Author: Tania Jagharian

Capacity Crowd Attends Armenian American Museum Community Meeting

Tania Jagharian
  • Community

    •  

  • Featured Story

    •  

  • Latest

    •  

  • News

    •  

  • Top Stories

23 hours ago

GLENDALE—More than 300 residents filled the Adult Recreation Center’s auditorium on March 8 for a presentation and discussion on the historic Armenian American Museum project developing in Glendale. The capacity crowd expressed its strong support for the Museum’s mission, program, and location.

“The Armenian American Museum will be a cultural campus that honors our past, recognizes our present, and builds our future,” stated Executive Committee Chairman Berdj Karapetian, who presented the Museum’s mission and location to the applauding crowd.

The world class cultural and educational center will be located in the heart of Glendale’s Arts & Entertainment District in the reconfigured Downtown Central Park block. The Museum will serve as an arts and cultural destination for local residents and visitors from throughout the region and around the world.

“The Museum’s inspiring and iconic design represents the Verdugo Mountains rising to the north of Glendale and the rock formations and mountain range found in Armenia,” stated Museum Architect Aram Alajajian, who presented the project’s design and program.

The Museum’s program will feature a Permanent Exhibition on the Armenian American experience, telling the history of Armenia including the Armenian Genocide and the story of Armenians living in America. The Museum will feature Traveling Exhibitions on diverse cultures and subject matters that will engage broad audiences and serve as a bridge that connects the multicultural community.

The cultural and educational center will also feature a Demonstration Kitchen to learn, share, and experience diverse cultures through food and cooking traditions, a Performing Arts Theater to host exciting performances, conferences, lectures, and community events, and a Learning Center to provide innovative educational programs and opportunities for local youth to learn, engage, and grow.

“The Armenian American Museum will be a valuable addition to the City of Glendale and I am proud that our State Legislature has invested $4 million in the historic project,” stated Senator Anthony J. Portantino. Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian, Councilmember Zareh Sinanyan, and representatives from Congressman Adam Schiff, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, and Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s offices were in attendance at the community meeting. Museum Co-Chair Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and members of the Museum Governing Board were also present.

The Armenian American Museum is a developing project in Glendale, CA with a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. When completed, it will serve as a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

The governing board of the Armenian American Museum consists of representatives from the following ten Armenian American institutions and organizations: Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Relief Society – Western USA, Nor Or Charitable Foundation, Nor Serount Cultural Association, Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Church entitled with rights to its property in Israel – Armenian Patriarchate weighs in on Jerusalem tax motion

Tania Jagharian
ArmenPress, Armenia
March 7 2018
Church entitled with rights to its property in Israel – Armenian Patriarchate weighs in on Jerusalem tax motion


YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. A commission has been created to deal with the solution of the problems which were caused after the Jerusalem Municipality’s decision on charging real estate taxes from church-owned properties and the new bill on the properties. Representatives of Christian spiritual institutions will also work with the commission, Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan, chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem told ARMENPRESS.

Please tell us at what phase are the latest developments, what resolution did the problem get?

In the end of February the three spiritual leaders who hold custody decided to open the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, because the day before the office of the Israeli Prime Minister released a statement. It concerned the municipality’s decision on charging taxes from churches and monasteries, and the bill which has been introduced in the Knesset, according to which if any church-owned property would be given for lease the government would be entitled to expropriate this property by paying compensation to the church. According to the statement from the Prime Minister’s office, these two – the decision and the bill – have been suspended. The Prime Minister set up a commission including municipality, finance ministry, internal and foreign affairs ministry officials. In addition, representatives from all Christian spiritual institutions should participate in negotiations to reach a common decision.

Obviously this issue didn’t surface all of a sudden. Overall how long has the issue related to the church-owned lands existed in Jerusalem?

We can say that the bill regarding the properties in Jerusalem has been undergoing the preparation phase for already a year. The reason is the following: Since 2010 the Greek Patriarchate had signed contracts with a company recognized by the state. This company , which had rented a church-owned property for 99 years, had refused from this right at some phase and was ready to sell its right of rent to a third party. Factually, the Greek Patriarch had agreed since 2010 that this third party can be any individual company. And since then the right of rent of many properties were transferred to the ownership of individual organizations. This is the reason that this bill was introduced.

This was the reason, but what is the general policy towards church-owned properties?

The rights of church-owned properties belong to the church, this is clearly recorded. These properties serve as income source for the implementation of the church’s mission, the church’s maintenance. There were cases when the state’s church-owned properties were declared “green zones” or a public park. When a “green zone” is declared for a church-owned property, the church cannot do anything there. The state can’t do anything also without the agreement of the given church. Such cases exist, definitely this causes great harm to the church, because today it is impossible to realize any program or project concerning these properties. And as we know, the more projects the more revenues will be ensured for church institutions. And in case of income, the mission can be carried out more effectively.

The Municipality explained its decision by saying that the budget has a gap and they can’t collect sufficient resources. How would you comment this argument?

Churches and monasteries have been exempt from paying taxes for many centuries. We will never agree for taxes to be introduced against churches and monasteries. This can’t be considered as means for the municipality to fill the gap in the budget. They must find another way. The Mayor had addressed the finance minister, and only when he got a rejection he took this step. In any case, when they say debt, we don’t consider it a debt because for many centuries we have been exempt from taxes, such kind of a debt is unacceptable for us. All those church-owned properties which are on lease pay taxes. We oppose defining taxes for churches and monasteries, while outside of this the Christian institutions pay taxes for all profit-generating properties.

How does the US President’s statement on acknowledging Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital and the developments related to the bill and the municipality decision impact tourism flow?

Certainly a decrease of tourism numbers is noticed since the US President’s statement as well as closing the doors of the church. Because violence took place after the US President’s statement, the conflict seemingly awakened, many cancelled their visits. The same after closing the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, when a pilgrim is coming to the Holy Land the first destination is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. And if the pilgrim thinks that when he arrives to Jerusalem he won’t see the main holy site, he will think about cancelling the trip.

If I am not mistaken, representatives of the Armenian community are mostly involved in the service sector – trade, rendering services. I believe that the drop in visits is also making economic impact on locals, including the Armenian community.

Yes, you are correct, Armenians are mostly [involved] in the service sector. The decrease of the number of visitors of the city certainly impacts the residents, including Armenians. But the locals are seemingly used to the fact that a long-term calm situation doesn’t happen here. Some kind of incidents or actions happen all the time, which negatively impacts the service sector, and the situation is restored after some time. 3000 Armenians live in the Armenian district of Jerusalem alone. Overall 8000 Armenians live in the Holy Land, I mean both Israel and sections of Palestine. All our projects and initiatives are implemented through a united committee where all unions are represented. There is an active collaboration.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan

Sports: Armenian boxer beats Mexican opponent at Thompson Boxing night

Tania Jagharian
PanArmenian, Armenia
Feb 19 2018
– 10:50 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Lightweight boxer Zhora Hamazaryan of Armenia defeated Mexico's Sergio Ramirez at the Thompson Boxing fight night in Ontario, California on Friday, February 16, BoxingScene.com reports.

The Armenian dropped the Mexican in the second round en route to a four round unanimous decision victory. Scores were 39-36, 39-36, and 40-35 for Hamazaryan.

A few weeks ago Thompson Boxing announced a 12 dates for the upcoming year, the majority of the cards taking place at Ontario's Doubletree Hotel but there will be a additional dates that will be added to their schedule.


Mountainous gorges, ancient monasteries, villages, wonderful people: TravelBlog.Iv’s new film on Artsakh (video)

Tania Jagharian
| 11:23 | January 30 2018
Category
Artsakh

Mountainous gorges, ancient monasteries, villages, modern cities and wonderful people: all these can be seen in a new film about Artsakh.

The film has been shot by the TravelBlog.Iv project team from Latvia and Lithuania in September 2017. Within a week the team visited Artsakh’s most beautiful sites, searched for interesting places, communicated with different people, and based on this, they shot a wonderful movie about a region which is not so known as of now.

The purpose of the movie is to discover this territory and its huge tourism potential. Despite political difficulties, here simple and hospitable people live for already thousands of years. And they are gladly waiting for guests who would like to discover for them this still unknown area for a great tourism.

The authors of the film stated that over the past year a great work has been carried out here aimed at making this country attractive for many countries of the world. Comfortable roads were constructed, hotels for different preferences opened, routes in mountains were created for cognitive and extreme tourism.

Now the task is to how deliver this to the world, to those living with stereotypes and terrible stories in Azerbaijan. Maybe this film will help?

According to the authors, it was easy to shoot the film, there have been no problems in connection with the beautiful sites and interesting moments. There are many shots in the film from the height of the bird flight that have been made by ordinary drones. The authors state that this helps to more brightly reveal the overall beauty of monasteries in Gandzasar, Dadivank, feel the depth of the Hunot Gorge and see the Sotk Pass.

The film also depicted the rehearsals of the local folk group, the modern dances and etc.

The unique cuisine of Artsakh was also included in the film.

This is how the film was made, simple, alive and so beautiful. The filmmakers believe that such Nagorno Karabakh will be close to many people.

Nearly 100 delegations to attend Francophonie summit in Armenia

Tania Jagharian 
ArmenPress News Agency , Armenia
 Monday


Nearly 100 delegations to attend Francophonie summit in Armenia



YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The fact that Armenia has been given
a chance to chair at the structure with over 50 years of history was a
demonstration of great trust to our country by the international
community, foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said during an annual
press conference in response to the question of Armenpress.

“During these years of independence Armenia had many chances to chair
at different international structures, it has been a chairing country
in the CSTO, the Council of Europe, BSEC and other structures. But the
major difference is that all these chairmanships have been rotating,
whereas in the Francophonie it’s not a rotating chairmanship. We
managed to assume the chairmanship of this structure in a very
competitive environment”, Nalbandian said.

He said this shows the trust and solidarity of the international
community towards Armenia.

In addition to the structure having 84 associated and observer
members, delegations from different Fracnophonie agencies and partner
structures will also arrive in Armenia, invitations were also sent to
a number of international organizations.

“Nearly 100 delegations will visit Armenia in October. We hope many
delegations will be headed at the highest level”, the Armenian FM
said.

He stated that Armenia has been provided with a unique chance to
present the country to the international community, expand the
geography of relations, intensify, develop and deepen the cooperation
with the member states of the Francophonie family.

“I would like to inform that we are preparing a new fundamental
document of the International Organization of La Francophonie. It is
the “Living Together” pact. It’s going to be quite a serious document
which we already started to develop, discuss with the member states
and the secretariat. During the summit, a final Yerevan declaration
will be adopted. Moreover, nearly 10 more resolutions on different
matters will be adopted”, Nalbandian said.

He informed that on the sidelines of the summit Armenia plans to hold
a Francophonie business forum which will enable to intensify,
strengthen the institutional ties with the businessmen of the
Francophonie countries. “It will also allow Armenia to expand the
cooperation, implement different economic programs with these
countries. The goal is to create a network of businessmen of the
Francophonie states”, the FM said.

Export of Armenia’s agricultural produce grew 21% in 2017

Tania Jagharian
Pan Armenian, Armenia
Jan 27 2018
– 12:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Export of Armenian agricultural produce increased by 21% in 2017, while imports from abroad grew by 17% in the reporting period, minister of agriculture Ignati Arakelyan said at a meeting with prime minister Karen Karapetyan on Friday, January 26.

Agricultural sector accounted for the 15.9% of Armenia’s gross domestic product in 2016, reaching 21.6% the next year, the minister said.

“The level of self-sufficiency of primary foodstuffs stood at 64%, with 338,000 people involved in the sector overall," Arakelyan said.

According to him, 9 million litres of wine were produced in the country throughout the previous year against the 7 million litres produced a year earlier. Export of wine, meanwhile, increased by 30%.

Attracting private investments important for having sustainable economic growth – finance minister

Tania Jagharian
| 15:29 | January 23 2018
Category
BUSINESS & ECONOMY

In order to carry out an effective social policy in Armenia it’s necessary to ensure a sustainable economic growth, for which an important precondition is to attract private investments, Finance minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters.

“The effective social policy should be one of our priorities. But we need to consider our capacities and understand how we are conducting this policy. If the situation is such that the resources are not enough for drastically increasing the wages and pensions, this is a problem, since in the future, if the economic growth, for instance, is 2%, how we will compensate it?”, Aramyan said.

The minister said that at least 5% sustainable economic growth is necessary for implementing an effective social policy. “In order to ensure a stable growth we need to make investment, especially, private investments”, the minister noted.

He recalled that after 2012 the minimum wage in Armenia increased from 32.500 AMD to 55.000 which is nearly 67% growth. “It would be much better if we later are able to continue this policy, but we need to look at our capacities. We need to consider that the service costs of our debt comprise 10% of our overall expenses, and this is not a small amount. Thus, we need to look at all issues smartly, with a greater focus on socially vulnerable groups, and common restraint and more attention to capital expenditures”, the minister said.

If you send me to Africa, I will shoot African good films – Sergei Parajanov

Tania Jagharian
  • 19:14 | January 9,2018 | Politics
  • Հայ

“I’m an Armenian, I live in Tbilissi, I’m accused of Ukrainian nationalism, I’m filming good films, and even if you send me to Africa, I’ll shoot African good films,” said Sergei Parajanov.

Sergei Parajanov’s museum is one of the most visited museums in Yerevan. However, according to the founder of the museum Zaven Sargsyan, the important thing is not the number of visitors. “There are people who are coming here only to say that they were in this museum,” he says, ” But there are some others, who do not know about this museum, but they get impressed from it. And there are fans of his art, who come here to be filled with emotions.” The director of the museum attaches great importance to the visit of children.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the museum’s opening. “Parajanov was very happy for this house, even he came here when it was more or less constructed, and gave some advice”, recalls Zaven Sargsyan. “The construction stopped at the 1988 earthquake, and the museum opened its doors in 1991, but Parajanov has already passed away.”

This year, the museum is preparing to publish a new book where Parajanov’s prison memoirs and documents will be first publicized.

Today is Sergei Parajanov’s birthday.

Serzh Sargsyan’s Tbilisi message – Batono Margvelashvili: "Georgia must use Armenia’s potential"

Tania Jagharian
Aravot , Armenia
Dec 28 2017
Serzh Sargsyan's Tbilisi message – Batono Margvelashvili: "Georgia must use Armenia's potential"
by Emma Gabriyelyan
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from the Russian edition of Aravot]

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, together with his wife, arrived in Georgia for an official visit on 25 December. A face-to-face conversation between presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Giorgi Margvelashvili started in the Georgian president's residence after the official welcoming ceremony. It was followed by broadened Armenian-Georgian negotiations at the top level with delegations of the two countries participating. Presidents made statements for the press thereafter.

Serzh Sargsyan said in his speech that there were numerous promising projects on the bilateral agenda and confirmed his readiness to develop cooperation with Georgia: "With my Georgian counterpart, we discussed today a broadening trade and economic agenda, paying particular attention first and foremost to the ongoing cooperation in such important spheres as energy and transport, as well as development of the transit potential of the countries and its efficient use… [ellipsis as published] Creation of joint industrial enterprises was also on the agenda of our meeting and I said that, in my opinion, the Georgian side should use Armenia's potential and the existence of free economic zones in order to sell their products in the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union [EEU]," Sargsyan noted. He said that in this sense, any company registered in Armenia could be very useful. "I would particularly like to focus on the new free economic zone set up on the border with Iran and it offers big opportunities for exporting Georgian goods and services also to another financially reliable market – the Islamic Republic of Iran," Sargsyan said. He reminded that at all negotiations, Armenia always took efforts to obtain documents, statements, and wording that would by no means damage Georgia's interests. Maintaining such a position by both Armenian and Georgian sides can only bring benefits to both nations.

Thus, Yerevan stated that relations between the states are based on a firm foundation at the top level and, as Serzh Sargsyan noted, "are duly described as fraternal". In the year, when the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Georgia is marked, Yerevan and Tbilisi stated a high level of cooperation in all spheres of mutual interest.

"We are not just neighbours", Giorgi Margvelashvili assures

The fact that Yerevan expects Tbilisi to use Armenia's potential probably means that Serzh Sargsyan regards Armenian-Georgian relations in a new context and expects relations of new quality and level from Tbilisi. This is an extremely important message. The Georgian president's delicate hint was no accident in this context. The Armenpress [news agency] reported from Tbilisi that Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili noted at the briefing for journalists held after his meeting with Serzh Sargsyan: "Armenia's membership in the EEU and Georgia's signing of the Association Agreement with the EU have not reduced the level of economic cooperation between Armenia and Georgia.

An official dinner was given on 25 December on behalf of Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and [first lady] Ms Maka Chichua to honour Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs Rita Sargsyan, who were paying an official visit to Georgia. Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Giorgi Margvelashvili raised toasts, in which they touched on Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental relations based on respect and mutual trust as well as on centuries-long friendship between the Armenian and Georgian nations and prospects for strengthening bilateral ties in all fields that are of mutual interest.

"We are not just neighbours. Traditions of our cooperation have a history of thousand years and it is developing successfully now too. The secret of our friendship lies not only in the legendary brotherhood of Kartlos [legendary ancestor of all Georgians] and Hayos [legendary ancestor of all Armenians, who were brothers]. Our cultures, arts, folklores, and traditions are mutually connected and history is full of examples of mutual help. This is what provides us with the opportunity to overcome numerous trials, uniting us in the face of numerous challenges and preserving the uniqueness our nations are so proud of," the Georgian President noted.

Margvelashvili assured that Georgia appreciated and fostered friendship with Armenia and congratulated his Armenian counterpart on the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU: "Georgia will always promote peace, stability, and cooperation in the region. We are ready today and will be ready in the future to share with our friends benefits of our European and Euro-Atlantic integration and the opportunities Georgia is creating in terms of cooperation between regions and continents".

Will Armenia finally get rid of Verkhny Lars?

It is worth noting that Serzh Sargsyan's visit to Tbilisi took place in a very interesting atmosphere. A statement was made in Tbilisi last week that Armenia can transport goods from Russia via [Georgia's breakaway] South Ossetia. The agreement signed between Georgia and the Swiss SGS company allows transportation of goods to Russia along the Qazbegi-Verkhny Lars road [in reality, Kvirikashvili mentioned the Roki tunnel that connects Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia with Russia] in force majeure situations, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said in his speech in parliament. According to him, the agreement is in line with Georgia's interests: "We signed it, because this is in our country's interests and Turkey, Armenia and other countries that are using this country's transit potential can use this corridor in force majeure situations. However, I would like to reiterate that the agreement was signed unilaterally. But we are continuing talks, because certain conditions Russia had put forward are unacceptable to us," Kvirikashvili said. In other words, Turkey, Armenia and other countries can use the transport corridor via Tskhinvali (the Roki tunnel) in force majeure situations.

The Georgian prime minister's statement caused indignation in Georgian opposition circles. In particular, representatives of the United National Movement party led by former Georgian President [Mikheil Saakashvili] said that the use of the corridor by third countries violated the 2011 agreement, which served to remove Georgia's veto on the Russian Federation's joining the WTO.

Georgia and Russia reached in 2011 an agreement on mechanism for customs administration and monitoring of cargoes on the borders, when the Georgian side (under President Saakashvili) withdrew its veto on Russian Federation's joining the WTO. The condition was that trade corridors from Russia were established across the territories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), which the Georgian government does not control, and the sides invited international mediators to control flows of cargoes and mark them. It was the Swiss SGS company that was chosen.

In other words, Russia and Georgia are trying to overcome some complicated political and economic problems and cooperate in the fields of trade and communications. And Tbilisi intends to open corridors to Armenia too, if force majeure situations take shape at Verkhny Lars. The Georgian opposition is now urging the government to disclose details of the agreement signed with the Swiss company on 19 December. At the same time, the Georgian opposition's dissatisfaction has caused enthusiasm in Azerbaijan.

Major importance of Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili's statement becomes evident if we take into account how important the problem of an alternative to Verkhny Lars is for Armenia. Tbilisi is effectively offering Armenia an alternative route [for transporting goods from and to Russia] and it is possible that Georgia's decision will be criticised in Baku and Ankara. It will become clear later, whether this step by the Georgian government is a result of negotiations between Yerevan and Tbilisi. A new situation that has taken shape around Armenia has most likely played a certain role here: By all appearances, the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU is a new stage in Armenia's European integration and Armenia's increased role and importance in the regional context have shaped a new situation. It cannot be ruled out either that an agreement was reached at the Tbilisi-Brussels level. It is a fact that Armenia has a chance of getting rid of Verkhny Lars.