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HAVERHILL Construction begins early on new Armenian church

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By Mike LaBella,

HAVERHILL — Members of the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe are celebrating the start of construction of their new sanctuary, which is being built next to their Family Life and Cultural Center, which opened in April at 1280 Boston Road.

The Rev. Vart Gyozalyan, pastor of the church, said the original goal was to begin construction in two or three years.

“We were able to begin earlier than expected with help from two major donors,” he said. “One member of our church told me that she can’t wait to pray in the sanctuary.”

Since the center opened this spring, services have been held there, while parishioners await the construction of their new sanctuary, a place of worship.

Construction began last week, and Gyozalyan hopes the project will be completed by August 2018.

He said the design of the sanctuary borrows from traditional Armenian architecture, just as the design of the Family Life and Cultural Center did.

Since the grand opening of the center this past spring, the parish has held a number of successful and well-attended events there, including a Mother’s Day Dance put on by the church’s Youth Group, an Armenian spring food festival hosted by the church’s Women’s Guild, an Armenian food festival in August that was organized by the parish council, and the recent Armenian fall food festival hosted by the Women’s Guild.

Hundreds of people attended each event in the new center, which has a capacity of about 450 people.

“We were able to do all of these things because of the much larger capacity of the building and the convenience of our new, fully-equipped commercial kitchen,” Gyozalyan said. “We could not hold functions of this size before.”

Gyozalyan said that after the grand opening of the Family Life and Cultural Center, an Armenian man with ties to the parish approached him with an offer to donate money, if the parish would move forward with construction of a sanctuary as soon as possible.

“We also approached another donor, who agreed to provide money to help build our sanctuary,” he said. “Between the two donors, we were able to move forward with construction of the sanctuary and not have to wait two or three years.”

The construction of the center marked the realization of a dream come true for parishioners, who for years had been trying to sell the former St. Gregory the Illuminator across from City Hall in order to fund construction of their new church.

The Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church of Lawrence merged with St. Gregory in 2002 to create the Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe, the first merged Armenian Apostolic Church in North America.

Both parish councils had previously purchased a site for their newly planned church, and put both church properties up for sale. Holy Cross sold in 2006.

There were growing problems with the St. Gregory building. It was in need of major renovations, lacked handicap accessibility and did not have enough space for parish functions.

Last year, after 15 years of trying to sell the building, the church finally found a buyer. The building was demolished this summer and in its place the new owner is building a Domino’s Pizza franchise along with one or two other retail businesses.

Church leaders said their congregation supported building a new church and selling the St. Gregory church, even if it meant seeing the building torn down, because they needed the money from the sale to build their new church and family center.

The move to a new church received the blessing of Armenians throughout the region and that of the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, his Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, who blessed the new church property in Bradford in 2007.

While the Family Life and Cultural Center was under construction, services were held at Sacred Hearts Church in Bradford.

Source: http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/construction-begins-early-on-new-armenian-church/article_fe98ba89-a32f-59fa-8031-77504e8ea8fc.html

 

Armenia delegation to PACE: CoE Committee of Ministers launched unprecedented court case against Azerbaijan

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The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) on Tuesday filed an unprecedented lawsuit with respect to Azerbaijan not carrying out the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Vice Chairperson Arpine Hovhannisyan, who also heads the NA delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), informed about the aforesaid on her Facebook page.

“The case was about to the unlawful conviction of well-known Azerbaijani oppositionist Ilgar Mammadov,” Hovhannisyan also wrote. “Starting in 2014, both the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly repeatedly adopted decisions and resolutions calling on the Azerbaijani authorities to set Mammadov free. But Mammadov continued to remain imprisoned even three years after the [respective] ECHR judgment.

“Azerbaijan was warned that if it did not carry out the ECHR decision by November 29, an investigation will be launched against it at the ECHR Grand Chamber.

“But even in the case of numerous warnings, Azerbaijani authorities preferred to sound false accusations, rather than carrying out the ECHR decision.”

Armenian, Iranian FMs attend a business forum organized at Development Foundation of Armenia

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An Armenian-Iranian business forum with the participation of entrepreneurs and economic officials from both countries took place today in the Development Foundation of Armenia attended by Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif.

As the Foundation reported in a release, about 150 businessmen took part in the forum dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between neighboring countries. Armenia’s business opportunities, free economic zones, tax regulations, preferential trade regimes were introduced to the entrepreneurs from neighboring countries.

“I think this forum like the previous ones will be aimed at creating new business relationships and, moreover, getting results,” noted the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments Emil Tarasyan.

“We have not been able to enter EEU so far, so it is necessary to use geopolitical situation more efficiently and the whole potential of our relations,” noted the Head of the Iran-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hervik Yarijanian.

“The Development Foundation of Armenia has effective supportive and aftercare tools focused on export and investment. In our country, doing business for Iranian entrepreneurs will be profitable, and also by 23% more affordable with more skilled labor and financial sustainability,” noted the Head of the DFA International Relations team Narek Aleksanyan.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of two countries Edward Nalbandyan and Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed the participants of the forum. During the second part of the forum, around 150 businessmen from both countries met and discussed joint projects with the support of the DFA.

During B2B meetings more than 50 Iranians, 80 Armenians and 20 Iranian businessmen from our country reviewed the projects related to food industry, engineering services, light industry, and trade, the source said.

 

Source Panorama.am

Polish Sejm adopts resolution on Armenian community’s 650th anniv.

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The Polish Sejm on Friday, November 24 adopted a resolution on the 650th anniversary of Poland’s Armenian community whish states that King Casimir III gave the Armenians of Lwów in the 14th century the right of setting up a Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

According to the document, the centuries-old relations between the Armenians and Poles could be exemplary for other nations and countries.

The resolution also highlights the Armenians’ role in the history of Poland, expressing deep respect for all those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and all those who lived and worked for Poland.

Also, the parliament expressed confidence that the two peoples will continue enjoying friendly relations in the future too.

Armenia’s ambassador to Poland Edgar Ghazaryan, former lawmaker of Armenian originŁukasz Abgarowicz, religious leader of the Armenian Church in Poland Vardapet Tachat Tsaturyan and many others participated in the session.

Armenian Protesters Propose Students Serve In Military While In School

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Armenian draft protesters proposed that students be allowed to serve in the military for several months a year while studying in universities as a way of carrying out Armenia’s new military draft system.

The proposal was presented during a roundtable discussion on November 22 that parliament members and Armenian defense and education officials agreed to hold with the protesters in exchange for their halting street protests against the draft last week.

David Petrosian, one of the leaders of the “For Science Development” protest group that spearheaded weeklong rallies and a boycott of classes at Yerevan State University and other schools, suggested to the roundtable that his plan was a way of “bringing the army into the university.”

Petrosian’s plan would apply to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees as well as masters degrees at Armenian universities.

He said students would be able to fit in about four months of military service during each school year, scheduling two separate two-month periods of service.

“This allows us not to take the university to the army, but to bring the army into the university,” he said.

Petrosian argued that under his plan, “the principle of the continuity of students’ education will not be violated, and at the same time students will participate in the service.”

The proposal was in response to legislation curbing student deferments of the military draft that was approved by the Armenian National Assembly on November 15 and will become law upon signing by President Serzh Sarkisian.

Under the legislation, to get a draft deferment, all male students must sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense and agree to serve three years in the military after completing their studies. Otherwise, the young men will be drafted to serve for two years once they turn 18.

The new restrictions on student deferments were sought by the Armenian Ministry of Defense, which argues they are needed to close a key loophole used to avoid compulsory military service as well as to ensure all young men are treated equally.

The student protesters and other critics of the law say it will discourage students from pursuing scientific careers and will eventually harm the development of science in the country.

Defense officials and lawmakers at the roundtable seemed open to the Petrosian plan as a way of easing the problems raised by students with the new system.

Deputy Defense Minister Artak Zakarian noted that Petrosian’s proposal is similar to a system now used in Switzerland, though he added that is a country where there is no threat of war.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, who represented the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, said “the discussion has been a successful one, because we hear each other, because from both sides there are common approaches and the desire to give a more comprehensive and full solution to the problem” raised by students.

Sharmazanov suggested that the government could take the students’ ideas into account in carrying out the new law.

“The ball is in the government’s court now,” he said. “Let’s start to work with the government together to make your recommendations documented so that they can be reflected in government decisions and sub-legislative acts. This is my suggestion.”

Number of Armenian schools in Turkey dwindles

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Armenian schools in Turkey are struggling to survive as the population of the Armenian community continues to dwindle, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Out of the 138 schools that operated in the 1920s, only 24 have remained today.

For Turkey’s Armenian community, the meager number of schools for their children is a problem. With a population of 60,000 across the country, only 3,000 students receive education in Armenian schools.

“There were around 9,000 students in 25 schools at the end of the 1950s. Now, there are 3,000 students,” Istanbul Dadyan Armenian School’s founder Arsen Arşık said.

“When the education system in Turkey changes, it affects our schools too. Because high school and university entrance exams are conducted by a centralized education system, parents want classes like physics and mathematics to be taught in Turkish, which we have the right to offer in Armenian.”

Related links:

Hurriyet. Bir okulda üç öğrenci

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

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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.

 

Armenian students protesting draft deferment bill suspend strike

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Armenian university students protesting against the new draft law on eliminating military deferment decided to suspend the hunger and student strikes, one of the protesting students, Davit Petrosyan said following a meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly Ara Babloyan and Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov.

He informed that they had agreed to hold round-table discussions over the controversial legislative measure on 22 November, adding they will also try to attract scientists and civil society representatives to the debates.

“The purpose of conveying a round-table discussion is to make the voices of all the concerned parties heard. Through the general discussion, we will try to reach amendments in this legislative measure limiting military deferment. Parliament Speaker Ara Babloyan said if we manage to prove the draft law wrong, we will be able to influence it. It was officially announced that the striking students will not face pressures. We believe a round-table [discussion] is the best option at the moment, since our goal is to make changes in the draft law,” Davit Petrosyan remarked.

Meantime he stressed he cannot point out any further step following the upcoming meeting in a round-table format, adding it depends on the process and outcome of the discussions.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov in his turn said the public round-table debates will bring together all the interested parties.

“We embark on a constructive phase, asking to end the strike. The discussions scheduled for 22 November will address global concerns. The outcome will be clear after discussions,” he added.

Earlier today the Armenian parliament adopted on the second reading the amendments into the Armenian law “On Military Duty and Military Service” that would abolish temporary exemptions from Armenia’s mandatory military service for graduate and undergraduate students of government-funded educational institutions.

The controversial bill debated at a plenary session of the parliament on Wednesday was completely adopted with 86 votes for and 6 against.

Critics of the legislation point to the adverse impact of the new law on the education and science, suggesting the elimination of conscription deferments will prevent prospective students from professional, scientific or educational activities. Meanwhile, the proponents of the law insist the deferments are a violation of social justice. Additionally, cancelling all exemptions for compulsory service would minimize corruption risks in the military and education spheres in cases when eligible citizens would wish to avoid the army.

Vancouver, Armenian DM pays tribute to the memory of genocide victims

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 Armenian delegation led by Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan arrived in Canada in the evening of November 14 to participate in the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defense Ministerial in Vancouver.

This conference, which is the largest gathering of Defense Ministers dedicated to UN Peacekeeping, features more than 500 representatives from 80 countries.

Before the opening of the conference, the Armenian delegation, together with representatives of the Armenian community of Vancouver, paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

 

Publisher: Is Turkey’s new PR agent in U.S. really Armenian?

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Harut Sassounian

By Harut Sassounian

President of the 5W Public Relations firm based in New York City Ronn Torossian had signed a contract to represent Turkey as its PR agent, The California Courier publisher Harut Sassounian said in an article on Wednesday, November 15.

Justice Department records indicate that Torossian signed the agreement on May 25, 2017. His firm will get paid an additional $60,000 for the period of May 16-Nov. 16, 2017, which is automatically renewable for another six months. This payment is in addition to the amount specified in the contract signed on August 10, 2016.

It is noteworthy that Torossian signed the agreement with Turkey nine days after Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan watched his bodyguards beat up a group of demonstrators in front of Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC. Three days after the protesters were beaten and injured, Torossian published an article in The Algemeiner, titled: “Deport Radical Islamist Preacher [Gulen] and Maintain American Interests.”

“I called Torossian’s office twice. Each time a staff member assured me that he would return my call. I never heard from him. Torossian is not only impolite in not responding to phone messages, but he is reported to have a bad temper against his employees and others! The New York Times described him as “brash and aggressively outspoken.” He is also reported to have business dealings with shady Jewish and Russian oligarchs, according to [journalist] Louise Neu. Even though Torossian has an Armenian last name, I was not able to confirm if one or both of his parents are Armenians, or neither one!” Sassounian says.

Ronn Torossian is also “a partner, Chief Marketing Officer and advisory Board member of JetSmarter,” according to his Linkedin profile. JetSmarter is a controversial company described as “uber for planes.” The CEO of JetSmarter is Sergey Petrossov, the son of Vatchagan Petrossov, who definitely has an Armenian name.

“The main reason I was interested in Ronn Torossian’s employment as a PR agent for Turkey is that there was a similar situation with Barry Zorthian who worked from October 1980 to February 1984 for the lobbying firm of Gray and Co., hired by Turkey. Zorthian was a former executive for Voice of America and Time, Inc. In 1968-69 he was the chief U.S. spokesman in Saigon, Vietnam,” Sassounian says.

“After I had become aware that Zorthian was simultaneously an executive at a lobbying firm for Turkey and Board Member of the Armenian Assembly of America, I called him to ask if his dual roles did not create a conflict personally or for his firm. As a sign of respect for a fellow Armenian, I cautioned him that if he answered my questions, it could lead to his dismissal from his job. Zorthian, 63, replied that he did not care if he lost his $65,000-a-year job as senior vice president of Gray and Co. He went ahead and honestly answered all my questions. Zorthian explained that he worked in the public relations office and not on the Turkey account which was handled by the firm’s lobbying department.

“As soon as my article was published on the front page of the California Courier on January 19, 1984, the Turkish newspaper Tercuman reported my interview with Zorthian which caused a great embarrassment to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, finding out that an Armenian-American was a top executive for the lobbying firm that was getting paid $300,000-a-year by Turkey.

“On Feb. 21, 1984, the lobbying firm’s vice chairman, Alejandro Orfila, told Zorthian that the Turkish Ambassador Sukru Elekdag was extremely irate reading the newspaper report. Orfila quoted Amb. Elekdag stating: “I hired you guys to help me with my political problems, and instead you’re creating problems for me… You must do something drastic that I can report back to my government or else I’ll be forced to cancel the contract.”

“The PR firm’s chairman, Robert K. Gray, cut his vacation short in Acapulco, Mexico, and immediately returned to Washington. Zorthian was fired after rejecting Mr. Gray’s request to resign.

“Even though I was not pleased to see Mr. Zorthian lose his job, but as a young reporter who had started working as a journalist six months earlier, it was very satisfying that my obscure article made the headlines in Turkey and came to the attention of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and Amb. Elekdag. Furthermore, the Washington Post wrote a lengthy article on April 13, 1984, quoting from my article and mentioning my newspaper as the source of this international controversy.

“I urged Zorthian to file a lawsuit accusing Gray and Co., of employment discrimination due to his national origin. Zorthian did file charges with the Washington, D.C. Office of Human Rights, claiming he was illegally fired because of his Armenian background.

“Unfortunately, I do not know the outcome of Zorthian’s lawsuit. Both he and his wife have passed away since then.

If Mr. Torossian is truly an Armenian, how could he do PR for Turkey? More importantly, how could Turkey hire him given Mr. Zorthian’s experience?”