Author: Khondkarian Raffi

AFP – The tomb where Jesus is believed to have been buried is being unveiled again following nine months of restoration work that will be highlighted at a much anticipated ceremony Wednesday.

The shrine, which includes a 19th-century ornate edicule or shrine surrounding the tomb, is a key part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City.

However centuries of candle smoke and visiting pilgrims had left it discoloured and almost black.

Parts of it were also coming loose, with warnings that it was structurally unsound and posed a risk to the millions of pilgrims who visit the site every year.

Israeli authorities briefly closed it in 2015 over security fears.

Following a $3.7-million (3.4-million-euro) renovation led by the church’s three main Christian denominations, the tomb has been painstakingly restored to its former glory — including a warm reddish-yellow colouring.

The tomb will be formally reopened on Wednesday in a ceremony in Jerusalem led by religious leaders and donors.

“Before this the monument was black,” chief renovator Antonia Moropoulou told AFP at the site.

“This is the actual colour of the monument, the colour of hope.”

Unlike other parts of the church, which were renovated between the 1960s and 1990s, the edicule had been neglected.

Moropoulou explained that they had systematically dismantled, cleaned and renovated almost all of the edicule, including the columns and upper and inner domes.

A window has been installed to allow pilgrims to see the bare stone of the ancient burial cave for the first time.

The new structural integrity means a protective cage installed 70 years ago by the British is no longer necessary.

“The deformations of the holy edicule are addressed and the structural integrity is assured,” Moropoulou said.

Samuel Aghoyan, the superior of the Armenian Church at the Sepulchre which co-financed the project, said that after the renovation the edicule looked “like a brand new building”.

The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations share custody of the church, but disputes between the three have led to renovations being delayed for decades.

Aghoyan admitted there were tensions between the churches at times.

“We are not in love with each but we love each other,” he said with a smile.

Armenia’s Transport Minister Vahan Martirosyan will compete for the position of the UN World Travel Organization (UNWTO).

The UNWTO’s current Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai of Jordan, has served in the position since January 2010 and is stepping down at the end of this year. The organization’s 33-nation executive board will choose a nominee in May to be voted on by its General Assembly later this year to serve as Secretary-General for the 2018 to 2021 term.

Seven eligible applications have been submitted. Other candidates are Márcio Favilla, Brazil; Walter Mzembi, Zimbabwe; Zurab Pololikashvili, Georgia; Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente, Colombia; Alain St. Ange, Seychelles; Dho Young-shim, South Korea.

As part of the United Nations, the UNWTO supports many of the United Nation’s programs and is one of the largest global tourism organizations that advises member states on how to develop and implement tourism policies. The organization’s mission is to, “drive economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offer leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide,” according to its website.

UNWTO’s membership includes 157 countries, six associate members and 500 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

Vahan Martirosyan was appointed as Armenia’s Minister of Transport and Communications in September 2016 and in October had a title change to Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies. Martirosyan spent more than 30 years working in electrical engineering posts in Armenia, serving in various board positions of CJSC, one of the country’s largest electrical utility companies, for the past 16 years.

Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference made the following statement:

“At the request of the sides, a humanitarian operation to retrieve the remains of Azerbaijani servicemen from the heavily mined no man’s land took place on Monday, 27 February with my staff fully mobilized in support of this operation.

The aim of our presence was to ensure the strict observance of the ceasefire by the sides through security guarantees, and to guarantee that the operation was carried out as agreed between the sides.

I would like to stress that my Office was consistently supported by local commanders in the field as well as representatives of the military authorities.

With their support, and with the International Committee of the Red Cross present, the operation was concluded successfully in the afternoon.”

Survival Pictures’ The Promise, the drama starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon and Christian Bale about the Armenian Genocide, will donate all proceeds from the film to various non-profit organizations including Sir Elton John’s AIDS Foundation and other humanitarian and human rights groups. The film will be released wide via Open Road on April 21, reports.

At the legendary singer’s Academy Award viewing party on Sunday, both Elton John and EJAF chairman David Furnish will introduce the Terry George-directed film to their guests and producer Eric Esrailian of Survival Pictures will commit to match pledges guests make to EJAF via text and live auctions during the party. The goal is to make the night a record-setter for Elton John.

“Such giving has never happened with a film of this scale, we wanted the world to know about it, and we are incredibly grateful,” said Furnish. “We are honored to announce this generosity, thanks to the late philanthropist and humanitarian Kirk Kerkorian.” Survival Pictures began before Kerkorian’s death when the casino, automotive and entertainment mogul entrusted UCLA Doctor Esrailian to produce content about the Armenian culture. Mike Medavoy and William Horberg also began helping to produce the first film and Robin Swicord came aboard for the script.

The result is an over two-hour love story that just flies by with twists and turns and set against the horrific genocide of the Armenian people at the hands of the Turks in 1914, at the outset of World War I. Open Road picked it up for release on April 28; four days earlier marks the commemoration of the Armenian genocide.

“Through our friendships with the Manoukian family and producer Dr. Eric Esrailian … David and I became more personally aware of the Armenian Genocide and its timely relevance to social issues today. The film’s theme #KeepThePromise can be interpreted as keeping the promise to remember and learn from the atrocities of the past, as well as keeping the promise to end AIDS,” said Sir Elton in making the announcement this morning. “At EJAF, we are committed to #KeepThePromise and raise awareness about this powerful film that uses classic storytelling to inspire people to take action today.  We are honored to share the important timing of our Oscar-night event to introduce people to The Promise.”

The film will also help fund non-profits geared to helping spread Armenian culture and education as well. “It was Kirk’s wish to be philanthropic. It all starts and stops with his generosity,” said Survival Pictures’ Esrailian, one of the producers on The Promise. “The thinking was not only to make film but make sure we are helping people at the same time. Kirk said, you know, we can do both. By making films that have this kind of social impact and then making sure the proceeds are donated to help others makes a second impact.”

Survival Pictures has also developed a social impact campaign for its film to help educate the global public about the genocides and mass atrocities of the 20th and 21st centuries, the discussion about the legal definition of genocide, and historical denialism.

Sir Elton John created EJAF almost 25 years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Since Kerkorian’s death in 2015, Survival Pictures is now co-managed by Esrailian and Anthony Mandekic.

Photo: AP

 

US President Donald Trump has named Lt Gen HR McMaster as his national security adviser, the BBC reports.

He will replace Lt Gen Michael Flynn who was fired after just three weeks and three days in the job.

A lieutenant general with the US Army, HR McMaster served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he worked on a government anti-corruption drive.

Mr Trump’s first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the role, citing “personal reasons”.

A new photo exhibit highlighting work created by Armenian and Turkish photographers during a five-month-long collaborative project opened on January 24, 2017, at the NPAK/ACCEA (the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art) in Yerevan.

The exhibit features work from 24 young Armenian and Turkish photojournalists, who spent five months taking a remarkable set of photographs that tell the story of their lives and underscore the similarities that exist between them.

“What makes this exhibit so compelling is the emphasis on shared stories, based on the fundamental premise that what connects us is greater than what divides us,” said U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. at the opening of the exhibit. “It is powerful and inspiring to see how this project is building bridges between our talented participants from Armenia and Turkey, and among their audiences, whether they visit the exhibit in person or follow the project online at the #BridgingStories Instagram page.”

With the sponsorship of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, the #BridgingStories project was implemented by the Storyteller’s Café NGO and led by co-teachers Anush Babajanyan and Serra Akcan under the tutelage of the acclaimed National Geographic photographer John Stanmeyer. #BridgingStories has garnered attention from around the world as participants have posted many of their images to Instagram, highlighting the similarities and parallel interests and experiences shared by the young people from both countries. Currently on display at NPAK/ACCEA are 72 photos that best capture the #BridgingStories theme.

The 24 participants, 12 each from Turkey and Armenia, were selected through a rigorous application process last summer and came together for an intensive photojournalism workshop in Dilijan, Armenia, in August 2016. Once back in their hometowns, they continued working with each other and with Mr. Stanmeyer, Ms. Babajanyan, and Ms. Akcan to hone their story telling skills and perfect their images. By photographing life in the towns and cities where they live, and sharing these images via the Instagram account “#BridgingStories,” they continue to connect with each other and with their global audience.

The free exhibition in Yerevan will run from January 24 to February 7.

Aurora Humanitarian Initiative’s 2016 Opinion Audit is concluded and results reveal the degree to which a global audience is aware of Armenia, Armenians and the Aurora Prize.

The research, conducted by London-based New Place Consultancy with consultations by Brussels-based TNS Opinion, Kantar Group, shows that attitude towards the Aurora Prize is overwhelmingly favorable among those who have heard of it. Among reasons cited for the favorable attitude is that the prize recognizes people whose work wouldn’t be recognized otherwise, and, in the process, it promotes a positive image of Armenians.

The Opinion Audit explores global awareness and knowledge of Armenia and Armenians, as well. Responses show that the general public mostly knows about Armenian communities, Armenian food and history.

The survey also tracks similar metrics – knowledge, awareness, familiarity, engagement — within the global Armenian Diaspora.  Responses show that there are certain similarities between how Armenians see themselves and how the general public perceives Armenians.  The most frequently mentioned positive attributes are “proud, friendly and respectful.”

Interestingly, while almost a third of respondents think Armenian communities are important in their countries – whether at the national or local level – most respondents find that Armenian communities play little role in the life of their country. Rather, Armenian communities are seen to have the biggest impact in the intellectual, cultural, social and economic spheres. Kim Kardashian and Cher top the list of most recognized celebrities, and celebrities who are most recognized as Armenians, both among the general public and among Armenian respondents.

Questions about the Republic of Armenia generated a fair amount of interest in Armenia as a country and as a travel destination. However, among the general public, that interest does not translate into interest in the country as a place to do business. Armenians, on the other hand, are quite eager to learn more about Armenia as a place to do business. One in seven general public respondents, and one in two Armenians say they are likely to visit Armenia in the future.

The survey was carried out in two waves in March, 2016 and June-July, 2016, in 10 countries — the US, Canada, Australia, France, Argentina, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Germany and Russia.

This animated infographic highlights a few of the main findings.

Photo: Reuters

At least nine people have died after a lorry crashed into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, city police say.

An unknown number of people have been left injured.

“We can confirm nine dead and many injured,” Berlin Police have reported on Twitter.

Wir können 9 Tote & viele Verletzte bestätigen. Viele Kolleg. sind am im Einsatz um die Hintergründe zu ermitteln.

— Polizei Berlin (@polizeiberlin)

According to the BBC, Police now say they suspect it was a deliberate attack. Video footage from the scene shows stalls knocked over and people lying injured on the ground.
The market is at Breitscheidplatz close to the Kurfuerstendamm, the main shopping street in the city’s west.

An Israeli blogger was arrested in Belarus last Wednesday at the request of the Azerbaijani government over his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, reports.

Alexander Lapshin wrote several critical posts against Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, in recent months. His family is afraid that if he’s extradited to Azerbaijan, his life will be in danger.
Lapshin, 40, writes a blog in which he records his travels throughout the world, and writes about the various countries he has visited.

On December 13, he and his wife arrived in the Belarus capital, Minsk. A day later, shortly before midnight, Lapshin wrote on his Facebook page: “At this moment I was arrested by the police in Minsk at the request of Azerbaijan. I’m at the Piersamajskaja station in Minsk.”

The Azeri government claims that in April 2011 and October 2012, Lapshin visited Nagorno-Karabakh and wrote about the visits in his blog. After the last visit, Lapshin’s name was placed on the Baku government’s blacklist, and he in effect became a wanted man.

Last June, Lapshin entered Azerbaijan itself, using a Ukrainian passport. Because his name in Ukrainian is slightly different from the name listed in his Russian or Israeli passport, he was not arrested upon entering the country. After a few days traveling around the country, he left without any problem.

In subsequent blog posts, Lapshin criticized the poverty in certain parts of the capital, Baku; the dictatorial rule of President Aliyev; and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Israel on Sunday asked Belarus to not hand over to Azerbaijan a popular Israeli travel blogger it arrested last week, the Times of Israel reports.

Russian singer Dima Bilan, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, is preparing a music video about the Armenian Genocide. The singer revealed the plans in an interview with Muz TV, Yerkramas reports.

Part of the video has already been shot in the Ararat Valley, the rest will be shot it in a specially decorated pavilion at Mosfilm.

“I’m familiar with the topic not only from history,” Dima Bilan has said. “My mother’s grandmother – Shushan Kruni – escaped the massacre, when she was 13.”

“She was saved by Russian soldiers also escaping from Turkey to Russia. Unfortunately, my grand-grandmother died before I was born. But my mother says she looked for her relatives throughout her life without even knowing whether they were alive or not,” the singer said.

The video is slated for release in April next year. The singer has devoted it to the memory of his grand-grandmother and the millions of victims of the genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.