BVB Buzz
Jan 2 2018
Author: Karapet Navasardian
Homemade vodka taste restaurant in border town of Baghanis
Job vacancies are needed to prevent emigration from the Baghanis community of Tavush region, said Narek Sahakyan, Baghanis community leader today. The latter also stressed that the state should give special status to frontier communities, assisting benefits, compensating tuition fees at universities, and so on. In 2018 a new kindergarten will be opened in the community, mushroom greenhouse production as well, where about 40 people will be employed, and the product will also be exported. With the sponsorship of an individual benefactor tasting restaurant and tasting point will be built for tasting homemade vodka, where 10-15 people will work.
According to the community leader, the tasting point of homemade vodka will become a connecting link between the farmer and the consumer. “The villagers make vodka , but they do not know the way to sell, there is a problem with the Internet, and so on.”
The head of the community said that they did not have harvest problem at the border, and that year was more peaceful than 2016-2016. “I think that this year was a successful one, a number of problems were solved in Baghanis,” said Narek Sahakyan.
New films, new bookstores, restoration of historical-cultural monuments: Minister Amiryan has ambitious plans
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia December 21, 2017 Thursday New films, new bookstores, restoration of historical-cultural monuments: Minister Amiryan has ambitious plans YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Numerous achievements have been recorded in the Armenian cinematography, museums, historical-cultural monuments, book publishing and other key cultural spheres during 2017. Next year there are plans to open new cinemas, bookstores, museums, center of visual effects. Culture minister Armen Amiryan in an interview with ARMENPRESS touched upon the adoption of the Law on Film, stating that the ministry tries to promote the foreign film-makers. According to this Law, the foreign company that invested more than 100 million drams in Armenia will receive back 20% of the investment money. “At the moment we have preliminary agreements with the Iranian, Chinese and Russian film-makers. Numerous feature, documentary, animated films are being shot in Iran annually. The first cooperation experience with Iran was the “Eva” movie. We also want to establish a center of visual effects and animation in Armenia, as well as a visual city. The information technologies field, animation are quite developed in our country, but there is no single structure, and it is impossible to work with the foreign film-makers. Mediators of different countries appear who use most of the money. If we manage to unite and work with the producers by licensed programs, we will ensure a very serious income for Armenia. Full interview is available in Armenian. Interview by Angela Hambardzumyan
ANCC Highlights the Alarming Situation of the Rohingya Community in Annual Statement on Human Rights Day – Journée des droits de l’homme: Le CNAC souligne la situation alarmante des Rohingya dans sa déclaration annuelle
Armenian
National Committee of Canada
Comité
National Arménien du Canada
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622
E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]
www.anccanada.org
-PRESS RELEASE-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2017 Contact: Sevag Belian (613) 235-2622
Ottawa — The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) joins with all
Canadians in marking International Human Rights Day and the 69th anniversary of
the adoption of the UN Convention on Genocide. As an organization that has been
at the forefront of human rights advocacy and genocide awareness, the ANCC is
committed to upholding the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and end all human rights abuses around the world.
“Today, we stand firm in our belief that all human beings, irrespective
of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and background are
entitled with equal and unassailable rights while believing that the persistent
advancement of those rights will make the world safer and more prosperous for
us all”, said Shahen Mirakian, President of the ANCC.
As we work together to eliminate all human rights abuses around the
world, we ought to realize that there still remains considerable challenges and
obstacles ahead of us.
“On this day, we call upon the international community to follow
Canada’s example of actively monitoring and responding to the alarming
situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, who continue to be denied some of
the most basic human rights” said Mirakian.
Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox Church,
His Holliness Aram I said, “What’s happening in Myanmar against the
Rohingya Community is a genocide. Harrowing stories of rape, violence, hunger,
persecution, massacre are not just horrifying words or imagination but concrete
facts. Indeed, history repeats itself”
Despite considerable international pressure, the Myanmar Military
continues to mercilessly deprive the innocent population of its fundamental
freedoms, while attempting to advance a state-sponsored policy of ethnic cleansing
and genocide.
“We are proud that the current Government of Canada highlighted these
kinds of issues within the realm of politics, however, when we elevate the
standards of moral issues to the highest grounds, we need to have a principled
stance on all issues equally” said Mirakian.
Last year, after extensive deliberations, the Canadian government
recognized the atrocities faced by the Yezidi minority in Iraq and Syria as an
act of Genocide.
“While we commend the government’s rightful decision on the Yezidi
issue, we urge them to follow the same example and reasoning in recognizing the
Pontic Greek and Assyrian Genocides of the early 20th century and
the ongoing genocidal atrocities that are being committed against the Assyrians
and other Christian minorities in Iraq and Syria today” added Mirakian.
“As we decry repression and violence anywhere
around the world, we stand resolute in our fight against injustice and
reinstate our commitment to our shared values of respect, tolerance and justice”
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******
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential
Canadian-Armenian grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the
concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues and
works to eliminate abuses of human rights throughout Canada and the world.
Armenian
National Committee of Canada
Comité
National Arménien du Canada
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622
E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]
www.anccanada.org
– Communiqué de presse–
9 décembre 2017 Contact: Sevag Belian (613) 235-2622
Ottawa – Le 10 décembre 2017, le Comité
national arménien du Canada (CNAC) se joint à tous les Canadiens pour souligner
la Journée internationale des droits de la personne et le 69ème anniversaire de
l’adoption de la Convention des Nations Unies sur le génocide. En tant
qu’organisation qui place la défense des droits de la personne et la
sensibilisation au génocide à l’avant-plan de ses priorités, le CNAC s’engage à
défendre les idéaux de la Déclaration universelle des droits de la personne et
à mettre fin à toutes les violations des droits de la personne partout dans le
monde.
“Aujourd’hui, nous sommes convaincus que
tous les êtres humains, quels que soient leur race, leur religion, leur origine
ethnique, leur orientation sexuelle et leurs antécédents, jouissent de droits
égaux et incontestables, et nous croyons que le progrès continu de ces droits
rendra le monde plus sûr et prospère pour nous tous “,- a déclaré Shahen
Mirakian, président du CNAC.
Alors que nous travaillons ensemble pour
éliminer toutes les violations des droits de la personne dans le monde, nous
devons réaliser qu’il reste encore des défis et des obstacles considérables à
surmonter. «En ce jour, nous appelons
la communauté internationale à suivre l’exemple du Canada pour surveiller
activement et réagir à la situation alarmante des musulmans Rohingya au
Myanmar, qui continuent à se voir refuser certains des droits humains les plus
fondamentaux»,- a souligné Mirakian.
Le catholicos de la Grande Maison de Cilicie de
l’Eglise apostolique arménienne, Sa Sainteté Aram I a déclaré: “Ce qui se
passe au Myanmar contre la Communauté Rohingya est un génocide. Les histoires
déchirantes de viol, de violence, de famine, de persécution et de massacre ne sont
pas seulement des mots horrifiants ou issus de l’imagination mais des faits
concrets … En effet, l’histoire se répète”.
Malgré une pression internationale
considérable, l’armée du Myanmar continue de priver sans pitié la population
innocente de ses libertés fondamentales, tout en essayant de promouvoir une
politique de nettoyage ethnique et de génocide parrainée par l’État.
«Nous sommes fiers que le gouvernement actuel
du Canada a mis en lumière des problèmes actuels de ce genre dans le domaine de
la politique. Toutefois, lorsque nous élevons les normes morales au plus haut
niveau, nous devons adopter une position de principe à l’égard de toutes les
questions existantes»,- a déclaré Mirakian. .
L’année dernière, après de longues
délibérations, le gouvernement canadien a reconnu les atrocités commises contre
la minorité yézidie en Irak et en Syrie comme un acte de génocide.
“Tout en saluant la décision légitime du
gouvernement sur la question yézidie, nous les exhortons à suivre le même
exemple et raisonnement en reconnaissant les génocides des Grecs pontiques et
des Assyriens commis au début du 20ème
siècle, ainsi que les atrocités génocidaires en cours de nos jours contre les
Assyriens et les autres minorités chrétiennes en Irak et en Syrie”,- a
conclu Mirakian.
Alors que nous dénonçons la répression et la
violence partout dans le monde, nous restons déterminés dans notre combat
contre l’injustice et rétablissons notre engagement envers nos valeurs communes
de respect, de tolérance et de justice.
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******
Le CNAC
est l’organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus large
et influente au Canada. Le CNAC s’occupe activement de représenter le point de
vue collectif arméno-canadien sur les questions
d’intérêt public, et de soutenir et promouvoir les questions relatives aux
droits de l’homme au Canada et à l’échelle internationale. Le CNAC travaille en
étroite collaboration avec ses bureaux régionaux et des associations affiliées
à travers le Canada, ainsi qu’avec d’autres organisations arméniennes poursuivant
des objectifs similaires à travers le monde.
—
Sevag Belian – Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of Canada
T: (613) 235-2622 | C: (905) 329-8526
E:
UN observes the International Day of Commemoration of Genocide Victims
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 10 2017
14:45, 09 Dec 2017
For the third time since 2015 a special event in observance of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime was held at the United Nations in New York on 8 December. The observance of the International Day commenced with a minute of silence in honour of the memory of the victims of Genocide. Mr Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, representing the Secretary-General delivered opening remarks. Mr Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide delivered a keynote speech and launched a one year appeal for the universal ratification of the Genocide Convention. The panel featured Mr Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, Mr Jean-Claude Félix do Rego, Ambassador Permanent Representative of Benin to the UN, and Mr Martin Fode Seck, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the UN. Ms Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court made remarks on the drafting of the Genocide Convention and its present challenges. In his remarks Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan noted that ‘there is a strong symbolism in determining 9 December as the International Day. Reaffirming the significance of the Convention as an effective international instrument for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, UN General Assembly Resolution 69/323 linked the International Day to the date of the adoption of the Convention. Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan further noted that “intolerance, xenophobia, racial and ethnic profiling, glorification of hate crimes, especially lead and encouraged by the political leaders within a state should be a concern to the entire international community and serve a clear early warning sign of potential conflict and atrocity crimes”. Stressing the importance of achieving universalization of the Genocide Convention, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan recalled that Armenia had proposed to launch a global campaign for raising the awareness of the Convention and calling upon those states that have not acceded to the Convention to do so by its 70th anniversary. He added that Armenia endorses, fully supports and commits to work together with the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide in launching a one year appeal for the universal ratification of the Convention by the end of 2018. Representatives of UN member states, academic institutions, civil society organizations and media, as well as representatives of the Armenian-American community and school children attended the observance of the International Day. The event was widely publicized in the UN. Background: Upon the initiative of Armenia, in September 2015, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 69/323 proclaiming 9 December as an International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. This landmark resolution followed up on resolution 28/34 of the UN Human Rights Council initiated by Armenia. The resolutions, which have led to the establishment of the Day, as well as the events held in its observance add to the continued efforts of Armenia to promote consolidated international action against the crime of genocide.
Art: Armenian ceramics artist keeps ancient craft alive in Jerusalem
Al-Monitor
Nov 15 2017