Sunday Express, UK
January 2, 2005
JB PRIESTLEY’S DELIGHTS
JB Priestley’s timeless, uplifting essays on the nature of delight
have proved a huge hit with Sunday Express readers.
Please keep your own delights coming – we will publish our third
collection of your contributions soon.
ROMANTIC RECOGNITION
TWO EXAMPLES will do. When we were flying from Erivan, the capital of
Armenia, to Sukham, on the Black Sea, a Soviet scientist, who spoke
English, tapped me on the shoulder and then pointed to a fearsome
rock face, an immeasurable slab bound in the iron of eternal winter.
“That, ” he announced, “is where Prometheus was chained.”
And then all my secret terror – for a journey among the mountains of
the Caucasus in a Russian plane is to my unheroic soul an ordeal –
gave way for a moment to wonder and delight, as if an illuminated
fountain had shot up in the dark.
And then, years earlier, in the autumn of 1914, when we were on a
route march in Surrey, I happened to be keeping step with the company
commander, an intelligent Regular lent to us for a month or two. We
were passing a little old woman who was watching us from an open
carriage, near the entrance to a mansion.
“Do you know who that is?” the captain asked; and, of course, I
didn’t. “It’s the Empress Eugenie, ” he told me; and young and
loutish as I was in those days, nevertheless there flared about me
then, most delightfully, all the splendour and idiocy of the Second
Empire, and I knew that we, every man Jack of us, were in history,
and knew once and for all.
WHAT IS YOUR DELIGHT?
Write to: Priestley Delights, Sunday Express, Number 10 Lower Thames
Street, London EC3 6ER E-mail: sunday. exletters@express. co. uk

Sunday Times (London)
January 2, 2005, Sunday
Good reasons and bad for our explosion of charity
by Rod Liddle
The British public should be feeling a little better about itself
this morning. At the time of writing we’ve donated £60m to the
various charity hotlines set up in aid of the victims of the tsunami
that devastated southeast Asia on Boxing Day.
I suppose we could be accused of self-aggrandisement by pointing out
that this is more cash per head of population than almost any other
country on earth, but it is nevertheless heartening.
Where did this sudden magnanimity come from? For once the government
read the public wrong and initially pledged only a stingy £1m,
presumably having forgotten that eight years ago it had made a pledge
of a rather different magnitude: to end poverty worldwide. It may
well be that the parsimony of its first reaction provoked the rest of
us to get our wallets out.
But, whatever, since the original announcement from Hilary Benn,
Labour has been shamed into increasing its contribution to £50m. Now
even institutions that are mistrusted by the public, such as the
English Premier League, are forking out the cash. The country is for
once united.
If what follows from me seems a little cynical, it is not intended to
be. We should allow ourselves a moment to revel in the sin of pride.
Whatever way you look at it, £60m is a quite remarkable contribution
-but we might also ask ourselves, as we recite our credit card
numbers down the hotline, why this particular disaster galvanised the
nation.
Below I’ve listed the reasons why I think the British public has been
prepared on this occasion to dig so deeply. Some of the points are, I
think, blindingly obvious. Others are more complex and perhaps
contentious. Altruism is never so straightforward as it seems; we are
motivated.
oThe disaster was massive and truly calamitous in its impact, and
seems to have victimised the weak and the helpless; children, women,
the poor, the elderly and the infirm.
oIt occurred through an act of God, rather than as the result of
wicked, incompetent or corrupt foreign governments, or through the
offices of evil terrorist organisations.
oIt was a politically neutral disaster that at least temporarily
united communities that in drier moments cordially loathe each other.
One Indonesian chief of police announced that his men would be
helping the separatist rebels in Aceh, rather than killing them,
torturing them or merely arresting them. “They’re searching for their
families, just as our men are searching for ours,” he said, rather
movingly. Who knows, he may even have been telling the truth.
Natural disasters have a tendency to put human, political squabbles
into perspective. We are tempted to hope, vainly I fear, that this
sense of perspective will remain after the waters have receded.
oThe disaster occurred at a time of year when we are most likely to
be reminded of our Christian duty of charity. That sermon from
midnight mass has not yet left our minds, has it?
oThe disaster occurred at a time of year when we have just wallowed
in a shameful orgy of over-indulgence and conspicuous consumption. We
have spent ludicrous sums of money feeding our fat faces and buying
pointless and expensive gifts for people who, in some cases, we don’t
even like very much.
Or at all.
I wonder how many people rang the credit card hotline and,
deliberating how much to give, suddenly recalled that they’d recently
spent £29 in Debenhams on a presentation box of lavender soaps for
their ghastly mother-in-law? Shame was already poking its nose over
the parapet, even before the tsunami struck. It was the time of year
when the British people were at their most morally vulnerable.
oThe disaster occurred in a part of the world that is familiar to
many of us and for which we feel affection and even affinity.
The British public did not fork out over much for that Christmas
earthquake in Armenia, if you remember. Still less for the
destruction of Tashkent, back in the 1960s. Many of us associate
Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Andamans with happy memories: it was as
if part of us -a nice part -was washed away by that tsunami.
oWe were not harangued or bullied into giving money by mouthy,
overpaid, has been pop stars or self-righteous and unfunny comedians
wearing red plastic noses.
There was almost no haranguing of any kind. Just a regular reminder
of where you could give money, if you wanted to. The public was left
to its own devices and to make its own judgment. If we felt guilty
about our own wellbeing or affluence, it was a natural and genuine
response to tragedy, rather than something we were told to feel.
oWe may have a collective gut instinct that on this occasion the
money will go directly towards immediate disaster relief rather than
into the pockets of useless and corrupt governments or the
ever-expanding London offices of our huge charities with their
political lobbyists, campaign co-ordinators and publicists. I assume
that this gut instinct is correct.
oWe may have become shamed and irritated by the media’s incessant
concentration on the plight of well-heeled British gap-year
backpackers rather than, say, Sri Lankan peasants.
One can mourn the deaths of the British holidaymakers and, through
empathy, grieve with their families. But we may retain a sense of
perspective, not like one newspaper which announced that a silver
lining to the disaster was the fact that our bedraggled returning
tourists would be able to claim on their insurance policies.
oThe credit card hotlines were well organised; clear and simple to
use and, crucially, it was easy to get through.
oTony Blair was out of the country. We were spared that dubious
solemn expression he invariably adopts for such occasions. More
seriously, we perhaps felt that collectively we were at least equal
to the government in our ability to alleviate suffering.
oA comparatively high number of British citizens have relatives in
many of the countries affected, particularly Sri Lanka and India.
The Tamils who run my local grocery store in southeast London had set
up a makeshift collection box by midday on Boxing Day. It was placed
next to the bubblegum display and had a brown paper wrapper on which
was scrawled: “Help our family and friends in Sri Lanka.” It was
impossible not to contribute. This is one of the more likeable
aspects of globalisation: these days, we know we are connected.
oIt could have been us. No matter how many times the experts remind
us that the Indian Ocean is prone to the occasional seismological
disruption, the suddenness and the seemingly arbitrary nature of the
disaster let us know that we are surely not immune.
In the face of such irresistible destruction, we all feel weak and
helpless. No matter what the experts say: it could have been us.
The telephone number for the appeal, by the way, is still 0870 606
0900.

Greek shares up on bank, telecom gains, helped by European markets
AFX Europe (Focus)
Jan 03, 2005

ATHENS (AFX) – Greek equities started the new year with solid gains in
banks and telecoms as the general index climbed above the 2,800 point
mark, spurred on by positive performances in European markets, brokers
said.
The Athens bourse benchmark general advanced 1.38 pct to 2,824.67
points.
Brokers said the halving of a tax applicable on stock sell
transactions from 0.3 pct to 0.15 pct, effective as of today, helped
encourage intra session trading.
Blue chips rose 1.76 pct and banks gained 2.19 pct.
National Bank, Greeceýs largest lender, rallied 2.80 pct to 24.96
eur.and Eurobank closed at 26 euro, up 2.85 pct.
Emporiki Bank, 11 pct owned by Franceýs Credit Agricole, gained 1.11
pct to 23.58 eur. Earlier a senior Emporiki Bank source said that the
bank intendsto sell its subsidiaries in Armenia and Georgia as part of
the groupýs restructuring process.
Index heavyweight OTE Telecom, Greeceýs largest phone company, rose
3.18 pct to 13.64 eur. Telecom equipment provider Intracom
outperformed rising 3.02 pct to 4.10 eur.
Energy monopoly PPC advanced 1.36 pct to 20.88 eur while lottery
operator OPAP inched ahead 0.29 pct at 20.42 eur.
Small caps shed 0.88 pct and mid caps firmed 0.64 pct.
Losers beat winners 202 to 84 with 90 stocks unchanged on a volume of
138 mln eur.
Source: Euro2day, Athens

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, January 3, 2005
AGBU YOUNG PROFESSIONALS RAISE $3,000 FOR AGBU CHILDREN’S CENTERS IN
ARMENIA! AGBU-YPNC TO HOST 6th ANNUAL “WINTER GALA GETAWAY WEEKEND”
ON JANUARY 28-30, 2005 IN DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco, CA – In anticipation of the sixth annual “Winter Gala
Getaway Weekend” from January 28-30th in downtown San Francisco, AGBU
Young Professionals of Northern California got a head start on
November 12th. A successful fundraiser was held at a new lounge in San
Francisco and raised $3,000 for the AGBU Children’s Centers in
Armenia.
Armenians and their friends came out to “Blend,” a new trendy hotspot
in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach. Guests arrived throughout
the evening and were greeted with a great mix of people and live
music. Along with funds raised for the AGBU Children’s Centers, the
evening was an opportunity to offer the details of the highly
anticipated “Winter Gala Getaway Weekend” set for January 28-30, 2005.
This three-day weekend extravaganza will kick off on Friday January
28th at Schroeder’s with a live DJ for guests to meet, mingle and
dance. During the day on Saturday guests will have the opportunity to
walk around beautiful San Francisco, shop, ride cable cars or visit
Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. Saturday night’s Winter
Gala will take place at The Lodge in the Regency Building. The evening
begins with a cocktail hour, followed by a gourmet dinner and then
dancing to George Baghdoyan’s band. The festivities conclude on Sunday
with a farewell brunch. Stay tuned for more detailed information.
Guests will stay at Hotel Nikko on Union Square where they will enjoy
the finest in luxury accommodations. To reserve your room, call
reservations at 1-800-645-5687 or 415-394-111 and mention code:
AGBU. The special room rate of $155+tax, is available until December
24th and while rooms remain! Reserve your rooms now so you don’t miss
out on this unique opportunity to stay in one of San Francisco’s top
hotels.
For more information about the weekend, please contact Sako
Soghomonian at [email protected] or (510) 259-7737, or visit
our website

Azeri president says new Karabakh settlement stage “almost started”
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
3 Jan 05
[Presenter] The country’s Security Council headed by President Ilham
Aliyev met today. The head of state said that success has been
achieved in all spheres in 2004. The course of the all-national
leader, [Former President] Heydar Aliyev, was continued resolutely.
[Correspondent over video of the meeting] Talks between Azerbaijan and
Armenia on resolving the Nagornyy Karabakh problem are under way in a
direction acceptable for Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev told the
Security Council today.
[Aliyev] A new stage of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagornyy Karabakh has almost started. The process, which we call the
Prague process, envisages a stage-by-stage solution. I have talked
about that already. It was not easy to achieve this. Of course, I do
not want to say that the issue has already been resolved. The talks
are under way. We are making every effort for the talks to continue in
a direction that will meet our interests.
[Correspondent] Mr Aliyev also said he is confident that the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and other regional projects will be implemented
successfully during the upcoming year.
[Aliyev] One can be optimistic about the year 2005. Of course, it will
depend on our activities and work. I hope that we, the government will
implement these tasks as honestly as always we do.
[Correspondent] The head of state also told the Security Council
members about the work that has been done over the last year and also
about future tasks.
[Aliyev] We have all worked very efficiently during 2004. We, every
one of us in his position, ruled Azerbaijan very resolutely. What is
important is that the policy of our people’s national leader, Heydar
Aliyev, remained unchanged. And this is an important factor which
will secure our future success.
[Correspondent] Mr Aliyev also paid special attention to the
enforcement of the state programme on the fight against corruption and
the development of regions. The president said that the state will
continue to do its best to raise the people’s living standards.

Transitions on Line, Czech Republic
Jan 3 2005
A Limbo with No End

by Ruzan Hakobyan
3 January 2005
Sixteen years after they began arriving, there are still 240,000
registered refugees in Armenia. Why are they not accepting Armenian
passports?
YEREVAN, Armenia–It could be viewed as a success. According to the
UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, 21 percent of refugees in Armenia
have gained Armenian citizenship since 1995. That, says the UNHCR, is
one of the highest rates of voluntary naturalization anywhere in the
world in recent decades.
The total number of naturalizations-65,000-also indicates how huge a
refugee problem Armenia faced just as the Soviet Union was collapsing
and, with it, the Armenian economy. From 1988 to 1994, 360,000 ethnic
Armenians flooded into Armenia first to avoid pogroms in Baku,
Azerbaijan, and then, in a process mirrored in Azerbaijan, to flee
fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region assigned to Azerbaijan by the
Soviet authorities. Another 60,000 moved from regions bordering
Azerbaijan that were heavily shelled during the war.
The strain on a country of 3 million people was huge. The country was
still trying to come to terms with an earthquake in 1988 that killed
25,000 people and displaced 60,000. That time became known as the
`dark years’: the earthquake devastated the country’s energy system
and that, plus the strain of the Soviet Union’s collapse and a
blockade in Azerbaijan, left the country chronically short of
electricity and other basics.
But how much of a success is it that 240,000 refugees remain and have
not been naturalized? The Armenian authorities have little reason not
to give the refugees passports. The refugees were ethnic kin, those
from Nagorno-Karabakh came as the result of a war that partly
reflected a desire for closer ties with Armenia, and most of the
refugees, who came predominantly from cities in Karabakh and
Azerbaijan, had skills to offer. And, while absorbing such a huge
number might be a massive challenge, the pressure has been eased by
the emigration of hundreds of thousands of Armenians over the past
decade.
Refugee in Silikyan, Yerevan.
Courtesy of Onnik Krikorian.
The refugees themselves have compelling reasons to get Armenian
passports. Since 2000, they have not been able to use their old
Soviet passports to travel outside Armenia. Moreover, citizenship
could open the way to better housing.
Over the past 16 years, the hostels and community centers in which
most refugees were placed have fallen into serious, sometimes
disastrous disrepair. Almost a third of the refugees still remain in
community centers and other refugee accommodations. The Armenian
government and international organizations have been building new
housing. The UNHCR, for example, has built 3,200 homes for refugees
throughout Armenia, while the Norwegian Refugee Council is building
100 to 250 houses a year.
But they would have more freedom if they were to become naturalized
Armenians. They could then take over ownership of their temporary
accommodation from the state for free (provided they have lived there
for three or more years).
Silva Ohanyan and her family are among those who have acquired
citizenship. Ever since a pogrom of Armenians in the Azeri city of
Sumgait in 1988, the family has relied heavily on humanitarian aid
and subsidies, but they have managed to buy a small two-room
apartment. For them, Armenia is now home.
A fast-growing number of refugees feel the same. Since the law
allowing refugees to buy their homes was passed in 2000, the number
of naturalizations has soared. In 1999, fewer than 8,000 refugees had
Armenian passports. In 2000, that figure doubled. It is now eight
times higher than it was in 1999.
Why, then, have other refugees refused to apply for citizenship? Does
the 21 percent naturalization rate mean that 79 percent do not see
their future in Armenia?
STRANDED IN LIMBO
For some, particularly the old, it makes no difference whether they
have an Armenian passport or not. They lack the money either to
travel or to buy their own flats.
In a refugee hostel in Yerevan dormitories, Asya and Robert
Mkhitarov, from Baku, live off a combined monthly pension of about
$30. After paying electricity, water, and telephone bills, they are
left with only $15 to last the month. They, too, rely on handouts. `I
was brought up to be proud of my Armenian heritage,’ Asya says. `And
even if I had only a roof over my head, I would never think of
leaving Armenia. This is my country.’ She now has a passport to prove
it.
Anna Grigorova, 70, also has a passport. She arrived in Armenia after
pogroms in Baku. Today, together with 25 other families, she lives in
a former boardinghouse. A retired economist and widow, she receives
an $8 monthly pension from the Armenian government, forcing her to
rely on handouts from the state and small sums that her niece sends
from Russia. There is no water in the hostel. She has to fetch it
from neighboring buildings. Her room is dark and filthy, with bare
walls and just a few household items. `I had such a beautiful house,
quality furniture. Now look at me. Everything is gone,’ she said with
a sad smile.
For other elderly refugees from Azerbaijan living, like Grigorova, on
or below the breadline, the extremely remote hope of compensation
from Azerbaijan is more important than an Armenian passport and
taking over ownership (and maintenance and problems) of run-down
rooms in boarding lodges. If they became Armenian citizens, they
would have to give up all claims to compensation.
For young men, as well, an Armenian passport would bring with it the
prospect of conscription. Others fear losing the humanitarian
assistance that refugees are entitled to, which is significantly more
generous than the welfare benefits that naturalized Armenians can
claim.
Naturalization makes most sense for those of working age. But while
some refugees have settled very well in Armenia, many others still
find it difficult to feel at home in Armenia and to build a new life.
When refugees began to enter Armenia, the local population was
sympathetic and did its best to ease their situation. As their own
economic plight worsened and the locals found themselves in the same
conditions as refugees, their ability to help considerably decreased.
Nonetheless, there remains a strong sense of solidarity with the
refugees. About 100 groups work to help the refugees to settle, find
work, create a cultural life, and deal with welfare issues.
Even so, the refugees remain outsiders, in part because of language.
In Karabakh, Armenians used a distinct dialect of Armenian. In
Azerbaijan, Armenians mainly used Russian, even at home.
Asya Mkhitarova, a Russian teacher, has taught herself excellent
Armenian. But for others, language or dialect remains a major
barrier. `When some locals realize that I am not a local Armenian,
their attitude toward me immediately changes, I can feel that,’ says
Aram Asaturov with a hint of bitterness. `I am an Armenian of
Karabakhi origin,’ the 65-year-old continues. `I am an Armenian even
if I was born in Azerbaijan and do not speak very good Armenian.’
The Armenian government has never produced a clear and coordinated
policy to deal with the language problems of refugees. So language
courses for refugees `never became commonly available and were not
applied consistently,’ says political scientist Alina Topchyan. Where
local government has tried to arrange courses, the drop-out rate has
been high: frequently, there are too few teachers, the range of
knowledge in one classroom is too wide, and the lessons themselves
too unrelated to daily difficulties.
`When I pronounce Armenian words with an accent I feel embarrassed.
So very often, I prefer to speak Russian rather than Armenian,’ said
Yulia Khachatryan, who now lives in Echmiatsin. Partly for that
reason, most refugees live in separate communities isolated from the
wider population.
Nostalgia for the better life they had back in Baku and other cities
is a factor for many, leaving them reluctant to adapt to Armenian
culture, speak Armenian, and, most importantly, admit that Armenia is
now their home.
But without the language, they have found it tough to find work. Some
organizations, like Mission Armenia–which has provided about 10,000
refugees with health assistance, social services, legal counseling,
and psychological support–has arranged business, computer,
marketing, and language courses to make refugees competitive on the
labor market. But in a country where the official unemployment rate
is 20 percent and the unofficial rate, according to the UN
Development Program, could be three times as high, they must be very
competitive.
The refugees’ problems of adaptation are not just because they have
been transplanted to another country and a different language
environment. Most refugees from Azerbaijan came from urban areas. In
Armenia, most of them were forced to settle in rural areas and take
up farming, a task for which they lack the skills and knowledge.
THE ROAD TO STEPANAKERT
For all refugees, wherever they came from, there is a way out of such
limbo – and it leads to Nagorno-Karabakh. The government of
Nagorno-Karabakh has offered them large sums of money to return or
settle: $300 per person and $600 to buy cattle and get ready for the
farming season, as well as 3,500 square meters of land, electricity
subsidies, free water, and exemption from military service for two
years.
Courtyard in Silikyan, Yerevan. Courtesy of Onnik Krikorian.
But relatively few have taken the offer. According to the Karabakh
Department for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, about
25,000 refugees have settled in Karabakh. The Armenian government’s
Department for Migration and Refugees (DMR), which is working closely
with the self-declared independent Karabakh republic, says $350
million more in subsidies could enable it to resettle another 50,000
families in as little as three years. The Karabakh government sets
aside some $600,000 a year to build houses for settlers in Karabakh.
But cash and incentives may not be enough. Though the Karabakhi
economy is reviving, it remains weaker than Armenia’s. Making a
decent living is tough in Armenia and tougher still in Karabakh. Some
villages have no water or electricity, and the schools are some
distance away. And though the soil is arable and rich, many farmers
cannot afford the equipment to cultivate it.
And for those who are not farmers, there is relatively little work.
That makes a move to Karabakh unappealing, particularly to the
urbanite Armenians from Azerbaijan, a larger group than the number of
Karabakh refugees. Tim Straight of the Norwegian Refugee Council
reports some refugees are unhappy with the houses built for them in
Armenia. `That happens mostly with Bakuians. They are nostalgic about
the conditions they lived in, and naturally a cottage in the Armenian
countryside loses in comparison with an apartment in a capital city.’
A cottage in the countryside of Nagorno-Karabakh has even less
appeal.
Moreover, as DMR refugee department director Ara Haroutunyan points
out, they are already having a hard time adapting to Armenia. A
second resettlement could further aggravate their psychological
dislocation.
And there is another major psychological obstacle: the lack of a
peace settlement creates an uncertainty that may be too great for
refugees to accept.
THE ROAD TO MOSCOW
In any case, there is another road that the refugees can take. Like
many native Armenians, they prefer to take roads that lead abroad,
mainly to Russia, a country where they speak the language and, in
many cases, have relatives. According to DMR data, many of the
240,000 refugees registered in Armenia may not actually be living in
Armenia. Most will have moved to Russia before 2000, when Soviet-era
passports became invalid.
That should be no surprise. The Armenians have always had a sizable
diaspora. An estimated 60 percent of the total 8 million Armenians
worldwide live outside the country, with 1 million each in the United
States and Russia. The exodus from Armenia has been particularly
heavy since the country gained its independence in 1991.
So the naturalization rate–low in absolute terms, albeit high in
relative terms–is distorted by a huge movement of refugees to
Russia.
Larisa Alaverdyan, the state ombudsman for refugee affairs, put it
simply: `Unless favorable conditions are set for working, the
compensation issues are resolved, [and] reconstruction and
development projects are funded, one can say with certainty that
passports will be acquired only by those who are going to leave the
country for making their living elsewhere.’
But that is not entirely the case. Aram Asaturov, the 65-year-old
Karabakhi, says he has decided to apply for citizenship and would
have done so earlier if it weren’t so difficult to live in Armenia.
Now that he owns a room in a dormitory and is certain of a roof over
his head, he feels more confident.
The others, too reluctant or too lacking in confidence to become
citizens, will remain stuck in Armenia, waiting to see what happens
next and hoping for the best. The question, `Where do your see
yourself in 10 years?’ generates a telling response from most
refugees–vague answers or simply deeply puzzled looks.

Ruzan Hakobyan is a political scientist and freelance journalist
based in Yerevan who specializes in political and cultural issues.

Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
January 3, 2005
PRELACY CONCERT IN THE ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Gilda Buchakjian-Kupelian
NEW YORK, NY-Are they here yet?Can we sing with them?When is Gaghant Baba
coming? Melissa, John, Shoushig, Nayiri, Meredith and Ana, among a myriad
others, couldn’t wait for the show to start.
A capacity audience filled out the Alliance Francaise, French Institute
in New York City on Saturday, December 4th for the sold-out Armenian
Christmas children’s concert featuring Nvair and Taline, sponsored by the
Armenian Prelacy under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan in
celebration of the Year of the Family.
The Vicar General, Very Reverend Father Anoushavan Tanielian was invited
by chairlady Lucie Bandazian following her welcome address. On behalf of
Archbishop Oshagan, Very Rev. Fr. Anoushavan set the tone for the afternoon
by reminding the children that they would grow into the leaders of tomorrow
and asked them to promise to be good.
Over 400 children and parents regaled in the upbeat singing and dancing
performed by Nvair and special guest, Taline who came especially from
California. They clapped, sang and stomped their feet at the prodding of the
performers. Some parents more excitedly so than their offspring.
In addition to Nvair’s traditional Armenian children’s songs, Taline
sang Armenian adaptations of favorite English songs. Obviously, both
performers truly enjoyed their craft and were able to convey it superbly to
the audience thus eliciting their enthusiastic responses. The interactive
show was enhanced by the company of costumed mascots Eshlig Meshlig, Piso,
Nabasdag and Dzaghradzoo (clown) who pranced across the stage
enthusiastically in colorful costumes and invited the children to chime in
the singing. The ethereal snow fairy glided along delicately sprinkling snow
crystals to the all-time favorite song “Tsuyne gouka patil patil”.
Renditions of Donadzar and Loor Kisher were particularly moving.
Complementing the ensemble cast, real burgeoning artists, Trchnig, Shoushig
Hye Aghtchig and Tamar (Nvair’s and Taline’s children) danced the shourtch
bar, acted, sang and recited in Armenian.
Christmas, Year of the Family and national songs were seamlessly
interwoven and artfully synchronized with electronically staged images of
the Nativity scene, ornaments, pine cones, twinkling stars, colorful balls,
animals, jigsaw puzzles and the Armenian Alphabet. Particularly fascinating
was a depiction of Armenia and Church by Haig Sarajian that integrated
nicely with the brandishing of the Tricolor to the tune of Armenian national
songs.
A grand, tastefully decorated tree and enormous poinsettia planters
adorned the stage with a special seat for Gaghant Baba. The anticipation and
excitement created for his arrival catered to the children’s sense of
wonder. Gaghant Baba marched through the auditorium in full regalia and
fanfare, singing and dancing, davool player, singers and dancers in tow. All
the children present received handmade gifts made in Armenia.
A large group of Sunday School children and parents from the Trumbull,
Connecticut Armenian Church, arrived by chartered bus after visiting the
Rockefeller Center Tree and dining at a theme restaurant. Noteworthy was the
presence of Mrs. Rahan Kachian, a Genocide survivor now living in New
Jersey, who enjoyed the show as much as the children. Other guests arrived
from as far as Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and naturally New York.
Dottie Bengoian, who led the Connecticut group, said it quite aptly:
“What Nvair is doing is far bigger than this one concert. She is saving a
legacy, a treasure and giving a gift to all of us. Poet Anoush Krikorian,
her grandfather, and Sosy Kadian her mother, inspired and encouraged me and
now Nvair is influencing new generations in a beautiful and positive way. It
is a joy to watch her perform with talent and grace.”
“This being the ‘Year of the Family’, we tried to put a Christmas
concert together that the whole family could enjoy.” said Chairlady Lucie
Bandazian. “Nvair and Taline exhibit such talent and Armenian spirit that
children and adults can relate to. We just hope the children enjoyed the
concert as much as we loved putting it together.”
The professional, hard working committee comprised mostly of young
professionals and devoted mothers are Lucie Bandazian (chairperson), Silva
Kouyoumdjian (co-chair), Aline Kassabian, Meghanoush Alashaian, Asdghik
Inedjian, Karen Toufayan-Nargizian, Sophie Khatchatryan, and Gilda Kupelian.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Prelacy programs.
The committee members express their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude
to the sponsors and the Prelacy staff who contributed to the dazzling
success of the concert.
It was indeed an inspiring, family affair in the spirit of Christmas
celebrated in authentic Armenian style; a memorable event not to be
forgotten any time soon by the wide-eyed Armenian children who experienced
it.

AZERI CLERIC SAYS WAHHABISM THREAT “EXAGGERATED” – PAPER
Ekspress, Baku
28 Dec 04
A senior Azeri cleric has accused the religious authorities of
exaggerating the “threat” of Wahhabism to the country. In an exclusive
interview with a news agency carried by the Azerbaijani newspaper
Ekspress, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahsukur Pasazada said “the threat is
there, to some extent… However, this must not be exaggerated”. He
also downplayed reports about an alleged conflict with some state
officials. The following is an excerpt from report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Ekspress on 28 December headlined “Sheikh-ul-Islam is angry”
and subheaded “Haci Allahsukur Pasazada ‘There are people who want to
set the state against me'”; subheadings have been inserted
editorially:
The chairman of the Board of the Muslims of the Caucasus (BMC),
Sheikh-ul-Isla m Allahsukur Pasazada, has given an exclusive interview
to APA news agency.
Involvement in politics
(Correspondent) There are reports about mutual dissatisfaction between
the BMC and the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures
(SCWRS). Chairman of the SCWRS Rafiq Aliyev has even recently levelled
serious accusations against you. He accused you of engaging in
politics.
(Pasazada) We should ask Rafiq Aliyev what does he mean by
politics. For instance, I wrote a letter of condemnation to Gorbachev
when the 20 January tragedy happened (Soviet military crackdown on
demonstrators in Baku in 1990), and I have written a letter to (former
Russian President Boris) Yeltsin about the Chechens. This is my
politics.
Etibar Mammadov, chairman of AMIP (Azarbaycan Milli Istiqlal Party)
has resigned. He had the objective to come to power because he is a
politician, whereas my activities are directed at making my nation
progress and succeed. Should I give up this stance, I will also have
to give up Azerbaijani citizenship. Does this imply that I should be
indifferent to what is happening in Karabakh? Should I refuse to make
statements on human rights?
(Passage omitted: minor details)
Propagating Atheism
(Correspondent) One of Rafiq Aliyev’s accusations was that the BMC
intervenes in the operations of the SCWRS.
(Pasazada) In fact, the SCWRS is a state agency. They have the seal
and power to intervene in the operations of the religious bodies. They
also carry out the registration of the religious organizations. We do
not have that power.
For instance, we say that Islamic values should be considered when
shrines are created. Not every place should be recognized as a
shrine. Not only do they create shrines, but they also create their
branches. You cannot do that.
(Correspondent) Then who is to clear up the matter?
(Pasazada) Atheism is being openly propagated here, that is it. The
state must monitor the process. How can a person believe in a shrine
called Xoruzlu (“xoruz” is rooster in Azeri)? Only Islam knows the
roots of this matter.
Pasazada’s opponents
(Correspondent) It is said that the group of your opponents includes
(head of the presidential administration) Ramiz Mehdiyev and (head of
the administration’s humanitarian policy department) Fatma
Abdullazada, in addition to Rafiq Aliyev. What do you think of this?
(Pasazada) Rafiq Aliyev cannot go against me. I have a good
relationship with Mehdiyev, as well as with Abdullazada. I do not talk
even against Rafiq Aliyev.
As a Sheikh I take full responsibility for every statement I make. The
faith of the people should not be allowed to rot.
Abdullazada and Mehdiyev are my friends on the family level. I know
Rafiq Aliyev as well. I was the one who found him and brought him
here. He used to be here.
I think that those who want to set the state against me are the ones
who create this conflict. My activities as chairman of the BMC have
nothing to do with the state.
The BMC is regarded sometimes even as an NGO, whereas we are involved
in religious activities.
The state and the board of Muslims
(Correspondent) The powers of the SCWRS have recently been
expanded. What is your attitude to the expanded remit of the SCWRS?
(Pasazada) They only have the powers granted by the state. Those
cannot be considered religious powers because they neither pray, nor
lead the prayers. We have our own rights and nobody can take them
away.
(Correspondent) In a statement to the press you have said that you
have a social base and there is no need for worrying about it. To whom
was the message addressed?
(Pasazada) The faithful ones make up my social base. A religious
person will not betray his country. They are the ones who love their
God and their land. These people are not dangerous.
The message was addressed to whoever fears me. I only know that it was
not addressed to the state because I am an advocate for the head of
state. If private individuals are scared, it is another matter.
Religious tolerance in Azerbaijan
(Correspondent) How would you assess the current level of religious
tolerance in Azerbaijan?
(Pasazada) Compared to other countries, tolerance is more visible in
Azerbaijan. Even if you take Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Russia, our
situation may serve as a good example for them. This is a result of
the correct work which I have organized. I have even been accused of
politicking because of that. However, if the truth is in politics,
then I am engaged in it.
Rafiq Aliyev should not compare me with (Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russia) Aleksiy II or (Catholicos of All Armenians) Garegin. I have
not left my land and run.
I was born is Lankaran (southwestern Azerbaijan) but I am ready to die
as a martyr for Karabakh at any moment. He (presumably referring to
Rafiq Aliyev) was the one who left the land and ran, not me. And now
he deems me inferior to Garegin. I am not inferior to any one of
them. I talk on equal terms on all issues even with Aleksiy II. It is
not right to appraise me like this.
Wahhabism in Azerbaijan
(Correspondent) Is there a threat of Wahhabism in Azerbaijan?
(Pasazada) The threat is there, to some extent, like anywhere
else. However, this must not be exaggerated. The SCWRS was set up
because of the exaggeration of Wahhabism. And then Wahhabism
disappeared. To preserve the committee, they sometimes talk about the
threat of Wahhabism, as if Wahhabism would ruin everything should the
committee cease to exist. This is their political stance.
(Correspondent) Is it possible to monitor the activities of young
people who have received religious education abroad? Sometimes various
deviations can be observed in their subsequent conduct.
(Pasazada) Yes, it is possible to monitor that. However, it depends on
the channel they used to study abroad. Education is not restricted now
and this creates some difficulties. Still, we are responsible for the
people we sent ourselves.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Jan 3 2005
Turkey: The Motto of the Political and Social Debate in France
France’s skeptical stance against Turkey’s membership to the European
Union (EU) has become a critical issue during these days. The
negative voices that are very loud in French public have affected the
political atmosphere not only in France but also in Turkey. Turks
have become very suspicious about French public during these days
while Turkey’s membership to the EU is the central concern. As the
survey of ISRO, EU Perception Survey, proved that 33.5 % of the
respondents say France is the most important obstacle for Turkey’s EU
entry, it is clear that the relations will become more strained. In
order to draw a full picture, it is significant to analyze the
reasons behind this opposition. After a short explanation of the
overall status in France about Turkey’s accession to the European
Union (EU), the unknown side of the coin will be mentioned in this
paper. As an introductory part, this work aims to question simply the
unapparent part of the scene in France. Who are the actors of this
`game’?
There is general truth the Turkish issue divided the French public.
The debate between those who see Turkey’s Islamic society as an
obstacle, and those who see the country as a valuable bridge between
Europe and the Middle East, is already heating up. Although many
French politicians and citizens are worried about admitting a large
Muslim nation into the Union, the proponents of Turkish membership
have the upper hand. The President Jacques Chirac favors Turkish
membership but he is in an isolated position. The leading state and
political elites, including the Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin,
are against Turkey’s membership. Especially, Raffarin’s declaration
with an unusual bluntness, “Do we want the river of Islam to enter to
the riverbed of secularism?” explains the situation.
The first reason behind this aggression is the Muslim minority in the
country. More than nine million Muslims live in Western Europe, which
makes them the largest religious minority in the region. While the
majority of Muslim population in Europe lives in France with a high
percentage, 10%, French public are skeptic against them. Muslims have
an isolated life in France. They are not `with’ their French
neighbors. This feeling of `otherness’ makes the Muslim, generally
Turks, segregated from daily life. This feeling has leaded them to
the uprising and the frequency of crime has increased. It can be said
that the repressed feelings occurred under the conditions of being
isolated. Therefore, when the crime rates have increased in France,
especially, in Muslim neighborhood, the image of Turks has been
shaped: the criminal. After 11 September attacks the image of Muslim
have become more significant and contentious. The extent of popular
opposition to the Muslims has increased. Status distinctions based on
religion have become the basis for the political divisions in France
and this became more apparent during the debatable period of Turkey’s
accession to the EU.
Another reason that lies behind against Turkey stance of France is
Armenian population who live in France. As political elites do not
want to lose their votes, they carried out a deliberate policy. It
should be mentioned that only 400.000 Armenians live in France but
they are French citizen. Although nearly six million Muslim are in
the country, they are not French citizen, especially the first
generation rejected to be a French citizen. On the other hand,
younger generations are much more willing to be a French citizen.
At this point, it is valuable to mention that for French public,
national identity is equal to the national security. Therefore, the
Muslim problem for them is both a threat to the French identity and
France’s security. France experienced this kind of `problem’ during
the history, and their solution is nearly same; to make the Muslims
French. As Napoleon’s assimilation policy to the Protestant and
Jewish people, today politicians aim to do the same. Their aim is to
form a homogeneous French identity by erasing the identity of
`other’.
Turks are the scapegoat at this perspective. The suppressed
aggression against Turks has become visible during these days while
Turkey’s accession to the EU is debatable. French do not want to lose
their powerful position in the EU. The majority of French see Turkey
as irreconcilably foreign thanks to geography, religion, culture —
and the fact that, with a population of nearly 70 million, more than
France’s, Turkey would simply be too big to assimilate, and a country
too big is, simply, a threat to their big France dream.
France’s superiority complex has always shaped the domestic and
foreign policy of the country. Some political elites have been the
main actors of this dream. The former President Valerie Giscard
D’Estaing declared that Turkish membership would be “the end of the
EU.” Giscard has also warned Europeans that Turkey’s supporters are
“the adversaries of the European Union.”. D’Estaing mentioned that
Turkey was not a part of the European tradition, culture or history.
`The European convention sought to define the foundations of what
brings us together: the cultural legacy of ancient Greece and Rome,
the religious heritage which infused European life, the creative
enthusiasm of the Renaissance, the philosophy of the Enlightenment,
the contribution of rational and scientific thought,’ (Le Figaro
25/11) he wrote and added that `None of these elements was shared by
Turkey.’ According to him, EU should propose to Turkey `a privileged
membership’.
Sarkozy as the chairman of France’s ruling People Movement Union
Party, Sarkozy will also be candidate for the country’s presidency in
the 2007 elections against Chirac. According to Sarkozy, Turkey
should be a `special partner’ rather than a full member of this
integration. He declared that he was not against `co-operation’ with
Turkey and added that `I want Turkey to be associated with Europe but
not integrated into the European Union’.
The declarations of the actors make the picture clear in France.
Turkey has become a political means in the country, especially before
the presidential elections in 2007. French leaders seem to feel that
refusing to admit a large Islamic country into the Union would be
seen as a disastrous confirmation of the “clash of civilizations”.
Furthermore, French people and diplomats, for their part, hope that
admitting Turkey to the EU will bring confirmation that Islam is not
incompatible with western values. Therefore, it can be said that
Turkey has become the motto of the political and social debate in
Turkey. A big country, or a threat to their `superiority’, has also
become the motto of their future.

Selin Akyüz,ISRO

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
01/03/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) President Congratulates Armenians Worldwide, Emphasizes Karabagh's Independence 2) US, Turkey Review Touchy Iraq, Mideast Issues 3) WCC, His Holiness Aram I Forward Condolences, Encouragement to Tsunami Victims 4) Primate's Christmas Message 5) ARS Contributes to Worldwide Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims 6) Armenian American Veterans Open Doors for Young Armenians 7) Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale Announces Competition for Design 1) President Congratulates Armenians Worldwide, Emphasizes Karabagh's Independence YEREVAN (Armenpress)--In his annual congratulatory New Year's address, President Robert Kocharian bid farewell to a peaceful and stable year for Armenia and welcomed a more productive and successful one in 2005. The president noted the advancement of Armenia-diaspora relations, referring specifically to the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund telethon that yielded a considerable amount of funds from the diaspora, for the completion of Karabagh's North-South highway. He called it an important step in strengthening the factual independence of Karabagh, an independence which he called "nonnegotiable." On the foreign affairs front, Kocharian said he was pleased with Armenia's involvement in the European Union "New Neighborhood" program as it shows the Union's readiness to build special relations with Armenia. He also underscored cooperation with partner-foreign states and Armenia's continual active participation in international developments. Referring to the country's deep social polarization, Kocharian said reforms must continue in an effort to raise living standards and fight poverty. The work carried out in 2004 will be noticeable in the coming year, he stressed, with the state budget's qualitatively new structure allocating more to health care and education. He also commended Armenia's Armed Forces, which have kept the country peaceful and safe, while paying respect to the memory of Armenia's fallen heroes. 2) US, Turkey Review Touchy Iraq, Mideast Issues ANKARA (AFX)--US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reviewed touchy regional issues, including Iraq and the Middle East, which have led to coolness between the two countries. The presence in northern Iraq of an estimated 5,000 armed militants of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is also known as KONGRA-GEL), held responsible by Ankara for a 15-year civil conflict that claimed more than 30,000 lives in southeast Turkey between 1984 and 1999, is one of several reasons for recent coolness in ties between Ankara and Washington. Armitage reiterated that US, Turkish, and Iraqi officials will hold three-way talks to discuss the PKK, whose activities Ankara wants US forces in Iraq to curb. Another bone of contention is Ankara's unhappiness with the expulsion from oil-rich Kirkuk of Turkish-speaking Iraqi Turkmens by the Kurds, who in turn were expelled from the area by Arabs under Saddam Hussein. "There have been many segments of Iraqi society who have had their situation changed by force," Armitage told reporters. "The Turkmens are, of course, in this category and the Kurds themselves have been forced out, of particularly Kirkuk, to some degree. "These are things that have to be corrected in the transitional administrational law...to redress these wrongs for all those who are dispossessed," he said. "We stressed our concern over Kirkuk," said the Turkish diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We explained that we had serious concerns over efforts to change the demographic structure and said that this could lead to serious problems." He said Armitage assured Gul that he was discussing the matter with Massud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, allies of the US and leaders of the two mainstream Kurdish parties in northern Iraq, which borders Turkey. 3) WCC, His Holiness Aram I Forward Condolences, Words of Encouragement to Tsunami Victims --His Holiness Aram I, Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) together with Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of the WCC, forwarded the following message to churches in South-East Asia, after the massive devastation and tragic loss of human life caused by the tsunamis there. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On behalf of the entire fellowship of the World Council of Churches we send you sincere condolences and express our sorrow at the loss of more than 125,000 thousand lives in one of the deadliest natural catastrophes that has faced the people of South East Asia and regions surrounding the Indian Ocean. We are also aware that the devastating earthquake followed by the tsunami has left more than five million people homeless who are in dire need of immediate humanitarian aid as well as psychological and spiritual accompaniment. With our deepest sympathy we pray and think of those who have lost their loved ones. We are greatly encouraged by the exemplary efforts of our member Churches in responding even with meager resources to bandage the wounded and bond with the sorrowful. In prayer, we yearn to God that we may all overcome this cosmic anguish together with all peoples of faith in the region. The WCC together with our partners in ecumenical disaster and emergency management will continue to reach out with the resources available at our disposal to prevent more human suffering and bring about relief to those in this great affliction. Please let us know in what other ways you would wish the global ecumenical community to be in solidarity with you as you try to come to terms with this unprecedented catastrophe. During this holy season we have witnessed through liturgy and the sacred narratives of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ that even in the face of so many contradictions in life God is still part of our broken world. The miracle of the incarnation reminds us in the most profound way of the dwelling presence of God that transforms even probabilities of annihilation into new possibilities of life in history. And now we must reach out to one another, and not only weep with those in anguish but also make a new place for those seeking shelter as we struggle to find lasting solutions to future tragedies in this world. One lesson to learn from this tsunami tragedy is the need for the international community and the religious communities to unite in one spirit and reinvent the capacity for preparedness to face such tragedies together. It is also a moment to be re-awakened to our God given responsibility to care not only for one another but for the health of the creation as well. On the eve of the new year may God's grace be with you, comfort you, and give you peace in 2005 and beyond. Yours in Christ, HH Catholicos Aram I Rev Dr. Samuel Kobia December 31, 2004 4) Primate's Christmas Message "God is an interactive God. The Incarnation is God's interaction with human life. Therefore, the man who does not live an interactive life with others is fundamentally emptied of the Christian faith, i.e. of the interaction of love." Catholicos Karekin I The Incarnation symbolizes God's interaction in human life. Therefore, the man who does not live an interactive life is deeply emptied of the life of the Christian faith. In other words, the person who withdraws from the interactive life withdraws also from the conscious awareness that his life could serve as a means of distributing love. The Nativity of Jesus is the greatest miracle recorded in the history of the world, a miracle the impact of which can be measured only by the depth of faith. The Nativity of Jesus reveals God's penetration into human life, the revelation of God's infinite love. The truth that emanates from the Gospels enlightens our entire being, and in the rays of the same light the Christian person re-baptizes himself, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16) The Nativity of Jesus is the presence of light. The person whose life is enriched with prayer, in view of the Birth of Jesus rejects the dark and its works, and allows the vision of the interactive life to dawn in him. Today mankind is living in two, essentially opposing, worlds. In one world are people who live their lives dedicated to God, and in the second world are those who reject God. Those who live with God have chosen the path that leads to holiness, and those who live without God grope in the dark and are deprived of their ability to spread light. The Birth of Jesus inspires the power to transform one's life into a presence equal to a miracle. In the Birth of Jesus individuals and society as a whole live a spiritual rebirth. In today's world we can relive the Birth of Jesus when, with the power of one's spirit and the awareness of faith, we see in the Incarnation of Jesus the visitation of God to mankind. It is this inner life in the depth of our essence that will change the old man and give birth to the New Man. The Nativity of Jesus becomes a real and true feast when one is transfigured and with the transformation of his inner world he becomes a new man. The importance of the transformation of the inner world of the individual is beautifully described in the thoughts of Karekin I, the late Catholicos of All Armenians: "The world changes. This phenomenon of change is not new. The world has always known change and it has always witnessed change and has always been subjected to change. As human beings we live in this cycle of change. We are not the objects but the subjects, not the victims but the witnesses of change." We send our heartfelt greetings to all the faithful of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Mother Church that they may stay in communion with the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ, that through the Nativity of Jesus we may lead our God-given lives into new births. The lives of each of us necessarily needs spiritual rebirth, which is leavened in our inner self through the power of prayer and faith. Spiritual rebirth must be evident in our Christian and national lives. The spiritual rebirth becomes meaningful with service to our Holy Church, our Motherland, our national heritage, and particularly to our blessed land of America where we enjoy every blessing that opens before us the path of life as a mission. On the threshold of a New Year and the Feast of the Nativity, let us make a new covenant with God. Let us transform our lives into new covenants at the altar of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Bethlehem of Armenians, which penetrates into the hearts of our children scattered throughout the world with the rays of the light that emanates from its lantern. It is in that light that the Infant Jesus, the Lord and Savior of the world, is born. We lift up our good wishes and prayers to God to bless our Holy Church and her faithful children, headed by His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, whose fatherly love and blessing we in the Western Diocese will enjoy in June 2005 when His Holiness graces us with his pastoral visit. It is our heartfelt prayer that God will move the hearts of the people of the world so that they may transform their lives into instruments of love and peace, that nations will live in peace and productive life. In anticipation of the Birth of Jesus let us transform our lives into living miracles. In prayer and with warm greetings of love, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian 5) ARS Contributes to Worldwide Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS-CE) conveyed sympathy and support to the diplomatic representatives of countries devastated by the recent Tsunami in South-East Asia, and made a donation to the International Red Cross's relief funds set up to assist the countless victims of the unprecedented disaster. The ARS has also instructed its entities throughout 24 countries to contact the local embassies of those countries stricken to pledge their support and assistance, as needed. The ARS, in addition, announced the establishment of the following email addresses, based on various projects: Central Executive Board: [email protected]; Office Manager: [email protected]; Executive Secretary: [email protected]; ARS Orphans Program: [email protected]; ARS Publications: [email protected]. 6) Armenian American Veterans Open Doors for Young Armenians $10,000 Contribution to assist ANCA Capital Gateway Program WASHINGTON, DC--The Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford Massachusetts (AAVO) has added to their legacy of charitable giving with a generous $10,000 donation to the ANCA Capital Gateway Program--a pioneering initiative to open the door for recent Armenian American college graduates to political, government, media, and foreign policy jobs in the nation's capital. "The AAVO have long represented the proudest tradition of the Armenian American community," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "The children of Genocide survivors who themselves went to war to protect our freedoms, today continue to give back, opening doors for a new generation of Armenian Americans dedicated to public service." Launched in August 2003, through a generous donation from the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the ANCA Capital Gateway Program assists Armenian Americans across the US to find job opportunities on Capitol Hill or other government offices, the media, and think tanks in Washington, DC The program builds on the successful 20-year old ANCA "Leo Sarkisian" summer internship program, which has brought hundreds of youth leaders to Washington, DC to learn about the American political process and the growing role Armenian Americans play in advancing issues of concern to our community. Qualified Capital Gateway Program Fellows are provided free housing and full use of ANCA facilities and staff support in their quest for the right job or internship in the Nation's Capital. The over 20 participants in the program have secured positions in a myriad locations including with Members of Congress, US Chamber of Commerce, Export-Import Bank, Congressional Quarterly, Center for the Prevention of Genocide and the American Civil Liberties Union. AAVO was founded in 1946 in Milford, MA by returning veterans of World War II. Over the years, it has counted over three hundred members, including veterans of both the Second World War and the Korean War, who have called Milford home. During the 1950's, the group completed work on an attractive building and grounds, a Veteran's and community center, which was a vibrant home to area Armenian American veterans for many years. With the passing of so many veterans in the decades following the War, the group sold the building in 1989, and has used the proceeds from this sale to contribute to a number of worthwhile causes. The AAVO have been recognized for their generosity in newspapers, official proclamations, and through the appreciation of the many recipients of their humanitarian gifts. Among those that the Veterans have assisted over the years include: The Armenian Library and Museum of America, the national repository for collecting, conserving and documenting Armenian artifacts, books, textiles, archives and works of art; Project Save, the pioneering program that collects and archives visual information about Armenian people and their history; The Milford Senior Center, the town's gathering place for members of the "Greatest Generation;" Milford Whitinsville Regional Hospital, allowing this community hospital to expand its facilities and services; St. Jude's Children's Hospital, which provides free of charge medical care to the most vulnerable children, suffering from cancer and other catastrophic diseases; and the Armenian Children's Milk Fund, a life-saving charity that has been sending soy-based infant formula and dry powdered milk to Armenia since 1989. In addition, the Veterans have contributed to the Armenian Tree Project, Armenian Eye Care Project, Armenian General Benevolent Union, several Armenian churches, and individual families in need. The Veterans group is also working closely with local attorney Gregory Arabian, an Armenian American community leader, who is preparing oral histories of the lives of Armenian American World War II and Korean War veterans. 7) Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale Announces Competition for Design --Council Launches Website for Monument Design Competition GLENDALE--The Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale (AGMCG) launched their new website on December 22--<;www.armeniangenocidemonument. com--and announced the beginning of their Monument design competition. The AGMCG will oversee the design and construction of a commemorative monument in the City of Glendale dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide. The monument will serve as a befitting venue to begin the educational process of honoring the memory of those who perished and acknowledging the memories of the heroic deeds and acts of the Americans whose actions helped save thousands of helpless Armenian men, women and children from the rage of the genocide. In August of 2001, the City Council of Glendale adopted a motion to accept the gift of a monument to honor the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian genocide and the memory of Americans whose actions helped save thousands of Armenian men, women, and children from perishing in the genocide between 1915 and 1918. On April 8, 2003, the Glendale City Council approved the final location/site for the genocide monument. The AGMCG has been working very closely with City staff to oversee the monument selection process and has established a Selection Committee comprised of community leaders, architecture and design experts, and public officials. The announcement of the winner will take place in April, as this year marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. All parties interested in submitting a design may do so by following the guidelines and rules for submission made available on the AGMCG website. The AGMCG is a newly established organization dedicated to enhancing cross cultural understanding among the different cultural and ethnic groups in the City of Glendale by promoting respect for past historical events and the recognition thereof through continuous education, specifically that of the Armenian genocide. For more information, visit 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) 2005 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: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress