A Traveller's Guide to the Planet
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Trekking to Mount Aragats Two Peaks
Trekking to Mount Aragats Two Peaks Key information Duration: 3 days / 2 nights (1 spare day for bad weather) Best season: 15 May – 30 September Tour type: Small group / individual (starting from 2 persons) What’s included: airport transfers, 4-wheel drive vehicle to Byurakan and back to Yerevan, mountain guide service for 3 days, 2 overnight in Weather station, meals for 2 days, 1 bottle of water per day (0.5lt.) What’s not included: flights, visa fee, medical insurance Physical requirements: Good physical fit, experience in walking with crampons and snowshoes Itinerary in brief Day 1 - Transfer from Yerevan to the Byurakan village - Lake Kari Day 2 - The South summit - The North summit Day 3 - Village of Byurakan - Transfer to Yerevan Detailed itinerary Day 1 After your arrival at the airport, you will head to the Byurakan village. Your ascending will start from 1600m with snowshoes to Lake Kari (3200 m). Overnight stay in weather-station and minimum conditions will be provided. (Hiking – 5 km, ascent / descent – 1600 m / 5249 ft.) Overnight: Weather station (minimum conditions) Meals: Lunch, dinner Day 2 This day you will have an early wake-up and breakfast. Your trekking programme will be following: ascending to the top of the southern summit 3879 m (with a snack at the top-lunchbox), descent into the crater, ascending to the top of the northern summit (4094 m), return to the weather station. (Hiking – 5 km, ascent / descent – 894 m / 2933 ft.) Overnight: Weather station (minimum conditions) Meals: full board (breakfast, packed lunch, dinner) Day 3 This day you will have an early wake-up and breakfast. -
40 CHURCHES in 7 DAYS 7 DAY TOUR ITINERARY* DAY 1 Meeting
40 CHURCHES IN 7 DAYS 7 DAY TOUR ITINERARY* DAY 1 Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel and check-in. The first steps of your Pilgrimage will start from Katoghike Holy Mother of God and Zoravor Surb Astvatsatsin Churches, both dating back to the XIII century, situated in the centre of Yerevan. To get acquainted with the capital of Armenia, we will have a City Tour in Yerevan - one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the only one, that has a "Birth Certificate" - a cuneiform inscription, left by King Argishti I on a basalt stone slab about the foundation of the city in 782 BC, displayed at the Erebuni Fortress-Museum. Yerevan is often pegged as the "Pink City" because of the colour of the stones used to build much of the city centre. Another name of Yerevan is an "Open-air Museum", the reason of which you will understand upon your visit. We will start the City tour from visiting Cascade Monument which is about 450 meters high and 50 meters wide. A panoramic view from the top of Cascade opens up a breathtaking city view with Opera House, Mount Ararat, Swan Lake, Republic Square and posh Northern Avenue, along which you will walk down during the tour. We will also visit Matenadaran, which means a "book-depository" in old Armenian. Indeed, Matenadaran is the pride of Armenian culture, the world's largest storage of ancient manuscripts. In fact, it is a scientific research institute of ancient manuscripts which stores more than 17 thousand ancient manuscripts and more than 100 thousand ancient archival documents. -
Climate Change in Afghanistan What Does It Mean for Rural Livelihoods and Food Security?
CLIMATE CHANGE IN AFGHANISTAN WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR RURAL LIVELIHOODS AND FOOD SECURITY? Page 1 Page 2 FORWARD Climate change is real. I invite anyone who may still doubt this to In the lead up to the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties to visit Afghanistan, and witness first-hand the alarming melting of the the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Pamir/Hindu Kush glaciers in the country’s north-east. Afghanistan (UNFCCC), the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan together with the has already been, and will continue to be, heavily affected by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Environment Pro- negative impacts of climate change. And it is the most vulnerable gramme (UNEP) has prepared this technical report, “Climate people—particularly subsistence farmers and pastoralists who de- Change in Afghanistan: What Does it Mean For Rural Livelihoods pend on natural resources for their survival – who are suffering and Food Security?” most. It is my great pleasure to launch this report and I look forward to Recognizing this, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has made seeing it being used, and referenced in the coming years. There is many notable achievements towards addressing climate change a lot of work to do for Afghanistan to be able to adapt and re- over the past decade. At the national level, Afghanistan has suc- spond on climate action, and these technical reports and detailed cessfully developed a number of policies and plans that target its scientific analyses help immensely in enabling better responses, most urgent climate change priorities and needs, including the Na- and ultimately providing support to our people for a better life. -
Corrupting the State Or State-Crafted Corruption?
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Discussion Paper Corrupting the State or State-Crafted Corruption? Exploring the Nexus between Corruption and Subnational Governance Manija Gardizi, Karen Hussmann and Yama Torabi This study was partially funded by the Foundation of the Open Society Institute Afghanistan (FOSIA) June 2010 January 2009 Corrupting the State or State-Crafted Corruption? Exploring the Nexus between Corruption and Subnational Governance About the Authors Manija Gardizi is an Afghan-German researcher currently managing the Good Governance Afghanistan Program, which is an integrated public policy MA at the Erfurt School of Public Policy. She has worked in and on Afghanistan since 2000 and is finalising her PhD at the Berlin Free University. Karen Hussmann is a senior researcher with U4/CMI in Norway and an independent researcher. A public policy expert, she has worked on anti-corruption and governance- related issues for the last 14 years in Latin America, Africa and Asia, including conducting a variety of related research in Afghanistan. Yama Torabi is a political scientist with over five years work and research experience in governance, corruption, accountability and transparency in Afghanistan. He is currently co-directing Integrity Watch Afghanistan, and previously worked in humanitarian assistance, both in Afghanistan and internationally. He received his PhD at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research institute based in Kabul. AREU’s mission is to inform and influence policy and practice through conducting high-quality, policy-relevant research and actively disseminating the results, and to promote a culture of research and learning. -
Afghanistan Agricultural Strategy
TC:TCP/AFG/4552 FINAL DRAFT TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR AFGHANISTAN AFGHANISTAN AGRICULTURAL STRATEGY THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN prepared by FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome January 1997 AFGHANISTAN VERSITY I NR II II I I II 111111 3 ACKU 00006806 3 TC:TCP/AFG/4552 FINAL DRAFT TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR AFGHANISTAN AFGHANISTAN AGRICULTURAL STRATEGY THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN prepared by FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome January 1997 Printed at: PanGraphics (Pvt) Ltd. Islamabad. CONTENTS Page FOREWORD 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 1. INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Background 5 1.2 Assistance to Agriculture 6 1.3 Strategy Development 6 1.4 Constraints 8 1.5 Assumptions 9 1.6 Timing 10 1.7 Strategy Framework 11 2. THE STRATEGY 12 2.1 National Goal 12 2.2 Agricultural Sector Goal 12 2.3 Strategic Priorities 12 2.4 Development Profiles 16 2.4.1 Creating Food Security 16 2.4.2 Increasing Economic and Social Development 21 2.4.3 Raising Skills and Employment 25 2.4.4 Developing Natural Resource Management 29 3. ISSUES 32 3.1 Role of Government 32 3.2 Resource Utilisation 34 3.3 Creating Capacity 35 3.4 Credit 36 3.6 Sustainability 37 4. IMPLEMENTATION 38 4.1 Accurate Data 38 4.2 Delivering Services 38 4.3 Input Supply 39 4.4 Research 39 4.5 Extension and Training 40 4.6 Monitoring and Evaluation 40 4.7 Project Outlines 41 ANNEX 1. -
At the Crossroads Between East and West
AT THE CROSSROADS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST IN THREE HOSPITABLE COUNTRIES AGRICULTURE AND BREEDING HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED SINCE THE NEOLITHIC COPING WITH THE RHYTHMS OF THE SEASON A TREASURY OF GENETIC RESOURCES IS MAINTAINED IN GARDENS TO MAKE BREAD, CHEESE AND WINE PASTORALISTS AND FARMERS MANAGE THE LANDSCAPES RURAL PEOPLE KNOW AND USE WILD PLANTS AND ANIMALS COMBINING BIODIVERSITY, HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS AND SMALLHOLDERS’ DEDICATION: A PATHWAY INTO THE FUTURE 1²ñ¨»ÉùÇ ¨ ²ñ¨ÙáõïùÇ ù³éáõÕÇÝ»ñáõÙ 36rqin v6 q6rbin yolayrcnda CHAPTER 1 AT THE CROSSROADS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST 1 INTRODUCTION 1 WHEN LOOKING AT A MAP OF EURASIA, IT IS QUITE EASY TO IDENTIFY THE CAUCASUS REGION: IT IS THE LARGE CORRIDOR THAT LIES BETWEEN THE BLACK AND THE CASPIAN SEAS – A SORT OF GEOGRAPHIC HINGE THAT CONNECTS ASIA IN THE EAST TO EUROPE IN THE WEST. THE CAUCASUS IS ALSO LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRANSITION ZONE BETWEEN TEMPERATE AND SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE ZONES, WHICH CREATES FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE GENETIC EVOLUTION OF A WIDE RANGE OF FLORA AND FAUNA. his unique situation has made it possible for the The region is also situated along the main routes that have Caucasus to be a bridge between eastern and been used for thousands of years to connect the East to the western flora, a centre of genetic differentiation West and Asia to Europe, and this is reflected in the different that has created new endemic varieties and, at the same time, a populations, languages, cultures and religions that characterize door that has diffused the precious genetic material from east to it. -
AT the SUMMIT of MOUNT ARARAT-MASIS Melkonyan A. A. Academician of NAS RA the Most Valuable and Magnificent Names of Ararat
AT THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT ARARAT-MASIS Melkonyan A. A. Academician of NAS RA The most valuable and magnificent names of Ararat and Masis for us Armenians have been known since earliest times. Ararat is mentioned in the Bible as a name mountains where Noah’s ark rested after the Flood subsided1. The word Ararat is presented as Armenia In Vulgatae and King James Bible2. It is suggested that the names of both Aratta (the 3rd millennium BC) of the Sumerian and Urartu (Van Kingdom, the first half of the 1st millennium BC) of the Assyrian cuneiform sources are derivations of the name of Ararat3. Great Ararat-Masis (5165 m) and Lesser Masis (Sis) (3925 m) Armenian historical sources preserved several mythological and folk legends connected with Great Masis and Hayk Patriarch’s generations (the 3rd-1st millennia BC) and kings of Great Armenia Artashes I (189-160 BC) and Trdat III (298-330 AD)4. While visiting Armenia William of Rubruck and Marko Polo saw Ararat and left testimonies about it. William of Rubruck had been told an Armenian tradition about the 1 Genesis 8:4. 2 Kings 19:37 and Isa 37:38. 3 Պետրոսյան Լ.Ն., Հայ ժողովրդի փոխադրամիջոցներ, Հայ ազգաբանություն և բանահյուսություն. ժողովածու, 6, Երևան, 1974, էջ 123: Kavoukjian M., Armenia, Subartu and Sumer. The Indo-European Homeland and Ancient Mesopotamia. Transl. from the Armenian original by N. Ouzounian, Montreal, 1987, pp. 59-81. cf. Մովսիսյան Ա., Հնագույն պետությունը Հայաստանում, Արատտա, Երևան, 1992, էջ 29-32: Դանիելյան Է., Հայոց պատմական և քաղաքակրթական արժեհամակարգի պաշտպանության անհրաժեշտությունը, “Լրաբեր” հաս. -
Mount Aragats As a Stable Electron Accelerator for Atmospheric High-Energy Physics Research
Mount Aragats as a stable electron accelerator for atmospheric High-energy physics research A. Chilingarian, G. Hovsepyan, E. Mnatsakanyan A.Alikhanyan National Lab (Yerevan Physics Institute), 2, Alikhanyan Brothers, Yerevan 0036, Armenia Abstract. The observation of the numerous Thunderstorm ground Enhancements (TGEs), i.e. enhanced fluxes of electrons, gamma rays and neutrons detected by particle detectors located on the Earth’s surface and related to the strong thunderstorms above it helped to estab- lish a new scientific topic - high-energy physics in the atmosphere. The Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREAs) are believed to be a central engine initiated high-energy processes in the thunderstorm atmospheres. RREAs observed on Aragats Mt. in Armenia during strongest thunderstorms and simultaneous measurements of TGE electron and gam- ma ray energy spectra proved that RREA is a robust and realistic mechanism for electron acceleration. TGE research facilitates investiga- tions of the long-standing lightning initiation problem. For the last 5 years we were experimenting with the “beams” of “electron accelerators” operated in the thunderclouds above the Aragats research station. Thunderstorms are very frequent above Aragats, peaking at May-June and almost all of them are accompanied with enhanced particle fluxes. The station is located on a plateau at altitude 3200 asl near a large lake. Numerous particle detectors and field meters are located in three experimental halls as well as outdoors; the facilities are operated all year round. The key method employed is that all the relevant information is being gathered, including the data on the particle fluxes, fields, lightning occurrences, and meteorological conditions. By the example of the huge thunderstorm that took place at Mt. -
Types of Lightning Discharges That Abruptly Terminate Enhanced Fluxes of Energetic Radiation and Particles Observed at Ground Le
PUBLICATIONS Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres RESEARCH ARTICLE Types of lightning discharges that abruptly terminate 10.1002/2017JD026744 enhanced fluxes of energetic radiation and particles Key Points: observed at ground level • Lightning discharges can influence the evolution of enhanced fluxes of A. Chilingarian1,2,3, Y. Khanikyants1, E. Mareev4 , D. Pokhsraryan1, V. A. Rakov4,5 , and energetic radiation and particles 1 (TGEs) S. Soghomonyan • Only negative CGs and normal-polarity 1 2 ICs were observed to abruptly Yerevan Physics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics terminate TGEs Institute), Moscow, Russia, 3Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, Russia, 4Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy • All TGEs occurred when the of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 5Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, downward electron-accelerating Gainesville, Florida, USA electric field was present, at least for a portion of their duration Abstract We present ground-based measurements of thunderstorm-related enhancements of fluxes of energetic radiation and particles that are abruptly terminated by lightning discharges. All measurements Correspondence to: were performed at an altitude of 3200 m above sea level on Mount Aragats (Armenia). Lightning signatures S. Soghomonyan, were recorded using a wideband electric field measuring system with a useful frequency bandwidth of 50 Hz [email protected] to 12 MHz and network of five electric field mills, three of which were installed at the Aragats station, one at the Nor Amberd station (12.8 km from Aragats), and one at the Yerevan station (39 km from Aragats). We Citation: observed that the flux-enhancement termination was associated only with close (within 10 km or so of the Chilingarian, A., Y. -
Aga Khan Foundation Activities in Badakhshan
AFGHANISTAN AGA KHAN FOUNDATION Aga Khan Foundation Activities in Badakhshan The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is one of irrigation channels, bridges, schools, Rural Development nine specialist agencies and institutions of clinics and other infrastructure. Human and Institutional the Aga Khan Development Network Development (AKDN). The Foundation works in rural In Badakhshan, AKF now implements National Solidarity Programme: Under development in some 30 countries, programmes in 17 districts and sub- the government's flagship rural especially in Asia and Africa. In Afghanistan, districts -- Faizabad, Baharak, Jurm, development initiative, the National it works in seven provinces of northern Khash, Yumgan, Kuran-o-Munjan, Solidarity Programme (NSP), and central Afghanistan, implementing Ishkashim, Zebak, Wakhan, Shughnan, Community Development Councils long-term programmes aimed at reducing Shikai, Maimai, Nusai, Kufab, Shewa, (CDCs) have been established across poverty and enabling people to improve Shuhada and Warduj. These Afghanistan to lead local development. their quality of life. AKF implements programmes benefit a population of AKF is one of a number of partners programmes in civil society, agriculture, 409,000 people. Interventions in helping to implement NSP. In infrastructure, small enterprise Badakhshan focus on educational Badakhshan AKF has established more development and education. improvements, strengthening local than 540 democratically elected governance institutions and developing councils in 13 districts. Councils are Badakhshan -
Iran (Persia) and Aryans Part - 6
INDIA (BHARAT) - IRAN (PERSIA) AND ARYANS PART - 6 Dr. Gaurav A. Vyas This book contains the rich History of India (Bharat) and Iran (Persia) Empire. There was a time when India and Iran was one land. This book is written by collecting information from various sources available on the internet. ROOTSHUNT 15, Mangalyam Society, Near Ocean Park, Nehrunagar, Ahmedabad – 380 015, Gujarat, BHARAT. M : 0091 – 98792 58523 / Web : www.rootshunt.com / E-mail : [email protected] Contents at a glance : PART - 1 1. Who were Aryans ............................................................................................................................ 1 2. Prehistory of Aryans ..................................................................................................................... 2 3. Aryans - 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 10 4. Aryans - 2 …............................………………….......................................................................................... 23 5. History of the Ancient Aryans: Outlined in Zoroastrian scriptures …….............. 28 6. Pre-Zoroastrian Aryan Religions ........................................................................................... 33 7. Evolution of Aryan worship ....................................................................................................... 45 8. Aryan homeland and neighboring lands in Avesta …...................……………........…....... 53 9. Western -
Atmospheric Research 233 (2020) 104713
Atmospheric Research 233 (2020) 104713 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Atmospheric Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/atmosres Termination of thunderstorm-related bursts of energetic radiation and particles by inverted intracloud and hybrid lightning discharges T ⁎ A. Chilingariana,b,c, Y. Khanikyantsa, V.A. Rakovd,e, S. Soghomonyana, a Yerevan Physics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia b National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia c Space Research Institute, RAS, Moscow, Russia d Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA e Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics, National Research University, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Recent studies of thunderstorm-related enhancements of fluxes of energetic radiation and particles at ground Lightning type level suggest that removal of mid-level negative charge from the cloud by negative cloud-to-ground (-CG) Thundercloud lightning flashes or normal intracloud (IC) flashes serves to abruptly terminate those enhancements. However, it Electron acceleration was not clear if the electron-accelerating electric field responsible for flux enhancements at ground was primarily Energetic radiation between the main negative charge region and ground (produced due to the dominant effect of negative cloud Cloud charge structure charge) or between the mid-level negative and lower positive charge regions inside the thundercloud. Here, we Electric field report that these flux enhancements can be also abruptly terminated by inverted intracloud flashes and hybrid lightning flashes (inverted IC followed by negative CG). Based on the analysis of 13 events of these two types, we provide first evidence that the electric field between the mid-level negative and lower positive charge regions in the thundercloud can be responsible for the flux enhancements at ground level.