CINEMATOGRAPHY IS A WONDERFUL MEAN TO START DIALOGUE AMONG PEOPLES OF CONFLICTING COUNTRIES, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF “GOLDEN APRICOT” SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 07 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Directors Across
Borders” two-day working seminar will be held on July 12-13, during
the days of the “Golden Apricot” (Voske Tsiran) 3rd international
film festival. World famous film directors, film makers, film
critics, representatives of international funds from the region,
CIS and European countries will participate in the seminar. Susanna
Haroutiunian, the Artistic Director of the festival stated about it
at the June 7 press-conference.
According to her, during the seminar days, participants of the
“Directors Across Borders” program will present their observations
and programs on regional cooperation, including implementation of
joint film production and programs on cinematography. The foudation
meeting of the “Directors Across Borders” international organization
will take place during the days of the festival, the staff of the
Board of Trustees of the organization will be affirmed.
Besides, a special program of “Directors Across Borders” films will be
shown during the “Golden Apricot-2006” festival days. 20 films from
20 countries are involved in the program, among them Azeri director
Ayas Salayev’s “Near Distant Village” as well as a film dedicated to
bordering villages shot by Armenian and Azeri two directors.
According to S.Haroutiunian, this program is of global meaning
as ethnic conflicts exist not only in this region but in Israel,
Palestine, Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, etc. Cinematography is a wonderful
mean to start a dialogue between peoples of conflicting sides, that’s
why, as S.Haroutiunian emphasized, the program was warmly received
and sponsored by the European Cultural Parliament.
The “Directors Across Borders” program was started during the days
of the “Golden Apricot” 2nd international film festival. The primary
task of the program is to reveal general problems characteristical
for the region and particularly for South Caucasian countries of
transit period, to support development of dialogue in the region
with the help of cinema. As a result of activity of the year a net
of cinematographers of the region was formed in which more than 50
members of 12 countries are involved.

THIS YEAR GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES ABOUT 120 THOUSAND USD FOR GOLDEN APRICOT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 07 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The Golden Apricot
(Voske Tsiran) international film festival has already become the
component of the Armenian culture. It is not important at all who is
the festival’s founder, the state or an individual. The only thing
which is important is that the festival exists and moves forward
with proud steps,” Karine Khodikian, RA Deputy Minister of Culture
and Youth Affairs, declared at the June 7 press conference.
According to her, RA government and Ministry of Culture estimate and
attach importance to this festival exending year by year.
According to K.Khodikian, in this circumstance the state is only a
financial partner. “The best assistance of the Ministry of Culture
is financial, the amount of which increases year by year.” The Deputy
Minister informed that in the first year the state had allocated only
3 mln drams for the festival, in the second year it became 25 mln
and in 2006 doubled and became 50 mln drams (about 118 thousand USD).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS WON FIRST PLACE AT WOLRD CHESS OLYMPIAD AWARDED MOVSES KHORENATSI MEDAL
Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. By President of Armenia Robert
Kocharian’s decree, international grand masters Levon Aronian,
Karen Asrian, Smbat Lputian, Vladimir Hakobian, Artashes Minasian,
Tigran Nalbandian, Arshak Petrosian and Gabriel Sargsian were awarded
Movses Khorenatsi medal. According to the message submitted to Noyan
Tapan by the RA President’s Press Office, the above-mentioned grand
masters were awarded for the significant contribution in the affair
of development of chess in the Republic of Armenia as well as for
winning the 1st place in the World Chess Olympiad.
Giving this high state award to the Armenian men’s team members won
the golden medal and olympic cup of the 37th World Chess Olympiad,
Robert Kocharian mentioned that whole Armenia watched the Armenian
chess players’ game and, according to the President, “it is a victory
that really inspired all the Armenians during these days.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRIMATE OF EASTERN DIOCESE OF AMERICA CONSECRATES SURB KARAPET CHURCH OF BATON ROUGE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Tapan
Jun 07 2006
NEW YORK, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. May 13 and 14 were
historic days for Armenian believers of the city of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, U.S. and its surroundings: Surb Karapet Church opened its
doors in front of them.
Archbishop Khazhak Parsamian, the primate of the Eastern Diocese
of America of the Armenian Apostolic Church, accompanied by senior
priest Nerses Jebejian, the spiritual pastor of the church, monk
Aren Jebejian, the spiritual pastor of the Chicago Saint Gregory the
Illuminator Church and Supreme Archimandrite Ararat Galtakchian from
Canada fulfilled the opening ceremony of the Surb Karapet church and
entered the church with the official procession. Then His Holliness
primate implemented consecrating of the christening font. A reception
took place after the ceremony in the hall near the church.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Services of the Eastern
Diocese Primacy, on the same day, May 14, His Holiness Khazhak
consectrated the Surb Karapet church, celebrated the Surb Liturgy
and preached. Monks of the church sang during the ceremonies,
choir-master Khoren Meikhanejian was specially invited from New York
on that occasion.
60 Armenian families live particularly in the state of Louisiana who
are mainly from Syria and Lebanon. The community parish was founded
in 1980. The parish was formed during years by efforts and untiring
work of parishioners.
The main benefactor, godfather and parish council head of the church
is Vazgen Galtakchian.

ARMENIAN FESTIVAL ORGANIZED IN U.S. CITY OF ALEXANDRIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 07 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The 14th Armenian
festival took place on June 3 in the city of Alexandria, state of
Virginia, U.S.
The festival was organized by the commission for Alexandria-Gyumri
sister cities and the Alexandria Mayor’s Office, with the assistance
of the RA Embassy to U.S.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, Armenian music was performed during the
festival with participants of many thousands and the Armenian dancing
art was presented as well as Armenian national dishes were served.
According to the decision made by the Alexandria Mayor’s Office,
June 3 of the current year is announced the Day of Armenia.

AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO AUSTRIA VISITS STATE OF VORARLBERG
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 07 2006
VIENNA, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ashot Hovakimian, the RA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria
paid an official visit to Vorarlberg, Austria, from May 31 to June 1.
The RA Ambassador had official meetings with Governor Herbert
Sausgruber and Vorarlberg Parliament Chairman Gebhard Halder (the
latters represent the “People’s Party of Austria” headed by Austrian
Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schlussel).
Problems of securing continuation of the Armenia-Vorarlberg cooperation
and its development, particularly in the direction of commercial and
economic cooperation, mutual stimulation of tourism, deepening of
mutual cognition by organizing cultural events were discussed at the
May 31 conversation with Vorarlberg Governor Herbert Sausgruber. An
agreement was reached to organize Austrian and Armenian painters’
exhibitions, concert and sports events in Vorarlberg and marzes
of Armenia and to continue in future stimulating cooperation in the
health care sphere, particularly continuing the program of re-training
Armenian specialists in the Feldkirch Hospital.
Ambassador Hovakimian had a meeting on the same day with Nikolaus
Schwerzler, the 1996-2000 Chairman of the Ombudsmen’s European
Institute, an Executive Council member of the same institution at
present, who is the Chairman of the Vorarlberg Eastern Company as
well. The mentioned company was formerly engaged in cultural ties
with republics of the Soviet Union and had active relations with the
Armenian “AOKS.”
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, long-lasting programs of cooperation with
Vorarlberg Eastern Company were discussed, particularly agreements
were reached on issues of pupils’ exchange, organization of concerts,
exhibitions in Vorarlberg and Armenia, inviting Armenian sportsmen,
school age football players in the Bregenz annual sports competition,
etc.

PEACE CORPS MARKS 45 YEARS
By Greg Cima
[email protected]
Bloomington Pantagraph, IL
June 8 2006
Jeremy Richart felt out of place as he looked out a hotel window
onto the landscape made almost entirely of concrete, wrought iron and
other metal. But the residents of that Armenian neighborhood welcomed
Richart and integrated him into their culture.
“I had to rely upon the kindness of my neighbors and host family
to just open up their door and just go, ‘We don’t know who you are;
you just got shipped to us, but we’re going to make you part of our
family,” he said.
Richart, now working toward a graduate degree at Illinois State
University, is one of about 182,000 people who have volunteered with
Peace Corps during its 45-year existence. He spent two years as a
volunteer in Armenia starting in 2002, and spent another teaching
there at a private school.
Melissa Marion, a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based
organization, said the corps’ mission and goals remain almost untouched
since 1961. The program has a 30-year high of 7,810 current volunteers.
“Americans like to give, and we’re a very idealistic society, I think,
in that sense,” Marion said. “And I think that that has always remained
a part of fulfilling American dream.”
At ISU’s Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development,
graduate students earn degrees by mixing coursework and Peace Corps
volunteer work.
Faculty director Frank Beck said the program focuses on economic
and community development, and offers degrees in political science,
economics and sociology.
The Peace Corps’ first focus has always been on education, Marion
said, though volunteers now focus partly on HIV and AIDS and business
development. Other efforts include improvements for the environment
and agriculture and youth development.
Mike Kelleher, who directed the Stevenson Center for its first
eight years, was a Peace Corps volunteer with a community health
and development project in Sierra Leone when Peace Corps marked its
25th anniversary.
“As a high school student, I was very taken by the Peace Corps slogan
‘The toughest job you’ll ever love,’ and it was the reason I joined
as soon as I was eligible,” Kelleher said in an email from Tbilisi,
Georgia, where he is resident director for the National Democratic
Institute for International Affairs. “I haven’t found a better
description for my experience.”
ISU began its ties with the Peace Corps in 1994 with the Peace Corps
Fellows Program, an idea of now-retired professor Bob Hunt, Kelleher
said. The university created the Stevenson Center when the program
expanded to include the Masters International Program.
“I don’t ever recall talking to a returned Peace Corps volunteer who
didn’t believe that Peace Corps changed their life,” Kelleher said.
“It up-ends your assumptions about the world we live in and challenges
many to make a positive contribution to change in their communities
and their work.”
Ralph and Louise Bellas of Normal spent two years in the Fiji Islands
as volunteers starting in 1986, staying through two military coups
in 1987, Ralph Bellas said.
Both had retired from other jobs before signing up, and had one son
already volunteering with the Peace Corps, he said.
Bellas taught English and literature at the University of the South
Pacific. His wife was assigned to the Fiji School of Nursing.
Bellas said Fiji residents opened their homes and hearts to those
trying learn about their culture without being judgmental.
He and Louise went through a ceremony to become village members,
and returned to Fiji years after their volunteer work.
“Whenever you go back, you’ll be regarded as one of the villagers,”
Bellas said.
Richart worked with an organization involved in after-school programs
for children, and helped gain grants that paid for the town’s first
playground and for a furnace in the organization’s building, he said.
He has returned twice to Armenia.
“The individuals there were just amazing in accepting me and showing
me their culture and integrating me into the culture as much as they
possibly could,” Richart said.
The sense of community and openness has made him more conscious of how
he interacts with others and has helped him try new things, he said.
Kelleher said the Peace Corps is extraordinarily well-received and
remembered in by residents of the small towns and villages it serves.
It is “one of the best foreign policy investments that Americans
have made.
“And it continues to pay off in goodwill towards our nation and more
active connections to other nations of the world.”
What it is
The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then-Sen.
John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan
to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working
in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the
federal government devoted to world peace and friendship.
SOURCE:
Peace Corps
Officially established: March 1, 1961
Total number of volunteers and trainees to date: 182,000
Total number of countries served: 138
Current number of volunteers and trainees: 7,810
Gender: 58 percent female, 42 percent male
Marital status: 91 percent single, 9 percent married
People of color: 16 percent of volunteers
Age: 28 (average), 25 (median)
Volunteers over age 50: 6 percent (oldest is 79)
Education: 96 percent, undergraduate degree; 13 percent, graduate
studies or degrees
Countries served: 69 posts serving 75 countries.
SOURCE:

WHY CITIZENS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BEAR ARMS
>From the desk of Sean Gabb on Wed, 2006-06-07 22:57
Brussels Journal, Belgium
June 8 2006
The current debate on armed crime is depressingly predictable.
Everyone agrees something must be done. Just about everyone agrees this
something must include laws against the sale or carrying or simple
possession of weapons. More controls on weapons, the argument goes,
the fewer weapons on the street: therefore lower levels of armed crime.
Now, this whole line of thinking is nonsense. Many European nations
have strict controls on the carrying of weapons. They also have high
levels of armed crime. Indeed, we are reaching the point where we
shall need to show proof of identity before buying knives and forks.
If we want to do something about armed crime that has any chance of
working, we need to rethink our entire approach. I would suggest that,
instead of trying to remove weapons from society, the authorities
should allow us to keep weapons for defence and to use them for
defence.
I am not talking about the right to carry baseball bats or pepper
sprays, or even various kinds of knife. These have their uses for
defence – but not against a determined criminal who may be younger and
faster and more experienced in close fighting. I am talking about the
right to arm ourselves with guns – and to use these where necessary
to protect our lives and property.
This is not a new approach. It is, rather, a return to the old policy
of countries such as Britain. Until the end of the 19th century,
anyone in Britain could walk into a gun shop and, without showing
any licence or any form of identification, buy as many guns and as
much ammunition as he wanted, and could carry loaded guns in public,
and could use these for selfdefence. The law not only allowed this, but
even expected it. We were encouraged to take primary responsibility for
our own protection. The function of the police was simply to assist.
We should go back to this old approach. We should go back because it
is a question of fundamental human rights. The right to keep and bear
arms for defence is as fundamental as the rights to freedom of speech
and association. Anyone who is denied this right – to keep and bear
arms – is to some extent enslaved. That person has lost control over
his life. He is dependent on the State for protection.
The default reaction to this argument is to cry out in horror and ask
if I want a society where every criminal has a gun, and where every
domestic argument ends in a gun battle? The short answer is no. The
longer answer is to say that more guns do not inevitably mean more
killings. There is no evidence that they do. What passes for evidence
is little more than an excuse for not trusting ordinary people with
control over their own lives.
Take armed crime, both professional and domestic. Britain had no
gun controls before 1920, and very low rates of armed crime. Today,
Switzerland has few controls, and little armed crime. Those parts of
the US where guns are most common are generally the least dangerous.
There is no necessary correlation between guns and armed crime.
Focusing on professional crime, gun control is plainly a waste of
effort. Criminals will always get hold of guns if they want them. At
most, it needs a knowledge of the right pubs to visit. Plainly, the
maniacs who carried out the recent drive-by shooting in Manchester do
not seem to have read the Firearms Acts 1920-97. They do not seem to
have noticed that most guns are forbidden, and that the few that are
allowed must be licensed. All control really does is to disarm the
honest public, and let the armed criminals roam through them like a
fox through chickens.
Indeed, free ownership of guns may often reduce armed crime. The
current round of official gungrabbing began after the Hungerford
massacre back in August 1987. But the wrong lesson was learned then.
Just consider what might have happened had someone else beside
Michael Ryan been carrying a gun in Hungerford High Street. He might
have been cut down before firing more than a few shots. As it is,
he killed nearly 20 people before armed police could be brought in
to stop the shootings.
Think of the burglaries, rapes and other crimes that might never
happen if the victims were armed, and therefore able to deal with
their aggressors on equal terms. Anyone can learn to fire a gun. And
nothing beats a bullet. As the old saying goes: “God made men equal,
and Smith and Wesson make damn sure it stays that way.”
But let us move away from armed burglars and rapists and the occasional
lone psychopath. We need guns to protect us from the State. So far
from protecting us, the State is the main aggressor. A low estimate
puts the number of civilians murdered by states this century at 56
million – and millions of these were children. In all cases, genocide
was preceded by gun control. How far would the Holocaust have got if
the Jews in Nazi Germany had been able to shoot back? How about the
Armenians? The Kulaks? The Chinese bourgeoisie?
The Bosnians? In all previous societies, guns and freedom have gone
together. I doubt if our own is any different.
I conclude with our own society. Our authorities have so far done
nothing to disarm violent criminals. There is nothing they can do in
the future to disarm them. This being so, can you seriously agree with
the argument that you should be disarmed, and therefore powerless to
defend yourself and your loved ones against the armed street trash
who are beginning to turn this country upside down?
Laugh at me. Call me mad. Call me evil. But just remember me when you
or your loved ones are being raped, or mugged, or dragged off never
to be seen again.
Dr Sean Gabb is the Director of the Libertarian Alliance. It exists
to put the radical case for freedom in social, economic and political
matters. Its web address is This article was
first published on 7 June 2006 in The Birmingham Post.

4TH SPORTS FESTIVAL OF THE HANDICAPPED TO START IN ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
08.06.2006 10:18
June 8-June11 the National Para-Olympic Committee of Armenia will
hold the 4th republican sports festival of the handicapped.

JACQUES CHIRAC PLANNING TO VISIT ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
08.06.2006 10:42
The President of France Jacques Chirac plans to visit Armenia, Press
Service of the Elisee Palace told “Arminfo.” According to the source,
no official confirmation about the President’s visit has been received
so far, therefor the exact date and agenda are not known, either.
Nevertheless, according to the same source, French President’s visit
to Armenia is scheduled September 29th, which will overlap with the
official opening of the Year of France in Armenia. The President will
be accompanied by Charles Aznavour.