NEW YORK — On Thursday, July 18, Bishop Daniel Findikyan opened the doors of New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral to a visiting dignitary from Armenia: Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan.

The Primate led Avinyan and his entourage on a tour of the cathedral, explaining its history and artwork, and highlighting the role it has played in community life for the past half century.

During a private reception in the tahlij of the Diocesan Complex, joined by Diocesan Vicar Fr. Simeon Odabashian and others, the Primate and Deputy Prime Minister discussed developments in Armenia, and the role of the church in keeping Armenians connected. Bishop Daniel asked Avinyan to convey his blessings and good wishes to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who visited the cathedral last September.

Avinyan was visiting New York this week to take part in an international forum on sustainable development at the United Nations, where he gave an address on environmental issues and opportunities in the Republic of Armenia. He also met with Armenian leaders in the fields of technology, business, finance, and philanthropy.

The 30-year-old Avinyan has been serving in his current role in the administration of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan since May 2018.

(Avinyan’s visit to Boston will be covered in the issue of August 3.)

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WASHINGTON — On July 18, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Katherine Clark (MA-5) met with President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, head of the My Step Alliance faction in the National Assembly, Lilit Makunts, and a member of the National Assembly, Edmon Marukyan at the House Democracy Partnership Leadership Forum in the US Capitol, which was hosted by Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-6).

Clark represents one of the largest Armenian populations in the United States, and she spoke with these three prominent leaders about the priorities of the Armenian-American community.

“My district is home to one of the largest Armenian communities in America, and today, I had the privilege of meeting key leaders from the National Assembly of Armenia,” she said. “I commend the Government of Armenia for their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Artsakh, and I believe that respectful dialogue is the best way to bring about peace. I will continue to prioritize the issues of the Armenian-American community and work to address deforestation, recognize the Armenian genocide, and pursue economic expansion.”

(Detailed coverage of Mirzoyan’s visit to the Boston area and more on his visit elsewhere in the US will appear in the next issue of the Mirror-Spectator.)

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YEREVAN (Combined Sources) — Ambassador Dr. Arman Kirakossian, Armenia’s representative to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, died in London on July 6 after a lengthy illness. He was 63.

His funeral took place in Yerevan on July 12 at St. Sargis Church, followed by a farewell ceremony at the Pantheon on July 13.

President Armen Sarkissian signed a decree on posthumously awarding Kirakossian the Order of Honor for his dedicated diplomatic service. The president handed over the Order to Kirakossian’s family on July 23. (see Armenian-language video below)

“It seems Arman should have received this Order years ago, but I think it is never late because Arman Kirakossian’s life will continue, and our appreciation to his activity as a scientist and diplomat, as a person, will continue. And not only today, in the future as well we will gather to appreciate the bright life of our friend and colleague,” Sarkissian said. The ceremony of handing the Order was also attended by Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, representatives of diplomatic service, historians and the friends of late Ambassador.

Sarkissian participated at the farewell ceremony for his old friend, as did Prime Minister Nikol Pasyinyan. Mnatsakanyan, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan and a number of incumbent and former officials also came to honor the memory of the diplomat. Mnatsakanyan told the reporters that he personally knew Kirakossian and his loss is also a great for the diplomatic field of Armenia.

In addition, Sir Alan Duncan, Minister of State of UK for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, offered his condolences over the death of Kirakossian.

“I was saddened to learn of the death of H.E. Dr. Arman Kirakossian, the serving ambassador of Armenia and a great friend to the UK. I have spoken to the Foreign Minister of Armenia H.E Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to pass on condolences on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government and have offered our assistance at this difficult time. Our thoughts are with the late Ambassador’s family and friends,” Duncan said.

In his remarks, Sarkissian said, “This is a difficult day. We are bidding farewell to Arman Kirakossian; his life here, in the fatherland, has come to an end. But a new life of Arman Kirakossian, the legend, has begun. Just as on June 20, 1985 the life of his father, John Kirakossian ended, but John Kirakossian the legend began, Arman Kirakossian the legend begins today. Each of us should continue to walk with Arman Kirakossian the legend. His friends and colleagues should continue to walk with Arman Kirakossian the legend – our Armenian diplomats, the state, and ordinary people who knew Arman,” President Sarkissian said. He characterized him as a wonderful, fantastic friend, one of our best ambassadors, honest, crystal clear, patriotic and serious person, with multiple merits, a great professional, and a brilliant scholar.

“Not only as a friend but also as the President of Armenia, thinking of Arman Kirakossian, I have one word on my mind which is essential — Arman Kirakossian, like his father, was a statesman, dedicated to our people, nation, and statehood.”

A requiem service was held in Washington led by Ambassador of Armenia in the US Varuzhan Nersesyan, Armenian Embassy staff, Knights and Daughters of Vartan, Tekeyan Cultural Association Central Board of the USA and Canada, St. Mary’s Parish Council and Rev. Hovsep Karapetyan.

After the Divine Liturgy, Karapetyan and Nersesyan spoke about the ambassador and his legacy.

Kirakossian was appointed Armenia’s ambassador to the United States on October 22, 1999 and presented his credentials to President Bill Clinton on February 3, 2000. Prior to assuming this position, Kirakossian served as Armenia’s ambassador to Greece from July 1994 to October 1999. In March 1999, he also assumed the duties of the Dean of Diplomatic Corps in Athens, Greece.

Kirakossian was also accredited to Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

From 1991 to 1994, he served as First Deputy Foreign Minister, and, from October 1992 to February 1993, he held the post of Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Before embarking on a diplomatic career at the Foreign Ministry of Armenia, Kirakossian held several high-level academic positions at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences. He was associate director of the Armenian Diaspora Studies Department from 1990 to 1991 and served on Advisory Panel on Science and International Relations at the Armenian Government from 1986 to 1990.He was Senior Fellow, then Project Director at the Center of Scientific Information for Social Sciences at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences from 1980 to 1986.

Dr. Kirakossian was the author of many books and more than 100 scientific publications.

The post Veteran Diplomat, Scholar Dr. Arman Kirakossian Dies appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

By Haykaram Nahapetyan

Mirror-Spectator Video Correspondent

CHEVY CHASE, Md. – According to an online-dictionary of acronyms, USA stands for not only the name of the country but over 50 different names and notions, ranging from US Airways to Uninterrupted Sharing Activity. The dictionary should also be aware of United Shades of Artistry, a band that Armenian-American composer and musician Levon Mikaelian created in 2014.

“I was not going for the U.S.A. acronym specifically when I was creating a name for the band. It happened naturally. However, when it came out as U.S.A., I realized that this is what U.S.A. as a country is all about: its a melting pot of different shades of arts, cultures, and nationalities,” Levon explained.

Today the band is better known as the Levon Mikaelian Trio. With two other non-Armenian musicians, the trio plays overwhelmingly Armenian tunes, rearranging existing traditional tracks or composing new ones.

“I started studying music with my dad as a child. Then I went to the musical school named after Mirzoyan, then the Tchaikovsky school, and finally Yerevan’s conservatory,” said Levon, relating his background in Armenia when he hosted me at his musical school known as Make a Wave in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

How many times have readers heard the famous Armenian song Tesnem Anin u nor mernem? I bet quite a few. Did you know who composed the soundtrack? I did not, unfortunately. As I learned from our conversation with Levon, Majak Toshigian, the composer of this very famous track, a musician originally from Istanbul, lived in Canada from the 1980s. Mikaelian contacted Toshigian, seeking permission to rearrange this well known piece music for his new album. The consent was granted.

“Untainted,” the new album which came out this year, included a rearrangement of Ani and many other traditional songs. “There are folk songs that I heard growing up and some of them have no specific composer. I tried to stay as close to the original as possible but at the same time I had to express myself in changing it around a little bit,” Levon continued. He also included his own tracks in the new CD.

Mikaelian highly values the contribution of the non-Armenian musicians of the trio. “They did an amazing job putting their personality into it but still keeping it Armenian,” Levon concluded.

A lot of radio stations play the Mikaelian Trio’s music throughout the country. “Stanford University’s jazz music station plays as a lot lately. I even suspected there is an Armenian working at Stanford’s station, because they would out me in every set,” Mikaelian said laughingly at the end of our talk.

The post What Does USA Mean to Levon Mikaelian?  appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

PASADENA, Calif. — Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Pasadena-Glendale Chapter organized a book presentation that took place on Sunday, July 14, at Tekeyan’s Beshgeturian Center Hall in Altadena. Asdghig Khanjian was master of ceremonies. There were about 80 people in attendance.

The book, titled The Armenian and Armenia in the Holy Bible was authored by Dr. Hovhannes Ahmaranian and presented by Kevork Keushkerian. There was also a cultural program composed of poetic recitations by Norayr Dadourian and renditions of Armenian patriotic songs by Khatchig Nahabedian.

Dr. Hovhannes Ahmaranian was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He has earned a B.A. in Theology and an M.A. in Philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also has earned a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern History from the National Academy of Armenia. He is fluent in Armenian, Arabic, French, Italian, and English. He has published 29 books: 15 in Armenian, 6 in English, 6 in Arabic, and 2 in French.

Ahmaranian has an extensive experience in education and teaching. He taught Combat Arabic and History of Iraq at the US Marines Corps at Camp Pendleton in California from 2004-05. He taught at the Kevorkian Academy in Echmiadzin from 2006-07. He was the Provost/Dean of the Armenian Evangelical Academy in Yerevan, Armenia from 2010-11.

His book, The Armenian and Armenia in the Holy Bible, is a picturesque publication composed of 180 pages and divided into 19 chapters. In his preface to the book, Rev. Serop Mgrtichian, pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Cilicia Church in Pasadena, wrote: “In his meticulous research, Dr. Ahmaranian shows the existence of the Armenian in the Bible, starting from the Creation to the presence of the horses in Armenia. Armenians have been biblical people.”

In his introduction to the book, Ahmaranian reveals that neither Armenian nor Armenia are mentioned in the Holy Bible, rather Urartu and Ararat, which are synonymous to Armenia.

The first chapter, Creation, dwells upon the pre-Christian myths that were prevalent all over the world, including Armenia where Vahakn was a well- known epic hero.

Following that assertion, Ahmaranian leads a discussion about the name of God. In the pre-Christian era, says the author, there were many gods worshipped by different people, so names were necessary to distinguish them from each other. For example, Egyptians had Ra and Armenians had Anahid, among other nations.

However, continues Ahmaranian, following the pagan era, when the existence of one God was established and accepted by Christians, Jews and Muslims, there was no need for a name to identify the only God worshipped by the three religions.

Another chapter deals with the geographic location of the Garden of Eden. The book of Genesis, chapter 2, verses 10-14 says: “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison, the name of the second is Gihon, the name of the third is Hiddekel and the name of the fourth is Euphrates.”

Ahmaranian claims that all four rivers mentioned above; Pison (Armenian Dorokh), Gihon (Armenian Araxes), Hiddekel (Armenian Tigris) and Euphrates are in Historic Armenia. Therefore, he concludes, The Garden of Eden must have been in Armenia.

Here is a quotation from Lord Byron that reiterates the above claim. “If the Scriptures are rightly understood, it was in Armenia that Paradise was placed. Armenia, which has paid as clearly as the descendants of Adam for that fleeting participation of its soil in the happiness of him who was created from its dust. It was in Armenia that the flood first abated, and the dove slighted.”

Next, a whole chapter is devoted to Mount Ararat. We read in Genesis, chapter 8, verse 4: “On the seventh day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” In Genesis, chapter 9, verse 1, God said to Noah: “Be fruitful, increase in number and fill the earth.”

Furthermore, according to the Book of Genesis, Noah came out of the ark with his sons and their wives and all the animals. He planted a vineyard and when he drank some of the wine, he became drunk.

Ahmaranian goes on saying that Ararat has been also mentioned in the Holy Bible in three other books; Isaiah, Second Kings, and Jeremiah.

It’s worth mentioning that, at the end of each chapter, the author has listed the sources that he has used. Also, at the end of the book, there is a synopsis in English.

The presentation of Ahmaranian’s book has been an eye opening experience for this writer,

as there is a wealth of information that is new to me, and I am sure, new to many people in our community.

After the presentation, a question-and-answer session was held, which was followed by  a reception.

• Kevork Keushkerian

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Yogurt is an ancient food, used by peoples in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East across the millennia. Yogurt first appeared during the Neolithic period, around 5,000–10,000 years ago, probably as a result of milk naturally souring in warm temperatures (thank you warm temperatures and souring milk).  Evidence from ancient pottery shows that Neolithic people were using the pots to store milk.

As a fermented food, yogurt was a great way to preserve milk, since the acidity slows the growth of harmful bacteria.  Yogurt was a well-known food in the Greek and Roman empires and has played a major role in Mediterranean cuisine since 800 BC.

Yogurt making began in the United States in 1929 when Rose and Sarkis Colombosian, Armenian immigrants who lived in Andover, Massachusetts, started Colombo and Sons Creamery. General Mills purchased the company in 1993 and incorporated the yogurt division as Yoplait Colombo, based in Methuen.  Based on traditional Armenian cooking methods, it was the first commercially produced yogurt in the U.S.  The business grew in the 1960s due to the increased awareness of the many health benefits of yogurt.  In 1993, Colombo Yogurt was purchased by General Mills.  On January 29, 2010, General Mills announced that it was dropping the Colombo brand to focus more on its Yoplait yogurt.  It ended shipments on February 12, 2010.  General Mills still produces soft-serve frozen yogurt under the Colombo name.

Yogurt Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 1/2 cups white or brown sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature

1 cup plain yogurt

2-3 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg

1 cup blanched and chopped almonds or chopped walnuts, optional

Pinch of salt, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugar and butter together in a large bowl.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour in a greased and floured 9X13-inch baking pan.  Bake until top is light chestnut color and a pick inserted in the center comes out smooth, or about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with lemon glaze while cake is still warm.  Serve with fresh whipped cream, assorted berries, and fresh sliced fruit.

Lemon Glaze

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Serves 12.

*Christine’s recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunset magazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

Spicy Yogurt Cake

Here’s another outstanding yogurt cake recipe contributed by Robyn Kalajian at: https://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

Robyn says, “Recently I added yogurt to brownie mix, which worked extremely well, then my friend made a delicious frosting using labne rather than cream cheese to top her cupcakes.  I searched through my recipe file and rediscovered a recipe for this spicy yogurt cake that I hadn’t made in a very long time.  For this recipe, I cut down on the original amount of butter and added 2% plain yogurt in its place to see how it would work.”

“When purchasing commercially prepared yogurt, be sure the label mentions ‘live, active cultures,’ which indicates a more natural, health-beneficial product,” she adds.

Yield: 2 (8-inch) round cakes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup 2% plain yogurt – do not use Greek-style yogurt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F . Lightly grease and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans.  Shake out excess flour.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla at high speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Using a low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt, beating until mixture is smooth.  Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 5-8 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

To serve, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

For this recipe: https://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/2011/09/spicy-yogurt-cake.html

For Robyn’s homemade madzoon recipe: https://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/2009/05/homemade-madzoon-yogurt-to-non.html

For more yogurt recipes: https://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/search?q=yogurt

Buzz Baxter’s Apricot Yogurt Cake

Tart, moist and delicious, this cake recipe is courtesy of the late Dr. Buzz Baxter from his very popular food website, the Gutsy Gourmet.

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce containers plain yogurt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped fine

1 cup walnuts, chopped fine

About 1/2 cup orange honey syrup (recipe follows)

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Let the yogurt drain in a fine sieve set over a bowl, covered and chilled, overnight and measure one cup of the drained yogurt, reserving the remaining yogurt for another use.

Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter and flour a 10-inch spring form pan.  Into another bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and a pinch of salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the one cup drained yogurt, beating until the mixture is just combined.

Add the flour mixture, beat the batter until it is just combined, and stir in the apricots and walnuts.

Spoon the batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it.

Cool cake on a rack set over foil, pour orange honey syrup over it, and let cake absorb the syrup.

The cake may be made two days in advance and kept in the pan covered with plastic wrap and foil and chilled.  Remove the side of the pan and garnish the cake with mint sprigs.

Note: This recipe produces a coarse-crumbed cake; for ease of slicing, dip your knife in hot water before cutting each serving.

Serves 8-10.

Orange Honey Syrup

1 cup honey

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup water

1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh orange zest

2-3 tablespoons Manto (Greek orange herb-flavored liqueur, made by Metaxa)

Preparation:

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When it comes to a boil, add 1/2 pint of heavy cream, and pour into an earthen bowl or Pyrex dish. When it is lukewarm (105-110 degrees), stir the madzoon starter with a spoon until it is smooth and dilute it with some of the warm milk.  Pour this mixture into warm milk and stir.

Wrap the warm milk (with yogurt starter), and leave it in a warm place, undisturbed, for at least 8 to 10 hours.  Yogurt should be set by then.  Place pot in refrigerator until cold and ready to serve.

*Buy the starter as plain yogurt at the supermarket or save a cup or two of homemade yogurt to use as a starter each and every time you want to make it again.

Serves 6-8.

The post Recipe Corner: Yogurt Cakes appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

WATERTOWN — In June, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) completed its 35th academic year. The Graduation Ceremonies were held on June 13 (K) and June 14 (Elementary), in the presence of parents and the clergy of the local Armenian churches.

On June 14, Dr. Vartan Matiossian, executive director of the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), attended the Elementary Graduation.

The kindergarten and elementary programs were dedicated both to honor the 35th anniversary of the school. Students celebrated this anniversary through song, poem and dance. The Elementary program was also dedicated to the 150th anniversaries of Komitas Vartabed and poet Hovhaness Tumanyan, as well as to the Armenian Press.

In her address, Principal Houry Boyamian thanked the faculty, the administrative staff, the PTO, the parent volunteers, the school board and committees, the St. Stephen’s Church Board of Trustees, Rev. Antranig Baljian, as well as all the organizations and individuals that contribute to the advancement of the school. The School Board Chair, Levon Barsoumian, also thanked the school committees and parent volunteers. At the Kindergarten graduation night, on June 13, the Preschool Director Maral Orchanian spoke about the work they do to accomplish the Preschool goals and objectives.

On June 13, Boyamian honored three preschool teachers, Laura Terzian and Vicky Ashjian for their 10 years of service with the silver logo of the school and Anna Kupelian for her 20 years of service with a special gift from the school.

On this day, she also honored the preschool director, Maral Orchanian for her 20 years of service (10 years as a preschool teacher and 10 years as the preschool director). After highlighting the attributes of Orchanian and her commitment to the well-being of her students and teachers, the principal presented her with awards joined by Rev. Antranig Baljian, pastor of the St. Stephen’s Church and the co-chair of the education committee, Heather Krafian. Orchanian Received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, a Certificate of Appreciation from His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and a special gift from the school, brought from Armenia. In addition to these, Orchanian was presented with two surprises: Isabella Balian (Class of 2014) spoke eloquently about her experience being a student of Orchanian, followed by a song performed by the preschool students dedicated to her.

On June 14, Boyamian recognized the 20 years of dedicated service of Ardemis Megerdichian (Grades 1-5 Armenian Teacher). She stressed on the fact that she not only teaches the Armenian language and history, but she also instills in her students the Armenian spirit and immense love for Armenia. She mentioned that in addition to teaching, Megerdichian prepares the program of the Graduation Night, the program of the Graduating Class Trip to Armenia and encourages her fifth graders to write and illustrate books, that they later present to the younger grades.

Baljian, Krista Aftandilian (co-chair of the education committee) and Matiossian joined Boyamian in presenting the awards to Megerdichian who received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, a Certificate of Appreciation from Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and a special gift from the school, brought from Armenia. In addition to these, Megerdichian was presented with two surprises. One of our alumni students, Meghri DerVartanian (Class of 2008) spoke about her experience being a student of Megerdichian, followed by a song performed by Grades 2 and 3 students dedicated to her.

Baljian and Boyamian presented the diplomas. Matiossian joined them on June 14 during the presentation of the awards. This year, the Prelacy Award for Excellence in Armenian Studies was the silver coin of Levon the 1st.  Coincidentally this year is the 800th Anniversary of the passing of Levon I.

On June 13, 15 students graduated from kindergarten. They are: Mary Aljalian, Kami Arzoumanian, Arianna Badrikian, Adriana Bechirian, Armen Gebeyan, Roman Ghazaryan, Avo Hacobian, Alique Iskenderian, Evelyn Mancilikli, Naira Minassian, Patrick Mulvey, Leon Nergaryan, Catalina Salibian, Tsolaire Seraderian, and Hrag Tokadjian.

On June 14, 20 students graduated from the Elementary School bringing the number of graduates to 328. They are: Vartan Arakelian, Andre Bashirians, Julia Chapian, Lara Chekijian, Sonya Haleblian, Gacia Haserjian, Saro Iskenderian, Anais Kahvejian, Lea Karapetian, Sarine Markarian, Narineh Mardiros, Zulal Mardinian, Gassia Minassian, Nareg Minassian, Nicholas Nalbandyan, Vicken Panian, Alla Petrosyan, Arinne Stepanian, Sophia Tinkjian and Nshaun Yacoubian.

2019 SSAES Awards

Special and Unprecedented Award in Mathematics awarded by the school to Vartan Arakelian, Gr.5

– 3rd Nationwide and 2nd Statewide in Math Kangaroo International Competition, in 2017

– 1st Nationwide and 1st Statewide in Math Kangaroo International Competition, in 2018

– Recipient of George Lenchner Award for a Perfect Score at the International Mathematical Olympiad (with over100,000 participants), receiving the Gold Pin for the 5th grade level and the Silver Pin for the 7th and 8th grade level, in 2019

Awards for Armenian Studies-Gr. 5

Prelacy Award for Excellence in Armenian Studies: Vartan Arakelian, Saro Iskenderian, Alla Petrosyan, Arinne Stepanian, Andre Bashirians, Lara Chekijian, Gassia Minassian, Narineh Mardiros, Lea Karapetian and Nareg Minassian

Armenian Relief Society Award for Excellence in Armenian Studies: Vartan Arakelian

SSAES Education Committee Award: Anais Kahvejian, Sophia Tinkjian for Fluency in Oral Expression

President’s Education Award – Gr. 5

Presidential Award for Academic Excellence: Vartan Arakelian, Lara Chekijian, Lea Karapetian, Sarine Markarian

Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement: Anais Kahvejian, Julia Chapian

The post St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School Holds Graduation Ceremonies appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

BIKFAYA, Lebanon — On Friday, July 5, Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia received a delegation of members of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) Supreme Council at St. Mary Monastery in Bikfaya. The delegation was composed of Dr. Hratch Kouyoumjian, chairman, Hagop Vartivarian, vice-chairman, Ardavazt Melkissetian and Edmond Y. Azadian.

During a two-hour session, several topics which concern Armenia and its diaspora were discussed. The delegation expressed its appreciation to the Catholicos for his initiative to hold a pan-Armenian conference of journalists, which brought together representatives of the news media from Armenia and the diaspora. Press representatives of different political parties were also invited. The conference was held in Antelias on July 2-4.

The historical background of the relations of Antelias and Echmiadzin was a topic on the agenda of the discussions. Catholicos Aram, fully cognizant of the ADL position on the issue, gave his interpretations in a frank and open atmosphere, at which he acknowledged the right of the media to constructive criticism.

Relations in Armenia between the church and the citizens as well as relations between the church and the state were of special concern. Measures were discussed to meet the recent challenges in Armenia about current developments in Armenia and the role of political parties and the media in guiding the public on uncharted courses.

Catholicos Aram expressed his appreciation for the initiative that the Council had taken to make the meeting possible. In their turn, the members of the delegation thanked him for including the editors of the ADL press on the invitee list.

The post ADL Supreme Council Delegation Meets with Catholicos Aram I appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan met with a Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States and Canada (TCA) and Armenian Mirror-Spectator delegation on July 20. The Tekeyan representatives spoke about TCA activities in North America and relations with Armenia. An interview for the Mirror-Spectator was later conducted, which will appear in the August 3 issue. The same issue will also have coverage of several Boston area community events featuring Avinyan and Speaker of the Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan, including a press conference with the latter.

The delegation included TCA Executive Director and Mirror-Spectator Assistant Editor Aram Arkun, TCA Greater Boston Chapter Chair Dr. Aida Yavshayan, and Mirror-Spectator Editor Alin Gregorian.

The post Tekeyan and Mirror-Spectator Meet with Deputy Prime Minister Avinyan appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

WASHINGTON — On July 18, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Katherine Clark (MA-5) met with President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, head of the My Step Alliance faction in the National Assembly, Lilit Makunts, and a member of the National Assembly, Edmon Marukyan at the House Democracy Partnership Leadership Forum in the US Capitol, which was hosted by Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-6).

Clark represents one of the largest Armenian populations in the United States, and she spoke with these three prominent leaders about the priorities of the Armenian-American community.

“My district is home to one of the largest Armenian communities in America, and today, I had the privilege of meeting key leaders from the National Assembly of Armenia,” she said. “I commend the Government of Armenia for their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Artsakh, and I believe that respectful dialogue is the best way to bring about peace. I will continue to prioritize the issues of the Armenian-American community and work to address deforestation, recognize the Armenian genocide, and pursue economic expansion.”

(Detailed coverage of Mirzoyan’s visit to the Boston area will appear in the next issue of the Mirror-Spectator.)

The post Rep. Clark Meets with Parliament Speaker Mirzoyan, Armenian Leaders in US Capitol appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

By Harry Kezelian

Special to the Mirror-Spectator

Imagine a world where jazz music in America remained to this day the most popular dance music for parties, just as it was in the Big Band Swing Era.

Where the jazz world didn’t turn away from the mainstream and become overly artsy after World War II, becoming a style of music for bohemians, beatniks, and intellectuals.

Where the high school proms and the college formals featured bands with trumpet, saxophone, and piano, and the kids danced updated versions of the jitterbug and modernized versions of the foxtrot.

Where instead of being superseded by rock and roll, disco, hip-hop, and techno, jazz continued to be America’s favorite music, and regarded by everyone as the great American native art form.

This is not an exact analogy, but it’s not too different from the situation that exists in the Armenian-American community with kef music, aside from Southern California and except for the last part, being regarded as a great art form.

One interesting similarity is that Armenians (and some other Mediterranean ethnic groups) still hold “dances.” If you say to your non-Armenian friends that you are going to a “dance,” they will often look at you funny. Because who goes to “dances,” aside from high schoolers or college fraternity and sorority members? When does one “hire a band,” except for at a wedding? Of course, throwing dances as the primary form of a social event and having live bands play at these dances was common among all Americans in the 1940s. Armenians did the same thing, only they had their own ethnic music and their own ethnic dancing at their events.

But the similarities don’t end there. Although some would argue that it’s impossible to define jazz, many would agree that there are at least a few salient characteristics that are needed for music to be jazz. The three most important characteristics are swing or syncopation, blue notes, and improvisation. If we take a look at these, we see definite similarities with what we know today as Armenian “kef music.”

Although kef music is not played in swing rhythm, rhythm is very important. The plethora of different rhythms such as 10/8, 9/8, 5/4, 7/8, and so on give kef music its driving force, along with using the simple 4/4 rhythm as used in Greek and Arabic music, and 6/8 rhythm as used in Persian and Eastern Armenian music. Of course, rhythm is an important part of all music but it becomes extremely important in kef music because certain dances were created to be danced to certain rhythms.

Next on the list of attributes of jazz are blue notes. These are those bending, swaying, low-down notes that we associate especially with the female African-American blues singers. Of course, any jazz soloist on trumpet or saxophone also uses those slightly “off” notes to give the music a “soulful” flavor. In Middle Eastern music, there is a concept called quartertones or microtones. Many people in books or on the internet describe these as “notes between the notes.” Perhaps that’s true in Classical Turkish or Arabic music. But in kef music as played by Armenians, playing those notes is better described as “bending notes,” which is just another way to say “playing blue notes.” The Armenian musicians aren’t as technical, they play what sounds good to them. This is easiest to do on the oud or violin because they have a fretless fingerboard. With the clarinet, certain notes are easy to bend by changing one’s embouchure, and the same is true for the duduk. In fact, duduk players bend notes and play quartertones just as much if not more than the clarinet players in kef music, although this isn’t true of some of the other instrumentalists from Armenia who frown on quartertones. The bent notes are often heard in the singing of the Armenian clergy, especially older men born in the Middle East, but to say that this is the result of Turkish or Arabic influence would be quite wrong. While there are people out there who do show Turkish influence, the majority of the clergy of the old school sing with bent notes merely to inject some feeling into the sharagan, as the late Fr. Diran Papazian said “of course when I say I am singing from these notes, I don’t mean note for note! Hoki bedkeh das!” (You have to give it soul.)

Noted Armenian music expert Krikor Pidedjian described Papazian’s singing as “the way Armenian liturgical music was meant to be sung.” Some types of Armenian music which are either classical and rely on the piano and Western instruments or certain folk instruments whose playing has been “straightened out” during the Soviet Era, or pop music using the synthesizer keyboard, are unable to inject this type of soul, except when it comes to the vocalist. But kef music, and also duduk music, retain the “hoki notes” as we might refer to them. The only difference here between kef music and jazz is that kef music accentuates different “in-between” notes than American jazz does, in keeping with the melodic patterns of the Armenian people.

The last attribute that distinguishes jazz from other forms of music is improvisation. And oh, has kef music got improvisation! This is another aspect that distinguishes it from most other forms of Armenian music (again, duduk music also frequently uses improvisation, as does Eastern Armenian clarinet playing). Those who are the true devoted fans of kef music will wait and listen for an oud solo or a clarinet “ride,” and everyone remembers how the crowd would gather around the stage to watch the late Roger Krikorian take a dumbeg solo. Completely freestanding solos are considered an art form by the oud players, known by the Arabic term “taksim,” and the greatest master of taksim playing, Udi Hrant Kenkulian (1901-1978) is considered the greatest Armenian oud player who ever lived. Otherwise solos are played in the middle of the song, as a part of it, after the singer has completed the lyrics, just as in the classic, pre-WWII forms of jazz. The plucking of the oud strings in a soulful and rhythmic solo immediately incites the feet and arms to dance in the tak bar, and the high soaring improvisation of the clarinet fills the shourch bar dancers with euphoria as they move along their line. This type of soloing is generally something we don’t hear any more in American music. Guitar solos in rock are usually not improvised, but are the same every time, unless the band is named the Grateful Dead, and solos don’t even exist in electronic music. (Interestingly, the improvisatory desire of musicians today is now reflected in freestyle rapping, but contrary to freestyle lyrics being a new idea, in historic Armenia singers freestyled lyrics to common folk melodies. This is something that has been captured on a few very early recordings in the US, and is still practiced by a few traditionalists in Armenia.) But unlike in the American rock or electronic music scene, we still have this amazing skill of improvisation being practiced in the Armenian community, yet very few people seem to take any notice of it or consider it an art form, even when it comes to the often-praised music of the duduk.

Jazz improvisation, on the other hand, was and is considered the central feature of jazz as a great American art form, and the idea was glorified in the jazz biopics of the otherwise conformist 1950s, like “Young Man With a Horn” starring Kirk Douglas and Doris Day, where Kirk Douglas’ character, based on jazz trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke, describes his kind of music as “playing from the heart” and asks a bandleader “do you really want us to play it the same way every time?” This playing from the heart was what excited people in the era when jazz was the most popular music in the country, and just as in the Big Band era, the jitterbug dancers were egged on by Benny Goodman’s improvised clarinet solos, Armenian dancers to this day are egged on by the heartfelt improvised solos of Hachig Kazarian and other clarinetists. When it comes to oudists, Johnny Berberian puts so much soul into his oud playing that you feel like you are on top of a mountain in Armenia, and Richard Hagopian’s insistent rhythmic and intricate-yet-driving playing makes it impossible not to dance. Their solos are just as much a work of improvisatory art as any jazz musician’s.

Most jazz fans today prefer the post-WWII sound, which was originally called “modern jazz,” but they wouldn’t deny the artistry of Louis Armstrong and his contemporaries whose heyday was before the war. There are some artists in Armenia who attempt to mix the post-war jazz with Armenian classical music, and refer to their creations as “Armenian Jazz.” We even have Ara Dinkjian and Arto Tuncboyaciyan, who having sprung out of kef music, have created their own wonderful forms of Armenian Jazz with a more Western Armenian slant. But these styles are actually “modern” Armenian jazz, and just as modern jazz, are not really intended as dance party music. What isn’t recognized is that kef music itself is a living Armenian equivalent to the classic jazz of Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman, which in our community (see my previous article on ACYOA Sports Weekend) still has the ability to both move people on the dance floor and at the same time to be a highly cultivated, expressive, and soulful, art form. So, let’s celebrate our master musicians, such as those named above, and especially, especially, encourage our young up-and-coming musicians, keep them playing, hire them for dances, get them involved and recognized for their artistry, and finally recognize kef music for what it is, the Great Armenian-American Art Form.

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By Colby Itkowitz

WASHINGTON — When President Trump this week met human rights activist Nadia Murad, an Iraqi who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for speaking out about her agonizing torture and rape while in Islamic State captivity, he seemed unaware of her story and the plight of her Yazidi ethnic minority.

For several minutes in the Oval Office on Wednesday, July 17, Murad stood beside a seated Trump, who mostly avoided eye contact with Murad, and implored the president to help her community return to Iraq. She explained that the Islamic State, or ISIS, may be gone but that Iraqis and Kurds are fighting for control over Yazidi lands.

“If I cannot go to my home and live in a safe place and get my dignity back, this is not about ISIS,” she said, her voice breaking. “It’s about I’m in danger. My people cannot go back.”

Murad, who lives in Germany, told Trump that she never wanted to be a refu­gee but that ISIS murdered her mother and six brothers.

“Where are they now?” Trump asked.

“They killed them,” she repeated. “They are in the mass grave in Sinjar, and I’m still fighting just to live in safety.”

“I know the area very well that you’re talking about,” Trump responded.

Trump’s meeting — which drew widespread criticism because of its awkward moments — included nearly two dozen foreigners who, like Murad, had suffered religious persecution in their home countries. They included a Jewish Holocaust survivor, a Tibetan from China and a Rohingya Muslim from Myanmar.

Trump told Murad he would look into it “very strongly.” As she started to back away, Trump said: “And you had the Nobel Prize. That’s incredible. They gave it to you for what reason?”

“For what reason?” Murad replied. “For, after all this happened to me, I didn’t give up. I made it clear to everyone that ISIS raped thousands of Yazidi women.” She told him she was the first woman to get out and speak publicly about what was happening.

“Oh, really, is that right?” Trump said, his voice notably more upbeat. “So you escaped.”

“I escaped, but I don’t have my freedom yet,” she said.

Trump has said that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on Syria and North Korea and has lamented that President Barack Obama received the honor during his first year in office.

In the same meeting, the president also seemed not to know that Rohingya refugees had fled violence in Myanmar, also known as Burma. In a confusing exchange, a Rohingya man, Mohib Ullah, told Trump that his people wanted to “go back home as quickly as possible” — an apparent reference to western Myanmar — and asked the president what the plan was to help them.

“And where is that, exactly?” the president asked.

“Bangladesh refugee camp,” Mohib Ullah answered, referring to where thousands of Rohingya have fled to escape persecution by security forces in Myanmar.

Sam Brownback, a former Republican governor of Kansas who is now U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom, interjected, “That is right next to Burma.”

“I see,” Trump said.

Before a military crackdown that began in 2015 and intensified two years later, an estimated 1 million Rohingya people lived in Rakhine state, on Myanmar’s western coast. Hundreds of thousands have since fled to neighboring Bangladesh, where they have been living in squalid camps in the southeastern part of that country.

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BERLIN — Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who saved the lives of Jews and others during World War II in Nazi-occupied Hungary. A foundation named after the humanitarian, who was detained and disappeared in January 1945, promotes educational programs and organizes public awareness campaigns focused on the values of solidarity and civic courage embodied in the activities of Wallenburg and other Saviors of the Holocaust.

This year the Raoul Wallenburg award went to Cem Özdemir, a national leader of the Bundnis 90/Die Grünen party and member of the Bundestag (Parliament). He received the medal for his role in “building bridges between Armenians and Turks and his pivotal contribution” leading the campaign to have the Armenian genocide recognized by the Bundestag in June 2016. The award ceremony took place in Berlin on June 16 at the Gedächtniskirche, a church that was bombed during the war and stands as a symbol of remembrance in the capital. The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation representative Pastor Annemarie Werner, head of the Vaterunser Church, and Martin Gremer, pastor of the host chapel, presided over the ceremony, which included remarks by Turkish-Armenian musician Marc Sinan. Dr. Amill Gorgis of the Society for the Promotion of an Ecumenical Monument for Genocide Victims in the Ottoman Empire (FÖGG) presented the award.

In rendering thanks for having been so honored, Özdemir referred to the historic chapel as “an impressive monument to the horror of the Second World War.” Though one might understand the desire of some to erase “the wounds of conflict from the cityscape,” he was glad it had been preserved; he pointed also to the fact that the square where the church is located was also the scene of a terrorist attack two and a half years ago, which killed 12 persons. “We cannot forget the victims of war and terror,” he said. “An open society needs remembrance as much as every individual needs air to breathe.”

“I am often asked what success I am most proud of,” he continued. “There have been several highpoints and I am grateful for all of them. But there is one event that stands out and concerns me particularly: as you all know, three years ago the Bundestag passed a resolution recognizing the genocide against the Aramaeans, Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldaens and Pontis Greeks. It filled me with pride to have contributed to this recognition.” He expressed his thanks to all those who helped in the effort, saying the award was also going to them.

“The resolution will remain,” he said. “There is nothing that can shake it. The statement that Germany was ‘complicit’ in the deaths of 1.5 million persons in the Ottoman Empire is written for all time in the protocols of the Bundestag.” This, he said, defined a task for everyone, to continue to develop the culture of remembrance in Germany, by adding a chapter to include the history of genocides in the twentieth century.

“In 1948,” he recalled, “the United Nations passed the Convention on Genocide,” and the term “genocide” was coined by the Jewish jurist Raphael Lemkin on the basis of his study of the Armenian tragedy in the Ottoman Empire. “That tragedy was, however, neither the first nor the last genocide in the 20th century.” In the killings of tens of thousands of Hereros and Namas, Germany “was not ‘complicit’ or ‘mainly responsible,’ but was ‘solely responsible.’ And the means adopted, like killing orders, expulsions, starvation and concentration camps, are a terrible reminder of the Armenian genocide and the Shoa. It is high time for the Bundestag to finally recognize also the genocide against the Hereros and Namas through a comparable resolution.” Özdemir added that this chapter has unfortunately not been closed, as documented by Rwanda (1994), Srebrenica (1995) and the “ethnic cleansing” in the Bosnian war (1992-1995)—atrocities which should have provoked a greater outcry.

Özdemir noted that genocides “do not occur in a vacuum” but have “models,” and cited Eli Wiesel’s characterization of the Armenian genocide as the “genocide before the genocide.” Thus the need to talk about the Armenian genocide, as well as those before and after it, including the Yezidi and Rohingya people today. “We have to talk about how we will prevent future Rwandas and Srebrenicas,” and do so early. “For this reason, the 20th century genocides must be featured appropriately in our textbooks in German schools.”

In the second part of his address, Özdemir turned to the current situation in the German Bundestag. He recalled the words uttered by then-President Joachim Gauck in 2015 on the centenary of the genocide. Gauck stressed the “responsibility of those alive today to be duty bound to a policy that respects and protects the right to life and human rights of every individual.” That responsibility, Özdemir said, no longer enjoys a consensus in the current German parliament. “There is a party that refuses to remember the darkest chapter of German history,” he said; “whose parliamentarians refuse to applaud when a Holocaust survivor speaks in the Bundestag; and whose party and faction leader describes Nazism as ‘bird shit’ (Vogelschiss) of history. They reject truth.” The party in question is the AfD, Alternative for Germany, the right-extremist group that now has elected officials at the national and federal state levels.

It is absurd, Özdemir stated, that the AfD should now speak up in favor of the resolution and demand implementation. “What is clear is that the AfD never supported it!” Özdemir recapitulated the three basic ideas behind the Armenian genocide resolution: “First, to recognize the complicity of Germany; secondly, to promote the study and working through of this terrible chapter in German and European history; and, thirdly, to support the dialogue between people in Armenia and Turkey. The AfD,” he noted, “does not endorse any of these aims.”

The reason the AfD refers to the resolution, Özdemir explained, is to put pressure on Turkey and the Turkish people, whether at home or in Germany, and to block possible EU membership for Turkey, “even if, hopefully in the not too distant future, it were to find its way back to democracy and the rule of law.” Özdemir commented that the AfD simply did not understand the meaning of the resolution, and added that, with its presence in the Bundestag today, that same bill would not be passed unanimously as it was 3 years ago.

The central point Özdemir made is that “the greatest honor we can render the victims of the Armenian genocide and all other genocides: to fight to ensure that extremism, hatred and violence find no anchor in our society.” In contrast to Hitler’s cynical remark that no one talked about the fate of the Armenians, Özdemir stressed the importance of living up to the slogan, “Never Again.” In closing the Green Party parliamentarian gave voice to his great respect for two role models: Raoul Wallenberg, for his courage and humanity, and Hrant Dink, “my friend, the Armenian Turkish journalist who was killed in 2017.” Regretting that Dink could not be present for the event, Özdemir said perhaps he was there in spirit; “and encourages us not to allow our hearts to be poisoned by the hatred of fanatics, and to believe more strongly in the power of truth, love and forgiveness, such that a new generation of Turks, Kurds and Armenians may extend their hands for reconciliation as good neighbors.”

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YEREVAN — The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced the #AraratChallenge, a new crowdfunding campaign aimed at supporting those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid around the world.

The #AraratChallenge is a video-based crowdfunding campaign set to increase the impact and reach of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, whose projects combat poverty, improve healthcare and provide education to those in need. This call-to-donate seeks to inspire and engage people to embrace Aurora’s mission of empowering successive generations of humanitarians.

At the core of the campaign is Mount Ararat, a universal symbol of renewal and second chances. Just as the 100,000 Armenian orphans who survived the Genocide had a chance to start a new life, the #AraratChallenge provides an exceptional opportunity for everyone to join this movement and give a second chance to those who need it most.

“Mount Ararat is the Biblical mountain where Noah’s ark is said to have landed and a crucial part of the story about humanity’s second chance. As we know, a century ago our ancestors were also given a second chance to survive the Armenian Genocide. Many people, including my grandfather, owed their survival to the generosity of others. One hundred years later, we founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity on behalf of the survivors and in gratitude to their saviors. We are committed to giving a second chance to those who are in need today. The #AraratChallenge is a unique opportunity to continue the cycle of Gratitude in Action together,” said Noubar Afeyan, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative co-founder.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has kicked off the #AraratChallenge crowdfunding campaign, inviting people from all over the world to take part in this movement and donate any sum to give a second chance to the vulnerable and destitute. All funds received in the form of donations will be directed to the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative’s programs that directly benefit those in need.

“Everyone deserves a second chance, and the #AraratChallenge is a call to help us give that chance to people around the world,” said Ruben Vardanyan, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative co-founder. “I myself and many other Armenians are alive today only because some courageous and compassionate people saved our grandparents one hundred years ago. Today, we continue to see victims of violence, war and genocide around the world. Most often, children are the first victims of these heinous atrocities. And just as we sought help a century ago, today we can be those that help; we can make a difference. Today, we are fortunate to have a turn at making the world a safer place for generations to come. Join the #AraratChallenge and put your gratitude into action.”

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is an eight-year commitment (2015 to 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) to support people and promote global projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiative’s various programs: The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES Initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan who have been joined by more than 440 new supporters and partners. Chair Dr. Tom Catena, draws on his experience is a surgeon, veteran, humanitarian and the 2017 Aurora Prize laureate to spread the message of Gratitude in Action to a global audience. The Initiative welcomes all who embrace a commitment to our shared humanity.

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ALEPPO, Syria (Armenpress) — A 17-year-old Armenian youth, Shant Keoshkerian, was shot dead in Aleppo on July 29, Arevelk periodical reported, citing its own sources.

Keoshkerian was shot on Martin Street. The Police was able to apprehend the suspect. The motives of the murder are under investigation.

On July 17, an Armenian woman, Syuzan Der Karkur, was stoned to death in Syria’s Idlib province.

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RIMINI, Italy — Everyone was amazed at the excellence displayed by the young musicians from Armenia. They participated in the International Artistic Days Italia, a festival and contest held in Rimini from June 24-27. The youngsters from Yerevan won several prizes in the competition, four first prizes and seven second prizes, to be precise. The children and youth are all students at the Aleksey Hekimyan Music School in Yerevan, and flew to Venice on June 21, then continued by bus to the magnificent renaissance city, Florence, accompanied by teachers, including Lusine Arakelyan. In Rimini it was music, music, music, and in addition to the festival, they also performed in a concert in San Giovanni Valdarno, organized by the municipality.

Arakelyan beamed with pride that all the students from her school won prizes, and said they had earned the admiration of their audiences for their skill and joy in music. The concert audience was excited about the performance level of the youngsters and marveled at the correct pronunciation in their Italian language selections. Teacher and opera singer Lusine Arakelyan also performed a short song at the conclusion of the program, “Il Bacio” (The Kiss) by Luigi Arditi. All were rewarded with warm and prolonged ovations.

The International Artistic Days are sponsored by several Italian agencies, like the municipalities, regional and provincial governments, the Italy-Russia Friendship Association, diplomatic representatives of Russia, Kazakhstan, San Marino, and of course the Italian Ministry of Culture. The events take place in these and other countries, and bring together young musical talents from all over the world.

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NEW YORK — The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative announced this week that Benjamin Ferencz, noted peace and human rights activist, has joined the Selection Committee of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity as its honorary co-chair. The well-known Romanian-born American lawyer, who has been promoting the establishment of an international rule of law for many years, will be a global ambassador of the Aurora Prize.

“We are delighted to welcome Benjamin Ferencz, whose persistent efforts to secure justice for the victims of crimes against humanity have made our world a better place. During his career he has defended human decency and our common humanity against persecution and genocide. We are happy to have him join the Aurora Prize Selection Committee as its honorary co-chair,” said Vartan Gregorian, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative co-founder and president of Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ferencz was one of the investigators working to hold the Nazis accountable for the crimes committed during World War II and acted as chief prosecutor for the US Army at the Einsatzgruppen Trial held in Nuremberg, Germany.

After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1943, he joined the Army and was deployed to Europe where he participated in the liberation of the German concentration camps. That experience profoundly affected Ferencz, determining the course of his future life and career.

Ferencz also helped develop and implement rehabilitation programs for people persecuted by the Nazi regime and played a role in the negotiations that led to the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany, signed in 1952. He has dedicated his life to fighting for human rights and global peace, making it his mission to promote the establishment of an international rule of law.

“I’m very impressed with the work Aurora is doing around the globe. We have a shared goal to create a more humane society under the rule of law, and I was pleased to accept the invitation to join the Aurora Prize Selection Committee as its honorary co-chair. My experience has taught me that creating a world of support and compassion takes a great deal of time, commitment and effort, so I’m excited about being part of a community who has made this its mission,” said Ferencz.

The Selection Committee for the Aurora Prize includes three Nobel laureates, several former heads of state, high-level diplomats, and other public figures and influential members of the international community.

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YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (National Academy of Sciences) are teaming up to jointly study the mysterious Carahunge, the prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The two organizations signed an agreement to that end on July 30.

The two institutions have long had differences regarding the structure, and now they are joining forces to find out what Carahunge, also known as Zorats Karer, was: an ancient astronomical observatory or a settlement which has a mausoleum status.

Carahunge is often internationally referred to as the Armenian Stonehenge. The construction date of the structure is unknown — presumably sometime between the Middle Bronze Age and Iron Age, between 2000 and 1200 BC.

Bnorran Member of the Board Arevik Sargsyan said they believe Carahunge was an ancient astronomical observatory.

“We think Carahunge, where more than 200 stones are located, with 80 having holes in them, is an ancient astronomical observatory, which was studied by Paris Herouni, with other experts having made similar opinions before that,” she said, referring to the late physicist’s views who dated the megalithic structure to 5500 BC and argued that some of the stones mirror the brightest star of the Cygnus constellation, Deneb.

“According to another opinion, Carahunge isn’t an astronomical observatory. It is simply an ancient site, a settlement, which has a status of a mausoleum,” she said.

Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography Pavel Avetisyan and archaeological expedition team leader Ashot Piliposyan said not a single astronomical tool has been discovered during excavations at the site, and moreover, some of the stones also have holes in the lower parts, which aren’t directed at the stars.

Piliposyan emphasized the uniqueness of the monument in the entire Transcaucasia.

“It requires studies in all aspects. We discussed many issues during the signing of the agreement, we even considered that maybe in the future it will be possible to build a museum near the monument to display all materials regarding the ancient site,” Piliposyan said.

Both parties have agreed to suspend excavations at Carahunge until a joint seminar of experts takes place to develop a plan and conduct research.

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YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — An Armenian soldier was killed near the border with Azerbaijan on July 28, a Defense Ministry spokesman announced.

According to Artsrun Hovannisian, Arman Bulghadaryan, a 24-year-old soldier serving in the Armenian armed forces under a contract, was hit on Sunday by a bullet from the Azerbaijani side at the northeastern section of the highly militarized border.

No further details have been provided.

Earlier, on Saturday, the Armenian military reported another incident at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in which an Armenian contract soldier was wounded.

In a statement released then Armenia’s Defense Ministry accused Azerbaijan of seeking to escalate the border situation.

“Another provocative action by the Azerbaijani side once again proves that the enemy continues to brazenly violate the ceasefire regime and consistently escalate the situation on the border. It is Azerbaijan that bears full responsibility for the escalation of the situation,” it said.

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YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The leaders of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have normalized their relations following a recent public spat, a senior official in Yerevan insisted on Friday, July 26.

“The relationship between Yerevan and Stepanakert is in a very good state at the moment,” said Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council. “There were some problems but those problems are now a thing of the past.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan charged in May that unnamed “forces representing the former corrupt system” are intent on provoking a war with Azerbaijan, losing “some territories” and blaming that defeat on Armenia’s current government. He effectively pointed the finger at Karabakh’s leadership.

In early June, Pashiniyan accused the authorities in Stepanakert of spreading false claims about significant territorial concessions to Azerbaijan planned by his government. Bako Sahakyan, the Karabakh president, was quick to deny that.

The secretary of Sahakyan’s national security council, Vitaly Balasanian, was relieved of his duties a few days later. Balasanyan had publicly scoffed at Pashinyan’s confidence-building understandings reached with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev late last year. The remarks sparked a war of words between Balasanyan and Pashinyan’s press secretary, Vladimir Karapetian.

The Armenian premier was also irked by a written petition by Sahakyan and his predecessor Arkadi Ghukasyan which facilitated the release from prison on May 18 of Robert Kocharyan, Armenia’s Karabakh-born former president facing coup and corruption charges. Kocharyan was arrested again on June 25.

Grigoryan, who visited Stepanakert last week, declined to comment on the “problems” between Yerevan and Stepanakert. “The problems have been talked about in public and discussed during meetings,” he told reporters.

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