Author: Babken Chilingarian

Civil Contract party makes additional efforts to hold upcoming local elections maximally free and transparent – MP

Babken Chilingarian

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 09:52,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Local elections will take place in Armenia’s 18 enlarged communities on September 25.

The ruling Civil Contract party is going to actively take part in the elections. The pre-election activities of the party will be coordinated by Civil Contract faction MP, member of the party Board, Arsen Torosyan.

Speaking to ARMENPRESS, Mr. Torosyan introduced the current activities and his assessment of the pre-election processes.

“At this moment, the nomination, registration of candidates of proportional lists, document clarification within the set time are taking place. After registration a lottery will be held to draw numbers, and the pre-election campaign will start on August 31. The registration of the vote of our citizen is very important for us, no matter whether we or our opponents will receive it. In this regard, we are making additional efforts for the process to be maximally free and transparent”, he said.

The Civil Contract party is participating in elections in 17 of these 18 enlarged communities. These are the followings: Tsaghkahovit, Talin and Alagyaz (Aragatsotn province), Gyulagarak, Alaverdi, Lori Berd, Tashir (Lori province), Charentsavan, Akunk, Byureghavan, Jrvezh (Kotayk province), Ani (Shirak province), Sisian, Kajaran (Syunik province), Areni, Yeghegis (Vayots Dzor province) and Berd (Tavush province). The party is not participating in elections in Chambarak community.

“We have submitted almost all documents, the names of candidates toping the lists, the lists of the council of elders. I am coordinating all of this, but actions are also being taken by a large representative staff from the parliament, the government and the Civil Contract party office”, he said.

The lawmaker says that the activeness of citizens in local self-government elections depends on various circumstances, such as the number of candidates nominated in this or that community, the process of the election campaign and the rhetoric to be used, as well as the contradictions existing between the competing political forces.

“For instance, in Sisian enlarged community, which is again being enlarged with Gorayk community, 7 political forces have been nominated. This automatically means there will be a very high activeness because everyone will try to get a vote and get people involved. But we have a community where only one political force has been nominated, for example Jrvezh. Of course, we should try to encourage people as much as possible to come and vote because the registration of a citizen’s vote is important in order to show the legitimacy of the elections, but the difference will be obvious”, he said.

Arsen Torosyan stated that as a political commitment the Civil Contract party attaches importance to the broad participation of political forces, because the more people participate in elections, the more representational and legitimate the elections will be.

As for the main emphasis of the pre-election program of the Civil Contract party in the local elections, Mr. Torosyan said that the ruling force has shown at the government and parliament level that the development of communities is one of their most important priorities.

“This is also the reason for the subvention programs being implemented by the government when the community and the government are participating in the implementation of such programs, as asphalting, lighting, garbage collection, renovation of kindergartens. You see how much money is allocated for it every time at the Cabinet meetings. The development of communities is also being done with direct spending by the government. For example, the construction, renovation and re-construction of hundreds of schools and kindergartens, that we have announced, also relates to communities. Now our candidates are taking a commitment to solve the problems typical to each community, by using the central commitment and expressing readiness to unconditionally assist it. Of course, we have registered major progress in many communities and this is obvious when the problems, that have not been solved for 20-30 years, are now being solved, but, of course, there are problems that need to be solved. It seems, we are also offering the voters a symbiosis, as the work between the community and the central power will give much better results than if they work separately from each other”, Arsen Torosyan stated.

 

Interview by Karen Khachatryan

Photos by Hayk Manukyan




AW:" Armenian Genealogy Conference announces preliminary agenda

Babken Chilingarian
 American University of Armenia News 0

YEREVAN— The Armenian Genealogy Conference has announced the preliminary agenda for its fifth conference to be held, for the first time, in Armenia on September 23-25. The conference is cosponsored by the Hamazkayin Cultural Association and the American University of Armenia (AUA). 

Recently added to the list of speakers at the conference is Dr. Tigran Matosyan, holder of a Kandidatskaya degree in history from the Armenian National Academy of Sciences for his comparative study of the Armenian Genocide and Holocaust. He has been teaching at AUA since 2015. Dr. Matosyan’s current research interests are in the realm of social and cultural phenomena in the history of Armenia. His presentation will lay out the patterns of Armenian children’s names given by their parents in the city of Van at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

The preliminary conference agenda includes a welcome reception, along with presentations and multiple workshops on individual research questions throughout the weekend. 

Other presenters include Dr. Haroutune Armenian on “The Armenian parish microfilm collection of the Latter-Day Saints Family History Library;” Dr. Rafael Abrahamyan on “The genealogy of Artsakh: Sources, methodology and the history of its study;” Dr. Sonya Mirzoyan on “The Armenian National Archives as a resource for genealogical research;” George Aghjayan on “Ottoman population registers and their usage and value in Armenian genealogical research” and “DNA testing as an important resource in Armenian genealogical research;” Dr. Hayk Hakobyan on “The role of lithographs and memoirs in the field of Armenian genealogical studies;” Dr. Panov Dmitri Arkadievich on “Survey of Armenian genealogical research sources available in Russian archives;” and Andranik Nahapetyan on “Genealogy and origins of Simon Vratsian and resources available for researching Nor Nakhichevan (Crimean) Armenian genealogies.”

More information is available on the conference website, where individuals can also register to attend.

Conference Agenda (subject to change)

Day 1: Friday, September 23, 2022

5:30 p.m. Welcome Reception
Details Forthcoming

Day 2: Saturday, September 24, 2022

Room 106 PAB, Manoogian Hall
Paramaz Avedisian Building
American University of Armenia

9:30-9:45: Registration
9:45-10:00: Welcome – Opening Remarks
10:00-10:45: Presentation – Dr. Haroutune Armenian – The Armenian parish microfilm collection of the Latter-day Saints Family History Library
11:00-11:45: Presentation – Dr. Rafael Abrahamyan – The genealogy of Artsakh: sources, methodology and the history of its study
11:45-12:15: Coffee break
12:30-13:15: Presentation – Dr. Sonya Mirzoyan – The Armenian National Archives as a resource for genealogical research
13:30-14:30: Lunch break – Participants on own, AUA Cafeteria
14:30-15:15: Presentation – Dr. Hayk Hakobyan – The role of lithographs and memoirs in the field of Armenian genealogical studies
15:30-16:15: Presentation – George Aghjayan – Ottoman population registers and their usage and value in Armenian genealogical research
16:30-17:15: Panel – Workshop for individualized research questions

Day 3: Sunday, September 25, 2022

Room 106 PAB, Manoogian Hall
Paramaz Avedisian Building
American University of Armenia

9:30-10:15: Presentation – Dr. Panov Dmitri Arkadievich – Survey of the Armenian genealogical research sources available in the Russian archives
10:30-11:15: Presentation – Dr. Tigran Matosyan – Patterns of giving names to children by Armenian parents in the city of Van at the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th century
11:15-11:45: Coffee break
12:00-12:45: Presentation – Andranik Nahapetyan – Genealogy and origins of Simon Vratsian and the resources available for researching Nor Nakhichevan (Crimean) Armenian genealogies
12:45-13:30: Lunch break – Participants on own, AUA Cafeteria
13:30-14:15: Presentation – George Aghjayan – DNA testing as an important resource in Armenian genealogical research
14:30-15:15: Panel – Workshop for individualized research questions
15:15-16:00: Closing

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Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.


Armenpress: Erdoğan and Assad may meet in Uzbekistan – Shahan Gantaharian’s comment

Babken Chilingarian

Erdoğan and Assad may meet in Uzbekistan – Shahan Gantaharian’s comment

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 21:18,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, ARMENPRESS. After many years of conflict, the Turkish-Syrian relations, which have been going through historical upheavals, show signs of normalization again. Talking to ARMENPRESS about this topic, the editor-in-chief of the Lebanese "Aztag" Armenian daily, political analyst Shahan Gantaharian stressed that all the prerequisites for the rapprochement of Turkey and Syria should be considered in the framework of Russia-Turkey strategic cooperation.

Turkish, Arabic, and Iranian media are writing these days that the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar Al-Assad, may meet for the first time in 10 years in Uzbekistan, at the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which will be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand.

The editor-in-chief of "Aztag" presented his point of view on this information, saying that there have been talks about the possibility of Ankara-Damascus rapprochement or re-establishment of relations for some time, and it is noticeable that Ankara's official representatives are more active about this than Syria's.

"Reconciliation initiatives of the Syrian opposition and Syrian President Bashar Assad under the mediation of Turkey are also on the agenda. Çavuşoğlu (Turkey's Foreign Minister-ed.) announced that the security services of the two countries are already talking and are holding joint discussions on common issues. It is clear that security issues refer to the first problem for Ankara, the Kurdish factor," the analyst noted.

Shahan Gantaharian draws attention to the statement of the President of Turkey that his country is in favor of maintaining the territorial integrity of Syria and has no intention of ousting Assad.

“I believe that all these preconditions for rapprochement should be considered in the sidelines of Moscow-Ankara strategic cooperation. It should not be forgotten that Damascus coordinates such actions, steps and breakthrough positions with Moscow. Let's add that until now Ankara has not managed to form the geography of the security zone that it proposed from the first stage of the Syrian war. And Turkey did not have the permission not only of the West, but also of Moscow," emphasized Shahan Gantaharyan.

AW: Armenia Tree Project tops spring planting season with seven million trees

Babken Chilingarian
 Armenia Tree Project Non-Profit 0

ATP’s symbolic seven millionth tree planted with founder Carolyn Mugar, executive director Jeanmarie Papelian, ATP’s Board of Directors with ATP Armenia Tour guests on June 22nd at the Michael and Virginia Ohanian Center for Environmental Studies in Margahovit, Lori.

Armenia Tree Project (ATP) celebrated another milestone, planting seven million trees since its inception in 1994. The symbolic tree was planted together with founder Carolyn Mugar, executive director Jeanmarie Papelian, ATP’s Board of Directors and ATP Armenia Tour guests on June 22nd at the Michael and Virginia Ohanian Center for Environmental Studies in Margahovit, Lori. 

The seven millionth tree culminates the ambitious 2022 spring planting season throughout ATP’s divisions that together serve the Armenian people in raising their standard of living and protecting the global environment.

One of the most publicly visible programs, this spring, ATP’s community tree program (CTP) provided 35,345 fruit and decorative trees and shrubs to 147 sites including, schools and education centers, public parks, hospitals and medical clinics, churches, pilgrimage and historic sites in all 10 provinces of Armenia as well as in Artsakh’s provinces of Martuni and Askeran. Fifty-seven of these sites were new to participate with CTP this year, resulting in over 1,500 sites throughout Armenia and Artsakh. ATP staff works with the local population and monitors regularly to ensure the highest rates of survival and provide technical assistance to families or institutions that receive trees.

ATP partnered with a number of local and international organizations, companies and individuals for community tree plantings this spring, including Birthright Armenia, Little Singers of Armenia, US Embassy Green Team, VMware Armenia, Bureau Veritas Group Armenia BIVAC Armenia CJSC, Talk Desk, AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, St. Stephen’s Armenian Day School, Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) interns, The Fuller House Center Volunteers and St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church Youth Group.

At Armenia’s borders, ATP distributed several thousand fruit trees to villagers living in the regions of Tavush, Syunik as well as Artsakh. The two to three year-old fruit trees serve multiple purposes as they mature, particularly in border villages. The fruit trees grow to create natural barriers to shield the residents and protect the community, while the fruit is a source of nourishment and income.

ATP’s tree supply used throughout Armenia and Artsakh is from its four nurseries in the villages of Karin, Khachpar, Chiva and Margahovit, which together provide over 90 varieties of fruit and decorative trees and shrubs. The nurseries serve as field research stations for state-of-the-art tree propagation, grafting techniques, irrigation methodologies and environmental education for students, professionals and local farmers. A new nursery is under construction in Gyumri in partnership with the EU-funded “EU4Environment: Green Community, Resilient Future” project.

As one of the largest NGO employers in Armenia of both full-time and seasonal workers, ATP provides steady income for individuals and families. This spring, ATP hired 154 seasonal workers to support our spring planting season in our nurseries, as well as to plant forests. ATP’s forestry division, with the help of the seasonal workers planted 175,162 trees in five forests located in Kotayk, Shirak, Lori and Tavush regions. ATP is doing afforestation, planting a new forest where trees were not previously growing. ATP’s specialists selected particular species that enable forest connectivity, regeneration and provide migration corridors for indigenous wildlife. ATP’s afforestation efforts create infrastructure and introduce income opportunities to the local population while also providing a buffer zone for natural forest areas and preventing further degradation.

The Backyard Nurseries Program (BYN) enables village residents to create income from their parcels of productive agricultural land. ATP provides seeds and cuttings to 128 families who care for and grow them over a two-three year period. ATP staff trains the landowners, supervises the planting, and monitors the site throughout the process. Once trees reach the harvesting stage, ATP pays the BYN owner for those trees that are then replanted in community sites. These families then begin the nursery cycle again with a new crop of trees. This program is based in the northern regions of Armenia (Shirak, Lori and Tavush). It is an economic development initiative for villagers; many of the beneficiaries’ heads of households are women.

In Artsakh, ATP’s newest program of Backyard Greenhouses serves 50 beneficiary families in Martuni and Askeran by giving them small 30 square meter greenhouses and providing them with training by GreenLane NGO. The greenhouses are easy to assemble from inexpensive and locally sourced materials by students from the American University of Armenia and Worcester Polytechnic University. All 50 families participating in ATP’s backyard greenhouse program were severely affected by the 44-day war. ATP’s program will provide some economic stability, access to fresh produce as so much agricultural land was lost in the war, and most importantly, hope for their future. 

For the next generation, ATP’s 33 Eco-Clubs have put environmental education into action. Eco Clubs in border villages feel the constant presence of danger, in villages such as Baruyr Sevag and Armash of Ararat region, located at the corner where Armenia meets Nakhichevan and Turkey, and the Eco Club in Gegharkunik community, which borders Azerbaijan. The program strengthens the environmental knowledge and spirit of our youth while teaching leadership skills. Their environmentally friendly projects also build self-esteem and pride in their communities, which affect the youth’s will to remain in their village.

Our Environmental Education team also circulated to 148 schools where our CTP program operates, further strengthening ATP’s relationship with the community. Reaching 5,847 students in grades K-12 our instructors offer lessons in the schools as well as with our classroom on wheels mobile lab, in addition, students visit our Ohanian Education Centers at Margahovit and Karin nurseries for more hands-on experiences. Our instructors teach subjects like biodiversity, climate change, importance of forests, waste management and recycling, water resources, etc. We also offered environmental education to 511 school administrators, teachers and parents.

As we reflect on an ambitious and successful 2022 spring planting season with the celebration of our seven millionth tree, thanks to the support of our donors, we are encouraged by the work of our divisions serving the Armenian people, creating opportunity and hope.

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Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit program based in Woburn and Yerevan conducting vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages and seeks support in advancing its reforestation mission. Since 1994, ATP has planted and restored more than 6,000,000 trees, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs.


Rescuers pulled out 10 survivors within two hours after blast, says emergencies minister

Babken Chilingarian

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 11:27,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. During the search-and-rescue operations that started after emergency responders arrived at the Surmalu market 10 survivors were pulled out from the rubble within two hours after the fire had spread.

Rescuers recovered 16 bodies.

“935 rescuers were involved in the work, 350 of whom were deployed on the same day. 60 units of equipment, of which 32 water tanks, 6 ladders, 9 rescue and 13 auxiliary vehicles, and two UAVs were used,” the Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Pambukhchyan told reporters.

1 of the 16 bodies is yet to be identified.

“Now we announce about 2 missing persons, but we presume that the unidentified body belongs to one of those who is unaccounted for,” the minister said.

He said they know the identity of the other missing person and know where the person was located when the blast hit.

“We’ve cleared more than 90% of the area and we have approached the presumed epicenter and the search-and-rescue operation continues here,” the minister said.

Will the Latest Clashes Upend Nagorno-Karabakh’s Path to Peace?

Babken Chilingarian
Aug 16 2022

The international community must re-engage to preserve the tenuous peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

by Mark Temnycky

Earlier this year, Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev met to discuss a framework to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The meeting was not well received in Armenia, and thousands of citizens gathered to protest their government’s recent negotiations with Azerbaijan. Despite the protests, the Armenian government continued to meet with its Azerbaijani counterparts.

Progress was made. In July, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Georgia to discuss the next courses of action in Nagorno-Karabakh. During the meeting, they debated a plan for withdrawing Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and discussed how to normalize relations.

Following this session, Armenian officials announced they would “withdraw all remaining military units from Nagorno-Karabakh by September.” Residents of the Lachin region were told “they need to leave their homes” before September and that the Karabakh government would provide vouchers worth up to $25,000 to households forced to relocate. It was also announced that Azerbaijani forces would retake control of the area, an item that was outlined in the Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020.

But a recent skirmish has now derailed these events. Last week, one Azerbaijani soldier and two soldiers from the Karabakh army were killed. Over a dozen Karabakh soldiers were also injured in renewed fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. Shortly after the deadly encounter, the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments accused one another of violating the current ceasefire.

The international community was swift to comment on these events. The United States urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to “reduce tensions and avoid further escalation” in Nagorno-Karabakh. Similarly, representatives from the European Union called for an immediate de-escalation in the region. Finally, Turkey and Russia voiced their concerns over the renewed skirmish, with the latter vowing to “stabilize the situation.”

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how these international actors will help resolve the conflict. Numerous ceasefire agreements have been violated, and thousands of Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers and citizens have been killed. The United States and European Union have sent millions of dollars in financial and humanitarian assistance, but this has not ended the conflict. Similarly, Turkey and Russia were instrumental in the 2020 ceasefire negotiations, but this agreement has constantly been violated. Russia even deployed peacekeepers to the region, but this has not alleviated tensions between Yerevan and Baku.

Now, an aura of uncertainty surrounds the conflict. While Armenian and Azerbaijani officials have continuously spoken with their counterparts from the United States, the EU, Turkey, and Russia about the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, talks have failed to resolve these tensions. Due to these failed negotiations, some experts have predicted that the “likelihood of renewed war in Nagorno-Karabakh is high” and that the “chances of yet another war seem more plausible than a peace treaty.”

Based on these concerns, the international community must re-engage in the Caucasus. One potential solution would be to introduce additional peacekeeping forces to the region. To date, the Russians have a few thousand soldiers deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh. Recent reports, however, revealed that Karabakh residents have questioned the effectiveness of Russian peacekeepers in the region. If the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe sent a multi-national peacekeeping force to the region, it could help with the negotiation process and limit the risk of renewed skirmishes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. These countries have made progress in their renewed discussions, and a larger peacekeeping force could help see these recent agreements to their completion.

Second, the international community should encourage negotiations between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. The recent EU discussions made some progress. Both countries discussed a potential withdrawal of Armenian forces from the region. Another provision could see these countries establish new trade routes. Should this be implemented, it would lead to greater economic growth and create new opportunities for both countries.

Finally, Armenia and Azerbaijan should strive to build their relationships with the major powers in the region. Collaborating with Turkish and Russian mitigation forces could lead to the establishment of new socio-economic and political opportunities in the Caucasus. The “delineation of borders” would also allow for greater movement and travel within the region.

Overall, the ongoing discussions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have been a long and challenging process. Resolving these tensions will not come overnight, but the international community must do everything it can to serve as an intermediary during these negotiation processes. Ensuring that Armenia and Azerbaijan fulfill the provisions outlined in the newly established peace plans will help ease tensions and could slowly lead to normalized relations. It will not be easy, and it will take time, but the international community must try. After all, a successful peace plan would save thousands of lives.

Mark Temnycky is an accredited freelance journalist covering Eastern Europe and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. He can be found on Twitter @MTemnycky.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/will-latest-clashes-upend-nagorno-karabakhs-path-peace-204231



Asbarez: ABMDR NextGen Launched to Promote Youth Activism

Babken Chilingarian
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The NextGen team. Photos courtesy of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry


LOS ANGELES— NextGen, a subsidiary of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, was recently launched in Los Angeles to encourage youth participation in the activities and mission of the organization.

The establishment of NextGen was initiated by Eric Markarian, a Stanford student who has been a longtime ABMDR volunteer. Now also serving on the ABMDR Board of Advisors, Markarian said NextGen aims to support the life-saving mission and pan-Armenian vision of the organization by increasing youth engagement in its work and establishing ABMDR groups on college and high-school campuses. “We see NextGen building a wide network and holding significant influence, and utilizing them to increase youth participation in the mission of ABMDR at various academic institutions across the United States,” Markarian said.

NextGen team members including Eric Markarian (center) sitting next to his mother, Dr. Ramella Markarian, a longtime ABMDR supporter and a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. Photos courtesy of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

“I commend Eric and his young colleagues for their vision and spirit of activism,” said Dr. Frieda Jordan, president of ABMDR. “I have no doubt that, as the next generation of ABMDR, members of NextGen will promote a high level of youth involvement in our work and support its mission, which is to save lives by recruiting and providing matched unrelated donors for bone marrow or stem cell transplantation to all Armenian and non-Armenian patients worldwide.” 

NextGen team members with ABMDR president Dr. Frieda Jordan. Photos courtesy of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

Markarian added that Next-Gen will also collaborate with the ABMDR Board, researchers, and physicians to initiate academic-research projects and publications in various medical fields.

Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians and non-Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 33,500 donors in 44 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients, and facilitated 39 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit the website.

Former ambassador-at-large: For first time in history ‘Armenian’ authorities forcibly displace Armenians

Babken Chilingarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 8 2022
13:18, 08.08.2022

Aravot.am asked Ambassador Davit Shahnazaryan, the former ambassador-at-large of the President of Armenia, his position regarding the events taking place in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in the past one week—and considering the fact that he was actively engaged in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Shahnazaryan, however, limited himself to just one sentence in this regard.

"For the first time in history, the ‘Armenian’ authorities are forcibly displacing Armenians in order to cede territory to the enemy [i.e., Azerbaijan]," he said.

At least 1 dead, 20 injured in explosion at Armenian market

Babken Chilingarian
ARAB NEWS
Aug 14 2022


YEREVAN: An explosion at a retail market in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Sunday sparked a fire, killing one person and injuring 20, the emergency situations ministry said.
The blast, the cause of which was not immediately known, ripped through the “retail market in Surmalu. According to preliminary information it started a fire. There are victims,” the ministry said.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed a thick column of black smoke over the market and successive detonations could be heard.
The ministry said there were 10 firefighting trucks on the spot and another 10 were on their way.