MAY 18, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 43, Issue 4587 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Primate Findikyan Refocuses Direction of Eastern Diocese Armenian Girl Killed In Syria Rocket Attack Assembly Covers DAMASCUS (news.am) — Six people, including Wide-ranging Issues five children, were killed as a result of a terrorist attack in the city of Scalbiyah in the north-west of the Syrian Hama province on May 14, SANA By Aram Arkun reported. Mirror-Spectator Staff According to the Armenian Gandzasar news- paper published in Syria, among the children who died are Armenian girl Jessica Semerjyan. BURLINGTON, Mass. — The 117th Assembly of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) was hosted by Sculpture from St. James Armenian Church of Watertown, with the general sessions on May 2-4 at the Aznavour Collection at Boston Marriott at Burlington. There were 148 registered delegates. Auction for 2.5 Million In many ways, the highlight of the Euros Diocesan Assembly was the keynote speech of Primate Fr. Daniel Findikyan PARIS (news.am) — A sculpture from Charles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_z2 Aznavour’s collection was put up for auction for 7IsQP6U&feature=youtu.be) on May 3 in 2.5 million euros, Le Figaro reported on May 14. which he laid out his new approach for the According to the source, two works by one of Eastern Diocese and all its connecting bod- the most famous representatives of modern art, ies, which he called “Building Up the Body the sculptor and graphic artist Germaine Richier, owned by Aznavour, will be on display at of Christ.” Primate Fr. Daniel Findikyan The Primate’s Vision Christie’s auction in Paris on June 4. Findikyan began by reviewing his first The value of one of the sculptures is estimated year in office, declaring: “During this past pastors and clergy, and all of our people. It Church” and gave various examples of their at 2.5 million euros, the other 60,000 euros. year, it has been a time for me of discovery, has been so heartening. It has been so work. a time for learning. Learning is always a uplifting.” He exclaimed that for the most Findikyan found that three phrases writ- humbling enterprise and that process con- part, his job this year has been fun. He ten by St. Paul Ephesians (4:11-16), encap- Armenian Teen tinues. But it has also been a time for me to praised the clergy of the Eastern Diocese as sulate for him the vision and some of the Forcibly Converted to connect with the entirety of this great “the very finest, the most well trained, most goals that he thought the Diocese should Diocese, to connect with our parishes, our dedicated clergy in the entire Armenian see DIOCESE, page 9 Islam on Live TV in Turkey California Governor Increases Investment in Armenian American Museum ISTANBUL (news.am) — Cases of forcible reli- gious conversion continue in Turkey. This time SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Following a suc- Portantino, (D–La Cañada Flintridge), with cy for the project. an Armenian teen was converted to Islam on live cessful meeting and review of the the hope of sharing the museum’s vision “I’m ecstatic and extremely thankful to television on May 14. Armenian American Museum by his policy directly with the Governor’s office. In an Governor Newsom and Policy Director During his religious TV program, Turkish the- director, Governor Gavin Newsom has apparent positive outcome, the governor’s Anthony Williams for recognizing the over- ologian Nihat Hatipoglu violated the Treaty of included $5 million for the Armenian proposed budget seeks to increase the whelming merit and momentum behind Lausanne and applied one of the points that American Museum in his May revised 2019- California’s investment in the museum to this amazing museum. The governor’s gen- define genocide. He converted a 13-year-old 2020 budget. The meeting and visit with $8 million. In his first term, Portantino had erous offer to help the museum is a clear Armenian boy named Artur to Islam live on the the museum’s Board of Directors earlier in requested $3 million for the museum and recognition of the importance of the pro- air, and without the presence of his parents. May was initiated by state Sen. Anthony J. has continued his ardent legislative advoca- ject to the State of California,” commented The Turkish press covered this event as top Portantino. news. The Armenian American Museum and But this incident is unacceptable under the Cultural Center of California is in the heart Treaty of Lausanne, as it violates the rights of see MUSEUM, page 20 national and religious minorities, in terms of reli- gious conversion of a minor without the pres- ence of his parents. Armenia PM, China In addition, this act also fits into one of the points that define genocide, and according to President Discuss which it is unacceptable to forcibly convert a child into another religion. In this situation, this Further Development case fully fits into that point, since the religious conversion of a minor without the presence of Of Relations his parents is equal to forcible religious conver- BEIJING (news.am) — Prime Minister of sion. Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who is on a working visit to the People’s Republic of China, met with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping at the National People’s Congress on May 14. INSIDE Protestors outside the Turkish Embassy in Berlin After the handshake and protocol video filming and photographing, the leaders of the two countries discussed several issues Vigil and Commemoration in Berlin on the agenda of the Armenian-Chinese Cher Turns relations. BERLIN — A central feature of the events organized every year by the Armenian see CHINA, page 2 community on April 24 is the demand that Turkey acknowledge the genocide. The Back Time AGA, a Working Group for Recognition, held a vigil on April 27 in front of the By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach Turkish Embassy in Berlin, precisely to Page 14 Special to the Mirror-Spectator rise this demand. Participants in the vigil held up a banner with the text, “Armenians, Aramaeans, Assyrians, Greeks Speak with One Voice against the Turkish Genocide.” On the following day, the FÖGG, a Society for the Promotion INDEX of an Ecumenical Monument for Genocide Victims in the Ottoman Empire, joined Arts and Living . 12 with the Armenian Church and Cultural Society held its commemoration at the Armenia . 2,3 site of the ecumenical alters of remembrance in the Berlin-Charlottenburg ceme- Community News. 6 tery. Prof. Tessa Hofmann, sociologist and Armenian studies scholar, plays a lead- Editorial . 17 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, left, with ing role in both organizations. International . 4,5 President of the People’s Republic of China see BERLIN, page 4 Xi Jinping 2 S ATURDAY, M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Knights of Vartan Lead by Example YEREVAN — On April 18, the First Tourism in Armenia Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Keeps Increasing Gabriel Ghazaryan, awarded Sbarabed YEREVAN (Armenpress) —The number of tourists Tigran Sahakyan of Mamigonian Lodge who visited Armenia increased by 18,031 in the first with the Gold Medal of the Ministry for quarter of 2019 compared to the same period of his ongoing investments in Physical 2018, according to the data of the National Culture and Sports in homeland. Statistical Committee. For a number of years Sahakyan In January-March 2019, 364,489 tourists visited made immense investments in border- Armenia, which is an increase of 5.2 percent com- line villages, creating and supporting pared to January-March 2019. sport and cultural centers, supporting schools and training centers. In 2015 the groundbreaking work for the Armenian PM’s Wife Knights of Vartan Sports and Cultural Visits Children Receiving Treatment for Cancer YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Anna Hakobyan, spouse of Armenia’s prime minister, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of City of Smile and My Step Tigran Sahakyan at the opening of Armath laboratory at 102 school charity foundations, on May 10 visited the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic in Yerevan, her Office told Armenpress. (Marz). This center operates free of kids aged 10-17 are introduced to sci- Accompanied by director of the Clinic Samvel charge and serves 17 villages in Tavush ence, technology, engineering, and Danielyan and pediatric oncologist Gevorg for a population of 22,500. math through interactive after-school Tamamyan, Hakobyan toured the medical center and Creating such centers in borderline classes, competitions, innovative camps talked to the children receiving treatment, their par- villages derives from a strong strategy to and more. The young engineers are ents and treating doctors. encourage the families to remain in given the opportunity to design, build, their hometowns, and raise a healthy, test, and improve their own creations in happy and educated generation in these a safe and fun environment, while mak- Armenia Hopes to rural villages, and create new jobs. ing new friends and creating startups. Become First Country to The center was completed in With North East Knights of Vartan September 2016 and dedicated with the lodges and District Representative Switch Government Fleet visit from the Knights of Vartan delega- Jacob Bournazian they donated toward tion from the US. The complex includes such a laboratory in border Aygepar To Electric Cars a gymnasium, two soccer fields, a swim- school, in Tavush. The second Armath ming pool, a playground, an open-air laboratory was donated by Sahakyan for YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenia has sent a stage and state of the art utilities and fix- the #102 school in Yerevan.