Category: 2024

Crossroads of Peace: Armenia’s call for global cooperation in an evolving world

Kajoyan Gevork
The European Sting
Jan 15 2024

Author: Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of Armenia, Office of the President of Armenia

  • Amid complex geopolitical shifts and a globally fragmented policy landscape, Armenia envisions a world strengthened by global cooperation.
  • The Crossroads of Peace project advocates building trust through peace and explores how democracy and technological innovation can be transformative.
  • Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan calls on leaders across the world to work together on building a sustainable and harmonious future.

As President of Armenia, I am serving a nation that has weathered historical storms, emerged resilient: adapted to reality and learned to survive.

In the context of today’s complex geopolitical shifts and the globally fragmented policy landscape, Armenia envisions a world strengthened by global cooperation in the framework of renewed and effective multilateralism.

Here I outline Armenia’s strategic initiatives, including the Crossroads of Peace project, which addresses the importance of acknowledging the cost of crises, advocates for building peace through trust, and explores how genuine democracy and technological innovation can be transformative and how mutually they protect and embolden each other.

Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of economic cooperation and shared values in the new world order. Drawing inspiration from the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark, Armenia’s metaphor serves as a reminder to humanity of the importance of peaceful coexistence, hope, and joint efforts to confront global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, armed conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Economic cooperation stands as a linchpin for global stability, security and prosperity. Armenia, with its skilled workforce and commitment to sustainable development is well-positioned to play an instrumental role in the emerging economic landscape.

Recognition of the importance of fostering economic ties that go beyond national borders – from regional to global, promoting responsible business practices, and contributing to worldwide economic growth is a key for global stability.

In the spirit of cooperation, we actively seek opportunities for trade, investment and partnership with other nations worldwide. By aligning economic interests with shared values, we aim to contribute to a more interconnected and agile world by prioritizing sustainability, innovation and inclusivity, fostering economic relationships that benefit not only our nation but also the global community.

In the evolving world order, liberty, democratic institutions and innovation emerge as powerful tools to address global challenges and navigate geopolitical shifts.

Democracy, with its emphasis on inclusivity and consolidated decision-making, provides a framework for nations to come together. Technological innovation, when wielded responsibly, has the potential to empower individuals and nations to overcome challenges and foster positive change.

Armenia is committed to upholding democratic values and leveraging innovation as tools for positive change. Recognizing the potential of “liberation technology”, we aim to empower citizens, promote their social and economic rights, enhance good governance, transparency and promote accountability.

By harnessing the power of digital innovation, Armenia seeks to create an environment where democracy flourishes, and technology becomes a force for good in addressing global challenges.

The 21st century has seen the world grapple with crises, from pandemics to environmental challenges, and the recognition of the cost of crisis is not merely economic; it is also human and environmental.

In the times of the current polycrisis and in light of unprecedented interdependence and evolving changes of the world order, one nation’s crisis is a challenge for all. As we navigate these challenges, building peace through trust becomes paramount.

Acknowledging the cost of crises and the importance of addressing them with resilience and determination must become an imperative. The recent conflict and forced displacement of persons in the South Caucasus serves as a stark reminder of the impact of geopolitical shifts on civilians.

Principles of Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace project. Image: The Government of Armenia

However, Armenia is committed to turning the aftermath of the crisis into an opportunity for building lasting peace and promoting regional cooperation.

The Crossroads of Peace project, initiated by the Government of Armenia, places a significant emphasis on building mutual trust as the foundation for peace. By actively engaging with neighbours and international partners, Armenia seeks to rebuild new cooperation in the region and foster understanding among nations.

Through diplomatic initiatives, dialogue, and cultural exchange, we aspire to bridge divides and create an environment where nations can work together to confront global challenges.

Armenia, with its rich history and strategic location, has launched the Crossroads of Peace project as a testament to its commitment to global cooperation.

This visionary initiative aims to transform the region into a hub for a political dialogue, cultural exchange and international cooperation. It seeks to transcend traditional geopolitical divisions, fostering an environment where nations can converge to jointly address common challenges.

The Crossroads of Peace has the potential to transform a fragmented region with closed borders into a macro-regional cooperation hub, to unleash the whole potential of the Caucasus, tout court.

The biblical tale of Noah’s Ark serves as a powerful metaphor for our collective journey in the face of global challenges, including climate change. Armenia, with its legacy of resilience and hope, aligns with the spirit of Noah’s Ark, symbolizing a modern-day ark for humanity.

The ark is a timeless symbol of survival, peaceful coexistence, and renewal. Armenia, too, envisions itself as a symbol of hope by fostering global cooperation, acknowledging the cost of crises, building peace through trust, championing democracy and innovation, and promoting value-based economic cooperation.

Armenia strives to be a beacon of hope in a multipolar world. At the crossroads of history, we urge for strengthened global cooperation as we navigate geopolitical shifts in an evolving world order.

The Crossroads of Peace project, inspired by our commitment to peace and partnership, exemplifies Armenia’s vision for a more interconnected world where nations are united in the face of global challenges.

In the spirit of Noah’s Ark, let us embark on this collective journey, keeping hope alive and working together for a sustainable and harmonious future.

https://europeansting.com/2024/01/15/crossroads-of-peace-armenias-call-for-global-cooperation-in-an-evolving-world/ 

AYP FM mobilizes for Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Lazarian
Jan 15 2024
by Emmanuelle Pautler 

PARIS — AYP FM, the voice of Armenia, supported by the French Armenian diaspora, has been broadcasting since 1993 on the 99.5 MHz frequency, which it shares with France Maghreb, on DAB+ in Paris and Marseille, and online.

Based in the Paris suburb of Alfortville, where 10% of the local population is Armenian, AYP FM added IP in 2021 while modernizing its studios. The station operates with five permanent employees and some 30 volunteers of Armenian background from all generations. Its objective is to promote the Armenian cultural heritage.

The station is subsidized by the Fonds de soutien à l’_expression_ radiophonique locale (FSER), a support fund founded by the French Ministry of Culture to support local radio; with a maximum advertising limit of 20%. The current economic crisis is impacting its income, as is the increase of advertising on social networks, and slowing its development.

The primary purpose of AYP FM — to support and cover events within the French Armenian community — has evolved during the dramatic events in the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan

Intensifying its editorial mission for Armenia

AYP FM is a “trilingual” radio station — in addition to French, it broadcasts in Eastern Armenian (the language of today’s Armenia, developed in the country and the former USSR) and Western Armenian (the language of the 1915 genocide survivors and the diaspora). For Henri Papazian, the station’s president and an engineer by training, the language mix is important for Armenia’s living memory, “We must preserve this balance, this Western language, and this spelling, in which most of our cultural archives were developed.”

The primary purpose of AYP FM — to support and cover events within the French Armenian community — has evolved during the dramatic events in the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. “It is a real ethnic cleansing,” deplores Papazian, adding, “100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh were persecuted and chased off their land and had to escape within 48 hours. During nine months of a total blockade in the region, the only humanitarian corridor between Armenia and Karabakh was closed by the Azeris; the population was hungry and threatened.”

Papazian says that many people want to take part in the station’s on-air programs, by telephone and video, to talk with people living in Armenia and other countries of the diaspora. “We have a strong community in France — it is the third-largest after Russia and the U.S. We have been working a lot with the French government (President Emmanuel Macron’s office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and we have struck a chord,” he adds.

AYP FM also broadcasts video programs on social media networks. It has installed the necessary setup for visual radio and recruited a specialized video reporter. “We now actively use social media networks, from which we were previously largely absent. We also cover public events of the Armenian community in France by video, which we broadcast on social networks, and which the Armenian community can follow,” says Papazian.

Adapting programs to the situation

The staff at AYP FM cover news of what is happening in Armenia using information collected from Armenian daily newspapers and broadcasts information in French and Armenian: Four daily reports of 8–10 minutes in Armenian and three in French, covering the same themes but with a different approach. They also broadcast weekly news reports of 15 to 20 minutes, one in Armenian and the other in French, about the events of the past week.

“We also have specialized programs, such as our flagship program ‘Cartes sur table’ on Saturday mornings,” says Papazian. “Originally designed as a debate and discussion program with personalities and figures from diverse artistic, cultural and political points of view, this one-and-a-half-hour program has recently focused on the situation in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, featuring interviews with political figures. Our listeners eagerly await these debates and exchanges. Historians specializing in genocides have reached out and spoken on the program. We recently featured — on-air and across social media — an exclusive interview with Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the former first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”

Digitization and connections — major assets

AYP FM completely modernized its studios in 2021. Broadcast-associés installed and integrated new media-over-IP equipment to provide better visibility and expanded functionality with the aim of reaching a broader generation base.

The station now boasts a completely digital broadcast infrastructure to facilitate switching between studios, including Axia touch consoles from equipment integrator IP Studio, along with RCS GSelector scheduling and Zetta automation software systems. The visual radio studio features three small wide-angle HD cameras, specialized LED lighting for the guest set and video screens to enable live broadcasts on social networks and online.

As a result, AYP FM’s audio and video programs reach across the world, especially to the Armenian diaspora in 30 countries, including Russia, United States, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Lebanon, Iran, Argentina, Uruguay and Australia.

AYP FM has expanded its reach to have the cause of the persecuted Armenian people in the Caucasus heard. With its team, the commitment of its director Henri Papazian and its digital broadcast tools, it carries the voice of the Armenians of France far away.

The author has worked in the radio industry for over 30 years. She has held posts as both a producer and presenter for French stations, such as Radio Notre Dame and Radio France’s France Culture. In addition to being involved with academic research and EU consulting in Brussels, she specializes in print.

https://www.redtech.pro/ayp-fm-mobilizes-for-nagorno-karabakh/amp/ 

Armenian Folk Ensemble Performs at HWS

Vicken Chmshkian
Jan 15 2024
Thu, Jan 18 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Albright Auditorium
10 St. Clair St. Geneva, NY 14456

Cultural Exchange USA & Armenia, Thursday, January 18 at 7PM at Albright Auditorium at HWS. Donations accepted.

From the far reaches of Armenia, the ArmFolk group emerges, ready to enchant audiences with a mesmerizing presentation of Armenian culture through music and dance. Traditional instruments such as the Spiritual Duduk (wind instrument). Dhol (drum), and Qanon (string instrument) provide exotic and captivating sounds to accompany beautifully crafted musical compositions, lively dances, superb vocals and vibrant costumes. Prepare for an entertaining and authentic journey into the heart of Armenian heritage, suitable for audiences of all ages.

This cultural exchange of talented youth follows a Rotary Childrens Fund Friendship Exchange from 2022, when a team of American Rotarians visited Armenia and selected this group to be cultural ambassadors of Armenia in the US.

 

Armenian film makes Oscar shortlist for first time By Sarah Mills

Emil Lazarian
Reuters
Jan 15 2024
By Sarah Mills

Jan 15 (Reuters) – A heart-warming story of a man jailed for wearing a tie has become the first Armenian film to make it onto the Oscar's shortlist, in the international feature category.

"Most of the films that have been made about Armenia really tend to revolve around the genocide. I wanted to make a film that would be enjoyable for Armenians and something that could relate to non-Armenians," said U.S. actor Michael A. Goorjian, who has directed and written the film. He also stars in it.

Shot in Armenia with a mostly local cast and crew, "Amerikatsi" (American in Armenian) is also an attempt to rebuild the country's film industry, which lost its way after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

"What the film is about is survival and resilience. Despite the setting, it's very hopeful and playful," said Goorjian, whose late father was Armenian.

It tells the story of Charlie, an American who repatriates to then Soviet Armenia after World War Two and finds himself in prison because of his tie.

From his cell, Charlie realises he can see inside an apartment nearby and lives vicariously through the life of the couple there.

Making the film was itself a test of resourcefulness.

Filming, interrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, took about seven months to complete, wrapping in July 2020 as border clashes broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"We had cast and crew that went and fought in that war. And so it was a challenge to make this film for sure. But all the obstacles we faced, I would say actually made it a better film," Goorjian said.

As international tensions and economic downturn dominate the headlines, "Amerikatsi", which premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival in 2022, has tapped into a human need for positivity.

"I've found with the film, people come up to me all the time and say 'I miss feeling this way after a movie, feeling good'," Goorjian said.

He will find out if "Amerikatsi" has made it from the shortlist and onto the 2024 Academy Awards nominations on Jan. 23.

Reporting by Sarah Mills; editing by Barbara Lewis

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/armenian-film-makes-oscar-shortlist-first-time-2024-01-15/

ALSO READ
https://theprint.in/entertainment/armenian-film-makes-oscar-shortlist-for-first-time/1924415/
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/an-armenian-film-makes-oscars-shortlist-for-first-time/article67742864.ece

Armenian film makes Oscar shortlist for first time

Bedik Zaminian
Jan 15 2024

A heart-warming story of a man jailed for wearing a tie has become the first Armenian film to make it onto the Oscar’s shortlist, in the international feature category.

“Most of the films that have been made about Armenia really tend to revolve around the genocide. I wanted to make a film that would be enjoyable for Armenians and something that could relate to non-Armenians,” said U.S. actor Michael A. Goorjian, who has directed and written the film. He also stars in it.

Shot in Armenia with a mostly local cast and crew, “Amerikatsi” (American in Armenian) is also an attempt to rebuild the country’s film industry, which lost its way after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

“What the film is about is survival and resilience. Despite the setting, it’s very hopeful and playful,” said Goorjian, whose late father was Armenian.

It tells the story of Charlie, an American who repatriates to then Soviet Armenia after World War Two and finds himself in prison because of his tie.

From his cell, Charlie realises he can see inside an apartment nearby and lives vicariously through the life of the couple there.

Making the film was itself a test of resourcefulness.

Filming, interrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, took about seven months to complete, wrapping in July 2020 as border clashes broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We had cast and crew that went and fought in that war. And so it was a challenge to make this film for sure. But all the obstacles we faced, I would say actually made it a better film,” Goorjian said.

As international tensions and economic downturn dominate the headlines, “Amerikatsi”, which premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival in 2022, has tapped into a human need for positivity.

“I’ve found with the film, people come up to me all the time and say ‘I miss feeling this way after a movie, feeling good’,” Goorjian said.

He will find out if “Amerikatsi” has made it from the shortlist and onto the 2024 Academy Awards nominations on Jan. 23.

(Reuters)

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/whats-on/armenian-film-makes-oscar-shortlist-for-first-time/

Digital Archive of Armenian Music Accessible via Armenian Museum of America Website

Maral Takmazian
Jan 15 2024

The following piece was provided by the Armenian Museum of America:

By Jesse Kenas Collins

Over the past year, the Armenian Museum of America’s Sound Archive program has taken a giant step forward. Each month, the Museum posts a handful of songs digitized and restored from its collection of 78 rpm records on its website along with a historical writeup about the artists.

Along with more conventional musical recordings, some of the recordings touch on Armenian cultural, political, and educational history, as well as the history of recording technologies. The program is sponsored by a generous grant from the SJS Charitable Trust.

The Museum hosted musicologist Ian Nagoski to its galleries to weave the story of the influential but largely forgotten soprano Zabelle Panosian, who was born in Bardizag and emigrated to Boston in 1907. Ian’s talk drew from his recently published book “Zabelle Pansoian: I Am Servant of Your Voice,” co-authored with Harout Arakelian and Harry Kezelian.

In November, the Museum welcomed the world-renowned composer and musician Ara Dinkjian. Speaking to a packed house, Ara discussed the early history of some of the first recordings of Armenian music through the 1940’s. The presentation built on Ara’s book and CD compilation “Armenians in America on 78 rpm.”

“As we approach our fourth year presenting the Sound Archive at the Armenian Museum of America, we are proud to make this content available to people around the world,” says Executive Director Jason Sohigian. “For half a century now, the Museum’s collection of 78 rpm records has grown thanks to generous donors who have been entrusting us with their personal collections.”

“This music was almost lost to history at least twice in the past 100 years alone,” adds Sohigian. “First as a result of the Armenian Genocide, and then when audio technology has changed from records to other media in the 21st century. The Museum is now at the forefront of preserving and sharing these treasured archives of Armenian history and culture.”

The Sound Archive explores the Museum’s extensive collection of recordings including some that serve as more than entertainment, anchored by a series of articles about moments of cultural and political history. In one segment, listeners can eavesdrop on a party at the home of the writer Hamasdegh (Hampartzoum Gelenian) on the night of June 10, 1939. The commemorative disc opens with an introduction by none other than William Saroyan.

A second article covers an NBC San Francisco radio broadcast from June 24, 1945, highlighting the Armenian National Chorus as well as advocacy work about the Armenian Question from celebrity chef George Mardikian and attorney Souren Saroyan of the Armenian National Committee.

Most of the posts focus on the most influential Armenian artists recording during the 78 rpm era. The Museum highlighted two post-war music icons, The Gomidas Band, a group at the frontier of kef style, and Guy Chookoorian, an artist and musical comic with a character and approach all his own.

Writing, research, and audio digitization is undertaken by this author along with Harout Arakelian and Harry Kezelian. To explore the archive of digitized recordings and articles dating back to 2021, please visit: www.armenianmuseum.org/sound-archive.

About the author: Jesse Kenas Collins is a digitization specialist responsible for the transfer of analog recordings to digital files for the Armenian Museum of America. Jesse is a museum professional and music preservationist with more than a decade of experience working in collections care, exhibitions production, and audio digitization. Jesse’s preservation work and research into the music of the Middle East extends into his work with the restoration of historical musical instruments.

https://www.watertownmanews.com/2024/01/15/digital-archive-of-armenian-music-accessible-via-armenian-museum-of-america-website/

Azerbaijan demands are a ‘blow’ to peace process, Pashinyan says

Ani Kharatian
Jan 15 2024
By Ani Avetisyan January 15, 2024

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed concern over recent demands by Azerbaijan for the transfer of villages lost in the early 1990s, which he sees as a major setback for the peace process. 

On January 10 Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said in a televised interview that the Azerbaijan exclaves and the "four villages that are not exclaves […] should be returned to Azerbaijan without any preconditions".

The issue of the exclaves, along with the question of the exact borders, have long been debated by the two neighbours, with the relevant border commissions continuing meetings on the issues of border demarcation and delimitation. 

In a parliament meeting on January 13, Pashinyan stressed that the agreed basis for peace, border demarcation and delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration. This document recognises the territorial integrity of both nations on the basis of their Soviet-era borders.

Pashinyan stressed that these principles were reaffirmed in agreements following the Prague meeting in October 2022, the subsequent Sochi meeting and the Brussels meeting in July 2023. He criticised Azerbaijan for contradicting these agreements at the highest level, suggesting a shift in the established logic. 

Pashinyan warned against Azerbaijan's alleged attempts to assert territorial claims against Armenia, calling such actions unacceptable. Pashinyan referred to Azerbaijan's demand for Azerbaijani exclaves in Armenia, saying that if Azerbaijan demands "four villages, then Armenia raises the issue of 32 villages", referring to Armenian border villages currently under Azerbaijani control and the Armenian exclave of Artsvashen, which were occupied by Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. 

'Given our commitment to recognising each other's territorial integrity on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration, we state that there should be no occupied territories between Armenia and Azerbaijan', Pashinyan said. 'Therefore, if it is determined that Armenia controls territories that 'de jure' belong to Azerbaijan, Armenia will have to withdraw. Similarly, for territories that 'de jure' belong to Armenia but are currently controlled by Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will have to withdraw'. 

The first rumours about the demand to return the exclaves to Azerbaijan started circulating in Armenia shortly after the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. Later, Baku started demanding the exclaves and a connection to the exclaves guaranteed by Armenia. Azerbaijan has called the territories 'Western Azerbaijan' and demanded the return of the former Azerbaijani inhabitants to Armenia. 

On January 10 Aliyev said: "For the villages that are enclaves, a separate expert group should be established and this issue should be discussed. We believe that all enclaves should be returned."

Aliyev also said his army would not be withdrawing in the near future. "Neither from the positions of May 2021 nor from the positions of September 2022.  We are not taking a step back because that border must be defined. However, our location, which is currently disputed by Armenia, does not include any settlement. The positions and heights where we stand have never been inhabited before. Today, Armenia continues to occupy our villages, and this is unacceptable. I want to note again that this issue will be clarified during the meeting of the commissions at the end of this month," Eurasianet reported him as saying.

While the sizes of the Azerbaijani exclaves and Armenian Artsvashen are almost the same, Armenia will find itself in a difficult situation should the exchange occur, as the country’s two important international roads lie on or nearby the exclaves, one connecting the country to northern neighbour Georgia and the other, Iran. 

https://www.bne.eu/azerbaijan-demands-are-a-blow-to-peace-process-pashinyan-says-307663/?source=armenia

Armenian Government Ups the Ante: Increased Subsidies for Communities

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
Jan 15 2024

By: Momen Zellmi

In a significant move, the Armenian government has confirmed an upsurge in the subsidies allocated to communities across the nation. The changes, which have been in effect from January 1, were announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan via his Facebook account. The government’s decision marks a pivotal push towards economic development in Armenian communities, including those with high income potential.

Interestingly, the capital city Yerevan and the popular resort town of Tsaghkadzor do not fall under the new subsidy increase. The prime minister pointed out that these two locations possess substantial potential for generating their own income. Despite the diminished subsidies, Pashinyan confirmed that these two locations would not be left unsupported. They are set to receive proportional assistance through specific programs aimed at fostering income growth.

This latest announcement from the prime minister reflects the government’s continued commitment to fostering economic development in Armenian communities. The increase in subsidies is a strategic move designed to bolster the economic strength of communities across the country. It recognizes the importance of supporting local economies and helping them to thrive, making it a significant step forward in Armenia’s economic growth trajectory.

The implications of this decision are far-reaching. By supporting communities with increased subsidies, the government is investing in the future of Armenia. It is a clear indication that the government is committed to ensuring that every community, irrespective of its income potential, is given the necessary support to grow and prosper. This move will undoubtedly have a positive impact on Armenia’s overall economic health and is a testament to the government’s dedication to its people and their prosperity.

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/economy/armenian-government-ups-the-ante-increased-subsidies-for-communities/

A Life in One Suitcase։ The Karabakh Armenians Who Continued Onward to Russia

Emil Lazarian
Jan 15 2024
By Arpine Hovhannisian

Jan. 15, 2024

“My entire life is packed in this one suitcase,” a man said as he boarded a minivan from Goris, southern Armenia, to the capital Yerevan amid the mass exodus of the ethnic Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh. 

The man, 70-year-old Armen from Stepanakert, who had just arrived in Goris, shared his last days in Karabakh and future plans with the minibus driver. After a 90-kilometer journey lasting 30 hours due to a traffic jam of fleeing cars, he was en route to the Armenian capital. 

However, Yerevan was not his final destination. In two days, he would arrive in Moscow to reunite with his daughter.

“Do I need Moscow?” he asked the driver before answering his own question: “Certainly not. I am leaving for Moscow to be with my daughter in my final days.”

Over 100,000 ethnic Armenians were uprooted by Azerbaijan’s swift takeover of the breakaway enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh last fall. The seizure soured ties between Yerevan and its longtime security guarantor Moscow, whose peacekeepers did little to intervene.

But rather than settle in Armenia, many of the Karabakh evacuees have chosen Russia as their final destination, driven by family bonds and connections as well as economic realities. 

According to former Nagorno-Karabakh state minister Artak Beglaryan, about 10,000 of the displaced Karabakh Armenians had left Armenia by mid-October and settled abroad. Many chose Russia due to personal ties and familiarity with the country. 

NEWSREAD MORE

No further data has been published on the displaced population’s departure from Armenia.

During an Oct. 23 cabinet session, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that there was no significant immigration among people forcibly displaced from Karabakh compared to the initial months after displacement. 

Gagik Khachatryan, 49, is from the village of Chartar in Karabakh’s Martuni region. He is among the displaced Armenians who decided to head to Russia as soon as possible. 

"I just don’t see any other way," he said, pointing to the lack of housing and work opportunities in Armenia.

Gagik is a veteran of the first Karabakh war in 1992, having defended his hometown Martuni when he was just 18. After he was seriously injured in the war, he underwent therapy sessions at the Zinvori Tun rehabilitation center in Yerevan, which hosted him again three decades later after he lost his home and had nowhere to live.

Soon after arriving in Armenia proper, Karabakh evacuees discovered that local rents and the cost of living had surged after the 2022 influx of Russian migrants — complicating their decision-making regarding their future.

To assist the refugee population, the Armenian government created a "temporary protected status" for displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh. Individuals in Armenia or abroad whose last registered address was in Nagorno-Karabakh are eligible for this status. 

Gagik was provided with a hotel room in the town of Abovyan not far from Yerevan.

Another option offered by the government is obtaining Armenian citizenship. Many, like Gagik, always assumed they were citizens of Armenia, as they hold Armenian passports.

The only thing stopping Gagik from leaving earlier was problems with his documents. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, he had left behind his documents, along with his car and other belongings, in Chartar. His driver's license and lost birth certificate needed to be renewed. 

What Gagik found most important to bring with him was the soil from the tombs of his loved ones — his father and grandparents. 

"I hope to create a small tomb for them wherever I settle, as I want to have a part of them close to me wherever I go," he explained. He displayed the rest of the belongings he managed to bring: photos of loved ones, certificates of ownership of his newly renovated house, and some winter clothes. 

"That’s all I could fit in this one suitcase," he smiled. "Even these clothes I’m wearing now were provided at the rehabilitation center where I initially stayed for three weeks."

In Russia, where his mother and sisters settled long ago, he plans to work in agriculture and grow vegetables for a living. 

When asked if he had any fears about moving to a country at war given Russia's war in Ukraine, Gagik replied: "War follows me everywhere. A conflict erupted in Armenia as we arrived in Jermuk [a border town in southern Armenia] with my daughter in September 2022. 

“In the morning, we saw only Karabakh Armenians were still there in Jermuk, together with the employees. Even my 17-year-old daughter wasn’t scared. We’re used to it.”

He hopes to start a new life in a village near Moscow and bring his daughters, who currently live with his ex-wife, to Russia as well. 

"We have nothing here, no home, no work. I think life will be better for us there."

"We decided to go to Russia very hastily, in just a few days," said Astghik Hayrapetyan, 30, a single mother from the village of Khnatsakh in Askeran, Nagorno-Karabakh. She lost her husband, Sergei, to a heart attack in May 2023. 

She and her two daughters, aged 2 and 6, left Armenia on Nov. 8. They have settled down in Mikhailovsk, a town in the Stavropol region where her uncle resides. With support from her relatives, Hayrapetyan hopes to find a job to provide for her family.

"Many Karabakh Armenians have moved to Russia to work and get back on their feet. I know five families of friends who are spread all over Russia — Krasnodar, Pyatigorsk, Stavropol, and many more cities," she said. 

She also recounted multiple instances when fathers of families sought job opportunities in Russia due to insufficient wages in Armenia.

"I found a job offering only 80,000 drams ($200), while most apartments in Yerevan are priced [starting at] around 250,000 drams ($600)," Astghik told us.

The Armenian government provided support for Karabakh Armenians through a one-time payment of 100,000 drams ($250) per person, which her younger daughter didn’t receive due to issues with her registration address.

Moreover, the government is offering monthly assistance of 40,000 drams ($100) to cover accommodation costs, with an additional 10,000 drams ($25) allocated for utility expenses per individual, a duration of six months.

"I couldn’t obtain the military pension for my late husband; there was no clarity on whether or when we would receive it. I got tired of it all and decided to leave with my brothers and their families," she recalled.

Astghik said her older daughter doesn’t want to go to school in Russia. 

"She misses Karabakh, our dialect, and doesn't want to learn a new language," she says.

Nonetheless, Astghik tries to hold onto the hope that one day she will return to Nagorno-Karabakh, which Armenians call Artsakh.

"Residing outside of Armenia distances us even more from the possibility of ever returning to Artsakh." 

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/01/15/a-life-in-one-suitcase-the-karabakh-armenians-who-continued-onward-to-russia-a83728

Armenia Commemorates 34th Anniversary of Baku Pogroms, Calls for Prevention of Future Atrocities author By: Rizwan Shah

Kajoyan Gevork
Jan 15 2024

By: Rizwan Shah

Yesterday, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs solemnly marked the 34th anniversary of the pogroms against Armenians in Baku – a series of tragic events which unfolded during the Azerbaijani SSR period. The commemoration was a poignant reminder of a violent chapter in history, one that the ministry described as the pinnacle of a policy aimed at forcibly displacing and ethnically cleansing the Armenian population from Azerbaijan.

The Ministry’s statement shed light on the harrowing experiences of hundreds of Armenians who were either murdered, mutilated, or went missing during the pogroms. It was a stark reminder of the atrocities of the past and the long-lasting impact these events have had on the Armenian community.

The commemoration also brought to attention the plight of half a million refugees generated by this violence. These individuals, torn from their homes and communities, represent the human cost of such policies and serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of hate and division.

The Ministry used this commemoration to emphasize the importance of preventing such policies in the future. It highlighted the necessity for all rights to be respected and addressed, an essential element in creating a just and peaceful society. The tribute to the innocent victims of the pogroms underscored this message, underscoring the dire need for reconciliation and progress.

Meanwhile, in related news, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan expressed that there is not a single provision in the draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan that concerns only one of the parties. This assertion came in light of ongoing peace negotiations between the two countries. Simonyan also noted that while Azerbaijan has not referred to Armenia’s 29,800 square kilometers, Armenia expects it to occur. In a separate statement, Artur Vanetsyan, a prominent Armenian political figure, discussed his future presence at various events.