1- New Controversy Looms in Jerusalem
Over Land Leased by the Patriarchate
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Pashinyan Vacations, Armenian Gov’t Shuns Artsakh 30th
Anniversary Events
3 – Jirair Ratevosian tapped for US State Department role
4- Shekherdimian Appointed Assoc. Director
for Healthcare Outreach at PAI at UCLA
5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
6- ‘Cliffs of Freedom’ Marks Bicentennial of Greek Revolutionary War
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1- New Controversy Looms in Jerusalem
Over Land Leased by the Patriarchate
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
As if Armenians did not have enough problems these days with the
disastrous developments in Artsakh, we are now faced with a new
controversy in the Diaspora. I have received dozens of phone calls and
emails from Armenians in various countries, informing me about a new
issue brewing at the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem. The details
are sketchy and Armenians I contacted in Jerusalem asked that I do not
disclose their names fearing either expulsion from the housing
provided to them by the Patriarchate or some other retribution.
The issue is about a plot of land that was recently leased by the
Patriarchate to a Jewish businessman from Australia. I contacted all
three clergymen who were mentioned as approving this deal on behalf of
the Patriarchate.
I first sent an email to Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, asking for a
copy of the contract. Regrettably, he did not respond. I then called
Archbishop Sevan Gharibian, the Grand Sacristan of the Patriarchate.
He was reluctant to discuss the issue. I was told by an anonymous
source that Arch. Gharibian was pressured into approving the contract.
I then called Father Baret Yeretzian, Director of the Real Estate
Department of the Patriarchate, who confirmed the deal and provided
some of the details. These three clergymen, a minority of the
eight-member Holy Synod of the Patriarchate (Dnoren Joghov), were the
ones who had approved the lease. An anonymous source suggested that
the entire St. James Brotherhood of the Patriarchate should have met
to review the contract.
Fr. Yeretzian stated that there have been several offers from citizens
of various Arab countries to lease that particular property owned by
the Patriarchate. However, he stated that the most advantageous offer
was made by Danny Rubenstein, a Jewish businessman from Australia.
Without disclosing the amount, Fr. Yeretzian confirmed that the
Patriarchate received an advance payment from the businessman. An
anonymous source informed me that the down payment was one million
dollars. Fr. Yeretzian also told me that the Australian businessman
plans to build a seven-star luxurious hotel on the property and a
percentage of the annual revenue of the hotel will be transferred to
the Patriarchate. Even though the anonymously circulated information
fixed the length of the lease at 99-years, Fr Yeretzian told me that
the lease was in fact for 98 years. Such a lengthy lease leads many to
believe that the Patriarchate will never recover that property. When
asked, Fr. Yeretzian disagreed, asserting that the Australian
businessman will have to return the property to the Patriarchate at
the end of the lease, along with the pricey hotel built on it. This is
an issue that remains to be seen a century later. Similar lengthy
leases for other properties have been signed by the Patriarchate in
the past resulting in the same arguments.
The property in question is called “Goveroun Bardez” (Cows’ Garden),
located on the historic Mt. Zion, at the southwest corner of the
Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem. Several months ago, the Patriarchate
had signed an agreement with the Municipality of Jerusalem to use the
same property as a parking lot to be renovated at the expense of the
Municipality and part of it used to park the cars of Jewish residents
of the area. At the time, the Patriarchate issued a statement
declaring that the value of this land is over $2 million. Fr.
Yeretzian told me that the new lease with the Australian businessman
will supersede the earlier agreement with the Municipality. Other
sources told me that the new agreement was also signed without the
approval of the Armenian Patriarchate’s full Holy Synod or the
Brotherhood of St. James.
There have been past controversies when members of the Patriarchate
leased other properties or attempted to sell precious manuscripts
stolen from the archives at Sotheby’s auction in London. To make
matters worse, the sale or lease of any Armenian property to Israeli
individuals, companies or the government is frowned upon by
Palestinians who view such transactions as expanding Israel’s presence
in the occupied territories. I was told that the Palestinian Authority
had sent a formal letter of complaint to the Armenian Patriarchate
regarding the lease of this property. However, Fr. Yeretzian denied
receiving any such communication.
In the absence of concrete facts and copies of actual documents it is
hard to reach any firm conclusions. In the name of transparency, the
Patriarchate should make public a copy of the contract for the lease
of the “Goveroun Bardez” property disclosing its terms. Without such
disclosure, it is hard to judge the advantages or disadvantages of
this contract.
If the Patriarchate is engaging in such transactions in order to cover
the administrative expenses of its operations, it may be useful to
release a report of the Patriarchate’s annual revenues and expenses so
everyone can see if the Patriarchate is in a dire need of income. If
the Patriarchate is indeed in a desperate financial situation, such a
report may encourage benefactors from around the world to make
contributions to the Patriarchate and eliminate the need for the sale
or lease of additional valuable plots of land.
Finally, in the past, an independent temporary committee was formed to
oversee the administrative affairs of the Patriarchate. This may be
the right time to reestablish such a committee on a permanent basis.
The reports of a credible oversight committee would put an end to
divisive and persistent rumors in the Armenian communities about the
affairs of the Patriarchate.
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2- Pashinyan Vacations, Armenian Gov’t Shuns Artsakh 30th
Anniversary Events
YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Armenian government officials declined to
attend on Thursday official ceremonies in Stepanakert to mark the 30th
anniversary of the establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Armenia was represented in the ceremonies instead by a multi-partisan
delegation of its parliament led by deputy speaker Ruben Rubinyan.
A government spokesman told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that Pashinyan
did not travel to Karabakh on the occasion because he is currently on
vacation.
Armenia’s Minister of High-Tech Industry Vahagn Khachaturyan said,
however, that the prime minister and members of his cabinet shunned
the low-key celebrations for political considerations.
“A political decision was made. Don’t look for other reasons,”
Khachaturyan told reporters. He did not elaborate.
Tigran Abrahamyan, an opposition member of the parliamentary
delegation visiting Karabakh, deplored the absence of Armenian
government officials, saying Pashinyan did not want to anger
Azerbaijan.
“If we accept the rules of the game dictated by Azerbaijan we will
accelerate and complete the loss of Artsakh (Karabakh),” Abrahamyan
said, referring to Armenia’s defeat in last year’s war over Karabakh.
Pashinyan last visited Stepanakert during the six-week war stopped by
a Russian-brokered ceasefire in November.
The premier congratulated the Karabakh Armenians on the anniversary of
the proclamation of their republic, not recognized by any country, in
a statement issued on Thursday. He reiterated that the Karabakh
conflict remains unresolved and that Yerevan will continue to champion
a settlement based on the Karabakh Armenians’ right to
self-determination.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that
Azerbaijan essentially ended the conflict with its victory in the war.
He has said that Yerevan should therefore recognize Azerbaijani
sovereignty over Karabakh through a “peace treaty” proposed by Baku.
Other Armenian politicians, notably the Karabakh-born former
Presidents Serzh Sarkisian and Robert Kocharian, also issued
statements on the occasion. Sarkisian again blamed Armenia’s current
leadership for the outcome of the war.
“We would have won had they not discredited and purged our armed
forces and replaced experienced commanders with conformists prior to
the 44-day war and ineptly managed the war,” he charged.
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3- Jirair Ratevosian tapped for US State Department role
By Leeza Arakelian
WASHINGTON, DC (The Armenian Weekly)—Jirair Ratevosian, MPH—an
Armenian-American advocate for global health and human rights—has been
appointed by President Joe Biden to serve in the State Department’s
Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy.
Ratevosian is taking on the role of senior advisor, where he will help
oversee the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—the
leading, lifesaving program that has invested nearly $85 billion in
the global HIV/AIDS response.
“Working at PEPFAR is an opportunity to carry forward a lifetime
mission of pursuing health equity and social justice,” read
Ratevosian’s statement following his swearing-in at the US State
Department on Monday morning. “Thanks to US leadership and continued
bipartisan support, tremendous progress has been made in the fight
against AIDS, but the work is far from over.”
An experienced leader in domestic and global HIV diplomacy, Ratevosian
has announced that he will be working on developing PEPFAR’s strategy,
strengthening partnerships with US governmental agencies and
supporting coordination efforts with bilateral and multilateral
institutions, like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria. “I look forward to working with our country partners and
stakeholder communities in service of President Biden and PEPFAR’s
lifesaving mission,” he shared on Monday.
Ratevosian has always appreciated President Biden’s record on
HIV/AIDS, and it’s clear the respect has been mutual. Last summer, he
wrote an op-ed in which he recalled his parents meeting the
then-presidential candidate.
“Folks, the work your son is doing…it is really saving lives all
around the world,” Mr. Biden told the Ratevosian family in May 2019.
“It was the kind of affirmation that any young gay person dreams of,
and somehow Joe knew exactly what my parents needed to hear,” wrote
Ratevosian before enumerating Biden’s decades-long support and
Congressional leadership on major global health initiatives, including
the establishment of PEPFAR in 2003. In line with his campaign promise
and in addition to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden
is still committed to ending the AIDS crisis. In its Fiscal Year 2022
Budget, the White House called on Congress to approve $670 million in
funding to help reduce HIV cases and increase and ensure access to
treatment.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Ratevosian was always
interested in the field of healthcare. A son of immigrants from
Lebanon and Armenia, he recalls growing up with his paternal
grandfather—his namesake, a proud community organizer and
small-business owner. At a young age, Ratevosian learned the
importance of community engagement and ultimately adopted his
grandfather’s spirit of activism.
Following his graduation from UCLA, Ratevosian went on an eye-opening
trip to South Africa in 2004 just as the international community began
concentrating its resources on HIV awareness, prevention and
treatment. “The impact of the HIV epidemic was everywhere in South
Africa,” recalled Ratevosian in his recent conversation with the
Weekly. “That shaped the way I thought about my own role on the planet
and what I wanted to do with my life and why I wanted to be involved
in something that reduced human suffering. Public health was the
pathway for me to do that.”
Since then, Ratevosian, a graduate of Boston University’s School of
Public Health, has made HIV/AIDS a focal point of his 15-year career.
He worked with US Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), a notable champion in the
fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic and an original author of PEPFAR.
During his three years on the Hill, Ratevosian witnessed a critical
expansion to PEPFAR and the creation of a bipartisan Congressional
HIV/AIDS Caucus, which Congresswoman Lee co-chairs. “Jirair’s deep
experience, including his service as my Legislative Director, will be
a tremendous asset to the Biden administration in strengthening PEPFAR
and all our global health and development priorities,” stated
Congresswoman Lee in her written comments to the Weekly. “Because of
programs like PEPFAR, we have saved millions of lives across the
globe, and I look forward to working with President Biden and Jirair
and building from PEPFAR’s success to bring broader health security
benefits for all.”
Before accepting his current position at the State Department,
Ratevosian spent seven years at Gilead Sciences, leading an
international team that developed public health solutions for
hepatitis in Pakistan, Armenia, Egypt and Rwanda; he also led in
building lasting partnerships for access to HIV medications for
populations in South Africa.
“I’ve always seen HIV as a human rights issue. We know that it’s very
much a challenge, not only across Africa, but also in other regions,
including in Armenia. These are issues that we can’t just ignore as
Armenians in the Diaspora,” urged Ratevosian, who has always advocated
for Armenia’s marginalized LGBTQ communities and public awareness
surrounding the spread of HIV and AIDS in the homeland.
A lifelong student of public health, Ratevosian is concurrently
pursuing a doctoral degree in health diplomacy from Johns Hopkins
University, where he is studying the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine
access in four countries, including Armenia. Colleagues, like Jennifer
Kates—a member of Ratevosian’s dissertation advisory committee and the
director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family
Foundation—commend his unmatched experience across public, private and
social sectors. “Jirair is not only someone with a long-standing and
deep commitment to ending HIV, he brings unparalleled and unique
skills to this position,” expressed Kates in her written comments to
the Weekly. “Jirair knows the issues, the challenges and the
stakeholders. Having him step into this role now will help steer
PEPFAR forward at this critical time in the fight against HIV,” she
concluded.
As he takes on this new post at the State Department, Ratevosian told
the Weekly he would like to see more Armenians join him in
representing a more robust workforce in government and public service.
“We all have a role to play in our future,” he underscored in his
parting comments about global citizenship, diversity and inclusion, “I
think more Armenians need to see public service as a viable career
path that is rewarding and fulfilling and ultimately will help make
the world a better place.”.
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4- Shekherdimian Appointed Assoc. Director
for Healthcare Outreach at PAI at UCLA
LOS ANGELES—Dr. Shant Shekherdimian, a pediatric surgeon at the
University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine,
has been appointed the inaugural associate director for healthcare
outreach at the Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA.
In this role, Dr. Shekherdimian will conduct public health research,
develop health-related education and research opportunities for UCLA
faculty and students, facilitate healthcare initiatives that involve
UCLA and explore alternative models for UCLA Global Health engagement
for healthcare improvement in Armenia. In pursuing these activities,
Dr. Shekherdimian will serve as a senior advisor to the Ministry of
Health of the Republic of Armenia.
“Part of the Promise Armenian Institute’s mission is to coordinate
interdisciplinary research and public impact programs between UCLA and
the Republic of Armenia, and this new position will accomplish just
that in the medical and healthcare arena,” said professor Ann
Karagozian, inaugural director of the Promise Armenian Institute. “We
are grateful to Dr. Shekherdimian for his extraordinary dedication to
PAI’s mission and the improvement of healthcare in Armenia.”
“I am honored to serve as the associate director for healthcare
outreach for the Promise Armenian Institute, and very much look
forward to supporting and expanding the scope of healthcare-related
activities with which UCLA is involved in Armenia. I am excited for
this opportunity to collaborate with UCLA faculty and students, as
well as our colleagues in Armenia, to work on developing solutions to
some of the challenges Armenia’s healthcare system faces,” noted
Shekherdimian.
Dr. Shekherdimian is an associate professor of pediatric surgery at
UCLA DGSOM. For many years he has been actively involved in various
initiatives in Armenia’s healthcare sector, including efforts to
improve post-graduate medical education, introducing quality
improvement programs and developing multidisciplinary care teams.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent war in
Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh in late 2020, Dr. Shekherdimian has been one
of the leads in UCLA’s Operation Armenia, an initiative that provides
immediate medical disaster relief and long-term humanitarian aid and
infrastructure support to Armenia and Artsakh. While continuing to
expand these efforts, the research he will conduct as associate
director for healthcare outreach will provide additional insights for
the Ministry of Health to help further strengthen the overall
healthcare system in Armenia.
“Dr. Shekherdimian has a proven track record of service in Armenia,
and we are very pleased to welcome him in this new capacity as senior
advisor,” said Armenia’s Minister of Health, Anahit Avanesyan. “Dr.
Shekherdimian’s expertise and support are especially welcome now, in
view of the strain placed on the healthcare sector of Armenia by the
recent war on Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh and the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic. We look forward to continuing our work with Dr.
Shekherdimian and expanding UCLA’s engagement in the improvement of
Armenia’s healthcare sector.”
“We are continuously working to engage and attract highly qualified
diaspora specialists to work in Armenian state institutions. The
appointment of Dr. Shekherdimian as a senior advisor to the Minister
of Health is an important step in an ongoing partnership with the
Ministry of Health, and what we hope will be a fruitful initiative to
attract more qualified specialists to high-ranking positions in
various ministries and state institutions. We are grateful to the
Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA for its partnership and commitment
to the improvement and development of the Armenian public sector,”
stated High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan.
The Promise Armenian Institute (PAI) was established at UCLA in late
2019 as a hub for world-class research and teaching on Armenian
Studies and for coordinating Interdisciplinary Research and Public
Impact Programs across UCLA, and with the Republic of Armenia and the
Armenian Diaspora.
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5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
Armenia is continuing the fight against the third wave of COVID-19
cases, as the country continues promoting the vaccination phase.
The U.S. State Department on July 26 warned American citizens to
reconsider travel to Armenia due to the increase in cases of the
Covid-19.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a
Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Armenia due to COVID-19, indicating a
high level of COVID-19 in the country,” said the State Department.
The State Department also urged U.S. citizens not to travel to the
Nagorno-Karabakh region due to armed conflict.
“The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S.
citizens in Nagorno-Karabakh as U.S. government employees are
restricted from traveling there,” the State Department added.
There were 11,001 active cases in Armenia as of September 8. Armenia
has recorded 245,025 coronavirus cases and 4,911 deaths; 229,113 have
recovered.
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6- ‘Cliffs of Freedom’ Marks Bicentennial of Greek Revolutionary
Tripolitsa 1821: the political, administrative, economic crossroads of
the Ottoman Empire’s chokehold over the Peloponnese in Greece. As the
Greek Revolutionary War looms large in smaller Ottoman strongholds,
Tripolitsa fortifies herself behind a wall surrounding the city
mounted by dozens of cannons housing a populace of thousands of
soldiers and citizens living within the fortress.
The hero of Greece’s War of Independence, General Theodoros
Kolokotronis calculates that following successful campaigns in Levidi,
Valtetsi, Doliana and Grana a win in the stronghold of Tripolitsa
would serve as a bellwether symbol of Greece’s resolve to win the
fight for freedom. After an incessant and steady campaign, Tripolitsa
falls on September 23, 1821—a day marking the beginning of the end of
Ottoman’s 400- year subjugation over Greece.
The National Hellenic Society (NHS) is a non-profit foundation
comprising a Who’s Who of visionaries, philanthropists and leaders
that celebrate, share, and pass on Hellenic heritage in America. NHS
programs include its signature Program, Heritage Greece which has
reconnected and sponsored 500+ college aged students of Greek descent
on a life-changing experience hosted by the American College of
Greece.
This past year, NHS completed the acquisition of all rights to a major
motion picture, Cliffs of Freedom. The film is an independent,
historical drama romance movie based and inspired on a novel written
by Marianne Metropoulos, Daughter of Destiny. The novel served as the
springboard to the film produced by Marianne and Dean Metropoulos with
Marianne serving as co-writer of the screenplay.
Cliffs of Freedom story centers on an ill-fated romance between a
beautiful young Greek village girl, set in the beginning days of
Greece’s Revolutionary war. The girl, played by veteran actress, Tania
Raymonde, falls in love with and a handsome and conflicted Ottoman
Colonel, portrayed by actor Jan Uddin. The Colonel is mentored by a
Greek elder and advisor to the Empire, brilliantly portrayed by the
late Academy-Award winning actor, Christopher Plummer. The brutality
of the war comes to a head when the Greek village girl’s family is
massacred; she swears revenge directly implicating the man she loves
which ultimately leads to a battle that changes the course of history
for Greece and her people.
Marianne’s story is an amalgam of stories, accounts and events that
transpired during Greece’s Revolutionary War. The lives, struggles,
sacrifices and saga of the Greeks is brilliantly on full display,
symbolic of the resiliency, resolve and grit of the Greek people
determined to be free. Their faith, values and love of family, culture
and heritage marks the first time their story is on full display on
the silver screen in epic form. The film’s production values, acting,
score and the caliber of cast and crew have created a motion picture
that has riveted audiences.
To celebrate the bicentennial of Greece’s Revolutionary War, NHS is
pleased to announce the films availability on several major platforms
including Amazon Prime, Apple, Google Play on September 13, 2021. The
epic nature of this film will make audiences reflect, feel, think, and
be inspired.
The film’s storytellers, creators and artisans have come together to
convey a story that will have a profound impact on audiences,
especially for those that are the progeny of the countless forebears
that lived so that they and those that followed would always be free.
The film will be made available with western Armenian subtitles.
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