NOW HAVE A LOOK AT THIS CRIMINAL
Lragir.am
25 Aug 06
Tigran Torosyan, speaker of the National Assembly disagreed in an
intervew several days ago that in the pre-election year the Republican
Party admitted a criminal contingent. Certainly, Tigran Torosyan is
right. Because the criminal contingent had joined the Republican
Party long before. The speaker of the National Assembly announced
that on speaking about the criminal it is necessary to specify names
and facts. Certain opposition parties and unions already have the
names that Tigran Torosyan wanted to see. They have the lists of the
criminals, and a scrutiny revealed that these lists overlap by almost
100 percent. The lists are not published yet, and are undergoing a
final revision, therefore for the time being almost all the forces
which initiated the lists abstain from publishing their lists and
their names first of all. But since Tigran Torosyan wanted names, they
agreed to give some names from the lists for the sake of the speaker
of the National Assembly. These names are familiar to Tigran Torosyan:
Serge Sargsyan, Hovik Abrahamyan, Galust Sahakyan, Ashot Aghababyan,
Levon Sargsyan, Gagik Beglaryan, Mher Sedrakyan, Arakel Movsisyan,
etc. It is notable that recently Galust Sahakyan has endorsed Paruir
Hairikyan’s anti-criminal statements, perhaps thinking that these
did not refer to him.

STARTING SCHOOL AT AGE 6 IS A TEST FOR THE SYSTEM
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 Aug 2006
The underlying problem of the academic year starting soon is the
introduction of 12-year school education. Children go to school
at the age of 6 and study for 12 years, that is they will go to
school a year earlier and leave school a year later. Extending
school education by a year will probably give rise to problems but
it will be 12 years later. Now the problem is the education of
the 6-year-old children. This was the main topic of the meeting
of the experienced teachers of the country with the minister of
education Kamo Atayan. There was another meeting with young teachers
earlier. These discussions are not on accepting or rejecting 12-year
education. The minister of education says it does not depend on our
wish: NKR is in the same education sphere with Armenia, it does not
have its own curriculum and textbooks. So NKR adopts the education
policies adopted by Armenia. What is complicated about children
aged 6 going to school? First of all, at this age children need
special care, therefore schools need to provide food and sleep. In
Soviet Karabakh an attempt was made at admitting children aged 6 to
school, at that time there were all the necessary conditions, and
the experiment was successful, whereas now only a few schools can
provide food and sleep. With regard to this problem Kamo Atayan said
no underlying steps were made except the contingent and the choice
of teachers who will be working with children aged 6. Ira Gabrielyan,
teacher at Stepanakert School # 2, assistant director of the school,
teacher at the National Institute of the Ministry of Education and
Science of Armenia, said she studied the qualification of teachers
at the schools of the republic and believes that they will pass this
test. There are over 30 teachers in the capital who can work with
6-year-old children, and they are ready to share their experience
with their colleagues but they need more visual aids at schools.
Naira Arstamyan, the director of the school of the village of Nerkin
Horatagh, Martakert said in their schools and the schools of the
adjacent villages children aged 6 at school is not a novelty,
the majority of children go to school before they become 7. The
minister of education and culture met the willingness of the teachers
to prepare a methodic guide for teachers of 6 year-old children and
distribute to schools. He also informed that soon the authors of the
books will visit Karabakh and hold trainings for teachers. Besides,
over the upcoming year a group of experienced teachers must visit
schools of the republic to give methodic aid to teachers.
SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
22-08-2006

ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVERED ANCIENT TOWN OF TIGRANAKERT
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 Aug 2006
Over the past few years the area lying 30 km from Martakert, NKR is
pointed to as the place of Tigranakert, one of the towns founded by
the Armenian King Tigran the Great (95-55 BC). After the excavations
in this area there are no doubts. An expedition of the Institute of
Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences and
Yerevan State University funded by Yerkir Union of NGOs dug a 30 m part
of the wall and part of the citadel, colored ceramic objects, fragments
of a flask and a bead. Tigranakert was surrounded by a 5 m-wide wall,
the stones are white, joined by dovetail, and even the knife would
not pass through these stones. After Artashat and Armavir no similar
buildings were discovered to the east of the Caspian Sea. Tigranakert
lasted until the 14th century, the invasions of Mongols. On the other
side of the wall houses were located. “There was a settlement, but it
could be a small village. It seemed that we would find little. On the
first day we chose two stones, dug, we found some things but nothing
of importance. We went on searching and on the very first day we found
out that the two stones were parallel. Then we discovered that the
side of the hill is covered with buildings,” says Hamlet Petrosyan,
senior researcher of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography
of Armenia. “They needed to put large stones on one another to have
an even fundament for the wall. If we restore it ideally, it will be
something like the terraced gardens of Babylon, because the stone used
here was white and in the ancient world marble was something ideal,
this was a white town, even the town of Aghdam which was founded much
later means “a white house,” says the archeologist. He says the town
used to have a drainage system. “We need to continue the excavations in
several parts to reconstruct the structure of the town. It should have
had a population of 50-60 thousand. Building such a town by slaves
would take 10 years,” says the archeologist Haik Hakobian, Yerevan
State University. By the initial findings of excavations this is the
town founded by King Tigran. The early Christian Armenian church,
which is on the other side of the mountain and dates back to the 4-5
centuries, and the khachkars show that the early Christian culture
began and lasted here until the 14 century. In the upcoming months
a booklet will be published with the pictures of objects discovered
during the excavations.
KARIN GRIGORIAN.
22-08-2006

OUR PROBLEM IS TO REVEAL SHORTCOMINGS
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 Aug 2006
On August 25 the NKR president signed the decree on setting up the
Committee on Ethics of Public Officials under the NKR president. The
chair Murad Petrossian assured in a news conference that the media
would regularly be informed about the activities of the committee. On
August 17, the members of the committee met with news reporters. The
first group of questions was on the activities of the committee and
its methods. In the beginning, Murad Petrossian stated that a number
of negative phenomena in our society (including corruption, misuse
of power, breaking laws) should be perceived as the everyday reality,
and we should try to help the society evaluate these phenomena duly.
According to him, this is not a purely local thing. This problem
persists in developed countries as well. Murad Petrossian believes
that one of the goals of the committee is to present corruption to the
society as it is. Murad Petrossian presented the objectives of the
committee, namely its members must make essential efforts to reveal
negative phenomena in different spheres. At the same time, they are
supposed to create a so-called bank of cadres. With regard to timing,
the chair of the committee said priorities would be outlined after
a survey in every sphere. Throughout this work contact between the
committee and the public will be sustained. For further actions,
Murad Petrossian said they would start with gathering information
on every sphere and every settlement. “These data will be classifies
and wait for their turn,” he said, adding that efforts will be made
in cases which will be extremely harmful for the public life. By a
preliminary plan, the committee will work with several educational
institutions. Then efforts will be made to battle breaking traffic
rules by people riding in their own cars, who are left unpunished. In
answer to the question whether the committee will be able to influence
the behavior of a non-conscientious official in one way or another, the
chair of the committee said their goal is to reveal negative phenomena
and to enable replacement of non-conscientious officials by more
qualified people. The rest is the problem of other agencies. During the
news conference the bylaws of the committee were discussed as well,
namely the staff of the committee is not limited. One needs to be
known “as an honest person and have the reference of at least three
of the members of the committee” to be included in the committee. The
news reporters were not allowed to take part in the second part of
the meeting, during which “definite cases were to be discussed,”
the chair of the committee said. He promised to inform the media
about the findings of the meeting within a month.
Norair Hovsepian.
22-08-2006

PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON 12-YEAR EDUCATION
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
23 Aug 2006
The NKR National Assembly will meet August 23 to vote to amendments on
adoption of 12-year secondary education to the law on education. The
Social Committee held parliamentary hearings and invited Hranush
Hakobian, chair of the Committee of Science, Education and Youth of RA
National Assembly, and Norair Ghukassian, the director of the National
Institute of Education of the RA Ministry of Education and Science,
as well as teachers from Artsakh, besides members of parliament and
government. Speaker Ashot Ghulian said the topic of the hearings is
thought to be a possible way of carrying out educational reforms. And
since the institutions, which are involved in the reforms, have
discussed it, the problem now is to sum up the opinions and standpoints
expressed so far. Ashot Ghulian did not give an evaluation, instead
he drew attention to the importance of the issue, since education
is a primary problem for the young republic where the intellectual
potential is a national value. The NKR minister of education Kamo
Atayan, the author of the bill, presented the amendments to the law on
education. In accordance with these amendments, children go to school
at the age of 6, secondary education lasts 12 years and is divided into
primary school (1-4 grades), middle school (5-9 grades) and high school
(10-12 grades). Hranush Hakobian said, “At any rate, we had to answer
a question: do we want to become enclosed here, not to have relations
with the world and remain alone with our system of education or build
an open society and become integrated with European organizations? I
think we have already answered this question in 1990-1991, consequently
we must be ready for reforms which lead us to Europe, at the same
time preserving what is national and what is traditional.” Hranush
Hakobian emphasized that as a result of the reform 20-30 8th
grade students will not be admitted to high school. Therefore,
it was decided to restore vocational colleges. “The law provides
for vocational classes where the children will learn crafts. There
will also be classes specializing in natural, humanitarian and other
sciences,” said Hranush Hakobian. Speaker Ashot Ghulian, summing
up the results of the hearings, said the impression is that we are
compelled to adopt the same system. “Nobody compels us, and we have
an alternative. In two days, we may reject the amendments to the law.
But is it worthwhile to waste another two years, especially that
we cannot solve our problems ourselves, publish textbooks, work out
curriculums, and have a separate system of education in Karabakh?” said
A. Ghulian. He said these are essential changes, not just adoption of a
12-year secondary education. He proposed meeting again in the middle
of the academic year and discuss the advantages of the reform. He
asked not to be conformists and not to accept this system as an
obligation. Member of Parliament R. Dadayan said the schools need
special furniture for children aged 5-6. Hranush Hakobian said last
year 12 thousand children aged 5 were taken to school last year in
Armenia, but the directors of schools did not have such concerns. MP
A. Sargissian, the leader of the parliamentary group ARF-Movement 88
said the reform will not be effective unless the problem of nursery
schools is solved. According to him, integration with the European
values is both a progressive step and a dangerous step as it leads to
alienation from national values. As for the concerns about necessary
conditions at schools, it was said that the “challenge” was made,
and it means that the government is attending to it.
SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
23-08-2006

FINAL RESULTS OF CENSUS
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
23 Aug 2006
On October 18 to 27, 2005 the first census on population was taken
in NKR. The NKR National Statistics Service published the final
results of the census.
Hence, the population of NKR totaled 137,737, 48.3 percent men and
51.7 percent women, including urban population 70,512 (47 percent
men, 53 percent women), rural population 67,225 (49.7 percent men
and 50.3 percent women). The number of the permanent population was
49,986 in Stepanakert, 16,979 in Askeran, 12,005 in Hadrut, 18,963
in Martakert, 23,157 in Martuni, 2,560 in Shahumyan, 4,324 in Shushi,
9763 in Kashatagh.
AA.
23-08-2006

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON EDUCATION
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 Aug 2006
On August 23, the National Assembly met to discuss the amendments
to the NKR Law on Education. Speaker Ashot Ghulian emphasized
the importance of ideas of members of the parliament and teachers
expressed during the August 21 parliamentary hearings, as well as the
explanations by the officials invited from the Republic of Armenia. The
minister of education, culture and sport Kamo Atayan emphasized the
necessity of introducing the 12-year school education and presented
the preparations. The conclusion of the Social Committee, which
was presented by Arpat Avanessian, chair was positive. Touching
upon the preparations, namely special furniture for 6-year-old
children, as well as training of teachers, Member of Parliament
Lyudmila Barseghian emphasized the importance of the problem and
therefore she said she would vote for the amendments. Member of
Parliament Gegham Baghdassarian said the parliamentary group ARF –
Movement 88 accepts the idea and essence of the new system but would
abstain from voting because they thought, “it would be preferable
if the adoption of the new system was not compulsory, but conscious,
and what is more important, after due preparations, what we failed to
do.” At the same time, he said, ” considering the importance of public
debates, we propose continuing these debates even after adopting the
new system.” The speaker said during the parliamentary hearings an
arrangement was made to resume the hearings by the end of this year
or in the middle of the academic year to discuss the difficulties,
preparations, as well as the advantages and disadvantages, which will
become clear later. As for the compulsory adoption, he said it is
impossible, because everyone is free to express their opinion. There
were no other opinions, and the bill was put to vote. The absolute
majority voted for the amendments. After the voting Speaker Ashot
Ghulian made two announcements, which referred to offering proposals
on the draft conclusion of the parliamentary hearings on the Karabakh
settlement in April and the upcoming debates on the draft of the NKR
Constitution. NKR National Assembly Press Secretary
AA. 25-08-2006

PRESS RELEASE Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Mariam Dilakian
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8201
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
For immediate release
COAF Holds Roundtable in Armavir to Review Work-in-Progress
The Governor and Other Representatives of Armavir District and the
Mayors of the Model Cluster Villages Reviewed the Progress of the
Integrated Rural Development Program
Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, August 25, 2006 ¾ Today the
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) held a roundtable in Armavir to
review the progress made to date in the implementation of the Model
Cluster activities. Launched in February 2006, COAF’s Integrated
Rural Development Program uses an innovative approach that places
emphasis on the critical needs of each community, especially the
children and youth. In a participatory process, the residents of the
Model Cluster ¾ Argina, Dalarik, Karakert, Lernagog, Myasnikyan and
Shenik ¾ have identified the most critical problems in their
respective villages, ranking the development priorities in an order
that benefits the highest number of beneficiaries and has the highest
impact on the revitalization of the community. Ongoing development
activities include economic, infrastructure, as well as health,
social, and educational programs.
Participating in the event from the Armavir District were the Mayors
of the Model Cluster villages, headed by Governor Albert Heroyan, and
accompanied by representatives of each Municipality Council Avagani,
and representatives of the elected Coordinating Committee of each
village. Making presentations on behalf of COAF were Garo Armen,
COAF founder and chairman of the board, Arpie Balian, Resident
Country Director, Ovsanna Yeghoyan, Program Manager for
Infrastructure and Economic Development, and Naira Gharakhanyan,
Program Manager for health, social and educational projects.
In his opening remarks, Governor Heroyan stressed the importance of
project ownership and responsibility. In turn, each mayor presented
the activities accomplished in their respective village since the
launch of the Model Cluster program in early 2006. The presentation
of the accomplishments of the precursor program, the Model Village project in Karakert, also included community
activities that aim at the preservation of the completed projects.
Speaking for COAF, Dr. Garo Armen emphasized the importance of
communication, both within a community or among the villages. Dr.
Arpie Balian elaborated on the three pillars that make COAF’s
Integrated Rural Development Program unique in its design:
Participation, Productivity, and Preservation (leading to
Prosperity). Subsequently, COAF’s Program Managers presented a
comprehensive report on the 2006 activities, especially highlighting
the activities carried out for the entire cluster. The round table
concluded with an open discussion, during which participants had the
opportunity to exchange ideas and propose innovative solutions to
common problems.
# # # # #
–Boundary_(ID_9z6x+UoVf5u5iqISD/4IEw)–

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian
NAASR 50th ANNIVERSARY GALA TO FEATURE
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY DR. GREGORY ADAMIAN
——
SYMPOSIUM ON “ARMENIAN-TURKISH DIALOGUE AND
THE DIRECTION OF ARMENIAN STUDIES”
  Dr. Gregory H. Adamian, Chancellor and President Emeritus
of Bentley College in Waltham, MA, will be the keynote speaker at the
NAASR Celebrates 50! Gala Banquet marking the 50th anniversary of the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research.  The
celebration will begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception on Saturday
evening, September 30, 2006, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge,
MA.  Dinner and an event-filled program will follow.  The evening
will also include a retrospective video, surprise announcements and
guests, and will conclude with music and dancing with the Leon
Janikian Ensemble.
An Extraordinary Career of Service
  Dr. Adamian is a Charter and Life Member of NAASR and a
member of its Board of Directors since 1956.  During more than two
decades as President of Bentley College, of which he has been called
its “second founder,” the school experienced dramatic academic,
financial, and physical growth.  His exceptional service to the
Armenian community was recognized by Karekin I, Catholicos of All
Armenians, when Adamian was awarded the St. Sahag and St. Mesrob
medal in 1998.  He is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Law
degree from Boston University.
  The NAASR Celebrates 50! program will also feature
remarks by Paul R. Ignatius, former Secretary of the Navy and
Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon B. Johnson and
former President of the Washington Post.  Ignatius, raised in the
Armenian-American community of Glendale, CA, recently traveled to his
ancestral lands as a member of the 2006 NAASR Armenian Heritage Tour.
Morning Symposium
  The NAASR celebratory events of September 30 will
commence with a morning symposium on “Armenian-Turkish Dialogue and
the Direction of Armenian Studies.”  The symposium will take place at
the Royal Sonesta Hotel from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
  Hardly any subject has occasioned as much discussion in
recent years as that of Armenian-Turkish dialogue and the prospect of
the opening up of Turkey to an honest assessment of 1915.  Some of
the implications for Turkey were discussed at the landmark conference
in Istanbul in September 2005.  What are the implications for the
direction of Armenian Studies?
Scholars Represent Diverse Fields
  The participants in the symposium are top scholars
representing a wide range of expertise within Armenian Studies and
related fields which stand to be affected by the evolving
Armenian-Turkish dialogue.  The participants are Dr. Taner Akcam,
Visiting Associate Professor of History, University of Minnesota;
Rachel Goshgarian, Ph.D candidate, Department of Near Eastern
Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; Dr. Richard G.
Hovannisian, Armenian Educational Foundation Professor of Modern
Armenian History, University of California, Los Angeles; Dr. Gerard
J. Libaridian, Alex Manoogian Professor of Modern Armenian History,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Dr. Christina Maranci, Associate
Professor of Art History, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.  Dr.
Kevork Bardakjian of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, will
serve as Panel Respondent.  Marc A. Mamigonian, NAASR’s Director of
Programs and Publications, will serve as moderator and NAASR Chairman
Emeritus Manoog S. Young will be the Honorary Chairman of the
Symposium.
  Following the presentations of the symposium panelists
there will be a period of discussion and the opportunity for the
audience to participate in the question-and-answer period.
  For more information about NAASR’s 50th anniversary
celebration or about NAASR and its programs for the furtherance of
Armenian studies, research, and publication please call 617-489-1610,
fax 617-484-1759, e-mail [email protected], or write to NAASR, 395 Concord
Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.
–Boundary_(ID_LXgazrM8MDkCRp/XsAESwg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
August 25, 2006
_______________________
Armenia, Alive
By Lori Yeghiayan
Before I visited this past June, Armenia seemed almost like a mythological
place to me: A place of the past with a glorious and tragic history, but one
that was now sadly, turned to dust. What an incredible experience it was to
visit there myself with the 10th annual Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) Young
Professionals Trip to Armenia and Karabagh to discover that it is real, not
just a memory, a lost land to mourn, but a living, breathing thing – a
beautiful land with, not only a rich history, but also a vibrant present and
a hopeful future. Visiting Armenia, I got the chance to feel the pulse of
the country that my grandparents and my ancestors called home, and it is a
pulse, I realized, that beats in all of us – Armenians and diasporan
Armenians alike.
Seventeen of us embarked on the journey that was, for most of us, our first
to trip to the homeland. The past and future collided early on during our
visit to Dzedzernagabert, the Armenian Genocide Memorial. The moment we
arrived on the grounds, the bus-ride merriment ended. We each took time to
take it in: the stark beauty of the two structures, the eternal flame at the
center of one. We laid down white carnations in memory of those that were
slaughtered – some of whom were our relatives. Standing in solemn
contemplation we fell silent, feeling it was the only way to honor the souls
of the dead that seemed to still be with us, perhaps even in the black birds
that circled overhead. The mournful Armenia, after all, is the Armenia we
have all grown up knowing.
But just at the right moment, our tour guide, Arto Vorperian, FAR Project
Director and sage, reminded us that while the Memorial was built to honor
the dead, it was also built in the spirit of hope. Two triangular peaks
reach high up into the sky – a symbol of Mt. Ararat and a tribute to what
was lost – but, also a hopeful, aspirational look toward Armenia’s future.
The FAR YP itinerary included many of the most significant historical and
cultural sites in the country: the pagan temple of Garni, the 13th century
monastery of Geghard, Matenadaran, the Holy City of Etchmiadizin, Khor Virap
and many others. But, what made the trip so unique and rewarding was the
opportunity to visit some of the humanitarian relief projects that FAR
operates. While the group greatly enjoyed the Yerevan nightlife, relished
the chance to swim in Lake Sevan and eagerly soaked up the beauty of the
countryside, it was the glimpses of the challenges the country faces that
moved us most.
We visited the FAR Children’s Center in Yerevan, which provides a temporary
home for children and teenagers who, for one reason or another, have ended
up living on the streets. I was particularly impressed with the facility’s
staff and the compassionate philosophy that motivates them to provide a
nurturing environment for young people whose parents are no longer around or
are unable to care for them. It was just one of the ways we got to see, up
close, the real consequences of a new nation struggling to transition from
the Soviet system to a market economy, without losing its humanity.
The group was humbled during our trip to Gyumri, Armenia’s 2nd largest city
and one that in many ways is still reeling from the 1988 earthquake that
killed 25,000 of its citizens and damaged so much of the city’s
infrastructure. With a high unemployment rate and a struggling economy, it
felt truly like a city where, to quote FAR Press Secretary Levon Lachikyan
who grew up there and served as our Gyumri tour guide, “the people are not
living, just existing.” We visited a soup kitchen for the elderly operated
by FAR just as lunch was beginning. It was difficult meeting the men and
women who had gathered there for a meal – most likely their only one of the
day. It was heart-breaking for me to meet a woman who was the same age as
my grandmother, eighty-six, but living in the harsh circumstances of Gyumri.
Yet, the spirit of the people remains intact. The FAR YP group toured the
new FAR IT Center in Gyumri. The IT Center is a place where promising
students from Gyumri can receive specialized training in all aspects of
Information Technology. The school is an innovative project, designed to
help create a skilled workforce with the hopes of attracting the high-tech
industry to the region. It was particularly inspiring to meet the students
at the Center, who seemed to appreciate the opportunity to study a subject
for which they are passionate, while creating a better life for themselves
and there families. It was also clear that the students were grateful to be
a part of efforts to improve life in Gyumri, especially since it may mean
not having to leave their beloved hometown to find employment.
One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for me was our two-day stay in
Karabagh. It was eye-opening to not only see the toll that the war with the
Azeris has taken on the region, but also the resilience and pride of the
people who have lived through a war for their independence. There is a
palpable feeling in Karabagh that every man, woman and child is a soldier,
ready to defend their land and their hard-won freedom.
The visit to Karabagh hit me on a gut-level and I understood something, not
just about being Armenian, but about being human. I discovered the deep
human desire to feel connected to place, to land and I learned that land is
almost like an extension of one’s own flesh. It is that personal. I also
understood that having our own land, as Armenians, our own country, is about
more than power and ownership. It is about the longing for home, for
freedom and the chance to choose our own destiny. And I can hardly think of
a more basic human desire than that. That is what it felt like to be in
Karabagh at this moment in history, in a place still defending its right to
exist-an independent republic, still fighting to remain free. How human.
How Armenian.
This one story brought it home for me: On our final day in Karabagh we
visited the historical city of Shushi, a key territory in the war with the
Azeris because of its strategic hill-top location. In fact, the capture of
Shushi by the Armenians was a turning point in the war. We visited a church
there where we met a young man preparing to be deaconized the following day.
The young man told the group the story of how, when he was a little boy, he
and his family hid in a closet to escape discovery and sure-death at the
hands of Azeri soldiers. They waited, trembling, knives in hand, ready to
kill or be killed until the soldiers left and the threat of slaughter left
with them. The family survived the ordeal and eventually left Shushi, but
remained in Karabagh. And, though there were many opportunities for the
family to re-locate to Europe or America, his grandfather was never swayed,
insisting that he was born in Karabagh and planned to be buried there. And
then one day his grandfather did pass away. He was out, tending the yard,
and they found him, still clutching fistfuls of soil in his hands.
Finally, I must tell you about one of the greatest unexpected joys of the
trip: What a feeling it was to dance Armenian dances in Armenia! The group
of us – all Armenian-Americans – had grown up dancing the shoorch bar at
camp, at weddings, at every Armenian banquet we’d ever been to since
childhood, but what a new meaning it took on to dance those dances in
Armenia. In fact, the live music we were treated to throughout the trip
reminded me how much music is a part of the culture’s landscape, an
inextricable part of the Armenian soul.
The trip left me feeling utterly full – full of admiration for Armenia’s
natural beauty and rich history, full of wonder at how the Armenians have
endured and persevered against the worst of odds and full of an appreciation
for the amazing moment in which we find ourselves: with a young, independent
country of our own. It is a country not only worth fighting for and
defending, but worth investing in to ensure it continues to live and thrive.
The FAR YP trip gave me more than a tour of Armenia. It brought the country
to life for me. I no longer view the land of my ancestors as a myth or a
memory. Instead, I feel that I have discovered my own Armenian heartbeat
and the handfuls of Armenian soil that I keep within me – that all Armenians
do, no matter what nation we call home.
ABOUT FAR
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development programs in
Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more than $265 million in
humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of projects including
emergency relief, construction, education, medical aid, and economic
development.
FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organization operating
there, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free, democratic,
prosperous, and culturally rich Armenia. It works towards a brighter future
by partnering with donors to make life a little better for our people. By
offering hope and more promising prospects in Armenia, Karabagh, and
Javakhk, FAR binds the Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the
globe.
For more information about FAR, its next Young Professionals Trip in June
2007, or to send donations, contact the Fund for Armenian Relief at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; web ; e-mail [email protected].
— 8/25/06
E-mail photos available upon request.
PHOTO CAPTION1: Lori Yeghiayan, who traveled to Armenia for the first time
on FAR’s Young Professionals Trip in June 2006, stopped to mark the occasion
when she entered the Lori Province.
PHOTO CAPTION2: The 2006 FAR Young Professionals Trip participants posed in
front of Mt. Ararat during their visit to Khor Virap.
PHOTO CAPTION3: Some of the 2006 FAR Young Professionals exchanged their
impressions of the Garni Temple as they admired the beautiful Armenian
landscape.
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