Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Chess: Tradewise Chess Festival: Aronian gains third win

Torgomian Varazdat
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 29 2018

Armenian GM Levon Aronian has claimed his third victory at Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 2018 (10 rounds, Swiss system) taking place from 23 January to 1 February.

Armenian chess star defeated Shardul Gagare of India with black pieces at Round 6 of the chess tournament, National Olympic Committee reported.

Another Armenian representative Lilit Mkrtchian drew with India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa with white pieces.

After six rounds, Aronian comes 18th with 4.5 points. Lilit Mkrtchian lags behind in the 86th spot with 3.5 points.  

President Sargsyan’s speech at PACE received positively by European MPs

Torgomian Varazdat 
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Thursday
President Sargsyan's speech at PACE received positively by European MPs
YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Arpine Hovhannisyan, head of the
Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) says that President Sargsyan’s speech in the assembly
has received positive responses among European lawmakers.
“Today, already reflecting on the President’s speech at PACE, I can
say for the record that the speech, the signals in the speech, signals
addressed to the international community, his ideas on democratization
of Armenia and realization of reforms in the country and the
presentation of historic realities about the Nagorno Karabakh war by
he Armenian leader received a positive response among European
colleagues”, Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS.
She mentioned that there are several important emphases in the
president’s speech and the subsequent answers during the Q&A.
“Naturally, first I would like to point out the fact that the
president voiced from that platform that Armenia was able to succeed
in various integration processes and the agreement with the EU signed
on November 24 and the decision to join the EEU, essentially, are
combined realities. This is also very important from the point of view
that 5 years ago, when the President was again in PACE, and Armenia
had decided to join the Customs Union one month earlier, from this
very floor various discussions were held whether or not Armenia has
changed its priorities and substituted the European path with another
one. Both yesterday and on November 24 Armenia showed with the signed
agreement with the EU that it has succeeded as an honest partner and
was able to combine both”, she said.
She also highlighted the president’s remarks about the NK conflict in
terms of his personal contribution in the self defense and survival
struggle of the people of Artsakh.
“From this perspective I attach importance to the worthy response to
the Azerbaijani delegate”, she said.
Hovhannisyan also pointed out the part of the president’s speech about
the fight against corruption, reforms in the judicial sector, the
necessity of having an independent judicial system and Armenia’s
actions for it.

According to the human freedom index, Armenia ranks 54th

Torgomian Varazdat
  • 25.01.2018

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  • Armenia:

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The US Cato Research Institute published the third annual report on the human freedom index in the world, in which Armenia ranked 54th out of 159 countries. Last year, Armenia was ranked 55th. We learn about it from the organization’s official website.


On a scale of 0-10, personal freedom in Armenia was rated 7.11 points, economic freedom – 7.60 points (human freedom – 7.36 points). 


As for the regional countries, Georgia is on the 40th place, improving its position by 2 positions compared to the previous year, and Azerbaijan is on the 128th position, improving its position by three positions compared to the previous year. Turkey took the 84th position, compared to the previous year, Turkey’s situation has worsened by 16 positions. Iran is ranked 154th. 


Russia ranked 126th, dropping 14 places compared to last year’s report.


The leaders of countries with the highest index of human freedom are Switzerland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Finland, Norway, Denmark. The 9th position is shared by the Netherlands and Great Britain.

Minister of energy infrastructures and natural resources submits application for resignation

Torgomian Varazdat
| 16:32 | January 18 2018
Category
Politics

Armenia’s minister of energy infrastructures and natural resources Ashot Manukyan has submitted an application for resignation, the minister’s spokesperson Vasak Tarposhyan told Armenpress.

“Yes, the minister submitted an application for resignation. He continues working, and today also he had a meeting”, the spokesperson said.

Music: Saved by a Violin

Torgomian Varazdat
China Daily
Saturday
 
 
Saved by a Violin
 
by Chen Nan
 
 
 Ara Malikian plays the violin around the globe, and will make his debut in China with a recital in Beijing on Jan 21. Photos provided to China Daily
Between 1915 and 1918, many Christian Armenians were killed but one young man survived thanks to a violin. He didn’t know how to use it, but thanks to that instrument, which was given by a friend, he could pretend to be part of an ensemble that was going on tour and therefore he escaped to Lebanon.
 
Ara Malikian, a musician of Armenian descent, reveals how the instrument has played a key role in his family’s history over the generations
 
Between 1915 and 1918, many Christian Armenians were killed but one young man survived thanks to a violin. He didn’t know how to use it, but thanks to that instrument, which was given by a friend, he could pretend to be part of an ensemble that was going on tour and therefore he escaped to Lebanon.
 
More than a century later, the young man’s grandson, Ara Malikian, plays the violin around the globe and will make his debut in China with a recital in Beijing on Jan 21.
 
“Music and the violin mean a lot to our family. Music was our way of surviving. I discovered the story of violin only 10 years ago. My father told me the story and my dream was to pay a tribute to this violin to music and to my family,” says the violinist, Malikian, 49, ahead of his trip.
 
Besides the capital, the violinist will perform in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, Shanghai and Chengdu, Sichuan province.
 
The tour in China is a part of Malikian’s tour, The Incredible Tour of Violin, which he began a year ago.
 
He says that the audiences can expect the show to be a musical journey “from Bach, Mozart and Paganini to Jimmy Hendrix, Radiohead and David Bowie” as well as many his compositions.
 
“I have always been interested in trying out music of different styles and different cultures, and trying to adapt them for violin with my own way and personality,” says Malikian.
 
Malikian, who was born in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, started playing the violin at 5 under the guidance of his violinist father.
 
His talent was quickly recognized as he first performed publicly at 12. At 14, with the help of German orchestra director Hans Herbert-Joris, Malikian was offered a scholarship by German government to study at Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, making him the youngest student at the prestigious school. Later, he continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London.
 
Malikian, along with his family, was forced to leave Lebanon in the 1970s for Europe because of the Lebanese civil war.
 
The violinist, who now lives in Madrid, attributes his original and innovative sound to his two sisters, who both loved rock music and inspired him to try out new music styles from a young age. His sisters played piano from childhood but had to give up due to the war.
 
In 2015, he released his last album, 15, a concert recorded at the Royal Theater of Madrid to celebrate his 15 years living in Spain.
 
“Spain inspired me a lot, both personally and professionally. In Spain, I discovered flamenco music and met many great Latin American musicians. I also had the chance to experience in Spain a wide range of music – from classical symphonic orchestral music up to jazz rock and world music,” he says.
 
Now, with more than 20 albums released, Malikian performs more than 450 concerts in 40 countries around the world every year.
 
In September 2015, he performed with the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, under the baton of maestro Sergey Smbatyan in Madrid.
 
Speaking about Malikian, Smbatyan says: “We are always looking for Armenians in other nations but we forget that we have real Armenian heroes that affect the formation of the image of Armenia abroad.”
 
Besides his music, Malikian participates in projects, which aim to improve the life of the most disadvantaged people, especially when it comes to kids.
 
In 2016, Malikian toured refugee camps and played for Syrian children.
 
With many of the children hearing the violin for the first time, Malikian shares with the children how the violin helped him when he was a refugee like them.
 

If you go

Ara Malikian

7:30 pm, Jan 21. Theater of Beijing Exhibition Hall, 135 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng district, Beijing. 400-610-3721

 

Turkish press: Iconic Istanbul church reopens after 7 years of restoration

Torgomian Varazdat
DAILY SABAH
ISTANBUL
Published12 hours ago

AA File Photo

A 19th-century church built by the Bulgarian community in Istanbul was reopened after restoration Sunday in a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

President Erdoğan, speaking at the opening ceremony, said the state was responsible for ensuring that everyone, no matter their beliefs, has the right to practice their religion freely. “Certain bitter memories in history should not be allowed to taint the long history of living side by side,” he said, adding that the government has been working since the beginning to restore the houses of worship of all citizens.

Sveti Stefan, also known as the “Iron Church,” is known as the only church mainly made of iron in the world, and restoration started seven years ago in a project co-funded by Turkey and Bulgaria. The church is located in Balat, a historic neighborhood on the shore of Istanbul’s Golden Horn. Speaking to İhlas News Agency, Vasil Liaze, head of a foundation overseeing the church, said the restoration cost TL 16 million ($4.3 million) and the Turkish state covered TL 15 million of the budget.

The president noted that Turkey had supported the restoration of more than 5,000 historical artifacts in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the Balkans in the past 15 years. “We do not separate freedom of worship in the Iron Church from the freedom of worship in the the Muradiye Mosque in Filibe [Plovdiv]. That is why my friend Boyko bringing Bulgaria’s Chief Mufti Mustafa Aliş to this ceremony is important.”

Prime Minister Yıldırım, also speaking at the ceremony, said there were unfortunate developments all around Turkey, especially in Europe, where religious tolerance was retreating in the face of narrow-mindedness. “The risk of polarization is increasing. People of different religions who lived in peace side by side for centuries in the Middle East are now becoming targets because of their beliefs. At the same time, racism and Islamophobia, fed by historical prejudice, are gradually increasing in the West.”Since the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in 2002, Turkey has sought to restore the rights of religious minorities as well as the worship houses of minorities, ranging from Assyrians to Jews and Greeks. Many properties have been returned to these minorities – decades after they were forcefully confiscated by the Turkish state – while the government continues to pursue a policy of restoring abandoned historical buildings. In 2013, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was returned a 59,000 square meter piece land in central Istanbul that once belonged to the foundation running the church.

In early November, Aya Yorgi, another historic church in the city’s Edirnekapı district, was reopened after restoration work by the state, in a ceremony attended by Turkish and Greek Orthodox dignitaries. Erdoğan cited the restoration of the Great Sinagogue of Edirne, the Aya Nikola Church in Gökçeada, the Syriac Catholic church of İskenderun, Diyarbakır’s Sur Armenian Protestant Church, the Nizip Fevkani Church in Gaziantep and the Taksiyarjis Church in Cunda Island as a few of the examples of state-sponsored restoration in recent years.

An outstanding symbol of Bulgarian Orthodox faith, the church was built in 1898 on the site of a wooden church destroyed in a fire. An Austrian contractor was hired for the construction and 500 tons of iron components were brought from Austria to Istanbul for the construction.

The components were pieced together in Istanbul before it was opened on Sept. 8, 1898. With its three domes and rich exterior decoration, the church stands out among many other Orthodox churches in Istanbul. Six bells in church’s bell tower were brought from Russia’s Yaroslavl, but only two have survived to the present day. The cross-shaped basilica has a ground floor, a basement floor, a gallery and a spire.

In 2016, Bulgarian Metochion, a renovated addition of the church, was reopened and hosted an exhibition of the history of the Bulgarian community in Turkey. The Metochion, a three-story stone building, was built as an addition, but in time, it turned into a community and culture center for the Bulgarian community in Istanbul. It was abandoned for years after it was converted into a school, printing house and then a nursing home throughout its history.

Turkey’s Bulgarian community in Istanbul traces its history to the 18th century. Although Bulgarians were always present in the then-Ottoman Empire’s capital, their number and settlement flourished in that century. It was Prince Stefan Bogoridi, an Ottoman statesman of Bulgarian origin, who spearheaded the efforts for construction of a Bulgarian church on the site of Sveti Stefan, on land he owned and donated to the church. Like other minorities, the number of Bulgarian community members dwindled in time, with many returning to Bulgaria or migrating to the U.S. and Europe.

https://www.dailysabah.com/istanbul/2018/01/07/iconic-istanbul-church-reopens-after-7-years-of-restoration

American Armenian float takes home Judges Award at Rose Parade

Torgomian Varazdat
Los Angeles Times, CA
Jan 1 2017
American Armenian float takes home Judges Award at Rose Parade

Raul Roa /
The American Armenian Rose Float Assn. participated in the 129th annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Rose Parade and won the Judges Award with its entry titled Armenian Roots in Pasadena on Monday.
Anthony Clark Carpio Contact Reporter

Three local entrants in the 2018 Rose Parade walked away with awards for their floats during the chilly annual New Year’s Day parade.

The Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn., the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. and the American Armenian Rose Float Assn. received awards for their impressive floats, which impressed the thousands of parade-goers on Monday.

The American Armenian Rose Float Assn.’s entry, titled “Armenia Roots,” received the Judges Award.

The entry is a tribute to Armenian women, whether they be a mother, daughter, grandmother or aunt, who work tirelessly to be the foundation of their family, said Noubar Derbedrosian, a board member of the association.

“There is no one like the women in our lives — our moms, our sisters, our wives — that will give of themselves without ask for anything in return,” he said.

Derbedrosian added that this is the third award the association has received out of the four float entries the organization has submitted. Last year, the group was given the Past President Award for its float titled “Field of Dreams!” in which the entry represented the American-Armenia experience in literature, music and science.

“This is an honor for us,” he said. “We’re a small group of people that do this, and we’re trying to represent all of the Armenian people, not just in Glendale, Pasadena or the L.A. area.”

After not receiving an award for its float “Home Tweet Home” last year, the Burbank association bounced back and was given the Founder Award for its nautical-themed float “Sand-Sational Helpers,” in which sea animals team up to clean a beach, coinciding with this year’s Rose Parade theme, “Making a Difference.”

Steve Edward, the Burbank association’s vice president, said that most of the pieces fell in the right place this year. The jump start on construction and decoration week going off without a hitch, he said, resulted in a solid float this year.

“Everyone pulled together and got this thing finished,” Edward said before the start of the parade. “We got it decorated very well, and it looks great. And it’s always a big break to have [an award] banner in front of our float.”

Though the float came together smoothly, there were some mechanical issues with its animation components.

Jon Reeves, a longtime volunteer with the Burbank association and former construction chair, said the wave mechanism that was created on the side of the float ended up not functioning the way it was designed.

Additionally, an arm of the octopus that was supposed to move up and down stopped working during the judging period over the weekend and was not functional for the parade.

“It’s unfortunate that our two big camera-side animations are not working, but the float turned out great and looks fantastic,” Reeves said.

Edward added that he is particularly proud of 14-year-old Catherine Glandon, the eight-year volunteer whose design was chosen to be this year’s float.

“Now we have to add a new title to her name — she’s now an award-winning float designer,” Edward said.

The La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn.’s float, titled “Panda-Monium,”was given the Bob Hope Humor Award.

It is the second year in a row the association has received that particular award, which is no surprise to longtime volunteer Dwight Crumb, who said that the group’s bylaws state that the float must be humorous.

Crumb added that Monday’s award marks the 30th time out of 40 entries that the association has been recognized by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn.

“So we have a 75% [award] banner record,” he said. “I think that’s a darn-good record.”

Of the six self-built floats in the Rose Parade, five of them, which includes Burbank and La Cañada, walked away with an award this year.

Crumb said seeing the self-built floats being recognized each year is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the thousands of volunteers put into their floats.

“Self-built [floats] are the heart of the parade,” he said.

Government discusses issues related to implementation of new Armenia-EU agreement

Torgomian Varazdat
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 22 2017

Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Friday chaired a working consultation to discuss the main directions of EU-Armenia cooperation. In particular, the meeting focused on a number of issues related to the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Armenia and the European Union, the government’s press office reported.

“An inter-agency commission is being set up, headed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms Vache Gabrielyan. We have to make a specific decision as to how we will move forward and, in this regard, we need to clearly identify the task of each of us,” Prime Minister Karapetyan said.

Deputy Prime Minister Vache Gabrielyan presented an overview of planned per-sector activities. Deputy Foreign Minister Karen Nazaryan reported on the upcoming work and those programs to be implemented as part of the EU-Armenia cooperation agenda, which stem from the logic of a number of fundamental documents concerning bilateral partnership.

The premier instructed the heads of the agencies concerned to analyze the activities envisaged by the agreement falling under their jurisdiction in order to develop an action plan and a roadmap for their implementation.  

Bekchyan: 11 priests were invited to participate in elections of Patriarch of Constantinople

Torgomian Varazdat
News.am, Armenia
Dec 24 2017
Bekchyan: 11 priests were invited to participate in elections of Patriarch of Constantinople Bekchyan: 11 priests were invited to participate in elections of Patriarch of Constantinople

13:01, 24.12.2017
                  

Eleven priests were sent proposals regarding the participation in the election of the Patriarch of Constantinople, but not all responded, Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan, the patriarchal locum tenens of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, Bishop Sahak Mashalyan, the Primate of the Gagark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Sepuh Chuljyan, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan and several others have already responded that they are going to participate in the elections. There are still no response from the rest,” Bekchyan said.

The elections were first set for December 13, but they did not take place, since there is no written permission from the Turkish authorities.

Asked how Bechchyan himself assesses his capabilities, the locum tenens replied: “You should ask people what they think about me”.

Sports: Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been named in Red Devils’ Premier League squad for the first time since November 25

Torgomian Varazdat
The Sun. UK
Dec 23 2017
Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been named in Red Devils’ Premier League squad for the first time since November 25
The Armenia international has fallen out of favour under the Portuguese, having struggled to apply his game under the manager’s approach
 
 By Beya Kabelu
 
 
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN has been in Manchester United’s Premier League matchday squad for the first time since November 25.
 
Mkhitaryan has an uneasy relationship with boss Jose Mourinho – with SunSport telling you the details of their bust-up.
 
#MUFC’s starting XI to face Leicester City tonight… pic.twitter.com/b9erGBd5pW- Manchester United (@ManUtd)
 
The Armenian has not started a league match for Manchester United since the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on November 5 and has only featured from the bench once since –  against Brighton on November 25.
 
The former Borussia Dortmund star enjoyed a strong start to the season but the Portuguese has lost interest in the midfielder and he has not made the bench for the last six United games.
 
Mkhitaryan’s United career has been hit and miss since his £30million move from Dortmund in the summer of last year.
 
The United boss has publicly criticised Mkhitaryan’s performances this season and revealed that he has fallen down the pecking order.
 
He said: “I was not happy with his last performances.  I’m not speaking one or two, I’m speaking three, four or five. He started the season very well and after that step by step he was disappearing.
 
“His performance levels in terms of goal scoring, assists, high pressing, recovering the ball high up the pitch, bringing the team with him as a No?10, were decreasing step by step.
 
“That was enough because the others worked to have a chance.
 
“Everybody works to have a chance. It’s as simple as that. So last couple of matches Mkhitaryan was out and other players had the opportunity.”