France Archives

France: Alford inaugurates the Arabian school in the presence of French Prime Minister and Armenian

July 3, 2015 By administrator

The inauguration of the Arabian school in Alfortville, will be held July 4, 2015 at 10:30 am in the presence of Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of the French Republic, and Hovik Abrahamian, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

This project was conducted by The APCAF (Association for the Promotion of Armenian Culture in France), in partnership with the Association of School and St. Mesrop Alfortville Municipality.

The building, whose construction began in August 2013, provides an extension to the existing school Saint Mesrop, private institution under contract of Education. It responds to a strong local demand to accommodate more students, but also to open a school.

Arabian school is a private school under contract. It covers 1,585 square meters and is built along the Seine. It will open its doors in September 2015 with students from elementary school will host 300 students and later with the opening of the college.

Directed by Cabinet Agopyan ARCHITECHTES, the architectural project achieves major performance, that of deploying a group of 10 school classes, very practical in smaller areas. Opened on the Seine, harmoniously adapted and arranged, benefiting from high-quality environmental materials, energy efficient, this school group offer ideal working conditions for the well-being of children and teachers.

The school’s inauguration will be attended by many public and political figures with the Prime Minister, Mr Manuel Valls, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, the Senator-Mayor, Mr Luc Carvounas, the main sponsor of this project, Mr. Gevorg Arabian Monsignor Norvan Zakarian, President of APCAF, Bishop Vahan Hovhannessian, Primate of the Diocese of France of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Deputy of Val-de-Marne, René Rouquet. Over 1000 people are expected for this event that will take place between 10:30 and 16:30 in the Komitas street and around the Seine.

A self-funded project to date to over 90%

Built on a land property of the Diocese of France, the building was funded APCAF. To date, over 90% of the building was financed in large part thanks to the exceptional contribution of Gevorg Arabian, main benefactor of the project, but also through private donations (individuals and associations), foundation grants, as well as a series of artistic and cultural events (concerts of André Manoukian Quartet tour the American humorist – Armenian Vahe Berberian …). It remains to this day 7.5% of the funding to be secured. The donations were of all kinds; some gathered to make a more substantial gift of logic around the “Building Together”, symbolically offering a “stone of completion” in the amount of € 2,000, while others – individuals or associations – could sponsor a classroom, room or floor of the building (donations exceeding 25,000 euros), these rooms with their name or that of their parents. All donors whose donation exceeds € 2,000 will have their name or the name of their choice written on the wall builders inside the establishment.

Friday, July 3, 2015,
Stéphane © armenews.com

France: Dazzling Gala Armenian school Tavitian Valencia under the sign of Genocide Centennial

June 24, 2015 By administrator

Sunday, June 14, the Municipal Theater of the city of Valencia was packed to the rafters. More than 350 people were present to witness the gala Tavitian school of the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Sahag of Valencia, under the direction of Reverend Father Antarnik Maldjian. The gala was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The room had been kindly made by the municipality and its mayor Nicolas Daragon, available to the Tavitian school. Among the audience of parents, friends and personalities of community life, note the presence of Marlene Mourier, Mayor of Bourg-Les-Valence accompanied by the councilor Mariam Cainan and elected officials of Valencia, Franck Daumas-Diratzonian (deputy mayor ), Georges and Nathalie Rastklan Iliozer councilors. Also note the presence of the pastor of the church Louder Nassanian of Maranatha brethren.

Taking advantage of the year-end event for the Armenian school, Father Andranik Maldjian honored madame Chaké Donoyan for its continued support to the school and Eugenie Tavitian Pilibossian, schoolteacher and very long years was rewarded with an emeritus teacher diploma. The children’s show kept all its promises, energy and spontaneity of the dozens of young Armenian tricolor students stating a very strong hand Armenianness. Reflections of Ararat were evident in the eyes of these children by claiming gestures and simple words, recognition of genocide suffered by their people.

Krikor Amirzayan

Turkish Consul’s wife possibly drank pours beer on young Armenian protesters in Lyon

June 20, 2015 By administrator

New details have come up on the attack on the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party Nor Seroont Youth Organization in Lyon, France.

Armen Aghajanian, one of the youth organization members, told Armenian News – NEWS.am that the Turkish officials and their wives went at him and his friends when they began demanding justice in the question of Armenian Genocide acknowledgement, sitting on the grass not far from the Turkish Consulate building.

The Consul Hilmi Ege Türemen began to kick with his feet, calling us ‘dogs,’ while his wife poured beer on us,” Aghajanian said.

Immediately after the incident six Armenians were taken to hospital with injuries of different severity levels.

The law enforcement authorities are already engaged in the matter.

Earlier, Asbarez reported that the activists of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Nor Seroont Youth Organization were physically attacked by Turkish Consul, his wife and employees during a sit-in in front of the Turkish Consulate over the Armenian Genocide recognition.

Hranouch Hagopian inaugurated at the Intercontinental Hotel Hôtel Dieu in Marseille the exhibition “apricot blossom” in the genocide centennial

June 20, 2015 By administrator

As part of the events marking the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, Friday, June 19, Hagopian Hranouch the Minister of Diaspora, arrived in Marseilles with HE Viguen Tchitetchian, Ambassador of Armenia to France visited Intercontinental Hotel Dieu hotel for the inauguration of the exhibition “apricot blossom” presented by the Marseilles Provence 2015 Armenia headed by Angèle Melkonian. Among those present, Samuel Lalayan the Armenian Consul in Marseilles, Didier Parakian the Deputy Mayor of Marseille and one of the leaders of Armenia Marseille Provence 2015, Richard Findykian Deputy Mayor of the 9th and 10th, Hratchya Aslanyan responsible for the Diaspora Armenian Ministry of Europe, director Patrick Malakian, Councillor Colette Babouchian, sculptor Toros accompanied by his wife Mary, and other personalities and artists. Photos Isahak Akkayan

Krikor Amirzayan

Armenian Genocide roundtable to be held at France National Assembly

June 19, 2015 By administrator

A roundtable discussion on the Armenian Genocide issue will be convened Friday in one of the halls of the French National Assembly (NA).

The event is titled “Justice and Reparation for the Armenian People,” reported the French Armenian Nouvelles d’Arménie monthly magazine.

The event will bring together Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Aram I; Head of the NA Socialist Group, Bruno Le Roux; and several other political leaders and figures.

Turn empty Catholic churches into mosques, French Muslim leader says

June 15, 2015 By administrator

Mosque of Poitiers, west-central France (AFP Photo / Guillaume Souvant)

France’s top Muslim official has suggested turning empty or abandoned Catholic churches into mosques, saying as many as 5,000 are needed for the country’s Muslim population – the largest in Europe.
“It’s a delicate issue, but why not?” Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Grand Mosque in Paris and the president of the French Council of Muslim Faith, told Europe 1 radio on Monday.
There are currently about 2,500 mosques in France with another 300 under construction, but the number falls short of what is needed, he said. With roughly 5 million Muslims in France, at least 5,000 mosques are needed, Boubakeur said. Report RT

During the interview with French radio he gave an example of the transition of a church into a mosque in Clermont-Ferrand, which was welcomed by the local religious community. The church had been abandoned for more than 30 years and the building was given to the Muslim community in 2012.

“It’s the same God, these are neighboring rites, fraternal, and I think that Muslims and Christians can coexist and live together,” he said.
It’s not the first time the lack of places of worship for millions of Muslims has been brought up in France. In April, Boubakeur called for doubling the number of mosques.
His remarks were welcomed by the Christian community as a “legitimate” demand.
“Muslims should, like Christians and Jews, be able to practice their religion,” Monseigneur Ribadeau-Dumas, spokesperson for the Bishops’ Conference of France, told French radio station Europe 1.

However, this suggestion has been criticized by the far-right National Front party. In April, Florian Philippot, its vice-president, argued France doesn’t need more, because “100 percent of places of radicalization are mosques.”

The party’s leader Marine Le Pen called to stop the construction of new mosques in March.
“We must today freeze the construction of new mosques while we verify the origin of their financing,” she said in an interview to France 24.
The question of building closer ties with the Muslim community was discussed at the talks between the French government and about 150 Muslim leaders in Paris on Monday.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stressed there was no link between extremism and Islam.
“We must say all of this is not Islam,” he said. “The hate speech, anti-Semitism that hides behind anti-Zionism and hate for Israel… the self-proclaimed imams in our neighborhoods and our prisons who are promoting violence and terrorism…
“Islam still provokes misunderstandings, prejudices, and is rejected by some citizens,” he added. “Yet Islam is here to stay in France. It’s the second largest religious group in our country.”

The first conference between the government and Muslim community leaders comes five months after the Charlie Hebdo and kosher store jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 17 people.
The terrorists responsible for the attacks “belong to a different world than we do,” said Boubakeur, speaking at the conference.
There has been a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents in France following the Islamist attacks in Paris. A report issued in January by the National Observatory Against Islamophobia said that over the month there has been an 110-percent increase in attacks.

The MIDEM musical festival opens in Cannes France.

June 5, 2015 By administrator

June 5 to 8, this French city will be filled with Armenian music. Armenia is participating in the festival as an honored guest.

At a press conference at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Armenia’s Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan presented the program of Armenia’s participation in the festival.

“It was important for us to be present at this festival as an honored guest. I think you all know that this year is symbolic for Armenia. We are commemorating the Armenian Genocide. This is an opportunity to recall our tragedy and demand recognition and condemnation of last century’s first genocide. It is a question of principle for us to be present here and introduce ourselves to the world not as a victim, but as strong and talented Armenians that survived genocide and revived,” Ms Poghosyan said.

“The purpose of our participation is to show the audience and experts Armenian voices,” Ruben Tonikyan, Director of the ProArt company said as he presented the program.

Armenia is presenting its concept “Armenian elements of music” at the festival. The pomegranate with four different colors representing earth, air, water and fire is the symbol of the festival.

“This year is a special year for us – a year marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. We have formulated certain symbols for this year. There are four of them: our memory, gratitude to our supporters, international struggle for admission of the Armenian Genocide by the perpetrator-state and, finally, the concept of revival. I think this concept of revival is the slogan of our participation in the MIDEM festival. We are displaying our musical culture, which has been preserved and re-created since the Armenian Genocide. We marching toward the future with this culture,” Ms Poghosyan said.

“We are living in a country where we feel the government’s support. We have a State Youth Orchestra, which means we have young musicians and our government is supporting them,” Sergey Smbatyan, Art Director of the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, told the reporters.

Cannes, which is hosting numerous tourists, is adorned with the colors of the Armenian national flag, with billboards reading ‘Armenia is an honored country’ in the streets. The front billboard of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is dedicated to Armenia.

Armenia is participating in the MIDEM festival with the sponsorship of the State Commission for Coordination for Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centenary, Armenia’s Ministry of Culture and Tashir Group company.

Different Armenian compositions – classical music, jazz, rock – will be performed at concert halls and on open-air stages. Lectures will be delivered on Armenian culture and Armenian folk instruments, composer Komitas, as well as on compositions by world-famous composers who were inspired by Armenia.

The jazz band Katuner (Cats), Acoustic Colors quartet, ‘Mikael Voskanyan & friends’ ethnic jazz band, Dorians rock band, and Ambassador traditional music group will perform at the opening evening at the InterContinental Carlton Cannes.

The Hover state chamber choir will give a concert at the Evangelical Church in Cannes, on June 6.

The State Youth Orchestra of Armenia will give a concert with the well-known cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan’s participation at the Debussy hall, on June 7.

MIDEM will pay tribute to the great Armenian composer Komitas on the 80th anniversary of his death.

The InterContinental Carlton Cannes hotel will host an exhibition of paintings by Tigran Dzitoghtsyan and designer Vahan Khachatryan.

Armenian cuisine will be presented at the festival as well.

France: Books We have seen hell Armenian Genocide

May 17, 2015 By administrator

Just published “We saw hell,” Simon Hyacinthe, Jacques and Marie-Dominique Rhetore Berré.

One hundred years after the first genocide in history, this book presents the stone of truth, crucially, brought by three Dominican repair of a black hole in our memory that remains denied, obscured or minus.

Held hostage in Mardin, the “Jerusalem of the East” between late 1914 and late 1916, the Marie-Dominique Berré brothers Jacques and Rhetore Hyacinthe Simon attend helplessly programmed annihilation, industrial, systematic Armenians that accompanies the killing to the string Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs. Eyewitnesses, they will do the chroniclers of the unspeakable and record, each for its part, this unprecedented unleashing hell on earth.

For the first time, their precise depositions, lucid, terrible gathered in one volume which has unique value. They do not just give a burial to the anonymous victims of mass graves yesterday. They apply for alarm today. While the tragedy of Eastern Christians is repeated under the same heavens and the same indifference, their stories, always documented, sometimes apocalyptic, stand out in retrospect as prophetic.

A testimonial for the recognition of the crime. A will for revival of probity. Essential reading for all those who do not intend to hide behind ignorance and pretend granted: “I do not know.”

Jean-François Colosimo presentation

Dimensions: 155x240x29 – ISBN: 9782204104036 352 pages – 24,00 € Editions du Cerf

Most bizarre seen in NICE, France, Chinese billionaire takes 6,400 staff on holiday to Paris and Cote d’Azur

May 10, 2015 By administrator

By Wally Sarkeesian

Li Jinyuan took more than half of 12,000 employees on the trip to France

He booked up 140 hotels in Paris and 4,760 rooms in Cannes and Monaco

Trip was in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Tiens Group Company

Staff formed the largest ever human chain saying ‘Tiens’ dream is Nice’

A Chinese billionaire has taken 6,400 of his staff on a four day holiday to France which finished with a world-record breaking human chain in the Cote D’Azur.

Tiens Group Company Chairman Li Jinyuan booked up 140 hotels in Paris where the group visited the Louvre and various cultural sites in one of the world’s most famous and revered cities.

The huge group of tourists then made their way to the glamorous Cote D’Azur, where Li Jinyuan booked 4,760 rooms in 79 four-and five-star hotels in Cannes and Monaco.

Li Jinyuan, 57, is listed as a billionaire on the Forbes rich list and took more than half of his staff to the region to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the founding of the company

It took 147 buses to take the tourists from their hotels to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, where Guinness World Record officials where on hand to validate the world’s biggest ever human chain

It took 147 buses to take the tourists from their hotels to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, where Guinness World Record officials where on hand to validate the world’s biggest ever human chain.

The 6,400 employees arranged themselves to spell out the phrase ‘Tiens’ dream is Nice in the Cote d’Azur’, to celebrate 20 years of partnership between the Chinese company and the French region.

France is expected to be 33million Euros better off thanks to the all-expenses-paid staff trip.

The group were expected to spend 13million in Paris, home of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc De Triomph and The Louvre.

Nice was expected to be 20million better off thanks to the visit – and many of the guests stayed in hotels Cannes, where the famous film festival is to be held next week, and Monaco, long known for being a playground of the rich and famous.

Li Jinyuan, 57, is listed as a billionaire on the Forbes rich list and took more than half of his staff to the region to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the founding of the company.

France city park named “Armenia 1915-2015”

April 27, 2015 By administrator

On April 24, the day of the Armenian Genocide Centenary, the ring-shaped park of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, France, has been named “Armenia 1915-2015.”

The official event brought together numerous people.

Several hours before this ceremony, the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic and the French Catholic Churches offered a requiem service in memory of the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

Subsequently, a formal dinner was given on the occasion of the naming of this park.

Incidentally, the Armenian national flag waves in recent years in Downtown Cavalaire-sur-Mer, which has solely 800 Armenian residents, and in honor of the Armenian community.