Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

Montebello: AYF Armenian Youth Federation Alumni Reunion Event over 650 attendees “Video”

By

By Wally Sarkeesian

Montebello: AYF Armenian Youth Federation Alumni Reunion “Video” Featuring a Legendary
Onnik Dinkjian, John Berberian,Hachig Kazarian,  Ara Dinkjian and George Bilezekjian

The AYF Montebello “Vahan Cardashian” Chapter AYF Alumni Reunion, took place Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 8:00 PM.

The night at the AYF Alumni! the AYF organizing such a great event with over 650 attendees! very impressive 

 

Proceeds to benefit AYF Youth Corps.

What AYF stand for:

Knar Baghdassarian, chairperson of AYF Montebello,

For more than 85 years, the Armenian Youth Federation has served on the front lines of the fight for the Armenian Cause and a prosperous homeland. Today, building upon this proud legacy, we advocate for justice for the Armenian Genocide, peace and security for the autonomous nation of Artsakh and its people, and stronger relations between the Diaspora and our homeland—all while working within and helping actualize the strength and potential of our local communities.

Through programs like AYF Youth Corps, that operate dozens of summer camps for youth in Armenia, With Our Soldiers, which contributes monetary aid and supplies to the families of fallen heroes and hundreds of Armenian soldiers, the AYF plays a role in shaping the future of our homeland. The AYF has also begun to pioneer new movements in the Armenian Cause through campaigns such as Divest Turkey, which aims to strip Turkish corporations of hundreds of millions of dollars in investments. To turn these ideas into reality, all current AYF members contribute the needed resources by paying dues of $100 dollars annually.

With the AYF Alumni Fund, we are aiming to expand our network of resources to all in our organizational family, giving former members — who more than anyone understands the importance of the AYF — an opportunity to become stakeholders in the process of our activism.

Short Interview with French Armenian FilmMaker Arnaud khayadjanian About “Artsakh film Project”

By

GagruleLive

GagruleLive

Here is Short Interview with French Armenian FilmMaker Arnaud khayadjanian About “Artsakh film Project” Due to the Storm in Europe will continue next week, but Please go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1268609988/artsakh
support this talented young Armenian movie director.

ARNAUD KHAYADJANIAN BIOGRAPHY
In 2014, Arnaud Khayadjanian adapted a French play by Laura Desprein into a short film entitled “BAD GIRL” which has been viewed 1.3 million times by streaming. “BAD GIRL” has been selected in 23 international festivals including Oscar Qualifying UPPSALA and it won both Vimeo Prize and Jury Prize in Sundance Channel Contest. In September 2015, Arnaud Khayadjanian has released “STONY PATHS”, a documentary inspired by the story of his Armenian great-grandparents.

The film was honored by the French critics and was selected in 24 international festivals. “STONY PATHS” received the Jury Prize from Ismailia Festival in Egypt, the Best Documentary Prize in Yerevan Film Festival, and it was broadcasted on Armenian Shant TV.
Last summer, Arnaud Khayadjanian has directed his second documentary “WE ARE OUR MOUNTAINS” produced bay Stanoz Films about the unknown and extraordinary people of Artsakh. In September 2017, Arnaud Khayadjanian’s new short film “DEAF HEARTS”, produced by Envie de Tempête is broadcasting on TV channel ARTE. Currently, he is developing “NO MORE HEROES” a short film produced by Good Fortune about French “greasers” written with Maïté Sonnet.
To Support Arnaud Khayadjanian visit Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1268609988/artsakh
 On FaceBook

Wally Sarkeesian GagruleLive, An Evening with Armenian new rising Star “Sarina Cross” video

By

Sarina Cross Los Angeles

Los Angeles: Wally Sarkeesian GagruleLive An Evening with Armenian new rising Star “Sarina Cross” (Sarine Sagherian) incredible performance, The Banquet Hall was fully packed with people. Tujunga, California. North of Los Angeles.

Sarine Sagherian, also known as Sarina Cross is a Lebanese-Armenian singer. Sarina Cross became widely popular after performing at Greek TV show “Στην υγεια μας ρε παιδια” featuring famous Greek Pontic musicians Matthaios and Konstantinos

Born: September 27, 1994 (age 23), Beirut, Lebanon
Nationality: Lebanese, Armenian
Some other Armenian singers also participated in singing with Sarina Cross.

YouTube

Armenian Rights Watch, issued an announcement on the attacked and physically assaulted two female members

By

The Armenian Rights Watch Committee of the Armenian Bar Association issued an announcement late Tuesday after members of the Republican Party of Armenia attacked and physically assaulted two female members of the Yerevan City Council. Below is the announcement.

On the heels of the newly-enacted domestic violence laws in Armenia, certain men in the Yerevan City Council chose to open the inaugural session with a display of base thuggery directed against their female counterparts on the Council. The brutishness is patently unbearable at this point.

These men cannot be lawmakers. They are not even law-abiding. Dare we say, they are not even true men. Watching the melee in the City Council chambers unfold, one could only watch in utter astonishment as unabashed brow-beating, actual slapping, violent striking and shameless and unrestrained bullying of Armenian councilwomen by their male counterparts ensued. Surely, something terribly significant is absent from the upbringing and moral fabric of these people. The behavior witnessed is something relegated to animals, not men—and is certainly unbecoming of those elected to serve in a law-making body.

Yet, these are the actual legislative representatives of an entire society of men and women. They represent the beater and the beaten in Armenian society. These men and women reflect the very current in the society they serve. And, as such, we should be alarmingly unhinged: imagine that which these criminals are capable of behind closed doors, in their own homes and with the women in their own families. This is not modern society.


Spare us the platitudes and politics already circulating—that the women instigated the men, that the women were the aggressors, that the men were defending themselves; they are meaningless. The video is clear: criminal Armenian men in suits pushing Armenian women, slapping Armenian women, striking Armenian women, handling Armenian women and dragging Armenian women around like refuse to a dumpster. If this cannot be a country that respects the dignity of our Armenian women, our Armenian mothers, our Armenian sisters and our Armenian daughters—then this cannot be a country that respects the Armenian people.

The perpetrators should not only be removed from office and prosecuted for gender-motivated hate crimes, but they should be openly shamed by an Armenian nation—both in the Republic and in the Diaspora—for exhibiting behavior unbecoming of civilized human beings, let alone mindful law-makers. It disgusts us through and through.

Shame on them for their brutality, shame on their families for having bred the brutality within them and shame on us for knowing that this Hobbesian predicament was unfolding in Armenian legislative bodies, Armenian courts, Armenian businesses, Armenians homes and Armenian families—and doing little or nothing to stop it.

We call on the resignation of Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan who witnessed, hovered over and condoned man’s inhumanity to woman. The enemy is not so much beyond the western or eastern frontiers as it is in the pretend democratic republic of a place once worthy of the name Armenia. And if there remains one single ounce of manliness in Margaryan the mayor, he will resign. And if there remains one single ounce of manliness in Margaryan the mayor, he will resign.

Armenian Rights Watch Committee—ARWC
Armenian Bar Association

American Armenian Rose Float 2018 Pasadena, California. Video

By

American Armenian Rose Float 2018 Pasadena, California.

American Armenian Rose Float 2018 Pasadena, California. Winner of Judges Trophy “Armenian Root”

Pasadena: Three local entrants in the 2018 Rose Parade walked away with awards for their floats during the chilly annual New Year’s Day parade.

The Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn., the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. and the American Armenian Rose Float Assn. received awards for their impressive floats, which impressed the thousands of parade-goers on Monday.

American Armenian Rose Float 2018 Pasadena, California. Winner of Judges Trophy “Armenian Root”

The American Armenian Rose Float Assn.’s entry, titled “Armenia Roots,” received the Judges Award.

The entry is a tribute to Armenian women, whether they be a mother, daughter, grandmother or aunt, who work tirelessly to be the foundation of their family, said Noubar Derbedrosian, a board member of the association.

Derbedrosian added that this is the third award the association has received out of the four float entries the organization has submitted. Last year, the group was given the Past President Award for its float titled “Field of Dreams!” in which the entry represented the American-Armenia experience in literature, music and science.

“This is an honor for us,” he said. “We’re a small group of people that do this, and we’re trying to represent all of the Armenian people, not just in Glendale, Pasadena or the L.A. area.”

After not receiving an award for its float “Home Tweet Home” last year, the Burbank association bounced back and was given the Founder Award for its nautical-themed float “Sand-Sational Helpers,” in which sea animals team up to clean a beach, coinciding with this year’s Rose Parade theme, “Making a Difference.”

Steve Edward, the Burbank association’s vice president, said that most of the pieces fell in the right place this year. The jump start on construction and decoration week going off without a hitch, he said, resulted in a solid float this year.

 

Turkey’s Incirlik base built on lands belonging to Armenians: clergy VIDEO

By

Turkey’s Incirlik military base was built on the territory that belong to the Armenians prior to the Genocide, President of the National Council of Churches Archbishop Vicken Aykazian said at a conference on religious freedom in Washington, DC.

According to him, the Turkish base also hosts American warplanes and personnel.

“We have never been just a minority in the country (Turkey), we are the indigenous people of Constantinople and Asia Minor,” the Voice of America cited Aykazian as saying.

According to him, there were more than 2600 Armenian churches and monasteries in Western Armenia prior to the Genocide, while today only the church in Aghtamar island operates one day each year.

“During the past 10 years, we have tried to get in contact with the Turkish authorities, but to no avail,” said the archbishop.

Meet 94-Year-old Armenian Grape scientist, Derenik Safaryan PhD. Conserving grape entire adult life, Video

By

Wally Sarkeesian With Derenik Safaryan ANAU Leading Researcher, PhD. Scientific Center of Viticulture, Fruit Growing and Winemaking,

By Wally Sarkeesian,

I meet United nation biologist Bonnie Furman in Yerevan Armenia, after 5 minute of chet chat exchange of business card and goodby, one week letter while I was traveling from yerevan to beirut received email from Bonnie

I‘m writing to put you into contact with my colleague/friend Ruzanna (copied here). She will be able to help put you in contact with the people that you may be able to interview about grapes in Armenia. Derenik Safaryan is a 92 year old grape expert that has been collecting and conserving grape varieties for his entire adult life. He has also mentored the other grape expert in the country, Dr. Gagik Melyan. I think it would be really interesting to interview both of them.


This is how the story began, I contacted Ruzanna she arranged all the meeting and the interview, but the interview was in setting environment and it was long since Mr Safarian loaded with library of information I suggested we travel to a vineyard to show our viewers the real Armenian grapes so we did, watch the video see it yourself.


Noah is said to have planted a vineyard at the foot of the mountain, harvested grapes, fermented them and become inebriated on too much of his own wine. In the book, “Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture” by Patrick E McGovern, Scientific Director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Project, University of Pennsylvania Museum, there is a reference to wine in Armenia around the 8th century BCE. Inscriptions by the kings of Urartu who were settled around Lake Van (once part of southern Armenia, now in eastern Turkey) described Ararat Valley, Armenia’s key agricultural hub, as the “land of the vineyards”. Even the Greek historian, Herodotus, wrote about wine being transported from Armenia down the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris in the 5th century BCE.

Armenia’s winemaking culture may have lapsed to some extent due to the ravages of war, but it’s back in full swing now with avant-garde wineries, post-communism vintners and snazzy wine restaurants spread across the country. Lianna Abelyan, Head of Project Implementation, Vine and Wine Foundation of Armenia, says that wine continues to be an item of importance in the daily life of Armenians.

 

Watch Wally Sarkeesian Interview Joe Berlinger Documentary ‘Intent to Destroy’ examines Armenian genocide Video

By

Joe Berlinger’s Armenian Genocide Film ‘Intent To Destroy’

Hollywood: Like the recent “Architects of Denial,” the documentary “Intent to Destroy” is another strong look at how an estimated 1.5 million Christian Armenians were murdered between 1915 and 1918 by the Ottoman Empire (which became the modern Republic of Turkey), and why, a century later, the Turkish government still does not formally accept the facts of this heinous massacre nor the use of the word “genocide.”

Director Joe Berlinger uniquely explores this complex, disturbing issue by embedding with the production of “The Promise,” Terry George’s sweeping romantic drama set against the events of the Armenian genocide. Berlinger then uses scenes, off-camera bits and on-set chats (with director George, producer Mike Medavoy and crew members) from that late-2015 shoot to help create a highly dimensional survey of what Armenians often call “The Great Crime.” (“The Promise,” which starred Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale, opened in April to mixed reviews and disappointing grosses.)

The documentary, divided into three chapters (“Death,” “Denial,” “Depiction”), also features a wealth of archival footage and photos, plus interviews with actor-writer Eric Bogosian, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans, director Atom Egoyan (“Ararat”), and an array of authors and professors, all of which adds effective insight into the genocide, its longtime cultural and geopolitical ramifications, and America’s thorny place in the matter. It’s a masterful effort.