Author: Liana Toganian

TUMO Announces $50 Million "TUMO Armenia" Campaign To Extend Its Learning Network Nationwide

Liana Toganian
Sept 18 2021

NEWS PROVIDED BY

TUMO 

Sep 18, 2021, 03:30 ET

YEREVAN, Armenia, Sept. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Marking TUMO's 10 year anniversary and the inauguration of the new TUMO Gyumri building, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies today announced a five year, $50 million initiative to make its leading edge educational program available to all teenagers throughout Armenia and Artsakh. With 110 satellite facilities called TUMO Boxes connected to 16 fully equipped TUMO Hubs in regional centers, the program will serve 80 thousand students and reach all young Armenians even in the most remote villages.

A $10 million seed fund donated by the Yemenidjian family will launch and support hubs in Vanadzor, Kapan and Koghb, along with TUMO Boxes that feed into these and three existing hubs. To raise the remaining $40 million, TUMO is kicking off an international fundraising campaign. The Armenian General Benevolent Union and Elie & Elzbieta Akilian have each pledged to match up to $10 million of funds raised in the first 2 years of the campaign. With $10 million in seed funding, a $20 million fundraising goal, and an additional $20 million in matching contributions, the deployment initiative is already underway.

The announcement was made during the anniversary celebration of the official opening of the new TUMO center in Gyumri in the presence of government representatives, partners and friends. TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian joined via live video and gave opening remarks.

"Our vision has always been to empower all young Armenians to achieve their full potential," said Sam Simonian. "And now we are setting out to fulfill that vision throughout Armenia and Artsakh."

Also attending were Armen Yemenidjian, representing the Yemenidjian family, Vasken Yacoubian and Vera Setrakian on behalf of AGBU, Elie Akilian, on behalf of Elie & Elzbieta Akilian, via video feed, and TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian.

"My family is extremely excited and proud to be a part of this vital initiative to arm the next generation of Armenians with the tools necessary to compete in the global technology marketplace, no matter where they live in Armenia," said Armen Yemenidjian. "We hope this initiative encourages our Armenian brothers and sisters in the diaspora to invest in the future leaders of our country and economy."

"AGBU has supported the incredible mission and vision of TUMO since its expansion in Armenia and Artsakh, and this gift will solidify a partnership to benefit Armenian children for generations to come. It is an honor to be able to strengthen the relationship between TUMO, AGBU, and students and their families. I also wanted to thank the other generous donors who will be joining this important campaign," said Dr. Eric Esrailian on behalf of the AGBU Council of Trustees and Central Board of Directors.

Donations in the United States are tax deductible, and can be made in the form of one time or recurring contributions to the general project or earmarked to specific hubs or boxes through https://armenia.tumo.org/.

More information about TUMO can be found in the electronic press kit.

About TUMO
TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free-of-charge education platform that puts teenagers in charge of their own learning. The TUMO program is made up of self-learning activities, workshops and project labs that cover a wide range of focus areas at the intersection of technology and design, including computer programming, animation, game development, music, robotics, 3D modeling, writing, filmmaking, graphic design and more. Over 20 thousand students currently attend TUMO centers in Armenia on a regular basis. In recent years, TUMO centers have also opened in Paris, Moscow, Tirana, Berlin and Beirut, with additional centers expected to open in Lyon, Los Angeles, Lisbon, Milan, Tashkent and Seoul. Licensing revenues from international locations contribute to the long term sustainability of TUMO in Armenia and Artsakh.

SOURCE TUMO

Home

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tumo-announces-50-million-tumo-armenia-campaign-to-extend-its-learning-network-nationwide-301379828.html

——-

Also at

https://www.streetinsider.com/PRNewswire/TUMO+Announces+%2450+Million+%26quot%3BTUMO+Armenia%26quot%3B+Campaign+To+Extend+Its+Learning+Network+Nationwide/18955630.html

https://newsnationusa.com/news/finance/banking/tumo-announces-50-million-tumo-armenia-campaign-to-extend-its-learning-network-nationwide/

https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/tumo-announces-50-million-tumo-armenia-campaign-to-extend-its-learning-network-nationwide/article_d926b782-0e8e-5f1d-84ab-342fa843c1af.html

​Armenia takes Azerbaijan to UN court alleging discrimination

Liana Toganian
The Globe and Mail, Canada
Sept 16 2021

Armenia takes Azerbaijan to UN court alleging discrimination

MIKE CORDER
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Armenia is taking its decades long territorial dispute with neighbouring Azerbaijan – that erupted into armed conflict again last year – to the United Nations’ highest court.

Armenia filed a case at the International Court of Justice alleging breaches by Azerbaijan of an international convention that aims to eliminate racial discrimination, the court announced late Thursday.

Armenia alleges that as a result of what it calls a “State-sponsored policy of Armenian hatred, Armenians have been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, torture and other abuse,” the court said.

The case centres of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government for more than a quarter of a century.

During the Soviet era, the predominantly Armenian-populated region had an autonomous status within Azerbaijan. Long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and mostly Muslim Azeris boiled over as the Soviet Union collapsed. Conflict broke out in 1988 when the region tried to join Armenia, and escalated into war after the 1991 collapse of the USSR, leaving an estimated 30,000 dead and displacing about 1 million.

Fighting that erupted again a year ago killed hundreds, making it the biggest flare-up in the conflict since 1994.

Armenia alleges that Azerbaijani committed “grave violations of the racial discrimination convention” during last year’s fighting.

The Armenian case says that even after a Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force on Nov. 10, “Azerbaijan has continued to engage in the murder, torture and other abuse of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons,” according to the court.

Azerbaijan is expected to file a similar case against Armenia next week at the world court.

“In the coming days, we will hold #Armenia to account for breaches of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,” Azerbaijan’s deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov said in a tweet. “30 years of human rights abuses against Azerbaijanis during occupation will not be tolerated.”

Leila Abdullaeva, head of the Azerbaijan foreign ministry’s press department, alleged Friday that, since the ceasefire, Armenia has prevented Azerbaijanis from returning to their homes through indiscriminate mining of the former occupied territories and refusing to provide mine maps to Azerbaijan.

In its case, Armenia also asks the court to urgently order so-called “provisional measures” to protect the country and Armenians “from further harm, and to prevent the aggravation or extension of this dispute” while the case is handled by the court.

The world court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, deals with dispute between nations. Cases often take years to be resolved.

Armenia to host 2022 CSTO meetings

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 12:25,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The next meetings of the foreign and defense ministerial councils and the committee of heads of security councils of CSTO member states will take place in Armenia in the first half of 2022, the CSTO said in a press release.

“An individual protocol decision has been made in this regard,” the CSTO said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Jonathan Lacôte: You don’t leave Armenia, you take it with you

Liana Toganian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 13 2021

POLITICS 12:37 13/09/2021 ARMENIA

Former French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte left Armenia on 12 September after completing his diplomatic mission in the country.

“You don't leave Armenia, you take it with you,” he said in a farewell message on Facebook.

Anne Louyot is set to replace Jonathan Lacôte as French Ambassador to Armenia. The decree on her appointment was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron on 25 August.

France allocates over 500,000 euros to Azerbaijan to search for missing people

Liana Toganian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 9 2021

France has allocated more than half a million euros to Azerbaijan in search of nearly 4000 citizens who disappeared during the first Karabakh war, the French Embassy in Baku reports.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Azerbaijan has reported that 3890 residents of the country, including 719 civilians, have gone missing since the beginning of the Karabakh conflict.

France has allocated over 500,000 euros in the form of voluntary contributions to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to search for nearly 4000 Azerbaijanis who disappeared during the first Karabakh war, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent was told at the country’s embassy in Baku.

The French Embassy also notes that France will allocate another amount of 400,000 euros to Azerbaijan to clean up the territories from mines.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 9, 2021 at 11:19 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Azerbaijan counts 3890 missing persons since start of Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan updates data on casualties during autumn war, Investigating Committee of Armenia reports number of soldiers missing in Karabakh.

Author: Faik Medzhid; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Fallen solders’ families hold flash mob against Armenia Independence Day anniversary celebration event

Liana Toganian
News.am, Armenia
Sept 10 2021
12:44, 10.09.2021

After the government’s decision to mark the Independence Day anniversary of Armenia at Republic Square in the capital Yerevan with a "large-scale and colorful" celebration, the relatives of the servicemen who have fallen in the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war last fall went on Facebook, condemned the holding of this celebration, and demanded that it be cancelled.

These families agree that life goes on, but we must respect the people who lost their relatives in the aforesaid war, and therefore refrain from holding such state-level events for at least a year.

But despite all this uproar and the aforesaid demand by the families of these fallen soldiers, there is still no signal coming from the government toward changing its decision in this regard.

Armenia’s future depends on the existence of Artsakh: The interview of Davit Babayan on the occasion of 30th anniversary

Liana Toganian

Armenia's future depends on the existence of Artsakh: The interview of Davit Babayan on the occasion of 30th anniversary

Save

Share

 17:02, 2 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Davit Babayan gave an interview to ARMENPRESS on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Artsakh, saying that it is an event containing a very important symbolism because the Republic of Artsakh was created, was able to defend itself and develop by the efforts of all Armenians.

‘’It is understandable that in this situation after the third war, there are a few congratulations in Artsakh, but the congratulation is mandatory, because the best offsprings  of our nation given their lives by their blood, their day and night work, by everything for the creation, development, protection and strengthening of the Republic of Artsakh. This is a very important event and the logical development of our national-liberation fight. A fight, the last stage of which started in 1988, it started and continues until now. This is a holiday, which we have to remember, celebrate, because this, at the end, is the passport Of our country’’, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh.

Davit Babayan emphasized in his speech that the preservation of Artsakh and the defense of Artsakh, the preservation of subjectivity of Artsakh today has a vital importance  because if Armenian Artsakh does not exist it is to a great extent dangerous for all of Armenia. According to Babayan, a number of power centers are also interested in the existence of the Republic of Artsakh.

‘’Artsakh must be a value and holiness in Armenia and diaspora. It will greatly contribute to that Artsakh will be able to stand up and be our gate. And to be able to carry out the correct geopolitical policy and have success in foreign field, we have to give importance to that in our hearts, souls, thoughts, we have to value Artsakh. I repeat Artsakh is an idea, it is not persons. The preservation of Artsakh must be a philosophy, because the future of Armenia depends on this’’, Davit Babayan mentioned, emphasizing that there is no other option than being an ideological  nation because in material field we can't compete with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Armenian Defense Minister visits several military units

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 10:59, 1 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan visited several military units on August 31, the defense ministry said in a statement.

The minister got acquainted with the service process, the social-living conditions and the food organization process in the military units.

Arshak Karapetyan also visited some regions where currently trainings for reservists are underway. The minister talked to the reservists and thanked them for their participation to those trainings.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Earthquake recorded 23km northwest of Martuni town in Armenia

Liana Toganian
Panorama, Armenia
Aug 27 2021

Society 11:32 27/08/2021Armenia

An earthquake of 3.3 magnitude was registered in Armenia’s Gegharkunik province on Friday at about 02:29 (GMT 22:29), National Service for Seismic Protection reported. The geographical coordinates of the epicenter were northern latitude 40.15⁰ and eastern longitude 45.04⁰. The quake was recorded 23 km northwest of Martuni town. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the depth of 10 kilometers.The magnitude of the earthquake in the epicenter was 4-5 points.

According to the source, the earthquake was felt in Armenia's Gegarkunik and Kotayk provinces with 3 points and in Yerevan with 2 points. 

Turkish press: Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Şentop slams Armenian destruction in Shusha

Liana Toganian
 ISTANBUL DIPLOMACY 
JUL 29, 2021 3:02 PM GMT+3

Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop (L) visits Shusha, Azerbaijan, July 28,2 2021. (IHA Photo)

"Those who believe they own the city cannot do that. Only those who are here with an intention to occupy can destroy the city," Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop said Thursday as he visited Shusha, which Azerbaijan recently liberated from the three-decade-long Armenian occupation.

Şentop stated that steps were taken to strengthen and institutionalize friendship and brotherhood between the Turkic republics, adding that the relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey is special.

Noting that the words of Azerbaijan's founding leader Heydar Aliyev, "One nation, two states" became popular during Azerbaijan's victory in Karabakh, Şentop said that the Shusha Declaration strengthened the bond between the two countries.

Şentop noted that the declaration also revealed a roadmap to move relations forward.

Pointing out the destruction in Shusha, Şentop said: "Those who believe that they are the owners of the city cannot do this. However, those who are here with an intention to invade can destroy the city. Not only in Shusha, but in all the places we saw along the way, there was destruction everywhere."

Şentop explained that construction is currently underway to restore the city and said that he hopes that Shusha will become the country's cultural capital in a few months.

Shusha, which the Armenian military had invaded on May 8, 1992, was liberated by the Azerbaijani military on Nov. 8, 2020. Considered to be the “eye” of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Armenia had occupied until Azerbaijani forces’ two-month effort to liberate it, Shusha’s historical heritage includes many monuments, and it had been home to many intellectuals.

The town has significant military value since it is located on strategic high ground about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the region’s capital over Khankendi (Stepanakert), and it is on the road linking the city with Armenian territory. Besides its strategic significance, the town is known as a symbol of Azerbaijani history and culture with many historical sites, the restoration of which has started. Many prominent Azerbaijani musicians and scholars were born in the city.

Relations between the former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions. Fresh clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan in late September, rekindling the Caucasus neighbors' decadeslong conflict over the region.

During the conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several towns and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the Armenian occupation. Fierce fighting persisted for six weeks despite efforts by France, Russia and the United States to broker cease-fires, before Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a Moscow-brokered peace deal on November 9. The agreement was signed after Baku's army overwhelmed separatist forces and threatened to advance on Karabakh's main city Stepanakert (Khankendi).