| LETTER FROM HOME |
| Gibrahayer - Nicosia 6 May, 2008 - Linda Aintablian - an Armenian Cypriot currently living in the United States - is visiting historic Armenia these days. She will be coming to Cyprus next week and talking to the community about her journey. These are the two emails we received from her.
 Greetıngs from Elazıg, Turkey Everythıng ıs goıng well here. No problems and nothıng to worry about so far. Today we vısıted Marash. There ıs no trace of Armenıans wherever we go. They have destroyed everythıng. No cemeterıes or churches are left. Some churches are converted to mosques lıke ın Adana and ın Aıntab. As for Armenıan homes, you really have to research to know what buıldıng belongs to who. There are some very old homes ın very bad condıtıon but very hard to know who ıt belongs to. Everywhere we go ıt seems that the people know that Armenıans lıved there and are more than wıllıng to help. They even know that we were massacred and ıt ıs unbelıevable how helpful they are. Some of the people who lıve ın our homes are from Greece and they say they know how ıt feels.
The food here ıs delıcıous! In some ways we feel very much lıke at home. In some other ways we feel very sad. They are buıldıng here lıke crazy. Beıng here you realıze that gettıng back our lands ıs an Armenıan fantasy or ıllusıon. We vısıted Sıs and clımbed the castle. Trıed to fınd my grandfather's house but the person who would have known (a 103 year old Armenıan who had converted to Muslım) passed away 3 months ago. We could not ıdentıfy the house. We left heartbroken. We saw a house that could have been my grandfathers but were not sure at the end. We also vısıted Adana. It ıs a huge cıty wıth over 3 mıllıon people. The old cıty does not exıst anymore and no trace of anythıng Armenıan except a church that was converted to a mosque. In Aıntab I met my Turkısh pen pal. Very nıce guy, very knowledgeable about Armenıans. He used to lıve ın a very nıce house, known as the Arslanıan house whıch ıs now a hotel. He took us there to see the Armenıan ınscrıptıon on the wall. By the way, Aıntab has become a very ımpressıve cıty. Met an Armenıan woman ın Kılıs whose father converted to Muslım ın order to survıve. She talked to us and I vıdeotaped. She saıd she knows she has relatıves that survıved and everytıme she sees Armenıans comıng to her vıllage she wonders ıf they could be related to her. Also vısıted Kayserı, Hadjın, Zeıtoun. Tomorrow we vısıt Kharpert. If we are goıng to gıve a presentatıon of my vıdeo, ıt wıll need lots of edıtıng. Maybe we can do a combınatıon of vıdeo and pıctures. But we wıll have to spend a lot of tıme. Hope all ıs well and regards to all, Lında
Today we clımbed the Kharpert castle. The vıews were breathtakıng. We also went to Choumkoush - a village we have not heard about because almost all Armenıans were kılled. Hardly any survıvors. We saw a deep cave ın whıch they were thrown and the locals do tell you that ıs what happened. I met a young Turkısh gırl there who says her great grandmother was Armenıan. We also saw an Armenıan church and a cemetery that were ın a bad condıtıon but they both were very beautıful.
Linda
P.S. I wıll not be havıng access to the Internet for a few days. We are headıng to Mush and Van tomorrow from Kharpert, 500Km. |
| AYA ARRIVE IN CYPRUS THIS SATURDAY.
ONE-WEEK SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED |
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| Saturday 10 May - Arrival of AYA from London to Larnaca
Saturday 10 May at 8:00 pm - Kebab welcoming reception at AYMA for football players of AYA and AYMA teams. Open participation to all members of the community.
Sunday 11 May - Visit to Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church and Melkonian Institute.
Monday 12 May - AYA vs Bank of Cyprus - Details to be announced
Saturday 17 May at 5:00 pm - AYA Vs AYMA at Makarios Stadium Auxiliary Ground
Saturday 17 May at 9:30 pm - Farewell Dinner and Dance at Khordes Tavern (opposite Irinia) at 9:30 pm - Register with Krikor Mahdessian 99650897. Participation fee 26 euros
Finally, Armenian MP in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian - a former player with AYA - will be throwing a dinner party for the AYA team on Wednesday evening at his residence.
During their stay the AYA team will also visit Paphos and Protaras. |
| NESTLE IN AZERBAIJAN CD BLUNDER |
Elettra Neysmith - BBC News - The Swiss-based multinational food company, Nestle, has apologised to Azerbaijan after a gift attached to a breakfast cereal backfired.
The CD-ROM featured information about countries around the world but the data on Azerbaijan caused outrage there.
It said that Azerbaijan had started a war against neighbouring Armenia and that the hotly disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh belonged to Armenia.
Nestle has withdrawn the cereal and promised to seize the offending CDs. |
| TIMAG MATCH SIPAN WITH A GRADE "A" PERFORMANCE |
Gibrahayer - Nicosia 7 May - The Timag Theatre Group of Hamazkayin matched Sipan's performance of last month by staging French playwright George Faydau's "The doubt of a woman" at PASYDY Theater on Sunday with a performance that perhaps was the best of the last years.
Directed by Janna Tahmizian, the Timag team of actors should be proud of their achievement, not only for this year's performance but for the progress they have exhibited on stage through the years and for successfully elevating Armenian cultural life in our community.
BRAVO to them all !
Participating in this year's play are Harout Tahmazian, Arto Tavitian, Nazaret Adourian, Mardig Gostanian, Sevag Kalemkerian, Kevork Keoshkerian, Mari Lou and Taline Jourian, Araxi Gureghian, Naira Tokatlian, Alidz Sarkissian, Hratch Kazandjian and Kerry Nadjarian.
Go to Gibrahayer dot com & view additional info & images from the show. |
| STUDENT ALERT: HAMAZKAYIN FORUM |
| For all those who want to receive details of the Hamazkayin Forum that will take place between July 13 - July 27 in Yerevan, please contact Raffi Mahdessian on 99441588 and visit hamazkayin dot com slash forum_info dot php?Lang=en |
| PILGRIMAGE TO ANTELIAS FROM CYPRUS |
| Armenian Prelature - Nicosia - On the occasion of the Ceremony of Blessing of Holy Myron, which will be performed by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I on Saturday, 7th June 2008 an the Seat of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias, Lebanon, the Armenian Prelacy of Cyprus is organising a Pilgrimage trip to Lebanon.
The pilgrims will witness the Ceremony of the Blessing of Holy Myron, a ceremony performed by the Catholicos every seven years. They will also visit all the institutions of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and places of interest to the Armenian Community of Lebanon.
Programme:
Wednesday, 4th June - Departure from Larnaca Airport in the evening
Thursday, 5th June - Visit to the Mayravank in Antelias, the Seminary and Genocide Memorial in Bikfaya, the Orphanage (“Trchnots Pouyn”) in Jibeyl and the Castle at Byblos
Friday, 6th June - Visit to Baalbek, Zahle and Anjar
Saturday, 7th June - Visit to the City Centre of Beirut and Bourj Hammoud; Participation at the Blessing of the Holy Myron in the afternoon
Sunday, 8th June - Participation in the Divine Liturgy in Antelias; Audience with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I and Achahampouyr; Return to Larnaca in the evening
Participation Fee is €550, which includes the following:
Return Air ticket, Larnaca-Beirut-Larnaca, on MEA flight 4 nights stay at White House Hotel (5 star - www dot whitehouse dash lb dot com), two persons per room and late checkout at 17:00 on Sunday - Breakfast and one meal per day - All trips & excursions - All internal transfers - Lebanese visa -All taxes and insurance
Notes:
Participation fee with single room occupancy: €650
Participation fee for pilgrims wishing to stay at private accommodation (air-ticket and excursions): €400
All interested should apply by 15th May 2008 to The Armenian Prelacy 22493560,
as well as to Der Momik Habeshian 99307966 and Der Mashdots Ashkarian 99465818 |
| "REFORM" OF ARTICLE 301 -
TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN |
|  Eafjd Brussels - On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, the Turkish Parliament adopted the AKP bill which “amends” the disturbing article 301 that penalises freedom of expression in Turkey. The amendment, which consists only of replacing the crime of “insulting Turkishness” with that of “insulting the Turkish nation,” was adopted by 250 votes for and 65 against. In addition, prosecutions will now have to be pre-approved by the Ministry of Justice and the maximum penalty will be reduced from three to two years imprisonment.
For several years now, article 301, in its initial form, has been widely invoked to prosecute any author of dissident opinions on Turkish taboos such as the Armenian Genocide and its acknowledgement, the Kurdish issue or the occupation of Cyprus. A segment of the Turkish public opinion considers that the charges against journalist Hrant Dink, at that time, for his article led to his tragic assassination in January 2007.
Throughout Europe and even in Turkey, a number of entities have denounced this parody of reform and have demanded a complete abolition of article 301 and other clauses.
The general view is that the “reform” adopted yesterday will not change anything with respect to the critical situation regarding freedom of expression in Turkey and intellectuals will still be prosecuted. Indeed, the Turkish Minister of Justice intervened during the debates in Parliament to make clear that “with this law, there is no question of letting people freely insult the Turkish identity”.
“This so-called reform is a joke”, declared Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. “It curiously resembles the manipulation of article 305, which remained absolutely identical in its punitive clauses, but from which the Turkish Parliament just removed the statement of motives that cited the Armenian Genocide and the occupation of Cyprus,” she explained.
“The European Union should not let itself be anaesthetised by this gross manipulation of words,” stated Hilda Tchoboian.
The European Armenian Federation reminds that, in the hope of significant reform, the report on Turkey introduced by the MEP from EPP group (CDA – Christian Democrat – Netherlands), Ria Oomen-Ruijten, and adopted on April 21st 2008, used for the second consecutive year a complacent and flattering tone on the situation, however critical, of Human Rights in Turkey.
The Federation takes note, with admiration, of the official declaration in Turkey by two intellectuals – defenders of Turkish Human Rights, Ragip Zarakolu, Eren Keskin and Erdogan Aydin , affirming and recognising the Armenian Genocide.
“When we see the courage of these persons, we cannot accept that MEPs betray them by accepting this official trickery. The Parliament should also not accept “the omerta” (law of silence) imposed by Ankara on the Genocide in the report that will be adopted in plenary session in the coming weeks,” concluded Hilda Tchoboian.
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| ..there is always something new on Gibrahayer DOT com - Newsletter - Omphalos tis Gis - Latest developments from Cyprus
- Home Page -Images of Timag's show
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| Letters to the Editor |
Thank you GIBRAHAYER for regularly sending me your magazine. This magazine and Azad Tsayn are complementing each other.
Minas, Nazelie and Sako Kojayans - Los Angeles
My single maiden name was Veronica Biberian, My mum and dad are from Cyprus originally Hagop and Shake Biberian,they moved to London in the 60's I was born and raised in London. I then came to the States on holiday and this is where I met my husband Pierre Harmandjian, (Adiss's youngest brother) I have been happily married for a while now and have two lovely boys. My dad is very well known at the Ayma in Cyprus. If you know Manoug Munguldjian, he is my dad's best friend. Also my cousins Vram and Ara Biberian live in Cyprus. I would love to receive all the latest news on Cyprus so please keep me posted. I want to travel back to Cyprus soon. Last time I was over was in 1980. Long time ago, but I love it...
Mr. Simon Aynedjian
GIBRAHAYER E-MAGAZINE - Nicosia, Cyprus
Dear Simon,
Personally, and on behalf of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Cyprus, I would like to thank you and GIBRAHAYER for your coverage on all the activities of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Cyprus, including the public lecture we had last Monday. I want to assure you again of our deep appreciation for the great work and services you are rendering in the Armenian community through GIBRAHAYER.
The Lord's blessings on all your endeavours.
Sincerely,
Hrayr Jebejian - Armenian Evangelical Church- Cyprus |
| HAGOP FROM CANADA IS BACK |
| Mer hin ungere, from the early 80s, Hagop Tchakmakian is back from Canada and will be staying in Cyprus for 15 days. You can contact me to participate in the get-together that is being organised by his old friends, on 99437073. You can contact Hagop direct on jtchakmak at rogers dot blackberry dot net |
| Recruiting |
GAP Vassilopoulos E-Media Ltd (www dot emedia dot com dot cy) are recruiting young professionals for their upcoming E-projects on a full time or a part-time basis. Please contact us direct.
Tel: 22710151 - email: simon dot aynedjian at gapgroup dot com |
| News in Brief by Sevag Devletian |
- Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama pledged to continue his efforts to press Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, in a strongly worded statement submitted on April 28 to the Congressional Record marking the 93rd Anniversary of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
- Moody's Investors Service has withdrawn the ratings of Anelik Bank CJSC for business reasons. This action was taken with the consent of both parties and does not reflect a change in the bank's creditworthiness. Anelik Bank CJSC is based in Yerevan (Armenia) and had total assets of ARD32 billion (US 106 million) at the end of December 2007.
- An All-Armenian action under the slogan ‘’Forward Armenia, Forward to God’’ started in Holy Echmiadzin on May 1. A pilgrimage to the Nagorno-Karabakh processed within the frames of the above-mentioned action. In part, 500 pilgrims visited the town of Shoushi on the initiative of the International All-Armenian Youth Center and Spiritual-Cultural Revival Foundation.
- A monumental 12th-century Khatchkar – a 2,000-pound, nearly 8-foot-tall block of basalt, carved on its surface with symbols of the four evangelists, a massive cross, small birds at fountains, and surrounding patterns of interlacing – is now on display in the Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries for Byzantine art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is on special long-term loan from the State History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan.
- Atom Egoyan's new film, Adoration, was named one of the 19 finalists that will be in competition next month for the prestigious Palme d'Or Award at the 61st annual Festival de Cannes.
- 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star Kim and her siblings, Khloe, Kourtney and Rob decided to take a trip to Armenia, just to check out their heritage. "My great grandparents were from Armenia and escaped the genocide," Kim revealed. "No one has been back since. All I know about my country is what I read and pictures I see on the Internet." Kim says that she is determined to carry on their plans of visiting the country, as soon as her other pending and urgent matters have been attended to.
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| Sports by Sevag Devletian |
- The Armenian national Under 19 football team are in Italy training and preparing for the upcoming elite stage competition which will be held in Yerevan on May 22-27. The teams of Spain, Turkey and Ukraine are included in the same subgroup.
- Vic Darchinyan's challenge to Russia's IBF Super flyweight world champion Dimitri Kirilov has been pushed back four weeks to August 2. Also revealed is that Darchinyan would be one of the boxers in the new Prize Fighter Don King computer game which goes on sale next month.
- The European Individual Championship of Artistic Gymnastics will be held in Lausanne (Switzerland) on May 4-12. Armenia will be represented by Vahagn Stepanian and Harutyun Merdinian.
- Ajax striker Edgar Manucharyan has admitted he does not have a future at the club after becoming frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities. The 21-year-old has not played a single minute for the first team this campaign and does not want the same thing to happen next season. The Armenia international has not ruled out the possibility of a loan move.
- Edmond Aynedjian has qualified in the main draw of the under 14 Boy's Singles Championships of the Eleon Open Junior Championships and teamed up with Yanos Kouyoumdjian they also won their first under 14 doubles match. Both are in the under 12 main event in both singles and doubles. Games continue every day at the Eleon Tennis Club in Nicosia.
- Results from Armenian tennis players participating in the ITF Seniors Tennis Championships taking place in Larnaca.
Haig Ashdjian defeated Laurence Leroy of Australia 6-4, 6-3
Simon Aynedjian defeated Tasos Theopanous 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
Petros Petrou & Simon Aynedjian defeated Mar. Petrou & Haig Ashdjian 6-4,6-2
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| gibrahay calendar |
| Saturday May 10 at 6:00 pm - MOTHER'S DAY - organised by The Armenian Club of Larnaca at Nareg School Hall of Larnaca, under the auspices of Mrs. Maggie Mahdessian. Speaker of the Day: Maral Oknaian, followed by a cultural program. The evening will continue at AEK Football Club for Kebabs (Opposite Larnaca Tennis Club) Saturday 10 May - Arrival of AYA from London to Larnaca Saturday 10 May at 8:00 pm - Kebab reception at AYMA for football players of AYA and AYMA teams. Open participation to all. Sunday 11 May - Visit to Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church and Melkonian Institute by AYA football team. Monday May 12 - Football match: Armenian Youth Association (London) Vs Bank of Cyprus. Details to follow Saturday May 17 at 5:00 pm - Football match: Armenian Youth Association (London) Vs AYMA / HMEM at Makarios Stadium Auxiliary Ground. Saturday May 17 at 5:30 pm - Mother's Day celebrations at Utudjian Hall of the Armenian Prelature, organised by Nor Serount. Speaker of the Day Anahid Eskidjian. Cultural program to follow. Armenian mothers of our community will be honoured. Saturday 17 May at 9:30 pm - Farewell Dinner and Dance at Khordes Tavern (opposite Irinia) at 9:30 pm - Register with Krikor Mahdessian 99650897. Participation fee 26 euros Friday 9 and 16 May at 8:00 pm - The office of the Armenian representative Vartkes Mahdessian is organising a lecture in two parts on Road safety at the central offices of the Bank of Cyprus at Ayia Paraskevi. The lecture is open for people over 14 years old. Friday 30 May - Kravadz Or by Nor Serount 13 - 27 July in Yerevan - Hamazkayin Forum for Armenian students will take place in Yerevan. Cyprus participants should contact Raffi Mahdessian on 99441588 18 – 25 July in Aghavnatsor - "Hayasdanaknatsoutiun" - ARF Dashnaktsoutiun's Badanegan Panarmenian Summer Camp at Aghavnatsor Homes (55 km from Yerevan) Price 280 dollars. Eight-Day educational program filled with excursions, discussions, games. Open to youth from 14-18 years old. For additional information contact Levon Sarian on 99409988 – sarian at cytanet dot com dot cy |
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