Category: 2022

Attendees of the benefit dinner held in Los Angeles for "Family and Community." (Photo: Tufenkian Foundation)

LOS ANGELES—The Iraqi Armenian Family Association of Greater Los Angeles (IAFA) and the Tufenkian Foundation held a benefit dinner on July 10 at Glendale’s Shiraz restaurant in support of the Family and Community NGO (FAC) of Armenia.

The event featured remarks by Primate of the Armavir Diocese Archbishop Sion Adamyan; FAC founder and director Knarik Garanfilyan; Tufenkian Foundation director of development Antranig Kasbarian; IAFA chair Maral Anjargolian; as well as a cultural program by the students of the IAFA-funded Armenian Saturday School.

“The Diaspora has supported Armenia for more than thirty years and continues to do so in various capacities. However, we can do more if we consider new types of assistance. Today, Armenia’s requirements are different: long-term rehabilitative, developmental assistance that can help people stand on their own two feet and become self-sufficient. The Tufenkian Foundation’s programs are actively helping those in need, especially the most vulnerable families and their children, to become self-sufficient individuals,” Kasbarian said in his remarks.

Initiated by the Tufenkian Foundation in 2002, FAC works to develop the potential of vulnerable children and their families. The organization addresses the poorest and most vulnerable strata of Armenian society, implementing programs for social and psychological support; empowerment of families; capacity building for youth and children; identification and development of resources; and community development.

In her remark, which featured a short video, Garanfilyan provided details about the NGO’s ongoing work and a broader context about how the NGO specifically addresses fundamental problems through various types of intervention.

“Children come into our centers carrying all of life’s difficulties on their shoulders. They are from poor and vulnerable families: some of them have one or both parents in prison, some are children of those who were killed in the Artsakh War. Our specialists try to understand the problems these children bear and find effective ways to solve their problems,” Garanfilyan explained in her remarks.

Archbishop Sion Adamyan, a long-time supporter and friend of the FAC, then spoke about the impact the program has had on the community. “Years ago, the organization accepted several dozen children from Metsamor. Most kids were in the fourth and fifth grades and didn’t even know the alphabet. Thanks to the selfless experts and staff and their endless patience and care, the children were given new hope for a bright future,” Archbishop Sion noted.

As one of the primary beneficiaries of the Foundation, FAC currently operates in five cities across three regions in Armenia. In the Armavir region, it runs centers in Metsamor (est. 2002) and Armavir city (est. 2018); in Tavush, it operates centers in Ijevan (est. 2016) and Noyemberyan, (est. 2017); and in Shirak, it runs its newest center in Artik (est. 2020).

Donations to the Family and Community NGO can be made through the Tufenkian Foundation here.

Established in 1999, the Tufenkian Foundation addresses the most pressing social, economic, cultural, and environmental challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). Since its inception, the Tufenkian Foundation has supported various community initiatives as well as civic activism and public advocacy campaigns to help improve life in Armenia, while providing housing, education, social, health, and livelihood support for the Armenians of Artsakh. 

The Family and Community NGO (FAC) addresses the poorest and most vulnerable strata of Armenian society, implementing programs for social and psychological support; empowerment of families; capacity building for youth and children; identification and development of resources; and community development. FAC currently operates in five cities across three regions in Armenia. In the Armavir region, it runs centers in Metsamor (est. 2002) and Armavir city (est. 2018); in Tavush, it operates centers in Ijevan (est. 2016) and Noyemberyan (est. 2017); and in Shirak, it operates a center in Artik (est. 2020).

Kef Time L.A. flyer

GLENDALE—“Kef Time L.A.” will be a special evening of Armenian folk music and line dancing set to take place on September 9, hosted at Miaseen Studios. The event will kick-off at 7 p.m. at 1651 S Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91204.

Timeless folk favorites such as the Tamzara, Pompouri, Haleh, Sepo Bar and various other favorites will be performed live by a master cast of musicians featuring oud, violin, bass and dumbeg percussion. Dancers and enthusiasts can enjoy these cherished folk songs and dance the night away in a welcoming space for what will surely be a magical night.

“We have been looking to host this event for quite some time,” stated oud player Antranig Kzirian. “With the last couple years of difficulties and what everyone experienced, we are quite excited to bring the community together for a night of fraternalism, dancing and appreciation of our beloved folk music tradition,” he added.

Kzirian will perform on the oud and vocals. A co-founder of the acclaimed kef music group the Aravod Ensemble, Kzirian is no stranger to the kef tradition and has performed on the oud and guitar for over 25 years at countless community social events for various organizations, festivals, private functions and folk and classical concerts, in addition to studying the Armenian American oud tradition academically at Columbia University. As the symbolic plucked fretless string instrument of Armenian folk music, the oud holds a special place in the Armenian culture. Given this role of the oud, Kzirian has studied or performed with oud masters such as John Berberian, Ara Dinkjian, Richard Hagopian, the late John Bilezikjian and various other respected interpreters of this sacred craft, in addition to recently accompanying the famed Armenian vocalist star Onnik Dinkjian here in Los Angeles. Kzirian has also been an innovator on the oud, co-founding the art folk ensemble String Harmonies, and introducing the oud to rock with his band Viza.

Vik Momjian is a master of the 4, 5 and 6-string fretted and fretless electric basses, and is the leading bass player in his field. As a Lebanese born Armenian American that has backed up the top Persian, Armenian, Arabic, Assyrian, Greek and Kurdish artists, Momjian has encyclopedic knowledge of various cultures’ music. Recent projects include working with the living legend Enrico Macias, String Harmonies and various other projects. Momjian’s work has been featured in Bass Player Magazine, Bass Musician Magazine, and No Treble, and Momjian is endorsed by La Bella, MTD Bass, Moollon, Ibanez, Asterope, Gallien-Krueger, Bartolini, Forder, Peterson Tuners and Bergantino. Momjian has studied with prominent instructors Jim Lacefield, Steve Bailey, and John Pena, and is without a doubt the first-call musician for many top Middle Eastern and ethno-European artists.

Yervand Kalajian is a world class violinist known for his creative soloing and enchanting playing style. Kalajian performed with the Los Angeles youth philharmonic from 1986 to 2009, reaching the prestigious positions of assistant concert master and concert master. Kalajian is a first call violinist in Southern California in a wide variety of styles, including Armenian folk, classical, pop in addition to film and television soundtrack work with famed composer John Debney for the movies Beirut and the Stoning of Soraya M. Kalajian also lended his mastery working with composer Aaron Zigman for Sex and the City 2 and The Company Men, and also recorded his violin on Viza’s “Aria” record with the art folk ensemble String Harmonies. Kalajian has accompanied numerous Armenian and Middle Eastern singers and artists, including Harout Pamboukjian, Paul Baghdadlian, Yeghia Sanosian, Harout Khachoyan, the Black Cats, Ibrahim Tatlises and Muazzez Ersoy.

Aram Malkhassian rounds out the group on percussion. The 26-year-old Lebanese/Armenian drummer studied music and drums at Hamazkayin’s Parsegh Ganatchian Music School in Beirut, and has worked as a professional freelance touring and session drummer since 2014 with notable singers, performers and producers in the Middle East such as Melhem Zein, Ramy Ayach, Maya Diab, Carole Samaha, Adam, Jose Fernandez, Guy Manoukian, Sarina Cross and many others. Malkhassian also served as the main Drummer for “Heik men ghanni” Season 6-TV show on MTV Lebanon, and also plays the piano.

Tickets are now available online. Follow Kef Time L.A. on Instagram and Facebook.

The European Court of Human Rights

Armenia on Tuesday announced that it has filed a new complaint with the European Court of Human Rights accusing Azerbaijan of abusing rights of Armenian residents in the villages of Khramort and Parukh in Artsakh’s Askeran Region when Azerbaijani forces invaded that area in March.

The ECHR complaint was filed on July 27 this year, according to a social media post by the Office of the Representative of Armenia on International Legal Issues.

The complaint refers to the violation of the rights of civilians due to Azerbaijani aggression against the Armenian villages of Khramort and Parukh of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2022, to real threats voiced by Azerbaijan against the residents of borderline villages in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to cases of use of force in 2021-2022 by Azerbaijani armed forces against civilians in violation of the latter’s right to life.

After cutting off the gas supply to Armenian residents of Artsakh, Azerbaijani forces began a systematic campaign of harassment in the Askeran region, often broadcasting threats over loud speakers by telling residents to leave their villages or else face ramifications. This tactic was followed by intermittent shelling of civilian targets, which were under the protection of Russian peacekeepers.

On March 24, Azerbaijani forces breached the line of contact being monitored by the Russian peacekeeping forces and invaded the Parukh village and neighboring areas. After shelling Armenian positions in Artsakh, the Azerbaijani forces advanced their troops unto the strategic Karaglukh Heights overlooking all of Stepanakert. During this operation three Armenian soldiers were killed and 15 were wounded.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry maintains that Azerbaijani troops remain at some parts of Karaglukh heights near Parukh, with Artsakh authorities and Russian peacekeepers attempting to push the Azerbaijani forces back to their original positions.

The case filed last week was the third by Armenia to complain to the ECHR. In February 2021 a case was filed against Azerbaijan accusing it of violating international conventions during the 2020 Artsakh War. Another case, filed in June of last year, focused on the illegal sham trials of Armenian prisoners of war, accusing Baku of violating their rights and depriving the captives of their freedom.

Rep. Frank Pallone

Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) blasted the United Nations General Assembly president Abdulla Shahid for “capitulating” to Turkey, when he removed a tweet after visiting Dzidzernagapert last week while visiting Armenia.

Shahid tweeted about his visit to the Armenian Gencocide Memorial Complex last week, but deleted the post reportedly after receiving a complaint from the Turkish foreign ministry.

“33 countries, including the United States, have formally recognized  the Armenian genocide. The UN should not be complicit in Turkey’s  rejection of history. [UN General Assembly President] Abdulla Shahid was wrong for deleting  his tweet and capitulating to pressure from Turkey,” Pallone wrote in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Armenian and Russian leaders held separate telephone conversations on Tuesday to discuss the implementation of agreements reached following the 2020 Artsakh War.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan President Vladimir Putin spoke about these issues with the Kremlin and Pashinyan’s office releasing identical statements. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Pashinyan and Putin discussed “individual practical aspects of implementation of the 2020 November 9, 2021 January 11 and November 26 trilateral agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh,” according the statement released on Tuesday.

According Russia’s foreign ministry, Mirzoyan and Lavrov discussed the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku.

The ministers reportedly reviewed the course of the implementation of trilateral statements made the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021 and confirmed their commitment to their comprehensive and effective implementation, particularly, the commitment to unblock transport and economic ties in the South Caucasus and delimit the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported that during the conversation the sides exchanged also views on the humanitarian problems created as a result of the 44-day war in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

To this end, the release and return of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees was mutually stressed, it said.

The two top diplomats also discussed bi-lateral agenda items, including prospects for further strengthening of Russian-Armenian relations, as well as the implementation of agreements reached during Pashinyan’s visit to Russia in April and discussions held on the sidelines of the CSTO summit in May, the Russian foreign ministry reported.

Soon after reports of the telephone conversations were publicized, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that Azerbaijan was violated the ceasefire in the line of contact in Artsakh on Monday. https://asbarez.com/russia-says-azerbaijan-violated-ceasefire-artsakh-soldier-injured/

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday that Russia continues to actively contribute to the preparation of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, adding that Moscow’s special representative on the Caucasus Igor Kovaev, who was until recently Russia’s OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, continues to engage with the sides to determine mutually acceptable basic principles, parameters of the peace agreement.

“Delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is also an important direction of Russia’s mediation efforts to improve the dialogue between our Transcaucasian neighbors. Moscow’s consultative role in this process is fixed in the Sochi trilateral statement at the highest level of November 26, 2021. As you know, at the end of May a relevant bilateral commission was established and the first exploratory meeting of representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan was held on the border between the two countries. For our part, we are always ready to host our Armenian and Azerbaijani friends in Russia. We are confident that Russia’s unique, professional capabilities to delimit demarcation in the post-Soviet space can significantly strengthen security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and in the region as a whole,” said Zakharova.

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey from left: Jeyhun Bayramov, Vladimir Norov and Mevlut Cavusoglu in Tashkent Uzbekistan on Aug. 2

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Azerbaijan on Tuesday reiterated their countries’ readiness to normalize ties with Armenia and emphasized the imperative of opening the so-called “Zangezur Corridor”—Baku’s scheme to have a land corridor through Armenia to connect mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and Turkey.

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister Jeyhun Bayramov touted the importance of the “Zangezur Corridor,” despite vocal opposition to the scheme by Yerevan. At the same time Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed that Ankara continuously coordinates all its efforts with Baku.

Cavusoglu and Bayramov were in the Uzbekistan capital of Tashkent on Tuesday where they met with that country’s foreign minister Vladimir Norov and signed a cooperation agreement between the three Turkic states.

Cavusoglu hailed Tuesday’s agreement as benefitting the “Turkic world and strengthen relations between Turkic-speaking countries.”

According to Azerbaijani press reports one of the provisions—point 11—of the agreement emphasizes the importance of the opening of the “Zangezur Corridor” as a means to expand international transport links.

“Azerbaijan has offered to normalize relations with Armenia based on the principles of international law,” Bayramov said, adding that the process is the key to achieving security, stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus.

He did not discuss the proposal presented by Armenia, which wants to determine the status of Karabakh and provide security guarantees and rights to the Armenians of Artsakh. Instead Bayramov emphasized the importance of opening regional transport links.

In his remarks, Cavusoglu claimed that with “the victory” in the 44-day war, a new geopolitical balance has emerged in the South Caucasus. At the same time, he emphasized that the countries that are in favor of “stability and cooperation” will benefit from this situation.

“We urge all parties to utilize this opportunity. We support negotiations on communication, border demarcation and peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We are also taking steps to normalize relations, we are moving forward with meetings by our special representatives and in consultation with Azerbaijan,” Cavusoglu emphasized.

Turkey’s foreign minister also said that his country’s relations with Azerbaijan have risen to a new level following the signing of the so-called Shushi Decleration—an alliance agreement between Ankara and Baku, which also stipulates military and defense ties.