Author: Talar Tumanian

The Armenian Embassy in Damascus on Sunday held a reception commemorating the 24th anniversary of independence at al-Sham Hotel, Press and Information Department of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

The reception was attended by Speaker of the People’s Assembly (parliament) Mohammad Jihad al-Laham and a number of senior officials in addition to economic, religious, cultural and media figures.

In his speech Armenia’s Ambassador to Syria Arshak Poladyan referred to Armenia’s achievements over the past years, the Armenian-Syrian relations, the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the efforts of the Arab people of Syria to shelter and save Armenians who fled the massacres, as well as the domestic political situation in Syria.

“Armenia welcomes any initiative targeted at the establishment of peace, national unity and stability in Syria,” the Armenian Ambassador said.

Earlier the day His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of Diocese of Damascus of the Armenian Apostolic Church, celebrated a Holy Mass dedicated to the 24th anniversary of Armenia’s independence.

 

 

 

Kamp Armen, an Armenian orphanage built in Istanbul’s Tuzla neighborhood in 1962, faces the danger of demolition. Activists have been struggling since May to save the orphanage. Construction works have now been stopped under public pressure.

A few days after the Armenian Genocide Centennial, on May 6 in the morning of May 6th construction machines entered into the premises of Camp Armen and started destroying the building.

Activists are now holding vigil to protect the building. The resistance began when the current property owner tried to demolish the camp in order to realize his own project. All in all, 1,500 citizens joined the struggle, Kurds and Turks among them.

Garo Paylan, an Armenian MP of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has joined the vigil. Speaking to Public Radio of Armenia he said the struggle for the orphanage will continue.

“Hrant and Rakel Dink have done much to keep Kamp Armen since 1980. The orphanage could have a different fate if Hrant was alive. When the camp was first attacked on May 6, many people gathered to support us – the leadership of the Tuzla district, representatives of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, and many others. We’ll struggle until we achieve results. We are now waiting for the result of parliamentary elections, and we hope the issue will be solved,” Paylan said.

When visiting Kamp Armen one can see young people of different nationalities sitting side by side, because there is one thing uniting them all – the struggle for justice. Those who keep vigil often host guests, who come to encourage and give them advice. The head of Tuzla district has been supporting the activists since the start of the resistance.

Camp Armen was one of the most symbolic and important property belonging to the Armenian community and confiscated by Turkish authorities. In 1915, after the Armenian Genocide, there was no school left in Western Armenia and more than 1500 Armenian orphans were living in the camp and being taught the Armenian language.

In 1962, the Church Foundation administration, after receiving the necessary permissions from all relevant State institutions like the Foundations Regional Directorate and the Istanbul Governorate, purchased the land plot of the Tuzla Camp from Sait Durmaz, and registered the deed in the foundation’s name. Then, the children at the orphanage worked an entire summer to build the camp where hundreds of children would eventually attend.

On 6 July 1971, the 2nd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation, by unanimous vote, approved the recognition as foundation vouchers of the 1936 declarations of community foundations that had no foundation voucher. This served as a legal provision to prevent community foundations from acquiring real estate properties directly or through inheritance.

When the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation approved the decree of the 2nd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation on 8 May 1974, the legal precedent was set. In cases filed following this approval, the great majority of immovable assets community foundations acquired after 1936 were seized.

On 23 February 1979, the Foundations General Directorate applied to the Kartal 3rd Civil Court for the cancellation of the deed held by the Gedikpasa Armenian Protestant Church Foundation and the return of it to its former owner. At the end of the case that lasted four years, the court ruled for the return of the property to its former owner. Thus, Sait Durmaz, retook the land he had sold in 1962 as an empty plot, without paying a single penny, and with the camp facilities built on it in the meantime. The Armenian Protestant Church Foundation was forced to return a property it had purchased years ago by fulfilling every manner of legal procedure to its former owner as if it had stolen it in the first place.

When in 2011, a change in the Law on Foundations triggered a process for the return of seized foundation properties; an application was made to the Foundations General Directorate for the Tuzla Children’s Camp as well. However, the Foundations General Directorate, on the basis of the legal cancellation of the sale of the Tuzla Camp, did not treat the file as a ‘seized property’ file, and thus the return of the camp or the payment of compensation did not take place.

Hrant Dink had described the Tuzla Children’s Camp where he grew up, met his future wife, and later assumed its administration along with his wife Rakel Dink as ‘the Atlantis Civilization’. This reference specifically underlines the contribution of the children’s own labor in the creation of the camp.

Photos by Armine Gevorgyan

Armenians of Philadelphia welcome Pope Francis to the US with special digital billboards to thank the Pontiff for his recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Thank you Pope Francis for Recognizing Armenian Genocide. #NeverForget 2015” the posters read.

Pope Francis has begun his tour of the US, where he is expected to greet millions of American Catholics and address thorny issues like climate change and income inequality.

US President Barack Obama welcomed the Pope as he landed on Tuesday – a rare honor for a foreign dignitary.

The Pontiff will visit Washington DC, New York and Philadelphia.

Today Pope Francis will pray with U.S. Catholic Bishops at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.

His Holiness, Pope Francis  during a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Horizon Weeky – Canadan Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to mark the Republic of Armenia’s Independence Day:

“I am pleased to extend my best wishes to the Armenian community in Canada and around the world celebrating the 24th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia’s independence.

“In a referendum held on September 21, 1991, Armenians voted in favour of full independence from the Soviet Union. Canada was among the first Western nations to recognize Armenia as an independent state.

“Since that time, Canada and Armenia have enjoyed strong bilateral relations and strong people-to-people ties, supported by Canada’s Armenian community, which has contributed significantly to the economic, cultural and social fabric of our great nation.

“In recognition of this, we were proud to announce last week that a re-elected Conservative government will establish a new Trade and Consular office in Armenia.

“Moreover, this past April, the Honourable Chris Alexander travelled to Yerevan, Armenia to participate in events commemorating the Armenian Genocide Centennial on behalf of our Conservative government, which coincided with our government’s initiative to designate April as ‘Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month.’

“Once again, I wish all Armenian citizens and people around the world of Armenian heritage a happy Independence Day.”

Azerbaijan has blacklisted Gianluca Marcianò, conductor of the 24/04 international orchestra and artistic director of the Al Bustan International Festival, press service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported.

Today Gianluca Marcianò will be present at the premiere of Verdi’s “Requiem in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. He has been invited by Armenia’s First Lady Rita Sargsyan.

“The project scheduled for September 1 speaks about peace through culture, and I’m glad to be part of that event,” the Maestro told reporters in Armenia before his departure for Artsakh.

“No political issues can hold me back. This is a cultural program that calls to open the borders, to leave in peace. Therefore, no artist will refuse to participate in such an event,” he said.

Gianluca Marcianò has posted photos of his visit to Artsakh on his .

Two of the three Armenian families that fled to Turkey after the Islamic State attack on the Syrian town of Kobane will move to Armenia, Ermenihaber.am reports, quoting a statement by the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul.

The families voiced the wish to move to Armenia during a meeting with the Patriarchal Vicar of Constantinople, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan at the refugee camp.

Aram Ateshyan will see off the families to Armenia on August 30.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received today Sergey Sidorsky, member of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Minister of Industry and Agriculture of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The Prime Minister hailed the effective cooperation established between the Armenian Government and the Eurasian Economic Commission and attached importance to the intensification and expansion of cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture, innovation and others.

Sergey Sidorsky, in turn, stressed the necessity of further development and reinforcement of cooperation between Armenia and the Eurasian Economic Union. He stressed the importance of implementation of joint programs in different branches of economy, which will contribute to the deepening and expansion of ties between EAEU member states.

In this context the interlocutors discussed a number of issues related to the deepening cooperation with Armenia. The parties discussed issues related to the elimination of restrictions for the expansion of the volume of commodity turnover, which will lead to increased competition on the market.

 

 

 

Setrak Garabedian, a Canadian Armenian, who runs an on-line Armenian radio station in Montreal, visited Armenia and Artsakh earlier this year. He shared his impressions in a talk with .

Visiting the Motherland had been a childhood ream, which Setrak Garabedian realized in 2012. But even before that he introduced the foreign audience to the Armenian music and history through his airing from Montreal.

“We broadcast Armenian music 24 hours a day. I also host a talk show and invite different guests every week. The topics we talk about are different, and are not necessarily related to Armenian issues,” Setrak said.

“Most of the listeners are Armenian, but there are also a number of foreigners fond of Armenian music. For example, one of them is from Chile. He knows the Armenian history better than me. It’s the System Of A Down that has inspired him to listen to Armenian music.”

Setrak Garabedian also referred to the Armenian Genocide and its recognition. He believes every Armenian should visit the Motherland at least once on April 24 to be present at the commemoration ceremony.

Setrak, whose parents come from Western Armenia, dreams about the return of lands. “Turkey should recognize the Genocide and return our lands.”

He spoke with particular inspiration and love about the visit to Artsakh. He admired the land, the nature, the sincere smiles and something intangible, which he found hard to explain.

“Yes, Armenia is really a beautiful country, but there is something missing. To me Artsakh is more impressive.”

Setrak Garabedian seriously thinks about moving to Nagorno Karabakh and is now trying to understand how he can do that. He urges all Diaspora Armenians to visit Artsakh.

 

Plans by the leader of Nagorno Karabakh to visit London have sparked fury in Baku, with the foreign ministry summoning the British ambassador in protest, Agence France-Presse reports.

“Azerbaijan has sent a note of protest to Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office,” the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The previous day Azerbaijan called in British ambassador Irfan Siddiq to attack a plan by the leader of Nagorno Karabakh to travel to London for a speaking engagement.

President Bako Sahakyan  is due to visit the London think tank Chatham House next Wednesday to brief an invitation-only audience on “the domestic political situation and share his views on regional security and relations,” the organization said.

British authorities sought to distance themselves from the visit, saying the Sahakyan leader was travelling to Britain independently.

“The UK does not recognise the self-proclaimed Nagorny Karabakh republic and the UK government has no contact with any of its representatives,” ambassador Siddiq told journalists in the capital Baku.

In May, Baku summoned France’s ambassador and handed him a protest note over a French visit by Sahakyan.

The fourth fight between WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (42-4, 28 KOs) and former WBO 168lb champ Robert Stieglitz (47-4-1, 27 KOs) is only two and a half weeks away for their fight on July 18th at the Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Germany,  reports.

Abraham’s trainer Ulli Wegner has been bragging about how Abraham has been dropping bigger cruiserweights left and right during training camp. 

Wegner is saying that he’ll stop training Abraham if he loses to Stieglitz, and he’ll tell him that he needs to retire from the sport. Abraham says he’s not going to lose to Stieglitz, even though he’s already been beaten once in their three fights.

Abraham wants to keep his WBO 168lb title for another two years before he retires from the sport. He’s 35 now, and is coming off of two back to back wins over England’s Paul Smith.

“I have already beaten him twice, and in our second fight I was beaten by injury,” Abraham said. “I can guarantee that the fourth fight will be our last. Robert throws a lot of punches, but he has no killer punch. Although I cannot promise a KO, I will leave the audience in no doubt over who the better boxer is.”