FEBRUARY 18, 2012

THE ARMENIAN

Mirror -Spe ctatIn Ouor Mirror -Spe ctator r 80th Year Volume LXXXII, NO. 32, Issue 4226 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Armenian Driver Helps Arrested Georgian Police Disarm Bomb Publisher TBILISI (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Police in Georgia disarmed a bomb concealed in a vehicle used by Israeli embassy staff, local media reported Monday, February 13. Applies The personal driver of Itzahk Gernberg, Israel’s ambassador to Georgia, Roman Khachaturyan dis - covered the hand grenade taped to the bottom of To ECHR the vehicle during a morning check. Georgian bomb squads were called to the scene and safely disarmed the device, M&C reported, cit - ISTANBUL (Hürriyet Daily News) — ing DPA. Arrested publisher Ragip Zarakolu’s lawyers have filed a suit at the European Court of Human Rights to challenge the Armenian Killed in Syria prosecutor’s orders that led to his arrest on ALEPPO (news.am) — Two explosions took place November 1, Elmas Boyajian (Joyce Van Dyke’s grandmother, called Victoria in the play) with her husband Harry (Haroutoun), who is the playwright’s grandfather, and daughter Rose, here on Friday and as a result, an Armenian man 2011, as part of Providence. All three are characters in the play. died, the spokesperson of the Armenian Ministry of the Kurdistan Foreign Affairs, Tigran Balayan, said. Communities “As the Armenian Consulate in Aleppo has been Union (KCK) tri - informed, Armenian Vigen Hayrapetyan died in an als. ‘Deported/a dream play’ explosion in Aleppo,” he said. “[The KCK Two explosions occurred on Friday, resulting in probe] is a politi - Is Culmination of Long Creative Process the deaths of 28 and injuring 175. cally [motivated] The target was a the military investigation office, case filed by the BOSTON — When “Deported/ a dream play” by Joyce Van Dyke opens on March but civilians also died, including children, who were AKP [Justice and 8 at the Modern Theatre in Boston, it will mark the culmination of a five-year cre - playing in a nearby park. Development ative process for the playwright. The opposition Syrian Free Army took the Party] govern - Ragip Zarakolu Said Van Dyke in a recent interview, “It’s very intense. I started working on the responsibility for the explosions. ment, and the material in 2007. The first thing I did was to go combination of to ALMA [the Armenian Library and Museum of the prosecutors’ and judges’ lack of inde - Next Hearing on America] and listen to interviews done with sur - pendence and impartiality makes it difficult By Daphne Abeel vivors of the Genocide. Many of them were done Soldier Death for a just and lawful verdict to be reached,” Special to the Mirror-Spectator by Bethel Bilezikian Charkoudian.” Zarakolu’s lawyer Özcan Kiliç said. The play is the story of two women, Van Dyke’s Scheduled for April 6 The suit filed at the European court per - grandmother, Elmas Sarajian Boyajian, and her close friend, Varter Deranian. Both tains to such matters as treatment in deten - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (PanARMENIAN.Net) — A women lived through the Genocide and lost their first families but managed to come tion, the legal and material basis for the military court here has ruled to take the testi - to the United States to start new lives and to have new families. In the play, Van Dyke arrest and access to case files and evidence, monies of 19 village guards who presumably wit - explores her own history as a descendant of Genocide survivors and interweaves the rather than the trial process itself, in accor - nessed the murder of a Turkish soldier of Armenian memories and dreams of the two women, whose friendship and history binds them. dance with the requirements prescribed in origin under dubious circumstances while he was “I had to do a lot of research,” said Van Dyke, “because my grandmother never the fifth article of the European performing his military service in 2011. talked about what had happened to her.” Convention on Human Rights, which estab - In the fifth hearing of the Sevag Sahin Balikçi see DEPORTED, page 15 lished the court, according to Kiliç. case, a lieutenant commander and a forensic sci - “The KCK trial is going to be the case ence expert were appointed as experts,. with the largest number of suspects in The military judge overseeing the case is report - Istanbul since the military coup of 1980. It ed to have said that it is “his duty to make sure the is still too early to comment on the course Turkish Court Acquits Another case is completed in the fairest way.” of the trial,” Kiliç said. Meanwhile, Ismail Cem Halavurt, Balikçi’s Tuncay Özkan, another suspect in the lawyer, said he has also demanded taped records of ongoing Ergenekon trials, had already Defendant in Dink Murder Case the incident. applied to the European court last week on The next hearing of the case is scheduled for see ZARAKOLU, page 4 ANKARA (PanARMENIAN.Net) — A punished because they neglected their April 6, Hürriyet Daily News reported. court has acquitted Coskun Igci, one of 19 duties. Those people are Col. Ali Öz, Capt. Balikçi was shot on April 24, 2011, in a gen - defendants in the murder case of Hrant Metin Yildiz, non-commissioned officer darmerie station of Batman province by another Dink, the founder and former editor-in-chief Orhan Simsek and Sgt. Veysel Sahin,” he soldier, Kivanç Agaoglu. Administration Reduces of the Armenian-Turkish Agos weekly who said. was assassinated in 2007 in front of his When a judge at the court asked Igci if Aid for Armenia, Region office in Istanbul, after forgetting to include he had been in contact with those four peo - him in the final verdict in January, Today’s ple, Igci replied that he had contacted WASHINGTON (RFE/RL) — The adminis - INSI DE Zaman reported. Simsek and Sahin. tration of President Barack Obama has called Igci, who presumably called on Yasin The Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court for a nearly 18 percent reduction in annual US Hayal to buy a gun with which to shoot issued its ruling on January 17 in the 25th government assistance to Armenia, which has Dink, was accidentally left out of the final hearing of the case. Hayal and Erhan steadily decreased over the past decade. Muradian verdict and the judge issued a ruling sepa - Tuncel, the main suspects, who were The administration’s draft budget for the rately for him on Monday, February 13. accused of being instigators, and all other fiscal year 2013 unveiled on Monday would On September 19, 2011, the prosecution suspects, were cleared of charges of mem - allocate $32.5 million in economic aid and Memories recommended his acquittal on the grounds bership in a terrorist organization. $3.3 million in separate military funding to that “there was no substantial evidence to The prosecutor and the Dink family’s the country, down from a total of $43.5 mil - Story on page 14 suggest he took part in the crime.” lawyers accused them of acting under the lion that was approved by the US Congress Igci’s lawyer said at the court on Monday orders of a clandestine criminal network for this year. that his client has no ties to the murder suspected of having ties with senior state The proposed reduction seems to stem except for being the uncle of Hayal, one of officials and military and police officers. from a further cut in overall US aid to the main suspects. The court handed down a life sentence to Europe, the South Caucasus and Central INDEX Igci said to the court that he had Hayal, while Tuncel was given 10 years and Asia sought by the administration. The bud - Arts and Living ...... 12 informed gendarmerie intelligence officers six months in prison for his involvement in get proposal attributes that to the “achieve - Armenia ...... 2,3 in Trabzon that a plan to assassinate Dink the bombing of a McDonald’s restaurant in ment of a number of assistance goals” in Community News...... 5 was in place four months prior to the mur - 2004. Gunman Ogün Samast was sen - the region. Editorial ...... 17 der. tenced last July to nearly 23 years in prison International ...... 4 Nevertheless, the two main Armenian- “I am not guilty. The people I reported by a separate juvenile court. Tuncel was American advocacy groups criticized the about were tried in Trabzon and they were released. see BUDGET, page 20

Benefit for the Armenian Mirror-Spectator Celebrating 80 Years and Beyond Thursday, May 24, 2012 2 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia US Envoy Content with Armenian Local Poll

Official vote results showed tions would take that information to By Naira Bulghadarian Hrazdan’s incumbent pro-government the authorities and I would expect that Belarus Parliamentary mayor, Aram Danielian, narrowly defeat - the authorities would follow up on any ing his sole challenger, Sasun Mikaelian of those reports,” he said. Delegates Pay Tribute to YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — John Heffern, of the opposition Armenian National The diplomat also reiterated that the the US ambassador to Armenia, on Congress (HAK). Mikaelian refused to United States will do “whatever we can Genocide Victims Tuesday expressed his overall satisfac - concede defeat, however, saying that to contribute” to the freedom and fair - tion with the Armenian authorities’ the election outcome was essentially ness of the Armenian parliamentary YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Deputy chairman of the handling of a weekend local election in decided by widespread vote buying by elections. “The international communi - House of Representatives of the National Assembly Hrazdan denounced as fraudulent by the Danielyan campaign. ty is very interested in Armenia’s of Belarus Victor Guminski and members of the the country’s leading opposition force. The HAK echoed these allegations in democracy and we’re working with the Armenian-Belarus inter-parliamentary cooperation Heffern, who personally watched vot - a statement issued late on Monday. It Central Election Commission and the commission visited memorial to the victims of the ing in the central Armenian town, said said the government-controlled election parties and the civil society and the Armenian Genocide February 14. They put a it should have positive implications for commissions in Hrazdan also flouted an press to make this election free and wreath at the Tsitsernakaberd memorial and paid the conduct of the parliamentary elec - Electoral Code provision that requires fare,” he said. tribute to the memory of the victims. tions due in May. them to put seals on the passports of The US State Department criticized Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide “It was exciting to see strong political local residents taking part in the elec - the last Armenian parliamentary and Museum-Institute Suren Manukyan presented the competition, and it was exciting to see tion. The HAK said the local polls held presidential elections as “significantly history of the greatest crime committed against in Hrazdan that there were two strong on Sunday in Hrazdan and 38 other flawed.” Heffern said last October humanity in early 20 century. Accompanied with candidates,” he said. “It was a hard- local communities should be annulled that Washington expects Yerevan to Manukyan, the guests got acquainted with the sam- fought campaign and the results were for that reason alone. make the May 2012 vote as well as a ples presented in the museum. close. So it was exciting to me … to see However, the governor of Kotayk presidential ballot due in 2013 “the “It is very painful to speak about this fact. I think real political competition there, which I Province, of which Hrazdan is the capi - best elections ever.” Armenian leaders the day will come when the Republic of Belarus will think is critical to the upcoming elec - tal, insisted on Tuesday that the ballot have since publicly promised that the also discuss the issue demanding serious and tions as well.” was free and fair. Kovalenko upcoming vote will be the most demo - accomplished approach,” Victor Guminski said. “I was pleased to see that within the Shahgaldian claimed that this is why cratic in the country’s post-Soviet his - More than 20 countries have recognized and con- polling places it was orderly. Both sides Mikaelian did not challenge the official tory. demned the Armenian Genocide. confirmed, that the election procedures results at the Central Election Eric Rubin, a US deputy assistant sec - were being followed in a transparent Commission in Yerevan or in courts. retary of state, said in November that Armenian Grandmasters and orderly way,” Heffern said. Heffern urged the Armenian authori - the Armenian government is serious “The other thing that worked pretty ties to investigate all fraud allegations about this pledge. “We think the gov - Open Elite Chess School well — again according to both sides — reported by the media. “I’ve seen in the ernment is not just saying all the right was the early release of the voter lists press and I heard some talk of some vio - things, but we believe is committed to YEREVAN (news.am) — With the assistance of the … So there were several good, positive lations and I would just hope that any - an open, free and fair process and to a Chess Federation of Armenia, grandmasters Levon signs from the elections yesterday,” he body who has information on any viola - real contest in the elections,” Rubin Aronian and Gabriel Sargsyan have opened the added. tions inside or outside the polling sta - told a conference in Washington. Grandmasters School, where they will conduct trainings for the gifted chess players ranging between the ages of 10 and 18. World and European champions, as well as gold and silver medalists at Armenia’s championships Oskanian Makes Political Comeback As Elections Loom will be eligible to enroll in the school. The two-week trainings will be held two to three YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Vartan ration of political forces,” he said. foreign minister throughout his 1998- times per year, Armchess.am reports. Oskanian, Armenia’s former longtime “As chairman of the board of the 2008 presidency. foreign minister, announced on Civilitas Foundation, I had, on various Naira Zohrabian, a senior BHK fig - Hambartsumyan’s Films Tuesday his decision to return to the occasions, expressed my views on ure, confirmed that the party has political arena by joining the country’s events and developments in Armenia. received a membership application from To Be Shown in Yerevan second most important governing party Today, I believe it is time to become Oskanian. “The party chairman, Gagik three months before crucial parliamen - more actively involved in our political Tsarukian, is not in the country right YEREVAN (Tert.am) — From February 13 to 17, tary elections. processes,” he added. now,” she said. “He will return to the films by the Russian-based filmmaker Eduard In a written statement, Oskanian said Oskanian already signaled his country tomorrow or the day after and Hambartsumyan will be shown here, with the spon- he has formally applied for membership desire to run for parliament on the Mr. Oskanian’s application will natural - sorship of the Rossotrudnichestvo office in in the Prosperous Armenia Party BHK ticket in a statement issued on ly be discussed in accordance with all Armenia. (BHK) of Gagik Tsarukian, a millionaire January 30. It followed months of procedures.” The film festifval has been organized by the Arno businessman believed to be close to for - reported tensions between Tsarukian “Mr. Tsarukian has always said that Babajanyan Remembrance International mer President Robert Kocharian. and President Serge Sargisian. Prosperous Armenia’s doors are open Foundation, Russian Science and Culture Center in “I make this decision convinced that Commentators have linked them with to all those figures who are ready to Yerevan and First Russian-Armenian TV channel the Prosperous Armenia Party, togeth - Kocharian’s alleged desire to return work with us for the sake of building a (www.tvarm.ru). er with other political parties, is able to, to power. They have speculated that better and more prosperous Armenia, Hambartsumyan graduated from the Department through political competition, secure Kocharian might rely not only on the who share our programs and aims …In of Culture, Yerevan Teachers Training Institute, free and fair elections, and thus, a new BHK but also former government fig - his recent interviews Mr. Oskanian said with honors. As a student, he worked for the Mir National Assembly with a new configu - ures such as Oskanian, who served as that Prosperous Armenia’s goals are interstate TV and shot films for the Internews dear to his heart and he wants to go NGO. down the same path with us,” In 2004, after moving to Moscow, Russia, Zohrabian said. Hambartsumyan took an in-depth training course Zohrabian agreed that Oskanian’s at Mosfilm. He also took a post-graduate course First Film about Narekatsi involvement with the BHK would give it under the direction of film expert Armen a boost ahead of the parliamentary elec - Medvedev. tions slated for May. She also denied To Be Presented Abroad that the membership request is con - Opening of Armenian nected with a possible Kocharian come - YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The set designers of the film managed to back. Branch of Goethe first film shot about Grigor find caves in Eastern and Western “I absolutely don’t see a connection Narekatsi, called “Pastor,” will be Armenia where the majority of shoot - here with the second president of the University Anticipated shown February 15. The film was ing took place. He confessed that they republic because Mr. Oskanian also shot in two years in Western and faced a number of difficulties, includ - worked with the first president [Levon YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The number of Eastern Armenia. ing financial ones, but a hand from Ter-Petrosian] and even the current Armenian students wishing to study in Germany “Our goal was to present above was guiding the group helping president when the latter was prime through different scholarship programs increased Narekatsi, to make him known all it overcome all the undesirable obsta - minister [in 2007-2008,]” Zohrabian almost three-fold times during the last three years, over the world. He was a saint living cles, he said. said. Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan one thousand years ago. His charac - The title role is played by actor In his January 30 statement, said at a news conference, on February 14. The ter, his face has been forgotten,” pro - Arthur Karapetyan, who confessed Oskanian spoke of “politically motivat - minister said the number of students studying in ducer of the film Archbishop Rafael that the role was so difficult and ed pressures” exerted on Tsarukian’s Germany through scholarship programs has Minasyan said at a news conference unusual that there were moments party and, in a clear reference to reached 140. The development of Armenology is Tuesday. He said the film is neither when he even refused to participate Sargisian’s Republican Party of also an important topic in the relations between theological but aims to present in the shootings. Armenia (HHK), “the utilization of Armenia and Germany. “A number of German uni- Narekatsi as he was. “It was a very responsible role for administrative resources this early in versities have good Armenology traditions,” the “We have very little information me. I cannot give any assessment to the pre-electoral period.” minister said, adding that relations in the sphere of but there are traditions among the the work I have done, I was guided Sargisian, Tsarukian and Artur higher education are also improving. people connected with him, com - by the dictation of our Saint,” Baghdasarian, the leader of a third The minister said an important issue between the mented in different ways,” director Karapetyan said. party represented in the Armenian gov - two countries remains the opening of a branch of and screenwriter Artak Avdalyan In near future the film is expected ernment, discussed the upcoming elec - Goethe University in Armenia. “We need it very said. to be shown in the Unites States, tions at a meeting on Monday. They much,” the minister said. He said though Narekavank no Lebanon and a number of European reportedly pledged not to undermine longer exists in Western Armenia, the countries. each other’s parties during the parlia - mentary race. S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 3 ARMENIA

Former Soviet Boxing Champ, Duped by Notary, Now Lives in Homeless Shelter

YEREVAN (Hetq) — Armen Khaloyan, a for - Prosecutor’s Office. The Arabkir district pros - mer boxing champion of Armenia and the ecutor launched a criminal case in 2005. USSR, now lives in a homeless shelter. Charges were dropped four times in the fol - In the 1990s, Khaloyan left for Latvia and lowing five years. Each time a new investiga - returned to Armenia in 2003. He can’t find tion has been ordered. his family and doesn’t know if his wife and In November 2010, the Prosecutor two daughters are waiting for him...some - General directed the Police Department’s where. Central Department of Investigations to “I returned to Armenia in 2003 to get the take charge. necessary documents in order to lengthen my Investigator Mangoyan concluded from his residency status in Latvia. I needed to be findings that notary Emma Shaboyan did locally registered but it turns out I no longer indeed violate the law stemming from per - had a permanent address in Armenia,” says sonal interests by selling the apartment with - the Soviet master sportsman. out the consent of Khaloyan Mangoyan made It turns out that Khaloyan’s brother had a note saying that the statute of limitations of bribed a notary public, Emma Shaboyan, who five years had passed since Shaboyan violated in turn facilitated the sale of Armen’s apart - the law. He subsequently dropped the charges ment to a Georgian citizen. against the notary saying her offense was of Khaloyan says the sale contract was written medium level seriousness. up to make it seem that his mother had sold Khaloyan says he has lost all hope in the the apartment. He says that at the time, 1998, Armen Khaloyan with his medals Armen Khaloyan now judicial system — the judges, prosecutors, his mother was bed-ridden and died of cancer everyone. a year later. He added that the apartment was “All these years I have been pursuing jus - jointly owned by him and his mother and that buyer, Donara Davtyan. to keep it.” tice and for what? To see the guilty get off he would have had to agree to the sale as Months later, out of the blue, the Appeals Khaloyan says he refused the offer and scott free?” well. Court overturned the verdict. It remains a took the case to the Court of Cassation. He Even his petitions to different tribunals and In 2004, we took the matter to the mystery why the Appeals Court even says Judge Varuzhan Abelyan made a similar the RA Special Investigative Service regard - Shengavit Court. At the trial, Shaboyan reviewed the lower court’s ruling. offer. “A 20-percent kick-back on the price of ing the bribe offers by judges, have been for feigned ignorance and claimed that an office Khaloyan claims that at the start of the the apartment is the going rate,” said the naught. fire in 2000 had destroyed most of the files. Appeals Court session his lawyer told him judge according to Khaloyan. “No one even responds to my complaints Shaboyan said that it would be up to the that the judge, Levon Grigoryan, wanted to He says that when he told the judge he did - anymore, not the police or prosecutors. They court to decide her fate. see him. Khaloyan says that the judge n’t have the money the judge threw him out say they’ve heard it all before. Even the The court ruled in favor of Khaloyan and asked him for a bribe. “Your apartment is of the office. Human Rights Ombudsman says it’s not in voided the apartment sale to the Georgian worth $15,000. Give me $3,000 and you get Khaloyan took the matter to the police and his jurisdiction. So who do I turn to?”

Armenia’s Parliament Deputy Speaker Heavy Snow Disrupts Air, Road Traffic In Armenia

Meets with German Journalists YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — An unusually heavy snowfall temporarily closed Armenia’s main YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Deputy Speaker uation — explosive. international airport, blocked highways across the country and disrupted public trans - of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov Simultaneously, they understand Armenia portation in Yerevan on Friday. received German journalists Richard Kisler and has “difficult” neighbors, but they think it is The snowfall, which began on Thursday evening and intensified overnight, forced the admin - Knut Teske, who have arrived in Armenia to get possible to disseminate mutual trust through istration of Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport to cancel or delay all flights early in the morning. The acquainted with the position of the Armenian economic cooperation. According to them the flight service with the outside world partly resumed late in the afternoon. Similar disruptions party on the Nagorno Karabagh (NK) conflict Azerbaijani have stood up for economic cooper - were reported at the much smaller airport of Armenia’s second largest city of Gumri. settlement, the causes of the conflict, the possi - ation. According to the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations, several mountain passes ble ways for solution and the social, economic Sharmazanov said the contradiction of and highway sections across the country were impassable as of early afternoon. The min - and political state of the country. speech and deed is typical of Azerbaijan. They The press service for the National Assembly “play policy,” while he will speak with facts. of Armenia said Sharmazanov praised the In response to German journalists’ questions German journalists for visiting the region per - of what must be done if Azerbaijan does not rec - sonally, in contrast to those who make illusory ognize the independence of Karabagh, judgments about the things they do not know. Sharmazanov said: “Karabagh has already He expressed hope that after the visit to gained independence, it is not Azerbaijan that Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, they will must recognize the independence of Karabagh make a full assessment of the NK conflict, its but [the] international community, which the causes and possible solutions, as both Armenia latter has done in a number of cases.” and Artsakh are ready to partake in open and During the meeting the parties referred to healthy discussions; journalists, for their part, Armenian-Turkish relations, the Armenian should take responsibility in presenting the Genocide and issues related to its recognition. facts impartially. The German journalists thanked The German journalists said last year they vis - Sharmazanov for his sincerity, and the latter ited Azerbaijan, and that after Armenia, they assured that after the visit to NK they will gain were to visit Nagorno Karabagh. They write for further understanding. “In that newly-indepen - Snow hampers traffic in Yerevan. well-known German newspapers and conduct dent country you will see a mature generation Internet forums. The goal is that the Germans with free way of thinking, who have not seen understand why NK conflict is difficult to and do not want to know what the Azerbaijani istry warned of blizzard dangers on other roads, including a section of the Yerevan-Gumri resolve. According to them, the significance of leadership means. They always look forward highway. It said authorities are doing their best to reopen all roads to traffic. this region is big for Europe and the conflict sit - and move forward,” said Sharmazanov. The snowfall, which meteorologists said will continue at least until Saturday morning, also caused major disruptions in Yerevan. It particularly complicated transport communication between downtown Yerevan and the city’s northern districts located at higher altitudes. There were chaotic scenes in the morning on one major street leading to the Nor Nork district, with hundreds of cars stuck in a thick layer of snow. Driving uphill was practically impossible in those circumstances. “They are probably waiting for the snowfall to stop before cleaning up the road,” one driver said, referring to the municipal authorities. The heavy snow also affected public transportation, with significantly fewer buses and minibuses ferrying passengers throughout the day. Scores of commuters were left stranded at busy stops as a result.

For Your Internal News of Armenia Log on to www.AZG.am

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov meets with German journalists In English, Armenian, Russian and Turkish Richard Kisler and Knut Teske. 4 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR INTERNATIONAL International News AGBU’s GORIZ Program Holds Third Pope Receives Diaspora Annual Leadership Event Minister of Armenia BRUSSELS, Belgium — AGBU Deyirmendjian, former chairwoman of the as well as their leadership qualities and YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Pope Benedict XVI Europe’s GORIZ Program held its third Young Professionals (YP) of Paris, and Gor involvement in their local Armenian com - received Minister of Diaspora of Armenia Hranush annual event December 3-6, 2011, here. Abgaryan, founder of AGBU-ACAB (Spain) munity. Over the course of annual week - Hakobian, who was in Italy and the Vatican for a Previously held in Venice and Yerevan and AGBU Europe Board member — also end-long gatherings, informative lectures working visit, February 7-12. The press office of the with the support of the European spoke, explaining their role in the commu - and debates take place on subjects related ministry said that accompanying Hakobian were Commission, the most recent leadership nity, and provided advice to the partici - to leadership on a long-term basis among Armenian ambassador to Italy Ruben Karapetyan program took place in the heart of the pants on how to be effective in their young Armenians in Europe and the pro - and founder-chairman of Pyunik charity founda- European Union, with 13 young diaspo - actions going forward. motion of Armenian issues in Europe at tion, Gabriel Jemberji. rans from seven countries — Armenia, Along with the meetings and seminars, civic and government levels, in addition to The minister visited Rome’s Levonian Armenian Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, several tours were organized to familiarize presentations on diverse topics and issues college, met with the representatives of the Romania and the Ukraine. The gathering the group with the presence of Armenian relating to Armenia and current events. Armenian community and the staff of Radio of new talent and leaders from different culture in Belgium. Participants visited the Throughout the year, GORIZ partici - Vatican Armenian programs. communities around Europe enabled the Villa Empain, a landmark of architectural pants work on joint projects, such as the participants to network, discuss current heritage in Brussels, which has become a creation of a structure fostering foreign topics and issues, and share ideas and pro - center of art and dialogue between East investments in Armenia, while getting Karabagh President ject initiatives for Europe and the and West, as well as the seat of the advice and feedback from AGBU Europe Visits Greece Armenian community. Boghossian Foundation. Since 1992, this members. This year, the teams with the “I was happy to participate. The high - Armenian family foundation has been sup - most developed projects will have the ATHENS (Noyan Tapan) — Karabagh (Artsakh) lights of the seminar were meeting and porting social, educational, artistic and opportunity to present them to AGBU Republic President Bako Sahakyan was in Greece getting to know the participants and environmental projects in Armenia and Europe Board members during the AGBU last week on a working visit. exchanging ideas with shared enthusi - Lebanon. The group also attended the Europe Board meeting scheduled for April On February 12, the president visited Armenian asm,” said a participant from Bulgaria. opening exhibition of AGBU’s program in Milan. The next GORIZ seminar is churches in Athens. Sahakyan partook in a Sunday Several individuals from the business ARMENIACA, a culmination of continued expected to take place in October during mass serviced by Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of world were invited to speak to the new dedication to the preservation, digitization the AGBU General Assembly in Yerevan. the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev generation of leaders and share their expe - and development of archives concerning Martirosyan at St. Mary Church. riences. President of the Chamber of the Armenian architectural heritage. Thereafter, according to the central information Commerce of Belgium Valéry Safarian As a result of the positive outcomes and department of the Artsakh president, Sahakyan spoke to the group. A technical meeting partnerships generated during both the met at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in within the European Parliament also pre - 2006 and 2007 AGBU Project Exchange Azerbaijan in Row Greece with members of the ARF Greece Central sented the different funding mechanisms and Development Seminars for Young Committee, Greece Regional Committee of the for budgets provided by the European European Armenians sponsored by the With Iran over Ramkavar Azatakan Party, Armenian People’s Union for projects aimed at cultural and Council of Europe that took place in Movement, Greek-Armenian Chamber of Commerce political causes. The issues of human Brussels and Valence respectively, GORIZ ‘Israeli Spies’ and Industry. rights and the fight against corruption was established in 2009 to cultivate future Sahakyan also met with representatives of the were extensively discussed during the sem - Armenian leaders in Europe. Young TEHRAN (BBC) — Azerbaijan has Armenian mass media of Greece. inar. Armenian professionals are selected for angrily denied an Iranian claim that it Two young leaders and former mem - participation according to their academic has been helping Israeli spies plotting bers of the AGBU seminars — Aurélie achievement and professional background, against Iran. Bryza Praises Iran says agents of the Israeli secret Azerbaijan, Turkish service Mossad were behind recent killings of Iranian nuclear scientists. Progress The latest victim was Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, killed by a car bomb in ISTANBUL (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Former US Co- north Tehran on January 11. chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and former US Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry called ambassador to Azerbaijan, Matthew Bryza, does Iran’s claim “slander.” On Sunday Iran not link the US Senate’s failure to endorse his nom- had summoned the Azeri ambassador ination to Baku to the influence of the Armenian and given him a protest note. lobby. An Azeri foreign ministry spokesman, “Look what President [Barack] Obama did last Elman Abdullayev, said the Iranian year; he used his constitutional powers to go protest was an “absurd reaction” to around that blockage. He understood the strategic Azerbaijan’s protest last month over an interest of Azerbaijan and pressed ahead,” Bryza alleged plot by Iranian agents to kill said told Hurriyet Daily News. Israelis in Azerbaijan. “This time, his decision may be based on factors Energy-rich Azerbaijan, a mainly that go beyond factors related to Baku. Obviously Muslim country, has a secular govern - we are in an electoral year,” he said. ment and borders on Iran. Azerbaijan Adressing the Armenian Genocide, Bryza noted has friendly ties with Israel and the US, that there has been progress in Turkish society’s Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Secretary of State Hillary who accuse Tehran of trying to develop approach to the issue. There is, he said, “an open Clinton discuss the situation in the South Caucasus. nuclear weapons. discussion of what happened. I think the Hrant Azeri-Iranian relations have long been Dink murder was a huge awakening for millions of strained over the large ethnic Azeri Turks. It’s not just the government, it’s society that minority in northern Iran. has moved forward to consider that terrible killings Davutoglu, Clinton Discuss The Iranian protest note to were committed by Ottoman troops. But what has Azerbaijan on Sunday asked the Azeri not changed at all for legitimate reasons is the firm Situation in South Caucasus government to “stop the activities of the Turkish view that this should not be recognized Mossad intelligence services in that politically as genocide; it’s not the business of any WASHINGTON (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet country against Iran,” Iran’s Irna news politician in any country to characterize these Davutoglu and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed on Tuesday, agency said. events as genocide or not as genocide. It has to be February 14, the situation in the South Caucasus, as well as Armenian- Azeri ambassador Cavansir Akhundov up to societies, not others, to have a decision based Azerbaijani relations, Anadolu agency reports. was told that “some of the terrorists on a political calendar. To me that’s dishonest Davutoglu was quoted as saying that such discussions can strengthen the linked with the terror of Iranian scien - [otherwise],” he said. US-Turkish ties, as well as promote stabilization of the South Caucasus. tists” had travelled to Azerbaijan and then on to Israel “for co-operation with Seven Chess Players in the spying network of the Zionist regime,” Irna reported. Moscow Open Arrested Publisher Applies to ECHR The Azeri spokesman insisted on Monday that Azerbaijan “will not permit MOSCOW (PanARMENIAN.Net) — On January 28, ZARAKOLU, from page 1 ‘order of secrecy,’ the basing of the evi - any external interference or any terror - the Moscow Open 2012 chess tournament kicked the grounds that his right to a fair dence and the accusations on [slippery] ist activity on its territory.” off, with seven Armenian chess players participat- trial had been violated and that he facts, the refusal of objections to the Iran refuses to negotiate over its ura - ing. Avetik Grigoryan faced off against Ray Robson had been detained for an extensive arrest without citing any serious and nium enrichment program, which it says (US) in the second round of RSSU International period. The European court, however, reasonable justification and the fact is purely civilian in nature. Chess Cup. rejected his complaint regarding the that no suit has yet been filed despite Western countries have tightened The men’s chess line-up for Russian Cup has right to a fair trial but gave an interim the passage of more than three sanctions against Iran, amid widespread been announced as follows: David Shahinyan, decision addressing claims regarding months,” Kiliç said. suspicions that Tehran is trying to build Arthur Karagezyan, Tigran Harutyunyan and the period of his arrest, indicating Cem Halavurt, one of the lawyers in nuclear weapons. Manuel Petrosyan. that the charge would be examined the high-profile case of Hrant Dink, mur - In November, the UN’s International The women’s line-up is as follows: Lilit Galojan, later. dered in 2007, also said the European Atomic Energy Agency said it had infor - Evgeniya Doluhanova and Karina Ambartsumova. “We are going to cite as the preamble court’s ruling on Özkan did not consti - mation suggesting Iran had carried out our inability to access the documents tute a precedent because the court tests “relevant to the development of a and information in the file due to the examines each file separately. nuclear explosive device.” S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 5 Community Ne ws

St. Sarkis Recent Gift Adds $500,000 to Church of Villanova’s Hovnanian Dallas Marks Scholarship Fund VILLANOVA, Penn. – The Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation has con - 20 Years tributed an additional $500,000 to the existing endowed Hovnanian Scholarship at Villanova University, which is now val - ued at $1.7 million. The Hovnanian By Mary Mukhtarian Scholarship provides opportunities for academically-talented students of Armenian descent. The scholarship covers DALLAS — The 20th anniversary of the con - recipients’ tuition and room and board, secration of the St. Sarkis Armenian Church and is renewable annually. was marked on Saturday, February 4, with a Originally established in 1990, the banquet at the Hilton Lincoln Centre Ballroom. Hovnanian Scholarship has benefited 79 Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Villanova students to date through full or Barsamian presided over the festivities honor - partial scholarships. ing the Armenian community of Dallas-Fort “My motivation for this additional gift Worth. is two-fold,” said Hirair Hovnanian, a Mistress of Ceremonies Maral Aznavourian 1956 engineering alumnus of Villanova. introduced the evening’s cultural program, “There are so many gifted Armenian stu - which included performances by young local dents throughout the globe and I am so talent. Njteh Keleshian sang an affecting proud of what a fine institution Villanova Giligia ; Lucine Dayian skillfully performed is today. As a result, I want as many young Erevan Erepouni on a grand piano; Maggie Armenian adults as possible — both with - Aznavourian and Lena Ohanian recited poetry in the United States and abroad — to have in Armenian and English, conveying the pride an opportunity to receive the excellent all Armenians feel through the words, “We are. education that Villanova offers.” We shall be. And we will multiply.” Bedig “We are thrilled that the Hovnanian Bozigian sang Hayrenik accompanied on piano Foundation is continuing to support by Stefan Sarokhanian. Villanova and its students with this addi - The young dancers of St. Sarkis Church per - Lighting a candle at St. Gregory Icon at Khor Virab tional gift,” said Michael J. O’Neill, vice formed “Sardarabad” and president for University Advancement. “Vartavar.” Aznavourian thanked Kristina “Villanova is committed to attracting Kheshvadjian for coming from California to students of diverse intellectual, social, train the St. Sarkis youth in all the dances, in Reconnecting with racial and economic backgrounds who preparation for the local ArmeniaFest. will serve as academic, civic and cultur - The Parish Council chair and vice chair, al leaders today and after graduation. respectively, Raffi Ohanian and Dr. Vahe Armenia after 38 Years The foundation’s generosity and ongo - Dayian, expressed the community’s apprecia - ing support of this mission is greatly appreciated.” CHELMSFORD and YEREVAN — Thanks to the universal use of concrete as a Students interested in being considered common construction material, my wife, Milka, and I were able to enjoy a won - for the Hovnanian Scholarship for the derful week in Armenia, some 38 years after our first visit to Armenia. 2012-13 academic year should contact As a result of invitations to present several papers for two separate internation - Marykay Klara, associate director of al scientific conferences on the latest developments in concrete technology — one financial assistance. Current Villanova stu - in the frigid Russian capital of Moscow, November 29-30, and the second in warm dents or those who have been accepted to balmy Dubai, December 12-14, we were the University for the 2012-13 academic able to insert a one-week visit to our year are eligible to apply. The Hovnanian By Ara Jeknavorian Armenian Homeland. While in Moscow, we Scholarship application will be available found a brief opportunity to visit two online beginning with the 2013-14 acade - Armenian churches — the very small Soorp mic year. Haroutiun Chapel and the soon-to-be-completed new cathedral complex. To our For more than 25 years, the Hirair and very good fortune, we entered the courtyard of the cathedral complex only to find Anna Hovnanian Foundation has been the Primate of New Nakhichevan and Russia, Archbishop Yezras Nersissian. He supporting Armenian culture and educa - provided us an hour tour of what will truly be a magnificent structure. Included tion, health organizations and the arts, among the many extravagant design features is a 200-car parking garage under among other areas of interest. Hirair and the cultural hall in anticipation of the long, cold, snowy Moscow winters. We were Anna Hovnanian serve as chairman and deeply touched by his strong commitment to the spiritual growth of the million president of the Foundation, respectively. Elie and Ella Akilian received the St. Vartan strong Armenian community in Moscow. Established in 1986, it is headquartered Award Though the timing was clearly off season for touring Armenia, we experienced in Tinton Falls, NJ. an intense surge of adrenaline upon touchdown at the new, modern Zvartnotz air - In 1963, Hirair S. Hovnanian founded port in Yerevan. Our last trip to Armenia in 1973, organized under the ACYOA Hovsons Inc., which has built tens of tion for the presence of the dignitaries. They Summer Studies Program and guided by Rev. Nersess Jebejian and the late Rev. thousands of homes throughout the listed significant parish accomplishments, Paree Metjian, was truly a life-changing experience. For both of us, it was our first decades and developed thousands of including its 40 students enrolled in Armenian encounter with our Motherland, which became a “match maker” as one of the acres of land. He also has ownership and School, its 50 members in the ACYOA and the fruits of this first visit was our introduction and subsequent. The cold tempera - managerial interests in companies that many others who make up the St. Sarkis tures did not keep us catching many of the key sights — such as Khor Virab and oversee significant portfolios of proper - Sunday School, Women’s Guild, Seniors’ the Noravank Monastery, which we had missed during our month-long stay in ties in the health care industry and com - Program and Social Committee. 1973. Without question, the past 38 years has brought many changes to Armenia, mercial construction industry, with a Parishioner Zovig Koulian was named as this especially Yerevan, which has become a modern metropolitan city. The Hotel focus on shopping centers and office year’s “Steward of the Church,” to everyone’s Europe, recommended by friends, was very comfortable, well located in the heart buildings. delight. of Yerevan, and employed a very pleasant, multi-lingual staff. Walking along the The couple has five children and sever - Barsamian paid tribute to two parishioners wide city boulevards, one encountered a wide range of shopping opportunities — al grandchildren. Their son, Armen G. who have purchased and donated a plot of land, the Vernissage, upscale stores and the “shopping alleys” between buildings — Hovnanian, a 1987 alumnus of Villanova’s on which the future, larger St. Sarkis Church which called for a diverse set of bargaining skills. Just hearing and speaking our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is will stand. “It is a joy and pleasure to present beautiful Armenian language everywhere we traveled — from the countryside to treasurer of the foundation. The couple’s the ‘St. Vartan Award,’ which is given for exem - the heart of Yerevan — was perhaps the single most inspiring and unique experi - daughters are Siran Sahakian, Edele plary leadership in the Armenian Church, to Mr. ence for any Armenian. Hovnanian (who serves as vice president and Mrs. Elie and Ella Akilian,” he said. Our daily excursions, with the aid of local guides arranged through friends, of the foundation), Tanya Hovnanian- On behalf of the couple, Elie Akilian thanked helped us become re-acquainted with key historic and cultural sites including Lake Bagdassarian and Leela Hovnanian. In the Primate and the community for the honor, Sevan, Garni and Geghart. At Echmiadzin, we had a great pleasure meeting addition, Gorr T. Sahakian, son of Siran accepting the award on behalf of “all the kind Vardgess Kesablyan, the father of our pastor at Sts. Vartanantz, Chelmsford. Sahakian and grandson of Hirair and deeds that people did for us through the years.” Another very unexpected and special experience was witnessing the ordination of Anna Hovnanian, is a first-year student Elie Akilian, his wife Ella, and children Natalie see RECONNECTING, page 7 enrolled in the Villanova School of and Michael, have always been supportive Business. see DALLAS, page 8 6 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS

In Memoriam: bid if it didn’t appear or some cub reporter accidentally misplaced his release. Back he would come with a rebuttal. You often found him in Watertown caring Rich Serabian Remembered for Quiet Deeds for the elderly and infirm. Or making a visit to someone’s home in the city who needed a helping hand. He was a friend in need and a from his parents Charles and Beatrice who Throughout his life, Serabian was involved friend indeed. blazed their own trail in this city. He was 70. in different religious, charitable and educa - By Tom Vartabedian In his spare time, he loved walking the You wouldn’t find a photograph of Rich tional organizations which provided opportu - shoreline at Salisbury Beach or gardening. In Serabian anywhere. The last picture taken of nities for those in need. He served as Parish his more active days, he was pounding the HAVERHILL, Mass. — Every Armenian the man was at his college graduation from Council chairman and advisor. He was on the ball for different softball leagues in the city. church community needs an activist like Suffolk University where he secured both an building and finance committees for the cur - I first met the man patrolling the sidelines Richard Serabian — one who leads by exam - undergraduate and master’s degree in busi - rent church project. of a Haverhill High football game back in the ple and answers every call whether it was his ness administration. His work outside the church posed a stiff late 1960s. You would have thought he was a or the other guy’s. “He never drew attention to himself,” his challenge. After working for various CPA coaching assistant the way he carried on and The irony behind this is the bell. It never brother added. “Richard preferred the back - firms, he launched a 30-year career as an lashed out at some errant official. stopped ringing, whether it was a church sup - ground. It’s just the way he was when news - internal staff auditor with the US Defense Serabian knew every player by name — as per, Parish Council meeting or something papers showed up at church. He let the spot - Contract Audit Agency. well as every play before it was exercised. His bigger like the construction of a new church. light shine on others.” I remember him walking into the Haverhill Hillies were his mantra and they would never Truth be told, the Armenian Church at Hye He was usually the first guy you met on the Gazette office one afternoon with a picnic be denied a call. His love for football cannot Pointe was his home away from home and scene and the last to leave. In between, he notice in hand. The place was in chaos as a be denied, extending all the way to his Serabian catered to its every demand. was the consummate host, making his rounds bank holdup was taking place and the day’s beloved New England Patriots. “He was like an ambassador,” said his with hand extended and a broad smile on his edition was being held up for a spot news Make no mistake about it. He would have brother, Robert. “There wasn’t a thing he face. His glass was always half filled, never break. been on the edge of his easy chair on Super wouldn’t do for his church or community. My half empty. More than anything, he wallowed It didn’t bother Serabian in the least. He Bowl Sunday the week after his death. brother touched all parameters. In so doing, in delight when the newer generation carried took a seat and waited for the delirium to end “He watched them play in a different he made life a little bit better for those on the tradition set forth by his predecessors. before politely asking for a church picnic venue,” his brother said. around him. We miss him already.” “The immigrants built this church,” he notice in the social section of the paper. Richard Serabian died suddenly on January once told me. “Generations have come and “I’m in no rush,” he told the editor. 28 at his home, leaving behind a legacy of gone but the heritage continues to remain To him, getting that notice into print as the good will and impeccable devotion toward firm. They gave this community life and inspi - self-designated church publicist was the most faith and heritage — qualities he had derived ration. We owe them a debt of gratitude.” important item on his agenda. And God for -

OBITUARY

In addition to invited talks at St. John Arpine Khatchadourian Armenian Church, Greenfield, she taught a spe - cial invited literature course at the University of MILWAUKEE, Wis. — When she talked about her elementary education at the Soorp Connecticut. her long career as a teacher, Arpine Tarkmanchats Parochial School and received In 1982, she enrolled in the PhD program in Khatchadourian’s eyes lit up. As she described her secondary education at the British Girls’ English, took coursework and wrote three pre - the rewards of her profession, her hands waved College in Jerusalem, graduating at the age of liminary exams. She also was a teaching assis - in the air and a gentle smile reflected a lifetime 17 and passing the tough Palestine tant in the English Department and taught sev - of happy memories. Matriculation Examinations with Distinctions eral freshman honors courses. “The best thing about teaching is to inspire in several subjects, including Armenian. In 1988, Prof. Rachel Skalitzky of the young students, to encourage them to become Right after graduation, she was offered a Comparative Literature Department gave her lifetime learners,” she said. “It is not just one teaching position at Soorp Tarkmanchats the opportunity to teach the course semester. I have always tried to help them see School, where she taught English and was the “Masterpieces of Western Literature in the relation between the courses they take, so I girls’ supervisor for eight years. (Her mentor Translation,” now called “World Literature in Entertainment Fridays refer to the music, art and art history of a cul - was the then-Rev. Torkom Manoogian, present - Translation.” and Saturdays ture. A teacher must stimulate their interest and ly the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem.) After She retired after 47 years as a teacher. lead them towards knowledge of self,” she said. her marriage in 1950 to Haig Khatchadourian, Although she missed the classroom, she was She died on January 21. she taught English, for one year, at the “glad to have more time to spend with her two She was born in the Armenian Quarter of the Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia, grandchildren. Old City of Jerusalem, Palestine, in 1925, of par - Cyprus, where her husband also taught. ents who escaped the Genocide. She received In Beirut, Lebanon, where the family then settled, she raised three children, and at the same time, taught English at the AGBU Tarouhie Hagopian Secondary School. Shake Charlotte In 1967, the family moved to the United States, settling where her husband joined the Ajamian philosophy faculty at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM). After a year in GF UiNrEaRgAoL sHiaOMn E WYNNEWOOD, Penn. — Shake Los Angeles, where he taught at the University James “Jack” Giragosian, CPC Charlotte (Derderian) Ajamian died on of Southern California, she studied comparative January 30. She was the wife of Chuck Mark Giragosian literature at UWM, earning a BA summa cum Funeral Counselors Ajamian and had four children, 10 grand - laude, and received a university fellowship to children and one great-grandchild. 576 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472, TEL: 617-924—0606 continue her graduate studies in that field. She www.giragosianfuneralhome.com was also inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, a nation - al academic honor society. Returning with her family from Honolulu, where her husband was a visiting professor for a semester, she began work on her master’s the - Telephone (617) 924-7400 sis in comparative literature. The family next spent a year in Albuquerque, NM. “The Zimmermann Library at the university there Aram Bedrosian was an unlikely place to look for sources for my thesis on the Armenian heroic epic, David of Funeral Home, Inc. Sassoon,” she explained. “However, many of the original sources I needed had found their way Continuous Service By The Bedrosian Family Since 1945 there through the efforts of a philologist who MARION BEDROSIAN had bought the estate of a professor at 558 MOUNT AUBURN STREET PAUL BEDROSIAN Marburg, Germany. For me, it was true WATERTOWN, MA 02472 LARRY BEDROSIAN serendipity to find that these works that were brought at the end of the 19th century were brought all the way…to the middle of the desert. She also leaves her brother, Albert, and During her stay in Albuquerque, she volun - Edward D. Jamakordzian, Jr. d/b/a wife Marilyn. teered to teach the Armenian language to inter - The funeral was held on Saturday, ested Armenian community members; and February 4, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob before she and her family left, she was honored Armenian Apostolic Church, 630 Clothier by her students and community. The friend - Edward D. Jamie, Jr. Road, Wynnewood. Interment was in ships she formed with a number of community Edgewood Memorial Park. members lasted decades after. Meanwhile she LicensedFinuNneweYrorak landCNhewaJperseey l In lieu of flowers, memorial contribu - continued to work on her master’s thesis on the 208-17 Northern Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 tions may be made to the church or St. Heroic Epic of David of Sassoun , which she Service any hour, Nersess Armenian Seminary, 150 completed and received her master’s degree in any distance (718) 224-2390 or toll Stratton Road, New Rochelle NY 10804. comparative literature with honors. free (888) 224-6088 In the fall of 1979, she began teaching Armenian in the UWM Linguistics Department. S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 7 COMMUNITY NEWS Reconnecting with Armenia Wisconsin Hye Notes

BY NAOMI ZEYTOONIAN RECONNECTING, page 6 down the long walkway back to the main thor - four priests during a Sunday Badarak in Holy oughfare to catch a van back to Republic Echmiadzin, which filled my wife’s heart with Square, to our good fortune, a young lady, an Merry Christmas, Armenian Christmas and a deep emotion as she reflected on the life of her employee of the Genocide Museum next to the Happy, Healthy and Productive New Year late father, Rev. Bedros Feredjian. monument, offered to show us the way. Of Of course a trip to Armenia means connect - course, a conversation developed whereby the Last year sped on by and now January went as quickly in this new year. ing with many friends and relatives — planned young woman asked where we were from. Upon The St. Mesrob Women’s Guild had a successful fundraising year after the annu - and unplanned. In Yerevan, Milka was able to indicating Boston, “Oh,” she replied. “My name al festival, which is always so very popular. The ladies held a huge rummage sale fol - embrace first cousins, Mariam, Manoushag and is Angel Tevekelian, and you may know my lowed by their Bible Study groups, this year on the Book of Esther. Haroutiun, which she had not seen since 1973. great uncle, Kevork Tevekelian, who is from the Congratulations to Michael Sheridan on his recent marriage in November. Enjoyable evenings were shared with the par - Boston area.” Michael and his bride, Anjhelika, currently reside in North Carolina, where he is ents of our Sts. Vartanantz parishioners, Indeed, Kevork Tevekelian happens to be a serving with the Marine Corps. God’s blessings on the newly weds and their fami - Doctors Aram and Anna Adourian, as well as member of Sts. Vartanantz, Chelmsford and a lies. The annual Diocesan Appeal and the reception for Archbishop Khajag Barsamian was held at the Naha Restaurant in Chicago. The following day the Primate cele - brated Badarak at St. Johachim and Anna Church in Palos Park. The church cele - brated its 53rd anniversary of its consecration and that afternoon there were per - formances by the children of the parish and the presentation of the “lay minister of the year” awards to Robert Koshkarian and my dear friend, Pearl Gopoian. Pearl has been an active member of St. Joachim and also at St. David in Boca Raton, where she is an avid choir member in the winter months in Florida. On December 3, our local band, the Mideast Beat, performed at George’s Grill in Racine. George and his wife, Suzan, hosted a great Persian buffet. George is Macedonian and Suzan is from Iran. Wonderful couple and fabulous hosts. St. Hagop Armenian Church in Racine welcomes their new priest and his yeretz - gin who arrived in time for their annual “Armenian Holiday Food Sale” on December 10. Fr. Hrant and Yn. Tamar Kevoorian are originally from Beirut, Lebanon. Welcome to Racine, Der Hayr and Yeretzgin. We look forward to your presence. Big first birthday celebration from sweet baby Natalya Topalian. Proud parents, Anita and Mike, hosted a fabulous event in their lovely home honoring baby Natalya. On December 18, the Sunday School students presented their annual Christmas Pagaent, followed by a fellowship prepared by the Sunday School parents and the Grigorian and Zeytoonian families in memory of Carl Zeytoonian’s one-year anniversary. Sympathies are extended to Aykaz and Joyce Manucharyan and their children, Alexandria and Gregory, and to Aykaz’s mother, on the passing of his father in Ara and Milka Jeknavorian with Archbishop Yezras Nercesian Russia. Aykaz’s mother has returned to Russia indefinitely. Our prayers and sym - pathy also to Corrinne Topalian and her family, on the passing of her husband, Jean Pierre (Avak) Topalian. Corinne is an active member of the seniors group and the our extended khunamees , Vahakn and Hasmig Parish Council member. What an incredible sur - St. Mesrob Choir. Get-well wishes go to our choir director, Terry Peterson. May she Hovnanian. We were also able to connect with prise for all of us! return to us soon in the best of health. Garen Hovanysian, one of Armenia’s growing Many conversations confirmed the difficult Armenians in the news include Doug and Robyn Kalajian of Boynton Beach and golf enthusiasts, with whom I had the pleasure conditions in Armenia, especially the struggling members of St. David on their recent formation of ArmenianKitchen.com. Robyn of playing golf at the Fresh Pond Golf Course in economy highlighted by high unemployment, was a former educator and Doug was a reporter and member of the editorial staff Cambridge this past summer. Thanks to the with little hope for improving conditions. And of the Palm Beach News . They have since both retired and combined their efforts efforts of Dr. Aram Adourian and the warm there were few incidents where we, being cate - producing wonderful Armenian recipes. Another Florida chef is John Minas. John reception of Prof. Artashes Tadevosyan, one of gorized as tourists, were taken advantage of. adds Armenian dishes to the Florida governor’s mansion in Tallahassee. John grew the most rewarding highlights of our Armenia Withstanding such situations, our re-connec - up in Watertown, Mass. to Armenian and Assyrian parents, and received his culinary re-connection was the opportunity to give a lec - tion with Armenia allowed us to reminisce training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He holds the pres - ture at the State Engineering University on my about our good fortune in 1973 and the oppor - tigious position of executive chef to Gov. Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott. field of expertise — chemical admixtures for con - tunity to experience the tremendous pride of There is so much creativity in this small mid-Western town and so much of it is crete. The lecture was given in Armenian with those Armenians determined to maintain a safe yet unknown, but our ladies enjoyed a taste of it when Chairlady Carol Boehlke the assistance of two translators — my wife and and hopefully re-invigorated Homeland. hosted a festive holiday social at her tastefully-decorated house. Carol is an avid anti - a technology student, who helped with certain Our last stop on this three-week adventure quer and loves to rummage. She collects such beautiful pieces and displays them so technical terms. To this day, I kiss my mother’s was Dubai, a most welcome change from the artistically, that it is a pleasure to view. Her holiday house included a huge hands, who with tremendous patience taught cold temperatures in Moscow and Armenia. It Christmas village set on two levels and it certainly must have taken her days to set me to read, write and especially converse in felt great shedding the heavy coats, gloves and it up, and not to mention taking it all down at the end of the season. Danny Mantis, Alex Ouzounian, represented the ACYOA Central Council and Ani and Alina Grigorian represented St. Mesrob on January 14 and 15 weekend at the ACYOA Annual Forum held at St. David in Boca Raton. Approximately, 35-40 young people from the Eastern Diocese participated in this event. The weather was balmy and quite pleasant the entire weekend. Great sailing weather also for the Armenian Heritage Cruise, which set sail from the port of Fort Lauderdale the same weekend. Maybe we will make it next year! Have a wonderfully fulfilling 2012!

Breakfast Reception for Agricultural Development Specialist Christina Schirinian BOSTON – Ana Christina Schirinian, who irrigation provided by a newly-constructed spearheads agricultural development projects reservoir. in Armenia and in other nations, will be the Experience from similar agricultural devel - special guest at a breakfast reception on opment projects in other nations, notably Saturday, February 25, beginning at 10 a.m., Argentina, Morocco and Italy, will be includ - at the Armenian Cultural Foundation in ed in the program. Arlington. A native of Buenos Aires, Schirinian serves Ara and Milka visit with Vartgess Kesablyan. In an informal, illustrated program spon - as special assistant to businessman Eduardo sored by the Armenian International Eurnekian, head of the Argentine holding Women’s Association, Schirinian will company Corporación América, who is espe - Armenian — all very valuable skills in maneu - hats, and enjoying a dip in the warm waters of describe her experiences, and the lessons cially known by Armenians for his activities vering throughout Armenia. I hope this first lec - the Arabian Gulf. The scale of construction and learned, in her work as president of Tierras in rebuilding Zvartnots airport in Yerevan. ture will help establish a lasting connection creative architecture, highlighted by the world’s de Armenia and executive director of Fruitful Schirinian is coming to the United States with the university for further collaboration. tallest building Burj Khalifa, its indoor downhill Armenia. in order to participate in the annual session A one-in-a million connection was made dur - ski slope and the Gold Souk help make Dubai The emphasis in these projects is to intro - of the Commission on the Status of Women ing a visit to the Armenian Genocide Monument a truly mind-boggling city. duce the latest technology into agricultural at the United Nations headquarters in New (Dzidzernagapert) on a cold, cloudy afternoon. I encourage everyone who has yet to make a activity in order to maximize efficiency and York City. We climbed aboard one of the mini-vans in personal pilgrimage to our Mayr Haiastan not quality. Tierras de Armenia, for example, has The breakfast reception is open to the pub - Yerevan tightly packed with a crowd of passen - to delay. It will be the best trip of your life. taken a large arid expanse of land in Armavir lic, free of charge. gers for a 15-minute ride to Dzidrenagapert to (Ara Jeknavorian is a resident of province and turned it into a productive fruit- For further information email: offer a prayer. On our return as we proceeded Chelmsford.) bearing area, benefitting from state-of-the-art [email protected]; web: aiwainternational.org. 8 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMUNITY NEWS New Board Installation, Initiatives Announced at Meeting of APS

STUDIO CITY, Calif. — The Armenian leges, guest speakers on topics such as medi - Professional Society (APS) installed its new cine, engineering, green energy and the arts, Executive Board and announced a line up of the popular past President’s luau party, the initiatives for 2012. The annual installation traditional Professional of the Year Banquet of the Executive Board was held on Saturday, and a Christmas party to finish off the year. January 28, at the Bistro Garden. The APS will also focus its efforts to coor - An array of professionals and dignitaries dinate with the other Armenian organiza - were in attendance. Guests included former tions in order to develop stronger ties with Executive Board representatives, past presi - the community in pursuit of increased visibil - dents as well as various members of APS. ity and esteem. The APS will also concentrate Angelo Ghailian, president-elect of the on a mentoring program that will be instru - board, started the evening’s program by wel - mental in fostering young graduates with coming the supporters and recognized all contacts and skills sets to excel in their past presidents of the APS who were in atten - desired professions. dance. The year 2011 marked a successful The APS is an independent, non-partisan year for the APS as membership increased, organization founded in 1958 to promote fel - the organization was able to reconnect with lowship among Armenian professionals and many of its past supporters and hosted suc - to encourage and foster higher education in cessful events, none of which would have young Armenians. APS activities include been possible without the leadership of annual grants and scholarships to universi - Shahan Minassian, the 2011 president. ties in Armenia, and to graduate students in Minassian was welcomed with applause. the United States; conducting regularly Minassian recapped a successful 2011 From left, Lara Yacoubian (event coordinator), Ani Petrossian (treasurer), Shahan Minassian (presi - scheduled meetings that cover a range of pro - marked by the Professional of the Year dent 2011), Taline Hanna (first vice president), Seta Khajarian (scholarship chair), Angelo Ghailian fessional, cultural and other topics of interest Banquet honoring Dr. Frieda Jordan and fea - (president 2012) and Lily Kazarians (second vice president) to its membership; sponsoring social events; turing Mark Geragos as the master of cere - and holding an annual banquet to honor a monies. Minassian also highlighted other suc - Professional of the Year who has provided cessful events, such as the evening at the from guests. The Executive Board of 2012, and offered a template of activities for 2012. outstanding service to the Armenian commu - Hollywood Bowl and Disney Concert Hall, who were nominated by the council and Proposed activities for 2012 are Disney and nity. the Santa Barbara event featuring a museum approved in accordance with APS by-laws, Hollywood Bowl concerts, mixers and mem - For information about the APS, write to trip to view artwork by Charles Garabedian, comprises Ghailian as president, Taline bership drives at happy hour venues and col - [email protected] or visit www.apsla.org. as well as the past president’s luau. Minassian Hanna as first vice president, Lily Kazarians thanked the Executive Board of 2011 and as second vice president and Ani Petrossian encouraged guests to continue their support as treasurer. Seta Khajarian was selected as of the APS and cited the significance the scholarship chair, and Lara Yacoubian was APS invokes on professionals in the selected as event coordinator. Armenian community. Dr. Vaughn Gregor, one the founding mem - Joe Mehrabian, a talented saxophone play - bers of the APS, outlined the focus of fellow - er, performed an exceptional musical piece. ship amongst the APS. Gregor welcomed As dinner came to an end, former APS Minassian back to the stage to thank him for President Stephan Bagboudarian took to the the great service provided to the APS. stage to present candidates for the Executive Minassian was presented with an honorary Board of 2012. Each member’s outstanding pin. accomplishments in their studies and profes - The evening came to a close as Ghailian sional careers were outlined as cheers rang outlined the initiatives of enhancing the APS

St. Sarkis Church of Dallas Marks 20 Years DALLAS, from page 5 nisced about the day 20 years earlier when he members of the community. From humble consecrated the St. Sarkis Church, and he beginnings in Lebanon, Elie Akilian became a praised the parish godfather, Dr. Sarkis resident of Dallas in the early 1970s. After years Kechejian. He noted that the Dallas church of working as an engineer for local electronics held a special place in his heart, for it was the companies, he co-founded Inet Technologies first one he consecrated as a bishop. with friend Sam Simonian, a successful telecom On Sunday, February 5, the Primate cele - company that was eventually sold to industry brated the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church, giant Tektronix. He later founded the company accompanied by the parish’s deacon-in-charge, that produces the popular Wizard 101 video Justin Ajamian. game. Diocesan Music Ministry Director Khoren The new church property was purchased in Mekanejian played the organ and directed the October of last year, out of the community’s choir. desire to build a church with traditional Following services, the Women’s Guild Armenian architecture, and spacious enough to served a luncheon in Kechejian Hall, after include classrooms, sports facilities and a hall. which the Primate and others toured the new To conclude the evening, the Primate remi - 4.5-acre church property in nearby Hebron.

Donation Robert Serabian, of Haverhill, Mass. donates $75 to the Armenian Mirror-Spectator in mem - Zovig Koulian (holding plaque) was named as this year’s Steward of the Church. ory of his late brother Richard Serabian. S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 9 COMMUNITY NEWS

20th Anniversary of Armenian Armed Forces Celebrated Genocide Museum TAMPA, Fla. (FloridaArmenians) — On Horst extended his well wishes to Armenia’s remarks on the common strengths of February 1, a reception on the occasion of the Armed Forces, and praised the Armenian mili - Armenia’s Army and its partners based on pro - Director to Speak at 20th anniversary of the establishment of the tary contingent’s participation in the security tecting freedoms of religion, conscience and Republic of Armenia’s Armed Forces was orga - and stability operations in Afghanistan. human rights. Glendale Library nized at the US Central Command Coalition Fr. Hovnan Demerjian, pastor of St. Hagop Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan, visiting pastor of GLENDALE, Calif. — Dr. Hayk Coordination Center (CCC), Mac Dill Air Force Armenian Church in Pinellas Park, offered St. Haroutiun Church in Orlando, offered the Demoyan, director of the Armenian Base. traditional prayer before meals and blessing Genocide Museum-Institute in Yerevan, The event brought for all who serve and protect in the armed Armenia, will present an illustrated lec - together high-ranking forces. ture in Armenian on Sunday, March 11, officers and civilian Twenty years have passed from the memo - at 2 p.m. at the Glendale Central Library officials from more rable days when the Armed Forces of the newly- than 60 countries, independent Republic of Armenia were created. including top US During those years the Armed Forces per - Armed Forces repre - formed a multifold task. While in the process of sentatives of US creation, the Armed Forces both defended the CENTCOM. Armenian borders and people and had to com - Lt. Col. A. bat and win a major war. Mkrtchyan, Armenian As of today, the Armed Forces of the Republic Armed Forces repre - of Armenia is actively involved in international sentative for US military cooperation, including peacekeeping Central Command, and stabilizing operations in Kosovo and delivered opening Afghanistan. Armenia proudly accomplished remarks and presented the task, with US and Polish troops, in Iraq in the Armenian army’s 2008. history. The Armenian Armed Forces will spare no Dr. Hayk Demoyan Also, US Central effort to preserve peace and security for them - Command Chief of Fr. Hovnan Demerjian and Lt. Col. A. Mkrtchyan selves and for its allies and partners around the Staff, Lt. Gen. Karl world. Auditorium, 222 East Harvard St. Admission is free and seating is limited. Demoyan will discuss some of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute’s exhibits, including survivor memoirs, eye - St. David Church witness accounts, research on Armenian social life before the Genocide, reprinted Hosts Charity Golf editions of rare primary sources, collec - tions of newly-discovered documents and Tournament in March works on the Cilicia massacres of 1909. The Armenian Genocide Museum- BOCA RATON, Fla. — St. David Armenian Institute is a nonprofit organization Church 20th Anniversary Charity Golf based in Yerevan. The mission of the Tournament will be held on March 26, at the museum is both to promote the collec - Via Mizner Golf and Country Club. The tour - tion of visual textual materials related to nament will begin at 10:30 a.m. registration, the daily life of Western Armenians in the move onto a buffet lunch at noon and a “shot - Ottoman Empire before and during the gun start” at 1 p.m. Cocktails will be at 5:30 Genocide, and to develop more effective p.m. and an awards banquet at 6:30 p.m. cooperation and collaboration among Proceeds from this tournament will be organizations worldwide involved in the used for spiritual, educational, cultural and research of genocide, particularly the educational programs of the church. Armenian Genocide. The committee is working hard to make The program is sponsored by the this event an enjoyable place to rekindle Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in friendship. Yerevan, the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, James Kalustian will be master of cere - and the National Association for monies. There will be many expensive items Armenian Studies and Research and for the live auction, including tickets to the Glendale Public Library. Red Sox and the New England Patriots, Library visitors receive three hours along with rounds of golf, and more. free parking across the street at The For further information, contact this year’s Market Place parking structure with vali - chairperson, Sonia Janian, (soniajan - From left, Alice Bogdasarian, Sonia Janian, Beatrice Babgouni, Carol Norigian, Virginia dation at the Loan Desk. [email protected]) or St. David Armenian Higgins, Zaven Kazandjian, (second row) Judy Khachadourian, Edward Shooshanian, Berj Tashjian Church at [email protected]. Armenian Bar Association Accepts Applications for Sponsor a Teacher in Armenia and Karabagh 2012 Scholarship Program LOS ANGELES — The Armenian Bar Association is accepting applications for its sev - enth annual Scholarship Program. The pro - Since its inception in 2001, TCA’s ‘Sponsor gram is designed to support meritorious stu - dents of Armenian descent attending or accept - a Teacher’ program has raised over $518,000 ed for admission to an approved law school in the United States, Armenia or elsewhere. and reached out to 4,064 teachers and Recipients must demonstrate an outstanding academic record as well as a strong commit - school workers in Armenia and Karabagh. ment to the Armenian community, particularly in humanitarian and/or law-related endeavors. £ The Scholarship Program is primarily funded by donations and by fundraising events hosted by the Armenian Bar Association. In addition to K Yes, I want to sponsor teachers in Armenia and Karabagh to continue the Scholarship Program, the Armenian Bar helping them to educate the children, our future leaders. I would like to have Association supports Armenian law students the teacher’s name and address. through its varied programs and events includ - ing the mentorship and internship programs K $160 K $ 320 K $ 480 K other $ ————————— and presentations by legal scholars. Name Students interested in applying for an Address Armenian Bar Association scholarship should City State Zip code obtain an application at the group’s website Tel: (www.armenianbar.org). The application deadline is April 30. The Make check payable to: Tekeyan Cultural Association – Memo: Sponsor a Teacher 2010 application must either be postmarked by April Mail your check with this form to: 30 or if e-mailed, it should be received no later TCA Sponsor a Teacher than midnight (PST) of April 30. 5326 Valverde, Houston, TX 77056 From May 17 to 19, the Armenian Bar Association will hold its 23rd annual meeting in Your donation is Tax Deductible. Glendale. For information on how to register for this meeting, visit the group’s website. 10 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Ne w York M E T R O AIWA to Present Workshop at UN on the Status of Women

NEW YORK — The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will hold its 56th session this year on the theme “The Empowerment of Rural Women and Their Role in Poverty and Hunger Eradication: Development and Current Challenges.” The Armenian International Women’s Association will participate in the meeting by sponsoring a workshop on the opening day of the session, Monday, February 27, beginning at 6:15 p.m. CSW sessions attract hundreds of women annually to New York from all parts of the world. The AIWA workshop will focus on issues relating to the position of rural women in Armenia, enhanced by perspectives gained from programs developed in other nations. Illustrated presentations by two professionals experienced in working with rural women will evaluate various strategies used to address the empowerment of women. The first presenter, Sara Anjargolian, is a pho - tographer and attorney in Los Angeles who has documented the lives of the Zulu people in South Africa, the plight of the extreme poor in Armenia, and the status of refugees living along the border with Azerbaijan in Armenia’s rural areas. She will speak about the power of images to inform and inspire social change and about her personal transformation while spending time with these groups of people. Anjargolian will also address the benefits of partnering documentary photographers and Armenian women in the village of Shatvan, Gegharkunik Province media professionals with aid organizations, focusing specifically on how narrative imagery can empower the individuals depicted and help Eurnekian, head of Corporación América, an Fruitful Armenia, Shirinian is familiar with the as a Non-Governmental Organization for over a contextualize their unique challenges and tri - Argentine holding company active in a number life of rural women in Armenia. She will com - decade and is affiliated with the Economic and umphs. of diverse industries, including airport con - pare her observations regarding agricultural Social Council as well as the Department of The second presenter, Ana Cristina struction and management. conditions in Armenia with her experiences Public Information. AIWA’s Main UN Schirinian, divides her time between Buenos As president of Tierras de Armenia, an agri - stemming from similar programs in Argentina, Representative, Mary V. Toumayan, heads a del - Aires, Argentina, and Yerevan, Armenia (and cultural project in Armavir province that spe - Morocco and Italy. egation including Joan Agajanian Quinn, often places in between). An attorney by pro - cializes in offering the latest technology for The workshop will take place in the Drew Hasmig Torossian, Joy Renjilian-Burgy, Barbara fession, she is special assistant to Eduardo growing fruit, and as executive director of Room on the first floor of the Church Center Merguerian and Lily Ring Balian. across the street from the United Nations build - Further information about AIWA’s workshop ing in New York from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. It is at the United Nations is available from the open to the public free of charge. AIWA office, 65 Main St., Watertown, MA AIWA has participated in the United Nations 02472 or its website, aiwainternational.org.

A Zulu woman waits at a tuberculosis clinic in Greytown, South Africa.

Check us out at www.mirrorspectator.com S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 11 Ne w York M E T R O Gala Benefit Concert Marks 45th Anniversary for HMADS

tically synonymous with the school. “We are cel - By Lana Kazangian ebrating not only what HMADS has achieved through the years, but also the efforts of the parents, students, alumni, teachers, volunteers OAKLAND GARDENS, N.Y. — The 45th and friends that have participated in its life for anniversary of Holy Martyrs Armenian Day the past 45 years.” School (HMADS) was celebrated with music The concert featured international prize-win - and champagne on Saturday, January 28. A ning pianist Tania Gabrielian, area vocalists musical concert featuring well-known artists lyric soprano Anoosh Barclay, baritone from the local community as well as the Vagharshag Ohanyan, mezzo-soprano Hasmik HMADS Student Choir and alumni, took place Meikhanedjian and contemporary artist at the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs. Hooshere. A true highlight was a culminating About 300 attended the sold-out Saturday night trio performance of Non Ti scordar di me by event. Among the special guests were Ernesto de Curtis , sung by Barclay, Ohanyan Armenia’s Ambassador to the UN Garen and Meikhanedjian. Instrumental musicians fea -

Grace Kechian, honorary chair, cuts the cake.

Friends Committee member and past chairper - program. Nevart Zeronian, a piano accompanist son of the HMADS-PTO. Hovsepian’s daughter, in the concert, has been the principal organist Talar, is a recent alumna of the school and par - of the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs for ticipated in the concert as well. “So much hard the last 18 years. work by the 45th anniversary committee was A reception followed the concert in HMADS’ involved,” she said “months of preparation lead - Kalustyan Hall. One of the highlights of the ing up to the event, but it all paid off.” Literally reception was the cutting of an original cake too — as the function raised $18,000 in net prof - donated for the event by artistic New Jersey- it for the school. based bakers Keremo Cakes. The cake featured Special guests with participants “The event was a true success,” said the school’s Ararat mountain logo on a multi- Hovannes Malikyan, HMADS Board member tier cake surrounded by small individual cup - and Friends Committee chairperson. “It met all cakes with the letters of the Armenian Nazarian, Barbara Peters, Mr. and Mrs. Noubar tured were Violinist Diana Vasilyan, who per - of our goals, and was an ideal way to commem - Alphabet. The clergy, past and current chairs of Mahdessian, benefactors and representatives of formed a moving trio Gomidas’s Dsirani Dsar orate this important achievement in the the School Board joined in cutting the cake as organizations from the New York/New Jersey with two HMADS young alumni violinists — school’s history.” HMADS Students sang the school’s song and area. Zovinar Aghavian and Nicole Mark — and The concert also reminded the community Happy Birthday . The event was attended by Archbishop accompanist Janet Marcarian. that a school like HMADS can’t keep its doors While HMADS’ style is more humble, it could Yeghishe Gizirian, former Primate of UK At the conclusion of the program, the entire open, serving the community year after year, — if it wanted to — boast its 265-plus students Armenians. Other guest clergies included Fr. audience, HMADS choir, alumni and guest per - without the sponsorship and support of the that have graduated, empowered with a com - Bedros Kadehjian, interim pastor of the formers joined in singing Hayr Mer led by community. “The school needs each and every petitive American education and supplemented Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs and Fr. Gizirian, who gave a moving speech congratu - one of us,” says HMADS Board Member Lolita by intense study of Armenian language, history Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian lating the HMADS Family. Babikian, “to keep the wheels turning and mak - and culture. Church of Douglaston, NY. “The concert was beautiful to listen to, but “Our school’s anniversary is a community was also meaningful and reflective considering milestone,” said Zarminé Boghosian, the long - the occasion,” said Mina Hovsepian, 45th time principal of HMADS, whose name is prac - Anniversary Committee member, HMADS

The performers are thanked by Principal Zarminé Boghosian.

ing HMADS better, stronger and most impor - If 45 is the new 25, then HMADS is true to tantly, of highest quality in education and disci - form, trying to stay ahead of the times—it has pline. No wonder that this school was ranked web presence at www.hmads.org and it is on number one in Queens private schools based on Facebook to help it explore different ways of their state tests.” reaching out to the community and especially The event began and ended with a candle - to the alumni and attract new students. light procession of 45 HMADS alumni and stu - “The school’s Open House for Nursery and dents. The program included both Armenian Kindergarten shouldn’t be missed by any local Andy Torigian introduces Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, and the clergy to the residents of the ANRC. and Western classical compositions. new parents,” said Liza Andreopoulos, HMADS HMADS has a talented collection of parents PTO co-chair. “HMADS provides an excellent and teachers. Mezzo-Soprano Hasmik nursery school program, and continues K-6 Meikhanedjian, who gave a powerful perfor - with a solid private school education.” The Archbishop Barsamian, Clergy, Visit New Jersey mance of Verdi’s Il Troubadore , has two chil - Open House for the year 2012-2013 is set for Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center dren in the school, Ani and Levon, and finds Wednesday, February 29; those interested in time to serve on the PTO of the school, and attending should RSVP with the school office. EMERSON, N.J. — Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of consequently, was a driving force in spearhead - HMADS was founded in 1967 as the Hye the Armenian church, visited the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (ANRC) in ing the concert. Barclay, is the parent of Bardez Nursery School, and then grew from January to help celebrate Armenian Christmas. Accompany him were Fr. Diran Bohajian, Shushan, a current student, and Zovinar, who only a nursery program to a comprehensive pastor of St. Leon Armenian Church of Fairlawn; Deacon Sebuh Oscherician of St. Vartan just graduated. Both Meikhanedjian and nursery through sixth-grade elementary school, Cathedral, New York City; Deacon Hacik Sariminasyan of St. Leon Armenian Church and Barclay consequently sing in the St. Vartan fully accredited by the New York State Board of Arthur Petrosyan from the Diocese Communication Department. Armenian Cathedral Choir every Sunday. Education. The Primate and the other members of the clergy conducted a short mass and gave com - Hooshere, a new parent of Hye Bardez tod - Housed in the community center wing of the munion to each of the 60 residents in attendance. Barsamian told them that he was pray - dler Araxi, is also an alumna of the school. Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs, HMADS ing for their recovery and that God loves them. Anahid Boghossian and Nevart Z. Dadourian is non-affiliated and is supported by various Andy Torigian, the president and chairman of the board of ANRC, thanked Barsamian are regular music teachers of the school; Diana organizations, as well as individual benefactors. and the clergy for their attention to the ANRC. After the service, a luncheon was served. Vasilyan is a visiting violin teacher and Janet This year marks 45 years of its inception and Marcarian is the retired HMADS sixth-grade the 30th graduating class. The HMADS 30th teacher who accompanied all the artists of the graduation will be held on Friday, June 15. 12 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR Arts & Living

Spilling Library of Congress Marks the 500th The Beans Anniversary of the Armenian Literary Fastachi: There Is No Other Nut! Tradition WASHINGTON — In 1512, Hakob Meghapart (Jacob the Sinner) opened an By Rachel Travers Armenian Press in Venice, Italy, and pub - lished an Armenian religious book, Urbatagirk (the Book of Fridays). The era WATERTOWN (edible boston) — If you are a of Armenian printing had begun. nut lover, there is nothing better than a plump To mark the quincentenary of this and perfect roasted nut, sometimes salted, event and UNESCO’s designation of sometimes not, but always fresh, fresh, fresh — Yerevan, the capital of the Republic of whether popped in your mouth, added to a Armenia, as its Book Capital of the salad, laid out for company or given as a pre - World, 2012, the Library of Congress will sent. Which is why Souren and Susan open an exhibition, “To Know Wisdom Etyemezians chose the name “Fastachi” for and Instruction: The Armenian Literary their hand-crafted nuts and dark chocolate Tradition at the Library of Congress” on barks: Translated from a Native American lan - April 19, in the South Gallery of the guage, that is just what it means — “little gift” Thomas Jefferson Memorial Building. The or “little giver.” exhibition will remain on view from 8:30 Their brochure reads: “Ah, the Fastachi nut. a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Born and bred in all the best places, hand- Saturday, through September 17. picked for sublime perfection, and under our Drawing from the Armenian collections careful guise, hand-roasted, in small batches, in Kim Kashkashian of the Library of Congress, the exhibition steel drums. No fancy seasonings, only pure sea will display the varieties of the Armenian salt to bring out the true essence of our thor - literary tradition from the era of oughbreds…Pampered, over-protected and manuscripts through the early periods of spoiled? Perhaps.” Violist Kim Kashkashian in print and on to contemporary publishing. But the fact is, if you love nuts, once you try Manuscripts in the exhibition will range them from Fastachi, you will probably never from 14th- and 15th-century gospel books pick up packaged nuts at a convenience mart hand-copied by monks to 19th-century again, or make your holiday nut purchase from works on palmistry (Constantinople, 1894), big-box retailers. You might actually admit fire-fighting (Venice, 1832), cotton produc - being a nut snob. Peak Form tion (Paris, 1859) and the first modern Etyemezians thought he was on the road to Armenian novel, Armenia’s Wounds , by becoming an engineer, and bounced through PHILADELPHIA (Philadelphia Inquirer) — The music world is crawling with hot Khachadour Abovyan (1848). The first com - five colleges — ending up with an MBA in busi - young violists (Maxim Rysanov, Lawrence Power and David Aaron Carpenter), but plete Armenian-language printed Bible ness, enamored with branding and packaging. they all have a ways to go before they are as interesting as Kim Kashkashian. At age from Amsterdam in 1666 will be soon along “Then a friend of mine in California asked me if 59, she is playing in peak form and more than most, expanding the viola repertoire with a richly-illuminated missal copied in I’d like to learn how to roast nuts,” says in numerous directions. But rather than probing some meditative new works by 1722 for the use of the celebrant of the Etyemezians, who took his friend up on the Baltic Republic composers or exploring her Armenian roots, Kashkashian played Armenian liturgy and a rare 19th-century offer and has been pursuing this path ever nothing but her own Schumann adaptations Friday at her Philadelphia Chamber musical manuscript by Pietro Bianchini, since. His first shop was Mixed Nuts on Music Society recital. who was the first to transcribe the Belmont Street, in Belmont, opened in 1990. Why not? Armenian liturgy using European musical Four years later, he met and married Susan, Adagio and Allegro Op. 70, Funf Stucke im Volkston Op. 102, Fantasiestucke, notation. A 20th-century Soviet edition of who had gone to Parsons The New School for Op. 73 were refitted with success. Violin Sonata in D minor Op. 121 was not — an the Armenian national epic, David of Design and worked in the fashion industry. enterprise that told you a lot Sasoun (1962) will also be on display. They make a great couple, with an even mea - about what was right with the In conjunction with the exhibition, the sure of both style and savvy. Susan other transcriptions and why such Library of Congress will publish an exhi - Etyemezians is very organized and efficient; By David Patrick Stearns things aren’t widely attempted. bition catalog titled To Know Wisdom Souren Etyemezians has an eye for detail and is Though the sonata was com - and Instruction: A Visual Survey of the a very visual person. The couple never steps on posed in 1851 and only two years after the rest of the works on the program (all Armenian Literary Tradition from the the other’s words. were written within weeks of one another in 1849), it is from a different creative Library of Congress . The catalog was “We complement one another, that’s why it period: The composer was knocking out works faster (and perhaps more careless - compiled by exhibition curator Levon works so well. And we learned how to work ly) than before, often spending little more than a week on each one, almost as if he Avdoyan, the library’s Armenian and together,” explains Susan Etyemezians, who knew that, amid encroaching mental illness, his creative days were numbered. Georgian area specialist in the Near East says it was a very natural transition. There is a The sonata’s third movement is among the composer’s most original, with an Section of the African and Middle definite pride in their partnership. Italianate melody that is plucked out of the instrument with charmingly rustic Eastern Division. This 100-page softcover In 1999 the couple expanded, changed their effect, in what feels like Schumann’s answer to the Act II serenade in Mozart’s “Don book with 75 images is available for $25 name from Mixed Nuts (which was too generic) Giovanni.” But the final movement shows the composer at his most obsessive, with in bookstores nationwide and through and opened Fastachi in the Seaport District. a five-note motif arriving somewhere about 50 times in less than eight minutes. the Library of Congress Shop, They successfully created a brand; however, Much of the rest feels dense to the point of claustrophobia. www.loc.gov/shop/. they were a few years ahead of the times by Without the brighter sound of the violin, such passages became murkier. The exhibition and catalog have been turning to this yet-to-be-developed area of Accompanist Robert D. Levin seemed to compensate by bringing a Bach-like sense made possible through grants from the Boston. So this store closed and in 2003 they of definition to the piano part, but the effect felt relentless in stretches where the Dolores Zohrab Leibmann Fund, the moved to their current site on Mt. Auburn music so energetically goes nowhere. Dadian Fund of the Library of Congress, Street in Watertown. Elsewhere, the recital was fairly magical — and attracted a full house at the Roger Strauch and Julie Kulhanjian Watertown was good for the Armenian cou - American Philosophical Society — if only because Kashkashian was so immersed Strauch, the Vartkess and Rita Balian ple; however, they didn’t want to be in the eth - in the music world that it did not really matter what instrument she was playing. Family Foundation and the Sami and nic business. They wanted to have a nut store, Schumann’s songful brand of lyricism emerged as if she was drawing on some Annie Totah Family Foundation. and that’s what they created. Fastachi is a very secret text as the inspiration for her color and phrasing. And that is important, The library will also present a concert appealing shop. Front and center are their since all of the 1849 works are considered to be minor, but through in conjunction with the exhibition. hand-roasted nuts — perfect sizes, never a bro - Kashkashian’s depth of empathy and Levin’s sense of what the music needed, Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan ken piece and offered either their plain or some seemed as major as can be. In the adagio and allegro , pianist Levin produced some will perform at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May with sea salt. They buy their products as well, mesmerizing colors I had not previously heard from him. And in the opening of 19, in the Coolidge Auditorium of the and all but the pepitas and cashews from India Funf Stucke , Kashkashian’s vibrant viola tone was such a pleasure, the music Thomas Jefferson Building, located at 10 are grown in the United States: hazelnuts are seemed made for her. So it seemed, too, in the encore, a transcription of the song First Street SE. from Oregon; pistachios, almonds and walnuts Widmung with its famously soaring melody — that was much needed after going Hakhnazaryan is a Young Concert from California; pecans from the South and round in circles with the sonata. No surprise that in this transcription, the words Artists laureate who captured the First peanuts from the Southwest. were not missed. That is the highest compliment to be paid — when a transcription Prize and Gold Medal at the 14th “It’s all done lovingly,” explains Souren feels thoroughly right and not secondhand. Then again, the skill of the transcrip - International Tchaikovsky Competition in Etyemezians, who says their nuts are handled tion is in this case, inseparable from the charisma of the performers. June 2011. The concert is free and open with great care. (David Patrick Stearns is the Inquirer ’s classical music critic.) to the public, but tickets are required and To the left of the shop are the confections — are available through Ticketmaster. notably the chocolate nut bark with Fastachi’s see NUTS, page 13 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 13 ARTS & LIVING Armenian Singer from Turkey, Sibil, to Make Metropolitan New York Debut

Shushi Dance Ensemble a larger audience all over the world. In summer 2011, Sibil was invited to Armenia Will Interpret Sibil’s Songs to sing at the opening and closing ceremonies Through Dance of the Pan Armenian Games. That performance was carried live on Armenian TV and was HACKENSACK, N.J. — In 2010, a young watched throughout the communities of the singer in an Armenian Church choir named Armenian Diaspora. Sibil captured the attention and hearts of On March 31, Sibil will make her debut in the Turkey’s population. The headlines read “For New York Metropolitan Area. She will perform the first time an Armenian singer is being heard at the Bergen County Academies in in the streets of Istanbul.” Hackensack. The evening is being sponsored by Sibil and her sister, Garin, were born in Istanbul Constantinople Armenian Relief Society with a family name that was changed from (CARS). Co-chairs of the event are Tamar Torosyan to Pektorosoglu. She was named after the Kayserian and Hilda Nisanyan. “It is a major well-known Armenian writer Zabelle Asadour, undertaking that requires a lot of organization whose penname was Sibil. Her father, Garbis, a and planning. That evening, Sibil will be accom - goldsmith, was born in Istanbul while her mother, panied on stage by musicians both from Turkey Mari, has a Sepastatsi/Tokatsi background. and the United States. “Members of the Shushi The first music notes that Sibil was exposed Dance Ensemble will also appear on the stage to were the prayers and hymns of the Armenian to interpret the songs through dance and to Church, since her father would take her to enrich the evening’s program,” said Kayserian, church every Sunday morning as a child. Her president of CARS. “Bergen County Academies’ talent and love for music were discovered by her Sibil Auditorium has 1,192 seats and we are confi - parents when Sibil would come home and sing dent that we will have a sold-out evening.” and recite the prayers she had just heard dur - Tickets are priced at $50, $35 and $25 and ing the church services. However, the opportu - In 2010, Sibil realized her lifelong dream — Turkey’s history. Sibil’s videos appeared also on can be secured by calling members of the orga - nities were not there for young Sibil to develop her CD was released with 11 songs, produced YouTube exposing her unique voice and style to nizing committee. a strong foundation in music. with the help of Armenian, Greek and Turkish Sibil attended Mihitaryan elementary school artists. The songs Namag, Desnem Ani’n oo in Istanbul and then studied finance. Currently, Nor Mernem, Giligya, Im Anoush Davigh, she works in a financial institution. But her pas - Oror, Hisus, Der Voghormia, Tzarav Seri, sion for music never faded. Since1991 she has Gyanki mi Hamar,Siro Tzayni and Nayem been a member and lead soloist of St. were echoed through the streets of Istanbul. Vartanantz Choir in Istanbul. Her break came People liked what they heard. in 1999 when she appeared on stage in the pro - Sibil’s voice continued to ring on the duction of Dikran Chookhajian’s musical come - Armenian stage in Istanbul, in the Armenian dy “Leblebiji,” which was sponsored at the time churches as well as in the Holy Cross Armenian by the Istanbul Esayan Alumni. It was in that Church on the Island of Akhtamar. Some of production that she met one of Istanbul’s most Sibil’s songs were released as videos and respected modern-day composers and musi - attracted thousands of Turkish and Armenian cians, Majak Tosikyan. Tosikyan composed sev - fans. Turkey’s leading private TV channels as eral songs and Sibil sang these songs in such well as the country’s state-run broadcaster have inspiring ways that she became his best broken new ground in airing Armenian music Members of the Shushi Dance Ensemble Armenian music interpreter. videos on popular stations for the first time in Fastachi: There Is No Other Nut! NUTS, from page 12 burgers, in a smoothie, or simple: almond but - proprietary blend of dark chocolate. Since the ter, cheese and crackers; or pecan butter with nuts are the starts, the uneven sheets are thin Honeycrisp apples.” Susan Etyemezians calls enough to highlight their taste, but the choco - this a “a caramel apple without the caramel.” late offers a formidable balance. “And then there’s always the finger,” suggests Since they don’t do seasoned nuts, “new Souren Etyemezians — any fanatic of nut but - products” are few and far between — it’s more ters knows this method. about creating and maintaining the Fastachi They are known for their dried cranberry and quality. But their latest offering is nut butters. nuts mixture, but this year they are offering a New this year, the nut butters are always out for new mixture: a chocolate nut mix with almonds, sampling, and then are basically made to order, pistachios, sesame peanuts, hazelnuts, cranber - they are that fresh. Pistachio butter, salted ries and dark raisins — all tucked together with pecan butter and their amazing mixed nut but - 70-percent bittersweet chocolate chips. When ter, which is a mélange of seven nuts that they you eat this mixture, it will become evident that grind together: cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, this nut business is an art, a real craft. Perfect peanuts, pecans, walnuts and pistachios. This ratios of ingredients, perfect mix. puts a brand new twist on peanut butter, and Always keeping the business and market in your favorite jarred spreadable may fall by the mind, Souren and Susan Etyemezians met last wayside. If you wonder what you might do with year with a business coach. The outcome was a special delectable liked mixed nut butter, that they would cut back on their wholesaling, think outside of the PB&J sandwich. just wholesaling regionally, as far as New York. Souren Etyemezians is a font of ideas for the The second prong of the plan was to expand nut butter: “Use it in a pasta instead of pesto; their product locally. put it on a bagel with tomato, cucumber and To accomplish this, Souren and Susan sea salt; or on toast with honey and sliced Etyemezians began participating in local farm - bananas. It can be used as a binder for veggie ers markets. They started out last winter at the Wayland Winter Farmers Market for two days, and have been in 10 markets, five days a week, during this market season. They are starting to plan their winter market schedule for this year, which is harder because they are all on Saturdays. Says Susan, “It’s been a wonderful experience,” while Souren Etyemezians admits “It’s not an easy thing. It takes a lot out of you.” But he is quick to second his wife’s comment about being a wonderful experience to be in. “At the farmer’s markets, it’s all about selling good product to good people and everyone’s enjoying it. People are either finding out about us, or people are looking for us. It’s an amazing way of putting your product directly in the con - sumer’s mouth,” says Souren Etyemezians. He may be all about the nuts, but he is clearly a people person as well. “I enjoy selling gifts. It completes the contact between two people.” After you have tried Fastachi, there is no other nut. 14 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARTS & LIVING Yeghiazar Muradian The Intellectual Knight

By Dr. Artur Andranikian

Yeghiazar Muradian is one of the names regrettably forgotten in both Armenia and the diaspora of that generation — the generation of Khachadur Misakian, Minas Cheraz, Nigoghos Zorayan, Nahabed Rusinian, Sdepan Vosgan, Krikor Chilingirian and Krikor Odian. This is a name especially sacred to me. It was not only a generation which formed the Armenian nation - al school and press, aiding in the awakening of the Armenian literary, cultural and public intel - lect. This was the reason for it to be called the Zartonk generation. It also, during the cruel period of the Ottoman sultans, took the first Yeghiazar Muradian blessed steps toward the rediscovery of Armenian identity. Its members were called eastern aristocrats. They spread enlightenment offered jewels to the nation which will always through their far-ranging activities in various shine on its literary crown” (p. iii). spheres of Armenian life, imparting wisdom to The existence of literature from the perspec - their people living in the most indescribable tive of the progress of the national intellect not conditions. only has its distinct place in Yeghiazar Yeghiazar Muradian (1841-1891) has left a Muradian’s literary and pedagogical viewpoints, multifaceted legacy through his literary, cultur - but it also, according to him, represents a civi - al and pedagogical work as a poet, literary the - lizing significance. What is completely amazing orist, pedagogue, linguist, lexicographer, trans - is that he as a public cultural figure considered lator, historian and dramaturge and most impor - this important in the 19th century (though it is tantly as a result of his dedicated attitude of an possible to say it is characteristic of all periods Armenian intellectual. I am sure that this not and especially ours). Perhaps it is not all that only can cause wonder but also has an instruc - amazing since Muradian not only possessed the tive significance. This legacy would fill three or distinguished character of the Armenians and four volumes. It seems as if it has become cus - was an oracle of national precepts and com - tomary for us not to recognize, or, what comes mandments but was also a dedicated person to the same thing, not to appreciate our nation - with a spiritual and cultural legacy and excep - al values. We must seek the recognition of tional cognitive ability. Armenian identity precisely in these up until In the foreword to the second volume, now for us “undiscoverable” values. Muradian said, “Literature is the accurate por - TEKYAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NY He was born in the Aykesdan quarter of Van trayal of a people’s civilization, so that if it were MHER MEGERDCHIAN THEATRICAL GROUP on, according to my research, Norashen Street. possible to destroy a nation’s political history, Still an adolescent, Yeghiazar, thirsty for knowl - its entire lost life can be brought forth [again] Invites you to a theatrical presentation edge, departed for Constantinople. During the from its literature. For literature step by step fol - 1850s, he studied at the Holy Savior National lows a nation’s intellectual, moral and material School in Constantinople’s Yedi Kule suburb progress…political history can lie…only the and even then evinced exceptional ability in the product of the intellect is beyond all envy, all fields of pedagogy, history, Armenian language pusillanimous passions…Our literature is still in and literature, bibliography and French. In an embryonic state…Consequently, great care 1862, leaving school without graduating, he must be taken in the selection of leaders of ado - obtained positions in a number of notable lescent taste among us…” (pp. iii-v). Armenian schools such as those of Kuzguncuk, Being devoted to Armenian education and Üsküdar and Beshigtash, as a teacher utilizing upbringing, Muradian as a very erudite and new approaches. Such famous Armenian fig - broadminded pedagogue considered teaching ures of the time as Nerses Varzhabedian, an art and demonstrated creative approaches to Madteos Mamurian and Krikor Odian had con - it. The evidence is not only the abovementioned fidence in him. One of Murdian’s students in textbooks but also the following books which the Ortaköy school was a future great poet of he authored and which were used as textbooks Western Armenian, Vahan Tekeyan. in the schools of Constantinople: Hayeren kra - Pedagogy was Yeghiazar Muradian’s element par keraganutiwn [Grammar of Classical in the most meaningful sense of the word; Armenian], Badmutiwn enthanur azkayin teaching, arduous creative work, was a means [General National History] and Hamarod to newly interpret his knowledge. It is not coin - dramapanutiwn ew jardasanutiwn [Concise cidence that the textbook that he authored Logic and Rhetoric]. In addition to these text - titled Artzern krakidutiwn [Portable Literacy] books which helped not only students but also (1872)] was considered to be one of the first for the pedagogues teaching in schools and Western and Eastern Armenian. This is also academies, Muradian often gave what was for attested to by the fact that the 27-year-old those years extremely indispensable pedagogi - young pedagogue, who already had won the cal lectures. In the pedagogical lecture and fame of being a principal, founded a private meditation Usutsanelu arvesde [The Art of school in the Üsküdar neighborhood of Teaching], ( Arewelean mamul , May 1881, vol. Constantinople. He probably was not able to 11, pp. 172-177, 374, 393, Smyrna), while endure various caprices in teaching and related reflecting upon the essential circumstance that issues of the 19th century. His exceptional text - upbringing and education are different, books, Dzaghig arti hay madenakrutean Muradian remarked, “The goal of good teaching May 11, 2012, Friday at 8 pm for boys is intellectual activity and that is also [Flower of Contemporary Armenian Literature] the touchstone for its success. The degree of (volumes 1-2, 1884-85, Constantinople), with The Shell Theater grammatical and literary explanations and his - intellectual exertion depends partly on the torical and geographical notations, were the topic to be taught and partly on the method of 300 West Street, fourth floor, New York fruit of similar dissatisfaction. Through their teaching. Sometimes the topic of the class approximately 400 pages of Armenian and becomes very difficult and it demands skill and international literary creations, Muradian awak - oratory from the teacher so that it can become Tickets: $20 (very limited seats available) ened love towards the homeland and Armenian understandable through explanation and the Call: Marie 201-745-8850 language. In his foreword to the first volume, he provision of examples so that it is imprinted in wrote, “I know that other conditions are also the minds of the students. It is not sufficient for necessary for the complete development of a the teacher to adopt this behavior. He must also language. Like plants and animals, languages evade a danger — that is, he must not turn the too have their homeland. When they are distant class into a literal instruction in memory, but from it, many things are changed from their rather bequeath its true knowledge to the stu - archetype…but the writers from whose works I dents.” included select sections in my book have see MURADIAN, page 16 Advertise in the Mirror-Spectator S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 15 ARTS & LIVING ‘Deported/a dream play:’ The Creative Process

DEPORTED, from page 1 the 100th anniversary of the The actual writing of the play was a true col - Genocide approaching in 2015, laborative effort. we are in the right place and “We met as a group,” said Van Dyke, “with the right time. We hope to the director Judy Braha and the actors. We reach out to the widest possi - brought in all sorts of materials, oral histories ble public. to non-Armenians as from ALMA and photographs from Project well as Armenian audiences. SAVE. One of the original items we had was Both Judy Braha and I have a Martin Deranian’s mother’s passport.” long history of collaboration Braha challenged the actors to improvise with Boston Playwrights’ lines on the basis of these primary sources. Theatre, known for its award “There are scenes and lines in the play that productions of new plays. We came directly out of the actors’ improvisations. are thrilled to launch this play Of course, I still had to sort it all out and actu - with a world premiere produc - ally write the play. It was a huge challenge, tion by Boston Playwright’s Theatre in association with Suffolk University, at the beau - tiful, new-renovated Modern Theater in the heart of Boston’s theater district.” Said Van Dyke, “Miraculously, the same actors have stayed with the produc - tion since the beginning, so they have a real intimacy with the play and all the material.” The Modern Theater, at 545 ABOVE LEFT: Varter and her first husband, Mr. Nazarian, Mezireh. ABOVE RIGHT: Varter Nazarian Deranian and Washington St., Boston, is a her son, Martin, Worcester perfect venue for the play, said Van Dyke. “It’s owned by Suffolk University and is a feel very good about the script going into this a lot of hope.” gem of a small theater with 185 seats. The production.” In fact, Van Dyke is inviting more collabora - whole neighborhood has been revitalized and She added, “I want people to know that this tive feedback in a series of post show talks that there are lots of new restaurants and shops,” is not a play about death. It’s about life, and will be held in different locales between March she noted. how you go on. There is a lot of humor in it and 10 and March 29. Van Dyke credited Deranian with much of the “We have a lot of people to thank for their inspiration for the play. assistance in making this happen, not just “He is really the godfather of this whole cre - ALMA and Project SAVE but AIWA [Armenian ation. I met him in 2003 at one of the perfor - International Women’s Association], of course mances of my play, “‘A Girl’s War.’ From him, I Sayat Nova and NAASR [National Association Playwright Joyce Van Dyke learned that his mother and my grandmother for Armenian Studies and Research]. All of were close friends, deported together from the these organizations have been involved,” said same city, Mezireh, in 1915. I am such a reviser Van Dyke. probably the most ambitious thing I’ve ever of my work, I’m sure I’ll make more changes, Van Dyke’s next work will be about the his - written,” said Van Dyke. “Much of the material but I feel very good about the script. Through a toric production of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” is cast as dreams, but it is all based on docu - lifetime of research, Martin had acquired insid - starring Paul Robeson, which took place in mentary sources. The play gives voice to stories er information about both women’s experi - 1942. that have been silent for 100 years.” ences, including things I’d never heard from my “It had a mixed cast and at first the produc - Over the course of the past five years, the own grandmother. Once he began passing this ers couldn’t raise money for a Broadway pro - play has had several staged readings, notably material on to me — stories, letters, photos, arti - duction. When it finally opened, starring one at the Calderwood Pavillion at the Boston facts — I couldn’t stop thinking about these two Robeson, Uta Hagen, Jose Ferrer and Margaret Center for the Arts in May 2011, also one in women and the way their story could give focus Webster, it knocked everyone out. I’ll be dealing 2009 at the New Repertory Theater in to this huge cultural cataclysm. He has been a with some of the reactions to a production with Watertown and a student production sponsored huge moral support to me.” an integrated cast,” said Van Dyke. by Boston University’s School of Theater. Is the play likely to change even more after “Deported/ a dream play” will run from The staged readings lacked the dances and the upcoming production? Said Van Dyke, “A March 8 to April 1, playing on Thursdays at choreography of the Sayat Nova Dance new play is almost always still evolving. Many 7:30 p.m., on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Company, directed by Apo Ashjian, that are things change when you see the complete work 8 p.m. with a matinee performance on Sundays now an important part of the final production. on the stage for the first time. I’m such a revis - Actress Bobbie Steinbach at 2 p.m. Said Van Dyke, in a written statement, “With er of my work. I’m sure I’ll make changes, but I For tickets, visit www.bostonplaywrights.org.

A RMENIANS with Henry Kissinger and MIT President Susan Hockfield. In another issue of the Improper, also on the “Last Scene Here” page, Amanda Lydon, daughter of Cindy In an article of the Boston Globe, titled Concord Council on Aging. The workshop Arakelian, is men - “Island CNooking,” LyTdon of HEStraight Wharf, wNas on hEWSow to make boxwood displays, tioned as one of the appears again as was one of the many which are like mini hand-crafted Christmas prominent chefs who guests who attended Nantucket’s American trees. As the recently-hired activities direc - contributed to what Seasons-hosted Hogtober fest. tor, Abdalian wants the council to promote sounded like a great cel - IIn the October 21 issue of the same paper more crafts projects and encourage people ebration, titled is a story about an 82-year-old antique shop to use their hands and not feel the need to “Ultimate Tailgate owner who chases a robber through three be perfect. She respected each participant’s Party,” a benefit for Paul R. Ignatius. different towns before the man is caught. individual approach, and had decorations “Lov’n Spoonfuls,” held Armen Amerigian defended his epynomous for them to place afterwards, but advised at South Boston popu - antiques shop by getting in his car and chas - everyone not to remove a branch from the lar spot, Sam’s, but the party was held out - tions at Gagosian Gallery, which has three ing the robber until reaching Stoughton dense soil once they had inserted it or it doors, between the restaurant and the locations in New York and eight others when he decided it was too dangerous to would create a whole in the soil and their water. On the Improper Sightings page is around the world. The ratio is almost two to continue. Giving the police a partial license project would crumble. Former Secretary of the Navy and one, the article states, which is a surprise to plate number, he enabled authorities to Ira Stepanian, a prominent figure in the Washington Post President Paul R. the owner, Larry Gagosian. Despite his out - track the suspect in Easton. banking world, is featured in an issue of Ignatius. ward machismo, Gagosian doesn’t consider In a December 18 Boston Globe article, Improper Bostonian’s “Last Scene Here,” In the October issue of Vogue is an article gender an issue, as evidenced by the fact Terry Abdalian is mentioned in an article for having attended Massachusetts General by Dodie Kazanjian commenting on the that women run all the major branches of about heading a festive project via the Hospital’s 200th anniversary party, along impressive number of women in senior posi - the gallery, from Paris to Los Angeles. 16 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARTS & LIVING

between the past and the period they lived in, Yeghiazar Muradian, The Intellectual Knight not only by citing episodes from the heroic past, but also exposing the flaws of our ancestors from MURADIAN, from page 14 vatism gave primary significance to the new gen - the matter in the light of the real and concrete those times, i.e. their way of acting that was not Muradian’s art of teaching achieves universal eration, to whose education and progressive changes necessary to make the Constitution fully favorable to Armenians, to put it mildly. In the depth and significance. This becomes more evi - development he dedicated his life and tried in serve the nation. foreword of his work Knnagan badmutiwn dent when we read the preface of his work every way to aid it, keeping the burning flame Muradian’s public proposal was in its nature Arshag Yergroti ev anor Bab vortvoyn [Critical Keraganutiwn kaghieren lezvi [Grammar of the kindled in the nation’s youth. However he was and extent not only strange for many, but History of Arshag the Second and His Son Bab] French Language]: “We do not understand the dissatisfied with the language, confessing that extremely unacceptable. A small number of (Alexandria, 1900), Muradian wrote, “Historical study of a language to be dry and desiccated lex - instead of it progressing daily, “it is in national figures were in favor of his proposal, personages are the property of mankind at large; icology and irregular and a baseless discussion retreat…what is the reason for this? Are the including his friend, the great Armenian satirist historical truths are the right of peoples. without the mastery of the spirit and rules of the youth devoid of taste, of education?...they must Hagop Baronian. This issue was discussed in the Consequently, it is not the monopoly of this or language. Grammar, which is the key to a lan - not be blamed…our youth need leadership; we National Assembly and the fierce arguments and that historian, or of this or that people, to make guage and one branch of its philosophy, must be lack teachers and textbooks. How can we correct differences of opinion led many to once more historical conclusions as he pleases, to judge, taught methodically and flawlessly, with a style these deficiencies which damage our nation? The reflect on Armenian national and educational condemn, crown or whistle at great historical per - which will neither scare away nor bore students.” answer is clear: the youth must be solidly edu - issues. sonages without review and as an unconditional As the possessor of an exceptional intellect cated; they must be introduced to political, edu - Was it not the result of speaking openly that verdict. Criticism comes early or late and with and the master of various languages (Turkish, cation and literary realms; and only by obtaining the extremely occupied Muradian, endlessly zeal - Nemesis’ scales in hand gives to each one in Kurdish, French, English and, I am sure, Greek), knowledge will they serve the advancement of ous to reform the educational system, at the end accordance to his merit.” Yeghiazar Muradian through his extensive activ - the Armenian nation and will fulfill their respon - of the 1860s started the most purposeful com - Subjecting Arshag the Second’s “wise policy, ity could not but have engendered admiration sibility.” munications with the Armenian public and wrote his efforts directed toward domestic beneficence and enthusiasm in Krikor Odian, the “master of The journalistic meditation Barsgagan nama - the plays Vartan and Aghasi? They were staged for the country” to a general examination, the public” and one of the founders of the gani ar zhoghovrtn [Persian Letters to the at the time in Constantinople and enjoyed great Muradian concluded, “desiring to carry out a National Constitution. Nor jashag tbrutean gam People] (Constantinople, 1880) most persuasive - popularity (The texts of these plays have not small service to scholarship and in particular hamarod jardasanutiwn [New Taste in ly underscores the daring infallibility of been preserved. We think that they were com - with the conviction of carrying out a sweet patri - Literature or Concise Rhetoric] is a work he ded - Muradian’s method of work. While he appreciat - posed in verse.) His turning to dramaturgy was otic obligation, I wrote the true story of Arshag icated to “the soaring to heaven and majestic ed the clearly amelioratory role of the National not at all coincidental. On the one hand, there is II and his son Bab…about which the nation defi - Kr[ikor]. Odian.” It is a work also founded on pro - Constitution, he was not one of its silent admir - the insatiable desire to directly be in communi - nitely can be proud.” Generally, this historical found intellectual knowledge. For example, in ers. He wrote, “The constitutional Education cation with the public and on the other hand the period has been very unjustly criticized by our the section called “Discovery or Idea,” after talk - Council has not succeeded in over twenty years turning point created by Mikayel Nalpandian’s historians and historical novelists, primarily by ing about the universality of speaking and writ - in giving direction to at least one national school visit to Constantinople in the fall of 1861. When taking Buzand’s History as a reliable basis. ing or their interdependency, he concluded, in a practical manner…yes, if one day this nation the latter was returning from India, he stayed Muradian expresses a completely different opin - “Before speaking and writing it is necessary that will become something, it will owe its persecuted, approximately one month in Constantinople and ion, very courageous for his time, by naming we know what we are going to say. We call this oppressed and needy class — its teachers and not most likely became acquainted with Muradian. things by their names with unconcealed Discovery or Idea. Or, in what order are we going the Education Council of 1854. It will owe to Nalpandian also saw progress in Armenian liter - emphases. to explain our idea and this is called Proposition; them the lifting of the bowed down forehead of ary and cultural life and wrote in the periodical Muradian died in 1891, in Constantinople’s or, how must we explain our idea so that it is ele - its oppressed nation…” (p. 17). Muradian saw Meghu , “Long live the youth, who are launching Pera quarter, leaving unfinished numerous pro - gant and this is called Style. Therefore there are national life and the national school in a broad theatric performances in Constantinople; the jects which only he would have been able to three things to observe in speech: Creation, manner on the same plane, interdependent and stage of a theater has a great symbolic meaning.” bring to life. In his words of farewell, Muradian’s Proposition and Style.” nourishing one another. And he was in favor of No matter how nightmarish this life was being friend, the famous principal Reteos Berberian, The philosophical nature of the work is quite Nerses Varzhabedian, Armenian Patriarch of presented as (chiefly by historians and historical with infinite pain remarked, “Brothers, he clear (various stories from the Bible , or from Constantinople, being given broad assignments, novelists), the intellectuals of Constantinople around whose coffin we have the misfortune to French authors such as Racine). Muradian’s goal the freedom to expand activities in nearly all were living a national life and the Armenian cre - gather today was not an insignificant person. He is again the same: “to serve the nation, the cher - spheres of Armenian public life. Of course, he did ative mind did not stop creating. It is not a coin - was one of the most able members of this nation - ished generation,” and awaken the slumbering not underestimate the human and national val - cidence that many, including Muradian, turned al teachers’ body. He was a mystery, he was a consciousness of progress in it. National conser - ues of the founders of the Constitution. He saw to ancient times to attempt to restore ties writer…the worthy one rests, blessed be his mem - ory, but let us think about those beings which he leaves behind him, who still need him and who are worthy of our compassion and protection.” Yeghiazar Muradian’s soul, I assure you, today has been reincorporated in the essence of gener - ations of Armenians. P.S. Now, as I write, it is as if these lines are CC AA LLEENNDDAARR born from the explosion of my condemning the silence of years without end, perhaps in order to satisfy my patrimonial self-esteem? And I invol - untarily draw near and touch Yeghiazar Muradian’s work Critical History of Arshag the Second and His Son Bab , noticing what is writ - ten in pencil on the last page: “After finding this MASSACHUSETTS book with difficulty I copied it in 1992. I am grateful to the great descendant of the MARCH 31 — AGBU New England District Presents: Per forming Armenians Y. Muradian, whose blood flows in Artists in Concert, 8 p.m. Under the artistic direction of mezzo- my veins.” soprano Solange Merdinian and conductor Aram Demirjian, the inau - My grandmother Armenuhi (on my maternal gural program will feature young Armenian artists who are recipients side, born on Norashen Street of Van’s of scholarships from AGBU in the performing arts. They will perform Aykesdan), is the granddaughter of Yeghiazar the works of both Armenian and non-Armenian classical composers. Muradian’s sister Yeranuhi. When her mother Details to follow. died during childbirth, Yeranuhi took care of her. MAY 24 — Celebrating 80 and Beyond, Benefit for the Armenian She only learned about this in 1916 in the Mirror-Spectator. Royal Sonesta Hotel. Details to follow. American orphanage in Alexandrapol (Gyumri) from elderly Armenians of Van. NEW JERSEY Later, my mother passed on to me what my grandmother had related about her family’s FEBRUARY 22 — Holy Cross Armenian Church Women’s Guild is famous teacher Yeghiazar. His picture has been hosting a Lenten Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Holy Cross Armenian preserved along with a leather-bound small New Church Center, 27th Street and Bergenline Avenue, Union City. RSVP Testament bearing Yeghiazar Muradian’s signa - by February 25. Donation, $20. For info, call Diana Burggraf (201) ture (Constantinople, 1891). I remember as if it 868-0520. were today that my grandmother would always MARCH 8 — Hovnanian School Open houses The doors of your say, “This holy book saved me.” Grandmother child’s future are open, come see for yourself from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Yeranuhi hid the book during the time of migra - at Hovnanian School, 817 River Road, New Milford. For information: tion under 14-year-old Armenuhi’s clothing. (201) 967-5940. Now extremely confused but with the feelings MARCH 31 — CARS presents Armenian singer Sibil from Istanbul of my internal “guiding spirit” I have listened to at 7 p.m. Special guest performance by Shushi Armenian Dance the call of my blood in publishing this article, Ensemble. Bergen County Academics, 200 Hackensack Ave., which I could have written years ago but was not Hackensack. For information, call Hilda (516) 496-0248, Margit (914) able to do so. I don’t know whether this was due 686-0840, Adi (973) 761-1544. Tickets, depending on seats: $50, On March 31, singer Sibil, will perform, along to the complete absence of internal motivation $30 and $25. with the Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble, at or because, as they say, “everything has its time.” MAY 19, 2012 — HMADS Gala Dinner Dance. Details to follow, June 200 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack, NJ, pre - Perhaps it is the latter. It remains to “know in 25. HMADS 30th Commencement Exercise at 8 p.m., Kalustyan Hall. sented by CARS. For information, call Hilda detail the biography of each of our generations” (516) 496-0248, Margit (914) 686-0840, Adi (Hagop Oshagan). NEW YORK (973) 761-1544. Tickets, depending on seats: In this particular case, it is the biography of $50, $30 and $25. Yeghiazar Muradian. FEBRUARY 29 — HMADS Hye Bardez. Nursery and Kindergarten, Grades 1-6, open house 9:15 a.m.-11 a.m. RSVP (718) 225-4826. (The author is the son of Yeghiazar HMADS 209-15 Horace Harding Expressway, Oakland Gardens. Muradian’s sister’s great-grandson. The article was translated from Armenian by Aram Arkun.) S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 17 COMMENTARY

T HE A RMENIAN COMMENTARY Mirror- Dreaming of a ‘Greater Azerbaijan’

Recently, the US government aid to Armenia was announced Spectator ’By Edmond Y. Azadian to be $35.843 million, down from last year’s $43.430 (an 18-per - cent cut). The irony is that military parity has been maintained between Armenia and Azerbaijan, despite section 907 of the If modern Turkey is permitted to dream of — and design — a Freedom Support Act forbidding direct US aid to Azerbaijan. new Ottoman Empire extending all the way to Central Asia, and Using his executive privilege, President George Bush had sus - if the modern state of Israel is permitted to claim Eretz Israel pended the ban, a policy still sustained by the Obama adminis - Established 1932 (described in Genesis 15 and Exodus 23), why not allow tration, contrary to President Aliyev’s war mongering and per - Azerbaijan to dream of a plan for a “greater Azerbaijan,” cov - haps for Baku’s participation in anti-Iranian adventures. An ADL Publication ering almost the entirety of the Caucasus region? Only Historically, a number of opportunities have arisen in the Armenians are forbidden from harboring such plans, apparent - past to dismember Iran; the first attempt was undertaken by ly. As one extremist Turkish writer stated recently, “the dream Ottoman Turkey at the turn of the last century, the second EDITOR of Greater Armenia will only remain a dream.” opportunity came in 1944-45 when Soviet occupation forces Alin K. Gregorian Azerbaijan, which had never been a sovereign state before declared the formation of “Azerbaijani Democratic Republic,” a

ASSOCIATE EDITOR 1918, now has begun to concoct a history to justify its claims vassal state to Moscow and the third attempt came in 1989 Aram Arkun over its neighbors, since the collapse of the Soviet Union. when the border between Azerbaijan and Iran was wiped out. However, with all its faults of being an “Evil Empire,” the Soviet These precedents inspire hope to Baku rulers that they are ART DIRECTOR system had imposed a forced brotherhood between constituent Marc Mgrditchian on the first line of the beneficiaries, should Iran fall. nationalities to forbid any interethnic conflicts. Now that the The government circles, the media and academia have zeroed PRODUCTION system no longer exists, the “brotherhood” has also evaporat - in on February 21, the anniversary of the Treaty of Dilani Yogaratnam ed, giving rise to conflicts and bloody clashes. Turkmenchay of 1828 between Iran and Russia. The logic Since the Karabagh war, Azerbaijan has made outrageous behind this renewed interest in the treaty is that it supposedly claims against Armenia. The late Azeri president, Abulfaz dismembered “historic Azerbaijan,” ceding it to Russia. SENIOR EDITORIAL COLUMNIST: Elchibey, was planning to occupy the entire territory of Therefore, another treaty may restore Azerbaijan’s sovereignty Edmond Azadian Armenia, to wash his feet in Sevan’s water and to drink tea on those lands, which they call Northern Azerbaijan. The mas - on its shores. He also threatened to “liberate” Iranian CONTRIBUTORS: ter plan is to unite Iranian Azerbaijan with the present Florence Avakian, Elizabeth Aprahamian, Azerbaijan, or Northern Azerbaijan, and join it with the pre - Republic of Azerbaijan, and while doing that gobble up Daphne Abeel, Dr. Haroutiune sent Republic of Azerbaijan. Elchibey was perceived as a Mountainous Karabagh, the entire territory of Armenia, Arzoumanian, Taleen Babayan, Prof. quixotic figure in the Caucasian politics and was dismissed Southern Dagestan, Akhalkalak and Akhaltzkha (the latter two Vahakn N. Dadrian, Diana Der as such. regions in Georgia). This plan should worry not only Armenia, Hovanessian, Philip Ketchian, Kevork But today, as the clouds begin to gather over Iran, Azeri lead - but also Russia and Georgia, whose territories are being com - Keushkerian, Sonia Kailian-Placido , ers find a renewed chance of achieving those ambitious goals promised. Harut Sassounian, Mary Terzian, Hagop at the expense of a partitioned Iran, with the fallout extending The Treaty of Turkmenchay is celebrated by Armenians as a Vartivarian, Naomi Zeytoonian over Armenia. historical event liberating Armenia from Muslim rule and trans - CORRESPONDENTS: Indeed, until recently, President Ilham Aliyev’s bellicose ferring the territory under the supposedly more tolerant rhetoric was directed against Karabagh. But, in a speech given Christian rulers, the Russians. Armenia - Hagop Avedikian Boston - Nancy Kalajian recently to his armed forces, he indicated that Armenians had The first Eastern Armenian novelist, Khatchadour Abovian, Philadelphia - Lisa Manookian not existed in the Caucasus region and that they appeared in hails the event in his book, Wounds of Armenia , stating the area in the 18th century to be tolerated as they lived on “blessed be the moment when Russian foot was set on Contributing Photographers: Jacob Demirdjian, Harry Koundakjian, Jirair Azeri lands. And this outlandish claim was made not with - Armenian land.” Indeed Armenians had much to celebrate. The Hovsepian standing Tigranes II’s empire, well before Christ, or treaty was signed at the conclusion of the 1826-28 war between Echmiadzin’s founding in 301 AD. the Russian Empire and Qajar Empire (modern Iran). Earlier, But the Azeri plans are not just rhetoric; they are based on the Iranians had ceded some territories to Russia by the Treaty recent developments in the region. As the Arab Spring of Gulistan (1813). Later on Iranians reneged on their commit - The Armenian Mirror-Spectator is published approaches Iran, Azeris believe they can be an accessory to the weekly, except two weeks in July, by: ments, which led to a new conflict to be settled at Western plan and become the first beneficiary of a potential Turkmenchay. Baikar Association, Inc. Iranian disintegration. Former government advisor Vafa By the article 4 of the treaty, Iran renounced all claims over 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509 Guluzadeh has stated recently that “had there been a single US the Erivan Khanate (most of the present-day Central Armenia), Telephone: 617-924-4420 military base on our territory, our neighbors would not dare to the Nakhichevan Khanate (most of the present-day FAX: 617-924-2887 use the language that they are talking to us with.” Nakhichevan autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan), the Talysh www.mir rorspectator.com However, Israel has been fulfilling that void through its mili - Khanate, the Ourdubad and Mughan regions (now also part of E-Mail: editor@mirrorspectator .com tary advisors and selling of weapons, including unmanned Azerbaijan), in addition to all the lands annexed to Russia by For advertising: [email protected] drones, which are not only directed at Karabagh, but also at the Gulistan Treaty. Iran in case of a major confrontation in the region. The “Arab What is important for the Armenians is that the treaty also Awakening” or regime change in countries hostile to Israel, are stipulated the resettlement of Armenians from Persia to the being achieved by imploding those countries internally using Caucasus, which also included an outright liberation of SUBSCRIPTION RATES : sectarian fault lines. Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis were pitted Armenian captives who were brought and had been living in U.S.A. against each other to destroy Iraq. In Libya, tribal differences Iran since 1804 and as far back as 1795. In addition, the reset - 2nd Class $75 a year became handy for the plan and these days the Sunni majority tlement permitted compensation for the loss of 20,000 1st Class $120 a year in Syria is being armed and organized by surrogate Turkey Canada Armenians who moved to Georgia. Air Mail $125 a year against the ruling Alevis to topple Bashar al Assad’s regime. The Treaty of Turkmenchay has become a tool in the hands Since the pattern of this plan is obvious, there is no doubt of Baku leaders to claim territories transferred by one empire All Other Countries that Iranian Azerbaijan will be used to destabilize the Iranian to the other in the year 1828. In this design, the Azeris have Air Mail $190 a year Display advertising r at e: $7 per column inch regime and achieve its eventual demise. That is why appetites become willing partners and participants of a conspiracy to are being whetted to benefit from a potential collapse of neigh - destroy Iran with enormous damage to Armenia. This is why boring Iran. The Baku leadership is a willing partner in the Aliyev is tolerated in his unbridled war mongering and that is designs to bring regime change in Iran, with the resulting dis - why the Azeri regime is compensated by suspending the memberment of its territory. Freedom Support Act. © 2011 The Armenian Mirror-Spectator Recently a nuclear scientist, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, was If Elchibay’s claims were being laughed off, this time around Periodical Class Postage Paid at Boston, MA assassinated in Iran, as an extension of Western designs to dis - Azerbaijan means business. It is the inherent law of politics that and additional mailing offices. qualify Tehran as a nuclear power. The Iranian government was small nations have to line up their interests with those of major accusing Israel of committing that terrorist act, but now it turns ones. ISSN 0004-234X out that the culprit was from Azerbaijan, according to a gov - And today, that is Baku’s realpolitik in pursuing this design POSTMASTER : Send address changes to The ernment statement. of a “Greater Azerbaijan.” Armenian Mirror-Spectator, P.O. Box 302, Watertown, MA 02471-0302 Other than the editorial, views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily eflect the policies of the publisher. (10 point or larger). Submissions that do not director. Photos will be returned only if a Notice to Contributors conform to these specifications will be self-addressed and stamped envelope is assigned lowest priority. included. — Articles sent by fax are acceptable, and e- — The will publish only one article The wel - mail submissions are encouraged. about Ma-nS upcoming organizational Armenian Mirror-Spectator Copying for other than personal use or comes articles, commentaries and commu - — All submissions should include the event. For major special events, excep - internal reference is prohibited without nity news from our readers. In order to name of a contact person and a daytime tions may be made only by special express permission of the copyright assure the accurate and timely publication telephone number. arrangement with the editors. owner. Address requests for reprints or of articles submitted, please note the fol - — Deadline for submission of all articles — Telephone numbers, ticket prices and other back issues to: lowing policies: and advertising is noon on the Monday of details (at the discretion of the editors) will Baikar Association, Inc. — All articles submitted should be typed, the week of publication. not be included in press releases, but should double (or triple) spaced and printed in a — Photos will be published without charge be reserved for calendar listings and adver - 755 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA 02472-1509 type size large enough to be clearly legible at the discretion of the editors and art tisements. 18 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR COMMENTARY Memories Dim of Armenia’s Soviet Past

Soviet citizens had limited access to consumer goods By Gayane Mkrtchyan, Naira Melkumyan like clothes, which came from the same shops and were made in the same factories, but Atanesyan said that “despite their uninteresting lives, people stood firmly on their own two feet, received free healthcare, hile younger people According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) they got an education, they had jobs and they were have little conception Armenia’s economy shrank by 75 percent between confident about the future.” of life under communist 1990 and 1993. “In Soviet times there was a shortage of clothing, rule, some Armenians Economic decline meant the views of old commu - now there’s a shortage of trust. We don’t trust the gov - miss the positive things nists like Aram Sargsyan, the final head of the ernment and we don’t trust one another,” he added. lost after the Soviet col - Armenian Communist Party, came back into vogue. Analysts say this mistrust is a consequence of lapse. “We were like oxen that jump for joy when they’re Armenia’s failure to build a democratic system and a Two decades have released from the yoke,” he said. “The moral founda - competitive market economy. W passed since the Soviet tions of society have been destroyed, everything is per - “We rejected the planned economy, and then basi - flag was lowered over mitted. Why did we have to destroy everything? We cally created the same kind of system where property Armenia, but Sedrak Mkhitaryan’s hands still shake have reserves of gold, copper and molybdenum — these is controlled if not by the state, then by the highest when he brings out the red flags and Lenin medals he are riches for a small country.” tiers of government,” Andranik Tevanyan, director of treasures from the glory days of communism. Sargsyan says Armenia is now reliant on the IMF the Politeconomia research centre, said. “We got rid of Like many elderly Armenians, he never managed to and World Bank, which he accused of imposing their Bolshevism, but we weren’t able to abandon the Soviet adapt to the demands of an independent state. own demands as a condition for bailing out the econ - legacy. In Armenia we see sections of the economy “For Armenia, the period of Soviet rule was a gold - omy. centralized around individual oligarchs. It’s basically a en age. I was against the collapse of the [Soviet] Union, “These international institutions decided that recreation of the Soviet Union, only with no oil or gas.” and I was against the protests and strikes that ended Armenia had nothing to contribute in terms of indus - Tevanyan sees corruption, protectionism, and the up with most of the population permanently on try or science, so it should become a service centre for lack of transparent laws as other legacies of the Soviet strike,” Mkhitaryan, 85, said. the region. So they gave money for roads, infrastruc - period. Before the end of the Soviet Union, which officially ture and banks,” he said. Corruption is endemic in Armenia, as in almost all took place on December 25, 1991, Mkhitaryan was Sargysan blames these policies for making other former Soviet republics. The corruption watch - chairman of the regional council of Echmiadzin Armenia’s human capital “surplus to requirements,” dog Transparency International ranks Armenia 129 region. He had been a high-flier in the communist sys - and thus contributing to mass emigration. out of 183 states for honesty in public life. tem, serving as a deputy minister at one point. According to official figures, 1.2 million people have Fortunately, however, many young Armenians have Asked about the fruits of independence, Mkhitaryan left Armenia in the last 20 years, many of them going adapted to the changes, and have few regrets about the scoffed, “The only independent countries are great to Russia to find work. Arthur Atanesyan, head of the passing of the Soviet Union. powers. Countries like ours only exist under someone Sociology Department of the Yerevan State University, Suren Musaelyan, now 35, was a teenager when else’s wing. They said then that we were slaves of the says these people have voted with their feet against Armenia became independent. He had an opportunity Soviet Union. Now whose slaves are we? Nagorno independence. to study journalism in Britain and is now deputy edi - Karabagh is our only achievement, and if the Soviet “Any independence process entails destabilization. If tor of ArmeniaNow, a leading online news source. Union hadn’t collapsed, I am sure that issue would the status quo changes, it leads to.... emigration. “If the Soviet Union hadn’t collapsed, I wouldn’t have been resolved without bloodshed.” People have to go abroad where they can live much have had a chance to be educated abroad,” he said.” I Twenty years ago, views like Mkhitaryan’s were def - better and more secure lives. That isn’t a great assess - think that’s one of the bonuses of independence. In initely in the minority in Armenia. In a September ment of what has happened, because you become nos - earlier years I wouldn’t have been able to dream of it,” 1991 referendum, a month after hardliners in Moscow talgic for the old Soviet Union again,” he said. he said. staged an unsuccessful coup against Mikhail Atanesyan concluded, “Destroying things is easy. Older Armenians are often amazed at how young Gorbachev, 95 percent of Armenians backed indepen - They should have kept and developed everything that adults can barely comprehend the difficulties of life in dence. was positive and valuable in the Soviet Union. There the Soviet Union. The years since then have not been easy. Armenia are many families who lost not just their stable “Young Armenians no longer understand that there was already reeling from the terrible Spitak earth - lifestyles but their savings, too.” was a time when Moscow decided how many pieces of quake of 1988, which killed 25,000 people and devas - Araik Petrosyan’s parents had saved 80,000 roubles soap were to be used a week in some town’s public toi - tated much of the country, when it went to war with by the time the Soviet Union came to an end. That was let,” Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Azerbaijan over the future of Nagorno Karabagh. a lot of money in those days, but its value vanished Institute in Yerevan, said. “Because of the sheer scale Karabagh was a part of Soviet Azerbaijan whose with the end of communism. of collapse here, Armenia has traveled a lot further mainly Armenian population pressed for the region to “First my mother died, then my father, without liv - away from the Soviet past than a lot of other states become separate. The ensuing war, combined with the ing long enough to get their money back,” Petrosian have done.” effects of conflict in neighboring Georgia, left Armenia said. “The state is treating these savings as part of the almost totally isolated economically. national debt; once there’s enough money, all these Before 1991, Armenia was industrialized, but after savings will be returned. But it remains uncertain (Gayane Mkrtchyan is a reporter for ArmeniaNow. independence, the authorities struggled just to keep whether any of the account holders will live long Naira Melkumyan is a freelance journalist in Armenia. the lights on. Residents of the capital Yerevan had just enough to see their money. Their descendants don’t This commentary originally appeared in the January an hour of electricity a day. have rights to the money.” 4 issue of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.)

LETTERS Environmentalists in Armenia Need a Boost Genocide Victims’ Toll Needs to Be More Precise

To the Editor: in the world, which helps citizen groups. To the Editor: of the number massacred. Estimates, in Kudos to the activists who protested the cut - Please check them out. Aram Arkun’s recent article (Mirror-Spectator Armenian-friendly research, run from as low as ting down of trees at a mine in northern Second, I saw a live “Armenian rock viper” February 11) about the work of Ugur Ungor, a 700,000 to as high as 1,500,000. This, to a Armenia according to your news article. A for sale among other reptiles in King of young Dutch-educated genocide specialist of scholar, is little more than a wild guess, which recent satellite photo reveals that the country Prussia, Penn. in the TV news. The red label Turkish descent, presents a particularly interesting the Turkish government is quick to point out, has only 8 percent covered by forests. Without in black handwriting was pasted on a clear issue. The basis of the Turkish denial can be attrib - and for which Armenologists have no concrete mature trees, water can run off and erode dan - plastic sealed container, which the video uted to the way the Turks regard moral offenses. response. I know of, in modern times, no seri - gerously as well as strip off fertile topsoil. camera zoomed in on. On Yahoo news, about “The Armenians,” says Ugur Ungor, “want to ous studies done of this by Armenian scholars Water needs to be slowly absorbed by tree a month later it was reported that a Czech remember what the Turks want to forget.” in our well-developed centers for Armenian roots in order to become available for drinking. national was arrested at the airport in This denial can be attributed to the way the research. This allows the Turkish government Wildlife is gone there when the trees are gone. Argentina headed for Madrid. Security found Turks regard moral offenses. Western cultures to say that not only was there no genocide, but Also, Armenia is a flyway for major bird migra - 247 South American pit vipers in a suitcase have a deep sense of guilt which will, by itself, the number who died is grossly exaggerated. tions. What is their fate? And the fate of such housed in the same type containers that often compel a spontaneous confession for a Certainly abundant sums should be made a land is a dry one indeed. showed the venomous Armenian rock viper moral transgression. Islam does not seem to available, through our various Armenian foun - John Muir, the father of America’s nation - in Pennsylvania. The scanners showed move - work that way, for instead of a “guilt culture” dations, to fund two or three post-doctoral fel - al parks and the founder of the Sierra Club, ment inside the suitcase. Is it time for the they have a “shame culture.” As long as the lowships to focus on this task. The Turkish said “God has cared for these trees, saved airport in Armenia to screen more carefully? crime can be denied, there is no shame. population studies, according to Ugur Ungor, them from drought, disease, avalanches and Who is to investigate the individual or indi - And this the Turkish State does, even are still available to those who read Turkish a thousand tempests and floods. But he can - viduals who are capturing the local fauna for though, as Ugur Ungor points out, the Turkish and the Armenian Church also has fairly com - not save them from fools.” Armenia needs a profit? Incidentally, selling reptiles, many people, especially in eastern Anatolia, have plete records of the Armenian population in John Murian! endangered species, is a world-wide, billion- strong collective memories of the Armenians Ottoman times. A few years should make good I am a member/supporter of the Sierra dollar industry. being destroyed during the final Ottoman peri - headway and it is a vital task. Club and its legal arm Earthjustice, which is — Sonia Hagopian od. Part of the problem is that there is no close — John Greppin the largest non-profit environmental law firm Havertown, Penn. count, either on the whole or vilayet by vilayet, Cleveland, Ohio S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR 19 COMMENTARY

In his interview with Hurriyet , Bryza validates in his own Bryza finds as “legitimate” the Turkish official view that words the accusation that he was biased and unprofession - “this should not be recognized politically as genocide. It’s al, while acting as the American co-chair of OSCE’s Minsk not the business of any politician in any country to char - Group of mediators on the Karabagh (Artsakh) conflict. At acterize these events as genocide or not as genocide. It has the time, he was repeatedly criticized for being anti- to be up to societies — not to others — to have a decision My Turn Armenian, pro-Azerbaijani and pro-Turkish. Senators taken based on a political calendar. To me, that’s dishon - Barbara Boxer and Robert Menendez, who placed a hold est.” By Harut Sassounian on his nomination as ambassador to Azerbaijan, and the Bryza then takes his pro-Turkish bias a little too far by Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), which revealing his denialist views: “Truth is on everyone’s side, objected to President Barack Obama’s ill-advised decision especially on Turkey’s side. The debate about this Bryza Confesses his Love for to send Bryza to Baku without Senate confirmation, are [Armenian Genocide] issue is really one-sided right now. Turkey, Confirming his anti- now fully vindicated. Anybody who voices a different view is attacked as a geno - In the past, Bryza’s apologists used the convenient cide-denier, which immediately means you are against Armenian Bias excuse that as a government official, he had no choice human rights. If you believe there was a genocide commit - but to support the president’s position on the Armenian ted, you can equally argue looking from a narrow definition It appears that my prediction about Matt Bryza leaving Genocide and related issues. Yet, now that he is a free of the word that genocide was committed to many others, the State Department and working as a lobbyist is coming man, why does he continue to parrot those same against Turks or Muslims in eastern Anatolia. Let’s have a true. After his brief stint as ambassador to Azerbaijan came Turkish-inspired, anti-Armenian slogans? Could it be dialogue of the multiple atrocities [against] many groups. to a premature end, Bryza disclosed to the Turkish that Bryza, in and out of government, has been trying Let’s talk about it all. Let’s be fair and not forget the suf - Hurriyet newspaper last week that he will be “advising peo - to ingratiate himself to his future paymasters? fering of others.” ple, government and private sector on major investment Otherwise, why would he give Hurriyet the standard Finally, Bryza seems to have fulfilled his life-long dream projects.” Turkish line that politicians and parliaments should not of living in Istanbul. During his 2005 visit to Ankara, after It remains to be seen whether Bryza’s planned activities get involved in acknowledging the Armenian Genocide? a US Embassy official introduced him to local journalists as fall within the legal definition of “lobbying” and “advocacy” To score points with Turkish and Azeri officials, Bryza “an old friend of Turkey,” Bryza unabashedly declared: “I on behalf of third parties, such as Turkish and Azeri enti - angrily lashes out at the ANCA: “The organization that am thrilled to be back in Turkey. Turkey in many ways feels ties, given the restrictions imposed by US law on former blocked me will keep bringing up this issue forever. But for me like a second home…. I can’t spend enough time in government officials. Depending on the specific type of it’s not up to governments but to people to make their your beautiful country. I hope to be back soon and often.” activity, there is either a one- or two-year ban. However, in own determination on how to characterize it…. Turkey In a column I wrote at the time, I expressed the hope that the case of “very senior officials” such as Bryza, a former has the ability to influence that debate in a significant “Bryza would soon realize his wish and retire in Turkey deputy assistant secretary of state, there is a lifetime ban. way…. The radicals that blocked me hate that. They permanently.” Now, his wish has come true! Hurriyet He would certainly be prohibited from having contact with don’t want to have an open debate; an open dialogue is reported last week that after leaving Baku last month he former State Department colleagues on behalf of other par - their enemy.” had settled in Istanbul. “You can’t imagine how happy I am ties, regarding official matters with which he was involved While applauding the more open attitude among some to be in Istanbul…. Look at me, I am married to a Turkish as a government employee. Turks toward a discussion of the Armenian Genocide, woman,” Bryza exclaimed. Disappointment with Dink Verdict

several hundred retired and active military also included obvious relationships and com - assassin. None of the 30 bureaucrats or police By Raffi Bedrossian leaders, bureaucrats, professors, lawyers, jour - munications between the Dink murder sus - officials were even brought to trial for ques - nalists and businessmen as Ergenekon mem - pects and military leaders already imprisoned tioning. All of these “Untouchables” kept bers. The Prime Minister Erdogan himself had for belonging to the Ergenekon deep state ter - their jobs and some of them even rewarded When Hrant Dink was assassinated in front admitted to the Dink family after the assassi - rorist organization. Another example of scan - with promotions. The then governor of of the Agos newspaper’s offices in Istanbul, nation that “They are after me as well.” dalous treatment of evidence included delib - Istanbul ran for parliament and got elected as Turkey, five years ago on January 19, 2007, The police had arrested three and charged erate tampering, forging or concealing of past a member of Erdogan’s party. The then the significance of this heinous act was not 16 other suspects in connection with the mur - communications by police officials, such that Istanbul Police Chief, who had stated immedi - immediately understood. Neither the Turkish der. The trial had proceeded at a crawling notification of the impending murder was ately after the murder that this was the work people nor the Turkish state, deep or other - pace, with the lawyers of the Dink family transformed into informing of the murder of a couple of fanatical nationalist youths, got wise, realized that this was not another mur - stonewalled at every session, and a deter - after the event. The evidence showed that appointed Governor of the Osmaniye der of a journalist, so tragically common in mined group of supporters called Hrant’s Trabzon Police had tapped the phone lines of province. The then Trabzon Police Chief got Turkey. No one in Turkey could predict that Friends, attending every session demanding some suspects and had even physically trailed promoted to head of the General Security this murder would become a turning point for justice. Discouraged by the pace of the trial, them, but when the court asked for the Directorate. In short, the government man - Turkey about many far reaching issues such the Dink family took the case to the European records, Trabzon Police responded that they aged to achieve something unbelievable, from as democratization, freedom of speech, deep Human Rights Court (EHRC), which prompt - had done no such thing. When the truth was being a target of the “deep state,” to becom - state and Turkish-Armenian relations from ly assessed and passed judgment in December revealed that the Trabzon Police indeed had ing an accomplice of the ‘deep state’ in the the present all the way back to 1915. 2010 that ‘the state had neglected to provide the records, the court was given an explana - murder of Hrant Dink. In another twist of Although the assassin was caught almost protection for Hrant Dink despite known tion that the records were deleted. The evi - irony, the government went a step further, immediately by the police, perhaps even lead - threats and that the state officials must share dence also showed that Istanbul police had and jailed a journalist author, who had pub - ing one to wonder as to prior knowledge by responsibility in the assassination for ignoring obtained the video footage of the crime scene lished a book exposing the role of bureaucrats police, the question: who ordered the assassi - the known threats. The EHRC also targeted on the day of the murder and had destroyed in the Dink murder, on charges of abetting nation?, could not be answered five years ago, the Istanbul and Trabzon Security part of it. The Telecommunications the Ergenekon terrorist organization. The pre - and cannot be answered now, after five long Departments as the negligent government Directorate, regulator of cellular telephone siding judge said that just because he acquit - years of a trial completed just two days before offices, for failing to prevent the assassination, operators, resisted to provide to the court ted the suspects from belonging to a terrorist the fifth anniversary of the shooting. But it despite being made aware of an imminent records of phone conversations of the sus - organization, this does not mean that they do seems that the end of the trial is not the end plan for the murder. Following the EHRC ver - pects, either among them or with police offi - not belong to a terrorist organization, but of this case. The spontaneous support and dict, the lawyers for the Dink family demand - cials, until two weeks before the verdict. that there was no evidence. The government protests of several hundred thousands of ordi - ed that 30 bureaucrats from the Istanbul and Ironically, all of these facts were widely cov - officials said that they did everything the judi - nary people taking to the streets during Trabzon government offices, as well as the ered by the media, including the transcript of ciary demanded of them. Prime Minister Hrant’s funeral, is now repeated after five National intelligence Organization, also be several tapped conversations between the sus - Erdogan and President Gul tried to convince years, with outrage at the trial verdict, and questioned and charged. The court turned pects and the police officials. One of these the protesting masses that there is always the people demand the truth. down the request. conversations is disgustingly clear, immedi - appeal process and not to worry. Why was this trial deemed unfair by the The lawyers for the Dink family produced ately after the murder when a Trabzon During the initial trials, Hrant’s son had people, by civil society? First, we need to pro - massive amounts of indisputable evidence, informer asks: “Is the (shooter) one of us?,” said that “the court was making fun of us.” vide some context as to the general situation demonstrating the presence of a plan for the the Trabzon police officer responds: “Yes, but Upon hearing the verdict, Hrant’s lawyer said: in Turkey. murder, several persons communicating he was not supposed to run away after the “But they kept the biggest joke to the end.” For five years, the government leaders had before, during and after the murder, and, shooting.” As Hrant’s friends, it is very difficult not to made statements that the Dink murder was more critically, several government officials So, why did the trial verdict cause an be discouraged; however, one has to realize one of many attempts by Ergenekon, the being informed of the planned murder, who uproar? why the state had to align with the “deep “deep state” organization, with attacks on either ignored, consented or praised and then As stated previously, in addition to the state” when its judiciary system came to this minorities, both Muslim and Christian reli - deliberately covered up their involvement. assassin already sentenced, a total of 19 peo - verdict in the assassination of Hrant Dink, the gious institutions, to create an atmosphere of Destroyed evidence included several tapped ple were charged in Hrant’s murder, for first Armenian in Turkey who dared the anarchy and terror, so that all conditions will telephone conversations between police offi - belonging to a terrorist organization planning Turkish state to face its past and stop denying be ripe for a coup d’etat by the military to cials and informers, sworn evidence of several the murder, for providing logistics, training the truth about 1915: Any admission of guilt overthrow the present government. The mur - police officers against their superiors who and aiding in the murder and for arranging by the Turkish state in this murder would go der of Catholic priest Santoro in Trabzon, the knew about the planned murder. Evidence the murder weapon. In some unexplained con - all the way back to admission of guilt in 1915, murder of three Christian missionaries in refused by the court included footage of the fusion, the court “forgot” to pass any sentence a very long chain of dominoes, which have Malatya, uncovered plans of mosque and actual murderer and accomplices captured by at all against one suspect. All the remaining already started moving, judging by the reac - museum bombings, hidden cache of arms, a store security camera, cellular conversations 18 suspects were acquitted from the charge of tion of a growing number of people in Turkey thousands of communications toward the immediately before, during and after the mur - belonging to a terrorist organization planning demanding the truth. planning of a coup d’etat were all used as der between the murderer and at least four the murder. Only one person was charged incriminating evidence to arrest and imprison other persons. Evidence ignored by the court with planning the murder and helping the (Raffi Bedrosian is a resident of Toronto.) 20 S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR

Speakers Selected for AGBU Conference on Bournoutian to Discuss Key Source on Karabagh in ‘Symbolism in Art, Architecture and Design’ Early 1800s at NAASR GLENDALE, Calif. — The AGBU Hye Geen tural firm with a global reach. She will discuss has selected its speakers for their upcoming the elements of design and its various permu - BELMONT, Mass. — Prof. George Bournoutian will give a lecture, titled “The 1823 conference titled “Symbolism in Art, tations in the objects we see and use on a daily Russian Survey of the Karabagh Province: A Primary Source on Karabagh in the Early 19th Architecture and Design.” This year’s confer - basis, from utensils to textiles. Century,” on Thursday, March 1, at 8 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies ence continues to focus on the status of the Aram Alajajian is an award-winning architect and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave. The lecture will be co-sponsored by the Armenian Diaspora living in the US, with a par - and principal of Alajajian-Marcoosi Architects, Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), New England District, and NAASR. ticular focus on symbolism as a means of Inc. His topic, “Symbolism in Armenian Bournoutian’s newest publication is The 1823 Russian Survey of the Karabagh Province: expression. Architecture: Past and Present,” will be about A Primary Source on the Demography and Economy of Karabagh in the Early 19th Century The topic for the seventh annual conference the symbols used in architecture throughout (Mazda, 2011). The first translation of an extremely rare Russian publication, the survey pro - explores the meaning of the many images incor - history from historical churches and public vides a wealth of information about the demography and economy of Karabagh prior to its porated into our lives, from the images woven buildings to present structures. annexation by Russia. into rugs, to the details incorporated in the Peter Frank is an associate editor at Fabrik The survey establishes definitively that Armenians formed the overwhelming majority (97 structures that surround us, to the items we magazine, an art critic for the Huffington Post percent) of the population of Karabagh in 1822. The heavily-annotated translation was pub - use every day. curator at the Riverside Museum. The subject, lished with a grant from NAASR. The first printing has sold out and a second printing has The goal of the conference is to educate the “Caucasian Standard Time: Armenian- just been released. The book will be on sale the night of the lecture. broader community, both students and non-stu - Americans and California Art in the Postwar Bournoutian is a professor of Eastern European and Middle Eastern History at Iona College, dents alike, on design as a concept and the use Era,” will tackle the work of the artists and as well as a recipient of the IREX, NDEA and Mellon Fellowships. He has taught Armenian and of symbols to convey thoughts and ideas. their importance. Iranian history at UCLA and Columbia University. Moreover, he organized and taught the first This year’s four speakers have decades of Hratch Kozibeyokian is a master weaver, car - Armenian history courses at the University of Connecticut, Glendale Community College, New experience between them. They bring their pet designer and a textile restorer and conser - York University, Ramapo College, Rutgers University and Tufts University. knowledge and expertise to translate and vator with many years of experience. Bournoutian is also the author of more than a dozen other volumes consisting of anno - explain the meanings of the images and details Understanding its long-standing tradition tated English translations of primary sources in Armenian, Russian and Persian, with intro - that may have lost their significance to our pre - throughout the world, he will present ductions, glossaries and indexes. sent day society. They will examine the symbols “Iconography in Armenian Woven Art” and For more information, e-mail [email protected], or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., and themes that have emerged and have been explore their use and meaning. Belmont, MA 02478. expressed in the designs produced by The conference will take place on Saturday, Armenians throughout history to the present. March 10, at Woodbury University, Burbank, in Opening remarks will be done by Narineh the Ahmanson Main Space. The conference is Mirzaeian, a Los Angeles-based designer and an open to the public. associate at Gehry Partners, LLC, an architec - Continuing in its conviction of collaborating with other groups for the overall good of the The Armenian community, the Young Circle is partnering with the Woodbury Armenian Student Association Pupils’ Film Used in (ASA) for the production of the conference. The conference will be held, for the first Holocaust Remembrance time, at Woodbury University, a leading insti - Mirro r-Spe ctator tution specializing in architecture. As such, CARIFF, Wales (South Wales Echo) — A film Armenian students at the campus will be pre - made by school pupils will take center stage in senting their architectural designs for a prize YES, I would like a 1 – year subscription to The Armenian Mirror-Spectator. a ceremony last week to remember victims of sponsored by the Woodbury Armenian the Holocaust and other genocides since Student Association. USA /Second Class Mail $75.00 CANADA /Air Mail $125.00 the end of World War II. AGBU Hye Geen focuses on empowering USA /First Class Mail $120.00 Students from Maesteg Comprehensive inter - Armenian women as agents for change while preted the famous Holocaust poem, “First They preserving and honoring their achievements. J THE SUBSCRIPTION IS FOR ME Came,” as part of their peer mentoring project. The AGBU Hye Geen Young Circle helps the NAME It builds on the council’s Speak Up Speak organization stay relevant by exploring different ADDRESS Out campaign which urges communities and issues facing the current generation of individuals to express their opposition to dis - Armenians now living in the United States. The CITY STATE ZIP crimination. AGBU Hye Geen organizes an annual confer - The ceremony was staged in the council ence to explore the potential of the diasporan J THE SUBSCRIPTION IS A GIFT FOR: chamber on Holocaust Memorial Day. community in the various aspects of its devel - NAME A candle was lit and a minute’s silence held opment. Most recent topics have included to remember all those lost in the Holocaust and “Music as a Mirror” and “The Power of ADDRESS in genocide, including Armenia, Cambodia, Broadcast Media on Ethnic Communities.” CITY STATE ZIP Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. The conference is from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Council leader Councilor Mel Nott, who will Lunch will be provided. Please make check payable to: The Armenian Mirror-Spectator and mail to: speak at the event, said: “This is about learning For additional information, contact lessons from the Holocaust and applying them [email protected] or visit 755 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472-1509 to the present day.” www.facebook.com/AGBU.HyeGeen.YoungCircle. All payments must be drawn on US banks

Administration Reduces Aid for Armenia, Region BUDGET, from page 1 and other projects mainly administered by SUB SCRIBE proposed aid cut for Armenia, suggesting the US Agency for International that they will lobby Congress to reject it. Development (USAID). “While we appreciate the Administration’s Armenia also received $177 million in sep - decision to maintain military [aid] parity arate assistance from the US Millennium between Armenia and Azerbaijan, given Challenge Corporation (MCC) to refurbish its Turkey’s nearly 20-year blockade of Armenia rural irrigation networks. The four-year pro - and the security threat in the region due to ject was completed in September. Azerbaijan’s ongoing war rhetoric against Both lobbying groups also criticized the Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, funding at Obama administration for proposing no the FY 2012 level should at least be main - direct assistance to Nagorno-Karabagh that tained,” Bryan Ardouny, executive director of has long been resented by Azerbaijan. the Armenian Assembly of America, said in a TODAY! statement. The Armenian Assembly statement quoted Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Adam Schiff, a California representative serv - Armenian National Committee of America ing on the US House Appropriations (ANCA), was even more critical. “Sadly, Committee and a member of the President Obama has chosen to neither keep Congressional Caucus on Armenia, as saying his commitment to maintain assistance to that that he will strive to ensure that Armenia, nor taken any meaningful steps to Congress continues to allocate “robust fund - honor his pledge to foster Armenia’s growth ing” to the Armenian-controlled territory. Nardolillo Funeral Ho me and development through expanded trade,” The ANCA, for its part, complained that the an ANCA statement quoted Hamparian as USAID has financed only $2 million worth of Est. 1906 saying. development projects in Karabagh annually John K. Najarian, Jr. The Assembly and the ANCA were instru - in recent years. “This level of Nagorno- Rhode Island’s Only Licensed Armenian Funeral Director mental in making Armenia a leading per-capi - Karabagh funding is considerably less than ta recipient of US economic assistance in the the intent expressed by Congress over the 1278 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 942-1220 1990s. Its total volume has exceeded $1.7 bil - course of many years, reflecting a pattern of 1111 Boston Neck Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 (401) 789-6300 lion since 1992. The money has been spent under-spending that has left many develop - on humanitarian aid, infrastructure mental and confidence-building needs www.nardolillo.com upgrades, equipment supplies, counseling unmet,” it said.