Author: Madatian Greg

Agence France Presse
22 février 2007 jeudi 5:43 PM GMT

Lutte contre le blanchiment : progrès de la Géorgie et de l’Arménie
(Moneyval)

STRASBOURG (Conseil Europe) 22 fév 2007

Des progrès ont été réalisés par la Géorgie et l’Arménie en matière
de lutte contre le blanchiment des capitaux, a indiqué jeudi à
Strasbourg le président de Moneyval, un comité d’experts du Conseil
de l’Europe.

"Des progrès significatifs ont été réalisés par la Géorgie depuis
2003" a indiqué Vasil Kirov, le président de Moneyval, à l’occasion
d’une réunion de quelque 500 experts mondiaux de la lutte
anti-blanchiment à Strasbourg.

Il a également fait état de "progrès" de l’Arménie, ce qui a permis à
Moneyval de lever la procédure de surveillance appliquée à ces deux
pays. Cette procédure est mise en route dès lors que la situation est
jugée insatisfaisante par rapport aux critères fixés par Moneyval.

La Géorgie, l’Arménie, mais aussi Chypre et l’Azerbaidjan ont fait
l’objet de rapports d’évaluation présentés lors de la réunion de
Strasbourg qui s’est ouverte mercredi et qui se déroule à huis clos.

Elle rassemble pour la première fois Moneyval, une organisation
chargée d’évaluer l’efficacité des mesures anti-blanchiment prise par
ses 27 pays membres, et des responsables du Gafi, un organisme
intergouvernemental mis en place par le G7 pour lutter contre le
blanchiment des capitaux.

Parmi les points forts de la réunion figurent les fraudes à la TVA
"une source importante de blanchiment d’argent sale, y compris dans
les pays de l’Union européenne" a noté M. Kirov.

Il a ajouté qu’un rapport d’évaluation sur la Turquie, réalisé par le
Gafi, avait été adopté mercredi, mais il s’est refusé à tout
commentaire sur le sujet.

GERMAN MINISTER WELCOMES ARMENIA’S EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY ENERGY SOURCES

Mediamax news agency
20 Feb 07

Yerevan, 20 February: Armenia can satisfy its energy needs using
Iranian gas supplies to the country, which will start in the near
future, and the development of alternative energy, German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Yerevan today.

Steinmeier said that Armenia’s intention to build a new nuclear power
plant depended not only on "energy, but other factors too".

"Germany welcomes Armenia’s efforts to diversify its energy sources,"
Steinmeier said.

He pointed out that his country also faced the problem of diversifying
energy sources.

TANER AKCAM: "A DECISION WAS MADE IN 1913 TO DEPORT THE ARMENIANS FROM ANATOLIA"
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
22/02/2007

Turkish Anti-Armenian Policy

The decision to deport in the Armenians from Anatolia was made by the
Turkish authorities already in 1913, caused by the defeat in the Balkan
War and the conclusion of impossibility of living with Christians
in the same country. Such conclusion can be made of the interview of
Turkish historian Taner Akcam to §Minneapolis Star Tribune¦. According
to his research, the Ottoman authorities had a strategic plan of
creating a mono-ethic zone on the highland of Anatolia.

–Boundary_(ID_rC5+mIH2Wi17NP+mSHDnUw)- –

NEWSPAPERS TO BE PUBLISHED SOON

A1+
[06:03 pm] 21 February, 2007

Newspaper "Pakagits" will be published today, and "Iravunq" will most
probably be published since next week, the editors of both newspapers
announced today in a press conference in "Pakagits" club. By the way,
last night unknown people had damaged the telephone lines of the club
depriving them of the means of communication.

Instead of the furniture and computers confiscated by court officers,
new ones were standing in the office, given by friends, as Agapi
Haykazuni claimed. As for their property, the latter found out that it
was not sold by taken to Khanjyan 13, the office of party "Democracy
and Labor".

Let us remind you that the problems of "Pakagits" club were connected
with the disagreement between leader of "Democracy and Labor" Spartak
Meliqyan and Agapi Haykazuni, and the false agreement according to
which "Agap Hrant" LTD owed 9.5 million AMD to "Democracy and Labor".

As for why two newspapers temporarily out of line decided to render
a joint press conference, editor-in-chief of newspaper "Iravunq"
Hovhannes Galajyan said, "They used the same pre-election technology
against both of us: terror of freedom of speech and court suits
against editors".

US RELIGIOUS DELEGATION SEEKS TO BUILD BRIDGE OF PEACE BETWEEN IRAN, US

Mehr news agency
19 Feb 07

Tehran, 19 February: A religious delegation from the United States has
come to Iran to meet religious and political figures and the Iranian
people in order to build bridges of peace and security between Iran
and the US.

The delegation is led by the Mennonites and Quakers but includes
members of many Christian denominations of the United States.

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad visited the United States
in September 2006 to attend the United Nations General Assembly
session. Forty-six Christian and Muslim religious leaders met with
Ahmadinezhad on 20 September, 2006 in an open discussion about the
role religious communities can play in reversing the deepening crisis
between Iran and the US.

On Ahmadinezhad’s invitation, the 13-member group arrived in Tehran
early on Monday and will be staying until 25 February. Improving
relations between the people of Iran and the US is one of the main
goals of the delegation.

We are here to build bridges of peace and security between the
people of Iran and the US, Mary Ellen McNish, general secretary of
the American Friends Service Committee, said.

We are not representatives of the government and we are not sent by
them, she told reporters of the Tehran Times and the Mehr News Agency.

On their return to the US, they will directly go to Washington DC and
visit Congress to give a report on Iranians desire for peace, she said.

On the first day of their visit, the delegation met Tehran Friday
Prayer Leader Mohammad Emami-Kashani, and Archbishop Sebu Sarkissian,
the spiritual leader of the Armenian Orthodox Christians of the
Tehran diocese.

Commenting on their meeting with Kashani, McNish stated: It was so
moving to hear Islam prohibits weapons of mass destruction.

There are many people in the US who are fearful about Iran, and,
of course, they are inflamed by the media, she added.

We want both sides to forgive each other, she said.

Ron Flaming, the international programme director of the Mennonite
Central Committee, said, As long as the two countries do not talk,
there is no trust between them and walls are built up because of that.

There are misperceptions on both sides, but the delegation is trying
to promote mutual respect, he added.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 16 2007

OSCE MINSK GROUP URGED PARTIES TO AVOID INITIATIVES AT U. N. GENERAL
ASSEMBLY

The OSCE Minsk group (MG) on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s peaceful
resolution held consultations in Paris.
The meeting of the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russia), Bernard Fassier (France) and Matthew Bryza (the U. S.) was
held February 14 – 15 in the presence of the OSCE Chair-in-Office’s
Personal Representative Andrzey Kasprzyk, Day.az reports.
Having discussed current situation in the issue of the Karabakh
conflict settlement, the Co-Chairs expressed hope that the parties
would support the positive tendency of the last months’ meetings and
that the RA and AR FMs would again meet in the near future.
The Co-Chairs urged the parties to avoid any actions, including the
actions at the U. N. General Assembly, which could cancel out the
last months’ positive achievements.

The Economist
February 17, 2007
U.S. Edition

Genocide wars; Turkey and the Armenians

More disputes between Turkey and America

A new dispute over the Armenians may sour Turkish-American relations

TURKEY’S fraught relationship with America is heading into a new
crisis. This may intensify anti-American feelings among millions of
Turks. It could even hurt America’s efforts to restore order in Iraq.

The latest spat stems from a bill in America’s Congress that would
recognise the mass slaughter of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as the
first genocide of the 20th century. The fate of the Armenians remains
Turkey’s biggest taboo. Denying the official version, which says that
Armenians killed Turks in larger numbers than they were killed
themselves, has landed scores of Turkish academics and writers,
including a Nobel prize-winning author, Orhan Pamuk, in court. Last
month, a Turkish-Armenian editor, Hrant Dink, was murdered by an
ultra-nationalist teenager, who accused Mr Dink of insulting Turkey.

Successive American administrations have quashed genocide
resolutions, arguing that Turkey is too precious an ally to lose.
Jewish groups, grateful for Turkey’s warm links to Israel, have
helped. But the background landscape has changed.

First came the Turkish parliament’s refusal in March 2003 to let
American troops cross its soil to invade Iraq. Next were the Turkish
government’s overtures to Iran, Syria and Hamas, which infuriated
many in Washington, DC. Throw America’s refusal to attack PKK Kurdish
guerrillas in northern Iraq, and Turkish threats to do the job
themselves, into this "bubbling noxious stew, and we’re heading for a
perfect storm," says one administration official.

Nancy Pelosi, the new Democratic speaker of America’s House of
Representatives, whose Californian constituents include many rich
Armenians, refused to meet Turkey’s foreign minister, Abdullah Gul,
in Washington last week. Mr Gul spoke of "lasting damage" if America
joined 18 countries that term the Armenian massacres genocide.
American officials agree that vital interests are at stake. Turkey
has approved the overflight of 4,900 sorties to Iraq for unspecified
"combat support" since the start of the war, as well as the treatment
of wounded American soldiers in Turkish hospitals.

Some worry that, if an Armenian-genocide bill is passed, Turkey’s
mildly Islamist prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, may end this
co-operation, so as to woo nationalist votes in the run-up to
Turkey’s parliamentary election later this year. Hawks in the
opposition are already baying for the expulsion of thousands of
illegal migrant workers from Armenia and for a ban on flights between
Armenia and Turkey. Fear is mounting among Turkey’s own ethnic
Armenians: racist graffiti have been scrawled on the walls of their
churches, and threatening e-mails continue to flood the offices of
Agos, the weekly newspaper Mr Dink founded and ran.

What to do? Turkey could start by scrapping article 301 of the penal
code, which makes it a crime to "insult Turkishness". As Mr Dink
argued, recognition of Turkey’s past misdeeds would best come from
unfettered debate among Turks, not from vote-seeking foreign
politicians. In a hopeful sign, Mr Gul has complained that "people
outside Turkey think you can be thrown into jail for opening your
mouth." Worse, as Mr Dink tragically discovered, you can be killed.

WE EXPECT UNBIASED COVERAGE OF THE ELECTIONS

A1+
[06:30 pm] 13 February, 2007

The quality of the elections will be made public on May 12, after
the NA elections, but it is already obvious that "the elections are
but a failure in view of their unbiased and impartial coverage",
Levon Barseghyan, head of the Journalists’ "Asparez" Club said today.

During the roundtable titled "Objective, impartial and balanced
coverage of the elections Mr. Barseghyan urged the RA mass media
representatives to do their utmost to provide free and unbiased
coverage of the elections. The tariffs of the political advertisements
(80 – 130 thousand AMD) gave ground for his concern.

Four TV Stations of Shirak Marz announced that they refuse to broadcast
political ads and they assure that there has been no pressure on them.

"It means there will be shadow advertisement", assumes
Mr. Barseghyan. By the way, out of 29 regional TV Stations 11 have
already made public the prices of political advertisements.

Elina Poghosyan, an expert from the Yerevan Press Club, finds it
strange that the RA leading TV Stations have fixed almost the same
tariffs and the same amount of ads.

Hakob Avetikyan, editor-in-chief of "Azg", is surprised at the
fact that the tariffs of political ads are higher than those of the
commercial ones.

Satik Seyranyan, editor of "168 Hours" newspaper, finds it natural
that private TV Stations should fix high tariffs but she finds it
inadmissible that National TV Station which is directly financed by
the state budget should fix 80 000 AMD.

"I cannot speak of the price formation mechanisms as it is a
complicated issue. But the price is already fixed and it is 40 –
50% lower than that of other TV Stations", Gnel Nalbandyan, deputy
director of National TV Station said. The participants of the round
table assured that the prices offered by them aren’t too high as the
RA parties and deputies are ready to pay the sums.

To note, the roundtable was organised by the press service of EU Human
Rights Administration, "Internews" NGO and the Yerevan Press Club.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

February 14, 2007

EARLY CROSSROADS
Because of the Vartanantz holiday tomorrow, Crossroads is being sent to
you one day early.

TOMORROW IS VARTANANTZ
Vartanantz-the war waged between pagan Persia and Christian Armenia in
451-is commemorated on the Thursday preceding Great Lent. The king of Persia
ordered all Christians under his rule to abandon Christianity and embrace
Mazdeism. The Armenian clergy and ruling princes refused to abandon their
faith. Vartan Mamigonian was the leader of the Armenians in the battle of
Avarayr, and although tremendously outnumbered, the Armenians put up a
valiant defense against the Persians. Vartan and many of his soldiers were
killed, but with this battle the Persians realized the full extent of the
commitment of the Armenians to their Christian faith. In what today would be
called a "guerilla war," the struggle continued for more than thirty years
and in 484 Vahan Mamigonian, nephew of Vartan, successfully negotiated the
Treaty of Nvarsag-the first document in history (pre-dating the Magna Charta
by 731 years) granting the Armenians religious freedom and home rule.

PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO RHODE ISLAND
Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday,
February18, at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Providence, Rhode Island. His
Eminence will ordain altar servers Robert Nazarian (ooarageer) and Sarkis
Menissian (acolyte). Immediately after the Divine Liturgy the Prelate will
preside over the Sts. Vartanantz Day banquet in Aramian Auditorium.

VICAR WILL GO TO ATLANTA
Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General of the Prelacy, will travel to Atlanta,
Georgia, where on Sunday he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the
outreach community of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Atlanta.

40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE FOR HRANT DINK
Archbishop Oshagan has directed all parishes within the Eastern Prelacy
to offer a requiem service on Sunday, March 4, on the occasion of the 40th
day of the death of the Hrant Dink. The noted journalist was assassinated in
Istanbul last month.
In New York City, a united requiem service will take place at St. Vartan
Cathedral, 34th Street and Second Avenue, with the participation of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); the Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America; the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of
America; and the Armenian Missionary Association. The requiem service will
begin at 1:30 pm, following regular Sunday services in the individual
churches.

COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE
This Saturday, February 17, the Armenian Church remembers the 150
Fathers of the Council of Constantinople, the Second Ecumenical Council
convened by Emperor Theodosius in 381. It basically confirmed the work of
the First Council at Nicaea, and added five articles to the Nicene Creed
regarding the Holy Spirit, the Church, Baptism, and Resurrection. The
Council of Constantinople is one of the three ecumenical councils recognized
by the Armenian Church.

POUN PAREGENTAN
This Sunday, February 18, is Poun Paregentan (Mardi Gras). Poun
Paregentan is the last Sunday prior to the six-week period of Great Lent
(Medz Bahk). It ushers the Faithful into the Lenten period of fasting,
penance and reconciliation. During Lent the Church takes on a solemn
appearance. The altar curtain is closed starting on the eve of Paregentan,
symbolic of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Holy
Communion is not offered during Lent and the Faithful are encouraged to use
this period before Easter to strengthen their faith.

GREAT LENT BEGINS ON MONDAY
Great Lent (Medz Bahk or Karasnortk) begins on Monday, February 19.
Great Lent is the longest of the fasts in the liturgical calendar. It begins
on Monday following Poon Paregentan and continues for forty days until the
Friday before the commemoration of the raising of Lazarus, which this year
is March 31. A new period of fasting begins during Holy Week.

PRELACY LENTEN SERIES BEGINS NEXT WEDNESDAY
The first of the six Prelacy Lenten Lectures will take place next
Wednesday, February 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program will feature six
lectures on the seven vices and seven virtues. The first lecture on Pride
and Humility will be delivered by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,
Vicar General of the Prelacy.
The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the
St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Armenian Religious Education Council
(AREC). All of the programs will take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral,
221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general schedule:
Lenten Service at 7:30 pm; Lecture at 8 pm, followed by questions and
answers, a light Lenten meal, and Fellowship.

AREC MINI COURSE CONCLUDES
This past Monday, the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC)
completed its 8-part Bible Study mini course on the Letter to the Hebrews.
There were 12 participants from the New York-New Jersey area. Held here at
the Armenian Prelacy on the first and third Mondays of the month from 7:15
to 8:45 pm, the course was conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of
AREC.
The next course will be offered after Easter and it will focus on the
notion of prayer-the Bible as the basis for Christian prayer, fixed and
spontaneous prayers, personal and liturgical prayers, prayer and
discipleship, the vocabulary of prayer, the Lord’s Prayer as a paradigm for
prayer. The course will be taught by Dn. Shant. Watch for details.

MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place Sunday, March 25, at
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25.
Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan and the Ararat Trio, comprised of
Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian, violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello.
The Musical Armenia concerts have been presented since 1982. Its goal is to
showcase the talents of young Armenian artists. If you would like to become
a sponsor of this year’s Musical Armenia concert please contact the Prelacy
at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail to [email protected].

2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies
program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania.

TRUSTEES OF PASHALIAN FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Pashalian Family Education Fund, administered by the Eastern
Prelacy, is dedicated to promoting and supporting the study of Armenian
language, history, culture and religion. Each year, the Fund distributes its
earned proceeds in the form of grants to Armenian schools and educational
programs in the United States and Canada. The trustees of the Fund are now
accepting requests for consideration of grants awarded for 2007. For
information about the application procedure contact the Eastern Prelacy at
[email protected] (attention: Iris Papazian).
The Pashalian Fund was established in 1992 in memory of John Pashalian,
who died in an accident in 1973.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
The famous French philologist, Antoine Meillet, an authority on Armenian
linguistics, has written that the system of the Armenian alphabet is a
masterpiece, each of the phonemes (basic sounds) of the language having its
own letter. He also stated that the system is so well founded that it has
provided the Armenian nation with an alphabet which has been maintained to
this day without undergoing any alteration or needing any improvement.
The Pontifical Message issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian
Language is now on the Prelacy’s web page.

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN
The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows:
May 5-In the New England area in Providence, Rhode Island.
May 12-In the Mid-Atlantic area in Teaneck, New Jersey.
May 18-In the Mid-West in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National
Representative Assembly.
Watch for details.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, February 14 (Presentation of the Lord to the
Temple), are: Isaiah 24:21-25:8; Acts 7:47-50; Galatians 4:1-7; Luke
2:41-52.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the
Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to
custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus
stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him
to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among
their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they
returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the
temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them
questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his
answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to
him, Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been
looking for you anxiously. And he said to them, How is it that you sought
me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house? And they did not
understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and
came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these
things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in
favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52)

PRESIDENTS’ DAY
This Monday, February 19, is Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday in the
United States, which originally intended to replace the February 22nd
federal holiday known as
Washington’s birthday. In 1968, legislation was enacted that changed
several federal holidays, including Washington’s birthday. The holiday was
shifted to the third Monday of February, providing a three-day weekend.
Gradually, it became popularly known as "Presidents’ Day" and celebrated the
birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, and to a lesser degree all other
presidents. Unfortunately, it is best known today as a day for sales at
shopping malls.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 12, 13, 14-Joint clergy gathering on the occasion of the
Ghevontiantz commemoration. Clergy of the Eastern, Western and Canadian
Prelacies will meet in California. Monday evening, Divine Liturgy and Sermon
at Forty Martyrs Church in Orange County; Tuesday evening, celebration of
the eve of Diarantaratch at St. Mary Church in Glendale. Major themes of
clergy gathering are the zeal of clergymen toward their mission, and joint
projects for Christian education texts and Sunday school curricula.

February 17-Poon Paregentan, Eve of Great Lent, International Cuisine Night,
St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.

February 21 to March 28-2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St.
Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great
Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and
fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues.

February 25-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois.

March 4-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
Massachusetts.

March 4-Membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.

March 4-Membership meeting, St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City.

March 4-Membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

March 18-Membership meeting, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

March 25-Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm.
Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge
Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan,
piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello).

April 1-Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church,
Watertown, Massachusetts.

April 14-Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert
will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For
information, 617-924-7562.

May 5-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the
New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island.

May 6-30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on
the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm.

May 7-Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York
City.

May 12-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid
Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New
Jersey.

May 12-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert
featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian.

May 16-19-National Representative Assembly (NRA) hosted by St. Sarkis
Church, Dearborn, Michigan. Clergy conference begins May 16; NRA begins May
17.

May 18-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in
Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly.

May 20-"Hello Ellis Island" and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall,
Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562.

July 1-8-St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian
studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania.

August 7-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf
tournament at Blackstone Country Club.

August 19-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church picnic.

September 29-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th
anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.

December 1-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church bazaar.

December 9-St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary
celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

Visit our website at

HRANT MATEVOSIAN IS TODAY CONSIDERED MOST READ ARMENIAN WRITER, LEVON ANANIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 13 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 12, Hrant Matevosian’s
birthday, representatives of the Writers’ Union of Armenia, RA
Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues, politicians visited the Yerevan
pantheon after Komitas to pay tribute of respect in the great writer’s
memory. In WUA Chairman Levon Ananian’s words, H.Matevosian left big
trace in the Armenian literature.

"H.Matevosian raised in his works the Armenian people’s
characteristic. That’s why he is today considered the most read
and expected writer," L.Ananian emphasized. He also mentioned that
the Hrant Matevosian literary reward with monetary prize of 1000
U.S. dollars was already given to writer Zorayr Khalapian.

Writer’s son Davit Matevosian stated that H.Matevosian’s unpublished
works are being published today as well. But, in D.Matevosian’s words,
the issue of construction of a cultural center-museum after the writer
remains unsettled because of absence of financial resources. He also
stated that it is envisaged to define Hrant Matevosian prize at the
"Golden Apricot" (Voske Tsiran) international film festival starting
from this year.