Author: Samvel Nahapetian

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Since his passing on June 15, thousands of journalists have highlighted Kirk Kerkorian’s amazing business accomplishments and substantial charitable contributions. However, these journalists had never met this great man, as he rarely gave interviews to the media.

Having worked with Mr. Kerkorian for almost three decades as Senior Vice President of The Lincy Foundation and President of the United Armenian Fund, I would like to offer a personal tribute about this compassionate Armenian-American and wonderful human being.

I remember vividly the first time I met Mr. Kerkorian. It was at a Beverly Hills restaurant in the mid 1980’s during a small gathering of wealthy Armenians who supported Gov. George Deukmejian’s reelection. I was there as editor of The California Courier newspaper. When I walked over to introduce myself, Mr. Kerkorian recognized me right away and told me that he was a regular reader of my weekly columns. I was greatly surprised and flattered….

The next time I met Mr. Kerkorian was in his Beverly Hills office on November 1, 1989, eleven months after the devastating earthquake in Armenia. We discussed the possibility of forming a coalition of seven major Armenian-American organizations, including The Lincy Foundation, to airlift humanitarian aid to Armenia. Mr. Kerkorian offered to pay the full cost of transportation and went on to generously pledge to cover not only the cost of one airlift, but “all future airlifts as long as Armenia needed assistance.” Within a few days, the United Armenian Fund was born which successfully delivered over the next 25 years $700 million of relief supplies to Armenia and Artsakh, on board 158 airlifts and 2,250 sea containers.

In 1998, Mr. Kerkorian invited me to travel with him to Armenia, his first trip during which he pledged to Pres. Kocharian to allocate $100 million (raising it later to $242 million) to build or renovate tunnels, bridges and dozens of schools throughout Armenia and one in Artsakh; hundreds of miles of highways, roads and streets; 34 cultural institutions and museums; 3,700 apartments in the earthquake zone; and $20 million of loans to small businesses. These projects not only dramatically improved Armenia’s infrastructure, but also provided much needed employment to over 20,000 workers. Mr. Kerkorian asked me to supervise these projects, in my capacity as Senior Vice President of The Lincy Foundation.

Over the years, Mr. Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Armenians worldwide, including $14 million to provide heating oil for Armenia’s freezing population during the harsh winter of 1993, $4.5 million in 2006 to all 28 Armenian schools in Lebanon, and millions of dollars to Hayastan All-Armenia Fund’s projects in Artsakh. It is estimated that from 1989 to 2011, The Lincy Foundation contributed over $1 billion, split equally between Armenian and non-Armenian charities.

In 2011, when The Lincy Foundation closed its doors, unfounded and false rumors began circulating about the supposed reasons for its closure. The fact is that Mr. Kerkorian had planned all along that at a certain advanced age he would no longer deal with the deluge of daily requests for funding from around the world and distribute the bulk of his wealth after his passing.

I would like to conclude by mentioning some of the likes and dislikes of this remarkable Armenian-American:

— Mr. Kerkorian detested the divisions among Armenians. It upset him to no end that Armenians could not get along with each other. He often said: “Why can’t they unite and march in the same direction?” He was pleased to see seven major Armenian-American organizations working together under the umbrella of the United Armenian Fund.

–He cared deeply about the destitute condition of the people in Armenia and was constantly worried about emigration. He sought to create jobs so Armenians won’t have to leave their homeland.

— He hated the limelight and never lent his name to any building or institution.

— He was extremely wealthy, yet lived very modestly and spoke gently and politely. He preferred that people address him as Kirk rather than Mr. Kerkorian.

Finally, no one had to prompt Kirk to donate money to worthy causes. He often volunteered to make large contributions without being asked.

The Armenian nation and the world owe him a great debt of gratitude.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has begun constructing three more community centers in Artsakh, in the villages of Kyuratagh (Hadrut Region), Getavan (Martakert Region), and Sargsashen (Martuni Region). All three projects are sponsored by the French-Armenian community, with additional financial support from the government of Artsakh.

Most of the residents of the three villages, whose total population is a little under 1,030, are farmers. The community centers being built in these villages follow the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s highly successful model of efficient, multifunctional structures that streamline the civic and cultural lives of rural communities. Each of the community centers will comprise a mayor’s office, a health clinic, a library, and an events hall.

Commenting on the launch of the community-center projects, the mayors of the three villages conveyed their deep gratitude to their French-Armenian compatriots, stating that the initiatives have been met with the great enthusiasm of their respective communities.

“Implementing projects which improve the quality of life of rural communities, in Armenia and Artsakh alike, is among the top priorities of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund,” says Executive Director Ara Vardanyan.

Armenian American billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, who founded MGM Resorts International, has died in Los Angeles at age 98, the gaming company said Tuesday.

The legendary business icon passed away Monday night after suffering from a brief illness, the Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported.

“MGM Resorts and our family of 62,000 employees are honoring the memory of a great man, a great business leader, a great community leader, an innovator, and one of our country’s greatest generation,” MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren said in a statement.

“Mr. Kerkorian combined brilliant business insight with steadfast integrity to become one of the most reputable and influential financiers of our time,” Murren added.

Kerkorian is credited as being the major force behind evolving the Las Vegas Strip into one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

The powerhouse founded MGM Resorts International in the early 1990s. He also owned Tracinda Corporation, a private investment firm based in Beverly Hills.

Kerkorian was born in Fresno, Calif., in 1917 to Armenian-born parents. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1922 and at age 9, Kerkorian sold newspapers on street corners. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade and became an amateur boxer.

From his humble beginnings, Kerkorian became one of the world’s richest men. At the time of his death, Forbes Magazine ranked Kerkorian No. 393 among the world’s billionaires and No. 130 in the U.S. with a net worth of $4 billion.

Kerkorian became a national hero in Armenia both for his success and for his donations for roads, schools and other infrastructure there through his charitable arm, the Lincy Foundation.

An overflow crowed of more than 1400 attended the 100 anniversary commemoration of the 20 Hunchakian Gallows, which was held on Sunday, June 14, 2015, reports.

The event took place in the historical Alex theater in Glendale, where the event was announced on the theater’s bright marquee.

The evening MC was Zovig Koroglian. Vahan Khodanian delivered the Armenian Council of America’s message, after which ACA Chairman Sevak Khatchadourian introduced the elected officials who were present. Afterward, he presented “Stephan Sabah-Gulian Humanitarian Award” to Rep. Adam Shiff for his efforts for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

After receiving a standing ovation, Rep. Shiff delivered a short speech expressing hisgratitude for the award. He said that he is proud to represent his Armenian constituents in the congress, and promised to double his efforts for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Event’s other speakers were SDHP Central Committee chairman Hagop Dikranian, political activist from Armenia Sarkis Hazbanian, Armenian Church Western Diocese Primate Arch. HovnanDerderian and SDHP Western Region chairman Gabriel Moloyan.

An artistic program of Armenian national and patriotic songs and poems was presented with the participation of “Sipan” Choir, conducted by Henrik Annasian, Nor Serount Cultural Association’s dance troupe, well known poetry reciter Noune Avedissian and talented singers Salpi Mayilian, Arno Mcrtchian and Hagop Hagopian.

Armenian weightlifter Andranik Karapetyan became the winner at the Junior World Championships held in Wroclaw, Poland, the website of the Armenian Weightlifting federation informs.

Andranik Karapetyan, 19, lifted a total of 335 kg (155+180), three kg more than Iran’s Ali Miri in the 77 kg weight category.

Former Olympic athlete and reality TV star Bruce Jenner, who is transitioning to life as a woman, revealed her new name as Caitlyn Jenner on Monday and posed in a white strapless leotard on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, reports.

In a video on the magazine’s website, Jenner said the cover, which features the headline “Call me Caitlyn,” represents a liberating phase of her transition.

“Bruce always had to tell a lie,” Jenner said. “Caitlyn doesn’t have any secrets. As soon as the Vanity Fair cover comes out, I’m free.”

The cover portrait, by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, was taken in Jenner’s Malibu, California home for Vanity Fair’s July issue. The magazine will also feature other high fashion photos of Jenner.

Jenner, 65, became the most high-profile American to identify as transgender, making the announcement in an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in April.

Jenner, who has been prominently featured as the patriarch on E! Entertainment’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” will star in an E! documentary this July chronicling her new life as a woman.

Armenia and Azerbaijan must use new methods to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Johannes Hahn said at a press conference in Riga May 20, Trend reports.

“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been existing for a long time,” he said. “The EU is trying to do everything possible to resolve the conflict. Armenia and Azerbaijan must use new methods to solve it. The Balkans is a very good example, where we observed cross-border cooperation. The cross-border cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia is possible. First of all, this project is important to build confidence between the sides. The younger generation wants to overcome the bitterness of the past. In the coming years we intend to develop cross-border cooperation in the South Caucasus.”

On 20 May Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the French Senate and met a group of Senators.

The President briefed the Senators on the state-building process in Artsakh, its domestic and foreign policy, the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process, regional trends and responded to questions.

The President underlined that official Stepanakert attaches importance to the development of bilateral relations with France, a friendly country and one of the cradles of democracy, a country which  became a second homeland for hundreds of thousands of Armenians, who escaped their historic land following the Armenian Genocide.

The President rated high the role of France in the Karabakh conflict settlement process and in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to France Vigen Chitechyan was present at the meeting.

Kanye West has received an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago,  reports.

The rapper, a native of the US city who released his debut album ‘The College Dropout’ in 2004, was described by the art school as “a leader in the music industry as a Grammy Award-winning recording artist and producer, as well as a fashion designer and interdisciplinary artist whose work provokes cultural discourse by reflecting a realism of the street.”
In a speech West said, “I am a pop artist, so my medium is public opinion, and the world is my canvas.”
West continued to say that the honour “proves what I’ve been saying my entire life”, “whether it’s the cosign of Paul McCartney… or the Time [Magazine] most influential cover, or now a doctorate from the Art Institute of Chicago”.