Category: 2022

Asbarez: ANCA Welcomes High School Leaders to Washington for Summer Academy

Karagyozian Lena
 by Contributor

 

 June 7, 2022

 

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Applications are open for the second annual ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy is set for August 1st to 5th, 2022

Enrollment Open for August 1st–5th Haroutioun & Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy 

WASHINGTON—Armenian American high schoolers and rising university first-year students are invited to apply for the second annual Armenian National Committee of America Haroutioun & Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy, a week-long program introducing future leaders to advocacy and career opportunities in the nation’s capital.

The week-long program will take place from August 1 to 5, 2022. Applications are available online and must be submitted by June 30th.

“The ANCA is thrilled to welcome the best and brightest Armenian American high schoolers to Washington, D.C. for an intensive one-week session to learn pro-Artsakh/Armenia federal advocacy best practices, explore future career opportunities, and make friends for life,” said ANCA Programs Director Alex Manoukian. “The Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy’s innovative program will open up exciting new academic and professional horizons for these students.”

Summer Academy participants, ages 17 to 19, are chosen based on a rigorous application process focusing on academic excellence and proven pro-Artsakh/Armenia efforts through groups, including the Armenian Youth Federation, Armenian churches and organizations, schools, student groups, and individual initiatives. 

Members of the inaugural 2021 ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy The determined participants of the 2021 ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy on Capitol Hill

ANCA Summer Academy participants will stay at the ANCA Aramian House, a landmark property in downtown Washington, D.C. which serves as the home and permanent headquarters of the ANCA’s signature youth programs. The Aramian House is named in honor of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, Rhode Island.

During the inaugural session of the program in 2021, Summer Academy participants explored Armenia and Artsakh’s diplomatic challenges and opportunities in discussions with former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and Artsakh Representative to the U.S. Robert Avetisyan. Big Whig Media founders Ken and Keith Nahigian discussed the broader Washington, D.C. political media scene and effective communication strategies during a tour of their state-of-the-art multi-media studio located just blocks from the White House. Battling Armenian Genocide denial in academic and community settings took center stage during a discussion with Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, the Armenia and Georgia Area Specialist at the Library of Congress.

During the 2021 program, the ANCA’s Washington, D.C. team focused on teaching best practices in Armenian American grassroots advocacy, with interactive sessions on the organization’s 360-degree agenda to defend Artsakh safety and security, promote stronger U.S.-Armenia ties, secure justice for the Armenian Genocide and support at-risk diasporan Armenian communities in the Middle East and around the world.  Summer academy participants were also introduced to a wide range of career opportunities on Capitol Hill, international development, advocacy, and consulting by accomplished Armenian Americans in each of the areas.

“It was an honor to participate in the ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy,” said 2021 Summer Academy alumna Vana Dakarian, from Elgin, IL. “In just five short days, we spoke with professionals, learned about advocating for the Armenian Cause, and explored careers in politics, policy, and media. I encourage all Armenian youth to participate in this one-of-a-kind opportunity, to learn, explore the nation’s capital, and form great friendships,” she added.

Garni Khanzadian, who was an incoming freshman at University of California, Riverside, concurred.  “After the Artsakh War in 2020, many Armenian youth were left feeling helpless, and this program opened my eyes to all the things we can do to help our brothers and sisters. The guests who spoke to us during this trip came from all different backgrounds, and we got a chance to listen to so many stories about them helping to spread the Armenian Cause. Thanks to the Haroutioun & Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy, I met lifelong friends from all over the country, and made memories that will last forever.”

The ANCA Summer Academy is named in honor of Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian in recognition of their lifetime of selfless service and sacrifice for the Armenian community and cause, through a generous grant by their daughter and son-in-law, Arsho and Adour Aghjayan, and grandson, Nareg. It is the latest in the series of youth empowerment and career development programs including the Leo Sarkisian Internship Program, Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program, Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Fellowship, and the ANCA Rising Leaders Program – which features the Lucine Kouchakdjian Capitol Hill Day.

To learn more about the ANCA’s youth and career services programs, visit the website.

Honoring Our Brightest Stars: Homenetmen Embraces Young Heroes of Hrashq

Alex Nanijanian
 by Contributor

 

 June 7, 2022

 

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Hrashq provides the Armenian special needs community the opportunity to participate in Homenetmen’s athletic program and competition events

BY KATY SIMONIAN

“You are stars and the world is watching you. By your presence you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope. A message of victory.” Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s words echo through eternity and continue to create a ripple effect for families in America and across the world. As the founder of the Special Olympics, she shared her vision of inclusion with the world, opening hearts and minds to the powerful gifts of a community that had long been kept in the shadow.

Homenetmen Western US Region is a shining of example of an organization that has embraced the vision of the Special Olympics in the creation of Hrashq, a program for athletes with special needs, that empowers all participants to reach their full potential. With a unique coaching system, tailored for the needs of every child, Hrashq inspires all people by building skills and confidence in young athletes, providing them with socialization and inclusion opportunities, while combating the stigma often associated with certain disabilities.

For members, Hrashq, which means “Miracle,” is an opportunity to create a valuable resource of support for parents and children alike, as they meet the challenges of life with a grace and dignity that is inherent in the spirit of Homenetmen’s motto, “Elevate Yourself and Others with You.”

The story of Hrashq, began back in 2018, when founding member Dr. Nanor Kabakian joined a group of parents who sought to create an outlet for their children to participate in athletic activities and be part of an Armenian organization. Prior to this juncture, she served as the facilitator of the Armenian Parents Support Group of the Lanterman Regional Center, which unites parents who share the difficult journey of raising a child with special needs, offering presentations and invaluable resources to enable them to better advocate for their rights.

Homenetmen Hrashq participants at a previous year’s Navasartian Games

One fateful day three months prior to the Navasartian Games, she approached Homenetmen’s leaders with the prospect of having a booth at the Games. Their conversation led to a transformative idea – having athletes with special needs participate in the 43rd Navasartian Games on the occasion of the Homenetmen Centennial.  Without hesitation, Homenetmen’s Western Regional Executive Board gave the concept the green light, forming a committee whose mission it was to plan Hrashq’s first participation in the Navasartian Games by providing the athletes with all the accommodations needed to make their historic debut a success. Their mission was fulfilled, as the first group of Hrashq athletes participated in competitions and the Parade of Champions, a highlight of the annual Navasartian Closing Ceremonies.

“Our goal is to inspire our Armenian community to appreciate Hrashq, as we can learn so much from the perseverance of our young athletes and their families. Their dedication stands in alignment with Homenetmen’s guiding principles. The work we do helps all people and contributes to our shared belief in public service,” says Dr. Kabakian, who is a proud parent of a Hrashq athlete.

The program quickly jumped from 20 athletes to 50 and has benefited from the leadership of an Adaptive Physical Education Teacher, Dave Beard, who has created specific lesson plans for each individual student, a feat that sets Hrashq apart from other programs in its commitment to excellence. Athletes receive one-on-one support from volunteers, including parents, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, Homenetmen members, and AYF Sardarabad Pyunic Basketball Committee members. Hrashq also welcomes student volunteers from Armenian schools in the greater Los Angeles area, many of whom aspire to pursue careers in speech and physical therapy, as well as advocacy for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

“In five short years and in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hrashq has continued to thrive under the gracious leadership of parents and Homenetmen members who are committed to ensuring the program’s success,” says Hagop Tufenkjian, Chairman of Homenetmen’s Regional Executive Committee. “We are proud of our Hrashq athletes and are grateful for their presence in the Homenetmen family,” he added.

One of the most influential figures to support Hrashq’s noble mission is State Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who secured a grant of $100,000 to support Homenetmen’s many programs including Hrashq.

As a champion of the Armenian community, Senator Portantino’s commitment was inspired by his own experiences. “Years ago, I took a friend’s son who had special needs to Disneyland and had the best time. While my daughter was running from ride to ride, my friend’s son stopped to appreciate the magic of every moment. It was a tremendously emotional experience that I can never forget and makes me smile when I think of it,” he says. “I get the same positive feelings from Hrashq and it’s so exciting to see it grow and touch so many people. It has been a pleasure and blessing to support the children of Hrashq. I can think of no better organization to get behind because the children and families are truly miraculous,” he added.

Perhaps the impact of Hrashq is best expressed in the words of one of its athletes, Nanor’s son, Aren Zakarian. His acrostic poem speaks to the heart of Homenetmen’s mission to preserve our tradition of public service. Below is Aren’s poem:

Hrashq

Hope is what everyone needs

Respect is what everyone deserves

Armenian is what we are

Special is what we feel

Human is how we should be treated

Quest for the best is what we seek

Aren wrote his poem when he was only nine years old. He is now 12 and thriving, as are so many Hrashq athletes who benefit from the program and most significantly, being part of an Armenian community that celebrates their achievements.

Hrashq athletes are not defined by their physical and intellectual disabilities. They are applauded for the unique light they bring to the world. Only the brightest stars can enlighten hearts and minds, as they replace fear with hope. They are more than champions. They are heroes who show us what is possible and inspire us with their bravery, strength and determination. Their smiles are a sign of true victory, as their presence in Hrashq has united so many families with a renewed faith in a community that has embraced them.

Hrashq and its extraordinary members will be celebrated at the 45th Navasartian Victory Ball on Sunday, June 26 at The Beverly Hilton, and will participate in the 2022 Navasartian Games and Closing Ceremonies which commence on Fourth of July weekend, July 1-3 at Los Angeles City College.

Hrashq’s mission of inclusion is gaining new ground, as athletes with special needs will compete with their neurotypical peers, breaking barriers and building bridges across our community at this year’s Navasartian Track and Field competition. It should be noted that many of the program’s volunteers are the same age as the athletes they work with, a poignant distinction that offers all children the opportunity to elevate one another through building friendships and gaining a more profound understanding of the human spirit.

With the recent announcement that Hrashq athletes will be represented in the Pan-Homenetmen competition taking place in Armenia this July, it is clear the future is bright and indeed victorious for all of our athletes.

Homenetmen’s ultimate victory is making sure that all Hrashq athletes walk through life with a deep sense of confidence that comes from knowing they are seen, heard, valued, admired and most of all, loved.

For more information about Hrashq and Homenetmen’s many programs, please visit the Navasartian Games website or call (323) 344-4300.

Katy Simonian is a member of the 45th Navasartian Victory Ball Committee.




Biden’s NSA Chief Praises Yerevan-Baku Diplomatic Efforts

Chalian Meline
by Asbarez Staff

 

 June 7, 2022

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan


National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States is committed to peace, security, and prosperity in the South Caucasus region.

“Mr. Sullivan conveyed the commitment of the United States to peace, security, and prosperity in the South Caucasus region,” NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement. Sullivan reportedly made the remarks during meeting with Azerbaijan’s presidential advisor Hikmat Hajiyev.

“He praised the significant and historic diplomatic efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia toward a lasting peace.  Mr. Sullivan expressed support for talks hosted by President of the European Council Charles Michel.  He conveyed the readiness of the U.S. to engage closely and support progress through a variety of means, including in our capacity as a Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group,” Watson added in her statement.

On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy and discussed the latest meeting of a Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani commission to unblock transit between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Grigoryan represents Armenia in these talks and he met with his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts on Friday in Moscow. He told reporters Monday that approaches to opening transit routes were clarified during Friday’s meeting.

Grigoryan and Tracy also discussed issues related to U.S.-Armenia cooperation, the government press service reported.

Reportedly, the two also exchanged view on direction of police reforms in Armenia, including the tasks of a patrol service and the creation a proposed interior ministry in Armenia.

Asbarez: SAS Awards Graduate Research and Conference Grants to Armenian Studies Students

Alex Jidarian
 by Contributor

 

 June 7, 2022

 

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Society for Armenian Studies logo

The Society for Armenian Studies recently announced the recipients of its Spring 2022 Graduate Research and Conference Grants.

The three recipients are Atineh Movsesian, for her research exploring the role of women as patrons at the Gandzasar monastery; Ani Ohanian for her research on the collaboration between Bolsheviks and Kemalists in the South Caucasus region between 1917 and 1923; and Arev Papazian for her research examining the conflictual relationship between environmentalism and the labor and livelihoods of communities around Lake Sevan.

Each recipient received a $1,000 grant awarded by the Society. 

Movsesian’s research focuses on the immediate social context of the Gandzasar monastery, an important religious and cultural center in the Republic of Artsakh, by examining its construction and the impact made by women. She explores the role of Khorishah, patron and mother of Prince Hasan-Jalal Dawla, by studying her “literary depiction in the foundation inscription of the church” and “her depiction within the sculptural program on the church drum.”

Atineh Movsesian

In considering female patronage of the thirteenth century, Movsesian’s research follows and builds upon that of Antony Eastmond and Zaroui Pogossian, who have explored the role of noblewomen in shaping the visual culture of the medieval Caucasus. She is a current second-year graduate student in the department of History of Art and Architecture at Tufts University.

“This generous support will enable me to travel and present my research at the ‘Beyond Exceptionalism II’ conference at the John Rylands Library in Manchester, United Kingdom,” said Movsesian in regard to the grant’s impact on her research. “In these uncertain times, it is important to advocate for the endangered Armenian monuments. Therefore, I am thankful to the Society for Armenian Studies for granting me the opportunity to speak at this conference, which will also culminate in an edited volume,” she added.

Ani Ohanian’s research looks to address the collaboration between Bolsheviks and Kemalists in the South Caucasus region between 1917 and 1923. “Bolshevik ambivalence towards the Armenian people and Bolshevik ideology itself as inherently violent, led not only to cooperation with Turkish revolutionaries, but also to support of atrocities against Armenians,” she explained.

Ani Ohanian

Ohanian examines the separation of Artsakh from Armenian territory came due to Turkish pressure after the Bolshevik conquest of the South Caucasus. Additionally, her research looks towards proving how these relations and collaboration led to such decisions, created the grounds for future conflict and its relation to the recent developments in Artsakh.

Ohanian is a doctoral candidate in the department of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University. The grant will allow her to travel to Istanbul, Turkey and carry out her research project at the Social History Research Foundation of Turkey, where she will access Turkish Communist Party archives. “Despite my extensive time abroad, I have never had the opportunity to travel to Turkey and I thank SAS for assisting me, not only to access documents crucial for my dissertation project, but also to connect with Armenian history in a more profound way,” said Ohanian.

Arev Papazian carries out her ethnographic research on the conflictual relationship between environmentalism and the labor and livelihoods of communities, who contribute to and are negatively impacted by environmental change.

Arev Papazian

She utilizes participant observation, informal conversations, interviews, archival research in media and legal documents, and discourse analysis to understand the relationship between Armenia’s Lake Sevan and local communities by looking into “the dialectical relationship between the ecological change of the lake, the labor and livelihood of the fishing communities, the impact of environmentalism and capitalist relations, and the cultural production of environmentalism.”

Papazian is a doctoral candidate in the department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Central European University. “The fellowship will be a great support to me and an important motivation to move forward with my research and contribute to the efforts of expanding the field of Armenian studies by incorporating into it pressing themes in contemporary Armenia, such as environmentalism and labor,” said Papazian.

SAS President Bedross Der Matossian congratulated all three awardees: “We are proud to fund such excellent graduate students. The nature and the depth of their work demonstrates the multi-disciplinary aspect of Armenian Studies as a field of inquiry. I would like to encourage all those who are interested in the activities of SAS to help us financially so we can support such promising young scholars to achieve their goal.”

The Society of Armenian Studies is an international body, composed of scholars and students, whose aims are to promote the study of Armenian culture and society, including history, language, literature, and social, political, and economic questions; to facilitate the exchange of scholarly information pertaining to Armenian studies around the world; and to sponsor panels and conferences on Armenian studies.

The SAS Graduate Research and Conference Grants were made possible through the generous institutional support of the Armenian Studies Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies, University of California, Irvine; the Hovannisian Chair of Modern Armenian History, University of California, Los Angeles; the Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Chair of Armenian Art & Architecture, Tufts University; the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR); the Armenian Communities Department, Gulbenkian Foundation; the Armenian Studies Program, California State University, Fresno; the Institute of Armenian Studies, University of Southern California; AGBU Nubar Library, Paris, the The Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute.

For those interested in contributing to support the SAS Graduate Research and Conference Grant fund, please contact Prof. Bedross Der Matossian at [email protected].

AW: Scenic Southern Syunik

Vanyan Gary
June 7, 2022 Raffi Dadaian Travel, Culture 0

Meghri (Photo: Raffi Dadaian)

Between heaven and earth lies the majestic Mount Khustup, towering 10,500 feet and watchfully guarding the southernmost Armenian province of Syunik. 

Each corner of Armenia has its unique magical aura, bridging the timeless thousand-year-old ruins of fortresses and breathtaking churches to the local inhabitants on a backdrop of a vibrant landscape and colorful fruits. There is no doubt that visitors to the countryside have filled their lungs with air rich with stories dating back hundreds of years.

The province of Syunik is part of this enchanting landscape that has drawn me into its loving embrace over the past few years. The region’s awe-inspiring jagged peaks are only rivaled by the famous Mount Ararat. Most travelers venture to the German-designed city of Goris and the ninth century Tatev Monastery, but very few venture deeper into the mountainous expanse because of the intimidating winding roads and distance from the modern trappings of Yerevan. 

Meghri Monastery (Photo: Raffi Dadaian)

The route leading south is brutally rugged. One cannot help but imagine the proto-Armenians that first traversed these highlands like Otzi of the Italian Alps, seeking the perfect location to settle and build a mountainous refuge far from raiders and rival tribes. Off to the left and right of the meandering highway, villages can be spotted nestled in deep gorges and perched on the slopes of the Zangezur mountain range. Most are still self-reliant communities that grow their own produce, graze their own livestock and build their own houses one brick at a time. To a California mountain climber like myself, who prides himself on reaching remote valleys and summits in the Sierra Nevadas, Syunik’s skyscraper peaks feel like home. Having traveled through its massifs several times, I must admit there is nowhere else in Armenia quite like it. 

Since the 2020 Artsakh War, access into southern Syunik has become more difficult due to the hostile closure of the M2 highway connecting Goris to the provincial capital of Kapan. Movement to and from the city is now mainly along the newly-renovated, serpentine H45 road which is in rough condition and an arduous two-hour journey. The city of Kapan hugs the banks of the Voghji River with Mount Khustup in its backdrop. Soviet-era gray buildings dominate the cityscape which house much of the workforce for the largest mine in Armenia, the Kapan Copper-Molybdenum Combine. 

Halidzor Fortress is a recently renovated landmark sitting on a hilltop just outside the city limits of Kapan. It is an ancient complex turned into the headquarters of the legendary Armenian commander David Bek tasked to protect the region against an onslaught from the Ottoman Empire in the early 1700s. While many of Armenia’s old fortresses are in ruins, Halidzor is a stunning showcase of one that has been restored. The site of a historic battle where David Bek and his few hundred fighters fought off thousands of invading troops (The Armenian 300) makes this fortress a must see.  

Further south, the famous cascading waterfalls of Lichk village are rarely visited and never mentioned in any Armenia tourism guides. A local villager told us that during the Soviet era, tourists would visit Lichk for backcountry skiing expeditions. His accent was reminiscent of Western Armenian which soothed our ears as he shared raspberry picking techniques in his garden. The village’s surrounding region is designated as one of only a handful of PBAs (Prime Butterfly Area) in Armenia, home to dozens of unique species of butterflies. There are no hotels in the area. The town has a population of 161 with a single general store.

Lichk Waterfalls (Photo: Raffi Dadaian)

Straddling the northern bank of the Arax River demarcating the Iran-Armenia border is my favorite provincial town of Meghri. Originally named Karchavan in 906 AD by the Armenian King Smbat I of the Bagraduni Dynasty, the city was incorporated into the Kingdom of Syunik in 987 AD as Meghri (Honey Town). The city is home to the ruins of the 11th century Meghri Fortress and three beautiful churches dating back to the 16th-17th centuries. While the fortress is abandoned and dilapidated, the churches are well-maintained and adorned with detailed frescos reminiscent of Vank Monastery in Isfahan, Iran. Homes in the town are loosely packed, with lush gardens that produce every fruit known to grow in the Armenian highlands. When you mention “fig” in Armenia, people think of Meghri. In July, the fig trees are so full that the villagers welcome passersby to pick several so they are not wasted. Consider it a public service. 

A fig from Meghri (Photo: Raffi Dadaian)

All Armenians have heard of the Arax River—the legendary waterway that feeds the Eastern Armenian Highlands and constitutes modern-day Armenia’s western and southern borders. While the Arax is restricted on the Turkish side, on the Iranian side you can find yourself just 50 feet away from it. A Soviet-era fence still restricts direct access to the river, but the views are uninhibited from quite a few vantage points. The ultimate view is from Giorgi Babi’s cottage near the Meghri Train Station. The brown and barren mountains the Arax cuts through remind me of the Colorado River in the Southwest United States. It didn’t take long for us to play country music during our joy rides around town, enjoying the view of the wild horses running freely in the hills and feeling like cowboys in the Wild West. 

Arax River. Iran on left. Armenia on right. (Photo: Raffi Dadaian)

If you look at a map of Armenia as a human head, southern Syunik is the all-important neck—a pedestal on which the head is anchored with pride and confidence. A section of our motherland’s main artery—the North-South Highway—travels through Armenia’s heartland carrying much-needed resources and materials. On the back of this neck now stands the Turkish yataghan ready to strike. The Diaspora’s responsibility is to reinforce Syunik with tourism, investments and philanthropic endeavors. As the famed military commander and Prime Minister of the Republic of Mountainous Armenia Karekin Njdeh once said, “Anywhere without Syunik and Artsakh…without this strong geographic spine of Armenia, our holistic homeland cannot exist.”

  •  Bio
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Raffi Dadaian was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. After graduating Ferrahian High School, he attended UC Davis where he majored in Neurobiology while spending two years conducting HIV vaccine research at the California National Primate Research Center. Raffi founded a non-profit project that distributed over 20,000 oral hygiene kits during a three year period to rural children in Armenia, Artsakh and Georgia. He is now a 4th year dual-degree dental student in the DMD/MBA program at Temple University and a proud member of the Philadelphia ARF Chapter.


AW: Debunking Myths on the Road to a Sustainable Armenia

Badalian Vardan
June 7, 2022 Guest Contributor Announcements 0

FAIR LAWN, NJ—On Wednesday, June 8, at 6:00 p.m. ET, Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan—author of Post-Soviet Armenia: the New National Elite and the New National Narrative—will present the third Zoom discussion in the What’s Next series on the post-war Armenian reality. The previous discussions—which featured analysts Lilit Gevorgyan and Armen Kharazian and examined the 44-day catastrophe and its aftermath within a wider context of Russo-Armenian relations and shifting geopolitical currents across the South Caucasus—can be watched on YouTube. 

Dr. Ghaplanyan will be discussing: 

  • Armenian exceptionalism and the clash of rhetoric and policy from Ter-Petrosyan to Pashinyan, 
  • marginalization and empowerment of the Armenian citizen,
  • regime preservation and the subordination of national security, economic and social development, and a more productive relationship with the Diaspora, and
  • steps toward a more sustainable Armenia.

Participants should register online in advance to spend an evening in conversation with Ghaplanyan and explore the myths that administrations and their supporters have presented to the Armenian public in the homeland and diaspora in lieu of articulating a vision and working toward a sustainable and secure Armenia. 

Dr. Ghaplanyan was recently featured in Civilnet with the headline Azerbaijan’s grand strategy to ethnically cleanse Karabagh Armenians.

Dr. Ghaplanyan is a political scientist, climate negotiator and published author. She holds a doctorate in political science from the University of Cambridge. Her main areas of expertise are political leadership, states in transition, climate politics, environmental management, gender and gender in conflict as well as security studies. Her education includes a master’s degree in diplomatic studies from the Diplomatic Academy of London and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from the University of Malta. Dr. Ghaplanyan served as Deputy Minister of Environment for the Republic of Armenia between 2018 and 2020. She is the current senior advisor on climate change to the World Bank Group and teaches at the American University of Armenia. Dr. Ghaplanyan has worked in several international organizations and think tanks around the world including UNDP, Georgetown University, Eurasia Foundation and Chatham House.

The event is jointly sponsored by AGBU Ararat, AIWA NJ Chapter, Ararat-Eskijian Museum, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party-Ramgavars, Justice Armenia, Knights of Vartan-Bakradouny Lodge, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)—Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues and Saint Leon Armenian Church.




RFE/RL Armenian Report – 06/07/2022

Jirair Kafian 
                                        Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Armenian, Karabakh Oppositionists Meet In Yerevan
June 07, 2022
        • Astghik Bedevian
Armenia - Karabakh flags on empty seats of opposition lawmakers boycotting a 
session of the Armenian parliament, Yerevan, May 25, 2022.
Leaders of Armenia’s and Nagorno-Karabakh’s main opposition groups met late on 
Monday amid continuing anti-government protests in Yerevan sparked by Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian’s conciliatory policy towards Azerbaijan.
An Armenian opposition statement on the meeting said they discussed security 
challenges facing Armenia and Karabakh and agreed to strive to “expand” the 
opposition campaign in Yerevan.
“We agreed to jointly fight for an Armenian future for Artsakh and Armenia,” 
Davit Galstian, who leads one of the three opposition parties represented in the 
Karabakh parliament, said on Tuesday.
“This was the kind of a meeting which the Armenian authorities refuse to hold,” 
Galstian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “That is to say that there is no 
cooperation between the two parliaments and other state bodies.”
He said that Karabakh’s opposition forces are not staging “large-scale protests” 
in Stepanakert because the authorities there continue to reject any settlement 
that would restore Azerbaijani control over the territory. By contrast, he said, 
the Armenian government is reluctant to make clear that “Artsakh was, is and 
will remain Armenian.”
Pashinian declared on April 13 that the international community is pressing 
Armenia to “lower the bar on the question of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status” and 
recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He signaled Yerevan’s intention to 
make such concessions to Baku.
Armenian opposition leaders portrayed the statement as further proof that 
Pashinian has agreed to Azerbaijani control over Karabakh. The authorities in 
Stepanakert also deplored it. In a resolution, the Karabakh parliament demanded 
that the Armenian authorities “abandon their current disastrous position.”
Pashinian insisted afterwards that he will not cut any peace deals with 
Azerbaijan without consulting with the Karabakh leadership.
Armenian Opposition Blasts EU’s ‘Double Standards’
June 07, 2022
        • Robert Zargarian
Armenia - Opposition supporters demonstrate outside the EU Delegation in 
Yerevan, June 7, 2022.
Armenian opposition leaders accused the European Union on Tuesday of turning a 
blind eye to the excessive use of force by police against protesters demanding 
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s resignation.
They singled out the failure of the EU Delegation in Yerevan to condemn security 
forces for firing stun grenades during violent clashes with opposition 
supporters which broke out on Friday at a street intersection adjacent to the 
diplomatic mission.
Dozens of protesters and police officers were injured in the clashes. The two 
sides blamed each other for what was the worst violence since the country’s main 
opposition groups launched on May 1 a “civil disobedience” campaign aimed at 
ousting Pashinian.
Lawmakers representing those groups condemned the EU Delegation’s “silence” as 
they led several hundred opposition supporters demonstrating outside the 
delegation building. One of them, Aram Vartevanian, said the EU was far more 
concerned about police actions during the 2018 mass protests that brought 
Pashinian to power.
“But it is silent now,” Vartevanian told the crowd. “And with this silence it is 
encouraging the police brutality.”
“You must make a choice in Armenia,” another lawmaker, Anna Grigorian, said, 
appealing to the EU mission. “Do you support European values, democracy and the 
rule of law or Nikol’s rule?”
Armenia -- Andrea Wiktorin, head of the EU Delegation in Armenia, attends a 
seminar in Yerevan, March 6, 2020.
The head of the EU Delegation, Andrea Wiktorin, said last month that Armenian 
riot police should “follow rules” and not be allowed to “operate with impunity.”
Wiktorin also said: “There can be different perceptions of what peaceful 
gatherings are, and if there are provocations I would personally ask myself 
where does it end.”
The U.S. ambassador to Armenia, Lynne Tracy, also expressed concern over the use 
of force against protesters in Yerevan. Still, Tracy was condemned by the 
opposition after she effectively welcomed on May 18 the outcome of last year’s 
parliamentary elections won by Pashinian’s party.
Vartevanian was asked by journalists why the opposition does not voice similar 
criticism of Russia, which has not publicly commented on the Armenian 
authorities’ response to the protests. He argued that unlike the Western powers, 
Moscow does not portray Armenia as a democracy or claim to promote democratic 
reforms in the country.
Both Tracy and Wiktorin addressed on May 20 a “forum for democracy” in Yerevan 
attended by Pashinian and other senior government officials. Opposition 
representatives were not allowed to participate in the event.
Armenian Government Seeks Tighter Control Of Army Top Brass
June 07, 2022
        • Nane Sahakian
Armenia - Defense Minister Suren Papikian and General Kamo Kochunts, acting army 
chief of staff, hold a meeting in Yerevan, May 30, 2022.
Defense Minister Suren Papikian has indicated that the post of Armenia’s top 
military general will remain vacant until the government makes sure that its 
next holder is directly subordinate to him.
“We are going to have a new model whereby the chief of the [army’s] General 
Staff will be the first deputy minister of defense,” Papikian told Armenian 
Public Television in an interview aired late on Monday.
“The armed forces will deal only with the country’s defense and military 
training,” he said, adding that the General Staff will no longer be in charge of 
arms procurements and rear services.
The last chief of the General Staff, Artak Davtian, and six other senior 
generals were sacked in February through presidential decrees initiated by Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian.
The sackings came one year after Davtian’s predecessor, Onik Gasparian, and four 
dozen other high-ranking officers accused Pashinian’s government of incompetence 
and misrule and demanded its resignation. The unprecedented demand was welcomed 
by the Armenian opposition but condemned as a coup attempt by Pashinian.
Pashinian has still not handpicked a new army chief of staff. Opposition leaders 
regularly express concern at this fact, saying that it is having adverse effects 
on national security and defense.
Armenia - Armenian soldiers taking part in a military exercise are pictured 
against the backdrop of Mount Ararat, May 26, 2022.
Papikian again dismissed the opposition concerns, reiterating that the acting 
head of the General Staff, Kamo Kochunts, is in a position to properly lead the 
armed forces for now.
The minister made clear that the country’s next top general will be installed 
after the structural changes planned by the government are approved by the 
Armenian parliament. He did not specify when a relevant government bill will be 
submitted to the National Assembly.
Pashinian promised a major reform of the military shortly after Armenia’s defeat 
in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan. He has replaced three defense ministers since a 
Russian-brokered ceasefire stopped the six-week hostilities in November 2020.
Opposition forces blame Pashinian for the disastrous war that left at least 
3,800 Armenian soldiers dead. They also say that his administration is doing 
little to rebuild the armed forces.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Forget France: Armenia is the hub of winemaking history

Jagharian Tania
June 8 2022
By Jonny Walfisz  with AP  •  Updated: 08/06/2022 – 10:39

A new museum is delving into the history books of Armenia’s rich wine culture.

When you think of wine, there are always a few classic nations that spring to mind. Maybe it’s the lush valleys of France, the sumptuous vineyards of Italy, or a newer location like California or New Zealand.

But you’d be missing out on one of the oldest wine-making regions of the lot. With a history stretching back over 8,000 years, Armenia has wine-cred by the bottle-load.

Some of the earliest evidence for today’s winemaking industry has been found from pieces of broken pottery that were discovered in the South Caucasus region, where neighbouring country Georgia now is.

A new Armenian wine museum is jumping headfirst into wine’s long history, and showing its deep connection to the religion and culture of the region.

Just 30 kilometres from Armenian capital Yerevan is the heart of the country’s winemaking territory. The museum here is built deep into the surrounding basalt rock and as you go underground, you feel as if you’re entering a giant wine cellar.

There you can find fragments of a myth revolving around the tipple.

Around 800 BC, King Menua, the fifth king of the ancient Urartu region supposedly gifted vineyards to a woman he was besotted with named Tariri.

The ancient myth can be seen on a stone inscription in the museum.

“We passed through a mysterious tunnel and ended up in the 9th century BC in the Urartian Chamber,” says chief specialist Narine Melikyan.

“From here, you see how our King Menua gives vineyards, which he himself planted by an artificial canal, which he himself built, and now he gives these vineyards to this mysterious, beautiful woman, whose name is Tariri.”

Other ancient exhibits show how wine would accompany Armenians from cradle to grave.

A wine jug dated back to the 1st century BC was discovered by archaeologists to have the remains of a woman in it.

Upon further research, the jug – called a karas – was found to be an integral part of an ancient Armenian’s lifetime.

“When a person was born, there was a karas intended for him, during his lifetime, it was used to age wine. And after death, a person was buried in the karas, in the foetal position.”

Wine has long held connections with religion. Jesus’s first miracle after all, was converting water to wine, and the museum has centuries-old Armenian bibles to demonstrate that.

The museum also holds phallic-shaped stones, which were idols in ancient times. During rituals, ancient Armenians poured wine over the idols as a sacrifice to higher powers. 

In 2011, a 6,000-year-old Copper Age wine factory was discovered in southern Armenia. And the 8,000-year-old broken bits of pottery found to the north in Georgia are thought to be the earliest known evidence for the origins of today’s winemaking industry.

Watch the video at the link below
https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/06/08/forget-france-armenia-is-the-hub-of-winemaking-history 

COMMENT: Russia will not tolerate the EU’s new role in Nagorno-Karabakh peace process

Albert Nalbandian
June 8 2022


By Fuad Shahbazov June 8, 2022

The European Union has gradually assumed a key role in the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has undermined the Kremlin’s longstanding dominance in the region. Russia is now likely to redouble its efforts to demarcate the border between the two countries and establish new regional infrastructure, but it has little interest in a final peace settlement, which would weaken its influence.

On May 22, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia gathered in Brussels for a new round of discussions regarding a final peace agreement following the 44-day long war in 2020. The meeting was initiated by the EU, which has gradually assumed a key role in the negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh. The second meeting in Brussels, followed by an April meeting, scored positive results as leaders agreed to finalise the border demarcation.

Although both sides earlier agreed to establish a Joint Border Commission to delimit their mutual boundary line and to “establish a stable security situation” around the border until the end of April, delays occurred on Armenia’s end following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s official visit to Moscow on April 19, shortly after the Brussels meeting. In Moscow, Pashinyan discussed with President Vladimir Putin the importance of “implementation” of the 2020 November 9, 2021, January 11, and November 26 trilateral statements following the leaders’ meetings in Sochi and Moscow.

As for Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, shortly after the Brussels meeting, he held a phone conversation with Putin to discuss the Azerbaijan – Armenia normalisation process.

The frequent contact of both leaders with Putin ahead and after their negotiations in Brussels is not a new phenomenon, as Moscow cautiously monitors the EU’s enthusiastic efforts to take the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations away from its orbit. This should not come as a surprise, as Moscow secured a position for itself as a “security guarantor” with the 2020 November 9 ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The agreement established Russia as the primary stakeholder in the post-conflict period and enabled it to build a long-desired footprint in the region by deploying peacekeeping forces to the disputed Karabakh region.

However, Moscow’s efforts to achieve tangible results in border demarcation and the establishment of new regional transport infrastructure during the Sochi meeting on November 26 and the January 2022 Moscow meeting were unsuccessful.

The  EU therefore intervened in the process to push Baku and Yerevan into more intense negotiations, which sharply undermined the Kremlin’s position as a mediator. Given the EU’s vast economic resources, allocation of post-conflict financial aid to Baku and Yerevan respectively, and experience in conflict mediation, its emergence as a new negotiation platform for Azerbaijan and Armenia has diminished the negotiating position established by Russia.

However, although Russia has been distracted by the invasion of Ukraine since February 2022, it is unlikely to tolerate the EU’s efforts to monopolise the Nagorno-Karabakh peace negotiations. Already, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the EU’s initiatives as “shameless attempts of Brussels to appropriate the subject of the well-known Russian-Azerbaijani-Armenian agreement reached at the highest level”.

In order to strengthen its image as a mediator, Russia is now becoming more actively involved in the border demarcation process between Baku and Yerevan and has managed to schedule an official meeting of the joint commission in Moscow. Given its military footprint in the Karabakh region and its substantial security leverage over Armenia, Moscow will also be directly taking part in the possible opening of regional communication lines.

In contrast to Armenia – which sees the opening of regional communication lines with Azerbaijan as a potential threat to its sovereignty and national security – Russia is interested in establishing new ways of land connection within the region. Such a development would enhance its position politically and economically and give it more leverage over the regional states.

However, unlike the EU, Moscow is less interested in mediating a final peace between the two parties as it would require the withdrawal of the Russian peace forces from the Karabakh region. It is noteworthy that Russia’s peace contingent in Karabakh has frequently become a target for harsh criticism from Azerbaijan and Armenia, as the contingent has often seemed more interested in solidifying its presence in the region than in enforcing the peace. Such uncertainty enables Russia to manipulate the peace process of Karabakh and press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, – all of which  clearly showcased that Russia is trying to disparage the Brussels agreement on border demarcation. Russia is in effect warning the Europeans not to interfere in this issue, for which it has set up a trilateral Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan format since 2020.

Russia’s reaction may also be a result of the pragmatic approach of the ruling Armenian government to normalising ties with Azerbaijan. Yerevan’s engagement in normalisation talks has led to mass unrest in Yerevan, with radical opposition leader Ishkhan Saghatelyan announcing “we are launching a popular protest movement to force Pashinyan to resign”. According to Saghatelyan, “Nikol Pashinyan is a traitor and prepares to hand over the contested region to Azerbaijan”. Though the opposition held several protests in Yerevan, no significant success has been achieved so far.

The de-facto separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh has also joined the vocal criticism of Pashinyan over his negotiations with Azerbaijan and even proposes more radical solutions. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the so-called separatist regime David Babayan has warned that “without Karabakh, the geopolitical landscape of the Caucasus will significantly change”.

Sasun Barseghyan, the former leader of the Askeran region within Nagorno-Karabakh, has proposed holding a referendum on joining Russia in order to “avoid physical annihilation, to save the remains of the shattered Karabakh”. The same idea was reiterated by Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Russia Today, a Russian state propaganda media outlet. Given the status of Simonyan within the Russian propaganda network, her statement represents the _expression_ of a certain current of opinion in Moscow.

Another vocal promoter of such provocative ideas is Konstantin Zatulin, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, who proposed that the analogous “model” of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DPR) and “Lugansk People’s Republic” (LPR) in Ukraine could be applied to Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

Even though Moscow seeks to monopolise the Nagorno-Karabakh peace negotiations, it clearly understands that there are now two major platforms for negotiations – Moscow and Brussels. Russia cannot and is not able to isolate Azerbaijan and Armenia from holding contracts with the EU.

Russia and the EU want the demarcation of the borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia to be finalised soon, though Russia is not eager to mediate the final peace agreement and the region’s final status – this would make Russia’s further military presence in the region irrelevant. As for Azerbaijan, it will be manoeuvering between Moscow and Brussels to keep both formats alive and reach a final solution to this long conflict with Armenia.

Fuad Shahbazov is an independent policy analyst focusing on regional security issues in the South Caucasus. He tweets at @fuadshahbazov.


Armenian Defense Minister: ‘No danger’ of new war with Azerbaijan

Frangulian Shushan
June 8 2022



Interview with the Minister of Defense of Armenia

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, in an interview with Public Television, said that despite “certain tensions” on the border with Azerbaijan, he did not see the danger of a new war. The Minister confirmed that “incidents” happen, it happens that false information comes from Baku that the Armenian side has violated the ceasefire.

“However, as a rule, the armed forces of Armenia prevent the violation of the ceasefire regime by forcing the enemy to obey it. That is, if there is a shootout, then it does not happen on our initiative”, Suren Papikyan stressed.

He also talked about the expected reforms, including the transition to a professional army, the acquisition of modern weapons, although he did not say which one.

  • EU Special Representative on Karabakh negotiations: “EU is willing to help and move talks forward”
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The minister announced that the process of creating a professional army had already begun. According to him, in the near future the Ministry of Defense will come up with a large-scale legislative initiative.

The first step on this path, according to Papikyan, will be to change the quality, form and content of military educational institutions, the second – the transition of the army to a professional basis.

The minister stressed that those who criticize the situation in the army are well aware that it is impossible to change everything in one day. But the reforms are underway and will bring results.

In particular, active contract servicemen will soon have the opportunity to undergo certification, and conscripts will be offered to remain in the army – to switch to contract service.

“We will create social guarantees, opportunities for a serviceman to see his future in the army as a professional soldier. This should be the basis of our future army”, Papikyan said.

Cancellation of the meeting of the commission on delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was assessed differently by the parties to the conflict. Baku accused Yerevan of opting out, while Yerevan refuted it

The minister does not consider it a problem that the post of chief of the General Staff has been vacant for four months, although the opposition has been criticizing the government all this time, accusing the army of being deprived of its head.

Papikyan assures that the acting chief of the General Staff fully exercises these powers, and a new one will be appointed after structural changes in the ministry.

The Minister of Defense announced that a new model of government would be introduced, according to which the Chief of the General Staff would be the First Deputy Minister of Defense. And the General Staff of the Armed Forces will no longer be engaged in procurement and logistics, which is part of its functions under the current law.

“Purchase, maintenance, provision of equipment – all such issues will be dealt with by other departments. That is, starting with rear support, some functions will be removed from the servicemen. Many of these functions will be delegated to civilian services, as we have already done with the soldiers’ canteens”, he said.

These changes are provided for in the new legislative package, which has already been submitted to the government and will soon be submitted to parliament for approval.

Yet the minister acknowledged that the head of the General Staff has not yet been appointed, not only because structural changes are expected after the adoption of the new law, but also because it is necessary to “make the right decision.”

Political scientist Armen Grigoryan calls for urgent revision of Armenia’s foreign policy to replace the ongoing “pseudo-diversification” of the country’s foreign affairs

Papikyan said that in order to increase the defense capability, Armenia, of course, is replenishing its arsenal of weapons. However, the minister stressed that the government “does not intend to publicly announce the acquired weapons” and specify what exactly is being purchased.

He only stressed that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the Armenian army “is able to defend the sovereign territories of Armenia”.