Author: Kalashian Nyrie

Parliament holds moment of silence in honor of 2008 Yerevan unrest victims

Kalashian Nyrie

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 10:14, 1 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 1, ARMENPRESS. Lawmakers held a moment of silence in commemoration of the victims of the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan asked MPs to observe the moment of silence at the March 1 plenary session.

Eight protesters and two police officers were killed in the violent suppression of anti-government street protests that followed a disputed presidential election held in February 2008 which saw Serzh Sargsyan take office. Former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the main opposition candidate in the ballot, rallied his supporters to protest against alleged vote rigging.

Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters held nonstop rallies in Liberty Square until they were forcibly dispersed by riot police early on March 1, 2008.

Asbarez: Teachable Moments: Successful Sevan Games Conclude for Team Homenetmen

Kalashian Nyrie
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Commentary, Community, Latest, Op-Ed, Top Stories

Athletes from Shant and Massis chapters swap jerseys to show camaraderie and Homenetmen spirit after the game

BY SAREEN KASPARIAN

You never truly understand something until you experience it yourself. This past weekend provided me with one such opportunity as I transitioned from participant to organizer for Homenetmen’s Sevan Games. It was an impactful experience that left a lasting impression on me as I gained a deeper appreciation for the work of volunteers and community organizers.

Organized by the Homenetmen Western Region and its Sevan Chapter, every year, the games take place in San Diego, California over the President’s Day long weekend. The tournament lasts for three days and features intense basketball, soccer, and volleyball games. This year, 10 chapters participated with 144 teams. More than 250 games were scheduled at three locations, with a total of 7 courts and one indoor soccer field. Games started at 8 a.m. and continued until close to midnight.

For years, I participated as a basketball player. I enjoyed playing, cheering for my chapter teams and socializing with athletes from other chapters. However, this year, I wasn’t a player. I was a scorekeeper. In theory, my job was simple. Show up on time. Track fouls, timeouts and player stats. Manage the game clock and scoreboard. Yet, challenges and complexities from coaches, players, and fans made my simple job much more challenging.

As I observed the reactions to referee calls, I took notice of the volunteers organizing this tournament. Known as RAC, Regional Athletic Committee, these volunteers not only have to manage logistics, schedules and participation, but they have to deal with a deluge of interruptions and issues. From spilled drinks to trash on the floor to aggressive fans and upset players, this volunteer body went above and beyond their call of duty to ensure the success of this tournament. I watched these volunteers change roles and responsibilities within minutes– from coaching a competitive 1A basketball game to resolving team issues to relieving scorekeepers to even helping a lost child reunite with her parents. The tireless efforts of the RAC members represented the fusion of volunteerism, leadership and benevolence, all intertwined.

In an effort to thank and help all the volunteers behind these games, including future tournaments, I’ve compiled a few tips for fans and supporters.
• Be supportive: Cheer for your team in a positive and enthusiastic manner. Encourage players and acknowledge their effort and hard work.
• Sideline Coaching: Players are guided by the coaching team, not spectators. “ We understand that parents and fans get excited during a game, but do your best to focus on supporting players,” said Bobby Vartanian, Ararat Chapter coach. “Sideline coaches are counterproductive and hurt the team more often than not.”
• Avoid excessive criticism: Avoid rebuking players, coaches, referees and scorekeepers. Remember that they are doing their best, and that negative comments or behavior can impact their concentration and performance.
• Respect the outcome: Win or lose, congratulate the opposing team on a well-played game. “Individual and collective excellence,” said Ruben Karakulyan, Shant Chapter player. “Regardless of our jersey color or chapter name, we unite under Homenetmen’s motto– Elevate yourself and others with you.”
• Be respectful: Show respect towards players, coaches, officials, and other fans, regardless of their team affiliation.
• Be mindful of others: Please clean up your area upon departure. Even though your game is over, the use of the bleachers is not.
Appreciate the Volunteers: A lot of work goes into planning, scheduling and hosting successful tournaments. Take some time to acknowledge and thank the volunteers working tirelessly behind the scenes.

I didn’t mind the constructive criticism and mindful manner reminders when I was a kid but listening to my mom recite a long list of skills I lacked launched the battle of all battles–experienced mother versus the know-it-all daughter.

Obviously, as a high school junior, I’m still learning and lack many life skills but as a semi-independent almost-adult, I know enough to bring my perspective to the conversation. Actually, when it comes to technology, nutrition and first-aid, I can teach my mom a few important life skills. The more “teachable moments” we exchanged – – from household budgeting to safeguarding our Wi-Fi network to celebrating Armenian traditions, the more we realized the value and importance of this knowledge exchange– not just for our family but for our community.

And so, it begins– the teachable moments or as my mom refers to it– the transfer of knowledge! With every issue, we hope to share our insight with you, as we intertwine experience and reasoning with modern day problems and solutions.

Sareen Kasparian is currently a junior at Crescenta Valley High School and a member of the Pasadena Nigol Touman chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation.




Dance for humanitarian causes with ‘MegEnk’ Community Dance Ensemble

Kalashian Nyrie
 Guest Contributor Nonprofit News, Announcements 0

WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Cambridge “Shushi” Chapter is excited to announce the introduction of its ‘MegEnk’ (Մեկ Ենք) Community Dance Ensemble.

Lessons will be held on Thursdays beginning March 2 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC), 47 Nichols Ave., Watertown, MA 02472. Anyone from the ages of 18 to 99 is welcome to participate. Participants should dress comfortably and bring water. Snacks are optional. 

Please register by February 28 to participate in the March kick-off.

Los Angeles native Alex Avaneszadeh will serve as instructor. Avaneszadeh is co-founder of the Lernazang Ethnographic Ensemble, an LA-based traditional Armenian music and dance group founded in 2017. For almost 10 years, Avaneszadeh has been practicing, teaching and performing Armenian ethnographic dances that are representative of the various regions of historic Armenia. He was introduced to the ethnographic dance space in Armenia, having initially spent time learning from members of the Karin Ethnographic Dance Ensemble in Yerevan. Avaneszadeh has extensive experience teaching Armenian diaspora communities in Los Angeles, Washington, DC and the Boston area through Hamazkayin and local Armenian schools. He was the instructor for Birthright Armenia’s traditional dance classes as a Birthright intern in 2018. He resides in the Boston area and is currently a graduate student at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (‘23). 

The ARS “Shushi” Chapter encourages everyone to join them in dancing for humanitarian causes and uniting our community! Scan the QR Code and register.




Commentary: Armenians are crying out, and it’s time to act

Kalashian Nyrie
Sept 21 2022
By Naneh Hakobyan
Published:

Yet again, my family in Armenia woke up Sept. 13 to the news that Azerbaijan is firing at them. Despite similarity to any other dark morning, these particular attacks are so close that at any moment I might hear the worst news of my life. For many decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been at war for the Republic of Artsakh because Azerbaijan claims that Artsakh, a state where Armenian cultural buildings are older than Azerbaijan itself, belongs to them. Armenians tried everything: revolutions, fighting back harder, giving up land and trying to come to peace to address this issue with Azerbaijan and Turkey throughout our very long history. However, Azerbaijan and Turkey have resorted to violence once again.

    Around September 2020, Azerbaijan started a 44-day war to capture Artsakh, during which thousands of 18 to 20-year-old teenage soldiers and many civilians were murdered, including four of my friends. Later on, with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interference, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave most of Artsakh’s land to Azerbaijan for “peace,” which angered Armenian society because no one wanted to give up on our land. But did the war ever stop? Shockingly, no! It has become standard for people in Armenia to wake up to more attacks. However, it got worse. The morning of Sept. 13 changed everything when undisputed central Armenian land was bombed.

    Throughout these two years, my fellow Armenians and I tried everything to reach the attention of international people and governments, yet most of the time our calls were futile. Since 2020, I have shared many pieces of important information on my social media about how non-Armenians can help, talked about this ongoing catastrophe in class, but all I get is “sorry to hear about that.” I ask people to help and give them directions on how to be helpful and supportive, but lately I have come to realize that my cries are not heard. I scream that my childhood home is burning and notice that many around me aren’t reacting.

    To my understanding, there are two major reasons for people’s ignorance. First, many people I have met in Ithaca and other foreign cities and countries do not bother worrying about issues that are not trending. People only show sympathy when there is something in return, like being considered caring and smart. So people go around lying to themselves that they shared a fresh opinion that has been tweeted a million times but don’t bother caring for countries like Armenia, Yemen or Ethiopia. Secondly, it relies on how the media and government talks about the issue. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the media covered the news of the attacks correctly, showing the actions of the real aggressors. However, during the Armenian attacks, there is not much coverage that tells the true story. A great example is the headline from the Washington Post: “Azerbaijan and Armenia exchange fire in Nagorno-Karabakh border zone.” It’s not in the Nagorno-Karabakh border zone, it’s not just exchange of fire, but attacks on my home. Media doesn’t cover the truth when they cannot profit from the plights they highlight.

    I’ve been far from home throughout this conflict and the loneliness I feel is alarming. It’s very disappointing knowing that some people in my classes wouldn’t care if my family was harmed. Although, I would say that I have some amazing friends and professors who honestly care for me and other Armenians. Unfortunately, they are a significant minority within our community.

    Now I’m calling upon you. Please, don’t let me feel alone. Take action. You can follow me on Instagram where I share news and how others can help (@hakobyan__n). Share awareness in your community, but make sure your information is correct. Contact your representatives to block military aid to Azerbaijan (ANCA, Armenian Assembly of America). Reach out to me if you have any questions or comments ([email protected]). We, Armenians, are tired of screaming alone. The time has come to raise your voices with us.


Armenian prime minister calls France, Russia and US after Azerbaijan clashes

Kalashian Nyrie
The National, UAE
Sept 13 2022
Soraya Ebrahimi
Sep 13, 2022

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan talked with the French and Russian presidents and the US Secretary of State, after “provocative, aggressive actions” by Azerbaijan, his office said on Tuesday.

In his phone calls, Mr Pashinyan “emphasised the importance of adequate reaction from the international community”.

Azerbaijani troops have been killed in large-scale clashes on the border with Armenia after the latest flare-up between the countries.

Since the end of the 2020 war between Yerevan and Baku over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, there have been frequent reports of shootouts along their shared border.

“At 00.05am on Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched intensive shelling, with artillery and large-calibre firearms, against Armenian military positions in the direction of the cities of Goris, Sotk and Jermuk,” Armenia’s Defence Ministry said.

It said Azerbaijan had also used drones.

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But Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry accused Armenia of “large-scale subversive acts” near the districts of Dashkesan, Kelbajar and Lachin on the border.

It said its army sites “came under fire, including from trench mortars”.

“There are losses among [Azerbaijani] servicemen,” it said, without giving figures.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed for an end to the fighting.

“The United States is deeply concerned about reports of attacks along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including reported strikes against settlements and civilian infrastructure inside Armenia,” Mr Blinken said in a statement on Monday on the State Department’s website. “We urge an end to any military hostilities immediately.”

Last week, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of killing one of its soldiers in a border shootout.

In August, Azerbaijan said it had lost a soldier and the Karabakh army said two of its troops had been killed and more than a dozen injured.

The neighbours fought two wars — in the 1990s and in 2020 — over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated enclave.

Six weeks of fighting in the autumn of 2020 killed more than 6,500 people and ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire.

Under the deal, Armenia gave up large areas of territory it controlled for decades and Moscow posted about 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to oversee the fragile truce.

During EU-mediated talks in Brussels in May and April, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Mr Pashinyan agreed to “advance discussions” on a future peace treaty.

Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The ensuing conflict killed about 30,000 people.

Updated: , 11:18 AM

Deputy Police Chief comments on Vedi brawl allegedly involving Turkish nationals

Kalashian Nyrie

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 12:50, 1 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Chief of the Police of Armenia Ara Fidanyan commented on media reports and a footage which allegedly shows Turkish nationals attempting to party in Vedi, insulting Armenians, which then resulted in a brawl.

Speaking to reporters, Fidanyan said that an incident did occur in Vedi and that they are now identifying the participants.

“Police were notified that there’s been an incident, a brawl between several people. Police responded. The respective work for identifying these people is currently underway, we will update on the results,” Fidanyan said.

Fidanyan did not confirm or deny the reports that Turkish nationals were involved in the altercation. He said the identities of the participants are now being clarified.

AW: Applications open for IALA’S grants in creative writing and translation

Kalashian Nyrie
September 1, 2022 International Armenian Literary Alliance Announcements 0

The application period is now open for the International Armenian Literary Alliance’s two $2,500 grants, one for a translation from Armenian into English, and one for contemporary creative writing. Applications will be accepted from September 1-30, 2022. 

IALA’s Creative Writing Grant will award $2,500 annually to one Armenian writer whose work-in-progress shows exceptional literary and creative ability. In 2022, the grant will be awarded for a work of fiction, and in the coming years, to works of poetry and creative nonfiction, as well as other mixed genre forms. The 2022 grant will be judged by Raffi Wartanian, Aline Ohanesian, Aida Zilelian and Nancy Agabian.

The Creative Writing Grant is meant to foster the development of contemporary Armenian literature in English through an annual monetary award. Additionally, IALA will support grant recipients in promoting their publications through marketing on our website and social media channels, through book reviews and readings and discussions.

IALA’s Translation Grant will award $2,500 to one translator working from Armenian source texts into English. In 2022, the grant will be awarded for any work of prose written in Western Armenian by a female author. Although preference will be given to more recent (post-20th century) works, we welcome works from any time period. The 2022 grant will be judged by Tatevik Ayvazyan, Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian and Garen Torikian.

Given the traumatic history of the Armenian diaspora, many readers are unable to read works in the original Armenian, and therefore, have centuries of literature inaccessible to them. Translators working with Armenian texts have traditionally lacked resources in the publishing world, as well as access to other funding, due to the overwhelming influence of so-called “majority languages.” IALA’s Translation Grant is meant to foster the development of contemporary Armenian literature in English through a monetary award. 

Additionally, in partnership with the Armenian Institute and Mashtots Press and with funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, IALA will support the grant recipient in publishing and promoting the selected work. As Western Armenian is on UNESCO’s endangered languages list, we believe that it is imperative to bring more attention to Western Armenian literature. As female authors producing Armenian literature are a minority within a minority, it’s also necessary to highlight the works of these writers.

Please read the eligibility criteria and guidelines in full before applying. 

Both grants were made possible by a generous donation from the Armenian Allied Arts Association, an organization based in Southern California that discovered, encouraged and promoted new talent of Armenian descent for over 80 years. 

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The International Armenian Literary Alliance is a nonprofit organization launched in 2021 that supports and celebrates writers by fostering the development and distribution of Armenian literature in the English language. A network of Armenian writers and their champions, IALA gives Armenian writers a voice in the literary world through creative, professional, and scholarly advocacy.


Starting August 30, Artsakh-Armenia connection to be carried out through Berdadzor sub-region of Shushi region

Kalashian Nyrie

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 15:14,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. On August 29, Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan chaired a regular sitting of the Security Council.

Issues related to the operation of the new route connecting the Artsakh Republic with the Republic of Armenia were on the agenda of the sitting, the Artsakh presidency said in a press release.

Secretary of the Security Council Vitaly Balasanyan, Minister of Internal Affairs Karen Sargsyan and Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hayk Khanumyan delivered reports.

It was noted that, according to point 6 of the Statement signed by the leaders of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation on November 9, 2020, the new route will retain the status of the corridor. Asphalting works on the 4.7 km road section temporarily connecting the route to the Goris-Stepanakert highway have been completed.

In their speeches, the participants of the sitting emphasized the importance of ensuring the necessary guarantees related to the safety and urban development norms of the new road, and the significance of the coordinated work between the relevant state structures and the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in Artsakh.

As a result of the discussions, the Security Council made a decision that starting 8 PM, August 30 the communication with the Republic of Armenia will be carried out along a new route, via the territory of Berdadzor sub-region of the Shushi region.

Ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan informed about the next possible meeting in "3+3" format

Kalashian Nyrie

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 18:21,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. The next meeting in the “3+3” format (Iran-Turkey-Russia and Armenia-Georgia-Azerbaijan) may take place before the end of the year in Iran, ARMENPRESS reports, referring to the Azerbaijani media, Iran’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Seyed Mousavi.

“This initiative was very successful. We expect that the next meeting will take place before the end of the year, this time in Iran,” Mousavi said.

The first meeting in the “3+3” format took place on December 10, 2021 in Moscow. The delegations of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Armenia, headed by the deputy foreign ministers, participated in the meeting. Georgia refused to appear at that meeting.




Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island meets with Congressman Jim Langevin

Kalashian Nyrie
 Guest Contributor ANCA News 0

ANC of Rhode Island meets with Congressman Jim Langevin

PROVIDENCE, RI—On August 15th, the Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island (ANC-RI) met with Congressman Jim Langevin for dinner on Federal Hill.

Present at the dinner were ANC-RI members Ani Haroian, George Mangalo, Steve Mesrobian and Steve Elmasian. Also joining were Mike DeAngelis and Ryan Toohey from Congressman Langevin’s staff.

Rep. Langevin has served his constituents in the past as a state representative and as the RI Secretary of State. He has been a US Congressman for close to two decades. He has announced that he is retiring once his current congressional term is finished, so the ANC-RI members wanted to thank him for his consistent support for our issues and concerns during his tenure in Congress and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Congressman Langevin has been a consistent advocate for Armenian causes and issues, earning an A/A+ grade from the ANCA annually. He saw to it that the Armenian flag flew at the RI State House 28 years ago while serving as Secretary of State, setting the precedent for it to continue flying every April 24th in memory of our holy martyrs.

Mesrobian reviewed the current ANCA national legislative agenda with the Congressman. They discussed what the United States can do to deescalate Azerbaijan’s continued attacks against civilians in Artsakh and Armenia, starting with removing presidential waiver authority of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act so that the US cannot provide military and security aid to the corrupt and warmongering Aliyev regime, pressing for the release of all Armenian POWs and captured civilians being held illegally in Azerbaijan and providing $50 million in aid to Artsakh as part of the FY2023 Foreign Aid Bill.

Congressman Langevin was candid with his replies and referred back to the Gulf War when Turkey, a NATO ally, refused to allow US jets to fly over their territory thus endangering the lives of US and NATO personnel.