Author: Nahapetian Boris

NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)
Feb 28 2010

War, Dyslexia, and Abuse Leads Woman to Successful Writing Career

Las Vegas, NV Sunday, February 28, 2010

War, Dyslexia, and Abuse leads Woman to Success

"Finding My Purpose," a chapter in "Life Choices: Navigating Difficult
Paths" written by Aimee Kodachian, a middle-eastern Armenian woman
recounts the endless tragedies she faced while living through Lebanese
Civil War and how through strength of character became a successful
businesswoman, motivational author and speaker today.

"In 1975, I was 12 years old when the Lebanese Civil War began. We
were one of the first families to become homeless. I lost my closest
brother right before my eyes," Aimmee recounts.

Married at 14, baby at 15, abandoned at 18 "with no money, skills, or
education and a precious child to care for", this courageous woman
went on to become a pre-eminent book author and faculty speaker for
iLearningGlobal.tv.

Her love of teaching and endless determination to care for her
daughter led her to the United States on a visa with no plans or
accommodations, without even knowing the language and still, she
pushed herself to success. "I was going to become a motivational
speaker¦.I couldn’t allow myself to be embarrassed by my weaknesses. I
was very proud of my strengths"

Learn her story along with "Messages of Hope", written by 26
inspirational authors in "Life Choices, Navigating Difficult Paths",
the newest sensational book from Turning Point International

For your personal copy of "Life Choices" contact:

[email protected] om
Turning Point International
P.O. Box 231360
Las Vegas, NV 89105
702.896.2228

Judi Moreo
President
Turning Point International
Las Vegas, NV
702-896-2228

leaseWire/War_Dyslexia_and_Abuse_Leads_Woman_to_Su ccessful_Writing_Career,201030772.aspx

17:01 26/02/2010 » Politics
Russian MFA makes no official statements over OSCE MG new Russian
co-chair appointment

OSCE Minsk Group (MG) Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov has received a
new appointment, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko
told a press conference in Moscow today.

The diplomat said there was no need to pass ahead of the developments.
`We will announce the new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group from Russia
after Merzlyakov ends his mission as an Ambassador at large.’

As Nesterenko said, the co-chair is not determining Russia’s position
at the OSCE Minsk Group. This position is determined by the President
and realized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly their
special representative at the Minsk Group.

`Therefore let’s wait. Russia will do its best to save the energetic
working schedule of the OSCE Minsk Group,’ he highlighted.

Panorama.am recalls that according to non-official reports, Merzlyakov
is due to be appointed as the Russian Ambassador to Estonia, while
Igor Popov will assume as the OSCE MG Russian co-chair.

Source: Panorama.am

6TH "SCREEN PINAMAR" FILM FESTIVAL TO FEATURE ARMENIAN ENTRIES

2010/ 02/25 | 14:32

world society

On February 23, opening ceremonies of the sixth "Pantalla Pinamar,"
the Argentine-European Film Encounter took place in Buenos Aires.

This year is special in that the festival, running from March 6-13, has
invited entries from the Armenian and Greek film world. Armenia will
be represented by Harutyun Khachatryan’s "Sahman" (Border) documentary
film and Hovhannes Galstyan’s "Tangled Parallels" feature film. March
7 has been designated "Armenia Day" and there will be a reception
organized by Vladimir Karmirshalyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Argentina.

$780,000 RAISED FOR BURBANK YOUTH CENTER DURING INAUGURAL EVENT

Asbarez
rbank-youth-center-during-inaugural-event/
Feb 26th, 2010

BURBANK-The Armenian community of Burbank turned out with excitement
on Sunday, February 21 for the unveiling of the new Youth Center,
during an inaugural event, which kicked off the community’s effort
to acquire the building and during which $780,000 was raised.

On the same day at 3:30 in the afternoon, Burbank and surrounding
area community members had the opportunity to walk through the new
facility at a cocktail reception hosted by the Burbank chapter of
the Armenian Cultural Foundation.

Western Prelate, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, was joined by
community organizational representatives and members to tour the
facility and see, first hand, the opportunities this facility will
provide for the future growth of the community.

The tour was followed by a banquet at the nearby Arbat Restaurant,
where guests received a complete accounting of ACF activities for
the acquisition and future plans of the center.

Master of Ceremonies Mark Geragos welcomed the crowd and after a few
words of encouragement handed the reins of the evening to Mistress
of Ceremonies Lara Yeretsian, who welcomed the representatives of
community organizations.

Yeretsian recognized Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central
Committee chairman Avedik Izmirlian, Armenian Relief Society Central
Executive chairwoman Vicky Marashlian, ARS Javakhk Fund president
Haigoush Keghinian-Kohler, Homenetmen Regional Executive chairman Steve
Artinian, Hamazkayin Regional Executive representative Ohan Ohanian,
Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian, Glendale Unified School
District Board member and a candidate for the 43rd Assembly district
Nayiri Nahabedian.

After the blessing prayer by Glendale’s St. Mary’s Armenian Church
pastor Rev. Gomidas Totosian, a brief video chronicling the activities
of the Burbank community and the outlook for the center was presented.

Youth Center committee member Vahag Thomassian, who is the architect
for the building presented an overview of plans for the center
construction and described the facilities that will be included in
the 14,400-square foot building in the heart of Burbank.

Also speaking at the event were ARF Central Committee member Hovan
Tashjian, Homenetmen Burbank Chapter representative Silvana Aboulian
and Burbank ACF chairman Hrant Dostoumian, each of whom encouraged
the community to look at the center as their new home and hope for
the growth and strengthening of the community.

The program booklet that was provided to the banquet attendees listed
the names of the donors who had initially contributed to the Center
Fund. Missing from the list was the name of the $500,000 donor, who
had asked to remain anonymous. One hundred community members donated
$1,000 to the fund. The donations announced at the event included:
$75,000 from Monarch Reality; $30,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Ara and Alin
Ghaghlasarian; $25,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Harout and Vicky Marashlian;
$20,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Papken and Kohar Ismailian; $10,000 from Mr.

and Mrs. Berdj and Mary Karapetian; $5,000 from the ARS Araz chapter;
$3,000 from the Tashdjian brothers and $2,500 from Boyadjian family.

CLINTON SOFT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
By Ara Khachatourian

Asbarez
5/clinton-soft-on-genocide-resolution/
Feb 25th, 2010

WASHINGTON-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contrast to previous
State Department positions, refrained from direct opposition to the
Armenian Genocide resolution, when responding to inquiries Thursday
at two separate hearings in Congress.

In response to a question from Arkansas Republican John Boozman,
whose incomplete sentences and hesitant demeanor clearly indicated
that he was prompted to address the issue during the hearing, Clinton
reiterated the Obama administration’s interest in "a full, frank and
just acknowledgements of the facts."

"On Turkey-Armenia relations it is our position that the normalization
process that Turkey and Armenia have undertaken carries important
benefits for both sides and it should take place without preconditions
and within a reasonable time frame. Last year in his Armenia
remembrance day statement, President Obama made clear that our interest
remains a full frank and just acknowledgement of facts related to the
historical events, but the best way to do that, with all respect,
is for the Armenian and Turkish people themselves to address the
facts of their past as part of their efforts to move forward. In that
spirit we are working very hard to assist Armenia and Turkey in their
efforts and we would like to continue to support that effort and not
be diverted in any way at all," said Clinton at a hearing of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, which is set to vote on the bill next week.

Later on Thursday, Clinton also addressed the House Subcommittee
on State, Foreign Operations, where Armenian Caucus Co-chairman
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) thanked Clinton for her past support of the
resolution as a Senator and expressed hope that the State Department
would support the resolution.

In response, Clinton reiterated the US support for diplomatic efforts
between Turkey and Armenia.

Clinton did not reference a question by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.),
the author of the the resolution, when he expressed hope that the
State Department would not oppose the resolution and would support it,
and instead responded to a second question by Schiff on another matter.

"Secretary Clinton’s remarks represent the third time in just the
past few weeks that a senior Obama Administration official – in
response to pointed questions about the Armenian Genocide Resolution
– has chosen not to voice any opposition to the adoption of this
genocide-prevention measure," said Armenian National Committee of
America Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

"The current Administration’s conduct, at least to date, stands in
stark contrast to past Administrations – both Democratic and Republican
– that used every opportunity to score points with Ankara by attacking
the broad, bipartisan Congressional majority that has long existed in
support of U.S. condemnation and commemoration of this crime against
humanity," he added.

At the House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting, Clinton also discussed
the ongoing US support for the Armenia-Turkey protocols and expressed
the administration’s unwavering commitment to the process when
responding to a question from New York Democrat Michael McMahon,
who asked Clinton whether the State Department could appoint a point
person to ensure the ratification of the documents by both parliaments.

"We are very committed to work with both Armenia and Turkey, and
I have personally been involved in this. I was deeply involved in
the negotiation in Zurich some months ago that led to the signing of
the protocols. I’m on the phone probably more with the leadership in
Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan than any other part of the world on
a regular basis. We are very committed to doing everything we can,
both in furthering the protocols for normalization between Armenia
and Turkey and working for a durable diplomatic solution for the
conflict over in Nagorno-Karabakh. That is not a precondition for the
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia but it is essential
for the long-term regional stability in the Caucasus. So, we have a
whole team committed to that and we are working as hard as we can,"
explained Clinton.

On a related issue, California Democrat Brad Sherman asked Clinton
about funding for Armenia, with the expectation that the secretary
would respond in writing to his inquiry.

"I’m glad you’re providing more aid to Armenia, but I think Congress
should enhance that. Thank you for having parity on military financing,
but you do not have parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan and as to
international military training and there should be a specific aid
request for Nagorno-Karabakh," said Sherman.

HERITAGE DELEGATES LEAVING FOR WASHINGTON

02/26/raffi-hovhanisyan
02:12 pm | February 26, 2010

Politics

>From February 28 to March 2 Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) will hold its
second annual forum in Washington featuring Armenian parliament member
and former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian as keynote speaker.

The conference will focus on Diaspora’s engagement in issues related
to democracy, Armenian-Turkish Protocols, economic sphere of Armenia,
reports the Party’s Press service.

At PFA request, Raffi Hovannisian, the founder of the Heritage Party
and Armenia’s first Foreign Minister, will deliver a speech on the
aforesaid issues in Georgetown University on March 1.

Representatives of research centers from Armenia, U.S. and Europe,
intellectuals, diplomats, including renowned Armenian historian
Richard Hovhannisyan will attend the forum.

On the first day (February 28), PFA will present its "Armenia-Diaspora
Relations: 20 Years after Independence" report at Cosmos Club.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

"ECUMENISM MUST BE OWNED BY THE CHURCHES, OTHERWISE, IT MAY BECOME A
MOVEMENT OUT OF THE REACH OF THE CHURCHES"
SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

In a key note lecture on "Ecumenism in the 21st Century", His Holiness Aram
I challenged the churches "to re-own the ecumenical movement, otherwise, it
may become an extra-ecclesiam movement embracing NGOs and different actors
of civil society". According to Catholicos Aram I, the ecumenical movement
"being a gift and a call of God, the churches are called to play a leading
role in promoting the ecumenical values and cause".

Referring to present state of ecumenism, Aram I said that "ecumenism is not
in crisis, the churches’ response to ecumenism is in jeopardy. It looks that
the churches have different priorities and ecumenism has become a marginal
concern for them. Therefore, this stagnated situation needs a serious
diagnosis". His Holiness identified a number of areas and concerns which
require deeper discussion.

According to Aram I, who has served for two terms as Moderator of the World
Council of Churches, "to become an ecumenism in and for the 21st century,
the ecumenical movement must respond to the challenges of modern societies".
Then His Holiness posed a crucial question: what kind of ecumenism we need
for the 21st century? Responding to this question, he said that we need an
ecumenism: "a) which brings the churches out of their frozen
institutionalism, localism, confessionalism, excluvism and bilateralism and
engages them in interactive relations and global fellowship; b) which is
faithful to its raison d’être, at the same time, responsive to emerging
realities; c) which embraces the whole people of God and makes difference in
the life of people; d) which has a prophetic role to play in the life of
modern societies as the voice of the voiceless and the messenger of the
Gospel".

##
View the photos here:
tos443.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF ARMENIAN POWS

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2010 17:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ To get doubtful propagandistic dividends, the
Azerbaijani authorities keep cashing in on the humanitarian issues of
prisoners of war, manipulating impudently Armenian citizens in the
Azerbaijani prisons, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic state commission
on prisoners of war, missing persons, and hostages said in statement.

"The last more than obvious sample of this is the video-reel
promoted at the Azerbaijani websites, where the personages assert
the ‘unbearable conditions in the Armenian army and comfortable life
in Azerbaijan’.

Although it’s obvious that similar "revelations" are the results of
the local special services’ activity and quite a clumsy attempt to lay
the blame at somebody else’s door, we cannot but worry about another
side of this fact. Manipulating cynically the Armenian prisoners
of war and actually making a laughingstock of them, the Azerbaijani
authorities violate the principles of international humanitarian law,
in particular, the Geneva Conventions providing certain rules of
treatment of this category of persons.

In this regard, we consider it suitable to remind that during the
Karabakh war the Azerbaijani party violated regularly the Geneva
Conventions canons, in particular, refusing to provide the NKR with
corresponding information about the prisoners, creating unbearable
conditions for the prisoners of war and hostages, exposing them to
mockeries and tortures, as a result of which the majority of them
deceased.

In the spring of 1992, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic stated their full
acknowledgement of the additional protocols to the Geneva Conventions
and unconditional implementation of their provisions. The unconditional
observance of the Geneva Conventions by the NKR authorities was
repeatedly confirmed by international human rights and humanitarian
organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC).

Considering the abovementioned, the NKR State Commission on
Prisoners of War, Missing Persons, and Hostages condemns strongly
the politicization of the purely humanitarian issue of prisoners of
war and hostages by official Baku.

We call on the international structures concerned, and first of all
the ICRC, to react correspondingly and urge Azerbaijan to respect
fundamental human rights," the statement said.

‘ERGENEKON AVENUE’ SHOULD BE ‘HRANT DINK STREET’

Hurriyet
Feb 25 2010
Turkey

When it comes to Turks and Armenians, the list of problems to be
resolved, confidence-building steps to be taken and gestures to be made
and received is long. The name of a street should not be among them.

As readers know, the Hurriyet Daily News has long supported
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation. We support the government’s initiative
to normalize relations with Armenia and hope it is not derailed by
either the nationalist-influenced Constitutional Court of Armenia or
the American Congress.

We support the steps the government has taken to enable the study of
the Armenian language in Turkish universities and broadcast in the
Armenian language on state radio. We applaud the news, reported in our
culture pages today, that state broadcaster TRT has made history with
the broadcast of a concert in the Armenian language. We have and do
support the many initiatives to restore Armenian churches in Turkey
and to find ways to educate the children of undocumented Armenian
workers in Turkey

We have also joined the criticism of the slow pace with which the
trial of those charged with the murder of our colleague, Hrant Dink,
has proceeded. Justice delayed is justice denied. Justice must prevail
in this and other cases of journalists and intellectuals who have
paid for their principles with their lives in Turkey.

We also realize that all of this is part and parcel of deep and
dramatic transformation in Turkish and Armenian societies. The
challenges are many and include the dichotomy between the pace of
changing positions in Turkey and Armenia and the pace with which
attitudes are changing in the diasporas of both peoples. There is much
that is complicated. Progress on all of these fronts will take time.

But changing the name of "Ergenekon Avenue" which transects the
district of KurtuluÅ~_ where many Turkish Armenians live, to "Hrant
Dink Street" should be quick and easy. The name, of course, preceded
the alleged gang now on trial and refers to a legendary mountain
in Central Asia that is part of Turkic history. So it is not as if
this involves a retreat from an honor bestowed on another important
individual.

But, as we reported yesterday, requests for this name change have
twice been rejected by municipal officials. An online petition seeking
the name change, at , has already collected
nearly 2,000 signatures. We believe the city should reconsider. This
would be a small but important monument to the memory of a man who did
so much to foster understanding. And it is a small step that would
certainly ease and enable the much larger diplomatic, political and
social leaps that we hope will follow.

It is time that "Ergenekon Avenue" be made an avenue or street
commemorating the life and work of journalist Hrant Dink. The
Å~^iÅ~_li municipality should embrace this project and get to work
on the new signs.

DISCUSSIONS IN YEREVAN DEDICATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

armradio.am
25.02.2010 15:32

Eleven national minorities, government and legislature representatives
gathered today at a round table discussion to talk about issues of
equal rights, equal opportunities for national minorities in Armenia.

The event was supported by the UN Department of Public Information
and was conducted on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.

Representatives from the office of Armenian President, from the
Government Department of National Minorities and Religious Affairs,
Ministries of Culture, Education, Science, and Diaspora, from the
National Assembly Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture,
Youth and Sport, Committee on National Minorities of the Public Council
and National Inspectorate of Language also discussed with the national
minorities the situation with promotion and preservation of national
minorities languages in Armenia, stressing the human rights aspect
of the issue as well.

Director-General of UNESCO Ms. Irina Bokova in her message for
International Mother Language Day said: "Languages are the best
vehicles of mutual understanding and tolerance. Respect for all
languages is a key factor for ensuring peaceful coexistence, without
exclusion, of societies and all of their members."

UN Department of Public Information Representative Maria Dotsenko
stated: "Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and
developing our heritage. Promotion and protection of mother tongues
serves not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual
education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and
cultural traditions and to inspire solidarity based on understanding,
tolerance and dialogue."

"The situation in Armenia is unique in the sense of celebrating
this UN Observance. Since 2006 International Mother Language Day
has been announced as a National Holiday. Moreover, 2010 has been
announced a Year of Mother Language. However, we are going to continue
supporting the development and promotion of national minorities and
their languages in Armenia," said Vardan Astsatryan, head of the
Government Department of National Minorities and Religious Affairs.

Representatives of national minorities thanked the UN Office that
they were given this opportunity to talk about their issues. They
voiced hope to continue cooperation with the UN agencies working in
the country.

International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General
Conference of UNESCO in November 1999. The eleventh International
Mother Language Day, which is designated on 21 February 2010, is
being celebrated in the framework of the International Year for the
Rapprochement of Cultures.