Author: Kanayan Tamar

Los Angeles Times, CA
March 1 2015

For Syrian Armenians, exodus evokes flight from genocide a century ago

By Glen Johnson

Snare drums rustle and trumpets blare. Chocolates from a famed
confectioner in Syria are handed out among the crowd. The hall falls
silent. A minute of remembrance is observed for the more than 200,000
killed during almost four years of civil war in Syria.

Hundreds of ethnic Armenians from Syria, among the thousands who’ve
fled here to escape the fighting, gathered recently in downtown
Yerevan. They came together to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the
Armenian Central High School in Aleppo, Syria, a cornerstone of
Armenian identity in a city now devastated by war.

We are the descendants of those who survived the genocide. I fear
history is repeating itself.- Lena Halajian, who heads a
nongovernmental group helping refugees in Yerevan, Armenia

“Armenian schools keep Armenian identity alive,” said a woman who fled
Aleppo as rebels rolled into the city in July 2012, and who, like
others interviewed, did not want to be identified for security
reasons. “My parents went there, I went there, the school is like…”

“A treasure for Armenians,” another young woman chimed in.

The attendees had left their homes and businesses, schools and
farmlands, fleeing to Armenia’s capital as Syria descended into chaos.
Many are descendants of people who had gone to Syria to escape the
Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1918 under the Ottoman Empire, which
became the modern republic of Turkey. The Turkish government disputes
that a genocide took place.

The current exodus is one of the most significant movements of ethnic
Armenians since then.

lRelated Middle EastRelatives await word on Assyrians abducted by
Islamic State in SyriaSee all related
8

“We are the descendants of those who survived the genocide,” said Lena
Halajian, who heads the Center for the Coordination of Syrian
Armenians’ Issues, a nongovernmental group here helping refugees
adapt. “I fear history is repeating itself.”

Participants at the celebration here read Armenian poetry as a video
of the Aleppo school — showing a modest library and students, their
hands stretched upward, fingers twitching as a teacher asked a
question — flashed on a screen. A quartet including well-known Aleppo
violinist Hovhannes Moubayed plays Dance of the Rose Maidens, by Aram
Khachaturian, the late Soviet Armenian composer.

The violinist, 44, fled Aleppo more than two years ago, and, like
others, he said he had embarked on a new life after leaving most of
his belongings behind.

Pope Francis’ visit to Turkey puts spotlight on region’s Christians
Umar Farooq
Dressed in a neatly pressed dark suit, Bedri Diril, 41, stood
patiently Saturday among a crowd of hundreds in front of St. Esprit
Cathedral in Istanbul awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis.
Dressed in a neatly pressed dark suit, Bedri Diril, 41, stood
patiently Saturday among a crowd of hundreds in front of St. Esprit
Cathedral in Istanbul awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis. ( Umar
Farooq )

“Now I try to work as a music teacher,” said Moubayed, who directed a
state music school in Aleppo. “I’ve started [in Armenia] at the very
bottom. But step by step, maybe I can survive.”

Some refugees had been targeted by militants.

“They handcuffed and blindfolded me once they knew I was Armenian,”
said a Syrian Armenian who gave his name as Krikor. “Then they whipped
and burned me.”

Gnarled scars stretch up his forearms now, and he shuffles uneasily.
In summer 2013, Krikor said, fighters with Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra
Front abducted him from a shuttle bus in northwestern Syria’s Idlib
province. He escaped hours later and made his way to a government
checkpoint, and safety. The experience convinced him it was time to
leave.

cComments

The Ottoman Empire that slaughtered millions of Armenians was the most
recent Islamic Caliphate and ISIS plans to surpass it by building a
GLOBAL Islamic Caliphate, governed by the barbaric system of Islamic
injustice known as Sharia Law, which many global Muslims already
support:…
ZeroDarkThirty
at 8:09 AM March 01, 2015

Add a comment See all comments
1

Other Syrian Armenians have been kidnapped for their perceived wealth.
Still others have been killed in the crossfire or for sectarian
reasons. Syrian Armenians, part of the country’s 10% Christian
minority, have been targeted by militant Sunni Muslims, who have
become the dominant part of the opposition.

Most Syrian Armenians speak Arabic and Armenian, a fact that has
helped speed their assimilation in Yerevan.

Armenian schools play an integral role in preserving cultural roots
among the massive Armenian diaspora. The Armenian General Benevolent
Union, a nonprofit group promoting Armenian identity globally,
provides funds for the Aleppo school. The high school remains open,
but the population has plummeted.

Historic rug woven by Armenian orphans goes on display at White House
Matt Hansen
Lawmakers and members of the Armenian American community gathered in
Washington on Tuesday to mark the weeklong display of a historic rug
linked to the Armenian genocide, calling it significant for a nation
that helped support Armenians during some of their darkest chapters.
Lawmakers and members of the Armenian American community gathered in
Washington on Tuesday to mark the weeklong display of a historic rug
linked to the Armenian genocide, calling it significant for a nation
that helped support Armenians during some of their darkest chapters. (
Matt Hansen )

“The problem is that it can be dangerous for students to travel
there,” said Hagop Mikayelian, 71, a former administrator at the
school who was kidnapped by a rebel group and held for ransom in 2013.

In September, Islamic State militants reportedly bombed an iconic
Armenian church and museum in the eastern Syrian city of Dair Alzour
that memorializes victims of the Turks. Lost were rare documents
detailing the mass killings, say community members, who also note that
bones of some of those who perished were laid in the foundations of
the now-destroyed monument.

“The memorial was living proof of what happened to Armenians,”
Halajian said. “They want to erase our history.”

As Armenians worldwide prepare for centennial memorials in April,
Turkish backing for Syrian insurgents is further fueling Armenian
outrage. The government has supported sundry rebel factions, including
radical Islamists, as it aggressively pursues its goal of ousting
Syrian President Bashar Assad.

And last March, extremist fighters poured into the Syrian Armenian
town of Kassab from across the border in Turkey. Most of the town’s
population fled south to territory still under control of the Syrian
government. Kassab is celebrated among Armenians as a refuge for those
who fled Turkey a century ago.

At the school anniversary gathering, a choir sings Armenian hymns as
ceremonies come to a close.

Generations of graduates flood the stage, embracing while a
photographer clicks away.

Special correspondent Johnson was recently in Yerevan. Times staff
writer Patrick J. McDonnell in Beirut contributed to this report.

Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
February 26, 2015 Thursday 1:29 PM GMT +4

Roll Call: US supports Armenia to detriment of its allies – Azerbaijan, Georgia

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.26
By Elena Kosolapova – Trend:

Armenia is neither an important nation, nor an ally of the US, Jason
Katz, the principal of Tool Shed Group, a consultancy that advises
foreign governments, NGOs and corporations in the realms of strategic
communications, politics and policy, said in his article published in
the US Roll Call online newspaper.

He is also the former head of Public Affairs and Public Relations for
the American Jewish Committee, based in Los Angeles.

Katz reminded that in fact, Armenia recently turned away from the West
by joining Eurasian Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

“Armenian borders and airspace are even patrolled by the Russian
military,” the author wrote.

Katz also reminded about the recent official newsletter from Brad
Sherman, representative from California, democrat. In this newsletter,
Sherman talked about his efforts to strengthen ties between the US and
Armenia.

Moreover, Sherman wrote that as a senior member of the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, he has focused on recognizing the “Armenian
genocide”, increasing aid to Armenia and Armenians of
Samtskhe-Javakheti (Georgia), as well as the separatists of
Nagorno-Karabakh and “holding Azerbaijan accountable for its actions.”

“Why would a member of US Congress go so far to offend not one, but
two of America’s most important regional allies, Azerbaijan and
Georgia?” the author asked, adding that in reality Armenia is not an
important nation to the US, but indispensable to the Iranians and
Russians.

Therefore, it is especially strange that some Congress members
actively promote the interests of Armenia and Armenian people before
the voters.

Katz wrote that the whole world, including the US admit that
Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region has been illegally occupied by
Armenia.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result
of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent
of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven
surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

As for Samtskhe-Javakheti, it is a region within Georgia with compact
Armenian minority and subject to territorial claims by some more
radical Armenians, according to the article.

Katz assumes that Sherman has a significant Armenian-American
community in his district, therefore he supports Armenians. “He should
represent their interests – as long as those interests do not go
directly against those of the US nation as a whole.”

Edited by SI

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: “WE CANNOT FORGET”

The Collegian CSUFresno
Feb 26 2015

Posted by: Megan Ginise Feb 26, 2015

Dr. Sergio La Porta, professor in the armenian studies program,
concluded this years’ Fresno State Talks last night in the Satellite
Student Union, with a lecture on the importance and relevance of the
Armenian Genocide and how it shaped world civilization today.

Entitled “Who Cares? Genocide, Historical Memory, and Moral
Responsibility,” La Porta’s lecture emerged from his own personal
history with Armenian studies as a graduate of Harvard University.

Lucy Garayan, a senior psychology student, joked that although La
Porta’s last name did not end in a “ian” representative of the Armenian
heritage, his expertise and love of the field and the people inspired
his students through his lectures and knowledge to learn more about
the culture.

“At the time, I thought Armenian role in history was minute,” Garayan
said. “Armenia today is the size of Maryland, however, it was in Dr.

La Porta’s class that I learned about a rich and powerful history. I
felt it was my duty to learn about my own culture and history, but
in fact it is the duty of all Armenians to study our history and
language. It is through knowledge that we can keep our traditions
alive.”

La Porta began his lecture with an introduction into the history of
the Armenian Genocide, which began on April 24, 1915, when the Young
Turk regime of the Ottoman Empire arrested 250 Armenian intellectuals
who were soon murdered after their seizure.

In the next four months, La Porta said, the regime murdered 800,000
Armenian citizens of the empire, at a rate of 200,000 people a month,
comparable to the Rwandan Genocide. By 1923, approximately 1.5 million
people had been murdered by the Young Turk forces, and over 500,000
people displaced.

“Now, 100 years later, this crime against humanity, this genocide,
remains unrecognized by the Republic of Turkey,” La Porta said. It’s
historical reality is consistently questioned, not only insulting
the memory of millions of people, but also denying them historical
justice and their inherent human dignity.”

La Porta spoke about local events commemorating the Armenian Genocide,
including the memorial currently being built on campus set to be
revealed on April 23 and coordinated with the Republic of Armenia.

Other local events include the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee,
a philharmonic concert April 25, the current art exhibit at Fresno
Art Museum, and a town hall meeting on March 16.

La Porta noted the similarity of the Armenian Genocide to that of
the Holocaust during World War II. He explained that there was
a specific organization employed for the mass extermination of
Armenians, legalizing and putting into effect laws which authorized
the deportation of Armenians and seizure of their property-millions
of acres of land and possessions, which La Porta said led to part of
the modern economic basis of Turkey today.

“We realize that this is not a random set of killings, but an organized
attempt to eliminate a portion of the population,” La Porta said.

He spoke of the horrors of the genocide, in which modern technology
such as telegraphs and railways were used. Armenians were transported
in packed cars where they often suffocated to death.

“To add insult to injury they were often forced to buy their ticket
first, then packed into these cars, and often the train would stop
in the desert and have them taken out and murdered,” he said.

To this day, La Porta says, the Armenian Genocide fails to be
recognized by the Republic of Turkey.

“The argument that they make was that many Turks died during World
War I, as if this negates the atrocities that occurred,” La Porta said.

“Yes, a lot of Turks did die in World War I, and a lot of Armenians
died as well. The difference was a lot of Turks died fighting in
World War I, a lot of Armenians died because they were executed.”

But La Porta said that from the destruction, there is still an
opportunity to show a better side of human nature through the
internationalization of the Armenian Genocide. Through American
aid and relief, La Porta called this one of the greatest moments in
american history.

“People often say that’s not that important, nobody remembers it,
nobody knew about it. This is completely untrue. People knew about
the Armenian Genocide very well. The New York Times had over 200
articles on the Armenian Genocide between 1915 and 1922.”

According to La Porta, between 1916 and 1930, The American Committee
for Relief in the Near East (today known as the Near Eastern Relief
Fund) raised 116 million dollars in relief aid for Armenians and
others similarly affected, (equivalent to 1.5. billion dollars today.)
La Porta said that this was the largest relief effort ever launched
in the United States.

The effects of the Armenian Genocide, La Porta said, are still very
alive and present today.

“It destroyed a vital sector of Armenia, also caused the Armenian
diaspora, part of the economic basis for the economy of Turkey, and
allowed the Republic of Turkey to form its modern capital. We see that
this process of nationalism and of purity beginning with the Armenian
Genocide. We can chart its progress in the early 20th century.”

He says that remembrance may be crucial in honoring those that
were lost.

“Never again, Armenians will never again allow themselves to be
executed in the way that happened in 1915. The Armenian Genocide
continues to penetrate current political conflicts in the middle east.”

Amongst many stories of the survivors, La Porta says there is no
debate about the reality of the Armenian genocide, and the reality
of who was responsible.

“The genocide is a historical fact,” La Porta said. “It’s important to
remember that they didn’t just disappear. They didn’t just die. They
were killed by an agent, and that agent was the Ottoman Turkish regime
of the Young Turks. This moral distancing is understandable because
it’s uncomfortable to think that people could do this to one another.

Yet we need to be honest about it. We need to say who did it. We
need to be clear about who did it to overcome the trauma of the
genocide itself.”

La Porta concluded his lecture by demonstrating the power of memory.

“Actually remembering is not stopping us from going forward,” he said.

“It’s the catalyst that allows us to engage in acts of humanity.”

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS ELECTIONS IN OCCUPIED KARABAKH ARE ILLEGAL

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 28 2015

27 February 2015 – 2:10pm

The so-called parliamentary elections, planned to be held in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan on May 3, 2015,
are illegal, spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry Hikmet
Hajiyev said today.

“The holding of the elections is a clear violation of the Constitution
of the Republic of Azerbaijan. These elections are aimed at undermining
the negotiating process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement,”
Trend cited Hajiyev.

Talk with Ambassador: Gegham Gharibjanyan

14:33, 28.02.2015

Armenian News-NEWS.am agency together with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Armenia continues a series of interviews titled “Talk with
Ambassador”. This week our guest is Armenia’s Ambassador to UAE
Gegham Gharibjanyan.

Your Excellency, in which domains will Armenia develop relations with UAE?

UAE recognized Armenia’s independence in 1991, and diplomatic
relations between the states were established on June 25, 1998.

In September 2000, the Armenian Embassy opened in UAE, and in 2008 the
building of Armenian embassy was constructed in Abu Dhabi thanks to
the Armenian benefactors and on the land provided by Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan Al Nahyan.

Armenia attaches great importance to multilateral relations with the
Gulf states, in particular with the UAE. There have been numerous
mutual visits between Armenia and UAE, and around three dozens of
documents have been signed.

In recent years, there is a trend for development of relations in
trade, economic, and political, scientific and cultural fields.
Activities are underway to expand the legal field of bilateral
relations.

Active bilateral cooperation was formed within international organizations.

There is a huge potential that has not been used, which, through
mutual efforts, will open new horizons for relations between Armenia
and the Emirates. Here, of course, he Armenian Embassy in the UAE has
an important role as well as the newly opened embassy in Yerevan.
Embassy is the first link for communication between representatives of
political, economic and cultural circles.

Armenians have been settling in Arabia since the late Middle Ages.
Please, tell us about our community in the United Arab Emirates.

Back in fifteenth century Armenian merchants were actively involved in
trade between East and West through the Persian Gulf. But the bulk of
the Armenian community began to settle in the United Arab Emirates
after 1975. They were coming from Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Iraq,
Armenia, Russia, European countries, USA and Canada. Nowadays,
according to rough estimates, there are 8-10 thousand Armenians in
UAE.

In 1980 an Armenian school “Harut Hovhannisyan” opened in n Sharjah.
National life is governed by the Diocesan Assembly led by the head of
the diocese.

On November 15, 1998 Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I
consecrated the church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Sharjah. The
church is a part of a complex, including a school and a ballroom.

There is no print media, but there are two websites: emahay.com and
azad-hay.net. Ninety percent of the Armenians living in UAE are
representatives of state agencies and NGOs. They are involved in
construction, engineering and trade.

In 2006 UAE Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, with a special
decree, granted to the Armenian community of Abu Dhabi territory for
the construction of a church and a community center.

On December 2014 the Church of the Holy Martyrs of Abu Dhabi was
consecrated with the participation of Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia Aram I.

Arab geographer Ibn Hawqal wrote about uniqueness of Armenian fabric
and carpets back in the tenth century. What can we offer the UAE
consumers and investors today?

Even before establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and
UAE, there were trade and economic ties on the personal initiative of
the entrepreneurs from the two countries.

Armenia exported equipment, copper, aluminum, precious and
semi-precious stones, shoes, artwork, antiques, and imported
electrical equipment, construction materials, food products and
consumer goods.

One of the key programs is a $10 million credit from the Abu Dhabi
Fund for Development for the construction of Arpa-Sevan tunnel, as
well as renovation of Haghartsin Monastery that was funded by Sharjah
emir Sheikh Sultan III bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi.

The embassy is working to hold a meeting of Armenia-UAE
intergovernmental commission.

I think that a joint business forum that was held in Armenia’s
commerce chamber last year played a significant role in deepening of
trade and economic ties.

Given that Abu Dhabi is home to the headquarters of the International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the embassy is involved in the
organization of cooperation in the field of renewable energy.

There are cooperation proposals in a number of sectors of bilateral
cooperation, particularly in the chemical, jewelery and diamond
cutting, mining industry. Promising sector is agriculture with several
programs being under discussion. In addition, the sides expressed
interest in further development of cooperation in tourism.

Three air companies – FlyDubai, Air Arabia and Etihad – are operating
direct flights to Yerevan.

Armenia has been also granted ten scholarships in MASDAR university.

Arab community, as a rule, is sympathetic to the historical memory of
Armenians. How will the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide be
marked in the UAE?

Just as in other Armenian communities, the Armenian embassy in UAE
with the active participation of the local Armenians is preparing to
mark centennial of the Armenian Genocide. The Embassy will start
distribution of information materials ahead of April 24.

In 2014, a khachkar was installed in the courtyard of the new Church
of the Holy Martyrs in Abu Dhabi, built in memory of the Armenian
Genocide in Turkey. The khachkar was donated by the family of
Ambassador Gharibjanian. Cross-stone was consecrated by the Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I.

Many events will be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, the most
important of which is the evening in memory of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide on April 24 in Abu Dhabi, in the hall of the
Armenian Embassy. The event will be followed by a concert with the
participation of Armenian musicians. Funeral liturgy will be held in
Abu Dhabi and in Sharjah.

You have been serving as a diplomat for many years. Your wishes to the
young diplomats, the diplomats who will represent Armenia in the
future.

Believe in the future of your homeland and the state.

Gyumri commemorated victims of Sumgait Pogrom

14:27, 28 February, 2015

GYUMRI, 28 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Citizens of Gyumri respected the
memory of the victims of the Sumgait Pogrom with an event dedicated to
the 27th anniversary of the Armenian massacres. Among the participants
were representatives of Gyumri Municipality led by Deputy Mayor Ruben
Manoyan.”Even the history of the USSR when friendship between Soviet
republics was propagandized couldn’t discipline the Azerbaijanis. They
proved once again that a tribe can’t become a nation. Most of us
couldn’t even imagine that such genocide could have begun in those
years,” Ruben Manoyan mentioned.

Like every year, the event dedicated to the victims of the Sumgait
Pogrom was also held near the cross-stone sculpted by sculptor from
Gyumri Zaven Koshtoyan. All the participants laid flowers near the
cross-stone to the memory of the victims of the Sumgait Pogrom and
respected the memory of the peaceful Armenian civilians with a moment
of silence. Most of the survivors of the genocide took shelter in
Gyumri in 1988 and shared the fate of the citizens of Gyumri during
the devastating earthquake that struck Spitak in December 1988.

Armenuhi Mkhoyan

PRESS RELEASE
SIS COMPATRIOTIC & CULTURAL SOCIETY
Contact: Boghos Patatian
Tel:626-818-9004
Email: [email protected]

February 25, 2015

SIS COMPATRIOTIC & CULTURAL SOCIETY HOSTS
ITS ANNUAL ST. SARKIS NAME DAY CELEBRATION

Nearly 100 Members, Guests, Friends and Supporters Attend the Annual Event

PASADENA, CA – Close to 100 enthusiastic Sis Compatriotic & Cultural
Society (SCCS) members, guests, friends and supporters gathered in
Pasadena, California on the evening of Sunday, February 8, 2015 to
collectively observe and celebrate the Feast and Name Day of
St. Sarkis the Warrior. Marked as a very special holiday culturally,
the Feast and Name Day of St. Sarkis the Warrior is uniquely
associated, revered and commemorated by both the Armenian Apostolic
Church worldwide, but more specifically, by the Sis Compatriotic &
Cultural Society of USA, which more fervently and religiously observes
the Saint’s holiday every year as its very own historical mainstay
celebration and maintains its significance and safeguards its
traditions.

Armenian descendants who hail from Sis — currently occupied as the
Turkish town of Kozan in the Adana Province, honor *St. Sarkis as
their very own Patron Saint.

St. Sarkis the Warrior along with his only son – Mardiros and his 14
soldiers-companions were martyred in their valiant effort to preserve
and hold steadfast the Christian faith. St. Sarkis courageously
declared `We should worship one God – the Holy Trinity, which has
created the earth and the heavens. Whereas fire or idols are not gods
and the human being may destroy t fice to the heathen gods.

Lore states that the Saint Captain immediately refused to obey the
King’s order and destroyed the temple but in so doing paid the
ultimate price for it when his son Saint Mardiros, his 14
soldiers-companions and the Saint himself were martyred for remaining
steadfast in their Christian faith. They were imprisoned and
subsequently beheaded.

It is said that summarily after the martyrdom of the Saint, a light
appeared over his body completely illuminating him. St. Mesrop
Mashtots later brought the relics of the Saint to the village Karbi
and the Church of St. Sarkis was built over his relics.

Today St. Sarkis holds a special place in the lives of young Armenians
who when in love consider St. Sarkis their intercessor and protector
and continually ask the Saint for his help and support. As the
Armenian equivalent to St. Valentine, young people in love present
each other cards, flowers or sweets on the occasion of the Saint’s
feast.

It is in honor of the sacrifice of the Saint and in veneration of his
memory that the Sis Compatriotic & Cultural Society of USA hosts its
annual St. Sarkis Name Day Celebration Dinner and Family Fun Night the
first Sunday of each February.

This year’s celebration, as in years past, proved to be just as
joyous, entertaining and memorable an affair for all who were in
attendance. The evening’s program was opened by its Master of
Ceremonies and SCCS Vice President Boghos Patatian who after offering
his opening remarks, invited longtime Board of Directors Member Arpi
Kitsinian to present the biography and historic significance of
St. Sarkis the Warrior. She was followed by the Chairman of the Board
of the SCCS Appo Jabarian who welcomed members and guests, spoke about
the SCCS, its history, its contributions and also elaborated on the
significance of St. Sarkis and his place in the hearts of Armenians
throughout the world and the lore and traditions associated with him.

Guests were then treated to a special meal which included a unique
Armenian porridge ca celebration and which was graciously prepared
and provided by longtime SCCS Member and Former Board Member Tivol
Kalaydian and also to a special sesame confection dessert called
`Sourp Sarkis Halva’ which is also traditionally served in honor of
the organization’s Patron Saint and bares the Saint’s name which was
prepared by longtime supporters and current Board of Directors
Members Arpi Kitsinian and Elo Haddadian-Kitsinian. The evening
concluded with members and guests listening to music, participating
in games and socializing and getting caught up with one another.

`We were very pleased with this event’ remarked Appo
Jabarian. `Collectively we put in a lot of time, energy and effort
into it and are extremely proud to host it every year and look forward
to hosting it for many years to come’ stated Jabarian. `We thank all
of our fellow Sis-etzis, SCCS members, executives, participants,
sponsors, guests, friends and attendees and hope to continually grow
as our marquee event while we expand the scope, profile and reach of
our venerable organization, always striving to increase its
sustainability, significance and contributions.’

Sis, the ancestral home of the descendants and members of Sis
Compatriotic & Cultural Society of USA, is considered culturally as
the seat of the Armenian kings and which, in 1173 AD, was proclaimed
as the Capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. With a population
which was primarily Armenian at the time, *Sis also became the
official residence of the Catholicos’ of the Armenian Apostolic
Church. In 1266 Mamluks looted and burnt the city. In 1275 Mamluks
again surrounded the city, but were defeated by Armenian forces of the
Cilician Kingdom. A century later, in 1369 Mamluks again conquered the
city, but were again forced to leave.

Finally, in 1375 Mamluks took the city, looted and burnt it and
captured the King along with his many Lords. With Sis destroyed, the
last Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia fell and its Kingdoms ceased to
exist. Despite this devastation, the descendants of eople remain and
continue to thrive today, holding some of the most prominent and
esteemed positions among the highest echelons of society both within
the current Republic of Armenia and throughout its Diaspora.

Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1993, the Sis Compatriotic &
Cultural Society of USA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable
organization and is among the largest and most recognizable and
influential Compatriotic Societies of its kind. It endeavors to keep
the cultural and Compatriotic legacy alive generation after generation
by becoming the worthy heirs of its ancestors by instilling within its
fellow Sis-etzis the love of their ancestral Capital City of Sis, the
region of Adana and its homeland in Armenian Cilicia as well as
Western Armenia. It aims to enhance its member’s individual
commitments to maintaining a high level of national awareness on both
individual and collective levels; and finally strives to encourage and
empower its members and loyalists to be productive members of society
and to be supportive of one another in all facets of life.

# # #

*Sis (ancient city). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 23,
2015, from (ancient_city)
*Saint Sarkis the Warrior. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February
23, 2015, from

PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Please credit: ALL PHOTOS BY ANGELE RAFAELIAN

PHOTO #1 — A group of friends and members at St. Sarkis Name Day Celebration
PHOTO #2 — Master of Ceremonies and SCCS Vice President Boghos Patatian
PHOTO #3 — Board of Directors Member Arpi Kitsinian
PHOTO #4 — Chairman of the Board of the SCCS Appo Jabarian

Hraparak: Armenia’s civil aviation agency without chief for over a year

12:00 * 28.02.15

The Armenian Government’s General Department of Civil Aviation has
been without a head for over a year.

The paper notes that Aram Manukyan, a businessman who held the post
until last January, has been Armenia’s Consul General to Austria since
2011.

The paper says that the monthly salary for the position is 0.5 million
Armenian Drams (over US $1,000), adding that the Department may
nonetheless decide on layoffs due the open sky policies which has
essentially reduced its functions.

PRESS RELEASE
The Paros Foundation
Peter Abajian, Executive Director
918 Parker Street, Suite A14
Berkeley, CA 94710
Tel: (310) 400-9061
Email: [email protected]
Web:

IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE AT THE HATSIK VILLAGE SCHOOL

Armavir Region, Armenia–The Paros Foundation, and its SERVICE Armenia 2014
group continued to improve the conditions at the Hatik village school.

With the generous support of donors and SERVICE Armenia volunteers, five
additional classrooms, the corridor and one additional restroom at the
Hatsik village school were renovated during summer 2014. This brings the
total to ten new classrooms and three restrooms in the Hatsik village
school. These projects are part of The Paros Foundation’s 100 for 100
Projects for Prosperity. A total of 80 projects have been funded since the
fall of 2011.

The Hatsik municipality and school administration continued to support the
building improvement efforts by contributing both financial and human
resources. The upgrades to the classrooms include: new doors and windows,
laminate and tile flooring, chalkboards, window blinds, electrical upgrades
and renovated desks. The Paros Foundation underwrote all administrative
expenses allowing 100% of donor contributions to go directly to this
project.

“We are actively seeking donors to sponsor the completion of the final
phase at the Hatsik school by sponsoring the renovation of the school gym.
” Said Peter Abajian, Paros Foundation Executive Director. “We are hoping
to have the funds raised in time to complete the gym this summer.”

The Paros Foundation established SERVICE Armenia to provide young people
between the ages of 16 and 24 the opportunity to engage in meaningful
service work while having fun in Armenia. Participants spent one month
working on a variety of projects and touring Armenia and Artsakh, all while
developing life long friendships and having fun. Applications for this
summer’s program are currently available.

Children of Armenia Fund, our partner on this project undertook the
complete renovation of the second building on the school’s campus.

To sponsor this important project or to learn more about participating in
the SERVICE Armenia 2015 program please visit
.

###

MONNAIES-GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS-100 ANS
Une monnaie commémorative pour le 100ème anniversaire du génocide des
Arméniens émise par la Banque Centrale d’Arménie

La Banque Centrale d’Arménie vient d’émettre le 27 février une série
de quatre monnaies commémoratives. L’une de ces monnaies est consacrée
au 100ème anniversaire du génocide des Arméniens. La monnaie, d’une
valeur faciale de 100 drams est en argent. Elle représente le mémorial
du génocide des Arméniens d’Ijevsk, la statue du père Komitas (Paris),
le khatchkar dédié au génocide d’Etchmiadzine, le khatchkar de
Glendale (Californie) et le mémorial de Dzidernagapert à Erévan. Sur
l’autre face de la pièce sont également gravés le mémorial dédié au
génocide des Arméniens d’Oudjan, un aigle gravé (Alep), une femme (Sao
Paulo) et un khatchkar (Anvers). La monnaie porte également
l’inscription >. Emise en 1000
exemplaires, cette monnaie commémorative fut frappée par les presses
de la Monnaie de Lituanie.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 28 février 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com