The second term of President Serj Sargsyan of Armenia will be over in April 2018. At the same time, the new constitution that was “passed” with a rigged referendum will come into full force. As per the new constitution, the Parliament of Armenia will elect a new President that will have more of a ceremonial… Continue reading Guessing Game Continues…
After over twenty five years of independence, the opposition Political Parties (Parties) hardly exist in Armenia. A quick google search shows more than two dozen “Political Parties” with many “fancy” names that includes, Christian-Democrats, Social Democrats Free Democrats etc. They are more like “private clubs” and none is well organized to hold the government accountable.… Continue reading Opposition Parties in Armenia
On Dec 13 the Armenian parliament passed a law for “prevention of domestic violence, protection of the victims of domestic violence, and restoring solidarity with the family”. (The vote was 75 for, 12 against, and 8 abstentions). It seems the domestic violence specially violence against women, is a very serious issue in Armenia. Here is a… Continue reading Laws for Prevention of Domestic Violence in Armenia.
Few days ago, on November 23 2017, Hrant Dink Foundation received the Chirac Prize for Conflict Prevention. The Fondation Chirac was launched by former French President Jacques Chirac, after having served two terms in office between 1995 and 2007. Since 2008, this foundation strives for peace through five advocacy programmes: The Chirac Foundation also presented its Culture for Peace Prize… Continue reading Hrant Dink’s Legacy Lives On
Last week I received an email about Lydian International Gold mining company of England that is developing the Amulsar goldmine near Jermug resort town in Armenia. Jermug is a resort town famous for its hot spring mineral waters, and equally famous Jermug bottled water. (Amul-sar loosely translated in Armenian language means “impotent-mountain”). My first reaction… Continue reading Mining Industry in Armenia
What a heart warming and inspiring exchange of good feelings that started by Mary, a young student from Yerevan and within days both Anahit and Gyavaz got fully funded. Kiva is a unique on line lending site where individuals lend money (as little as $25) directly to poor but proud individual borrowers who cannot get… Continue reading Kiva, A Heart Warming Story
Past few years Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Communities Department has embarked on a major effort to help establish a much needed and long overdue teacher training program for Armenian Schools in Diaspora(s). They have convened and participated in few conferences in Yerevan, Istanbul and Paris, about the preservation of the Western Armenian Language. Last summer between… Continue reading Teacher Training Program for Armenian Schools.
