Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Armenia-Iran cooperation will always contribute to strengthening of regional peace – Iranian FM receives Alen Simonyan

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 19:16,

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan, who is in the Islamic Republic of Iran on an official visit, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian on June 16, ARMENPRES was informed from the National Assembly of Armenia.

After the exchange of greetings, the parties spoke about 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which gave a start to the process of development of Armenian-Iranian interstate cooperation, the foundation of which was laid hundreds of years ago. Alen Simonyan noted that the bilateral relations with friendly Iran, built on mutual respect and trust, are of great importance for the Republic of Armenia, as Iran is not only a neighboring country, but also an important, reliable trade partner for us.

The sides also attached importance to the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, agreeing that the intensification of parliamentary contacts in both bilateral and multilateral formats contributes to the strengthening of mutual understanding and trust, the expansion of scope of common positions and the development of cooperation between the countries.

The President of the National Assembly of Armenia noted that Armenia, always taking into account the interests of friendly Iran on various platforms, supported its position as much as possible and expects a respective attitude from Iran, adding that the Armenian-Iranian cooperation has always contributed and will contribute to the strengthening of regional peace and stability.

The sides touched upon the war unleashed by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem against Nagorno Karabakh and the situation created as a result, as well as many unresolved humanitarian issues, in particular, the return of prisoners of war.

“I think that friendly Iran’s impartial approach to pro-Azerbaijani initiatives circulating in the international and regional arenas will make a significant contribution to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Alen Simonyan said.

During the meeting the sides highlighted the importance of the strategic dialogue with Iran and hoped for significant progress of bilateral relations in all directions.

During the discussion, the parties spoke about the investment interests of the Iranian side in the Syunik region of Armenia.

In this regard, the President of the National Assembly of Armenia highlighted the establishment of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kapan, as well as the need to open a Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Tabriz.

The Iranian Foreign Minister expressed confidence that the Armenian-Iranian cooperation has a great potential for development and expansion and is ready to support the development of Armenia-Iran mutually beneficial cooperation for the benefit of our friendly peoples.

Shahumian’s De-Occupation Remains a Priority for Artsakh

Yeghisabet Arthur
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Artsakh’s occupied Shahumyan district


On June 12, 1992—30 years ago—the Azerbaijani armed forces occupied the Shahumian region of the Republic of Artsakh.

“This ancient region of Artsakh, which played an important role in the history of the Armenian statehood and National-Liberation Struggle and was one of the founding pillars of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, was occupied by the enemy that subjected the population to genocidal actions. As a result of the aggression, we suffered significant losses,” Artsakh’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Due to the occupation of the Shahumyan region, most of the population was forced to flee their historical homeland and find refuge abroad.

“The pain of losing one’s homeland has not been healed in the hearts of either the residents of Shahumian, or the Armenians of Artsakh and around the world. We will never accept the loss of the Shahumian region. The issue of de-occupation of Shahumian continues to remain on the foreign policy agenda of the Republic of Artsakh,” said the statement.

“Shahumian was, is and will always remain an integral part of Artsakh,” the Artsakh foreign ministry added.

On the same occasion, the office of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh also issued a statement, warning that Shahumian’s destiny is a harbinger of an Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan.

“Thirty years ago, as a result of repressions, attacks and criminal actions of Azerbaijan, 20,000 residents of the Shahumian region of the Republic of Artsakh were evicted and deported. More than 700 people were killed or disappeared, historical Armenian settlements were devastated and plundered, Armenian spiritual-cultural values of the region were vandalized and destroyed, the report of the Office of the Ombudsman of the Nagorno-Karabakh reads.

“Armenian houses were divided, and the “new owners” of Azerbaijan wrote their names on the gates with oil paint. The church was desecrated and turned into a sheep pen. The cross was broken, the bell was smashed with a rifle shot, and the shards were scattered back and forth,” eyewitnesses say.

The crimes committed against the Shahumians were an act of “punishment” for the exercise of their right to free will and independent and dignified life in their homeland.

The issue of restoring justice and the violated rights of the Shahumians, who were deprived of their homeland along ethnic and religious lines, was not clearly stated on the negotiating agenda and the Azerbaijani authorities were not held accountable for the crimes committed against them. Moreover, this impunity continues to generate new crimes, which we witnessed in April 2016, during the Azerbaijani aggression unleashed against the people of Artsakh in September 2020, and continues to manifest itself after the trilateral ceasefire statement of 9 November.

The international community continues to be reprehensibly indifferent to what is happening, which is not derived from the principle of universal protection of human rights,” the statement reads.

Armenia to host European Days of Archeology for the first time

Yeghisabet Arthur
ARMINFO

Armenia – June 8 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.This year, for the first time, Armenia joined the European Days of Archeology event, which will be held on June 17-19 at all archaeological sites across  the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Education and  Science of the Republic of Armenia, the European Days of Archeology  have been held since 2010 and are coordinated by the French National  Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP, National  Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research).

During the three-day event, the public is given the opportunity to  learn all the intricacies of archeology:  visits will be organized to  excavation sites, archaeological research centers that are usually  closed to the public, meetings with archaeologists will present the  details of their profession, as well as a number of entertainment and  educational activities (excavations, organization of exhibitions,  courses, participation in the restoration of finds).

The event “European Days of Archeology”, which will be held in  Armenia on June 17-19, was joined by:  Institute of Archeology and  Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of  Armenia, the Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage,  the Historical-Cultural Reserve-Museum, the Historical Environment  Protection Service SNCOs and the Erebuni Historical-Archaelogical  Museum- Reserve.  The event is intended for all age groups who are  interested in archeology.

Regime to be installed will be based absolutely on sovereignty of Armenia’s territory – Lavrov on regional unblocking

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 13:20, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the regime to be introduced in the framework of unblocking of economic and transportation communications in South Caucasus will be based absolutely on the sovereignty of the territory of Armenia.

“As you know, the railway route has been agreed upon, now the agreement on the automobile route is being completed, as well as the agreement over the regime that will be installed is being completed. It will be based absolutely on the sovereignty of the territory of Armenia. There couldn’t be any ambiguity here”, the Russian FM said at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan on June 9.

Armenian national football team departs for Scotland

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 16:47, 6 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenian national football team left for Glasgow on June 6, the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) said.

UEFA Nations League match between Scotland and Armenia will take place at Hampden Park, Glasgow on June 8.

29 players left for Scotland. 

Goalkeepers

David Yurchenko-FC Pyunik

Arsen Beglaryan-FC Urartu

Stanislav Buchnev-FC Pyunik

Henri Avagyan-SC Noravank 

Defenders

Varazdat Haroyan-Cádiz CF (Spain)

Hovhannes Hambardzumyan-FC Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyprus)

Kamo Hovhannisyan-FC Astana (Kazakhstan)

Hayk Ishkhanyan-BKMA Yerevan

Arman Hovhannisyan-FC Pyunik

Taron Voskanyan-FC Alashkert

Hrayr Mkoyan-FC Ararat

Styopa Mkrtchyan-BKMA Yerevan

Monroy Ararat-FC Noah

Zhirayr Margaryan-FC Urartu 

Midfielders/Forwards

Solomon Udo-FC Ararat-Armenia

Wbeymar Angulo-FC Ararat-Armenia

Wbeymar Angulo-FC Ararat-Armenia

Artak Grigoryan-FC Alashkert

Eduard Spertsyan- FC Krasnodar (Russia)

Hovhannes Harutyunyan-FC Pyunik

Rudik Mkrtchyan-FC Ararat

Artak Dashyan-FC Pyunik

Khoren Bayramyan-FC Rostov (Russia)

Edgar Malakyan-FC Ararat

Edgar Babayan-Vejle FC (Denmark)

Tigran Barseghyan-ŠK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)

Artur Serobyan-BKMA Yerevan

Vahan Bichakhchyan-MSK Pogoń Szczecin (Poland)

Sargis Adamyan-Club Brugge KV (Belgium)

UNICEF: Adolescents and teachers at the center of climate action

Yeghisabet Arthur
May 5 2022
By Ani Grigoryan
05 May 2022

Climate change has long been one of the great challenges facing humanity. While the negative effects and risks associated with climate change threaten everyone, how much does the public at large actually know about it or understand the extent of its impact on livelihoods? We talked to UNICEF’s Climate Change Officer Vigen Shirvanyan on this and other issues and how UNICEF works to improve climate education in Armenia.

UNICEF Armenia/20212/Ghazaryan

“Climate change is a global crisis and, children and adolescents suffer the most. In this regard, children and adolescents living in poverty are more susceptible and vulnerable to it. We also know that at the global level, the future of over one billion children is at risk due to climate change. So there is a pressing need to act, but on the other hand people are overburdened with other daily issues, as a result of which climate change tends to be considered as a distant problem. At the same time, it is an increasingly problematic phenomenon affecting people’s daily lives. There are many risks associated with climate change and human intervention, such as land degradation and drought, deforestation, access to clean water, to name a few. These issues need to be addressed appropriately by all segments of the society,”

says Shirvanyan.

In April, with the support of the Austrian Development Agency and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, UNICEF published a study on adolescent participation, knowledge, attitudes, experiences, and behaviors regarding climate change. A first of its kind, the study was conducted across Armenia’s 52 consolidated communities, including among 1,517 school students in 6-12th grades at 483 schools.

“We wanted to understand the basic knowledge adolescents and adults have about environmental issues and examine their actions regarding the environment. We needed to find out what people think about climate change and environmental issues, whether they know what climate change is, how it affects their lives, their community, their actions, and whether they are taking or are willing to take action to mitigate and resist those changes,”

Shirvanyan explains.

The study showed that while more adolescents (96.2%) had heard about climate change and changing weather conditions, compared to adults (79.8%), they did not fully understand what causes those changes. Although most of the respondents are aware of the existence of climate change, they stated that they have lack of knowledge around the solutions and what they can do to mitigate it and protect themselves from its effects.

Adolescents also mentioned that teachers have addressed the causes and possible consequences of climate change at school, but only half of the respondents had heard from teachers what could be done to mitigate the effects of climate change, how they could protect their families from those changes, and so forth.

It is significant that 90% of adolescents are ready to learn more about climate change and that they prefer to learn about it from their teachers and school administrators. Moreover, almost 76% of adolescents are willing to take action to prevent or mitigate the effects of climate change in their communities, including by giving up or changing some of their habits.

“It’s clear that adolescents want to know and do more on climate change. It is our role as adults to support them in doing so. This study also shows the need and the opportunity to improve climate education at school to equip young people with more knowledge on what to do about it. UNICEF is hence working with the Ministry of Education to design a number of materials that can be used in schools for these purposes, as well as working to integrate this into the national action plan on education,”

said Shirvanyan.

UNICEF Armenia/2021/Margaryan

“We have already proposed that the term ‘climate change’ as a global challenge is included in the state education strategy to be featured along other key challenges. We are working with partners to support the Ministry in the development of the action plan to support the education strategy that will consolidate steps to continuously improve climate education. A number of state agencies and stakeholders understand the importance of this issue and support this process,” Shirvanyan says.

Additionally, with the support of the Austrian Development Agency, UNICEF developed two handbooks for project-based learning on climate change that can be used in both formal and non-formal academic setting. “The first handbook explains the aspects of project-based learning and compiles a number of references for an in-depth look into it. The second handbook features 10 model lessons on how, for example, a math teacher can integrate climate change into learning activities or how a biology teacher can work with a math teacher to jointly implement interdisciplinary projects with students.”

After the adoption of the new standards of education in 2021, each 7-12th grader in Armenia is required to implement one project during the year, on the subject of their choice. So these handbooks come at the right time to support teachers and students to tackle climate change using project-based learning in the new academic year.

This summer, UNICEF plans to train teacher-trainers in 400 target communities together with the National Center for Educational Development and Innovation Foundation and other partner organizations on the use of these manuals and project-based learning on climate change at school. “When the new academic year starts, they will then work with other teachers and students to initiate and carry out projects, using the examples from the handbooks, while UNICEF will be closely following to offer guidance, as well as select projects that can be scaled up with seed funding,” noted Shirvanyan.

“All of this, as well as our work on disaster risk management in communities, stems from the key values of UNICEF: care for the nature around us, for the country, for each other; respect for each other, and valuing what you have and how you share the same worries and risks with each other; that you are not indifferent; and accountability—how accountable we are to our country, planet, environment, nature, as we pass them on to the next generation, who will be accountable for carrying on the responsibility to preserve it,”

concludes Shirvanyan.https://www.unicef.org/armenia/en/stories/adolescents-and-teachers-center-climate-action 

Armenian Vice Speaker of Parliament, Italian Ambassador highlight friendly warm relations between two nations

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 14:26, 4 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan was hosted on June 2 at the Embassy of Italy in Armenia on the occasion of the national day of that country.

“With Ambassador Alfonso Di Riso we mutually highlighted the friendly warm relations between the Armenian and Italian nations over the history of millennia, talked about the rich cultural and spiritual traditions”, the Vice Speaker said. “The San Lazzaro island in Venice is one of the most important centers of the Armenian cultural revival, where one of the key centers of Armenian studies – the Mekhitarist Congregation is operating for around three decades. It had an invaluable contribution to the enrichment of not only the Armenian but also the global scientific-cultural heritage. It’s worth noting that Italy hosts most of the centers of Armenian studies”, he added.

He expressed confidence that the Armenian-Italian warm relations will continue strengthening and developing with joint efforts.

Yerevan Municipality lost in court to businessman Samvel Aleksanyan

Yeghisabet Arthur
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 3 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.Yerevan Municipality lost in court to Armenian businessman Samvel Aleksanyan regarding the construction of his building on the municipal territory, Mayor  Hrachya Sargsyan told reporters on June 3.

“The court ordered the Yerevan Municipality to legalize the  construction,” he said.

As Sargsyan explained, the city administration lost the case in all  court instances and was forced to legalize the building.

It should be recalled that in September 2020, former MP, businessman  Samvel Aleksanyan filed a lawsuit against the Yerevan Municipality  because of the decision taken by Mayor Hayk Marutyan. The businessman  applied to the Administrative Court with a demand to invalidate the  decision No. 2898-A adopted on September 16, 2020 by the Mayor of  Yerevan.

According to this decision, Samvel Aleksanyan carried out the  construction (in 2015) of illegal buildings- constructions on a land  plot owned by the state, at the address of Shrjanain St 102/4,  Malatia-Sebastia administrative district, in connection with which  administrative proceedings were initiated at the mayor’s office.  Thus, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan decided not to legalize the  unauthorized buildings and structures at the specified address. In  addition, he instructed the head of the Malatia-Sebastia  administrative region, with the support of the Department of Urban  Planning and Land Control and the public order service, to dismantle  these unauthorized buildings and free the state-owned land from  illegal possession. 

Sports: ‘Trips to this part of the world have been enjoyable’ – Irish football fans face lengthy journey to Armenia

Yeghisabet Arthur
  
June 1 2022
by Tom Byrne

The Republic of Ireland are gearing up to play their UEFA Nations League opener against Armenia on Saturday. The Boys in Green face four Nations League fixtures in the space of 10 days, which includes two away trips – Yerevan in Armenia and Lodz in Poland to play Ukraine.

Stephen Kenny’s side, along with the most dedicated of Irish supporters, will travel over 4,000 kilometres to the Armenian capital to support their country this weekend. The Irish fans are regarded as some of the most passionate international football supporters worldwide and this Saturday will be no different when they descend on a scorching Armenia – with temperatures potentially hitting as high as 34°C.

There have been protests in Yerevan in recent weeks due to their government’s approach to their relationship with Azerbaijan, which appears unresolved since the six-week war in 2020. The Armenian police clashed with protesters in the city on Monday which prompted the FAI to send a security delegation to Armenia ahead of the Irish team travelling east on Wednesday.

The recent protests have caught the attention of Irish supporters travelling to the game but it won’t put a stop to those who booked the lengthy trip.

The Hegarty family, who are part of the Wexford Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporters Club, are looking forward to the journey across Europe albeit having a bit of bother rebooking and rescheduling cancelled flights.

Irish fan Robbie Hegarty, who lives in Enniscorthy, explained that he had to rebook different flights a few times due to complications and cancelled flights with airline Wizz Air.

Now sorted, the Hegarty family will fly from Dublin to Poznan, Poland on Wednesday and spend a night in the Polish city. They will then travel to the Polish capital Warsaw on Thursday before they fly to Yerevan that night. After a three and half hour journey, they will arrive in Yerevan in the early hours of Friday morning.

“I am going for a 2-0 win for the Boys in Green on Saturday!” Robbie said ahead of his flight to Poznan.

Another Irish supporter, Ronan Coleman from Galway city, said: “I am travelling to Yerevan via Warsaw with four other supporters from Galway, Donegal and Limerick.

“At the moment, the leg of the journey I am most worried about is getting through security at Dublin Airport!

“This will be my fifth Ireland away match in the Caucasus region, previously I have visited Georgia three times and also Azerbaijan in October 2021.

“My trips to this part of the world have been enjoyable, and the people were very friendly to us. Armenia and Azerbaijan have effectively been at war for over thirty years. Anyone with an Azeri stamp on their passports, as many of us have, will expect an interrogation at Yerevan airport.”

He added: “High temperatures are anticipated, and the media tell us there are anti-government demonstrations in Yerevan. The priority will be to get in and out safely, hopefully with three points. I expect a small travelling support, maybe 200-300.

“Onwards and upwards to Lodz then!”

https://www.carlowlive.ie/news/local-news/825392/trips-to-this-part-of-the-world-have-been-enjoyable-irish-football-fans-face-lengthy-journey-to-armenia.html

Also at https://www.waterfordlive.ie/news/soccer/825922/there-are-crazy-stories-out-there-irish-fan-set-for-magic-trip-to-armenia-after-flight-snag.html