TEACHING FELLOWSHIP IN THE FIELD OF MEDIEVAL OR EARLY MODERN ARMENIAN HISTORY AT BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY, ISTANBUL FUNDED BY THE CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION The Department of History at Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey, invites applications for a one-year (two semesters) Teaching Fellowship in the field of Medieval or Early Modern Armenian History to be funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation starting in September 2019. The holder of this Fellowship will be expected to teach one undergraduate course and one graduate seminar each semester (for a total of 4 courses during the academic year). The weekly load for any undergraduate course or graduate seminar is three hours. Courses are to be taught entirely in English. The Fellowship is funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to the amount of 34,000 EUR, to be paid directly by the Foundation to the Fellow to cover the salary, work permit, visa, health insurance, housing, travel and other expenses. Candidates with a Ph.D. degree in a relevant area and excellent command of English should send in their application to the Department of History before April 8, 2019. Applications must include a curriculum vitae, a cover letter discussing research and teaching interests, three letters of recommendation (to be sent directly by the referees), one article or chapter-length writing sample and detailed syllabi for one undergraduate course and one graduate seminar they wish to propose for consideration. Electronic files (in pdf format) must be received by the application deadline at [email protected]. Hard copies must be mailed on or before the deadline to the address given below. Armenian History Teaching Fellowship Search Committee Boğaziçi University Department of History Bebek 34342 Istanbul, Turkey ---- Note for editors: Please find above the announcement regarding a teaching fellowship at Boğaziçi University funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, to if possible, be featured in Armenian News. Thank you, Best regards, Vera R.C Armenian Communities Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Avenida de Berna 45-A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal Tel (+351) 21 782 3658 [email protected] gulbenkian.pt
Category: 2019
Dictatorship in Armenia can have no chances – Pashinyan gives interview to Euronews
Dictatorship in Armenia can have no chances – Pashinyan gives interview to Euronews
18:54, 6 March, 2019
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The key goal of the Government of Armenia is strengthening the independence of the country, protection of sovereignty and security, ARMENPRESS reports Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Euronews in Brussels.
Referring to the cooperation with the EU, the PM emphasized the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU. “Our Government is full of determination to bring the agreement into life. It means to have a really independent judicial system, institutional mechanisms for fighting against corruption and prevention of corruption”, Pashinyan said.
He underlined that Armenia is observing the opportunities for establishing multilateral cooperation in the sphere of energy, including with Iran, Georgia, Russia and the EU.
Speaking about economic reforms, the PM said, “For a democratic system it’s very important to involve more and more people in any process, including economic and political ones”.
Pashinyan said that authoritarian or dictatorial rule can has no chances in Armenia. “Democracy comes from our people and our national values”, the Armenian PM said.
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Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Armenian PM’s press secretary welcomes announcement of Johannes Hahn
Armenian PM’s press secretary welcomes announcement of Johannes Hahn
19:17, 6 March, 2019
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Vladimir Karapetyan, the press secretary of the Armenian PM, has commented on the announcement of European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and the manipulations over that announcement.
“We welcome the announcement of European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, according to which the negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement should go on under the format of the existing OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format.
Prime Minister Pashinyan has noted numerous times that for having effective negotiations it’s important to ensure the involvement of the representatives of Nagorno Karabakh in the talks.
It’s not something new for us that Azerbaijan regularly makes assessments distorting the facts. We call on some analysts not to submit to manipulations”, ARMENPRESS reports Karapetyan wrote on his Facebook page.
In a joint press conference in Brussels a journalist, addressing Nikol Pashinyan and Johannes Hahn, gave the following question, “Mr. Prime Minister, in the recent period you have met with your Azerbaijani colleagues a number of times. We would like to know if there are any new emphasis that could be publicized. If possible, we would like to hear the comments of Mr. Hahn on how the EU can add assistance for accelerating the peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict”.
PM Nikol Pashinyan emphasize din his answer that the position of Armenia has not changed and for a comprehensive settlement of NK conflict it’s necessary first of all to create an effective format, the aim of which is ensuring the participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiations.
Johannes Hahn said in his turn, “As refers to the assistance, I think we should preserve the existing format where discussions and negotiations take place. We should not create something new. We have to assist, but only at the request and demand of the sides, because the sides know what to do, how to work with each other and we should just be ready to support, if the sides request it”.
It’s apparent that Johannes Hahn was talking about the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format of negotiations and the possibility of the EU involvement in that. Unfortunately, some domestic analysts have submitted to Azerbaijani manipulative comments and made comments distorting the facts.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
EU has no doubts over determination of Armenian Government to go on with democratic reforms – Pashinyan
EU has no doubts over determination of Armenian Government to go on with democratic reforms – Pashinyan
19:31, 6 March, 2019
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan drew conclusions from his visit to Brussels that the EU sees no problems in Armenia over human rights and democratic situation, which is an unprecedented situation, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the parliament during the Cabinet-parliament Q&A session.
“I can say the following over my visit to Brussels. I think we have an unprecedented situation in Armenia-EU relations, when the EU has no questions to address Armenia in terms of democratic situation and human rights. There is no slightest doubt over the determination of the Government of Armenia to carry out the democratic reforms until the end”, Pashinyan said.
He added that the high ranking EU officials are ready to assist those changes, including financially.
Pashinyan paid a working visit to Belgium on March 3 and returned on March 5.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Yerevan in top 10 best cities for start-ups
Yerevan in top 10 best cities for start-ups
20:07, 6 March, 2019
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Business leaders have started to view Armenia as a technological and innovative hotspot, ARMENPRESS reports Danish platform Valuer specialised in start-ups and innovations writes. It has made a list of the 25 cities with the best start-ups, where Yerevan raks 6th.
‘Self-described as the “Silicon Mountains”, the number of software startups quadrupled between 2015 and 2017 to reach approximately 280. The government is legislating to facilitate further growth of this market, offering a five-year tax break for startups and creating two free economic zones in Yerevan in which tech startups can operate without paying VAT, property tax, income tax, or export customs duty.
These reforms have seen the tech industry grow by 20% annually, exploding compared to Armenia’s overall economic growth (hovering at 2%). The large US tech corporations in Armenia are also funding educational programs, further developing Yerevan’s talent pool. With the industry accounting for 15% of Armenia’s exports, the startup scene here is only expected to continue to grow”, Valuer writes.
The top 5 cities of Valuer’s list are Warsaw (Poland), Tallinn (Estonia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Portland (USA) and Riga (Latvia).
Earlier, Yerevan was included in world’s top 10 cities for tech career list by Enterprise Times.
“Research shows that by 2025, the need for programmers in Armenia will have tripled to 30,000. This is largely due to the ever-increasing innovation in their tech sector. A sector that is growing at an annual rate of 20% and shows no signs of slowing down. If you haven’t considered a move to the country previously, it’s worth considering. Cost of living is very low, crime rates are low and culture is in abundance. Currently the main speaking languages are Armenian & Russian but the English language is becoming more and more popular”, Enterprise Times said in the article published in October 2018.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Nikol Pashinyan attends former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia Suren Harutyunyan’s dirge ceremony
Nikol Pashinyan attends former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia Suren Harutyunyan’s dirge ceremony
20:21, 6 March, 2019
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan attended the dirge ceremony of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia Suren Harutyunyan at St. Hovhannes Church of Kond.
ARMENPRESS reports Suren Harutyunyan died on March 1 aged 79.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Asbarez: ARS Las Vegas ‘Shoushi’ Chapter Celebrates its 25th Anniversary
A scene from the ARS Shoushi chapter silver jubilee
The Armenian Relief Society of Western US’s Las Vegas “Shoushi” Chapter celebrated its Silver Anniversary on Saturday, February 23 with the attendance of ARS Regional Executive Board members.
The celebration at VZ Banquet Hall also marked the 5th Anniversary of naming the ARS Verjine Koujakian Saturday School. Mrs. Koujakian was the founder of the ARS Shoushi Chapter’s Saturday School in 1994. The Koujakian and Yemenidjian families continue to support the school, which teaches Armenian language and culture every Saturday to more than 50 students.
The ARS Regional Executive Board toured the Saturday School with members of the Koujakian and Yemenidjian families. They met with the principal and faculty, and visited various classrooms, where students performed recitations and sang songs.
Later that evening, the ARS Regional Executive Board attended the banquet, where Chairperson Silva Poladian applauded the ARS Shoushi Chapter’s achievements throughout the 25 years of service and dedication to the ARS, and the local Armenian community. Remarks were also delivered by Chapter Chairperson Siroun Bedirian, as well as Principal of the Saturday School Houri Darakjian. To acknowledge the major milestones in the small Armenian enclave of Las Vegas, the Regional Executive presented the Shoushi Chapter and the benefactors of ARS Verjine Koujakian School with plaques. Attendees enjoyed the wonderful evening and musical entertainment provided by Sako Tashjian from Montreal.
Asbarez: All-ASA to sell Tri-Colored Graduation Cords to Support School in Medovka, Armenia
The graduation cords will fund projects in Medovka village in Armenia
LOS ANGELES—In the past three years, the All-Armenian Student Association (All-ASA) has raised close to $5,000 through tri-colored graduation chord sales. Initially the cord sales started as a fundraiser for the economic development non-profit, OneArmenia as part of an initiative to foster the growing honey economy of villages in Armenia. In the past couple of years, the cord project has evolved and grown to include the creation of the cords in Dilijian by local artisans and sold across the United States and Canada to raise money to support a school outside of Stepanavan, in a village called Medovka.
The project evolved once the only US Teach for Armenia fellow, Khachig Joukhajian made his way to the village of Medovka to teach history for his two year fellowship. Upon learned about the dismal state of the school and its dedicated principal, Susanna Avdalyan and her husband Gagik Avdalyan, the caretaker. Through the guidance of Khachig, a member of the Shant Student Association as well as the All-ASA, the money raised helped put a fence around the local park which consequently led to the creation of a girls’ soccer team. The funds also supported an indoor gym, complete with the renovation of the floor and walls, alongside necessary equipment to allow the school children an area to practice physical education in the winter. Conveniently, the labor is done by local parents and villagers that volunteer their time to renovate the gymnasium and put up the fence.
Last summer new windows were installed in the gym and the old floorboards were removed by volunteer families of the students.
The current president of the All-ASA, Ripsime Biyazyan, met with the Principal Avdalyan, her husband and various teachers at the Medovka school in August 2018 to discuss further development of the project. As the new Teach for Armenia fellow from Vandadzor, Misak Martirosyan, embarks on his two year journey there is still many renovations that need to take place. In the coming years, there is an expectation to change the windows of the school alongside any new equipment the school may need.
Ripsime Biyazyan, all-ASA Chair meets with Principal Avdalyan, her husband and various teachers to discuss next steps
The sale of the chords will begin immediately and carry on through the end of June. They are a great gift for someone graduating as they allow for Armenian students across North America to be unified by our culture. Cords can be purchased at all-asa.org for $20, including shipping. If a student at an ASA represented in the All-ASA would like to purchase a cord, they should contact their respective All-ASA Representative.
The All-Armenian Student Association works to unite various Armenian-American college student organizations and serve the greater Armenian-American community through cultural, social, educational, and activist programming. As the largest confederation of ASAs in the nation, All-ASA is dedicated to collaboration among its constituent organizations, leadership development of its members, and community service.
Asbarez: Gulbekian Foundation Announces Intensive Western Armenian Summer Courses
Intensive Western Armenian courses to be offered this summer in Budapest
The Programme of Armenian Studies announced the Summer Intensive Courses in Western Armenian for the sixth consecutive year. For the second time, the courses will be held in Budapest over the months of June, July and August at advanced, elementary and intermediate levels, respectively. The courses will be held at the following times:
Elementary: Monday July 1 to Friday July 26
Intermediate: Monday July 29 to Friday August 23
Advanced: Monday June 3 to Friday June 28
We are constantly working to improve these courses. This year we have introduced the following changes:
We have extended daily teaching time by 15 minutes and added an extra day of teaching per course. These changes are designed to allow students more time for speaking practice.
We have changed the teaching hours in order to avoid the afternoon heat of Budapest in summer.
More details regarding changes to the courses to follow.
The Summer Intensive Courses are an excellent way to start learning or to improve your Western Armenian. With each month-long course you will become more and more at home in the language. Take advantage of this opportunity to make the progress in Western Armenian that you have always wanted to.
Please be aware that there are a limited number of accommodation spaces, and they will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis. For further queries and to express your interest in these courses, please contact Dr. Krikor Moskofian at [email protected].
The Programme of Armenian Studies is endebted to Pázmány Péter Catholic University for their moral and practical support and cooperation, especially that of Dr. Bálint Kovács and Márta Sándor.
The courses are designed, organized and taught by Dr. Krikor Moskofian (Founder and Director, Programme of Armenian Studies).
The Canterbury Khachkar: A Historic Day in the Heart of the Anglican Church
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, lays wreath on the Khachkar
BY NORA VOSBIGIAN
LONDON—The Armenian community of Great Britain participated in the unveiling of a khachkar at Canterbury Cathedral on 2 March. The khachkar was placed in the cathedral’s memorial Garden to mark the end of WWI, remember the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and recall the memory of Randall Davidson (Archbishop of Canterbury 1903-1928), who worked tirelessly to save Armenians at that time.
The two meter khachkar was crafted in Canterbury from tufa stone especially imported from Armenia. It bears the year 301 in Armenian letters (YA), when Armenia officially II converted to Christianity, and the inscription “And I go towards the source of light”) from Taniel Varoujan’s poem, “The Light”.
The Canterbury Khachkar project was initiated by master craftsmen Brigadier John Meardon and Vartan Moskofian. It then took off with the timely support of AGBU (London) and other individuals and donors. From the outset, Resight Film, began recording each step for a full-length documentary. And, as the date for the dedication approached, the primate of the Armenian Apostolic church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, prepared a special ceremony for the occasion.
On the day of dedication, a beautiful vespers service was held in the main cathedral, presided by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, with the participation of Bishop Hovakim Manukyan. The ceremony was attended by dignitaries, as well as several hundred Armenians and their friends from across the United Kingdom. The presence of so many people added more colour and dignity to the event. The church service was followed by the consecration of the khachkar with holy miuron from Echmiadzin, accompanied by a special Armenian service led by Bishop Manukyan and supporting clergymen.
After the consecration, the procession moved to the cloisters where Bishop Manukyan and Archbishop Welby lay flowers and prayed at the grave of Randall Davidson. There then followed a reception at Chapter House for several hundred guests, including music and poetry, as well as words from Brigadier John Meardon, Ara Sarafian (historian), Bishop Manukyan, and the new Armenian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr. Arman Kirakossian.
The speakers reflected on the horrors of WWI, the importance of remembering the Armenian Genocide, and the need for truth, reconciliation and just resolution of the Armenian issue.