Hayastan All Armenian Fund

Since 1996, the Fund has organized annual telethons in LA. These 12-hour events are major fund-raising activities which draw Armenians together around a single objective.

These funds are directed towards implementation of strategically important projects which get approved at the annual meetings of the Board of Trustees (Hayastan All Armenian Fund Board of Trustees holds annual meetings during which the Board of Trustees addresses the work done in the previous year, reviews financial data and the results of the independent audit).

The Fund also organizes annual phoneathons that are held in European countries, Argentina and Lebanon. Volunteers from half a dozen countries gather to call, record, bill donors and enjoy the process of making the connection across borders and generations. Each year they secure donations of more than $1 million.

Over the past sixteen years of its existence, the support of Armenians has enabled the Fund to accept the challenges of time: the Earthquake Relief Initiative, Winter 92-94 Humanitarian Project, revitalization schools, hospitals and other key elements of infrastructure, construction of Goris-Stepanakert and North-South highways all come to prove the above said. The total cost of the projects carried out in Armenia and Artsakh stands at more than 200,000,000 USD.

Today, the Fund’s focus is the rural areas of Armenia and Artsakh as the existence of these vitally important communities is now threatened. To help these areas recover and develop, the Fund is rebuilding the essential infrastructure and stimulating the local economies to create jobs and give people the tools to build their own future.

Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s has affiliate offices worldwide. They work closely with local Armenian communities, the fund’s Executive Board and are accountable to the Board of Trustees.

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The presentation was demonstrated by the general director of Orange Armenia Bruno Duthoit:

“We want to announce with joy that Orange Armenia Company is the first operator, which presented iPhone in the Armenian market. Due to the huge coverage and wide sales network, Orange subscribers will have the chance tofully enjoy the iPhone and its exclusive opportunities”.

The company will offer three models to its customers:

•    8GB iPhone 3G will sell for 245,000 AMD (about $625 USD);
•    16GB iPhone 3GS will sell for 299,000 AMD (about $760 USD);
•    32GB iPhone 3GS will go for 350,000 AMD (about $890 USD).

According to Orange Armenia Marketing Director Aram Mkrtchyan, the iPhone will only work with an Orange SIM card. Orange Armenia presented fourth special tariff plans for iPhone: for a monthly subscription at the sum of 4000, 6000, 10 000 and 20 000 AMD. Besides voice services, the cost of the subscriber fee includes services of internet connection, which gives the chance to fully use the capacities of iPhone.

Aznavour was born in Paris, the son of Armenian immigrants Michael Aznavourian (from Aktaltsikhe in Georgia ) and Knar Bagdasarian (from Turkey ), who fled to France following the Turkish massacre. His artistic talent was demonstrated at an early age. He was aspired to the artistically life. He began to perform and soon took the stage name “Aznavour”. His big break came when the singer Edith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the United States.

Charles Aznavour sings mostly about love. He has written more than 800 songs and ballads, appeared in more than 60 movies, recorded more than 1,000 songs (in French, over 150 songs in English, 50 in German, 100 in Italian and 70 in Spanish) and sold over 100 million records in all. Aznavour speaks and sings in many languages. He was chosen as Entertainer of the Century (1998) by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century’s outstanding performer, with nearly 18 % of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.

Aznavour and Armenia
After an earthquake in 1988, which killed 25,000 people, he has been helping the country through his charity – “Aznavour for Armenia” Committee. In the following year, he wrote and recorded a charity single, “Pour toi Armenia” (For You, Armenia), which was performed by a group of famous French artists.

In 1995 Charles Aznavour was chosen an Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO. Aznavour is a member of the Armenia Fund International Board of Trustees. The organization has given more than $150 million in humanitarian aid and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia since 1992.

Aznavour performed a major concert in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia to start off the cultural season “Arménie mon amie” in France (on 30 September, 2006). The open-air concert in Stepanakert was attended by Aznavour himself and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian. The concert stimulated the interest of a numerous audience who were excited about the presence of an outstanding Armenian in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

There is a square named after him in central Yerevan on Abovian Street, and a statue erected in Gyumri as an expression of thanks to Aznavour .

In 2004 Aznavour received the title of “National Hero” of Armenia for his humanitarian work, Armenia’s highest award. On December 26, 2008, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan signed a presidential decree for granting citizenship for the Republic of Armenia to Charles Aznavour whom he called a “prominent singer and public figure” and “a hero of the Armenian people”. A square in downtown Yerevan was named after him in 2001.
Charles Aznavour, was offered to become Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland and nearly agreed to take up the vacant post:

“The president of Armenia once offered me to become Armenia’s ambassador in Geneva. I felt very proud and happy on that day. But then I figured that if I accept the offer I will lose my freedom. I can’t lose my freedom for an honorable post.”

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“We first fought the heathens in the name of religion, then Communism, and now in the name of drugs and terrorism. Our excuses for global domination always change.”
Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian was born in Lebanon on August 21, 1967. When Serj was 8, his parents with his younger brother Sevag moved to USA. Here he joined an Armenian school, later on studied marketing  and was even the CEO of a computer software company called eGames.

As a child, Serj took guitar and singing lessons. So when in the beginning of 90s he met Daron (one of founders of “System of a down”), they started a band called ‘Soil’. The band later broke up and a new band “System of a Down” was formed, based on a poem that Daron wrote entitled “Victims of the Down”.

Tankian has his own record label – “Serjical Strike Records”, which is a sub-division of Columbia Records. With Serjical Strike Records, he gives to those musicians who are often ignored by the mainstream a possibility to release their music and be heard.

Tankian is also very involved politically. He, together with Tom Morello, founded the organization Axis of Justice. He often speaks publicly against injustice and violence in the world. Tankian has recently been planning to seek residence in New Zealand until the end of the Iraq War.

Serj has been actively fighting for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.  He posted a YouTube video on the Axis of Justice website in which he together other activists urge President Obama to affirm his pledge and officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, which took place in 1915, just after the start of World War I.

“Last year, Barack Obama noted that many of the same brutal tactics employed today in Darfur are the same as those used by the Ottoman authorities against defenseless Armenians back in 1915,” Tankian said in a statement. “As we approach the global day of remembrance on April 24th, we look to both the President and Congress to stand up for what’s right; to speak against the Armenian Genocide and all genocides at the level of American values, and to never again allow the United States to be dragged down to the level of Turkey’s threats.”

Tankian also has written an editorial outlining the history of the Armenian Genocide, in which he tells the personal story of one of his family members who survived the massacre.

On the way to Yerevan on can admire the unforgettable view of one of major tourist attractions -Zvartnots Cathedral or the Cathedral of the Angels (a ruined seventh century circular Armenian cathedral built by order of the Catholicos Nerses the Builder from 641-653).
The plan of the cathedral is drawn by Toros Toramanian in 1905. Zvartnots remained standing up until the end of the tenth century. Afterwards, historical sources are silent as to the cause of its collapse
A drawing of the cathedral was depicted on the first issue of 100 AMD banknotes and its model can be seen in the Museum of History in Yerevan.

Together with churches in Echmiadzin, Zvartnots was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2000.

“He wasn’t on the ground;I shouldn’t be disqualified for this. I was not looking at his feet; I was looking at his eyes. I didn’t see if he was down. “

Arthur Abraham

Arthur Abraham’s vs. Andre Dirrell fight, took place on Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena, in Detroit. Both boxers are rated at super middleweight. This fight between the boxers Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell ended in the second round of Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament.

Dirrell dominated the German boxer most of the fight, he made several blows. In the seventh round he opened a cut over Abraham’s right eye. Abraham sent Direll down in the tenth round. Abraham hit him across the chin with a right hand and Dirrell couldn’t continue. Dirrell was down for several minutes while doctors were examining him.

The judge considered this knockdown an accidental fall. Referee Andy Cole disqualified Abraham for causing forbidden blow and Andre Dirrell win for the disqualification of Arthur Abraham.

Here you can watch Arthur Abraham vs. Andre Dirrell fight video. You can see what and why it happened in fact. Some viewers commented that Dirrell was only acting just to win without effort.

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Arthur Abraham:  Short Biography

She was successful in the singing as well with receiving the first prize at the “Armenian Song of the Year”.
During the same year she got acquainted with Valeriy Saharyan and in 2008 started cooperation with the “Armenian Production” producing centre, with which she holds a contract up to day.
The Armenian audience has learnt about her with the song of Sayat-Nova “Tamam Ashkharh”, which Eva presented at the 4th national annual ceremony “Tashir 2009”.
Later on this video was shoot to make it more presentable to the public.

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But that is just one of her songs. Her official website reports that she has been working on a CD that will include other songs of Sayat-Nova. Her producer continuously mentions that some of the famous Armenian singers like Ruben Matevosyan highly appreciate Eva’s talent and help her improve her understanding and presentation of Armenian songs. Another song that the Armenian audience has liked is the “Lanjer Mardgan”, with lyrics from a verse of Avetik Isahakyan.

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But what has made Eva more popular is the fact that she is going to present Armenia at The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 held in Oslo, Norway, this spring.
Her song “Apricot Stone” won at the national selection. Some of the critics told the victory was not fair and she just turned up in the Armenian showbiz. However, she has a vast number of fans who really love her and want her to win.
She is currently working hard and getting ready for the promo tour. Eva is going to be in Greece on 2-6th of April, the dates of other country visits are to be announced. Overall she is going to visit 15 countries, which are Greece,  Cyprus, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, FYR Macedonia, Netherlands, Belgium, France,  Switzerland, Germany, Israel and Georgia.Eva is going to perform the second in the Second Semi-Final, which will take place on Thursday, May 27, 2010.

So, let’s wish her a good luck and do our best to see her in the Final.

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Armenia is known by its tasty apricot. The warm climate of summer is suitable for cultivating the sweatiest and the healthiest apricot. This period is called “apricot season”. The fruit has been cultivated in Armenia since ancient times. No wonder it is considered native.

Take a summer tour in Armenia and you will become a witness of apricot harvesting in Armenian villages, gardens, peasants’ lands etc. Armenians make apricot jams and jellies, marmalade, juices and compote. Armenian bars and restaurants, cafes and hotels serve fresh juice of apricot.

Armenia famous musical instrument “duduk” is a cylindrical tube made from the Apricot wood (in Armenian “tsiranapogh” apricot pipe).  The Armenian duduk is one of the oldest double reed instruments in the world. The apricot tree is the best material for duduk.

Besides being known in Armenia, Apricot is known as a special fruit worldwide, as it contains gold. Apricot is known as “medicine for heart diseases”. It prevents heart attacks, cancer, improves the immune system. Apricot is truly a blessed fruit.

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After twenty years, the vocalist of Deep Purple Ian Gillan visited Armenia for another charitable event: Rock Aid Armenia/Armenia Grateful 2 Rock. He had 2 concert with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia on March 26th and 27th, 2010, in Yerevan. The whole revenue from the concerts to be directed to the N 6 Musical School of Gyumri, which doesn’t have any building and is hosted by temporary shelters: “domiks”.

Earlier in October 2009 Ian Gilland and Tony Iommi, the guitarist of Black Sabbath visited the same school.
Besides the two concerts, Ian Gillan also made an appearance on Shant TV at the Hay Superstar (Armenian Superstar, the Armenian version of the British Pop Idol), where the contestants performed various songs of the world known band.

The evening ended with Suren Arustamyan singing the “Smoke on the water “, which actually was the song to start the whole Rock Aid Armenia initiative.
The famous rocker joined Suren on the stage.

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The 6th national music awards ceremony distributed 23 awards, 11 of which were special awards. Here is the list of winners in main nominations:

Female singer of the year: Lilit Hovhannisyan

Male singer of the year: Razmik Amyan
Best Rock Group: “Dorians”

Hit of the Year: Reincarnation” It is still okay”

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Best Video: Tata Simonyan “Hollywood” Dir. David Sahakyants
Best Movie Soundtrack: Hayko “ The killed pigeon”

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Best Classical Project: “Hover” Chamber Choir
Best Classical Album: Svetlana Navasardyan “Aram Khachatryan: Piano”
Best Folk Album: Arsen Grigoryan “Mro”
Best Jazz Album: Katuner “ Red Sun”
Best Pop Album: Inga and Anoush Arshakyan sisters “We and our mountains”