Author: Kanayan Tamar

L’ARMENIE A L’EUROVISION
Lucia Moon se propose de représenter l’Arménie à l’Eurovision 2011 à Bakou

La chanteuse arménienne Lucia Moon qui vit à Los Angeles (Californie)
se dit prête à représenter l’Arménie à l’Eurovision 2011 qui se
déroulera à Bakou en Azerbaïdjan. L’un de ses agents à Erévan a confié
au journal « Aravot » que Lucia Moon était née à Bakou et y avait vécu
jusqu’à l’ge de 8 ans puis quitté la ville lors des pogroms
anti-arméniens en compagnie de ses parents pour s’installer à Los
Angeles. La chanteuse arménienne qui affirme « ne pas craindre
d’aller à Bakou pour l’Eurovision » aimerait représenter l’Arménie
avec sa chanson « Deir ez-Zor ». Démarche originale mais qui n’a pas
pour l’heure la validation du jury arménien de l’Eurovision et qui de
plus risque de ne pas plaire au régime raciste de Bakou…ne serait-ce
que par le titre de la chanson qui évoque l’un des lieux les plus
sombres du génocide arménien…

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

PATRIMOINE ARMENIEN
L’église arménienne de Menemen près d’Izmir va être rénovée

Les autorités de la ville de Menemen dans la région d’Izmir en Turquie
ont décidé de rénover l’église arménienne Sourp Sarkis (Saint Serge)
en état de ruine depuis le départ des Arméniens suite au génocide de
1915. Le maire de Menemen, Tahir Chahine s’est déclaré satisfait des
travaux de rénovation de l’église grecque et a affirmé que par la
suite, l’église arménienne du « quartier arménien » Essatpacha sera
elle aussi rénovée. « Nous avons entrepris de protéger notre
patrimoine culturel afin de le valoriser et faire visiter » dit T.
Chahine. L’église arménienne Sourp Sarkis de Mememen était en activité
jusqu’en 1922. Après les massacres et le départ des Arméniens,
l’église avait été transformée en réserve pour l’armée.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

ANATOLIAN CHRISTIANS TO CELEBRATE GRAPE FESTIVAL

Hurriyet Daily News

Aug 12 2011
Turkey

Greeks, Armenians and Syriac Christians in Anatolia are observing a
grape fast by refraining from eating from the new harvest until the
fruit is consecrated in church on Sunday and Monday. Churches across
Anatolia will be celebrating the festival with special masses on Aug
14 and 15

Baskets of grapes blessed in churches will be distributed among the
people on the day of the mass, after which time the fast is broken.

Christians throughout Anatolia are preparing to celebrate the Grape
Festival and the Assumption of Mary on Aug. 14 and 15 with a variety
of activities that stretch back into the pre-Christian era.

Churches across Anatolia will be holding mass for the occasion,
including the Church of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, Sumela Monastery
in Trabzon, the Syriac Deyr ul-Zafaran Monastery in Mardin and
the Surp Asdvazsazsin Armenian Church in Vakıflı, Anatolia’s last
remaining Armenian village, which is located in the southern province
of Hatay. During the celebrations of mass, newly harvested grapes
will receive blessings as part of the festivities.

Assumption Day celebrates the ascent into heaven of Mary in accordance
with Christian tradition. The roots of the festival, however, date
back to the polytheistic era prior to Christianity; when Anatolian
peoples were Christianized, new year celebrations and the vine harvest
festival of the ancients were replaced by the Assumption Day and the
Grape Festival, respectively.

Greeks, Armenians and Syriac Christians in Anatolia observe a grape
fast and refrain from eating from the new grape harvest until grapes
are consecrated in church. Ostentatious celebrations are also held in
churches across Greece, as well as in the Central Armenian Apolostic
church of Etchmiadzin in Armenia, the seat of the Catholicos of
all Armenians.

Baskets of grapes blessed in churches are distributed among the people
on the day of the mass, after which time the fast is broken, according
to tradition, by eating blessed grapes mixed with non-consecrated
grapes. The grapes also symbolize fertility and abundance.

Different Stories

There are several stories in circulation regarding the origins of
the Grape Festival and Assumption Day. According to a story that
has been transmitted through the ages within the Armenian community,
when some children were poisoned by eating grapes that had not yet
become ripe, the founder of the Armenian church, Surp Krikor Lusavorich
(Saint Gregory the Illuminator), issued a ban on eating grapes until
harvest time.

Such traditions have been preserved intact for centuries by being
transmitted from generation to generation among the many Christian
Anatolian peoples. This year’s celebrations will begin in the morning
hours and last until around noon on Aug. 14 and 15. Baskets full of
grapes will decorate sacred tables in churches.

Visitors are welcome to any number of Greek, Armenian and Syriac
churches in Istanbul on Sunday and Monday to observe the vine harvest
festivities during mass.

YOUNG MEN STOLE VODKA, HONEY, WINE AND CIGARETTES BUT RETURNED CD AND POTATO CHIPS IN ARMENIA

news.am
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

YEGHEGNADZOR. – Gayane M., 55, turned to police and said that three
young men stole goods on Thursday at 06.30 p.m. from her pavilion in
the market.

The unknown young men stole 2 liters of vodka, 1 kg honey, 1.5 liters
of wine, a lighter, 4 boxes of cigarettes, potato chips and a CD.

However, one of them later returned the CD and chips, police press
service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The same day at 11.50 p.m. police stopped a vehicle with shoplifters.

The driver, Masis P., 26, and the two passengers, Misha B., 33,
and Hamlet A., 30, were taken to the police department. The theft
is partially confiscated. The driver is released on signature, while
the two passengers are arrested. Investigation is underway.

AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO GET POLITICAL DIVIDENDS FROM RUSSIA THANKS TO OIL

news.am
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- Socialist parties have more opportunities to resolve
the Karabakh conflict, said leader of Armenia’s United Progressive
Communist Party Vazgen Safaryan.

“United Progressive Communist Party of Armenia considers that the
principle of self-determination is more important than the principle
of territorial integrity. More than 90 countries around the world
appeared on the map thanks to this principle,” he said, stressing
that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is considered by his party as the
most important foreign policy issue.

According to him, today Azerbaijan is trying to get political dividends
from Russia thanks to its oil resources.

“We offer Russia-Armenia-Iran union to counter this. The union
should serve as a basis for mutual economic interests. For example,
construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia. Iran should
become Armenia’s full partner,” he concluded.

SHOOTING BETWEEN ARMENIANS AND AZERBAIJANIS IN DZERZHINSK WAS ABOUT MONEY

news.am
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

MOSCOW. – The reason behind conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians
in Dzerzhinsk city of Russian Nizhny Novgorod Region was related to
money, said Criminal Chronics on Friday.

Armenians accused Azerbaijanis of selling an overpriced Kamaz truck.

Natives of Armenia came to Old Baku cafe to express their
dissatisfaction about the Kamaz truck, which they purchased at an
overrated price.

The talks ended with shooting, where two young men lost their hands.

Vice-president of the Union of Armenians of Russia Herman Ananikyants
also denied the conflict’s motive being national hatred.

“The clash in Dzerzhinsk had nothing to do with national hatred. The
only reason is commerce: the sides did not agree upon prices of
vehicle parts,” Ananikyants said.

According to him, after the incident the leadership of the two
communities discussed the situation and agreed to maintain the
peaceful coexistence.

DAVID JAMALYAN SAYS CSTO A DEVELOPING AND PROMISING MILITARY-POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 12, 2011
YEREVAN

The CSTO is a developing and a very promising military-political
establishment: a number of countries, having special interests, are
involved in it, yet there is some common, as they all appeared in
the same establishment, according to Davit Jamalyan, military expert.

Davit Jamalyan told Armenpress that first of all the common interests
with Russia in a variety of issues unite the countries. “The CSTO’s
first and main mechanism as a military-political establishment is the
rapid reaction force, which gives quite a real image to CSTO,” he said.

According to the military expert, Armenia has agreements with Russia
not only within the framework of the CSTO, but also directly with the
country. This firstly refers to military security issues, about which
Armenia has serious expectations from other member-states of the CTSO,
as some mutual agreements are available. This may refer to various
forms of mutual assistance. There are serious expectations from the
rapid reaction force.

As to the Azerbaijani side’s statements, according to which the CSTO is
an inefficient establishment, Davit Jamalyan said the Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership caused serious concerns by the Azerbaijani
side. “Therefore they tend to discredit Armenia’s cooperation with
Russia through creating a background of mockery.” The military expert
says in fact the Azerbaijani side realizes that the countries, which
strongly cooperate with Russia on the basis of geopolitical interests,
are involved in the CSTO.

“One should not overestimate the significance of CSTO, but if the
cooperation is deepened, CSTO as a military-political establishment
will become stronger,” he said.

CYPRIOT, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS WELCOME ‘ARMENIA’ BOAT IN LIMASSOL

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 12, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – Cypriot President Demetris Christofias welcomed
the sailing boat ‘Armenia’ to Cyprus, during a special ceremony on
August 11 evening held in Limassol.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan also attended the ceremony,
Famagusta Gazette reported.

Limassol is the final port of call of the sailing boat, which set off
on a world tour on May 28, 2009 from Valencia. Its mission is to raise
public awareness about the Armenian nation which was once an important
seafaring nation with more than a thousand sailing boats in 24 ports.

IRAN INTERESTED IN PRO-ARMENIAN RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT – HISTORIAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 12, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – Iran is interested in pro-Armenian resolution of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, according to historian Alik Gharibyan.

“This is partly conditioned by Tehran’s unwillingness to see the
strengthening of Turkish factor in the region and fears that the
liberated territories of Artsakh might be used as springboard for
attack on Iran if these are returned to Azerbaijan,” he told a news
conference on August 12.

Expert Mher Baghdasaryan, in turn, noted that the West is not
interested in settlement of Karabakh conflict in Azerbaijan’s favor
either. “Western powers are concerned that if Azerbaijan regains
control over Nagorno Karabakh it will give rise to Pan-Turkism ideas,”
he said.

ARMENIAN MOUNTAINEERS HOIST NATIONAL FLAG ON MOUNT KAZBEK

Aysor.am
August 12, 2011

An Armenian mountaineering team comprising five mountain climbers
hoisted our national flag on Mount Kazbek (5033 m) on August 8, 2011.

Despite bad weather, the team including three women succeeded in
climbing to the top of the mountain. Here are the names of our
mountaineers: Garegin Unusyan (captain), Levon Movsisyan, Hasmik
Manandyan, Ani Khachatryan.