Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

The Armenian Studies program, Fresno State, held the second in a series of lectures on Wednesday that focused on works of art by Western Armenians up until the early 20th century, reports.

Dr. Ronald Marchese, a Fresno State alumnus and professor emeritus of ancient history and archeology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, was the guest speaker.

The lecture explored different works of art created by Armenians, particularly religious artifacts in the form of metal work.

The relics shown displayed biblical stories that were very detailed in their artistry. Some details were even as tiny as a fingernail, Marchese said.

Marchese also said that this artwork was made during a time that people were illiterate or semi-illiterate.

“How did you tell the stories that created the foundation of the faithful?” Marchese asked. “Through imagery.”

Marchese said the religious art and objects illustrate deep attachment to Armenian Christian values and culture as well as adherence to Christian beliefs in a time and place otherwise dominated by Muslim culture.

Marchese noted a relationship between the Armenian art and life for the Armenians during that time in the city formerly known as Constantinople. It’s now known as Istanbul, the capital of Turkey.

“This is obviously the tragedy of one specific group, but this is also a celebration of culture and achievement,” Marchese said.

Marchese also talked about his recently published and co-authored book titled, “Treasures of Faith: Sacred relics and Artifacts from the Armenian Orthodox Churches of Istanbul.”

Dr. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Armenian studies coordinator, said that the book was well-illustrated and meticulously researched.

“It’s a really landmark book in the field of studying Armenian art in Constantinople,” Mugrdechian said. “The significance of the Armenians in Constantinople is very important.”

“We’re looking at the material here as artifacts as if it’s an archeological excavation,” Marchese said. “Except you’re excavating a depot that every church had of the donations made by people from the congregation.”

Hungary’s army has begun exercises to prepare for a possible future role in guarding the southern border to try to stem the influx of migrants, the BBC reports.

Budapest plans to send soldiers to help police at the border where thousands of migrants arrive from Serbia every day.

A new razor-wire barrier is already being built along the frontier. MPs are expected to vote on stricter border controls later this month.

Authorities have been told to expect 40,000 more migrants by next week.

Many of them are fleeing conflicts in countries like Syria and Libya and are trying to travel through Hungary to Germany, Austria and Sweden – wealthier EU nations with more liberal asylum laws.

The midfielder says BVB’s new coach convinced him to stay at Signal Iduna Park this summer

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed that he opted to stay at Borussia Dortmund so that he could learn fromThomas Tuchel, insisting the coach has “great potential,” Goal.com reports.

The 26-year-old insists he is staying put this summer and is looking forward to working with the new boss.

“I don’t want to talk about all these rumours,” he told Bild. “I just want to look forward. I like being here and that is what counts.

“It is true that Tuchel has influenced me positively. But in the end it was my decision to stay at Dortmund. I have many goals and I want to give everything to prove to everyone that I am a good player. I want to make the BVB fans and myself happy.

“It was important that Tuchel and I had an intense talk. I immediately felt that he has great potential as a coach. He understands and lives football.

“He knows how to build up a game and how to defend. Afterwards I thought to myself: ‘Maybe it is the best to stay and learn from him.’”

The Armenia international is hopeful of improving on last season’s seventh-placed finish because the club have not lost too many players.

“Tuchel was not the only reason for me to stay. It was important to me that other players decided to stay. The team did not break apart despite difficult season.

“I never felt that it was a mistake to come here. This is a great club with a team in harmony. But of course there were difficult times. I tried everything to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.”

The  Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Syria will start talks on a common free trade regime after the end of the country’s civil war and internal violence, a representative of the union’s regulatory body said Tuesday, Sputnik reports.

Syria’s Prime Minister Wael Nader Halqi told Sputnik earlier in the day his country was considering membership in the EEU with its free customs zone. Syria has been torn apart by a civil war since Arab Spring uprisings ripped through the region in 2011. According to the UN, the humanitarian crisis is currently the world’s most severe, with over 220,000 people killed and over 11 million displaced.

The representative from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) told RIA Novosti that Syria had already finalized consultations with the four EEU member states.

“Consultations have been concluded. All EEU countries were very positive about the proposal [to create an EEU-Syria free trade zone]. We are anxious to have the political situation in Syria stabilized to go ahead with negotiations.”

The Eurasian Economic Union is aimed at streamlining the movement of goods, services, capital and labor between Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The government of Kyrgyzstan has recently signed an accession treaty but the motion has yet to be ratified by all member states.

Syrian Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Humam Jazaeri spoke about his country’s readiness to join the EEU in early 2015.

A German court has convicted a 94-year-old former guard at the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz of being an accessory to the murder of at least 300,000 Jews, the BBC reports.

Oskar Groening, known as the “bookkeeper of Auschwitz”, was sentenced to four years in prison.

He was responsible for counting the belongings confiscated from prisoners and had admitted “moral guilt.”

His lawyers said he did not facilitate genocide, but prosecutors argued that he had helped the camp run smoothly.

Many observers have questioned whether Mr Groening will ultimately be sent to jail, given his advanced age. He is expected to be one of the last Nazis to face a courtroom.

The trial was held in the northern German city of Lueneburg, hearing testimony from several people who had survived the death camp.

The case revolved around the question of whether people who had played a minor role in the Nazi-ordered genocide but had not actively killed any Jews could still be guilty of a crime.

Mr Groening had publicly discussed his role at Auschwitz, making him unusual among former Nazis brought to trial. He said he was speaking out in order to silence those who deny the Holocaust took place.

Inter RAO UES does not confirm the reports on the intention to sell the Electric Networks of Armenia, official representative of the Russian energy holding told TASS.

“We do not confirm the information on the sale of the company,” he said.

Russian Kommersant daily that the ongoing protests in Armenia against the planned electricity price hike and the promise of the authorities to nationalize the Electric Networks of Armenia could make the Inter RAO UES to sell the Company.

Dancing to Pitbull’s “Fireball,” 96-year-old Tao Porchon-Lynch and ballroom dance teacher Vard Margaryan wowed the “America’s Got Talent” judges and audience on Tuesday, June 9, 2015, according to the Huffington Post.

As a former actress under contract with MGM and top couture model, Tao knows how to don a dress and command a stage.

Tao started practicing yoga in 1926 at age 8. In 2012, she was named Oldest Yoga Teacher by Guinness World Records.

She has taught yoga at the Pentagon and spoken on peace panels with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

A lifelong activist, Tao is likely the only person still on the planet who marched with both Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During World War II, she performed nightly during the Nazi bombing Blitz of London and helped Jews escape the Germans as a French Resistance fighter. Close friend Marlene Dietrich helped her couture modeling career in Paris and Marilyn Monroe advised her about Hollywood. Later, Tao became a filmmaker and then an entrepreneur publishing the wine newspaper, Beverage Communicator, for over 30 years. She is a co-founder of the American Wine Society and still serves as Vice President of Southern New York.

Vard has his own impressive dance pedigree. Born in Armenia, he began dancing Armenian Folk at the age of 6. He eventually found ballroom dancing and added ballet training. Quickly excelling, he was included in the Armenian Ballet Company that toured in Dubai and Egypt. He came to the United States to hone his dance skills and compete. In 2011, he and his partner Kateryna Angelone won the United States DanceSport Championship in the Professional Mambo category.

On May 6-7 a scientific-practical conference dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide was held at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University of São Paulo, during which many issues related to the subject matter were discussed.

In his remarks, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Brazil Ashot Galoyan praised the outcomes of the carried out work and highlighted that the presented reports, and the questions and statements that followed expressed great sympathy towards Armenia and condemned the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

On May 8, a liturgy dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide was held by Cardinal Dom Odilio Pedro Sherer at the Mother Cathedral of São Paulo. Heads of the Armenian churches, representatives of the Armenian and Jewish communities, high-ranking officials, regional deputies and heads of diplomatic representations were in attendance.

Ambassador Galoyan delivered a speech at the end of the liturgy, expressing his gratitude for the adoption by the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo of the resolution recognising the Armenian Genocide on the eve of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been voted into Bundesliga’s after Borussia Dortmund boosted their chances of European qualification with a 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin – their fifth game in all competitions without defeat.

Borussia Dortmund seem to have hit form at just the right time and Henrikh Mkhitaryan has played a key role in BVB’s late charge towards the European places. The Armenian midfielder assisted both goals in the win over Hertha, according to Bundesliga’s official website.

American philanthropist awarded with Mesrop Mashtots order

May 22, 2010 – 16:06 AMT 11:06 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On the 70th birthday of American philanthropist of Armenian origin
Albert Boyajyan, NKR President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree to award
him with Mesrop Mashtots order for services shown to the Artsakh
Republic, Central Information Department at NKR President’s Office
reported.