Author: Nahapetian Boris

3 STAR HOTEL HILTON GARDEN INN TO BE BUILT IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
July 17, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Following almost 2 years of
negotiations, U.S.-based Bedian International in cooperation with
Hilton Hotels Corporation will build a 3 star hotel Hilton Garden
Inn and an exhibition center in Yerevan. The construction work will
begin in 2010 and last 2.5-3 years. Bedian International’s Founder
and President Gary Bedian said at the July 14 press conference that
their company has already purchased a 2-ha area near Yerevan-Zvartnots
Airport highway.

According to him, the hotel will have 202 rooms, 40 apartments with
kitchens for those who plan a long stay, a restaurant for 150 people,
a banquet hall, conference rooms, swimming pools, and a gym. The
daily payment for a room will make 150-200 USD in the holiday season
and 120-150 USD in other months.

The exhibition center to be constructed under a joint project with
the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry will occupy an area of about
3,500 square meters. The construction of the hotel and exhibition
center will cost 25-30 million USD. 5 million USD has already been
invested. According to the Diasporan Armenian businessman, they
envisage receiving 3-4 million USD from the OPEC and the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

He expressed confidence that the opening of the hotel and expo center
will contribute to the development of the Armenian economy, which
will enable to promote international tourism in the country. G. Bedian
announced their intention to construct such a hotel in Gyumri as well.

MICROSOFT PROMOTES NEWLY ESTABLISHED IT COMPANIES IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.07.2009 20:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ BizSpark program elaborated by Microsoft to promote IT start-ups was presented at today’s forum in Yerevan. According to Grigor Barseghyan director of Microsoft office in Armenia, BizSpark was designed to promote the newly established IT firms, since they often have problems.

According to him, any company, established within last three years
and with turnover not exceeding $0.5 million, may take part in the
program. Under this program, the start-up receives all the necessary
software from Microsoft. Within 3 years no fees are charged from the
start-up, but if the company decides to withdraw from the program
within that time, it would pay $100. According to Barseghyan, that
symbolic fee is designed to make participants more serious about
the project.

Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
3111 Los Feliz Avenue, #206, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Contact person: Dr. Frieda Jordan
Phone: (323) 663-3609
Email:[email protected]

ABMDR annual gala and fundraiser celebrates milestones, honors
supporters and volunteers

Los Angeles, July 17, 2009 – At its annual gala, `Match for Life
2009,’ the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) marked several
milestones, including the opening of its Stem Cell Harvesting Center
in Yerevan in April, and recognized several supporters and volunteers
for their outstanding service to the organization.

Among the evening’s honorees were VivaCell general manager Ralph
Yirikian, who was named ABMDR Man of the Year; and Volunteers of the
Year Steve Artinian, VP of advertising at Closet World and chairperson
of Homenetmen Western U.S.; Susanna Avagyan, a registered nurse at
Glendale Memorial Hospital; and Taleen Khatchadourian, executive
director and franchisee of Sylvan Learning Center of Studio
City/Sherman Oaks. In addition, The Comedy Store, of Los Angeles, was
honored as the ABMDR’s Business of the Year.

`Match for Life 2009′ also raised funds for the ABMDR’s ongoing
activities and a slew of planned projects. While the Stem Cell
Harvesting Center continues to grow and the ABMDR organizes bone
marrow donor recruitment drives throughout the United States and
Armenia, the next overarching objective is to establish a stem cell
transplantation center in Armenia.

`Given the fact that 60% of our stem cell donors are from Armenia, the
opening of the Stem Cell Harvesting Center in the country was of vital
importance,’ said Dr. Frieda Jordan, president of the ABMDR Board of
Directors. `Now that this has been achieved, thanks to both grassroots
and major-benefactor support, much of our focus is on launching a
dedicated transplantation center, which would give thousands of
patients access to affordable, life-saving stem cell transplants.’

More than 500 supporters, including several guests of honor, attended
the ABMDR banquet. The roster of dignitaries comprised Los Angeles
mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Burbank vice-mayor Anja Reinke; Glendale
mayor Frank Quintero and City Council members Ara Najarian and Laura
Friedman; Armenian deputy consul general Mesrob Shaboyan; Rev. Dajad
Yardemian of the Western Diocese; Morre Dean, president and CEO of
Glendale Adventist Hospital; and Bob Quarfoot, senior vice-president
of business development at Glendale Memorial Hospital.

As the cocktail hour began at 6:00 p.m., a great many attendees kicked
off the fundraising effort by purchasing glasses of champagne with
unlimited refills and a chance of winning a diamond necklace, which
was donated by Design by Naz. Guests also bid on a variety of
silent-auction items.

After the doors to the banquet room were opened at 7:00 p.m., the
evening’s masters of ceremonies, Lara Yeretsian of the ABMDR Board of
Directors and Sam Tripoli of the Board of Advisors, welcomed the
attendees and invited Mayor Villaraigosa to the podium. In his
touching address, the mayor reflected on his close relationship with
the Armenian community and expressed high praise for the ABMDR’s
life-saving work and mission.

Villaraigosa’s comments were followed by Banquet Committee chair Naz
Atikian’s welcoming remarks, after which Father Yardemian performed
the invocation. As guests enjoyed a sumptuous dinner and fine wines,
images of the ABMDR’s activities in the past year were projected on
two giant screens, accompanied by music.

Next the attendees heard testimonials about the work of the ABMDR by
two leukemia survivors: Alique Topalian, whose diagnosis ten years ago
served as the impetus for the establishment of the ABMDR; and Richard
Boyajian, a nurse practitioner at Boston’s Dana Farber Cancer
Institute, who has survived the illness thanks to a stem cell
transplant. Living proofs of the procedure’s effectiveness, both
Topalian and Boyajian encouraged the guests to become bone marrow
donors and support the ABMDR cause. `Being at the ABMDR gala, in a
room filled with Armenians whose sole purpose for being there was to
save the lives of other Armenians in need was an emotionally moving
experience for me, as a 12.5-year survivor of leukemia,’ Boyajian
later said. `Too often in our daily lives we forget what is truly
important but at that moment in time we remembered.’

The evening’s program continued with the screening of a video which
highlighted the ABMDR’s latest activities, including stem cell
recruitment drives and the opening of the Stem Cell Harvesting
Center. As Banquet Committee member Nectar Kalajian took the stage,
she described her family’s journey in search of a matching bone marrow
donor for her cousin Aram. She was joined by Carlo, a young father
from Pasadena, California, struck with leukemia, who is soon to
undergo his own life-saving bone marrow transplant.

Both Kalajian and Carlo thanked the ABMDR for its vital support,
emphasized the ongoing need for stem cell donors, and urged the
attendees to `be an angel, save a life.’ At this, the hall was
suddenly filled with little girls dressed as angels, who floated
through the tables and collected donation pledges. Subsequently the
pledges were announced and for each contribution a symbolic angel was
placed on the `Angel Tree’ (or `Tree of Hope’) at the podium.

Following a brief set of performances by the Element band, Mark
Geragos, chair of the ABMDR Board of Directors, recounted the
beginnings and evolution of the registry. As he outlined nine years of
groundbreaking achievements, the chairman underscored the registry’s
importance to Armenians throughout the world.

Also delivering remarks were Dr. Frieda Jordan and Dr. Sevak Avagyan,
executive director of the ABMDR in Armenia. Before she spoke of the
registry’s future plans, Dr. Jordan thanked all supporters for making
the dream of having a Stem Cell Harvesting Center a reality in record
time. On his part, Dr. Avagyan stated that the Armenian- American
community not only started and sustained the ABMDR for many years, but
inspired the public in Armenia to join forces for the creation of the
Stem Cell Harvesting Center, as a one-of-a-kind institution that
serves the global Armenian community. `In Armenia today, the high
level of support for the ABMDR’s work is tremendously heartwarming,’
Dr. Avagyan said in a later statement. `As the Armenian public and
government alike have embraced the registry’s life-saving mission, we
have great hopes that we’ll be able to open a stem cell transplant
center under the auspices of the Health Ministry.’

After a brief video massage from Dr. Bella Kocharyan, honorary chair
of the ABMDR, awards were presented to the evening’s honorees. ABMDR
Man of the Year Ralph Yirikian, who was unable to attend the event,
relayed his appreciation through a video message which encouraged all
Armenian individuals and corporations to support the registry’s
work. Commenting on the far-reaching benefits of the Stem Cell
Harvesting Center, Yirikian said, `We will realize the importance of
this project in a couple of years… We can save the lives of cancer
patients=80¦ And by being a center of excellence which is unique to
the region, with its own bone marrow donor registry, this facility
will significantly improve Armenia’s overall health profile.’

`The ABMDR has had a wonderfully productive year,’ Taleen
Khatchadourian said. `It is the combined effort of so many that has
made this endeavor such a success. I encourage everyone to take the
opportunity and devote some time to this worthy cause. The
satisfaction of contributing, if only just a little, is worth more
than anyone can imagine.’ Steve Artinian also praised the work of the
registry and stated, `Being recognized by the Armenian Bone Marrow
Registry as a Volunteer of the Year is a true honor.’

Susana Avagyan, the third Volunteer of the Year, said, `Assisting the
ABMDR has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. And
a big part of that fulfillment has to do with the knowledge that our
volunteer work – whether through stem cell donor recruitments or
follow-up health tests – helps save lives, especially those of young
people.’

The gala program concluded with the drawing of the winning raffle and
champagne tickets. But guests continued to enjoy themselves well into
the night, as they socialized and danced to the music of the DJ duo
Aram and Allen.

Major sponsors of `Match for Life 2009,’ which raised $100,000 for
various ABMDR projects, included the Foundation Laboratory; Mr. and
Mrs. Linda and Stepan Vartanian; Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Cyrus and Rita
Razmara; Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Arpenik Avagyan and Dr. Sokurenko Evgeni;
and the Greek Armenian Society.

About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999,
the ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps 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 15,000 donors across three continents,
identified 1,305 patients, found 1,033 potential matches, and
facilitated nine bone marrow transplants.

For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.

# # #

Daily Telegraph, Australia
July 11 2009

Darchinyan ready to join boxing greats

July 12, 2009 12:00am
DANNY Green still tenses up about the day he wrestled pocket dynamo
Vic Darchinyan, the 56kg ball of muscle who can today become one of
boxing’s all-time greats.

"I’ve never sparred with Vic but I’ve had a rumble with him and I
thought I was wrestling an anaconda crossed with a wildebeest,” Green
said. "He’s a machine. He’s an angry little ant and his style is
perfect for people to watch because he just wants to go out and
destroy his opponent.”

Today in Miami, Florida, Darchinyan will attempt to become the first
Australian fighter since Jeff Fenech to win world titles in three
different weight divisions.

In the often shady world of boxing, this bout against IBF bantamweight
champion Joseph "King Kong” Agbeko is as real a deal as it gets.

Forget the farcical scenes at Luna Park in Sydney at Billy Dib’s sham
last Thursday – when Dib should have been disqualified for punching
his opponent when he was down – Darchinyan’s bout will be an
exhibition of everything good about boxing.

ry/0,22049,25766194-5001023,00.html

TURKEY’S PM LIKENS ETHNIC VIOLENCE IN CHINA TO GENOCIDE

Associated Press
07/10/09 9:00 PM EDT

ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkey’s prime minister on Friday compared ethnic
violence in China’s Xinjiang province to genocide, escalating criticism
of Beijing following this week’s killing of at least 156 people —
including Turkic-speaking, Muslim Uighurs.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strong words came amid daily
demonstrations in Turkey protesting the clashes in Xinjiang’s capital
of Urumqi between Han Chinese and minority Uighurs, who share ethnic
and cultural bonds to Turks. Hundreds of Turks prayed for the victims
and set Chinese flags on fire on Friday in protests in Ankara and
Istanbul.

"These incidents in China are as if they are genocide," said
Erdogan. "We ask the Chinese government not to remain a spectator to
these incidents.

There is clearly a savagery here."

The Chinese government has already imposed curfews and flooded the
streets of Urumqi with security forces to avoid a repeat of the
running street battles earlier in the week.

Turkey itself is extremely sensitive to the use of the term "genocide."

Armenia says 1.5 million Armenians were slain by Ottoman Turks around
the time of World War I in what Armenians and several other nations
recognize as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey vehemently
rejects the allegation, saying that the death toll was inflated and
that Armenians died in=2 0civil unrest as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

Erdogan, the leader of the Islamic-rooted government, has been urged
by some Uighurs and opposition parties to speak up for Uighurs as he
did for Palestinians during Israel’s offensive against Gaza militants
earlier this year.

In late January, Erdogan stormed off a stage he shared with Israeli
President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, after telling Peres, "You kill people."

Turkey says it is concerned about the Chinese treatment of
Uighurs. Some Uighurs favor independence or greater autonomy for
Xinjiang province, which takes up one-sixth of China’s land mass and
borders eight Central Asian countries. The Han — China’s ethnic
majority — have lately been flooding into Xinjiang as the region
becomes more developed.

Erdogan, however, stressed that Turkey respects China’s territorial
integrity and has no intention of interfering with that country’s
internal affairs.

And despite the country’s vocal criticism of Beijing, Turkey’s Foreign
Ministry on Friday reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to develop ties
with China in every field.

"Turkey gives importance to the fact that all ethnic and national
groups be living in peace and prosperity," the Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.

"We expect China to provide the necessary environment of peace and
security for Uighurs who constitute a bridge of friendship between
China and Turkey."

The vi olence in Urumqi began Sunday when Uighurs clashed with
police while protesting the deaths of Uighur factory workers in
a brawl in another part of the country. The crowd then scattered
throughout Urumqi, attacking Han Chinese, burning cars and smashing
windows. Riot police tried to restore order, and officials said 156
people were killed and more than 1,100 were injured.

PLATFORM TO BRING ARMENIAN, TURKISH FILMMAKERS TOGETHER

Hurriyet
July 10 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – A cinema platform that brings together Turkish and Armenian
filmmakers to develop intercultural dialogue and cooperation will
once again unite the artists next week at the International Golden
Apricot Film Festival in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

The seventh art cinema has brought together Turkish and Armenian
filmmakers under the same roof for the Turkey-Armenia Cinema Platform.

Both countries’ filmmakers will once again gather during the
International Golden Apricot Film Festival, one of the largest
festivals in the Caucasus, from July 12 to 19 in the Armenian capital
of Yerevan.

The Turkey-Armenia Cinema Platform stemmed from Anadolu Kultur
(Anatolian Culture), which was formed in 2002 to develop intercultural
dialogue and cooperation. The organization has so far initiated many
projects with artists from Caucasus countries, including Armenia.

Among these projects, the most important one was the project
named "Merhabarev," which was put together by Turkish and Armenian
photographers in 2006. As part of the project, organized jointly by
Turkish Nar Photos and Armenian Badger Photos, Armenian photographers
worked in Istanbul and Turkish photographers worked in Yerevan.

The exhibition featuring the photos taken by both countries’
photographers opened in Istanbul in 2006 and then in Yerevan. The
exhibition received much interest and right after it, the idea to
form a cinema platform came up.

Contact was made with young Armenian filmmakers via the Internet, and
with the initiation of Anadolu Kultur, the Istanbul Foundation for
Culture and Arts, or IKSV, invited 12 Armenian filmmakers to attend
the International Istanbul Film Festival in April 2008. In July of
the same year, Turkish filmmakers went to Armenia for the first time
for the fifth Golden Apricot Film Festival.

Platform calls for Turkish Culture Ministry

Project manager Cigdem Mater Utku, project assistant Sibil Cekmen
and young filmmaker Zeynep Guzel spoke to the Hurriyet Daily News &
Economic Review about the works of the platform.

"If our Culture Ministry finances us, we can make a Turkey
retrospective with a 50-person team next year in Armenia. And in
return, we can make an Armenia retrospective at the International
Istanbul Film Festival. There is no need for diplomatic relations to
do all these things," Mater said.

Speaking about the main reasons for the formation of the platform,
Mater said, "We are two publics closed to each other. Cinema is a
significant tool to make us closer. It is very important that an
Armenian viewer hears a Turkish name while watching a film, and
vice versa."

Largest festival in the region

Cooperation between the filmmakers in the platform started in
2007. Mater saidArmenian cinema was successful and compared it to
Turkish cinema. "Armenian cinema comes from a deep-rooted culture,"
she said. "There is the culture of the former Soviet Union behind
it. Turkish cinema is the one that is newly becoming popular."

Mater said the Golden Apricot Film Festival was one of the most
notable festivals in the region, and that it had similarities with
the Sarajevo Film Festival. "Both countries had many difficulties in
a closed geography," she said. "They want to make their voice heard
and produce more successful things."

As a result of sessions organized as part of the platform, filmmakers
from both countries have produced many interesting projects since
December, said Cekmen. According to Cekmen, the most interesting
documentaries of the project are Kurdish documentary maker Mujde
Arslan’s "Kafir’in Kızları" (Daughters of the Faithless) and Zeynep
Guzel’s "Masal" (Tale). Arslan has done exclusive interviews with
Kurdish families with Armenian ancestors.

‘Tale within a tale’

While making "Tale," Guzel conducted research with young Armenian
filmmaker Arman Tatevosyon. "We compiled tales for the project. I
compiled tales from the eastern city of Kars, and Arman compiled
tales from Armenia’s second largest city, Gyumri, which is very close
to Kars. Turkish and Armenian tales will be told by real people in
the documentary."

July 10, 2009
Press Release
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY AT
ST. MARY’S CHURCH AND THE OPENING OF THE YOUTH CENTER

On Sunday, July 12th, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, will preside over Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale
and deliver the sermon.
At 2:00 p.m., the Prelate will conduct the opening of the "Krikor
and Mariam Karamanoukian" Youth Center adjacent to the Church.
A banquet to benefit the new youth center will take place on the
evening of Friday, July 10th, at Renaissance Hall in Glendale. Very Rev.
Fr. Vaghinag Meloian and the pastors of St. Mary’s Church will attend.

PRELATE’S FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE NORTH HOLLYWOOD PARISH

EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY
ON THE FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION

Sunday, July 19th, is the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
On this occasion, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate,
will pay his first official visit to the North Hollywood Parish, where he
will celebrate Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon.
Services begin at 2:00 p.m. and take place at St. Paul
Assyrian-Chaldean Catholic Church located at 13050 Vanowen St. in North
Hollywood.
A special program and reception will follow at the Church social
hall.

VERY REVEREND FATHER VAGHINAG MELOIAN
CALLED TO SERVE AT THE WESTERN PRELACY

We hereby announce to our faithful community that by the ordinance
of H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Very Rev. Fr.
Vaghinag Meloian, a member of the Cilician Brotherhood, has been called to
serve at the Western Prelacy.
Given the ever-expanding activities of the Prelacy and the need for
young clergy members, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, and
Councils had appealed to His Holiness to appoint a third clergy member to
serve alongside Very Rev. Fathers Muron Aznikian and Barthev Gulumian.
Very Rev. Fr. Vaghinag Meloian arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday,
July 7th, 2009, and he will soon begin his service at St. Gregory Church in
San Francisco, alongside Rev. Fr. Avedis Torossian.
Fr. Vaghinag was born in Kamishli, Syria, where he received his
primary education. He was enrolled at the Seminary of the Catholicosate in
1986 and ordained a celibate priest in 1994 by H.E. Archbishop Mesrob
Ashjian of blessed memory. Fr. Vaghinag has served in the Christian
Education Department of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, was vice-sacristan of
the Mother Cathedral in Antelias, and the spiritual counselor of the Birds’
Nest Orphanage, as well as the Armenian Aging Home and Sanatorium.
From 2001 to 2003, Fr. Vaghinag served at the Eastern Prelacy during
which time he attended the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In 2003, he
received the rank of vartabed.
In 2006, he was assigned director of the priesthood training
department at the Catholicosate. He has published 12 books on Biblical
themes.
By the ordinance of the Prelate, Fr. Vaghinag will be celebrating
Divine Liturgy for the first time within the Prelacy on Sunday, July 12th,
at St. Garabed Church in Hollywood.
We welcome Fr. Vaghinag and wish him a successful tenure at the
Western Prelacy.

CYPRUS PRESIDENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
07.07.2009 13:32

President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, visited
Tsitsernakaberd today and laid a wreath at the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims.

"I feel regret, pain and anger seeing all this, seeing what the Young
Turks have done to Armenians. It’s the duty of the international
community to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide. Cyprus
has always supported and will support the Armenian people in the
process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide," the President of
Cyprus wrote down in the Commemoration Book of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute.

President Christofias planted a fir tree in the Memorial Alley in
memory of the innocent victims of the genocide.

Hürriyet
Monday, July 06, 2009 01:58

Russia visit timing vital, says minister

MOSCOW – Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu said the
"normalization process" between Turkey and Armenia and the Minsk
Group’s efforts to solve the Azerbaijani-Armenian dispute have created
a positive atmosphere in the Caucasus.
Speaking to Turkish reporters following his meeting with Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday, Davutoðlu said
that his visit’s timing was crucial.
"Since I assumed the post of Turkish foreign minister, I have tried to
visit countries to which we attach great importance. Accordingly, I
had talks in the United States and Germany. I visited Azerbaijan,
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkish Cyprus. Within such a framework, I
paid a one-day working visit to Russia and had a chance to go over our
relations with Lavrov," Davutoðlu said.
Referring to Turkish-Russian ties, Davutoðlu stressed that there were
no political problems between the two countries. There is a will on
both sides to resolve certain technical and bureaucratic problems,
Davutoðlu said. "Russia is supporting normalization of the relations
between Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan with triple diplomatic
processes. But the Minsk Group is conducting the talks and we believe
that it would not be beneficial to open a new platform," he said. He
said a new round of talks between the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan were being planned with the participation of Lavrov.
In response to a question on Cyprus, Davutoðlu said that Lavrov and he
discussed the issue of Cyprus. "Russia is a member of the United
Nations Security Council. We consider Cyprus to be a matter of the
United Nations and do not think that it would be appropriate to carry
Cyprus to another platform. Turkey and Russia share the same
viewpoints on Cyprus. The Russians also think that Cyprus should be
resolved within the boundaries of the United Nations," Davutoðlu said.

Antony Krafft-Bonnard – 140
(1869-1945)
02.07.2009

Krafft-Bonar was born in a family of a pharmacist in city Aigle,
canton Vaud, Switzerland, in June 15, 1869. He graduated from school
in Laussane, in 1888, and then he studied theology in Lozano, Berlin,
Paris till 1893.

>From 1893 to 1919 he was spiritual director (clergyman) in different
settlements of Switzerland. Later he left the church and completely
devoted himself to the Armenian question and the solution of number of
problems of Armenian genocide survivors. He got married in 1894, had 4
children – 3 daughters and a son, who also joined to activities of
Armenophiles, as their father.

Krafft-Bonnard started his Armenophile activities from 1896, when he
had a speech on horrifying consequences of Hamidian massacres in
village Begnin, Switzerland, where he was pastor. Impressed with the
stunning appeal of Krafft-Bonnard several Swiss families expressed
willingness to adopt Armenian children who became orphans after
Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire. Soon with the efforts of
Bonnard an institute was found in village Begnin called "Armenian
hearth", the aim of which was to shelter and take care of hundreds of
Armenian refugees in Switzerland. Cooperating with George Cote, the
founder of Armenophile activities in Switzerland, Krafft-Bonar was
actively engaged in works of organization "Swiss society of migration
and patronage of Armenian orphans" and became its president from 1896.

About 2000 Armenian orphans were sheltered in Swiss orphanages from
1898 to 1922.

In addition to orphan care, the great missionary actively organized
and implemented series of activities improving the conditions of
Armenian survivors. In 1896 on Bonnard’s direct initiative an assembly
of Swiss cantons was held in Laussane, where it was decided to provide
humanitarian aid to Armenian population of Ottoman Empire. In the
meantime, again with active efforts of Krafft-Bonnard "Swiss
organization of Armenian Relief" was founded, which continued its
activities up to 1922. As the head secretary of the "Union of Swiss
Committees of Friends of Armenia" Krafft-Bonnard steadily appealed to
the leaders of Great powers concerned about the destiny of Armenian
nationals of Ottoman Empire. On October 31, 1919, Bonnard sent a
telegram to president of USA W. Wilson in which he was asking "to take
the martyring nation under his protection". From 1920 he was member of
executive committee of "International League of Armenophiles", and
persistently appealed to League of Nations to advocate the Armenian
question.

Krafft-Bonnard wrote series of works devoted to Armenian question. In
one of his works he writes: "If any Armenian asks you for help, don’t
treat him as a beggar, but extend a helping hand to him with respect
and excuse, because we must not disavow from our responsibilities".

AGMI issued a special postcard with limited edition dedicated to the
140th anniversary of Krafft-Bonnard.