Author: Emma Jilavian

To commemorate UN Human Rights Day (10 December) the EBU is making available a special concert by world-famous conductor Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performed at the United Nations’ Headquarters in Geneva.

26 EBU Radio Members will air the concert entitled “For the Understanding of Civilisations and Human Rights” which was recorded on 31 October in the Human Rights Hall of the UN’s Palace of Nations in front of an audience including UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is made up of musicians from Israel and Palestine as well as other Arab countries and was formed to promote understanding, integration and reflection through music.

The concert programme comprises three symphonies composed by Mozart in 1788, three years before his death at the age of 36: Symphony Nº 39 in E flat major K.543, Symphony Nº 40 in G minor K. 550 and Symphony Nº 41 in C major K. 551, known as Jupiter Symphony.

The aim of the concert is to highlight, through music, the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We are thrilled to be able to distribute this meaningful concert,” said the EBU’s Head of Music Pascale Labrie. “Music stirs the soul and unites peoples so there is no better way to mark UN Human Rights Day than sharing this unique performance with audiences in 26 different EBU Member countries.”

Police are attending a shooting at a social services facility for disabled people in California, the BBC reports.

Fire officials in San Bernardino said it was responding to a “20 victim shooting incident” and it was working to clear the scene.

ABC News reports that there are 12 people dead but police have not confirmed that number.

It is still a “very active scene” and police are trying to secure the building, said a police spokeswoman.

There may be up to three gunmen, she said, and they were heavily armed and possibly wearing body armour.

Anyone with a penchant for dates and history may recall that in 1922, Marconi began making regular broadcasts from England, the British Broadcasting Corp. was established, and 14 republics formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

It’s also the year that Ecuador gained independence, and when Josef Stalin was appointed general secretary of the Communist Party.

A lesser-known story that also unfolded in 1922 — yet one with huge historical import — involved a woman from rural Nova Scotia and the fate of over 5,000 Armenian orphans.

Meet Sara Corning.

Corning was born in Chegoggin, Yarmouth County, in 1872. After finishing high school, she went to New Hampshire to study nursing — a plucky thing for a young woman to do back then.

In December 1917, she heard about the Halifax Explosion and immediately went there to help.

Shortly after, Corning joined the American Red Cross and was eventually assigned to the Near East Relief, which was providing humanitarian services to the Armenians who were being massacred by the Ottoman Turks.

In 1922, Corning travelled to Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) where the Near East Relief was headquartered. From there, the 50-year-old was sent to the Armenian capital to be in charge of an orphanage. She also worked in refugee camps.

By year’s end, she was stationed on the coast in Smyrna (now Izmir) — a city characterized by disaster and chaos.

Corning later recounted in the Kimball Union Alumni Bulletin that “the Turkish army was just taking the city as we arrived.”

“The place was crowded with many sick refugees and we opened a clinic to take care of them as best we could, but it was soon closed by the soldiers.”

She wrote about looting, the city being set afire and how many of the refugees jumped into the harbour and drowned rather than be burned alive.

Under great peril, Corning gathered the children from the orphanage there and led them through the burning city to safety aboard an American ship, where they were taken to Constantinople. She later established an orphanage for them on the island of Syros in Greece.

In June 1923, Corning was invited to Athens, where King George II of Greece presented her with the Order of the Knights of St. Xavier for her courage and bravery.

The following year, Corning returned to Turkey, where she continued to work and care for orphans. She also adopted five children. Although they did not always live with her, she provided for their well-being and education.

Fast-forward to April 21, 2004, when the Canadian Parliament passed Bill M-380 recognizing the deaths of over 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923 as a genocide.

Earlier that month, His Holiness Karekin ll, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, issued a statement titled Message of Blessing, which included a tribute to Corning.

It said in part: “The name of the late philanthropist Sara Corning is very cordial and precious to Armenians living around the world. (We) acknowledge with deep gratitude her efforts to salvage several thousands of their compatriots living in Turkey … they were saved thanks to the unwavering humanitarian works of Sara Corning.”

Local historian Susie Sweeney was recently commissioned by the Yarmouth Waterfront Development Corp. to write content about Corning for an interpretive panel that the town intends to install in Frost Park.

Sweeney said that in the past, older people in Chegoggin knew about Corning’s story, but no one made a fuss. Nor did Corning ever bring attention to herself; hence, very few people in Yarmouth know her story.

Sweeney added that “Sara was strong in her faith and dedicated her life to serving humanity.”

“Her attitude seemed to be that she had a job to do and simply got on with it.”

The Yarmouth County Museum and Archives has a large display that houses the heroine’s nursing uniform and other items such as her passport and the medal she was awarded from the King of Greece.

Jennifer Rodney-Chown, a native of Yarmouth now living in Fall River, has had a lifelong interest in the characteristics of peacemakers and humanitarians.

Captivated by Corning’s story, Rodney-Chown and her husband, David, left on a Mediterranean journey this past summer in hopes of learning more.

There were many highlights, including a week’s stay in Syros.

“It was an emotional experience for me after researching about Sara these past years,” she said.

Rodney-Chown learned from their hosts at Hotel Ploes about an Armenian woman in town who might be a relation to an orphan from Smyrna and could be found selling loukoumi and nougat (sweet confections) in a shop adjacent to the town’s square.

It didn’t take the Rodney-Chowns long to find the shop and its owner, Constantina Sykutri.

“Behind her on the wall were black and white historical photos of Smyrna!” said Jennifer Rodney-Chown. “Her father was one of the Armenian orphans. She belongs to an Armenian group who keep the traditions and the memories alive.”

Another highlight was to visit the area where the orphans were relocated. Although the red-roofed buildings are still standing, they are used as military barracks.

Because it was a weekend, no one was available to authorize entrance. So their driver took them to a location overlooking the buildings to take photos.

“This is where Sara gathered all the children together to form with their bodies the scripture verse: Second Corinthians 1:8-11, where they were photographed from a plane,” said Rodney-Chown. “The verse expressed the suffering they experienced and the miracle of their survival through God’s help and those who cared for them.”

Rodney-Chown has huge admiration for her distant cousin and hopes that the town of Yarmouth will not only install the interpretive panel Sweeney worked on, but will also erect a statue in her honour.

“Sara showed through her life that no matter what history lay before (us), the extended hands of understanding, friendship and assistance are powerful and healing wherever mutual openness exists. Sara gave all that and more: in Halifax, in Turkey, in Greece … when a door opened, she walked in and gave her best, truly helping others to survive and thrive.”

Although Sara Corning is not a household name in Nova Scotia, she is well-known to the Armenian community in Canada. In September 2012, the Sara Corning Centre for Genocide Education opened in Toronto.

After her retirement, Corning moved back to her childhood home; she died in 1967. Her headstone in the Chegoggin Baptist Church Cemetery reads: She Lived To Serve.

A hearing on “Journalists’ Eyewitness Accounts on Armed Conflicts: The Case of Nagorno-Karabakh” was held in the European Parliament with the participation of a large number of guests, Members of the European Parliament from different political groups and countries as well as Belgian Members of Brussels Parliament.

The hearing was co-organized by the EU-Armenia Friendship Group in the European Parliament and the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD)  under the patronage of MEP Dr. Eleni Theocharous (EPP, Cyprus). Dr. Theocharous was in Artsakh several times during the war and volunteered in the hospital of Stepanakert as a surgeon.

Dana Mazalova from the Czech Republic, Tsevatana Paskaleva from Bulgaria and Anna Karapetyan from Armenia presented their eyewitness accounts on the liberation war in Nagorno-Karabakh. All these three journalists were on the ground in Artsakh during the different stages of the war, from the days of the armed conflict to the signing of the cease-fire agreement.

Bedo Demirdjian of the European Armenian Federation responsible for public relations and communications opened the hearing and welcomed the participants. Dr. Theocharous reiterated her support for the people of Artsakh and their right for self-determination. Tatoul Markarian, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary stated that not only the negationist policy of the Turkish authorities but also the official policy of Azerbaijan of distorting facts and reality needs to be combated. He spoke highly of the role of journalists on the panel as well as their devotion and the professionalism of their work.

During her brief speech addressed to the European Parliament, Tsvetana Paskaleva emphasized that the aggressive policies of Azerbaijan need to stop since it can unleash another war any time. Ms Paskaleva stated that the people of Artsakh won the war at the expense of high sacrifice and claimed their right to peaceful life. Her speech was followed by the screening of one of her documentaries which started with depicting the turbulent days of the armed conflict and ended with the current peaceful life.

Czech journalist Dana Mazalova focused on the events in Khojaly, on the current misleading propaganda of Azerbaijan, on her interview with the President of Azerbaijan at the time Ayaz Mutalibov as well as on her meetings with Azerbaijani journalist Cengiz Mustafayev. Mazalova also mentioned about the current anti-Armenian and antidemocratic reality of Azerbaijan.

Journalist Anna Karapetyan elaborated on the ceasefire-agreement signed in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in May 1994 where she was present as a journalist. Ms Karapetyan focused on the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh Republic officially co-signed the cease-fire agreement – something that Azerbaijan tries to hide.

The eyewitness accounts of the three journalists were followed by a question and answer session. The MEPs present expressed their support for Artsakh and the right of its people for self-determination.

Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, emphasized the importance of such hearings. “The European Institutions as well as various European countries need to be informed appropriately about the truth on the conflict in Artsakh. This is essential in order to combat Azerbaijani state propaganda. Today these courageous journalists raised their voice in the center of Europe against caviar diplomacy,” said Kaspar Karampetian.

A number of buildings and monuments in cities across the globe were lit up in the blue, white and red colors of the French flag in a show of solidarity and support after the deadly attacks claimed the lives of 127.

 

 

 

The National Assembly today continued the discussions on the report on the implementation of 2014 programs of the Council of Public TV and Radio Company.

Vice-President of the National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov said progress has been registered in all directions. He spoke separately of Public TV and Public Radio of Armenia.

“I would like to appreciate the work of Public Radio of Armenia, the cultural and education programs, and especially the news broadcasts.  They are rather open, public and comprehensive, plurality is guaranteed. While the Public Radio was unable to compete with private radio companies a few years ago, today it has a serious audience,” Sharmazanov said. He also expressed gratitude to the staff of the radio company.

MP Lernik Alexanyan said, in turn, he’s satisfied  with both the information provided by the Public Radio and the interpretation of political events. “Even the opposition cannot say anything bad about the Public Radio,” he added.

Liverpool hope to appoint Jurgen Klopp to replace  by the end of the week, the reports.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach is favourite to take over from the Northern Irishman, with ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti also a contender.

German Klopp, 48, is understood to be open to the idea of a move.

Talks with his representatives are progressing well and the club want a new manager in place to prepare for a visit to Tottenham on 17 October.

In a statement issued by the League Managers’ Association on his behalf, Rodgers, 42, said he was “incredibly disappointed” his three-and-a-half-year tenure at Anfield was over.

Rodgers, who said he is in no rush to take another job, added the Reds squad was in transition but was showing a “strong sense of togetherness”.

The Joint exercise of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping forces codenamed Nerushimoe Bratstvo (Enduring Brotherhood) is beginning in Armenia on Wednesday, TASS reports.

The drills are held in accordance with the decision of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of CSTO Security Council Secretaries, adopted in December 2014. The maneuvers are aimed at “preparation and conduct of peacekeeping operations by the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces in the Caucasus region of collective security.”

The exercise will involve representatives and units of the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, which are members of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces. In addition, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as the Joint Staff and the Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation will attend the drills.

The Armenian Defense Ministry reported previously that “the commanders and staffs during the exercise will drill preparation of a peacekeeping operation and command and control of units of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces.”

The Russian army is represented at the drills by 100 troops of the peacekeeping brigade of the Central Military District and 10 military hardware units, a Defense Ministry official told TASS.

The total number of troops contributed to the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces is about 4,000, including about 500 officers of law enforcement bodies and the emergencies ministries. The Nerushimoe Bratstvo peacekeeping exercise is held annually since 2012.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued the following statement on the occasion of Armenia’s Independence Day: 

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send my best wishes to the people of Armenia as you celebrate your independence day this September 21.

The United States values our relationship with Armenia, which remains as strong as ever, as evidenced by the historic level of American investment in Armenia’s economy today. We are grateful for the dedication and sacrifice of Armenian troops serving in international peacekeeping missions and celebrate the many achievements of Armenians who have enriched the cultural fabric of both our nations.

As you celebrate 24 years of independence, know that the United States is a partner and friend and that we fully support the security, prosperity, and democratic development of Armenia.

Congratulations and best wishes to all Armenians around the world for a peaceful and prosperous year to come.

“Escalation is not the answer,” US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick said in a Twitter post, as he reacted to the recent tension at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

“There are credible reports both sides have used mortars recently resulting in civilian casualties. Escalation is not the answer,” Warlock said.