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PRESS RELEASE
Monday, May 3, 2010
AGBU Montreal Rescues Armenian Astronomical Society
Following the declaration of Armenia’s independence in 1991, the
Armenian National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), like many other
scientific and academic institutions, fell on hard times due to the
drastic reduction in the level of government support. As a result,
last year, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) had seriously
considered terminating the membership of Armenian Astronomical Society
(AAS), which hadn’t paid its membership dues for the previous five
years, amounting to $22,000.
In the past, the IAU had waived Armenia’s membership fees up to
2002. In 2007, one year before the centennial of Victor
Hampartsoumian, former ANAS president and internationally recognized
astrophysicist, Armenia’s membership was in danger of suspension, as
the dues had not been paid for a period of five years. At that time,
the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, which is the AAS’s center
located in the town of same name, Armenian province of Aragatzotn,
succeeded in paying the dues for the year 2003 with the help of
VivaCell, a mobile communications company in Armenia. In 2008, the IAU
once again informed the AAS that all its membership dues had to be
paid in order for it to remain a member. The IAU’s triennial general
assembly was to take place at the beginning of August 2009 in Rio de
Janeiro, and Armenia received a final notice in June 2009, whereby all
arrears had to be paid by July 31, 2009, and failure to pay by this
date would result in the suspension of AAS’s membership.
On July 19, 2009, young community activist Chahé Tanachian, a graduate
of AGBU Armen-Quebec Alex Manoogian School and chairman of the AGBU
Manuel Keusseyan Armenological Studies Program, made a general plea to
help prevent Armenia’s suspension from IAU. One of the first persons
to respond was Armineh Garabedian, president of GlobVision, Inc. from
Montreal. She pledged to pay the full amount for the year 2004, and
her generous donation was the first payment that was transferred and
reached the IAU before the July 31, 2009 deadline. Then, with the
intervention of ANAS president Radik Martirossian, the dues for the
year 2008 were also paid before the deadline. At this point, four
years of dues remained to be paid.
Despite AAS’s tangible attempt to pay off its arrears, during the
IAU’s triennial assembly at the beginning of August 2009, it seemed,
nevertheless, like the Executive Committee was still going to discuss
Armenia’s membership suspension issue and also most likely to refuse
to financially sponsor the upcoming summer 2010 International School
of Young Astronomers to be held at the Byurakan Observatory. The
following intervention came at the highest level. The Prime Minister
of Armenia himself instructed his Minister of Science and Education,
Mr. Armen Ashodian, to resolve this matter immediately. Through the
Minister, the Executive Committee members of the IAU were informed
that Armenia would pay all of its remaining back dues within a period
of one week. Based on this information and the fact that some payments
had already been made to the IAU account, the Executive Committee
withdrew Armenia’s membership issue from their current agenda and also
agreed to reconsider sponsorship of the 2010 International Summer
School for Young Astronomers in Armenia.
In the meantime, dozens of individuals graciously responded to
Mr. Tanachian’s appeal. In addition, one organization, the Armen Karo
Student Association, agreed to donate the equivalent of one full
year’s membership fee. All in all, the contributions amounted to
$10,000, and this sum was transferred by AGBU directly to the IAU
account. By the end of August 2009, Armenia transferred the remaining
two years’ dues to the IAU, thereby completing all payments up to
2009.
Thus, Armenia once again became a fully instated member of the
International Astronomical Union. Thankfully, the Armenian government
has now agreed to pay the AAS’s membership dues to the IAU, as
required.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural, and humanitarian programs, annually touching
the lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress