Armenian Directory & News – Page 201 – Armenian Business Directory & News

Asbarez: Fresno Kurabia Cookie Baking Workshop a ‘Sweet Success’

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Ara Felekian

by Contributor

March 30, 2026

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

FRESNO — On a quiet Saturday morning, the kitchen of St. Paul Armenian Church was transformed into a scene of nostalgia and flour-dusted determination as 42 women gathered for a masterclass in the art of the Armenian kurabia cookie. Sponsored by the Armenian Cultural Conservancy, the workshop is a part of a year-long celebration of the organization’s 10th Anniversary preserving the story of Armenians in the Central Valley.

Led by Julianne (Marashian) Burk of Jul’s Armenian Kitchen, the event centered on the melt-in-your-mouth kurabia recipe graciously shared by Armen Bacon. Julianne Burk, a Fresno native who returned home after decades on the East Coast and abroad, shared that her path to the perfect cookie was paved with persistence.

“What an amazing day,” said Armenian Cultural Conservancy Board member Mary Ekmalian. “Our heartfelt thanks to Julianne for sharing her expertise and to all those who helped make this a successful event. It is precisely these types of gatherings that fulfill our mission to preserve and celebrate our rich Western Armenian culture.”

Julianne describes the kurabia recipe as “a wild bird she was attempting to capture,” highlighting her philosophy to “try, try again and have fun in the process.” For Burk, the workshop was about more than just baking; it was about reclaiming the “missing editorials” of ancestral cooking that standard cookbooks often omit.

Following the demonstration, participants enjoyed a delicious lunch of lentil soup and freshly made kurabia, served on tables decorated with Julianne’s own vintage tablecloths and beautiful yellow lilies.Each attendee left with the kurabia recipe—complete with the chef’s detailed editorial notes—and the recipe for the afternoon’s soup.

The workshop concluded with a “mission accomplished” sentiment from the crowd, many of whom are already looking forward to the next session. For those looking to share their own culinary secrets or seeking a “different perspective” on Armenian home cooking, Burk remains a fixture in the Fresno community, balancing her recipe revival with her professional consulting practice.

“I’ll be here,” says Burk, “seeking those ancestral traditions, one lentil soup at a time.”

The Armenian Cultural Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the evidence of the Armenian experience in the Central Valley of California. They are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year with the opening of their Armenian Heritage Collections Gallery, as well as hosting multiple community cultural events throughout the year.

Jul’s Armenian Kitchen is a culinary project by Julianne (Marashian) Burk dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Central Valley Armenian home cooking. Through “recipe revivals” and storytelling, Burk explores the intersection of memory, tradition, and the Western Armenian diaspora.

https://asbarez.com/kurabia-cookie-baking-workshop-a-sweet-success-in-fresno/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ4RFBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeCRbcVKEWsuRe72jn9ZDOTHvsh8LZL5fAGlmVKGCtAdshOS0oCHhwM2w3hZo_aem_ZuAFzmmhQUMZZyCGdQSmEw

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CC: A glimpse into the Assyrian community of Armenia

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Dabaghian Diana

· MARCH 30, 2026

Lorenzo Riva

Armenian Weekly

Dimitrov, St. Kirill Assyrian Church, Ararat Province, Armenia. (Photo: Vahe Martirosyan)

Armenia is the most homogenous country in the post-Soviet world, with 98% of its citizens identified as ethnic Armenians. Nevertheless, other ethnic groups live in the country, including Russians, Kurds, Greeks, Jews, Ukrainians and Assyrians.

Assyrians are indigenous to Mesopotamia, where they have lived for thousands of years. Historically, they were settled mostly in areas that now form modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Assyrians speak Neo-Aramaic varieties and practice Christianity; however, they are divided among several churches, including the Ancient Church of the East, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Assyrian Evangelical Church and the Assyrian Pentecostal Church. The group has faced persecutions and massacres throughout its history, particularly under the Ottoman Empire — which carried out a genocide known as Sayfo — and by ISIS militants.

One of the few places where Assyrians have been able to live in relative peace is Armenia. Assyrians arrivedin the Caucasus during the 19th century, when the Russian Empire defeated the Persian Empire in two wars. At the time, most of present-day Armenia and Azerbaijan was part of the Caucasian khanates, semi-independent entities under the sovereignty of Persia’s Qajar dynasty. During the conflict, Assyrians living on Persian territory — mainly in Iranian Azerbaijan — assisted the Russian army and fought for St. Petersburg. As a result, Emperor Nicholas I viewed them as useful allies. After the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828, Russia allowed hundreds of Assyrian families to relocate from Iran to newly acquired territories. Most settled in the Armenian Oblast, later reorganized as the Yerevan Governorate.

Between the 19th and early 20th centuries, more Assyrian families — mainly from the Ottoman Empire — settled in Russian Transcaucasia after leaving their homelands. World War I brought a significant influx of refugees from Anatolia and Iran, as the Ottoman government — aided by some Kurdish tribal forces — carried out mass killings of Assyrians in what is known as the Assyrian genocide.

In 1886, there were 1,800 Assyrians in Armenia, but the number rose to 2,500 in 1914 and 3,280 in 1939. During the Soviet period, they lived in relative stability in the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, where their population reached 6,183, according to the 1989 census. However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union negatively affected the community. The newly independent Republic of Armenia faced severe social and economic difficulties, prompting high levels of emigration. As a result, thousands of Assyrians left the South Caucasus for Russia, Ukraine, North America and Western Europe in search of better opportunities.

The 2001 census recorded 3,409 Assyrians, a number that fell to 2,769 in the 2011 census. However, some observers have criticized these figures, saying they underestimate the community’s size. Critics argue that many Assyrians with Armenian surnames — particularly those from mixed families — were recorded as Armenians. Additionally, some Assyrians are highly assimilated and do not identify as such in census data. As a result, alternative estimates place the population between 7,000 and 10,000.

Today, the community is divided along religious lines. Under Tsarist rule, many were compelled to join the Russian Orthodox Church. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some Assyrians joined the Armenian Apostolic Church or the Assyrian Church of the East, while those in Dimitrov maintained affiliation with the Moscow Patriarchate. Neo-Aramaic is still spoken in Armenia, but its use is declining, particularly among younger generations. Many Assyrians attend Russian-speaking schools, where they also learn Armenian and Assyrian.

Relations between Assyrians and the Armenian majority are generally peaceful, and mixed marriages are common. This coexistence is likely supported by the community’s longstanding presence in Armenia, a shared Christian faith and a common historical memory of persecutions and genocides committed by the Turks. The minority also has formal representation under provisions introduced in 2015. It holds a reserved seat in Armenia’s National Assembly, providing a direct voice in the legislative process. This reflects Armenia’s legal framework for minority representation and offers an institutional channel to preserve cultural and linguistic identity.

Today, most Assyrians live in five locations: Verin Dvin, Dimitrov, Arzni, Nor Artagers and Yerevan. Verin Dvin remains the only Assyrian-majority village in Armenia and the place where Neo-Aramaic is widely spoken. Dimitrov, Arzni and Nor Artagers had Assyrian majorities before the 1990s, but emigration and demographic changes have significantly altered their composition. In these communities, Neo-Aramaic is at risk of disappearing. In Dimitrov, it is increasingly being replaced by Russian, while in Arzni and Nor Artagers Armenian dominates among younger generations. Several Assyrian families live in Yerevan, where preserving cultural heritage is more difficult.

In the long term, demographic decline, migration and language shift are likely to remain significant challenges, threatening the community’s survival. Much will depend on its ability to balance integration with the preservation of linguistic and cultural heritage, as well as state support for minority languages.

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Armenian Government Uncovers Large-Scale Import and Shadow Circulation of 113

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Karakhanian Suren

· MARCH 30, 2026

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Matenadaran Exhibition “Tracing the Paths of the Spiritual Map: Armenian Manu

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Hambik Zargarian

· MARCH 30, 2026

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Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan Awarded France’s Legion of Honor

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Antranik Varosian

· MARCH 30, 2026

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Azerbaijan suspends compliance with European Court decisions

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Hovhannisian John

· MARCH 30, 2026

Panarmenian.net

Azerbaijan has suspended cooperation on the implementation of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings, creating difficulties in the monitoring process, according to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers’ 2025 annual report assessing member states’ compliance.

The document notes that Azerbaijan last submitted data to the Committee on March 18, 2025. It records that after a positive trend in 2024, the number of unpaid compensation cases rose from 1,002 to 1,066 by the end of 2025, as reported by Factor.am .

In particular, the number of cases where payments were delayed by more than six months increased to 691, compared to 634 in 2024. At the same time, it was emphasized that most member states overall paid compensation on time. Ukraine and Azerbaijan were highlighted among the main countries with delays. While Ukraine’s issues are linked to the war, in Azerbaijan’s case, it was noted that the authorities halted cooperation with the Committee and stopped providing information in 2025.

In 2025, the Committee of Ministers received 75 cases against Azerbaijan for supervision of compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. The figure stood at 62 in 2024 and 84 in 2023.

The report stresses that the system can function effectively only with active state engagement, which was not ensured by all countries in 2025. Azerbaijan submitted information to the Committee only twice that year, with the last submission on March 18. After that, the country ceased cooperation on the execution of ECHR judgments. This situation has been assessed as a serious burden on the monitoring mechanism.

According to statistical data, 10 percent (397) of the cases under the Committee’s review concern Azerbaijan. By the end of 2025, data on compensation payments were expected in 169 cases, of which 112 were delayed by more than six months. The Committee’s decisions reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s obligations under Article 46 of the European Convention to fully, effectively, and promptly execute ECHR rulings. The Committee of Ministers called on the Azerbaijani authorities to restore high-level dialogue and expressed regret over the prolonged silence and lack of progress.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated in April 2024 that he might not recognize ECHR decisions, citing the country’s non-participation in the selection of judges.

In a January 2025 interview with Euronews, Azerbaijan’s president said the country had halted cooperation with PACE and the European Parliament, working only with the European Commission. Baku rejected international criticism on human rights as biased, while rights defenders report around 340 political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

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CC: Message on Forthcoming Genocide Awareness Month Project: “Ottoman Multicul

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Parkev Tvankchian

· MARCH 30, 2026

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168: The real “accomplishments” of CP: millions, padawats and lost homeland

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Arbi Tashjian

March: 30, 2026

Why are CP members afraid of the change of power?

The fear of losing power in the upcoming elections has panicked the CP members. They are afraid to end up where they were before 2018, they are afraid to lose their own achievements.

They fight to protect their own achievements, they don’t think about the people and the country.

Unlike an ordinary citizen, during these years the CP members have accumulated serious wealth and funds at the expense of the state. And when they say that we will not allow the opposition to trample our achievements, it should be understood that we are talking about our own achievements. CP members have no other achievements.

Their “achievement” is destroying Artsakh, losing 3 wars, putting thousands of Armenians to death, handing over the territories of Armenia, giving a corridor to the spits through Armenia, denying the genocide and creating the conditions to bring the Turks to Armenia.

Even the “peace” brought by them is false and fabricated.

Instead, everything they achieved after seizing the power is a real achievement for CP members. They came to power with empty pockets, homeless, now they all earn millions, instead of one, they became the owners of several apartments, real estate and expensive cars, they live in luxury, they use expensive shops and restaurants, holiday homes and hotels, they enjoy the benefits of the government, ignoring the social problems of the people. By losing power, they fear losing their wealth. That is why they are fighting, not fighting to protect the non-existent achievements of the people.

Do you think it is easy to part with such high salaries and bonuses? They had never seen money in their lives, now they earn a lot of money at the expense of the state. They are not satisfied with hundreds and thousands, they have gone to millions. They reward themselves with millions.

Being deprived of power means being deprived of those millions, state patronage, using state levers for their own benefit, luxurious offices, secretaries and attendants, traveling abroad and entertainment at the expense of the state. Many other things. That is why they are fighting.

Do you think they think about the people, the country? They are worried about themselves.

They fight in a short time to protect the property acquired by known and unknown means. In a few years, everyone bought an apartment like one person, sometimes more than one, became the owner of a private house and now they close a mortgage at the expense of the state. Can you imagine what will happen when they lose the seats of power and the high salaries, bonuses, bonuses, and incentives received from the state? Which one would you say?

We are not even talking about invisible means. Previously, they had no money for coffee, after coming to power, many people suddenly started receiving millions in donations. Why did they not receive such donations before, they started receiving them after coming to power? The money they get is donated to them in the name of others, as if the people do not understand what is happening.

Before, they didn’t “spend” anything, they suddenly became successful businessmen with relatives and friends, they play with big money.

They could not imagine in their dreams that they could ever get such a position, opportunity, wealth and funds. Now, when all of that is in danger, they have mixed with each other, they are fighting, they are threatening the opposition with criminal cases, they are threatening them with prisons, they are detaining people on fabricated charges. They do it for themselves, they do it to keep the power occupied, they do it to finish their destructive plans, not for the people.

What achievement did the people see that they want to protect?

If they were thinking about the people, they would have done something for the people for so many years. They became rich, the ordinary citizen remained in the same poor and vulnerable, socially unprotected state.

What is the achievement of an ordinary citizen that they want to protect? They put such a financial burden on the ordinary citizen that he cannot get out from under it. On the one hand, they are suffocating with taxes, on the other hand, with widespread price increases. The taxes were raised, the duties were raised, the victims were increased, and the citizen was made a “material of fine”. The property tax, garbage collection fees, the price of transportation, thousands of other payments have been increased several times and the burden has been placed on the citizen.

Perhaps they want to protect these “achievements” of the people? Or do they want to impose more taxes on citizens, eliminate more debts, so that they can reward themselves more and get richer?

What is the achievement of the people that they want to protect: the loss of Artsakh, the occupation of Armenian territories by Azerbaijan, or the peace that never happened, under which Armenia is under the threat of Turkification?

What is the achievement of the people, the fact that almost 22 percent of the population is poor, and the income of 40 percent is below the upper poverty line?

Or is it the fact that in 8 years, poverty in Armenia has hardly decreased, but the CP members and their surroundings have become rich dramatically, have changed their lives and livelihoods?

What has the people achieved that they want to protect by remaining in power?

The achievement of the people will be to leave the government as soon as possible. Otherwise, only the losses will be added to the non-existent achievements of the people.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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He specially came to the church in the center of the capital, knowing very well what was present there

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

March: 30, 2026

What is the purpose of the uninvited guest? Vahe Hovhannisyan, a member of the “Alternative projects” group, wrote about this.

“Yesterday’s incident needs a deeper discussion. This fits into the government’s “every day something uglier” tactic. People came in large numbers for the festive liturgy, a very lovely church holiday. They had not planned anything other than liturgy, prayer, communion that day. And suddenly someone comes in who has been insulting their spiritual values and sanctities for a long time. Obviously, there had to be an emotional reaction, uncontrollable emotions. The one who mocks and insults the Catholicos of All Armenians together with his ruling group.

For the people present at the liturgy in the church, the Blessed Sacrament is sacred. Someone is coming who has arrested high-ranking clerics, who are important authorities for these people, on trumped-up charges. He specially came to the church in the center of the capital, knowing very well how the believers present there treat him. He came specifically to provoke the people who had just come to the liturgy with his presence. Has he come to harm people? Has he come to spoil the holiday? Has he come to poison the atmosphere once again?

When he and his “few” make fun of the main actors of the opposition, he surely knows, doesn’t he, that they have a very large electorate and they are authorities for hundreds of thousands of citizens. He knows that he directly offends those hundreds of thousands. After that, what kind of reaction does he expect? With the same logic, after rudely insulting the leaders of the opposition, he can get up and go to their rally or congress, allegedly to participate peacefully. We should be ready for this too. There should be a unified position on how to treat an uninvited guest.

It is not possible to publicly insult members of a family and go to their family event. What is the purpose, after all? Provocation? Should he spoil all the holidays and rituals? Should there be joy only in his bus? “Happy bus” wording, as sarcastic, may be good, received, but it turns into “ugly bus”, which is very dangerous,” he wrote.

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The new dashi formed by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 Chakhmakhchian Vatche

March: 30, 2026

Jerusalem Times. The new alliance formed by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia represents a population of 500 million.

The coming together of nuclear-armed Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil suppliers, Egypt, which controls the Suez Canal, and Turkey, a NATO member with an advanced defense industry, has the potential to change the Middle East, with implications for Israel.

“Turkey today” news channel

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