Discussion takes place in France Square about sensational audio recording and Aparan murder

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Armenia –

There is a discussion on the audio recording of the conversation with Ruben Vardazaryan, the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (powers suspended) and Gagik Jhangiryan, the acting head of the SJC, as well as the recent murder in Aparan in the park near France Square.

After the discussions the members of the “Armenia” and “With Honor” parliamentary factions will speak with the citizens and answer their questions of concern.

Armenpress: US President, Spanish PM discuss preparations for upcoming NATO Summit

US President, Spanish PM discuss preparations for upcoming NATO Summit

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 10:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain discussed preparations for the NATO Summit, which will be held in Madrid on June 29-30, 2022, during a telephone conversation on June 21, the White House said in a news release. 

“The leaders welcomed the opportunity to see each other on the upcoming trip. President Biden thanked Prime Minister Sánchez for Spain’s hosting of the summit, at which Allies will continue to chart the course of NATO’s transformation over the next decade”, the statement adds.

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits southern Iran

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 10:14,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. A magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit southern Iran on June 22, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported.

The epicenter was about 59 km southeast of the city of Mohr.

No casualties and damages are reported yet.

Mkhitaryan set for Inter medical on June 22

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 10:25,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is expected to have his medical with Inter Milan and sign the two-year contract on June 22, Football Italia reports.

The midfielder is a free agent after June 30, because he failed to agree a new deal with Roma.

It is reported the salary he agreed with Inter will be worth an initial €3.3m per season net plus performance-related bonuses, so with add-ons should reach €4.2m per year.

The Armenia international should be tied to the club until June 2024.

Aurora’s Sunrise: Armenian Genocide documentary to be screened at Golden Apricot Yerevan Int’l Film Festival

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 10:38,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Not only the circumstances, but also the great will to fight to live saved Aurora Mardiganian from the 1915 Armenian Genocide, allowed to settle in a foreign country and move forward by overcoming all the challenges.

Aurora’s Sunrise, a historical animated documentary film about the life of Aurora Mardiganian, premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France recently.

The film will be screened at the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival on July 10-17.

Speaking to ARMENPRESS, Director of the film Inna Sahakyan said that the idea of creating the film came while developing a program ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, within the frames of which the creative team had a goal to touch upon ten stories. But when the Zoryan Institute sent Aurora’s interview to the director, who called it special, the project changed a little and the idea of creating the film “Aurora’s Sunrise” arose.

“CEO of Bars Media Vardan Hovhannisyan was familiar with the interviews of a collection of oral history of the Armenian Genocide. Since 1970s the Institute has documented the stories of the Armenian Genocide survivors. They have been provided with a questionnaire, through which the historical facts have been collected. This archive is very important as the Genocide survivors tell their stories sitting in front of the camera. However, in visual terms the materials are in low quality. We thought it would be nice and interesting if the interviews are retold through animation”, Inna Sahakyan said.

Aurora was given the same questionnaire which was provided to other survivors, but while answering to the questions she has constantly talked about the Hollywood film in which she starred. As a result of her answers, the questions have changed, and the talk went on a different course. It was revealed that after surviving the Genocide Aurora has starred in the movie “Auction of Souls” in the United States.

“It’s surprising to see how a girl, who has survived the Armenian Genocide, has starred in a film telling about her life. I got acquainted with other interviews as well, the American media reports and the articles about the film. We understood that we are going to make a full-length film, and it cannot become one of the ten small stories”, Inna Sahakyan said.

“Aurora’s Sunrise” is based on the interviews of the Zoryan Institute and the Armenian Film Foundation. Sahakyan has also used the book “Ravished Armenia”, professional literature, American press materials, etc.

According to Inna Sahakyan, the telling story is the most important element in the animation film. The “Auction of Souls” movie’s full version has not been maintained. Only an 18-minute part from the movie is available in the National Archive of Armenia. It has been restored and has been used in the visual section of the movie.

“I am very happy to have finished the film. Aurora has often survived because of her fate, but there have been situations when she continued moving forward as a result of her decisions. It was interesting to follow her story. I think the film transfers these emotions to the audience”, Inna Sahakyan said.

She is sure that people will watch the film with interest. Their target isalso the youth, and not only the Armenian youth.

“This is an important film for the Armenian audience, however both in terms of visual and script composition we have tried to do the utmost for the international community to be interested in it as well. I compare Aurora with Anne Frank. Anne was also a young girl, and the whole world knows about her, however very few people know about Aurora”, Inna Sahakyan said.  

At only 14 years old, in 1915, Aurora faced the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. Within a year, witnessing the deaths of everyone in her family, Aurora had lost everything, and was sold into a Turkish harem. But with extraordinary courage and luck, she escaped to America, where her story became a sensation. 

The Zoryan Institute’s objective with this film is to bring to life the ZI’s Oral History Testimonies onto the big screen, through animated documentary films, to relay the stories of the Genocide survivors to the younger generations, especially of girls and to empower them, and  to represent their communities in the face of great adversity and violence. 

In 2015, during the year of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Zoryan Institute, signed a partnership agreement with Bars Media of Armenia to produce the animated documentary based on the testimony of A. Mardiganian. Aurora’s Sunrise was made possible with the academic contribution of the Zoryan Institute Armenia, based on its oral history archives (filmed by the Zoryan Institute on January 29, 1984). 

The film is directed by Inna Sahakyan. It is produced by Bars Media, led by Vardan Hovhannisyan, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion & Artbox Laisvalaikio Klubas, with the financial partnership of Eurimages, the Zoryan Institute Armenia & the National Cinema Center of Armenia, and with the contributions of the Lithuanian Film Center, ZDF/ARTE, Public TV Armenia, and LRT.




Spain withdraws bid for 2030 Winter Olympics

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 11:07,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Spain will not present a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in the Pyrenees due to political differences between the governments of the Catalonia and Aragon regions, Reuters reports citing the statement of Spain’s Olympic Committee president Alejandro Blanco.

The idea of hosting the Olympics has divided public opinion in the Spanish regions, especially since Catalonia’s pro-independence government did not want to include Aragon in the bid due to a political dispute.

Japan’s Saporro is considered the favourite to stage the Olympics, with former Winter Games hosts Vancouver in Canada and Salt Lake City in the United States, also reportedly interested.

Armenia has big technological potential: Minister sure Orion Summit will contribute to finding new ways for progress

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 11:52,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Orion Summit 2022, that is taking place in Yerevan, is of vital importance for tech companies, as well as for the development of the sector. This technological summit is also a good opportunity to record the sector’s developments and achievements, Armenian Minister of High Technological Industry Robert Khachatryan said in his speech at the summit, Armenpress correspondent reports.

“Holding such events is of key importance for the technological companies, as well as for the development of the field. Today famous representatives of technological and business sectors will gather in a single platform to discuss the relevant topics, share their experience and success stories. This is also a good opportunity for us to record the developments and achievements of the field”, the minister said.

In his remarks the minister said one should not avoid talking also about the problems as, according to him, revealing and discussing them, developing solution ways allows not to repeat the mistakes and avoid making new mistakes.

He said that the development of startup ecosystem is on the agenda of the high-tech ministry. Minister Khachatryan assured that they are conducting consistent works for the development and progress of startups. He is sure that the experience of successful companies could be a serious impetus for the new startups.

“Armenia has a big technological potential, and this potential is partially gathered here. I am convinced the results of this summit will not make wait long. I am sure that the event will be productive and will contribute to finding jointly new directions for progress”, the minister said.

About Orion

Orion Worldwide Innovations (“Orion”), is a startup growth and ecosystem acceleration hub and offers a full-service package to make companies investable to enter the US market, enhance their customer acquisition strategies, stay competitive and protect their innovation. Orion is a U.S.-based company formed in 2017, with offices in New York City, U.S., and Yerevan, Armenia, though Orion partners with companies and investor networks worldwide.




Armenian deputy PM to participate in session of Board of Eurasian Development Bank in Kazakhstan

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 12:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan will depart for Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, to take part in the session of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank on June 23-25, the government reports.

The respective decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and is posted on e-gov.am.

Within three days after returning from Kazakhstan, the deputy PM must present a report on the results of the visit to the Prime Minister.

Armenia Workforce Development Activity first national conference launched in Yerevan

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 13:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia Workforce Development Activity first national conference, funded by USAID, launched in Yerevan today.

Chip Laitinen, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the United States of America in Armenia, highlighted the cooperation between different structures that will support the government of Armenia in the activities of the Employment national strategy. “Human capital is one of the most important assets of Armenia. We continue supporting workforce development as they are developed and competitive people who will allow the country to fully use the economic potential”, he said.

Natia Natsvlishvili, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia, also attached importance to the active collaboration. “We are here to support promotion of employment in Armenia. We know that this problem has existed here for years. We see much higher unemployment among the youth, women and girls. We believe that the efforts of the international partners and the Armenian government will be directed to solving the current issues”, she said.

Director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan said that the basis of the Armenia Workforce Development Program are youth. This is one of the programs that creates future. “In other words, we create a person who should think, create and resist the future challenges”, he said.

Armenia Workforce Development Activity (AWDA) is a five-year program, designed to provide the youth and women with the opportunities to improve their skills in line with labor market needs and find employment in the fields of ICT/high-tech, agriculture, tourism and hospitality. The program is funded by the US Agency for International Development and will be implemented by Enterprise Incubator Foundation with Armenian National Agrarian University, Fund of Armenian Relief and CIVITTA Armenia.