eastern Armenia
with his family.
They lost each other on the road of exile, and Mahari lived in
orphanages in Dilijan and Yerevan until he found his family again.

He published his first poems in the press during the first republic,
and later, in the Soviet period, he studied at Yerevan State
University. He published five collections of poetry and short stories
between 1924 and 1931, but his fame in the 1930s was cemented by the
first two books of his biographical trilogy, `Childhood’ and
`Adolescence’ (1930). Meanwhile, he had married and had a son. He
became a member of the Writers Union of Armenia in 1934.

The wave of repression unleashed in Armenia after the assassination of
Aghasi Khanjian in 1936 reached Mahari too. Trumped-up charges were
brought against him and he was condemned to a ten-year exile from
1936-1946 in Siberia. After returning to Yerevan, in 1948 he was
condemned, through new trumped-up charges, to life exile. In Siberia,
he met Lithuanian student Antonina
Povilaitite, who had also been condemned to life exile. They married
and lived with the hope of change. Stalin died in 1953, and Mahari and
his wife,
together with their newly-born daughter, managed to return to Yerevan
in 1954. Their daughter would die shortly thereafter, and they would
later have
a son.

After seventeen years of exile, the writer returned to his homeland in
bad
health, but with the inner strength to continue his writing. He became
one
of the leading voices in the literary life of Armenia during the 1950s
and
1960s. He published the third part of his trilogy, `On the Eve of
Youth’ (1956), a volume of poetry in 1959 and a collection of short
stories, `The Voice of Silence’ (1962), where he reflected
the Siberian years. Another Siberian memoir, `Barbed Wire in
Flower,’ was first published posthumously in the weekly `Nayiri’ of
Beirut (1971); it was published in Yerevan only in 1988. He received
the title of Emeritus Cultural Activist of Armenia in 1965.

Mahari published his most important book, the novel `Burning
Orchards,’ in 1966 (there is a translation in English), an account of
Armenian life in Van before World War I, during the self-defense of
the city,
and afterwards. It created a lively controversy because of some of his
views, and he was forced to rewrite it; the second version was
published in 1979 in a curtailed form. The final edition was only
published in 2004, edited by Grigor Achemyan, Mahari’s eldest son, who
has published several unpublished volumes and has prepared an edition
of unpublished works in thirteen volumes.

Gurgen Mahari passed away in Palanga (Lithuania), on June 17, 1969,
and was buried in Yerevan. He concluded one of his autobiographical
works with a characteristic paragraph: `[If] the terrible and
omnipotent Jehovah
entered this moment, sat in front of me, lit a cigarette and said:
`I’m giving you a second life; trace the path of your second life from
cradle to tomb, as you wish, and your wish will be accomplished
. . . How would you like to live?,’ I would answer him, without
hesitation: `Exactly as I lived it.’

Note: Previous entries in `This Week in Armenian History’ can be read
on the Prelacy’s web site ().

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE CORNER

Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Two Is Company

When you say, `We have company tonight,’ one of the implications might
be that one or more people are expected for dinner. (You’re Armenian;
you can’t just serve coffee!). In this context, since you are having
guests, you would express it in Armenian as `Ô±ÕµÕ½ Õ£Õ«Õ·Õ¥Ö=80
Õ°Õ«Ö=82Ö=80 Õ¸Ö=82Õ¶Õ«Õ¶Ö=84′ (Ays kisher hyoor oonink). Otherwise,
you would have used the word Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¸Ö=82Õ©Õ«Ö=82Õ¶
(ungerootyoon), and coined the phrase `Ô±ÕµÕ½ Õ£Õ«Õ·Õ¥Ö=80
Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¸Ö=82Õ©Õ«Ö=82Õ¶ Õ¸Ö=82Õ¶Õ«Õ¶Ö=84», which sounds utterly
un-Armenian.

The funny thing is that, when you use the word `company’ in English in
this context, you may be referring to the original meaning of the word
(the actual meaning shifted over time). `Company’ has been said to
have its ultimate origin in the Late Latin word companio,
`bread-fellow,’ from companis (com `with,’
panis `bread’; the Latin word entered English through Old French
compainie). So, in the end, tonight’s company would necessarily mean
making dinner!

Now, it is even funnier that the Armenian word ungerootyoon implies,
etymologically, the exact same thing: `bread-fellowship.’ Its root,
the frequently-used Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80 (unger), is actually
a compound word, Õ¨Õ¶Õ¤ (unt) + Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80 (ger), which etymologically
means `[those] who eat together’; over time, the word

Õ¨Õ¶Õ¤Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80 (untger) lost the Õ¤ (t) letter and also changed its
meaning. This happened before the fifth century A.D., since the word
already appeared in the Armenian translation of the Bible in its
current form and meaning of `companion, friend.’ (The word Õ¨Õ¶Õ¤ was
a very ubiquitous term in Classical Armenian: it
had more or less twenty different meanings, including `instead of,’
`with, `though,’ `between,’ `against,’ `below.’ It is a cognate
=80`has common origin-with the Greek anti `against’ and the Latin ante
`before,’ which we use widely in everyday English.) Today, unger means
a variety of things, according to its context: `companion,’ `comrade,’
`friend,’ `partner,’ `mate.’ The suffix -Õ¸Ö=82Õ°Õ« (oohi) adds the
feminine dimension to these words-for instance, Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¸Ö=82Õ°Õ«
(ungeroohi `girlfriend’)-while the suffixes -Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ (agan) and
-Õ¡ÕµÕ«Õ¶ (ayin) bring the adjectives `comradely’ or =80=9Cfriendly’
(Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶, ungeragan), as well as `social’
(Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¡ÕµÕ«Õ¶, ungerayin). If you attach the suffix
=80`Õ¸Ö=82Õ©Õ«Ö=82Õ¶ (ootyoon), you obtain the abovementioned word
Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¸Ö=82Õ©Õ«Ö=82Õ¶ (ungerootyoon), which means
`companionship,’ =80=9Ccamaraderie,’ `friendship,’ `partnership,’ but
also `company’ and `society.’ There is a gallery of derived and
compound words formed with unger at its core.

But the enigma remains: How come both the Armenian Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80
(unger) and the English companion have the same original meaning? The
possible answer is again in the Latin language. Bread was an essential
staple in the diet of Roman soldiers, who apparently carried grain and
made their own bread. Famous French linguist Antoine Meillet
(1865-1936) suggested that companio went with Roman soldiers to
Armenia, where there were Roman military permanent garrisons during
some periods of the first and second centuries A.D., and became the
model for the formation of our word Õ¨Õ¶Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80. If this was the case
(this may have happened before
the invention of Armenian writing), ger `food’ never meant
`bread,’ but until today bread plays such a role in the Armenian diet,
that it is common to hear the expression Õ°Õ¡Ö=81 Õ¸Ö=82Õ¿Õ¥Õ¬ (hats
oodel, `to eat bread’) with the meaning `to eat food,’ instead of
Õ³Õ¡Õ· Õ¸Ö=82Õ¿Õ¥Õ¬ (jash oodel) or Õ¯Õ¥Ö=80Õ¡Õ¯Õ¸Ö=82Ö=80
Õ¸Ö=82Õ¿Õ¥Õ¬ (geragoor oodel).

To view previous entries in this series, click here
().

Avedis Zildjian III, in front of the factory of the family business in
1929, when it was moved to Quincy, Massachusetts. The business was
first established 390 years ago in the Ottoman Empire. (Photo from
Aramco World, September/October, 2012).

THE FAMED ZILDJIAN CYMBAL

This year marks the 390th anniversary of the establishment of the
Zildjian
Company, noted worldwide for its extraordinary cymbals. In the early
1600s, an Armenian metal-smith in the Ottoman Empire, named Avedis,
lived and worked in the sultan’s palace. In the hey-day of the Ottoman
Mehter bands, Avedis developed a way to make bronze cymbals stronger,
thinner and with a great sound. The sultan was so impressed that he
gave him the title,
`Zildji’ (cymbal-smith).

In 1623 he was released from government service and he established his
own
company making cymbals for bands and for the Greek and Armenian
churches. In 1929, his descendants moved the business to Massachusetts
where they continued the tradition of making the best cymbals,
utilizing the original secret method developed by Avedis nearly four
centuries ago. Even during the Great Depression the company thrived,
making cymbals for the popular era of jazz and swing. Today, Zildjian
remains the world’s leading cymbal maker. It is also believed to be
the oldest family-owned and operated business with the 14th generation
of the original `Zildji’ currently at the helm.

When the Beatles made their U.S. debut on the Ed Sullivan television
show in 1964, Ringo Starr played Zildjian cymbals. Orders for 90,000
cymbals were received as a result of that appearance.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 4-Annual picnic of St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, at Camp Haiastan, 722 Summer Street, Franklin,
Massachusetts 02038. Delicious food, music and more from 12 noon to 5
pm. For information, 617-924-7562, visit online at
or on Facebook.

August 11-Farewell luncheon and Program for Der Stephan and Yeretzgin
Alice Baljian and Family, following the Divine Liturgy. His Grace
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian will preside. A recital featuring Dan
Vizer, organist, will begin at 2 pm in the church. Please come and
wish Der Hayr and Yeretzgin well as they transition to their new
parish. For information: Lynne Hagopian (618) 452-0192; Sue Spataro
(618) 223-1502.

August 11-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, Annual
Picnic at Camp Haiastan from noon to 6 pm. Blessing of Madagh and
Grapes will take place at 3:30 pm with His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan
presiding and with the participation of the pastors of the New England
area churches. Enjoy delicious shish, losh, and chicken kebab dinners,
Armenian pastry, and
our famous choreg. Music by the Michael Gregian Ensemble. Our patrons
may use the Lower Camp Pool, Basketball Courts, and Canoes from 1 to 4
pm. Activities for children. Come and enjoy a day with friends and
family.

August 11-Annual Church Picnic and Blessing of Grapes at Holy Trinity
Armenian Church, 635 Grove Street, Worcester, Massachusetts. Join us
for a fun-filled day and enjoy delicious food, music by DJ Shaheen,
backgammon tournament, children’s activities and more. Begins at
noon. Blessing of Grapes at 2:45 pm. Admission is free. For more
information: [email protected] or 508-852-2414.

August 16, 17, 18-Armenian Fest and Blessing of the Grapes, All Saints
Armenian Church, 1701 N. Greenwood, Glenview, Illinois. For
information: 847-998-1989.

August 18-Annual Picnic of Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts, 12 noon on the church grounds, 315 Church Street,
Whitinsville, immediately following the Divine Liturgy celebrated by
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian who will also officiate the Blessing of
the Grapes ceremony with the participation of New England
clergy. Delicious Armenian food, homemade baked goods. Listen and
dance to traditional live Armenian music by the
Mugrditchian Band. For information: 508-234-3677.

August 18-St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan, Blessing of the
Grapes and Family Fun Picnic, at Lakeshore Park, 601 South Lake Drive,
Novi,
Michigan. Food, music, dancing, magic show, volleyball, soccer, tavlou
tournament, mountain biking, swimming.

August 18-Sts. Vartanantz Church, New Jersey, Annual Picnic and
Blessing of the Grapes, 1-5 pm at Saddle River County Parki, Wild Duck
Pond area. Music, delicious Armenian food and desserts, arts and
crafts and playground for children, cards, and tavloo, and more.

August 18-Assumption of the Holy Mother of God and Annual `Blessing of
the Grapes’ picnic following the Divine Liturgy at St.
Gregory the Illuminator Church, Granite City, Illinois; 12 Noon-3:30
pm. Blessing of Grapes will take place at 11:45 am. Tasty shish kebab
and chicken kebab dinners will be sold. Armenian breads and pastries
along with other
delicacies will be for sale. Armenian dancing and activities for
children of all ages. Free admission.

September 5 to October 3-`A Brief Introduction to Modern Armenian
Literature,’ a series of five seminars presented on Thursdays, 7 pm to
8:30 pm, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New
York City. Sponsored by the Armenian National Education Committee
(ANEC) and the Cathedral. Presented by Vartan Matiossian, Ph.D.

September 7-Teachers’ Seminar sponsored by the Armenian National
Education Committee (ANEC) at the Prelacy offices, 138 E. 39th Street,
New York City, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Details will follow.

September 8-Picnic Festival, St. Gregory Church, 158 Main Street,
North Andover, Massachusetts, 12:30 to 5:30 pm, featuring Armenian
music by
Leon Janikian, Jason Naroian, Joe Kouyoumjian, John Arzigian, along
with Siroun Dance Group. Armenian food and pastries. For details

September 15-Book Presentation at Pashalian Hall, St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, New York, of `One Church One Nation’
by Hrair Hawk Khatcherian.

September 21-St. Illuminator’s Cathedral’s =80=9CHuyser’ Music
Ensemble presents `The Sound of Freedom,’ a celebration of
independence, at the Frank Sinatra School of Arts, Tony Bennett
Concert Hall, 35-12 35th Avenue, Astoria, New York, at 7:30
pm. Tickets $25-$35. For information: 212-689-5880.

October 5-Symposium `Armenian Women as Artists and Mothers,’ 2-6 pm,
sponsored by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) at
St. Illuminator Cathedral Pashalian Hall, 221 East 27th Street, New
York City, in celebration of the Year of the Mother of the Armenian
Family. Lecturers: Jennifer Manoukian (Columbia University), `Zabel
Yessayan: Mother and Activist,’; Vartan Matiossian (ANEC), `Armen
Ohanian: An Armenian Woman of the World,’ and Melissa Bilal (Columbia
University), `Lullabies and Tears: On Armenian Grandmothers and
Granddaughters in Istanbul.’

October 19-Armenian Friends of America presents `Hye Kef 5′ featuring
musicians Leon Janikian, Joe Kouyoumjian, Greg Takvorian, Ken
Kalajian, Ron Raphaelian, and Jay Baronian, 7:30-12:30, Michael’s
Function Hall, 12 Alpha Street, Haverhill, Massachusetts. Proceeds
to benefit all Armenian churches in Merrimack Valley and New
Hampshire. Tickets: $40 adults; $30 students; includes
individually-served mezza platters. For information/reservations: John
Arzigian 603-560-3826; Sandy Boroyan 978-251-8687; Scott Sahagian
617-699-3581; Peter Gulezian 978-375-1616.

October 27-90th anniversary celebration of St. Gregory Church,
Philadelphia, under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan,
Prelate. Immediately after the Divine Liturgy at the church’s Founders
Hall,
8701 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19128.

November 1 & 2-St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 57th
Armenian Bazaar, 10 am to 9:30 pm, at Armenian Cultural & Educational
Center, 47 Nichols Avenue, Watertown. Delicious meals (take-out
available), Armenian pastries, Arts and Crafts, Books, Raffles, Attic
Treasures, Auctions, and more. For information: 617-924-7562.

November 15-16-17-Annual Bazaar, Sts. Vartanantz Church, 461 Bergen
Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

http://www.armenianprelacy.org/
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www.saintgregory.org

SEN. BOB CORKER: Out In The Open: Why America Needs To Declassify It

OUT IN THE OPEN WHY AMERICA NEEDS TO DECLASSIFY ITS FOREIGN POLICY.

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

BY SEN. BOB CORKER | JULY 31, 2013

[intelligence79000168_0.jpg]

For the past 11 years, and especially the during the last five,
a significant portion of U.S. foreign policy and warfighting has
been conducted through covert action — the secret efforts led by
intelligence agencies to protect America’s national security abroad.

While these efforts have clearly been successful in many cases,
they have grown much larger than the unique, limited means they were
designed to be. Today, covert operations appear to have expanded to
include what have traditionally been overt military and diplomatic
functions, blurring the lines of authority and leaving the public
and most of Congress in the dark.

To ensure the continued availability of covert action — a highly
valuable and effective tool under the right circumstances — we must
make certain that no president misuses, overuses, or employs this
tactic simply out of convenience or the desire to avoid oversight
and debate. As a result, it is important to ask just how much of U.S.

foreign policy is conducted secretly. The answer, unfortunately,
appears to be too much. 

As President Barack Obama seeks to engage Congress on the future
of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the
congressional authorization that grants the president authority to
use force against those responsible for the 9/11 attacks, the time
has come for our reliance on covert action to come out into the open
and be subject to real policy debate and oversight.

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, U.S. intelligence
agencies took the fight to the enemy, working to protect America’s
vital interests and inform our decision makers, while at the same
time preparing the battlespace in Afghanistan for our men and women in
uniform. That effort, and those that followed, demonstrated the value
of quick, decisive, and precise action by U.S. intelligence agencies.

Since the creation of the modern intelligence community in 1946,
various declassified operations attest to the vital role that covert
action can play in advancing American interests. Its very existence
ensures that overt military action — with its significant footprint of
American boots on the ground — is not the only option when diplomacy
fails. Covert action can also provide America’s partners — who for
domestic or international political reasons cannot accept overt
assistance from the United States — with a measure of plausible
deniability.

But the trend toward ever-increasing use of covert action also has
damaging effects. In particular, it can undermine — or at least run
counter — to larger, publicly stated foreign policy goals. Earlier
this year, for example, Afghan President Hamid Karzai claimed to have
been receiving cash in secret from the CIA for more than a decade.

Press accounts alleged that the amounts involved may have reached into
the tens of millions of dollars, but questions about the accountability
of the U.S. tax-payer-funded cash transfers have been stonewalled. If
the claims are accurate, they raise significant foreign policy issues,
not least because a pillar of U.S. assistance in Afghanistan has been
to reinforce the rule of law and combat corruption.

The president, who has so far refused to provide any explanation for
these payments in public or in private, must work with Congress to
make sure overt U.S. aid and covert intelligence activities do not
run at cross purposes.

Covert action must also not be a substitute for major military
operations. While the Pentagon conducts a publicly acknowledged drone
campaign targeting terrorists in Yemen, published reports suggest that
the intelligence community runs a parallel program of significant scope
and scale. While the success of many of these operations is not in
dispute, it is also clear that our broad counterterrorism efforts —
visible and obvious as they are — should not be handled primarily
through covert action designed for unique circumstances where the
role of the United States must truly be hidden. 

The Obama administration has announced that responsibility for most
drone activities will be shifted to the Department of Defense, but
more must be done to bring America’s offensive activities out into the
open. In particular, the president and Congress must work together
to ensure, over the long run, that large-scale offensive operations
are conducted overtly, preserving covert action for the more precise,
high value efforts it is designed to address.

The problem isn’t limited to alleged cash transfers or ostensibly
covert counterterrorism operations. In May, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee approved, with broad, bipartisan support, a bill to
provide targeted arms and training to vetted, moderate elements of the
Syrian opposition. This type of public debate stands in stark contrast
to the Obama administration’s approach — conducting its deliberations
behind the veil of executive privilege, emerging only to announce
the result on television, and then retreating back into the shadows
to carry out its policies through covert methods. This approach not
only lacks decisiveness, but it effectively prevents any real debate
about U.S. policy in Syria. It also flies in the face of the statutory
requirement that “the role of the United States Government … not
be apparent or acknowledged publicly” in covert actions.

This is not to suggest that the United States should avoid covert
means to go after terrorists or to protect U.S. national interests.

But it is to suggest that there must be safeguards in place to ensure
that U.S. policies are well coordinated, moving in the same direction,
and that covert action is not used simply to avoid public discussion
and oversight.

Indeed, it a disservice to members of the intelligence community to
ask them to take on foreign policy and warfighting responsibilities
except in truly unique circumstances when national security is at
stake. Covert action is a valuable tool, but misuse and overuse
undermines it.

What is really missing from this equation is responsible leadership
in Congress to hold the administration accountable on questions of
foreign policy. Right now, we have a unique opportunity to fix this
problem, at least with respect to our counterterrorism operations.

Since the passage of the AUMF in 2001, Congress has largely sat
silent as hundreds of thousands of Americans have served in harm’s
way in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. This feckless dereliction
of duty must end. Congress must take up and debate a new AUMF that
is appropriate for the threats and challenges we face today. Only by
owning up to our responsibilities can Congress bring foreign policy
out into the open, where the American people can hold it accountable.

Charles Ommanney/Getty Images

[arr-indent.gif]  SUBJECTS: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, SECURITY, INTELLIGENCE

Bob Corker is a U.S. Senator from Tennessee and is the Ranking Member
of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

lassify_foreign_policy?page=full

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/07/30/out_in_the_open_america_dec

Zhoghovurd: Gyumri’s Engineering University, Pedagogical University

ZHOGHOVURD: GYUMRI’S ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY, PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY TO BE MERGED DUE TO REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF STUDENTS

11:37 01/08/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

Rumors circulate in Gyumri that the Gyumri branch of the State
Engineering University of Armenia and Gyumri State Pedagogical
University may be merged.

Citing well-informed sources, Zhoghovurd daily says that the reason
of merging is the reduction in the number of students which has led
to the increase in the expenditures of the universities.

Speaking to the paper, Armenian Education Ministry spokesman Arthur
Baghdasaryan said that the project of merging the two universities
is still being discussed, and that there is no decision yet as to
how and on what conditions they will be merged.

Source: Panorama.am

System Of A Down Takes Genocide Affirmation Center Stage

SYSTEM OF A DOWN TAKES GENOCIDE AFFIRMATION CENTER STAGE

Wednesday, July 31st, 2013

LOS ANGELES~WSystem of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian challenged
a capacity crowd at their July 29th Hollywood Bowl show to imagine
a world in which those who claim to speak for the international
community remained silent on the Holocaust ~V as they do on the
Turkish Government~Rs genocide perpetrated against its Armenian,
Greek and Assyrian populations from 1915-1923.

With Daron Malakian~Rs soulful riffs of the Armenian ballad ~SZepiuri
Nman~T (Like a Breeze) in the background, Tankian stated:

~SImagine if this is the 1940s, and World War II had just started,
and America decided not to enter the war on the side of Britain.~T

~SImagine if, Americans became allies with Nazi Germany and decided
that we~Rre going to push away the Holocaust, never use the word
Holocaust in Government policy.~T

~SImagine what a life that would be.~T

~SImagine being Jewish and living in L.A. and not hearing your
President or your Congress use the word Holocaust.~T

~SThat~Rs exactly what Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians feel when
our government doesn~Rt use the word genocide.~T

The four members of System of a Down have been at the forefront of
calling on the U.S., and international community as a whole, to work
toward a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide, and
all genocides, since the very inception of their Grammy award-winning
band. Their efforts are spotlighted in the documentary ~SSCREAMERS~T ~V
which highlights international inaction in the face of the Armenian and
Darfur genocides. Tankian and System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan
travelled to Washington, DC in April, 2006, for a three-day advocacy
campaign urging Congress to speak truthfully about this crime.

Tankian made a short video in April, 2009, viewed more than 330,00
times, urging President Obama to honor his campaign pledge to
properly commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Successive annual April
24th statements by the President have stopped short of referencing
the crime as ~Qgenocide.~R

Watch a segment of the film SCREAMERS, including a performance of
System~Rs powerful anti-denial anthem P.L.U.C.K.

http://asbarez.com/112306/system-of-a-down-takes-genocide-affirmation-center-stage/

Zhamanak: Beglaryan’s Brother Not Allowed To Get On Plane

ZHAMANAK: BEGLARYAN’S BROTHER NOT ALLOWED TO GET ON PLANE

11:02 01/08/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

Zhamanak daily learnt yesterday that the brother of Armenian Transport
Minister Gagik Beglaryan, Yura Beglaryan, who was departing to Vienna,
in a drunken state, made a scandal at Zvartnots Airport.

According to the paper, the airport security guards did not allow
Yura Beglaryan to get on the plane and made him leave the airport.

Source: Panorama.am

Le Sud-Est Du Karabagh Peut Promouvoir Le Developpement Economique D

LE SUD-EST DU KARABAGH PEUT PROMOUVOIR LE DEVELOPPEMENT ECONOMIQUE DE L’ENSEMBLE DU PAYS

KARABAGH

Le President de la Republique du Haut-Karabagh Bako Sahakian a visite
la region du sud-est et a eu une large consultation avec les membres
du Parlement et du gouvernement et les chefs de grandes entreprises.

Le president attache une importance au developpement de la region et
a dit qu’il pourrait promouvoir le progrès economique dans l’ensemble
du pays.

Les participants a la reunion ont discute des questions de defense,
de l’agriculture, des telecommunications et de la construction,
ainsi que la modernisation des routes dans la region du sud-est.

Des rapports ont ete faits par le Premier ministre Ara Harutiunyan
et des chefs d’organismes gouvernementaux.

Le president a donne des instructions au cabinet.

jeudi 1er août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Karabakh Armed Forces Claim Huge Weapons Acquisitions

KARABAKH ARMED FORCES CLAIM HUGE WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS

EurasiaNet.org
July 31 2013

July 31, 2013 – 6:11pm, by Joshua Kucera

Nagorno Karabakh’s armed forces have been substantially strengthened
by large deliveries of weaponry over the past two years, said the
head of the armed forces of the breakaway territory, according to
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:

“We have never had a situation which we have now in terms of obtaining
concrete weapons and military hardware,” their top commander, General
Movses Hakobian, told a news conference in Stepanakert.

Hakobian said the arms acquisitions have been so extensive that the
Karabakh Armenian military has difficulty storing them and plans to
build a new arms depot for that purpose. He declined to specify the
types of new weaponry delivered to it.

Providing no details is standard practice. Armenians, both in Yerevan
and in Karabakh (which broke away from Azerbaijan after the collapse
of the Soviet Union), tend to talk big about their military might
but provide few details. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, loves to tout
its weapons purchases, probably to the point of exaggeration.

(Incidentally, the most authoritative source of real data on arms sales
and transfers is the database of the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute, which does a pretty complete (or, as complete as
you can get) accounting of arms deals around the world.

But remarkably, the database has absolutely no information on Karabakh,
or the other ex-Soviet breakaway republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and Transniester, underscoring again what a black hole this part of
the world is for verifiable information.)

I asked Emil Sanamyan, editor of Armenian Reporter and a good observer
of military issues in the South Caucasus, what this might have been
about, and he said that the armed forces of Armenia and Karabakh are
so integrated that Armenia shipping arms to Karabakh is essentially
an internal process:

Since Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh essentially have one military
force (just wearing slightly different patches), whatever Armenia
gets is essentially what NK gets. The question of whether particular
weapons systems are deployed in NK’s territory or not is really not
that important since stuff can always be moved around. And then some
systems, like the S-300s or aircraft, don’t have to be physically
based in NK to provide NK with full coverage.

What does happen is that for purposes of international accounting via
the CFE and the Vienna process, only the units based within Armenia
proper can be inspected and even then there are limitations. So for
example, Armenia has consistently declared only about 100+ tanks
over the last decade, whereas at least as many if not more tanks
participate in semi-annual exercises held in NK.

(Sanamyan adds that Azerbaijan uses its own tricks to evade CFE
rules, by claiming that “a large number of their units are based on
the territory that is in fact under Armenian control, so these units
also fall outside any inspections regime.”)

Anyway, that’s all a long way of saying that we have no idea what the
Karabakh forces actually got. But they seemed to turn up the rhetoric
a notch, anyway, with the claim that they are bursting at the seams
with weapons. (And his announcement was in the context of an allegedly
“unprecedented meeting” of Armenian military leaders in Stepanakert.)
Is there any fire to this smoke?

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67329

Almost 50 Percent Of Yerevan Public Transport Passengers Are Not Cal

ALMOST 50 PERCENT OF YEREVAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT PASSENGERS ARE NOT CALCULATED – NGO

July 31, 2013 | 13:42

YEREVAN. – Virtually half of the passenger flow in Armenia’s capital
city Yerevan is not calculated, stated “Consumers’ Association”
NGO Chairman Armen Poghosyan, during a press conference on Wednesday.

In his words, the statements, according to which no more than fourteen
people commute in the public transport minibuses, are not true.

“But the municipal authorities do not speak about this; this is a
violation of the rules on minibus operation and passenger service,”
Poghosyan stressed.

As per the NGO chairman, the standing passengers of the public
transport minibuses are not calculated during taxation, and this is
profitable for the transportation companies.

“This non-calculated revenue must be regulated,” Armen Poghosyan added.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Yerevan Municipality
recent decision to increase the public transport fares in the city
had brought about outbursts, several groups were formed in the social
networks, and the initiatives were staging protests and distributing
pamphlets against this decision. In addition, the Free Car initiative
was launched, along the lines of which Armenia’s numerous well-known
personalities, MPs, and ordinary residents were providing-with their
own vehicles-free transportation to the people.

And on July 25, Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the decision on the
fare hike; but the wave of the aforesaid movement is still alive. The
activists demand that the persons, who made the decision on raising
the transport fares, be brought to account, and those officials,
who used violence against and cursed at the activists, be punished.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am