Author: Aram Torosian

Music: Krzysztof Penderecki – the Honorable Chairman of 14th Khachaturian International Competition

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia

World-known composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki is the Honorable Chairman of 14th Khachaturian International Competition. As Panorama.am learnt from the Competition website, Penderecki is set to arrive in Armenia during the competition days to identify the best cellist along with the professional jury. To remind, this year the competition is held in solo cello or cello and piano (orchestra) specialty.

“I am confident the competition named after Khachatourian has its unique place among the greatest competitions of the world. That is an excellent opportunity for all musicians at their early career,” Penderecki has noted.

The 14th Aram Khachaturian International Competition launches on June 6, on the birthday of great Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian and finishes on June 14 with a gala concert. It is held within the framework of events dedicated to Aram Khachaturian's 115th anniversary.

The competition will take place in three rounds: the first round is set to be held on 7-8 June, the second round (the semi-final) – on 9-10 June, with the third round (final) of the competition scheduled for 12-13 June.

Khachaturian International Competition is widely-recognized across the world. It is the member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions and it is the only Armenian competition ever honored with such a privilege.

The project is implemented thanks to the joints efforts of Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, “Aram Khachaturian-Competition” Cultural Foundation and Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.

It’s time to learn some new languages!

Aram Torosian
Plus Company Updates(PCU)
Friday
It's time to learn some new languages!
 
 
BEIJING: Sogou has issued the following news release:
 
Typany now supports more language than ever before!
 
Hebrew, Urdu, Persian, Armenian, Slovak, Swahili, Serbian and Romanian–what is the common characteristic of all these languages? Well133; of course they are all common languages around the world133; but the most important thing is that Typany supports all these languages NOW!
 
No matter you are native speaker of these languages or currently just a starter, our newly update version of Typany Keyboard allows you to communicate with friends who speak these languages freely and without boundary. Wait133; maybe you are not that familiar with some of the listed languages? No worries folks, let's grab some brand new knowledge today!
 
Speaking of Persian133; already feel some mysterious huh? Yep, as one of the most important Western Iranian languages which belongs to the great Indo-European language family, it is widely spoken in countries like Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Dated back to 1500 BCE, Persian has been known as one of the oldest languages in Middle East. For those funs of archeology and history, this is your time to learn Persian!
Hebrew is one of the most influential languages in the world. As a Semitic language native to Israel, it is estimated that over 9 million people speak the language worldwide from Europe to North America. Actually, Hebrew is the only living Canaanite language left, and the only truly successful example of a revived dead language. So if you're eager to know or investigate more into Jewish culture and society, Hebrew is a must-know language for you!
 
Urdu, another Indo-European language widely spoken in India and Pakistan, is also quite influential not only in South Asia but also around South Asian communities around the world, especially in Europe and North America. Written right-to-left in an extension of the Persian alphabet, Urdu literature has boasted of some world-recognized artists and considerable corpus.
 
Armenian is spoken primarily by the Armenian people in Armenian. Unlike its neighbor—Azerbaijani and Georgian, Armenian is the only major Indo-European language in the south Caucasus region. You may be amazed by its distinctive alphabet, which was introduced around AD 405 by an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical leader.
 
Serbian and Romanian are both common languages spoken in Balkan Peninsula, or to a greater extent, East Europe. Standard Serbian language uses both Cyrillic as well as Latin script, which makes it a rare example of synchronic digraphia, a situation where all literate members of a society have two interchangeable writing system available to them. Because of that, Typany supports both Cyrillic and Latin keyboard for Serbian in order to advance your typing experience! As for Romanian, a language that evolved from several dialects of Vulgar Latin, it is predominately spoken in Republic of Moldova and Romania. If you want to explore the exotic beauty of castles and fortresses in Romania, pick up the language now!
As the lingua franca of eastern Africa, Swahili has an estimate number ranging from 50 million to over 100 million all across Africa. Heavily influenced by Arabic, Swahili could be considered as a mixed language to some degree. However, the grammatical and syntactic structure of the language is typically Bantu though Arabic influences its lexical items. Many of us are fascinated by the authentic African Savanna. By communicating with local people in Swahili, we're sure that you would have better understanding about the great homeland of humankind!

Tevan Poghosyan appointed as Adviser to President

Aram Torosian
  • 18:45 | May 4,2018 | Official
  • Հայ
  • Рус

Armenian President Armen Sargsyan signed a decree to appoint Tevan Poghosyan as Adviser to the President.

“Having regard to Article 145 (1) of the Constitution, as well as by Article 1 of the Presidential Decree NN-264-L of April 18, 2018,

Paragraph 3 of Article 13 of the Staff of the President’s Administration, to appoint Tevan Poghosyan as adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia, on a voluntary basis,” reads the decree.

Vartkes Mahdessian: Turkey continues denying Armenian Genocide, fears legal consequences will follow

Aram Torosian
News.am, Armenia
Vartkes Mahdessian: Turkey continues denying Armenian Genocide, fears legal consequences will follow Vartkes Mahdessian: Turkey continues denying Armenian Genocide, fears legal consequences will follow

00:15, 21.04.2018
                  

Turkey continues to stubbornly refuse to acknowledge its blood-stained past and perpetrating the Armenian Genocide, Armenian representative at the Cyprus parliament Vartkes Mahdessian said addressing the House plenary.

Mahdessian thanked Cyprus which was the first European country to pass a parliamentary resolution recognizing the genocide in 1975, Cyprus Mail reported.

“It is truly unthinkable that civilized states, who appear to be protectors of human rights and democracy, continue to yield to the pressure exerted by Turkey, taking advantage of its geostrategic position and purchasing power, which stops them from recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” said Mahdessian.

He said the genocide was a tragedy that shocked the then civilized world and which created deep wounds like no other event in the long course of the Armenian nation.

As to why Turkey has so stubbornly refused to recognize the Armenian Genocide, while Germany has recognized the Holocaust of the Jews, Mahdessian said that the main reasons were the legal consequences of such a move and its impact on Turkish society.

“Turkey is not willing to pay even one cent to the survivors of the Genocide and their offspring, since it would not be only for the Armenians, but also the Greeks, the Assyrians, and perhaps the Kurds, and the Cypriots,” he concluded.

Some protesters throw different items at police forces

Aram Torosian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Some protesters throw different items at police forces


YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. A police officer warned the participants of the rally gathered at the France Square that the protesters throw different items at the police forces. “Some protestors throw different items at the police forces. Move them away otherwise the Police will take measures to ensure order”, the police officer said.

In response, one of the organizers of the rally, MP Ararat Mirzoyan noted those people have already been moved away.

Afterwards, Nikol Pashinyan said that their rally is peaceful, and urged the participants of the rally not to throw anything at the police and to withdraw a little from the barbed wires.

Earlier, the police issued a statement demanding Nikol Pashinyan to stop the protest. In case of failing to meet the demands the Police will disperse the rally using force and special means.

English –translator/editor:Tigran Sirekanyan

Three police officers hospitalized following clashes at Baghramyan avenue in Yerevan

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia
17:54 16/04/2018

Three police officers were hospitalized in Nairi Medical Center following clashes with rally participants at Baghramyan avenue in Yerevan. As the Deputy Head of the medical institution Anatoli Gnuni told reporters, one of the injured police officers undergoes surgery. 

In Gnuni's words, the police officers sustained shrapnel wounds. "One of the officers is currently under surgery. His situation is assessed as severe," Gnuni added.

To remind, it has been the fourth days as protesters led by MP Pashinyan have been demonstrating in Yerevan, boycotting the ruling Republican Party of Armenia's decision to nominate Serzh Sargsyan as the next prime minister of Armenia.

Today, demonstrators marched through the center of the capital Yerevan and blocked streets seeking to disrupt the parliament session which is set to vote on the candidacy of the new prime minister on Tuesday.

Maraga massacres were result of ethnic cleansing, says Artsakh presidential spokesman

Aram Torosian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Maraga massacres were result of ethnic cleansing, says Artsakh presidential spokesman



YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS/ARTSAKHPRESS. A brutal crime was committed in the Maraga village based on the policy of ethnic cleansing and occupying Artsakh without Armenians, Davit Babayan – spokesperson of the President of Artsakh, said commenting on the massacres committed by the Azerbaijani forces in Maraga on April 10, 1992.

“Taking into account the impunity factor, we see how Azerbaijan becomes more hateful and fascist. The international community should condemn the crime committed in Maraga. Not condemning it will create new grounds for repetition of similar crimes in different parts of the world. Recognition of this massacre by the international community is one of our key and priority tasks”, Davit Babayan said.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan


Armenian Immigration Project Discussion April 27

Aram Torosian
<!—US
X-NONE
AR-SA

<!—US
X-NONE
AR-SA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                      

Contact: Varoujan Der Simonian                                                                                                             

Armenian Museum of Fresno

P: 559-224-1001; F: 559-224-1002                                          

[email protected]

 PRESS RELEASE

 Armenian Immigration Project
Discussion April 27

Engineer by Profession to share tool to research Armenian
immigration through 1930

(Fresno, Calif.)
Mark Aslan, with family roots in Fresno, has created a unique and history-rich
research tool that allows local American-Armenians discover their family roots.
Arslan who has developed The Armenian Immigration Project, will present his program
to the Fresno community on Friday, April 27, 6-9pm.

 Arslan will demonstrate and discuss his project at the free
event beginning at 6 p.m. at the Armenian Museum of Fresno housed at the
University of California Center, located on 550 E. Shaw Ave. in Fresno, CA.

 This free searchable web database with over 100,000 entries features
multiple types of American primary sources (ship manifests, censuses, births,
marriages, deaths, military, naturalization, passports, and newspaper missing
persons advertisements).

 Records of individuals and their friends and family are
linked together (sometimes with photos and other images) to show relationships.

 “I was amazed how quickly Mark was able to track the
footsteps of my mother’s great uncle Levon Lulejian, who migrated from Kharpert
to Fresno in 1920!” said Varoujan Der Simonian, director of the Museum. According
to the records, Lulejian, a trained chemist, was born in 1892. He became the recording
secretary of General Antranik, and the publisher-editor of Meshag newspaper
in Fresno.   

 While there is no charge to attend, RSVPs are encouraged. To
RSVP, contact the Armenian Museum of Fresno at (559)
224-1001 or go to www.armof.org and Register
on line to save your seat. Admission is free.

###

 About the Armenian Museum of Fresno:  a.k.a. Armenian Heritage Museum, a California
based 501(c) 3 Public Benefit Corporation, housed at the University of
California Center on 550 E. Shaw Ave. in Fresno, promotes rotating exhibitions,
performing arts, and highlights the history and contributions of Armenian-Americans
to California, complementing the cultural fabric of Central California.

MARK ARSLAN – Picture attached


Armenian Museum of Fresno

550 East Shaw Ave., 
Fresno CA 93710
Tel: 1.559.224.1001
Fax 1.559.224.1002



Photo-MarkArslan-Jul2017-WinstonSalemNC.jpg
JPEG image

Russian military put on alert during drills in Armenia

Aram Torosian
TASS, Russia
April 2 2018
Military & Defense

April 02, 8:45 UTC+3 ROSTOV-ON-DON

              

© Alexander Riumin/TASS

ROSTOV-ON-DON, April 2. /TASS/. Troops from the Russian military base in Armenia have been put on alert during the drills and will be deployed to the Alagyanz highland training ground, a spokesman for the Southern military district, Vadim Astafyev, said on Monday.

                       
© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS                                  

"During the weeklong drills at the Alagyanz training ground the troops will perform exercises on driving in conditions of mountainous and rocky highland area, live firing from small arms, grenade launchers, armaments of infantry combat vehicles, tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft weapons," Astafyev said.

Special focus will be made on carrying out tactical activity of motorized infantry with support of artillery, air defense forces and aviation.

The military exercises in the Transcaucasus region involve more than 1,000 troops and nearly 300 pieces of special military hardware, including fighter aircraft, army aircraft and drones.

Sports: Armenia to be Represented in Boston Marathon for the First Time

Aram Torosian
The Armenian Weekly
April 2 2018

By Weekly Staff on April 2, 2018

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)—For runners across the globe, securing a spot in the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest annual marathon, is a prestigious distinction. Just 30,000 participants make the cut, 80 percent of whom must beat an age-based qualifying time in another marathon to even have a chance. Each year, the event attracts 500,000 spectators.

Sarah Fountain (Photo courtesy of Sarah Fountain)

The 2018 Boston Marathon is slated for April 16, marking the race’s 122nd occasion. In 2017, runners from every U.S. state were represented, along with 99 countries—Armenia was not one of them. But this year, for the first time in the its history, Armenia will be officially represented.

“Each Boston Marathon participant has to specify the country they are running for,” explains Sara Fountain, the 23 year-old Armenian-American who will be carrying the Armenian flag in the race this year, “I registered under Armenia as I am living here, so the demographic info for the race records will reflect that. I’m in the process of getting Armenian citizenship, but it’s not done yet. I’ll have to be a citizen if/when I qualify for the Olympics, though.”

Fountain is originally from the New York City area and moved to Yerevan in the summer of 2017 shortly after completing a volunteer internship with the Birthright Armenia program. In Armenia, she began her training as a professional runner and that same year, won second place in the Yerevan Half Marathon and Tbilisi Half Marathon, both of which had drawn strong competition from Russia and Ukraine. While her nearest challenge is the Boston Marathon, she says her ultimate goal is to bring the country to the 2020 Olympic Marathon is more accurate (yet another first, as Armenia has never had a runner compete).

Fountain is supported by TriClub Yerevan, Armenia’s leading team for endurance sports, and trains under certified coach Vahagn Toukharian, a marathon and Ironman competitor. According to a personal statement, Fountain has found Armenia to be the ideal environment in which to develop her burgeoning career in running. Gives opportunity to train at high altitudes (including the Tsakhadzor sports complex that boasts some of the country’s greatest athletes, including gold-medalist Artur Aleksanyan, and she has recently trained at 2000 meters in the mountains of Jermuk).

Referencing Armenia’s exercise culture, Fountain says she is humbled by the idea that her career might inspire a new generation of women and girls to pursue a more active lifestyle in Armenia. “A lot of people asked what I want to contribute to Armenia when I moved here,” says Fountain, “and I never knew how to answer. Running is the most empowering tool I have in life… I am so proud to be a part of this growing movement toward a healthy lifestyle in Armenia”

Fountain says her participation in the Marathon is a part of a larger attempt to bring Armenia to the 2020 Olympics, and has plans to participate in more of the world’s top marathons. In addition to the Boston Marathon, she is slated to run in Chicago later this year.