Ralph and Savey Tufenkian Donate $100,000
LOS ANGELES—More than 600 dedicated community members, parents, alumni, dignitaries, and supporters of St. Mary’s Richard Tufenkian Preschool and Kindergarten attended the school’s 45th Anniversary Gala at the California Science Center on Saturday, February 8, where the official launch of the capital campaign for the school’s Tufenkian 2025 Modernization and Expansion Project was celebrated under the wings of the Endeavour Space Shuttle.
Among those in attendance were Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian; Prelacy Vica-General Bishop Torkom Donoyan; Reverend Ardak Demirjian; Western Prelacy Executive Council Chairperson Garo Eshgian, Vice-Chair Meher DerOhannessian, and Secretary Elizabeth Boyajian; members of the Prelacy Board of Regents, Armineh Papazian, Pattyl Aposhian Kasparian, and Arlene Mouradian-Zenian; St. Mary’s Church Board Member Christine Hovnanian; representatives from the Armenian National Committee of American Glendale Chapter including Chairperson Lucy Petrosian; the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Glendale Aharonian chapter; Homenetmen Ararat Chapter Executive Board Chair, Serge Grakasian; a representative from the office of Congressman Adam Schiff; California State Senator Anthony Portantino; California Assemblymember Laura Friedman; a representative from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; Glendale City Council Member Vartan Gharpetian; Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian; Glendale Community College Board of Trustee Dr. Armine Hacopian; Glendale Unified School District Board President Dr. Armina Gharpetian; the school’s founders, Mr. and Mrs. Vahik and Alice Petrossian, and Mr. and Dr. Vahe and Armine Hacopian; and of course the school’s beloved benefactors of 30 years, Ralph and Savey Tufenkian, and the Tufenkian and Kalemkiarian families.
Alumni from the school, currently in high school, greeted guests presenting them with special 45th anniversary lapel pins, and ushered them into the Oschin Pavilion where the Endeavor Space Shuttle is stationed. The awe-inspiring hangar space was adorned with large-scale architectural renderings of the prospective Tufenkian campus, as well as a partial architectural model painted by the school’s kindergarten students. A colorful art exhibition featuring framed watercolor paintings by every single one of the school’s current students, accompanied by titles chosen by the young artists, was on display for all to enjoy. Also entertaining guests were roaming photographers and a photo station featuring an astronaut carrying the Tufenkian flag, and live orchestral music. At their seats, guests received the thematic 45th Anniversary Tufenkian Album, courtesy of the artistry of Helena Grigorian, featuring a bronze keepsake bookmark, congratulatory messages to the school as well as personal salutations and memorable photos from all of the program’s donors.
Following opening remarks by the night’s Master of Ceremonies Gevik Baghdassarian, an alumnus of the school and current member of the School Board, and invocation by his Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, dinner was served while a vocalist performed jazz and Armenian standards.
Artin Shaverdian, Chair of the School Board, then introduced a film by Sevag Vrej Koundakjian, especially made to mark this milestone anniversary, highlighting the value of the school in the community and its students’ lives, the significance of the school’s emergent curriculum and its teachers and administration, as well as to describe the value of the modernization and expansion project.
Shaverdian then addressed the audience by first expressing his immense gratitude to the night’s donors, all guests, and the school’s longstanding benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Ralph and Savey Tufenkian. He also took a moment to acknowledge the unmatched dedication of the school’s faculty and staff most of whom were present.
“This campaign is rooted in history but framed for tomorrow,” he said. “It honors the vision of our founders and the promise of our children.” He appealed to the audience to continue to support the Tufenkian 2025 Project, a project which seeks to add approximately 3,200 square feet of new building area consisting of classrooms and multi-purpose rooms, and to modernize the remaining classrooms and outdoor areas to better align the school’s emergent curriculum with its campus. Mr. Shaverdian stressed that with the steadfast support of the community and the generous donors in attendance, the school was looking forward to meeting again in 2025 to mark the conclusion of the campaign, but to not forget that the “broader campaign for the idea of Tufenkian Preschool is everlasting.”
Shaverdian concluded his remarks by announcing the names and commending the great work of all those individuals who had volunteered endless hours to bring this gala celebration to fruition. He then introduced a video greeting from Congressman Adam Schiff who congratulated the school and lent support to its future successes. Official State of California proclamations were presented by State Senator Portantino and Assemblymember Laura Friedman both of whom also conveyed endearing messages of reverence for the academic institution. A special recognition was also presented by a representative from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office.
Baghdassarian then joined Shaverdian on stage to discuss specifics of the fundraising campaign for Tufenkian 2025. Baghdassarian implored the audience to continue on its generous path and offer long-term support to the project. Together, they launched the school’s Mobile Cause/text-to-give service which facilitates instant giving via a mobile smart phone. The excitement of the audience was palpable in the immediate stream of new donations all of which were reflected instantly on the big screen for all to see. Shaverdian and Baghdassarian then recognized three visionary donor families Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Katherine Panossian, Mr. and Mrs. Bobken and Hasmik Amirian, and Mr. and Mrs. Levik and Romina Hagobian.
The school’s Director, Arsine Aghazarian, then took the stage to acknowledge the Tufenkian family, all invited guests and dignitaries in attendance, expressing her gratitude to lifelong community supporters, alumni and parents of alumni of the school. She gave brief historical highlights from the school’s 45-year journey and called up to the stage, to receive special recognition and a gift, founding members of the school Mr. and Mrs. Vahik and Alice Petrossian, and Mr. and Dr. Vahe and Armine Hacopian, along with former school Director Dr. Ida Karayan. Rouben Gourjian, one of the founding members, was not in attendance. She thanked these valued members of the school’s family for their vision, their dedication and their continued guidance and support of the school. Gifts were presented to the aforementioned honorees by the three teachers with the longest tenure at the school Aghavni Astoor, Ani Misserlian, and Ani Hovagimian.
She continued to thank the school’s Parent Support Committee’s (PSC) Gala Committee, who under the effective leadership of Christine Zohrabians, worked resolutely to make this celebration memorable.
Aghazarian then individually acknowledged all current faculty and staff, and those who had significant roles at the school through the years. On behalf of the ANC Glendale Chapter, Chairperson Lucy Petrosian also presented recognition certificates to each teacher and staff member. Young alumni volunteers escorted those being recognized to receive commemorative gifts.
To conclude her remarks, Aghazarian shared heartwarming words about the entire Tufenkian family, specifically Mr. and Mrs. Ralph and Savey Tufenkian who have never faltered in their encouragement, support, and guidance of the school since the tragic death of their son Richard, 30 years ago. “We owe our success to our gracious and generous benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph and Savey Tufenkian, and to the extended members and relatives of the Tufenkian Family, Paul and Sandra Kalemkiarian, and Greg and Caroline Tufenkian,” Aghazarian said as she presented Mr. and Mrs. Tufenkian with gifts of appreciation.
The prelate referenced the poignancy of the project’s moniker “Building Together, Nurturing Generations.” He reflected on the significance of community support in the success of all of our diasporan endeavors and underscored the paramount value of structured early education. With much delight, the Archbishop then announced a surprise $100,000 donation from Mr. and Mrs. Ralph and Savey Tufenkian to mark this momentous occasion and in support of the Tufenkian 2025 Modernization and Expansion Project. The audience roared in excitement and the collective funds raised passed the half a million-dollar mark.
Accomplished alumna Sareen Habeshian then spoke of the positive influence of the school on her academic journey and professional career. And, to conclude the program, Max Tufenkian and Sara Cipolla, nephew and niece of the late Richard Tufenkian, both alumni of the school, paid a moving tribute to their uncle. Max described growing up with stories of his uncle with his family members always describing him as the most loving and lovable guy. Sara reminisced about her days at Tufenkian and announced her excitement at becoming a Tufenkian parent in the forthcoming academic year. Both shared their great pride in their family and their family’s immeasurable love for the school.
The evening came to a festive close by graciously donated performances by popular Armenian singers Armenchik and Super Sako. Guests parted with gifts of appreciation in the form of beautifully boxed wines donated by the Kalemkiarian family of Wine of the Month.
It is notable that this gala’s success was a direct result of the tireless work of PSC members who spared no effort to engage the community in solicitation of support for the school. “The generosity of our community’s business owners and service providers was truly heartwarming,” commented Zohrabians, “We received an overwhelming amount of in-kind donations, unimaginable discounts, and direct gifts of services and supplies. It truly helped us honor our fiduciary duty to the school. This is not just a reflection of the greatness of our school but also that of the kindness of our community.”
By the end of the evening, $535,000 was raised in support of the Tufenkian Modernization and Expansion Project. “Our community is a force to be reckoned with when it supports a worthwhile project. We are eternally grateful to every dollar donated today. We are doing all this for the kids. They are the center and goal of all of our efforts,” Baghdassarian stated.
To learn more about the Tufenkian Modernization and Expansion Project, and to participate in its success with your tax-deductible contribution, please visit Tufenkian2025.com. To learn more about the school, please visit TufenkianPreschool.com.
RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/14/2020
Friday,
Syrian Parliament Recognizes Armenian Genocide
Syria -- Members of the People's Assembly adopt a resolution recognizing the
Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey, Damascus, .
In a move welcomed by Armenia, Syria’s parliament has voted to recognize the
1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey following the latest upsurge in
tensions between Damascus and Ankara.
“The parliament ... condemns and recognizes the genocide committed against the
Armenians by the Ottoman state at the start of the twentieth century,” reads the
resolution adopted by it on Thursday.
The resolution followed deadly clashes between Syrian and Turkish troops in
Syria’s northwestern region of Idlib. The Turkish military has sent
reinforcements to the jihadist-dominated area after an offensive launched by
Syria’s Russian-backed army.
The Syrian parliament speaker, Hammouda Sabbagh, condemned the Turkish
“aggression” as the legislature fully controlled by Syria’s ruling regime
unanimously passed the Armenian genocide resolution.
“We are currently living through a Turkish aggression that relies on the same
hateful Ottoman thinking” as "the crimes carried out by [Turkish President Recep
Tayyip] Erdogan's forefathers against the Armenian people", Sabbagh said,
according to the AFP news agency.
SYRIA -- Turkish military convoy drives through the village of Binnish, in Idlib
province, February 8, 2020
The Turkish government, which vehemently denies a systematic government effort
to exterminate the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian population, condemned the
resolution, saying that it reflects the “hypocrisy of a regime which has
indulged in every kind of carnage towards its own people.”
Predictably, the genocide resolution was hailed by Armenia.
“The genocide … a significant part of which was perpetrated in the territory of
Syria under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, is part of the common historical
memory of the Armenian and Syrian peoples,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.
“The Syrian people … were among the first to lend a helping hand to the victims
of the genocide. Thousands of survivors found a new homeland in Syria,
establishing one of the most flourishing Armenian communities and contributing
to Syria’s progress,” added the statement.
Many of an estimated 1.5 million victims of the World War One-era genocide were
killed on their way to a vast desert in what is now eastern Syria. Many other
Armenians were starved to death after reaching the desert on foot.
Syria - Syrian Armenian pilgrims at the Armenian genocide memorial in Deir
ez-Zor, 25Apr2009.
A genocide memorial in the area contained some of the remains of the victims and
served as a pilgrimage site for Syria's Armenians before it was bombed by
jihadists in 2014. Visiting the site in 2010, then-Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian said it is to Armenians what Auschwitz is to the Jews.
While helping descendants of survivors of those death camps become a thriving
community in Syria, the Syrian government for decades avoided recognizing the
1915 mass killings and deportations as genocide. Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad pointedly declined to visit a genocide memorial in Yerevan during an
official trip to Armenia in 2009. Assad had a warm rapport with Erdogan at the
time.
The situation changed dramatically after the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in
2011 and ensuing deterioration of Ankara’s relations with the Syrian regime. In
March 2015, the Syrian parliament held a special a session to mark the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Two months later Assad drew parallels
between the Ottoman Turks who massacred Armenians and Islamist rebels in Syria
who he said are sponsored by Ankara.
More Arrests Made In Armenian Bribery Case
• Artak Khulian
Armenia -- The main entrance ot the National Security Service building, Yerevan,
December 14, 2019.
The National Security Service (NSS) said on Friday that it has indicted six more
people in an ongoing criminal investigation into a senior Armenian government
official arrested on corruption charges last week.
The NSS did not identify any of those suspects or specify the accusations
leveled against them. It said only that three of them have been remanded in
pre-trial custody.
Vahagn Vermishian, the head of the Armenian government’s Urban Development
Committee, and two other individuals were arrested on February 5. One of them, a
former senior law-enforcement, was released on bail at the weekend.
In a February 5 statement, the NSS said Vermishian has admitted receiving five
bribes, worth between 1 million drams ($2,100) and 2.5 million drams each, from
private construction firms that were given privileged treatment by various
government bodies in return. It said that the kickbacks were channeled into an
architectural firm which the official had set up and registered in a friend’s
name.
Vermishian’s lawyer, Mushegh Arakelian, said on Monday, however, that his client
denies taking the alleged bribes. The denial did not prevent a court in Yerevan
from allowing investigators to hold him in detention.
Vermishian has headed the government agency since March 2019 and has not been
formally relieved of his duties yet. He is the third senior member of Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government prosecuted on corruption charges. The two
other suspects worked as deputy ministers of education and health.
Vermishian, 55, served as the chief architect of Russia’s Oryol region from
2014-2017. He reportedly resigned amid protests sparked by his plans to renovate
the regional capital’s historic center.
Court Again Refuses To Stop Corruption Trial Of Senior Armenian Official
• Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia - Davit Sanasarian, the head of the State Overisght Service, speaks to
journalists in Yerevan, June 21, 2018.
A court in Yerevan on Friday refused to throw out corruption charges brought
against a senior government official who actively participated in Armenia’s
“Velvet Revolution.”
The court dismissed defense lawyers’ claims that the National Security Service
(NSS) has no right to prosecute Davit Sanasarian because under Armenian law
senior officials can only be investigated by another law-enforcement agency.
Sanasarian’s lawyers earlier petitioned the court to suspend his trial and ask
Armenia’s Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of the high-profile
criminal case. The presiding judge, Davit Balayan, rejected that demand.
Sanasarian was suspended as head of the State Oversight Service (SOS) after
being indicted last April in a criminal investigation into alleged corrupt
practices within the anti-corruption government agency.
The NSS arrested two other senior SOS officials in February 2019, saying that
they attempted to cash in on government-funded supplies of medical equipment to
state-run hospitals. They were subsequently set free after pleading guilty to
the accusations.
Sanasarian was charged with abusing his powers to help the two men, who are also
on trial, enrich themselves and a private company linked to them. He strongly
denies the charges.
The trial prosecutor, Gevorg Sargsian, said during Friday’s court hearing that
Sanasarian knew that the company in question, Zorashen, is controlled by one of
the two other defendants, Samvel Adian, and is planning to import expensive
equipment for hemodialysis, a treatment of kidney failure. Sanasarian and Adian
abused their position to make sure that two hospitals buy such equipment from
Zorashen, according to the indictment read out by Sargsian.
Sanasarian insisted that he was not aware of that. He said Adian had assured him
that he is not linked to the supplier.
Sanasarian, 35, is a former opposition and civic activist who had for years
accused Armenia’s former leaders of corruption. He was actively involved in the
2018 revolution.
Sanasarian’s supporters, among them leaders of some Western-funded civic groups,
have voiced support for him and denounced the NSS. Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinian hit back at the critics last year. He said that they place their
personal relationships with Sanasarian above the rule of law.
More Armenian Opposition Parties To Shun Constitutional Referendum
• Artak Khulian
• Naira Nalbandian
Armenia -- Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukian speaks to reporters,
Yerevan, February 11, 2020.
Businessman Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) on Friday
questioned the legality of an upcoming referendum on constitutional changes
sought by the country’s leadership and said it will avoid any involvement in the
process.
Former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) likewise
announced that it will not actively campaign against the proposed changes
despite considering them “unconstitutional” and “undemocratic.”
The draft amendments to the Armenian constitution call for the dismissal of
seven of the nine members of the current Constitutional Court accused by Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinian of being linked to the country’s “corrupt former
regime.” The Armenian parliament controlled by Pashinian’s My Step bloc decided
last week to put them on a referendum amid serious procedural violations alleged
by opposition lawmakers. Some of them said the amendments also run counter to
other articles of the constitution.
The BHK, which has the second largest group in the parliament, said after a
meeting of its governing body that the government push to replace the high court
judges is “questionable in terms of legality.” In a statement, it said
Tsarukian’s party will therefore “not participate in the process of holding a
referendum on the constitutional changes.”
“It is evident that right from the beginning of the process the authorities
moved the issue from the legal to political plane, turning it into a destructive
black-and-white confrontation,” said the statement. “For the BHK, the practice
of spreading divisions within the society and building barricades has always
been unacceptable.”
Armenia -- Deputies from the opposition Bright Armenia Party attend a parliament
session in Yerevan, January 20, 2020.
The Bright Armenia Party (LHK), the second opposition force represented in the
current parliament, went farther earlier this week, calling the referendum
scheduled for April 5 “completely illegal.” But it too decided not to officially
campaign for a “No” vote.
The former ruling HHK, which has repeatedly voiced support for Constitutional
Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian and the six other judges, branded the upcoming
vote “unconstitutional, anti-legal and undemocratic.”
“The sole purpose of this adventure is to form a rubber-stamp Constitutional
Court,” read a statement released by the HHK leadership on Friday. It said the
party will not join in the referendum campaign.
Alen Simonian, a senior member of Pashinian’s bloc, shrugged off the HHK’s
decision, saying that Sarkisian’s party is not a major political force anymore.
He also claimed: “It’s clear that some forces are trying and will try to
sabotage the referendum process openly or in a covert way.”
Speaking during a working visit to Germany on Thursday, Pashinian defended his
administration’s efforts to replace the Constitutional Court judges. In a fresh
jibe at Tovmasian, he charged that Armenia’s high court has been “occupied” and
turned into a partisan structure. “We cannot tolerate this situation,” he said.
“[Pashinian’s] statement has nothing to do with reality,” countered LHK leader
Edmon Marukian. “I don’t think that people in Germany are not aware of that.”
Marukian also dismissed Pashinian’s claim that the Constitutional Court is
obstructing “institutional reforms” planned by his government. “Give me an
example of a single reform that has been scuttled by the court,” he told
reporters. “There is no reform.”
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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Armenia’s Pashinyan on constitutional referendum: We cannot tolerate such situation
Nikol Pashinyan to present Armenia-2050 vision
Armen Sarkissian to present his quantum theory in Munich
He will perform as a speaker at the quantum policy discussion in the framework of Munich Security Conference, said the presidential press service.
Armen Sarkissian is going to present his quantum theory and speak about fast developments in the world, global risks, new quantum technologies and system, and the quantum “behavior” of politics.
During the working visit to Germany in November 2018, President Sarkissian announced he had finished writing his book, “Quantum behavior of global risks”.
“Events and policies will not unfold in familiar, classic ways. The ongoing situation is the world is the evidence,” said President Sarkissian then.
Turkey lashes out at Syria for the vote on Armenian Genocide recognition
Syrian parliament recognises Armenian genocide
NGO: Armenian Journalists Under ‘Growing Harassment’
More than 16,000 antiquities stolen from Turkish-occupied Cyprus, even found in Japan
Edmon Marukyan: Society continues to be divided into "blacks" and "whites"
ArmInfo.Due to the fact that we do not agree with the position of the authorities in the referendum, persecution began against us. This was announced on February 14 during a briefing at the National Assembly of Armenia by the head of the Enlightened Armenia faction Edmond Marukyan.
He noted that everyone who does not agree with the point of view of the authorities is immediately labeled. “They immediately begin to say that this person is corrupt, is a representative of the interests of the previous regime, etc. After all, in fact, there were no significant contradictions or quarrels between us, we simply did not agree with them on the issue of holding a referendum,” stressed the deputy.
Marukyan stated that the policy of dividing the society into “blacks” and “whites” continues. “I don’t like the fact that hate propaganda is very active in the country. I believe that labeling another person is very low only because their positions diverge,” he said.
The head of the PA also emphasized that constant statements that people are trying to take away the achievements of the revolution are not true. “The achievements of the revolution belong to the people, and no one can take them away. But constantly calling people to the streets if something goes wrong you want is simply absurd. Some kind of kindergarten,” the deputy said.
It should be noted that on February 6, the parliament decided on a referendum, at which the citizens of Armenia will decide whether they agree to amend the Constitution of the country. On April 5, a constitutional referendum will be held in Armenia, at which the issue of judges of the Constitutional Court will be decided. Many deputies (including those from the Enlightened Armenia – Ed. Party) and human rights activists said that this decision was unconstitutional, since initially the deputies had to send their proposal to the Constitutional Court.
According to the decision adopted on February 11 at the CEC meeting, the campaign will be held from February 17 to April 3.