MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
11-04-2006
Armenian Square Inaugurated in the Central Park of Evreux, France
On April 7, Jean-Louis Debre, President of the French National Assembly, and
Eduard Nalbandian, Armenia’s Ambassador to France, formally inaugurated a
square in the central park of the city of Evreux in Normandy. They planted
an apricot-tree brought from Armenia for this special occasion.
In his speech, the President of the National Assembly spoke about warm and
deep relations between the two nations. He underscored that the nature of
the Armenia-France relationship today is very fraternal, and the best
illustration of that is the Year of Armenia in France which begins this
September.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Ambassador noted that the apricot tree is an
appropriate symbol of Armenian-French relations – with roots in French soil
and fruit bearing an Armenian name.
In their talks prior to the ceremony, the President of the Assembly and the
Armenian ambassador discussed current issues having to do with
Armenian-French relations.

PRESS RELEASE
Mr. Viken L.Attarian
Chairman
AGBU Montreal Inc.
805 Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mai;: [email protected]
Website:
AGBU MONTREAL CENTENNIAL INAUGURAL EVENT AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS
Montreal, April 10, 2006 – On Friday April 7, 2006 AGBU Montreal inaugurated
its centennial celebrations with a unique event in the presence of the great
Canadian opera diva, Ms. Isabel Bayrakdarian and her talented pianist
husband, Mr. Serouj Krajian. Ms. Bayrakdarian is an internationally renowned
opera superstar whose credits include the soundtrack of the Oscar winning
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Ms. Bayrakdarian and Mr. Krajian
jointly won the 2006 Juno Award for best Classical Album of the Year.
The event started with a special cocktail reception in the Demirdjian Hall,
for selected guests to meet the two great artists. Soon after, well over
300 attendees had filled the AGBU Jirair and Elise Dervishian hall to the
brim and there was standing room only all the way into the entrance hall.
The event was held under the auspices of the Primate of the Canadian
Diocese, His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian. Attendees included many
community leaders and dignitaries, as well as Mr. Francesco Miele,
representing the Hon. Stephane Dion, Member of Parliament and leadership
candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, Mr. Yvan Bordeleau, Member of the
National Assembly of Quebec, Ms. Mary Deros and Ms. Nouchig Eloyan,
Counselors for the City of Montreal.
“This was certainly a top quality event and being a fan, I am extremely
thrilled to have met Ms. Bayrakdarian in person”, said Mr. John Mitchell,
who was representing Mountain Lake PBS of NY.
Mr. Viken L. Attarian, chairman of the chapter, thanked the attendees and
the organizers of the event. He outlined a brief history of how the AGBU
was founded and what its ongoing mission was, and he stressed the importance
of art and culture in the context of that mission. He then introduced the
guest artists and invited the audience to watch the Montreal premiere of the
unique documentary made about Ms. Bayrakdarian’s visit to Armenia in 2004 A
Long Journey Home.
After the screening, Ms. Bayrakdarian was presented with a special
centennial plaque in recognition of her showcasing of Armenian music and
culture. Isabel and Serouj then took the stage and graciously answered
several questions from the audience about their work and future projects.
The evening concluded with the word of His Eminence, Bishop Bagrat, who
focused on the pride created for Armenians by artists such as Isabel and
Serouj.
For further information, please contact the AGBU at 514-748-2428 or at
[email protected]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
The Genocide Education Project
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 264-4203
[email protected]
www.GenocideEd ucation.org
Contact: Raffi Momjian – [email protected]
L.A. TEACHERS LEARN LESSONS ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
04_13_2006b.htm
San Francisco, CA – The Genocide Education Project kicked off the first
of a series of workshops for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
teachers as part of a joint project to train more than 300 teachers on
the Armenian Genocide.
As part of an effort to uphold the California education framework
requiring public schools teach about the Armenian Genocide, The Genocide
Education Project conducted its first two workshops for Los Angeles high
school teachers on March 23rd and April 3rd. In an article in the The
Los Angeles Daily News, James DeLarme, a 10th-grade teacher
participating in the April 3 workshop was quoted as saying: “We have a
world history book – and it’s an excellent one – but it only has two or
three paragraphs devoted to this time. This [workshop] really opens
your eyes and makes it real as to what happened…”
The workshops are tailored to meet the teaching needs of high school
Social Studies and World History teachers. The Genocide Education
Project conducts and coordinates lectures and provides all necessary
teaching resources, including access to lesson plans, so that teachers
are well-prepared to fulfill the educational standard concerning the
Armenian Genocide. Dr. Nicole Vartanian, who has a doctoral degree in
Education, gave a compelling lecture at the March 23rd event about the
history of the Armenians and genocide denial. Facing History and
Ourselves, another educational organization, also participated in both
workshops.
The Genocide Education Project also conducted a teacher-training
workshop on April 5th for Glendale Unified School District teachers.
Renowned Armenian History scholar Dr. Richard Hovannisian provided a
compelling overview about the Armenian Genocide, and Greg Krikorian,
Glendale School Board member, shared his family’s experiences during the
Genocide.
####
The Genocide Education Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
that assists educators in teaching about human rights and genocide,
particularly the Armenian Genocide, by developing and distributing
instructional materials, providing access to teaching resources and
organizing educational workshops.

PRESS RELEASE
The Genocide Education Project
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 264-4203
[email protected]
www.GenocideEd ucation.org
Contact: Raffi Momjian – [email protected]
L.A. CITY ATTORNEY TEAMS UP WITH THE GENOCIDE EDUCATION PROJECT
4_13_2006a.htm
San Francisco, CA, April 3, 2006 – Education, art and politics came
together for the opening of the “iwitness” photo exhibit and The
Genocide Education Project’s teacher training workshop, co-hosted by the
Los Angeles City Attorney.
The “iwitness” exhibit by Ara Oshagan and Levon Parian, which runs
through the month of April, is a series of photographs of survivors of
the Armenian Genocide taken over the past ten years and accompanied by
testimony from the survivor represented.
Coinciding with the opening of the exhibit, The Genocide Education
Project held its second teacher-training workshop for Los Angeles
Unified School District teachers. Participants were exposed to the
dramatic and educational exhibit as well as the new lesson plan created
by The Genocide Education Project, which is based on the exhibit. The
lessons are available online at
After the workshop, participants and City Hall employees had the
opportunity to ask the artists questions about the exhibit. Armenian
students from St. Gregory Hovsepian School in Pasadena were also able to
attend the Q and A along with members of the Armenian community in
Southern California.
A post-workshop reception was held for City Hall employees, LAUSD
representatives, artists and exhibit guests, to reflect together on the
lessons of the day, and the importance of preserving the history of the
Armenian Genocide and the honor of its survivors.
###
The Genocide Education Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
that assists educators in teaching about human rights and genocide,
particularly the Armenian Genocide, by developing and distributing
instructional materials, providing access to teaching resources and
organizing educational workshops.
—
PICTURE CAPTION: “iwitness” exhibit at L.A. City Attorney’s office

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x109
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, April 13, 2006
NEW AGBU YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GROUP HOSTS INAUGURAL EVENT IN BOSTON
Open House Draws Over 95 Armenian Professionals to AGBU Center in
Watertown

Watertown, MA – The latest addition to AGBU’s growing network of 14
Young Professionals (YP) Groups around the world, AGBU YP Boston
hosted its inaugural event-an Open House-on the evening of March 18,
2006, at the AGBU New England Center in Watertown, Massachusetts.
The kickoff event drew over 95 Armenians from the Boston area,
culminating in an evening of mingling, music and meze with guests
enjoying a variety of domestic and Armenian wine. Introducing an
artistic quality to the event, an exhibition of contemporary paintings
by YP Boston Co-Chair Garo Arakelian was also on display on the
spacious second floor. The evening continued with guests
enthusiastically completing questionnaires citing ideas for future
activities and volunteering to serve on event committees.
Warmly welcoming guests to YP Boston’s opening event, Kim Yacoubian,
AGBU Central Office YP Liaison from New York, remarked that the city
of Boston will benefit greatly from a YP Group aimed at fulfilling the
mission of AGBU through original activities and events geared
specifically for young Armenian professionals.
Funds raised from the Open House will benefit a designated
AGBU-sponsored project in Armenia.
The AGBU Young Professionals of Boston are committed to preserving and
promoting the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs. For more information on YP Boston,
please email [email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its Young Professionals Groups,
please visit the Programs section of
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri Officer Given Life Sentence For Brutal Killing Of Armenian
AFP, Associated Press
April 13, 2006
An Azerbaijani military officer who hacked to death an Armenian lieutenant
while attending a NATO-sponsored training course in Budapest was convicted
of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday.
Judge Andras Vaskuti of the Budapest district court ruled that Ramil
Safarov, now 29 and an Azerbaijani army lieutenant, killed Armenian
Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian, 26, in “premeditated, malicious and an
unusually cruel” way by nearly decapitating him with axe in February 2004
while the victim slept in a dormitory used by participants in a NATO
Partnership for Peace English language course.
Safarov was also found guilty of planning the murder of another Armenian,
which he did not carry out. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years,
according to the ruling.
“Compassion and remorse were completely missing from (Safarov’s) testimony,”
Judge Vaskuti said upon announcing the verdict. “During the whole case we
waited for him to be at least a bit sorry for the Armenian soldier he killed
brutally and for (Markarian’s) family.”
Safarov’s lawyer, Gyorgy Magyar, said they would immediately appeal the
verdict, adding that it was yet unclear whether his client would serve his
sentence in Hungary or be extradited to Azerbaijan.
A lawyer representing Markarian’s family said she was satisfied with the
court’s decision. “We’re happy that the court honestly evaluated all the
materials of this case and the brutal intentions … of the murderer,” said
Nazeli Vartanian. “This is a good decision for the Hungarian court and for
(Armenian) society.”
Making his final statement to the court earlier Thursday, Safarov said the
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia was at the root of his act, and that
the Armenian officer had repeatedly provoked and ridiculed him. He said he
was unable to suppress his feelings and his wartime memories due to
Markarian’s behavior.
“My conscience was clouded as a result of the insults and humiliating and
provoking behavior, and I lost all control,” Safarov told the court. “It
would not be correct to consider it as merely a premeditated act caused by
the awakening of revenge and hate upon seeing the Armenians.” Safarov denied
trying to kill a second Armenian officer.
Armenian-backed forces drove Azerbaijan’s army out of the ethnic Armenian
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s. A 1994 cease-fire ended the
six-year war that killed 30,000 people and left about 1 million homeless and
the enclave is now under the control of ethnic Armenians.
(AP-Photolur photo: Safarov Making his final statement to the court.)

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
of Illinois
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Community Groups Urge WTTW to Drop Program Featuring Genocide Deniers
Chicago, IL – A group of organizations involved in raising genocide
awareness have joined together to urge Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW Channel 11
to drop a program featuring two renowned genocide deniers scheduled to be
broadcast on Monday, April 17 at 11:00 pm.
The program, entitled `Armenian Genocide: Exploring the Issues,’ is intended
as a follow-on program to a documentary film directed by Andrew Goldberg
entitled `The Armenian Genocide,’ which will be broadcast at 10:00 pm the
same evening. Hosted and moderated by Scott Simon, `Armenian Genocide:
Exploring the Issues’ is in the form of a panel discussion where noted
Turkish historian Taner Akcam and award-winning author Peter Balakian engage
in a debate with genocide deniers Justin McCarthy and Omer Turan.
In a letter addressed to WTTW’s Director of Broadcasting Dan Soles, the
groups stated, `By airing the panel discussion, WTTW would do a great
disservice to its viewers by providing genocide deniers with a platform to
promote their views, allowing them to engage in the final stage of genocide,
or what Elie Wiesel has called `double killing,’ the murder of the memory of
the crime.’
The groups also objected to the program’s debate format because it affords
the same scholarly authority to genocide deniers as it does to legitimate
historians. `No matter how strong the rebuttal, in the absence of
appropriate context viewers who are unfamiliar with this period of history
may be inclined to wrongly believe that the Armenian genocide is the subject
of serious and genuine historical debate, casting doubt as to whether 1.5
million Armenians were really murdered,’ the letter stated.
Although the Goldberg documentary is being broadcast nationwide, PBS
affiliates in nearly every major market, including New York, Los Angeles,
Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Miami, San Francisco, Detroit and St.
Louis, have chosen not to broadcast the `Armenian Genocide: Exploring the
Issues’ program.
The organizations which authored the letter reflect of broad spectrum of
Chicago’s ethnic communities which have been affected by genocide in the
past as well as groups engaged in trying to end the current genocide in
Darfur. They include the Armenian National Committee of Illinois, the
Assyrian Community of Illinois, the Cambodian Association of Illinois, the
Chicago Alliance to End Genocide, the Genocide Education Network of
Illinois, the Greek Pontians of Chicago- Xeniteas, the Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Association, the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of
Illinois, and the Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation – USA.
`The Armenian American community is profoundly grateful for the outpouring
of support it has received to help prevent the propagation of genocide
denial,’ stated Greg Bedian, chairperson of the Armenian National Committee.
`WTTW Chicago needs to understand it is not in the public interest to
provide genocide deniers like Justin McCarthy or Arthur Butz with an
opportunity to broadcast their distorted and hateful message,’ he concluded.
In addition to the letter sent by the organizations, WTTW has also received
numerous phone calls, letters and emails from individuals and groups urging
the station to rethink its decision to broadcast the panel discussion
program. A recent meeting of WTTW’s Community Advisory Board also decided
to urge the station not to air the program.
The text of the letter is attached.
April 11, 2006
Mr. Dan Soles
Director of Broadcasting
WTTW Channel 11
5400 N St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60625-4698
Dear Mr. Soles,
It has come to our attention that WTTW is planning to air two programs
regarding the Armenian genocide in the month of April, the month in which
Armenians and others worldwide mark the anniversary of the extermination of
1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923. As organizations who are actively
involved in raising awareness about genocide, we laud the station’s decision
to air `The Armenian Genocide,’ a thoroughly-researched and well-prepared
documentary by Andrew Goldberg. However, we must also express our serious
concerns regarding WTTW’s intent to follow the documentary with a panel
discussion featuring outspoken genocide deniers.
In his documentary, Mr. Goldberg took pains to include those who engage in
Turkey’s campaign of denying the Armenian genocide, but placed them in a
proper context so viewers will see them as deniers. Mr. Goldberg’s decision
to present these views provides an important perspective and contributes to
the overall objectivity of this documentary, making it an excellent example
of the high quality of programming we expect from WTTW.
On the other hand, the panel discussion employs the format of a debate,
granting genocide deniers Justin McCarthy and Omer Turan the same scholarly
authority on the subject as afforded to noted author Peter Balakian and
Turkish historian Taner Akcam. During the discussion, Mr. McCarthy
characterizes the genocide as a myth and implies that Mr. Goldberg’s work is
wholly fictitious. No matter how strong the rebuttal, in the absence of
appropriate context viewers who are unfamiliar with this period of history
may be inclined to wrongly believe that the Armenian genocide is the subject
of serious and genuine historical debate, casting doubt as to whether 1.5
million Armenians were really murdered. By airing the panel discussion,
WTTW would do a great disservice to its viewers by providing genocide
deniers with a platform to promote their views, allowing them to engage in
the final stage of genocide, or what Elie Wiesel has called `double
killing,’ the murder of the memory of the crime.
We therefore strongly urge you to join the PBS affiliates in Boston,
Providence, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Miami and
elsewhere who will be broadcasting Mr. Goldberg’s documentary without this
panel discussion. We look forward to your favorable reply on this matter.
Regards,
Armenian National Committee of Illinois
Assyrian Community of Illinois
Cambodian Association of Illinois
Chicago Alliance to End Genocide
Genocide Education Network of Illinois
Greek Pontians of Chicago- Xeniteas
Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Association
Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois
Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation – USA

PRESS RELEASE
New Art Center
580 Eighth Avenue
New York, Ny 10018
t: 212.354.2999
e: [email protected]
THE GENOCIDE SERIES BY BARBARA YETERIAN
New Art Center is delighted to announce an exhibition of new paintings
by Barbara Yeterian from her `Genocide Series.’ The exhibition will
run
from April 4 through May 27, 2006.
The `Genocide Series’ by Barbara Yeterian refers to the first
genocide
of the 20th century – the extermination of the Armenian people in
Ottoman Turkey. The exhibition coincides with the commemoration of this
tragedy on April 24th. The artist’s paintings, however, are about
more
general aspects of the human condition, such as fear and despair,
persecution and captivity, pain and torture. In each of her paintings,
Yeterian shows herself to be deeply socially engaged as a gifted artist
who transforms her material in order to create a private yet universal
language that can touch everyone.
The artist’s close study of the gestural dynamism of deKooning, the
symbolist astringency of Edvard Munch and the painterly dis-integration
of Francis Bacon’s painted bodies is evident in her work. In this
regard, Yeterian’s work is undeniably and powerfully expressionistic.
While depicting the dark side of humanity, Yeterian, as Kathe Kollwitz,
has the capacity to depict images of great nobility and warmth. These
images counteract Nietzsche’s assertion ‘death and the stillness of
death are the only things certain and common to all.’ They also
suggest
that the rage at the corruption of power is not the only possible
answer to the horrors of displacements and genocides.
The artist has tread a delicate path between visually eliciting the
emotional weight of trials and tribulations of the people without
resorting directly to anecdotal details. What is most evident in
Yeterian’s multilayered large-scale work, with its dense painterly
structure, is the passionate intensity of the brushstroke and the
resourceful use of almost iconized figures she uses as stand-ins for
the collective fate of the people. History for this artist, is a
palpable memory that overtakes us in the most familiar surroundings and
haunts us in our dreams.
Paintings from the `Genocide Series’ are included in the ongoing
`Legacy Project’ sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation
().
New Art Center is open to public Tuesday through Saturday, 12 – 6 pm,
and by appointment. For more information or visuals please contact the
New Art Center

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/13/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Call to Action by ARF Eastern Region 2) Azeri Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Killing of Armenian 3) Aliyev Denies Azerbaijan's Destruction of Armenian Cemetery in Nakhichevan 4) HRW's Turkey Representative to Be Deported 5) Primate Hovnan Derderian's Easter Message 1) Call to Action A group calling itself "Young Turks" is organizing an anti-Armenian demonstration April 22 on Times Square in New York under the slogan "Halt Armenian Lies." This demonstration is one more channel through which the anti-Armenian policies of Turkish authorities are being expressed. In their quest for European Union membership, Turkish authorities are softening their positions and are allowing conferences in Turkey to discuss the history of Armenians, are stopping legal proceedings against Turkish intellectuals who acknowledge the Armenian genocide, and are expressing willingness to start bilateral talks. On the other hand, however, under the leadership of extremist organizations, the Turkish diaspora is embarking on an anti-Armenian crusade. The work of the Grey Wolves extremist organization is apparent in the anti-Armenian rally in Lyon, followed by the gathering in Berlin and now the demonstration in New York. This Turkish initiative is a new challenge facing the Armenian nation. The Turkish authorities are embarking on this effort in order to influence public opinion and political authorities of various countries by using extremist elements of the Turkish communities living in these countries. This Turkish initiative cannot be allowed to continue and to grow. It is imperative that we act against it. You are all invited to a demonstration on April 22 to protest Turkish denial in all its forms, and to protest against local authorities which officially permit public expression of such denial. Let us all stand together, confront, and put an end to any and all anti-Armenian and denialist Turkish policies. --ARF Central Committee Eastern Region USA 2) Azeri Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Killing of Armenian BUDAPEST (AFP)--An Azeri military officer who hacked to death an Armenian lieutenant while attending a NATO-sponsored training course in Budapest was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday. Judge Andras Vaskuti of the Budapest district court ruled that Ramil Safarov, now 29 and an Azeri army lieutenant, killed Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian, 26, in a "premeditated, malicious, and an unusually cruel" way by nearly decapitating him with ax in February 2004 while the victim slept in a dormitory used by participants in a NATO Partnership for Peace English language course. Safarov was also found guilty of planning the murder of another Armenian, which he did not carry out. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years, according to the ruling. "Compassion and remorse were completely missing from (Safarov's) testimony," Judge Vaskuti said upon announcing the verdict. "During the whole case we waited for him to be at least a bit sorry for the Armenian soldier he killed brutally and for (Markarian's) family." Safarov's lawyer, Gyorgy Magyar, said they would immediately appeal the verdict, adding that it was yet unclear whether his client would serve his sentence in Hungary or be extradited to Azerbaijan. A lawyer representing Markarian's family said she was satisfied with the court's decision. "We're happy that the court honestly evaluated all the materials of this case and the brutal intentions... of the murderer," said Nazeli Vartanian. "This is a good decision for the Hungarian court and for (Armenian) society." Making his final statement to the court earlier Thursday, Safarov said the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia was at the root of his act, and that the Armenian officer had repeatedly provoked and ridiculed him. He said he was unable to suppress his feelings and his wartime memories due to Markarian's behavior. "My conscience was clouded as a result of the insults and humiliating and provoking behavior, and I lost all control," Safarov told the court. "It would not be correct to consider it as merely a premeditated act caused by the awakening of revenge and hate upon seeing the Armenians." Safarov denied trying to kill a second Armenian officer. 3) Aliyev Denies Azerbaijan's Destruction of Armenian Cemetery in Nakhichevan BAKU (Armenpress)--Azeri President Ilham Aliyev denied accusations connected with the destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Old Julfa, Nakhichevan. The cemetery, which included cross stones from as far back as the 7th century, was completely destroyed by Azeri Armed Forces in late 2005. "It is an absolute lie, libel, instigation. All the historic monuments in Azerbaijan are protected by the state," Associated Press cited Ilham Aliyev as saying. For his part the Azeri president accused the Armenian side of destroying mosques and Muslim cemeteries in Karabagh. 4) HRW's Turkey Representative to Be Deported ANKARA (Zaman)--Jonathan Sugden, Turkey's representative for the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization, was apprehended by the Karliova Gendarmerie in the eastern Turkish region of Bingol while conducting observations and research. The Human Rights Joint Platform informed the press that Sugden has been traveling to Turkey for 20 years on his tourist visa because of his monitoring responsibilities, and asked for his release. Sugden lived in the country, and follows the agenda closely as he is fluent in Turkish. He arrived in Karliova to monitor and report the Turkish gendarmeries and local forces combat of terrorist activities in Bingol, Diyarbakir, and Tunceli. Sugden was sent to the Bingol Police Office and awaited deportation after the Turkish Interior Ministry was informed about the case. HRW's Europe and Central Asia director Holly Cartner said, "The desire to cover up human rights abuses is evidently still very strong, despite recent moves towards more accountability in Turkey's bid for membership in the European Union." 5) Primate Hovnan Derderian's Easter Message "Christ is Risen from the Dead" "He is not Here, But is Risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the Witnesses of these Things" (Luke 24:48) The good news of the Miraculous Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ once again reaches us all as a beacon of light, as a call to the entire world towards faith and a new spiritual life; "And you are the witnesses of these things." Truly the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ not only reawakens within our spirituality the consciousness to relive the mystery of the Divine Resurrection, but even more so, to become the witnesses of the life of Christ and especially His Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is the ultimate reality that adorns our human spirit, because as Paul the Apostle says, "If Christ has not risen, your faith is futile" (I Corinthians 15:15). "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48). For the Armenian Christian, the Feast of the Resurrection is the feast of a "greater life." Through our sacred religious rites the fundamental truth that the Resurrection of Christ is the new dawn of our spiritual life is further rooted within us, since "through his Resurrection he transcended sin, and all that having to do with this death." Thus, the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ becomes true on the day, when not only our creed is re-rooted, but above all when we become the witnesses of His Resurrection. This is precisely where emphasis is placed upon the church. The church, as the congregation of the Believers of Christ, as part of its presence and identity, has an obligation to speak of and peach the Resurrection of Christ; to unceasingly deliver the message of Christ's gospels, and to make certain that the life of the Christian individual and the community is a testimony of the Resurrection of Christ. We will become the witnesses of Christ's Resurrection only when we partake in his sacrifices. In other words, when we know how to fill our lives with sacrifice, turning our path of life towards Christ. The miraculous Resurrection of Christ is the feast of the renewed church. The Resurrection of Christ is the dawn of a new life within every Christian. We are the ones who will construct the new church, with our own hands, so that we may give the testimony of Christ's Resurrection. Our individual life has the thirst for renewal, as is our communal life within the church, our life of service, both national and to the church. But, above all, our lives within the family, to raise our children entrusted to us by God, is nothing but the example of the life of Christ. The miraculous Resurrection of Christ conveys to all of us the message to transfigure our spiritual lives through the strength of prayer and to embark upon the God-pleasing mission to cultivate our spirit. The God-pleasing mission to cultivate our spirit begins in our individual life followed by a unity of the faithful through love. The more the individual is strengthened in his life by prayer, the more passionately he testifies about the Resurrection of Christ. The more the Christian community loves, the more that community becomes not only a strong testimony of the Resurrection of Christ, but above all a strong presence for all those who have strayed from the path of light and suffer in darkness. Our salvation and strength is in our spiritual life. The church is obliged to constantly renew herself, thus becoming a presence that maintains pace with contemporary times. It is our message that the children of the church remain firm in their Christian faith because our nation has been reborn in that faith by turning Christianity into the splendor of her spirit. For that same faith our nation has accepted the greatest divine gift, the Armenian alphabet, and through it has eternalized the Holy Bible with Armenian words. The children of our church, with this communion, have continued to live their God-given lives. We have reached the point in history when even greater challenges have risen before us and now we have the obligation to overcome. We will continue to uphold, even at the cost of our lives, the legacy of our forefathers, who have been sanctified through their martyrdom. The legacy of our Christian faith and doctrine, the Motherland and Holy Etchmiadzin, our language, our national heritage, culture, history, and most importantly our right for the recognition of the Genocide. The Armenian Church will be demolished when we are not able to pass these messages on to our youth. The Christian faith cannot be anchored on the testimony of the Resurrection of Christ if it is not rooted in our Motherland, Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as the sacred Armenian legacies, culture and history. These facets present themselves as a cornerstone of the Christian faith. In other words, they are God-given graces which strengthen our faith. They are graces in the sense of challenges, as to what extent we are able to live our Christian faith through our actions in order that we may become partakers in the crucifixion of Christ and to gain the right to testify about the Resurrection of Christ. The mystery of the Resurrection of Christ truly becomes a testimony when the Resurrection of Christ is expressed through our lives. Dear faithful, live the Feast of the Resurrection because its mystery is the mystery of the true life. This leads us to live life striving for perfection, as Christ himself says, "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." The Feast of Resurrection is a day of pilgrimage. It is the doorway to eternal life. It is the feast of our renewed life. It is the breath of peace and the spring which plant harmonious brotherhood among nations. It is the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin and, finally, the day of the victory of the Christian faith. "Christ is risen from the dead." "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:4) "And you are the witnesses of these things." (Luke 24:48) Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate Easter 2006 All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

From: “Federatie Arm. Org. Nederland”
Subject: Armenian Genocide Commemoration in The Netherlands
Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON)
24 April Committee
for the recognition and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of 1915
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague – The Netherlands
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Tel: +31-704490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Commemoration of the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915
organised by the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian
Organisations of The Netherlands (FAON).
Commemoration on 23 April 2006 in Amsterdam
Date: Sunday 23 April 2006
Time: 2 pm
Place: Hofkerk ()
Linnaeushof 94 – 1098 KT Amsterdam
Programme: Khachatour Avetisian¹s Armenian Oratorium performed by the
Dutch choir Sophie’s Voice, other artistic performances
and speeches by, among others, Dutch Senator and former
burgomaster (mayor) of Amsterdam Ed van Thijn,
the winner of education prize 2005 of Centre for
Holocaust and Genocide Studies Dirk Roodzant and on
behalf of Armenian Students¹ Association Gladzor
Lilit Arakelian
Admission: Free
Commemoration on 24 April 2006 in Assen
Date: Monday 24 April 2006
Time: 2 pm
Place: Cemetery “De Boskamp” in Assen ( )
Boskamp 5 – Assen
Programme: Laying of wreaths at the Armenian monument,
Commemorative Ceremony
Recommending Committee:
Prof B. Bichakjian – Professor of French language and Culture, University of
Nijmegen
Drs. H. van Bommel – Dutch MP
Prof. Dr. W. J. van der Dussen – Professor of Cultural History and
Philosophy at Open University Netherlands
L. C. van Dijke – Public affairs VolkerWessels; ex-MP
Mrs. Drs. K.G. Ferrier – Dutch MP
Freek de Jonge – Dutch Comedian
Seth Gaaikema – Dutch Comedian
Mrs. Drs. F. Karimi – Dutch MP
Dr. Th. M. van Lint – Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies,
University of Oxford
Mr. A. Rouvoet – Dutch MP
Drs. Paul Scheffer – Particular Professor of metropolitan problems,
University of Amsterdam, publicist
Mr. C. van der Staaij – Dutch MP
Drs. E. van Thijn – Dutch senator, former Mayor of Amsterdam
Prof. J. Weitenberg – Professor of Armenology, University of Leiden.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress