EAEU holds negotiations with Israel, Serbia and Singapore – Egypt and India waiting for their turn

May 14, 2018 By administrator

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Economic Union successfully develops partnership with other countries and unions, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session.

“FTA with Vietnam operates successfully. A trade and economic agreement with China is planned to be signed this week in Astana, as well as a temporary agreement with Iran on creating free trade zone. Talks with Israel, Serbia and Singapore on privileged agreements are underway. In the future similar negotiations are scheduled with Egypt and India”, ARMENPRESS reports the Russian President as saying.

According to him, the priority issues of the integration structure are increasing the efficiency of the single markets, the harmonization of national legislations in different spheres, the elimination of restrictions on the free movement of goods, services, capital, labor, creating more favorable conditions for the development of entrepreneurial activity.

“In general, the Eurasian Economic Union develops rather dynamically. GDP in member states rose by 1.8%, industrial products by 1.7%, agricultural products by 2.5% in 2017, while the average price rise has declined by 3.1% in the member states. Internal and external trade has also improved. Exports to the 3rd countries have increased by 24.5%, and trade turnover has increased by 26.1%”, the Russian president said.

The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session took place on May 14 with the participation of the Heads of State of all the member states. Moldova participated in the expanded format session as an EAEU observer state. Armenian PM held meetings with the Presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan in the sidelines of the summit.

Armenia PM cites Singapore development path as ‘good example’

January 24, 2018 By administrator

Prime minister Karen Karapetyan said on Tuesday, January 23 that Singapore’s development path is a good example for Armenia.

At a meeting with deputy prime minister of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Karapetyan said a number of sectors may interest Singapore for investments, including wine production, organic agriculture, education and information technologies.

Shanmugaratnam, in turn, cited Armenians’ role in the development of the Southeast Asian country, stressing the importance of the Armenian cultural heritage in Singapore.

Also, the deputy PM said Armenia can play an important role in the development of relations between the South Caucasus region and the ASEAN.

Singapore: The 182-year-old Armenian Church at Hill Street is a beautiful place worth visiting, here’s why

July 14, 2017 By administrator

Singapore Armenian Church It was built by the small but important Armenian community.

By Tanya Ong

*Editor’s note at 3pm: A photo from this article has been updated, due to feedback received from a reader.

Built in 1835, the Armenian Church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore.

The church is testament to the influence of the Armenian community in Singapore during the 19th century.

When Singapore became a trading port in 1819, the Armenians were one of the earliest merchants and traders to arrive in Singapore. Even though they were small in number, they started holding religious services from the early 1820s.

The Armenians initially worshipped in a makeshift chapel at Commercial Square (Raffles Place today). However, they requested the British authorities for land and were offered a space at the foot of Fort Canning Hill to build a church.

More than a century later, the Armenian church stands as a national monument ever since it was gazetted in 1973.

Here are some pictures of the architectural masterpiece:

The church was designed by G.D. Coleman, the man behind other prominent buildings such as The Arts House and St. Andrews Cathedral.

In his design of the Armenian Church, he incorporated certain features of traditional Armenian architecture. These include the cupola (the small structure on top of the building that often crowns a roof) and the vaulted ceiling.

The Armenian Church was also built in the plan of a cross, as seen in this aerial photo:

Additionally, Coleman understood that the architectural design of the building had to take Singapore’s tropical climate into consideration. He ensured that the church had sufficient windows and doors to ventilate its interior.

Other than functionality, the church’s interior is distinctive also because of its circular design. It is the only church in Singapore to have a circular interior.

Its interior and vaulted ceiling can be seen here:

Other than notable architecture, it is also significant because of its Memorial Garden.

Within the church grounds, the Memorial Garden is home to tombstones of prominent Armenians who have made significant contributions to Singapore. Many of the tombstones were recovered from the exhumed cemeteries at Fort Canning Hill and Bukit Timah.

Among them are Agnes Joaquim and Catchick Moses. Agnes Joaquim is known for her hybridisation of the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, Singapore’s national flower, and Catchick Moses co-founded The Straits Times.

Since 1973, the church has been carefully restored and maintained to preserve it for future generations.

Top image from National Heritage Board’s Facebook.

1819 is a labour of love by Mothership.sg where we tell stories from Singapore’s history, heritage & culture. Follow us

Source: http://mothership.sg/2017/07/the-182-year-old-armenian-church-at-hill-street-is-a-beautiful-place-worth-visiting-heres-why/

Faithful do not allow Armenian church in Singapore to fade away

May 21, 2017 By administrator

In a small sanctuary in Singapore’s oldest church, the Very Reverend Father Zaven Yazichyan conducts a traditional Armenian Divine Liturgy service.

Though he lives in Myanmar, Father Zaven, 36, travels here about five or six times a year to conduct a Divine Liturgy at the 182-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator, according to Straits Times.

With only an estimated 80 to 100 Armenians living in Singapore, there is no resident priest for the tiny community here, and there has not been one since the 1930s. But its loyal worshippers are not about to let this pillar of Armenian identity, formally recognized as a national monument in 1973, fade away.

Ani Umedyan, 35, a volunteer at the church who has worshipped there for nine years, moved to Singapore with her husband from Armenia in 2008 and speaks passionately about seeing it grow.

“When I first started worshipping here, there were only about 20 or so people. Now that more expats have come, there are more people and we are happy to see the church crowded with about 40 to 50 people at each service,” said the musician.

When asked what keeps him motivated to keep flying back to conduct services for such a small crowd, Father Zaven said: “Every soul is important. Even if there are only a few people, it is my duty and honor to minister to them.”

Another draw for the Armenian community here is music. The Armenian Heritage Ensemble was established in 2009 to encourage learning of the history and culture of Armenians.

“The aim is to expose people to the church, to our culture and our heritage through music,” said one of the church’s four trustees, Pierre Hennes, 44.

Another trustee, Gevorg Sargsyan, 35, added that the concerts bring life to the church.

Armenia to launch direct flights to Canada, Singapore

January 26, 2017 By administrator

Armenia will launch direct flights to Canada and Singapore, the government approved the signing of corresponding documents on Thursday, January 26.

Introducing the proposal to the government was chief of the General Department of Civil Aviation Sergey Avetisyan, who said a legal basis for the implementation of the decisions must now be provided.

According to Avetisyan, relations between Armenia and Canada or Singapore in the air transportation field are not regulated by intergovernmental agreements.

Avetisyan said the deals will boost the development of tourism and trade ties between Armenia and each of the abovementioned countries.

Peranakan Museum to hold its first Armenian Street Party

March 9, 2016 By administrator

By Holly Matthews

Armenian Street will be closed on Friday and Saturday night for a street party filled with performances, street food and activities.

SINGAPORE: The Peranakan Museum will close Armenian Street on Friday (Mar 11) and Saturday night to host its first Armenian Street Party. Members of the public can look forward to a mix of traditional Peranakan and contemporary performances.

At the party, there will be live music, traditional Peranakan wayang, as well as dance performances. The performances will take place at five performance spaces, stretching from the Peranakan Museum, Armenian Street, to the Singapore Management University.

One highlight at the party is an urban garden which will be created in the alley between The Substation and the museum. It will be transformed into a garden complete with festoon lighting, swings and park benches.

The Peranakan Museum says it came up with the idea in November 2015, to complement an on-going exhibition.

“The Armenian Street Party was conceived with profiling the Peranakan Museum as a forethought, making the Museum more relevant to the Singaporean public,” said Senior Assistant Director for Audience at Peranakan Museum, Mr Bernard Tan. “The inaugural Street Party is held in conjunction with the museum’s special exhibition, Great Peranakan: Fifty Remarkable Lives, drawing a lifestyle parallel to how Peranakans would host parties of grandiose for their guests in the past.

“The community-focused Street Party emulates a festival-like atmosphere to reclaim the street for the people, aligned with Bras Basah-Bugis (BBB) precinct’s vision to create a vibrant lifestyle destination for locals and visitors alike.”

More details can be found on their website.

Plans afoot for Armenian museum here

September 16, 2015 By administrator

Venture capitalist Pierre Hennes, one of the trustees of the Armenian church, says the Armenian community has been discussing setting up the museum since 2005.ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

110-year-old building may house maps, religious relics

Singapore’s oldest church, the 180-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory The Illuminator in Hill Street, will soon have an Armenian heritage museum.

Venture capitalist Pierre Hennes, 43, one of its four trustees, says the tiny, close-knit Armenian community here and about 15 Armenians overseas have been discussing setting it up since 2005.

Before that, the community was focused on sprucing up the church, which was declared a national monument in 1973.

Hardly any Armenians here worship in the church and Armenians say there is no pressure on them to attend church regularly, as religion is a very personal and private matter to them. But building churches everywhere they landed was their way of preserving their roots.

The premises are often rented out to other Orthodox Christians, such as the Coptics, for their services. What they earn goes towards maintaining the church.

If all goes well, the museum will open next year in the 110-year-old house across the church.

The two-storey building was originally a parsonage but there has not been a resident priest since 1933.

The trustees hope the museum will have maps, religious relics and Armenian literary works. The museum plan is quite a turnaround from just 10 years ago, when Armenian archbishop Aghan Baliozian tried to sell the church and parsonage.

The community stopped that sale and, today, the mother church in Armenia is giving the museum plan its support.

Last November, the world leader of the church, known as the Catholicos, was here to bless the Armenian congregation and the church.

•Do you have Armenian memorabilia to lend or give to the new museum? Write to singapore@armeniansinasia.org

Source: straitstimes.com