Art Historian & Curator Neery Melkonian Speaks to New York Interns

On Tuesday, June 28, AGBU’s New York summer interns were given their first cultural lesson of the summer as they were treated to a lecture by contemporary art history and curator, Neery Melkonian.

The co-curator and director of the Blind Dates Project, Melkonian has spent decades organizing, researching and lecturing on contemporary art. She gave the interns a taste of what she has been exploring as a part of her recent Blind Dates project, which traces the cross-cultural roots of art during the Ottoman Empire and after.

Armenia News Bulletin 06-28-11

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian Presidents meeting underway
2. Armenian National Congress: “Serzh Sargsyan made two mistakes at PACE Session”
3. “Each comma could be fatal” says Zurabyan on Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Kazan
4. Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani presidents adopt joint statement
5. Edward Nalbandian: Azerbaijan not ready to accept the final version of the basic principles
6. Tigran Balayan: Armenia has not negotiated with Turkey over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue
7. Garegin Azaryan: Coming elections to essentially differ from previous ones
8. Analyst says ARP and Prosperous Armenia claim for parliamentary mandates
9. Azerbaijan not ready for peace
10. Candidates of Central Electoral Committee members to be presented to RA President
11. US Department of State disappointed with the results of the Kazan meeting
12. Stepan Safaryan: unification of Heritage with ANC excluded
13. Artak Shakaryan Says Geopolitical Interests Primary for Turkey
14. Western Armenians demand Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and to compensate for losses
15. Opening ceremony of the School for Young Journalists of Diaspora Armenian Mass Media is held
16. AAA: “There will be a progress in Karabakh issue if the United States recognizes the Armenian Genocide after Moscow and Paris”
17. Golden Apricot festival’s “Koriz” nomination good opportunity for young directors
18. Spring concert session of Armenian Composition Art festival over
19. Dali exhibit to open in Armenia
20. Arthur Poghosyan: At UNESCO Azerbaijan’s next vandalism was for the benefit of Armenia
21. The 2011 action plan for the implementation of CANDLE project was approved
22. Andranik Nikoghosyan elected head of the Pan-Armenian International Youth Center

Click here to download the PDF (106KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.

Grand Opening of AGBU’s Armenian Cultural Center in Cyprus (video)

A video of some of the May 5 festivities from the opening of AGBU Armenian Cultural Center in Larnaca, Cyprus.

Author Michael Bobelian Meets With New York Summer Interns

On Wednesday, June 22, students participating in the New York Summer Intern Program had a special opportunity to meet Michael Bobelian, author of the groundbreaking Children of Armenia: A Forgotten Genocide and the Century-long Struggle for Justice. The book chronicles the events after the Armenian Genocide and questions why it took almost 50 years to break the silence.

Bobelian gave a presentation highlighting the key questions that the book raises, as well as insight into finding the answers to them. Following his presentation, he answered questions about the book and regarding the current struggle for genocide recognition.

As an added bonus, each intern was also given a free copy of the book.

New York Interns Meet With Their Mentors

Last Tuesday, June 21, AGBU New York Summer Intern Program participants took their first trip to Manhattan’s Financial District for a special event organized by the AGBU Young Professionals of Greater New York.

Each intern was paired up with a mentor, a young Armenian professional who is currently working in the intern’s field of interest. The event, which took place at the historic Fraunces Tavern, gave the interns a chance to open up a channel of communication and connect one on one with someone that can help them during their time in New York and beyond.

Karabakh’s First Humanities Summer Program Begins

The first Karabakh Humanities Summer Program (via news.am)

Organized by Americans for Artsakh and funded by AGBU, the first summer humanities program for university students has begun in  Karabakh has begun. The NGOs website explains:

The course will run from June 26-July 9 and will include core classes in social science methodology, as well as seminars in civil society, media, art, and related subjects.  [Americans for Artsakh] has gathered together leading experts from Armenia and the Diaspora for this special program.  There wil also be lectures by local leaders in the government and non-governmental organizations.

AGBU Academics Video Teaser (in Spanish)

The following video teaser was created by the Buenos Aires team of AGBU Academics. After presentations in London, Aleppo, Damascus and Paris, AGBU Academics arrived to Argentina to give them a peak at the new networking initiative.

You don’t have to know Spanish to enjoy this video.

AGBU Montreal Committee Member Named President of Montreal City Council

Montreal City Hall. (image via seoulpolaris's flickrstream).

Harout Chitilian, member of Montreal city council for the city’s Bordeaux-Cartierville district, was recently appointed President of City Council by Mayor Gérald Tremblay.

“Harout Chitilian is clearly the right person to guide the Council in its work. I am certain that he will achieve a consensus among his colleagues and stand out for his sense of fairness and his ability to bring people together. Once named, Mr. Chitilian will become the youngest President in the history of Montreal’s City Council. This appointment shows Montrealers that our Administration is placing great emphasis on the succession,” said Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay.

Armenia News Bulletin 06-24-11

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Eduard Sharmazanov: Campaign of right to self-determination in the world
2. The Armenian Genocide Museum isn’t less astounding than that of Holocaust. The issue of the Armenian Genocide was discussed in the House of Lords
3. Robert Dold: The Armenian Genocide is a historical fact that cannot be ignored and must be recognized
4. Artak Davtyan: RA President to come forth from strong positions in Kazan
5. Ara Gochounyan: A time may come when the parties will start building their relations in completely new conditions
6. Hrant Bagratyan: Serzh Sargsyan leaves for Kazan as a democrat president, unlike Ilham Aliev
7. Serzh Sargsyan says activity of subcommittee on NK issue at PACE aimless
8. RA Presidents working visit to Strasbourg over
9. Hrayr Karapetyan says Presidents arguments at PACE Summit quite convincing
10. Serzh Sargsyan: We are against Unilateral Concessions
11. Levon Zurabyan expects frank ANC-authorities dialogue
12. Levon Zurabyan: Serious, tensed diplomatic background formed at NK negotiations
13. Davit Babayan says Obamas message means that NK conflict cannot be settled without participation of Karabakh in the process
14. Summer school of young leaders of Diaspora scheduled for Aug 1-14
15. RA Diaspora Minister receives representatives of Armenian community of Kemerevo
16. The training of teachers of Armenian Schools in Georgia started
17. “Faites de la musique” event was held in the French University of Armenia
18. Deadline of applications for Armenian pre-election round of 2011 Junior Eurovision July 20
19. Charles Aznavour will release his new album in September which will include 13 new songs
20. President of Vatican pontifical council for culture at RA government
21. Three books of bibliographic significance on Armenian Genocide presented
22. Grand exposition of books expected in 2012 by Armenian Genocide-Museum Institute
23. The friend of Armenians Henri Saby died
24. CANDLE project coordination council meets
25. 47 percent of the participants of the survey carried out in Yerevan evaluates the authorities-opposition dialogue positive
26. NA adopts 2011-2015 state education development program

Click here to download the PDF (77KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.

UFAR Rector and AGBU Europe Chairman Discuss Paris Summer Intern Program

Rector of the French University of Armenia Joëlle le Morzelec and AGBU Europe District chairman Alexis Govciyan.

On March 31, AGBU hosted a discussion with French University of Armenia (UFAR) Rector Joëlle le Morzelec and AGBU Europe District Chairman and UFAR board member Alexis Govciyan at the Alex Manoogian Cultural Center in Paris. Also present were UFAR’s Vice-President Arayik Navoyan and its chief financial officer Vagharshak Meyroyan.

Over 80 people attended the event, which discussed the relationship between AGBU and UFAR  and the Paris Summer Intern Program (PSIP). The gathering was an opportunity for UFAR students to familiarize themselves with AGBU youth programs that may benefit them.

Click here to read the press release (in French).