Author: nina hovnanian

OSMAN KOKER: IL Y A CENT ANS, LES ARMENIENS EN TURQUIE

22-07-2011

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information traduite par Georges Festa et publiee
sur le site ‘Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies’ le 17 juillet 2011.

Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies

dimanche 17 juillet 2011

Photo: (c) Birzamanlar Yayýncýlýk, 2005

Justice pour l’histoire : un ecrivain turc publie des materiaux sur
la presence armenienne dans les provinces ottomanes

par Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow.com, 13.07.2011

Grâce a son action et ses differents projets, Osman Koker, journaliste,
historien et editeur turc, tente de presenter au grand public les
traces laissees par les Armeniens en Turquie, lesquelles, selon lui,
ont ete >.

Son ouvrage 100 Yýl Once Turkiye’de Ermeniler [Il y a cent ans, les
Armeniens en Turquie], publie en 2005, livre un panorama actualise,
documente, et comme le precise l’A., est devenu non seulement une
alternative a l’histoire telle qu’elle est presentee en Turquie,
mais aussi un > a cette part de venin diffuse dans les
institutions educatives, decrivant les Armeniens comme des ennemis
a la nation.

, explique-t-il.

Cette question est apparue parmi de nombreuses autres, lorsque les
gens ont commence a feuilleter le livre-album Il y a cent ans, les
Armeniens en Turquie, qui contient plus de cinq cents cartes postales
representant la vie des Armeniens a cette epoque.

Ces cartes postales etaient editees au debut du 20ème siècle dans
l’empire ottoman et presentent l’existence des Armeniens ottomans,
leurs eglises, leurs ecoles, leurs nombreuses manufactures, magasins,
cafes, hôtels et autres institutions possedees par des Armeniens.

Sous le titre >, des photographies majeures,
extraites de l’ouvrage, ont ete montrees lors d’expositions a Istanbul,
Munich, Cologne, Francfort, Valence (Espagne) et Genève.

La collection appartient a Orlando Calumeno, un citoyen de Turquie,
d’origine italienne, dont la mère etait armenienne. Koker incluera dans
son nouvel ouvrage quelque sept cents precieux echantillons extraits
d’environ quatre mille cartes postales et enveloppes de la collection
Calumeno, accompagnees d’un descriptif et de commentaires historiques.

, ajoute l’A.

Selon lui, les > actuels – le fait que l’on
puisse evoquer le genocide relativement plus librement – ne resultent
pas d’une politique officielle, mais sont plutôt >.

Quoi qu’il en soit, les autorites sous-estiment souvent les activites
des individus isoles et en parlent avec condescendance. Lors d’un
entretien informel avec notre redaction, un ancien officiel du
ministère des Affaires Etrangères soutenait que ceux qui reconnaissent
le genocide armenien ou qui prennent la defense des Armeniens sont
surtout >.

Pour ceux qui brisent le tabou et le mur du deni, une telle approche
est non seulement scandaleuse, mais blessante. Neanmoins, elle ne
fait que les pousser a decouvrir d’autres preuves tangibles, afin de
demontrer ce qui s’est passe en realite.

>, conclut Koker.

NdT

1. Allusion a l’exposition

Jazz-Quad
July 24 2011

Armen Donelian’s New Sunnyside CD ‘Leapfrog’

Pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator Armen Donelian has carved
out an enviable career spanning four decades, including seminal stints
with Sonny Rollins, Billy Harper, Chet Baker, and Mongo Santamaria.
His new album “Leapfrog, ” his ninth release for Sunnyside, due for
release September 13, should go a long way in rectifying his
relatively unsung status as an improvising artist of the highest
order.

Working with an exceptional band comprised of Dutch tenor saxophonist
Marc Mommaas, guitarist Mike Moreno, veteran bassist Dean Johnson, and
drummer Tyshawn Sorey, Donelian focuses on his spacious, lyrically
charged compositions.

“The inspiration for this music came from my reflections on where the
world is going these days, ” Donelian says. “There’s so much
regurgitation of older styles in jazz today, I feel the need to carry
the ball a little further. As Diz once said, it’s about keeping one
foot in the tradition, and one in the future.”

Determined to distill each composition to its essentials, Donelian has
honed a group concept that flows from his belief that less is indeed
more. “I like stating an idea and leaving space for listeners to
absorb it, ” Donelian says. “It’s especially important for band
members to be mindful of space, so they can really hear each other.
When there’s too much happening there’s not much listening going on.”

One explanation for the band’s profound affinity for Donelian’s music
is that he shares significant history with these players, and often
helped shape them during their formative years. His collaboration with
Dean Johnson stretches back to the 1980s, when Johnson was
establishing himself as an in-demand accompanist through his work with
Gerry Mulligan. Donelian met Marc Mommaas while teaching at the
Manhattan School of Music shortly after the saxophonist arrived in New
York City from the Netherlands; they’ve developed potent bandstand
chemistry over the past decade.

Donelian first met Mike Moreno while teaching in the New School’s jazz
program about ten years ago, just as Moreno was starting his ascent to
his current status as one of the most esteemed young guitarists in New
York. And he encountered Tyshawn Sorey as a standout high school
student in the mid-1990s, a relationship that continued when the
drummer enrolled in William Paterson University, where Donelian is
also on faculty.

Born in Queens, NY in 1950 to Armenian parents, Armen Donelian grew up
in a multicultural household, surrounded by classical and Armenian
music. His first exposure to jazz came at age 12, and as a Columbia
University undergrad he studied music history, theory, and
composition; but his jazz studies commenced in earnest after his
graduation, when he fell under the sway of pianist Richie Beirach.

During that time Donelian apprenticed with a series of jazz giants,
starting in 1975 with Mongo Santamaria, where he presided over the
piano chair once filled by Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. “I learned
so much about time, professionalism, and stamina, ” he says of his
time with Santamaria. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my
life, to investigate Latin music from the inside.”

In the midst of his four-year tenure with Billy Harper’s band, he made
his recording debut with 1981’s “Stargazer” (Atlas), a trio date with
Billy Hart and Eddie Gomez featuring his original compositions.
Through the 1980s, Donelian led a series of outstanding bands,
culminating in his quintet with Dick Oatts at the end of the decade,
when he feels that his music really came into its own.

Donelian has consistently explored his Armenian roots in his music,
and recorded for several labels with the Middle Eastern jazz ensemble
Night Ark; he also co-produced (with legendary jazz producer George
Avakian) “Listen to My Heart, ” a collection of jazz interpretations
of Armenian folk songs. Donelian has frequently traveled to Armenia to
perform, and taught at the Yerevan State Conservatory as a 2002
Fulbright Senior Scholar.

An invaluable educator and international clinician, Donelian has
written several authoritative texts, including two volumes of
“Training the Ear” and the forthcoming “Whole Notes, ” a new book
about piano playing. “Over the years I discovered I had a knack for
teaching and later a talent, ” he says, “and beyond that a
responsibility.”

Armen Donelian’s quintet will be performing the music from Leapfrog at
two CD release shows in September: 9/23 Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT,
8:30pm & 10pm; and 9/24 Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC, 9pm & 10:30pm.

TendersInfo – Project Notices
July 22, 2011 Friday

INTEGRATING ARMENIA INTO ERA

Integration of the South Caucasus countries into ERA is one of the
priorities of EU s European Neighbourhood Policy. This is the
objective of ERAWIDE initiative aimed at reinforcing the cooperation
capacity of a prominent R&D centre in these countries by providing the
possibilities to improve its research activities in the areas of
thematic priorities of FP7. The government of the Republic of Armenia
recommended as such a centre the Center of Medical Genetics and
Primary Health Care (CMG) due to its high reputation, broad
international contacts, participation in FP7, and the importance of
the top-level research in Medical Genetics for general population.

To reach this objective, the INARMERA project consortium consisting of
CMG, the Institute of Cancer Biology of the Danish Cancer Society, and
the European Centre for Knowledge and Technology Transfer (Belgium)
will carry out research assessment of CMG, will organise training in
FP7 for CMG scientists and their research training in Medical
Genetics. For networking and dissemination purposes workshops and
summer schools will be organised in Armenia while Armenian scientists
will attend events in Europe.

Meantime from the start of INARMERA four Pilot Trial Projects in
Medical Genetics will be organised between CMG scientists and their
colleagues in Europe, but also in Georgia, highlighting the regional
aspect of INARMERA. The Pilot Trials will help Participants to
identify bottlenecks of cooperation and propose improvements.

The Strategy Experts Group will develop strategy of CMG aiming at
establishment of CMG as a visible centre of Medical Genetics studies
in Caucasus, and turning it into a reliable partner for European
institutions in Framework Programmes. Project results and achievements
will be analysed and recommendations will be drawn to the authorities
on strengthening EU-Armenia R&D cooperation leading to the successful
start of integration of Armenia into ERA.

Project cost: 544120 EURO
Project Funding: 499710 EURO
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 2011-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31

country :Armenia

news.am, Armenia
July 22 2011

Rumanian political scientists spoke on their goals in Yerevan

July 22, 2011 | 20:53

YEREVAN. – Director of Programs of the Centre for East European and
Asian Studies (CEEAS) in Bucharest George Niculescu and executive
director of CEEAS Simona Soare arrived in Yerevan with three-day
working visit.

Chairman of the association of Armenian political science Hayk
Kotanjyan and executive director of the Association Beniamin Poghosyan
received the guests on Wednesday, the Association informs Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

The two guests from Bucharest represented their goal of visit in the
frameworks of the project of Elimination of Natural and Human
Disasters in the Black Sea region and its restoration. Niculescu and
Soare met representatives of several Armenian ministries and visited
offices of international organizations on Thursday. They met
representatives of Armenian NGOs on Friday.

news.az, Azerbaijan
July 23 2011

‘Russia sees Armenia weaker, Azerbaijan growing stronger’
Sat 23 July 2011 06:50 GMT | 2:50 Local Time

‘The latest increased efforts by Russia in resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are due to current policies of Russia.
Russia realizes that it is impossible to keep the situation as it stands today’.

The statement came from MP, political expert Rasim Musabayov in his
remarks for the ruling New Azerbaijan website.

Russia clearly sees that Armenia becomes even weaker while Azerbaijan
is growing stronger, Musabayov said.

Some appeals made by Russia to Azerbaijan will be left unanswered and
Russia will be loser if Russia spends money on Armenia and there is no
progress in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the MP added.

‘If it keeps on going like this, Azerbaijan will make Armenia kneel
down. To prevent this, Russia needs to spend a lot of money on
Armenia. But this is not advantageous for Russia. What Russia wants is
a breakthrough in the conflict resolution,’ the political expert
noted.

Gun.Az

news.am, Armenia
July 23 2011

Chinese language to be taught in Armenia’s capital

July 23, 2011 | 10:28

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan
met Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China in Yerevan
Tian Changchun on Friday.

Ashotyan stressed over the past two years significant work has been
done on upgrading Armenian schools with computers.

The minister said China provided assistance to upgrading Armenian high
schools with computers, which will have a significant impact on the
quality of the education.

The officials discussed the possibility of opening another branch of
Confucius Institutes at Yerevan State University and study of Chinese
language at a Yerevan high school.

Ashotyan said Armenia will participate in the World Student
Universiade in Shenzhen (China) at the highest level. He also
expressed hope the Armenian students will make good performances in
chess and taekwondo in Shenzhen.

Project of construction of a hotel near Republic Square metro station
causes architects’ indignation

arminfo
Saturday, July 23, 13:32

The project on construction of a hotel near the Republic Square metro
station has caused the architects’ indignation.

Architect Sassoun Kalashyan said at today’s press conference that it
is envisaged to erect the hotel in such a way that the metro station
and its famous fountain in the shape of a flower will find themselves
in the yard of the building. Kalashyan thinks that the 7-storey hotel
will spoil the image of Republic Square, at which the governmental
buildings are situated.

Moreover, the problem of the parking area of the hotel still hangs in
the air. It will be impossible to build an underground parking site
near the metro station, and there will simple be no place for a great
number of cars on the narrow. As regards the Municipality’s position
about the project, the architect said that the Municipality considers
the project from the viewpoint of business and attraction of
investments.

Kalashyan said that the author of the project is the chief architect
of Armenia Narek Sargsyan.

Armenian President: Armenian people share grief of friendly Norwegian people

July 23, 2011 – 17:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan extended
condolences to the King of Norway, King Harald V with respect to
tragic events on Utoya island, Oslo, according to Presidential press
service.

Mr.Sargsyan noted that on this very painful moment Armenian people
share the grief of friendly Norwegian people. This reprehensible crime
underscores significance of fight against intolerance, according to
him.

On July 22, a gunman who shot and killed at least 84 people at a youth
summer camp hours after he set off a bomb blast that killed seven
people in Norway capital, Oslo.

A suspect in the shootings and the Oslo explosion was arrested. Though
police did not release his name, Norwegian national broadcaster NRK
identified him as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik and said police
searched his Oslo apartment overnight

ZHAMANAK: KAREN KARAPETYAN MAKES PRESENTS WORTH $180,000

Tert.am
23.07.11

The paper claims it has learned that Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan
has given several Hyundai Sonata cars as present to those district
leaders who are more loyal to him.

The cars, which the paper claims belonged to Gagik Tsarukyan, MP,
businessman and the leader of the Prosperous Armenian party, each
costs around 13,2 million dram (approx. $36,000).

The paper further claims that those cars were given to the heads of
Arabkir, Shengavit, Erebuni and two other administrative districts
in Yerevan.

SENIOR POLICE OFFICER PLAYS DOWN US REPORT ON TRAFFICKING

Tert.am
22.07.11

The fight against human trafficking in Armenia is not as poor as
mentioned in the recent report by US Department of State, a senior
police officer has said.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Tigran Petrosyan, the head
of the police department of fight against organized crime, said that
the situation in trafficking in other post-Soviet countries is worse
compared to that in Armenia.

“Compared to other post-Soviet republics we have serious achievements
in the fight against trafficking and quite high rankings in terms of
efficiency,” said Petrosyan, adding that it is due to the format of
the US report that it created what he called “ambiguity”.

“The picture should not be generalized based on a private case. For
example, one of German centers made research on trafficking and
found out one Armenian woman and concluded that Germany is a final
destination country for Armenian trafficked women,” explained he.

In an annual report on trafficking of persons published in June the
US Department of State said that Armenia’s Government “does not fully
comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”,
adding however, that “it is making significant efforts to do so”.

Tigran Petrosyan further said that even if that report were far worse,
he would deem that fact as positive and as a sign of the internationals
agencies’ attention to what is being done in Armenia.

Petrosyan also unveiled the preventative measures against trafficking
of persons in Armenia, adding that non-governmental organizations in
their part conduct activities which prove quite effective.

“The figures of the first half are really promising compared to the
results last years,” said he, adding that it is due to the reforms
to Armenia’s Criminal Code.