Author: nina hovnanian

EXHIBITION IN HARVARD COMMEMORATES 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST ARMENIAN PRINTED BOOK

armradio.am
06.04.2012 12:41

“The Armenians and the Book,” an exhibit commemorating the 500th
anniversary of the first printed book in Armenian, will be open to
the Harvard community at Lamont Library, April 9 to 25.

The Armenian alphabet was invented at the beginning of the fifth
century AD; and the exhibit, drawn from collections of the Harvard
Libraries, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
(NAASR), the Armenian Library and Museum of America, the Armenian
Cultural Foundation and the private collection of Dr. James R.

Russell, Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard, features
an array of documents – Armenian prayer scrolls, prayer books and
magical manuscripts, a facsimile of the first Armenian printed book,
the first Armenian printed Bible, illustrated editions of Classical
Armenian texts and translations and rare, fine literary works from
the era of the Armenian Genocide and the Soviet Armenian republic,
as well as conversation manuals, cook books and printed ephemera
reflecting the Armenian immigrant experience in America, the Armenian
Mirror-Spectator reports.

SOME OF OSCE/ODIHR OBSERVERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN

11:27 . 06/04

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, observing
the parliamentary elections scheduled on May 6, has published its
first interim report, which mainly describes the preparation process
of the elections.

Mediamax informs that the report says the Electoral Code reformed
in May 2011 serves a good basis for holding democratic elections,
“but still there are spheres which could be improved”.

The report says about 2,5mln voters are registered in Armenia who have
the opportunity to check if their names are included in the lists,
also through internet.

“Several interlocutors from the observing mission have expressed
concern on the quality of the voting lists. The authorities state
they are being improved continuously,” the document says.

The report says that the political forces are preparing for the
campaign which will start on April 8.

APRIL 6 – PROMINENT ARMENIAN WRITER LEVON SHANT’S BIRTHDAY

Tert.am
06.04.12

Today marks the 143th birth anniversary of prominent Armenian
playwright, novelist, poet and public figure Levon Shant.

Born in 1869 to a family of vendors, Shant lost his parents at an
early age. After receiving his primary education in a Constantinople
Armenian seminary, he went to Echmiadzin and later pursued his studies
in Leipzig, Jena and Munich, specializing mainly in psychology and
pedagogy. In 1899, he returned to the Transcaucasus where he was
engaged in a teaching activity for over 10 years.

Shant was a member of Tbilisi’s Vernatun club and maintained close
contacts with his contemporaries (Hovhannes Tumanyan, Ghazaros
Aghayan, Avetik Isahakyan and Derenik Demirchyan). He returned to
Constantinople in 1911 to continue teaching. In 1915, he settled in
Europe, and four years later, again returned to the Transcacuasus.

Shant was a vice president of Armenia’s parliament during the First Republic.

His creative life lasted six decades. In the 1890s, he published his
poems, and series of short storeys. But Shant’s most prominent pieces
that left an important trace in the Armenian literature and culture
are associated with his dramaturgy that include such works as The I”
Man (1901), For Someone (1903), On the Road (1904), Ancient gods
(1908), The Emperor (1916) etc.

Shant also translated works by the world-renowned writers, Ethel
Lilian Voynich (Gadfly) and Henrik Ibsen (An Enemy of the People).

He died on November 29, 1951 in Beirut.

2 MILLIONS DE TELESPECTATEURS
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
vendredi 6 avril 2012

Hier soir, France 3 proposait le film de Robert Guediguian “L’Armee du
Crime”, l’histoire vraie du Groupe Manouchian, avec dans les principaux
rôles Simon Abakarian, Virginie Ledoyen et Jean-Pierre Daroussin.

Selon l’Institut Mediametrie, 1, 957 million de telespectateurs
ont choisi de voir le film de Robert Guediguian dans lequel Missak
Manouchian evoque a plusieurs reprises ses racines armeniennes.

L’ARMENIE NE PARTICIPE PAS A UNE ADHESION DOUANIERE AVEC LA RUSSIE
Laetitia

armenews.com
jeudi 5 avril 2012

Le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian a de nouveau exclu l’adhesion
de l’Armenie a une union douanière avec la Russie et deux autres
ex-republiques sovietiques et a declare que son pays va continuer a
approfondir son integration dans l’Union europeenne.

Dans une interview avec le quotidien russe ” Kommersant ” publie le
mercredi 4 avril 2012, il a egalement declare qu’ Erevan est prete
a envisager d’accueillir une station de radar militaire russe qui se
trouve actuellement en Azerbaïdjan. Commentant la possibilite d’une
adhesion armenienne dans le bloc commercial forme par la Russie,
le Kazakhstan et la Bielorussie, le Premier ministre a reitere
l’argument de son gouvernement qui affirme que l’Armenie n’a aucun
point commun avec ces trois pays. ” Cela n’aurait aucun sens “,
a-t-il dit. ” Le point positif d’une union douanière est d’avoir des
echanges commerciaux sans contrôle douanier. Dans notre cas, cela est
impossible car nous devons passer par le territoire d’un Etat voisin
et deux fois par l’administration douanière. ” ” Nos collègues russes
comprennent cette situation. Nous cherchons des moyens de cooperation,
sans l’union douanière “, a-t-il ajoute.

Les gouvernements successifs armeniens ont cite la meme raison pour
ne pas se joindre a la Communaute economique eurasienne (CEEA),
un regroupement de la Russie et de quatre autres ex-Etats sovietiques.

L’Armenie ne dispose que d’un statut d’observateur dans le CEEA.

Tout en empechant l’entree dans l’union, l’Armenie a signe en octobre
dernier un accord multilateral de libre-echange avec la Russie,
l’Ukraine, la Bielorussie, le Kazakhstan, le Kyrgyzstan, la Moldovie
et le Tajikistan. L’Armenie envisage d’organiser un autre plan de libre
commerce avec l’Union Europeenne dans le cadre des recents partenariats
avec l’Europe de l’Est. ” La Russie, notre partenaire, connait nos
programmes de cooperation, avec l’UE, l’OTAN, les USA, l’Iran, la
Chine ou la Georgie. La Russie comprend tout ca. Nous n’avons pas
d’autres choix que des partenariats, vue notre situation geopolitique
et nos problèmes avec nos voisins “, a annonce le president armenien.

Sarkisian a souligne l’interet de Yerevan dans la mise en oeuvre d’une
alliance militaire avec Moscou. La Russie et l’Azerbaijan sont en train
de negocier l’extension de l’accord sur la station radar de Gabala
qui va expirer en decembre 2012. Aucun accord n’a ete conclu a ce jour.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA, REPUBLICAN PARTY NOT IDENTICAL: VARTAN OSKANIAN

epress.am
04.04.2012

Former foreign minister of Armenia, now Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
member Vartan Oskanian, speaking to reporters today after signing a
statement with other political parties to establish a team to prevent
electoral fraud, urged not to make the Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK) and BHK identical and to view them as alternatives to each other.

“I’m new at BHK, and I can’t provide explanations to last 5 years
of its activity, but the fact is that HHK and BHK are entering the
electoral race with different platforms; they are alternatives to each
other, and in fair elections the people have to make a choice. This is
democracy, to which we have to aspire. Except for one, all previous
elections were held fraudulently and people have become skeptical,”
he said.

Asked then what about the coalition declaration signed by HHK, BHK
and Rule of Law (Orinats Yerkir, or OEK), Oskanian said: “You know,
in all countries coalitions are formed if parties don’t have the
absolute majority. In Armenia, I don’t know, why the coalition was
formed when HHK had the majority.”

ARMENIA, CYPRUS INTERESTED IN FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF BILATERAL RELATIONS

armradio.am
04.04.2012 16:38

President Serzh Sargsyan received the Foreign Minister of Cyprus,
Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis. President Sargsyan emphasized the importance
of regular reciprocal visits for the reinforcement of bilateral ties.

“We view Cyprus as our friendly country and treat its people as
our brothers. This is an approach shaped throughout history, on the
basis of which we continue to deepen our relations today. Armenia is
interested in reinforcing its relations with Cyprus,” the President
said.

The interlocutors noted that the Armenian-Cypriot relations are
rooted on centuries-old friendship between the two peoples, which
have a number of similarities. “This is my first visit to Armenia,
and I’m greatly impressed. Besides the official meetings, I visited
the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims. I was very excited by
everything I saw and heard there. Our peoples have withstood great
tragedies and tests,” Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said, stressing that
everything should be done to reach international recognition of this
crime committed against the Armenian nation.

President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the friendly people and
authorities of Cyprus for the warm attitude towards the local Armenian
community.

The interlocutors attached importance to the cooperation between
Armenia and Cyprus not only on bilateral level, but also within the
framework of international organizations.

DASHNAKTSUTYUN ACCEPTS ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS’ PROPOSAL, WHILE RULING PARTY ABSTAINS

epress.am
04.04.2012

A discussion of representatives of various political parties on
establishing inter-party campaign headquarters is still underway at
the Union of Political Analysts of Armenia.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Supreme Council
representative Armen Rustamyan agreed to sign a document proposed by
the opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress (HAK). Earlier,
HAK representative and candidate in the May 6 parliamentary election
Levon Zurabyan urged the signing of the document directed at RA Police
Chief Vladimir (Vova) Gasparyan, asking he provide the list of citizens
on eligible voters’ lists who are permanently outside the country.

Rustamyan said that they can at least separate these names with
printing them in italics on the lists, if not remove them all
together. Immediately after he uttered these remarks, Rustamyan asked
for a pen and on the spot signed the document proposed by HAK.

Afterwards, Rustamyan and Zurabyan shook hands as a sign of agreement,
reports Aravot.am.

The campaign headquarters idea is incomprehensible for head of
the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) parliamentary faction Galust
Sahakyan.

“It was presented very romantically and tailor-made. Ten days
before, the National Assembly published a similar declaration,
which establishes a similar, appropriate structure, in which not only
parliamentary parties can participate, so that we make the elections
as manageable as possible.

“In my opinion, the parliament’s capabilities are much greater, and
all political forces can participate. The campaign headquarters not
yet built, they’re already signing a document. I will abstain, because
these documents had to be discussed by the [ruling] coalition. This
will be discussed within the scope of the coalition, and then, I
think, a response will be given. But I’m telling you, there’s already
a declaration [on the table] with these same motives and structured
more competently.”

VOLUNTEERS TO GATHER IN ARMENIA AND RESTORE HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

news.am
April 04, 2012 | 03:07

The Land and Culture Organization (LCO) representatives will arrive
in Armenia this summer again to restore Armenian historical monuments,
Asbarez reports.

Over 60 volunteers from Armenia, Canada, UK, France and
Nagorno-Karabakh participated in last summer’s action. One group of
volunteers will go to Yeghvard in the Syunik Region this upcoming
summer and hold archeological excavations in the village outskirts.

The other group will excavate the northern part of Armenia in the
Shirak Region. Volunteers will continue to restore the monastery
Tchitchkhanavank near the city of Spitak.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF CYPRUS PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 4, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister of Cyprus Erato
Kozakou-Marcoullis visited today Tsitsernakaberd – memorial to the
victims of the Armenian Genocide. The Cyprian minister, who is in
Armenian on an official visit, put a wreath at the memorial and
flowers at the eternal fire.

Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis was accompanied by deputy foreign affairs
minister of Armenia Zohrap Mnatsakanyan and director of the Armenian
Genocide Museum-Institute. The latter presented to the guest the
history of one of the greatest crimes against humanity and the symbol
of the monument.

The Cyprian minister left a note in the Commemoration Book of the
museum, saying that the people of Cyprus and she personally share
the tragedy the Armenians have experienced.

The Cyprian minister planted a tree in the Memory Alley and watered
the one planted by the President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias still
in 2009.

The House of Representatives of Cyprus adopted a resolution recognizing
Armenian Genocide in 1982, April 29.