Author: Kalashian Nyrie

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.

READ MORE
Azerbaijan plans to supply more natural gas to Europe amid Russia-Ukraine conflict

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

Save

Share

 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. 

  •  Bio
  •  Twitter
  •  Latest Posts
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

Save

Share

 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

Save

Share

 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.

Russia embassy in Armenia: Lachin corridor situation should be tackled based on paragraph 6 of trilateral statement

Kalashian Nyrie
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 22 2022
10:57, 22.08.2022

I consistently inform my international colleagues, ambassadors accredited to Armenia about the continuous appearances of the criminal behavior by Azerbaijan. Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia, non-partisan Taguhi Tovmasyan, wrote this on Facebook on Monday morning.

“With a regular letter I drew the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Sergey Kopirkin’s attention to the fact that Azerbaijan attacked Artsakh on August 1 trying to cross the contact line afterwards using mortars, grenade launchers and shock UAVs Since Azerbaijan again broke the Trilateral Statement from November 10, 2020 and in the result victims and casualties were registered, I requested my Russian colleague to condemn such a criminal behavior by Azerbaijan, take steps towards the stabilization of the situation in the region.

I received a letter from the Embassy of Russia in Armenia according to which the situation in the area of responsibility of Russian peacekeeping contingent and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is an important issue for Russian foreign policy. “We would like to draw your attention to the Statement by the MFA of Russia on August 4 with regard to the escalation of the situation on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. The Ministry called the two sides to show restraint, hold the ceasefire regime and confirmed the necessity for the regulation in accordance with the Statements by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 10, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021. (…) Russian peacekeepers make all possible efforts to stabilize the situation “on the ground”. The important role of Russian peacekeeping contingent was stressed in Baku and Yerevan many times. They are sure that they totally deserve the trust. We are ready to further show any necessary support to the normalization of the ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

With another letter I drew my Russian colleagues’ attention to the process of handing over the settlements Berdzor, Aghavno and Nerkin Sus to Azerbaijan. There are only a few days left for the Armenian settlements to be handed over to Azerbaijan. And as closer we get such a shameful reality imposed on the Armenians worldwide by Nikol Pashinyan’s Government, the concept of the future becomes more and more indeterminate. I informed Mr. Kopirkin with my letter about the current difficulties as well as the concerns of my deputy colleagues of Artsakh that the human, technical and transportation means are not sufficient to carry out the evacuation process in time. I asked to assist in setting up an extended deadline for the evacuation of the communities in question.

With the reply letter the Embassy of Russia in Armenia informs that the situation around the Lachin corridor should be tackled based on Paragraph 6 of the Trilateral Statement. It is worth mentioning that according to the mentioned by the Embassy of Russia in Armenia Paragraph 6, The Parties have agreed that a plan for the construction of a new route along the Lachin corridor shall be determined within the next three years, providing communication between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, with the subsequent redeployment of Russian peacekeeping troops to protect this route. Considering also the statement made by the Advisor-Envoy of the Russian Embassy in Yerevan, Mr. Maksim Seleznyov recently, that “Russian peacekeepers will not move an inch from the existing Lachin corridor until the new road is exploited”, one can assume that not everything is clear on this matter. By the way there is still more than a year left before the expiration of the specified three-year period.

The Embassy of Russia adds that discussions with interested sides are held regarding the matters raised by their letter aimed at reaching agreement satisfying everyone to realize the Trilateral Statement. “For this purpose we are in constant dialogue with Armenian and Azerbaijani sides on the highest, as well as the levels of Russian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies. Phone talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan were held on August 2 and 8 S.V Lavrov and S.K. Shoigu had contacts with Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues. Taking into account the sensitivity of the problematics, discussion details were not disclosed, however such conversations appear to be an important and effective tool for the regulation,” the Armenian MP added.

Ice cream company goes digital in Armenia

Kalashian Nyrie
Aug 17 2022

By Nick Thompson

17 Aug 2022

Based in Yerevan, Armenia, Pink Berry specialises in the production of soft serve and packaged ice cream. Founded in 2017 and known for its colourful branding and unique flavour combinations, the business has become a market leader in the country.

With support from the EBRD’s Women in Business programme and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Pink Berry sought to introduce a raft of digital solutions to increase automation and streamline processes. This has allowed the company to operate more efficiently, increase the quality of its products and provide a better service for customers at its boutique cafes.

The foundations of an aspiring entrepreneur

Pink Berry has unusual origins: co-founder and CEO Ani Gyazaryan’s path to entrepreneurship was atypical, yet unsurprising to those around her.

Following school, Ani studied international relations to Master’s level before pursuing a career in the banking sector for six years. Her professional success and a burning desire to do something more creative and entrepreneurial were pushing her in two very different directions. Eventually, the latter won out and sparked the foundation of a viable business and her move away from banking. It was a risk ­– but one that has clearly paid off.

Pink Berry started as a passion project by Ani and her husband Levon, developed for their eldest son Davit, whose love for ice cream inspired them to create a range of delicious homemade flavours to compete with the ordinary commercial offerings at the time. They quickly mastered the process and realised that it could become a feasible business venture when family, friends and acquaintances told them how good their products were. The couple took the leap, scaling up production in earnest as they sought to establish the business in the marketplace.

The company stands out for its creative approach to flavour development, playful branding, sustainable packaging and commitment to high quality, unique and delicious ice cream that dictates trends in the market. Indeed, wild berry, and mango and passion fruit have become the most popular flavours in the country, and were introduced by Pink Berry to the local population.

EBRD support for business development and digitalisation

As Pink Berry began to see daily growth and increased sales, issues related to business administration within the company increased exponentially. This is where the EBRD’s Women in Business programme and SIDA came in.

“The digitalisation programmes we undertook through the EBRD have had a substantial impact, helping our business management processes and oversight become more streamlined, productive and efficient. They helped us create new packaging and increase sales through advertising campaigns, and provided advice on financial optimisation,” says Ani.

These improvements allowed the business to focus on growing and delivering on its environmental goals, with a stronger emphasis placed on the green economy within the company.

Indeed, Pink Berry produces all its new ice creams in eco-friendly paper packaging, and production is optimised to limit waste wherever possible. Any paper waste is recycled, and food scraps are donated to charity, so the company is doing its bit to limit its impact on the environment and become more sustainable.

A rosy future

Pink Berry recognises the value of its staff, placing a high degree of focus on ensuring that employees develop alongside the business. To Ani, her staff are the most important resource underlying sustainable business development.

“We constantly invest in human resources, seeking out high-level talent and nurturing existing potential through professional qualification opportunities,” Ani explains. “We have competitive salaries, open motivational programmes and regular team-building sessions. That’s why we have such a young, loyal and strong group. A team where everyone is equally valued, without discrimination.”

This sense of unity has helped the business thrive, overcoming many economic headwinds and external challenges since its formation in 2017. At present, Pink Berry has about 150 employees, with plans to double that number in 2023. With the recent growth, the company has adjusted its immediate and long-term goals in tandem, as it plans for expansion.

“As a result of franchising partnerships, Pink Berry’s sales points are increasing and we want to continue to establish these and our ice cream boutiques throughout Armenia,” says Ani. “We also want to identify export opportunities and capture new markets. Domestically, our ambition is to continue increasing our market share and improve on our current market position through innovation, product development and building on existing brand awareness.”

The inside scoop is that Ani and her team are in a strong position to achieve these targets and disrupt their competition in the local market and beyond!