GIBRAHAYER - Dashnak party rocks community

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GIBRAHAYER e-magazine The largest circulating Armenian e-magazine www dot gibrahayer dot com Circulates every Wednesday Established in 1999

DASHNAK PARTY ROCKS COMMUNITY

8 June, Nicosia - Gibrahayer - A jubilant high-spirited crowd with AYF Cyprus youth leading the way, packed the PASYDY Theater and the Banquet that followed at the Holiday Inn for the Grand Victory Fiesta on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Armenian independence that took place in Nicosia on Sunday night with the participation of Armenian MP and Dashnaktsoutiun Presidential candidate Vahan Hovhannesian and an incredible musical duo of Karnig Sarkissian from the United States and his band and Sahag Sahagian (composer of Kedashen) from Armenia. The statement from all participants of the twin events was clear. We survived the odds. We re-established our statehood and we are here to stay to safeguard our schools and churches, political and cultural life and the continuity of Armenians in Cyprus. Both events were organised by the ARF Dashnaktsoutiun Cyprus Gomideh and sister organisations AYMA/HMEM, Hamazkayin "Oshagan" Cyprus Chapter and The Armenian Relief Society (HOM) "Sosse" Cyprus Chapter. Images of the event can be viewed at Click Gibros on Gibrahayer dot com, and on the online Album uploaded on the site.

ARMENIAN CYPRIOTS JOIN THOUSANDS, TO PILGRIMAGE TO ANTELIAS

Gibrahayer and combined services - Armenian Cypriots were among the thousands of pilgrims that flew to Lebanon to join thousands of faithful who on Saturday flocked the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, where His Holiness Catholicos Aram I officiated the ceremony of blessing of Holy Muron, which takes place every seven years. On an altar placed in front of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Catholicos Aram I performed the Holy Water blessing ceremony, which was attended by representatives from all Prelacies, as well as representatives from the Holy See of Etchmiadzin and the patriarchates of Bolis and Jerusalem. Also present were representatives of other Christian denominations and communities present in Lebanon.

HUNDREDS ATTEND FIRST WEST COAST "ARMENIANS AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS" CONFERENCE

Los Angeles — On June 6 and 7, Glendale became host to a historic forum, as renowned intellectuals and activists from around the world joined a few hundred socially conscious activists for a two-day symposium exploring modern issues of social justice and progressive politics. The event was the first of its kind on the West Coast and the 5th in a series organised by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. One of California's progressive radio stations, KPFK 90.7 FM (Radio Pacifica) and the Armenian Cultural Foundation cosponsored the event, which brought together renowned progressive artists, intellectuals and activists from South America, the United States and Armenia for a critical examination of modern social issues afflicting Armenians and the wider global community. The symposium also featured a number of the personalities heard on Radio Pacifica. The issues discussed traced the gamut from the war in Iraq and art's role in raising social consciousness to women's rights, socio-economic conditions in Armenia, the local labor movement and corporate influence in the media, all the while presenting them in both an Armenian and global perspective. More information on: www dot armenianprogressive.com slash westcoast dot htm or www dot ARF1890 dot com

News in Brief by Sevag Devletian

The first meeting of the Armenian and Russian presidents took place in the Oval Hall of Konstantinovskiy Palace.Welcoming his Armenian counterpart, Dmitriy Medvedev invited Serzh Sargsyan to pay an official visit to Moscow. The leaders of the countries, which are strategic partners, spoke about developing Armenian-Russian relations. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan discussed Nagorno-Karabakh with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co- chairmen in St. Petersburg. Following the summit, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian gave a press conference and described the talks as positive and constructive. The Russian energy giant Gazprom will invest more than 200 million dollars in the construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. The Russian gas giant will invest the sum in the Iran-Armenia gas project by the end of 2009, Armenia's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Armen Movsisyan. Once completed, the 140-km pipeline would provide Armenia with an alternative to the gas it now imports from Russia. Newly discovered images from a security camera that captured the murderer of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in January 2007 show a second suspect at the crime scene on the day of the murder, reports Today's Zaman. The footage is from the security camera of a nearby bank; it was unclear as to why the footage had not been seen by the police earlier. The recording shows a second person standing in front of Dink's office building before and during the shooting and then disappearing down a side street after the murder. The police have so far failed to identify the person in the footage. Authorities in southern Armenia have opened a 5,000-year-old prehistoric monument dubbed "the Armenian Stonehenge," but known locally as Carahunge, as a tourist site. The monument, located some 200 km (124 miles) away from the capital, Yerevan, consists of over 200 shaped stones, some bearing smooth angled holes of 4 to 5cm in diameter, directed at different points at the sky.

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Letters to the Editor

I still look forward to the day, that we will be able to disagree with others' opinions in grace. I just registered to your list, after being informed of your site this last week. And by just reading through a couple of "letters to the editor", as well as responses to them, I just pity that we keep on being "more papal than the Pope himself"..... In any demonstration, all through right-wing to left, we become the forerunners, the frontal targets... No wonder, in 1913, in Bolis, a well-known Armenian thinker (whose name I will withhold, to avoid being "classified"), on his way back from a very "lavish" Armenian celebration throughout Bolis, noted that this much show-off freedom is too much for Armenians to bear... That in the quiet of the night, these same permissive rulers of the Young Turks will prepare a bloodbath for Armenians... Any school of thought we take it so deep into our hearts, that we simply reject all those who disagree with us... Once and for all, can we educate ourselves that disagreements are natural, that " we can agree to disagree, and nothing's wrong in that?". Can we celebrate our differences? Can we take our antagonists as necessary catalysts of improving and getting better ? Don't we need those disagreements, that are constructive checks and balances for our decisions? Why our cases are "my way or the highway"? Can't we encourage inclusiveness, rather than chopping out our brethren as "agents of the third party... or members of the Fifth Column..."??? Common to all of us is the fact that for centuries, we have had no administrations, bureaucracy, hierarchy... And we really cannot get into any order. And the minute we became taxpayers and started enjoying the freedoms of the West, ( that be of expression, among other things...), we became too free to express ourselves, "each head a different voice", ( "Ammen kloukheh tzayn meh"), ( Hare kafadan bir ses")... and we start praising AND denigrating with no bounds... To both sides of a forum : Please disagree with each other, but in such a manner, that we can get educated, well- informed, and become better citizens and Armenians. Thanks. Daniel Sagherian The Armenian Genocide Monument in Phinikoudes, Larnaca is perhaps the most concrete form of reverence for the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, as well as for those who found shelter in Larnaca, and Cyprus in general. And yet, discord, factionalism and recriminations have slyly found their way into dividing the Gibros Armenian community. Being abstract, some may consider it ugly and messy, but the very fact that we are puzzled by its appearance only assigns greater meaning to it. Yes, the Armenian inscription (the other three are in English, Greek and Turkish) is in Eastern Armenian, only because it was sculptured in Armenia. In my personal opinion, it would be much more appropriate if it were in Western Armenian, spoken by the 8.000 kaghtaganner who arrived in Cyprus, however this is not the case, for better or worse. It could also mention the fact that many refugees arrived in Larnaca before 1915 (a number of them, for example, arrived in 1912). Do you think this fact diminishes in any way the importance of this impressive monument? I think not. "Armenia's linguistic imperialism"? Only a few decades ago, Gibrahayer and other Armenians from the Diaspora considered Hayastan's dialect (Eastern Armenian) as more pure and more 'correct' Armenian, and - truth be told - it is much closer to Grabar. Personally, I do not think that just because the Larnaca monument inscription was sculptured in Eastern Armenian justifies you to call it "an insult to the Armenian forefathers". On the contrary, it is a remembrance and a tribute of honour to them. I intensely share your concerns for the closure of Melkonian and for Parekordzagan's non-ulterior motives, but I am more concerned with your inflexibility and the general undertone of your letter, as well as your personal attack to the "Gibrahayer" team (do you really think they wouldn't post pictures of the monument because they are embarrassed and ashamed?). It is instances like this that blemish and spoil the image of the great Cyprus Armenian community, both within the community and, alas, outside the community. Finally, I hope we can all appreciate the splendour of the monument, its significance and the messages it conveys, and stop arguing about who proposed or not proposed its construction, who should take or not take the credit for it, in what Armenian dialect and/or languages are the inscriptions written, and whether its pretty or ugly or I don’t know what. Above all, the monument is a gift of the Republic of Cyprus to the Gibrahayer, and a solemn vow that their sacrifice will never be forgotten: the marble inscriptions serve as an indelible reminder of that. Regards and peace unto us, Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra Dear Mr. Souren Sarafyan, If you are so scrupulous to the Western and Eastern Armenian writings on the Armenian monument, than why you sign your surname by the Eastern Armenian transliteration (-yan), and not (-ian)? What is your intention? To divide Armenians in Diaspora from Armenians in Armenia, so that others (not Armenians) could empire? Aren’t Eastern Armenians – Armenians, or Eastern Armenian – Armenian? I am 2nd generation of repatriate Western Armenian, am born and live in Armenia, can write and read both Eastern and Western Armenian, and do not think that such mentality could be expressed at all, moreover towards the monuments to the Armenian Genocide. Do you mean that Eastern Armenia can no longer be the claimer of rightful demands concerning the Armenian Genocide (she can open its borders with Turkey and make business, as is the desire of some of Armenia’s residents) and only Western Armenians have that right? Then, there is a logical question, why was chosen an Eastern Armenian sculptor at all? Didn’t you/those like you think that it’s a nonsense? Verjine Svazlian To the Editor, The letter that you published on June 4 by "Souren Sarafyan", is mind boggling. Every nation has their different dialects and Eastern and Western Armenian among others, happen to be our Armenian dialects. As an Armenian, if Mr. Sarafyan does not understand Eastern Armenian that is his problem and instead of writing letters he should enlighten himself and start studding it. He writes, "what is happening to our Diasporan nation", WOW! Where is this Diasporan nation? Who are their leaders? Where are the borders of this nation? We have one nation and it is called Armenia, he should look it up on the map and realize that what he sees on the map will only get smaller or disappear altogether if there are any more Armenians with his mentality.Divide and concur is the most basic tool to defeat your enemy. Finally, he spells his name with "YAN" typical to Eastern Armenian names instead of "IAN" which is the typical way Western Armenian names usually are written which brings into question the seriousness of his objections. Very truly yours, Hratch Der Stepanian, Los Angeles, CA

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Wednesday and every Wednesday starting from 11 June at 9:00pm BINGO Night is back at AYMA Come and win super prizes in a family environment. If you want to begin the night with delicious specialities please call Hamo on 22499889 for dinner arrangements

EXCURSION AT KALOPANAYIOTIS

Sunday 15 June - Excursion and Lunch at Kalopanayiotis, at Markos Restaurant, organised by the Armenian Club of Larnaca. Bus leaves after Church service from Sourp Stepanos Church. Price 20 euros for adults and 10 euros for children under 12. Anyone else wishing to join the excursion/lunch need to call Yeghia Boyadjian on 99658121 for table arrangements. Prices for participants outside Larnaca are 15 euros for adults and 10 euros for children.

YOU CAN NOW ASSIST GIBRAHAYER E-MAGAZINE EXPAND ITS ONLINE ACTIVITIES BY CALLING 909 - 35037

Thank you for extending Gibrahayer e-magazine's lifeline and providing us with the opportunity to constantly bring innovation to our online services. Each call costs 7.86 euro for Cypriot subscribers. International subscribers can make contributions to: Bank Name: Marfin Popular Bank Public Company Ltd Bank Address: Strovolos Industrial Area sub-Branch Stavrou Avenue 96-I, 2034 Nicosia - Cyprus Account Name: Aynedjian Simon Account Number: 101 1100 3412 Swift Code: LIKI CY 2N IBAN: CY13 0030 0101 0000 0101 1100 3421

Sports Alerts by Sevag Devletian

The Armenian national football team played a friendly match against the German 2nd division club “Kickers Offenbach” with a scoreline of a 4:3 win. Armenia has already managed to qualify at least 23 Olympians for the Beijing Games, including six weightlifters, four boxers, six Greco-Roman wrestlers, three Freestyle wrestlers, two judoists, one in shooting and one javelin thrower. Edmond Aynedjian's and Yanos Kouyoumdjian's efforts for the Under 12 Pancyprian Doubles title at the Audi Field Club Tennis Championships fell short on Saturday morning, as they were defeated in the Finals in straight sets. The Paralimni tournament has began this week. All draws on cyprustennis dot com IBF middleweight Arthur Abraham (26-0, 21KOs) feels the catch-weight for his upcoming rematch with Edison Miranda (36-2, 26KOs) will work to his advantage. The fight is scheduled for June 21 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida with an agreed upon weight of 166-pounds.

gibrahay calendar

Wednesday and every Wednesday starting from 11 June at 9:00pm - BINGO Night is back at AYMA. Come and win super prizes in a family environment. If you want to begin the night with the delicious specialities of Hamo, please call him on 22499889 for dinner arrangements. Saturday and every Saturday - Marie Louise (vocals) and Armen (guitar)perform at The Golden Bay Hotel Bar from 7:00 pm - 11:30 pm Sunday 15 June - Excursion and Lunch at Kalopanayiotis, at Markos Restaurant, organised by the Armenian Club of Larnaca. Bus leaves after Church service from Sourp Stepanos. Price 20 euros for adults and 10 euros for children under 12. Anyone else wishing to join the excursion/lunch need to call Yeghia Boyadjian on 99658121 for table arrangements. Prices for participants outside Larnaca are 15 euros for adults and 10 euros for children. Wednesday 18 June at 6:30 pm - Nareg Graduation ceremony at The Nareg Amphitheatre in Nicosia. Thursday 19 June 2008 at 7:00 pm - Turkey, Armenia and the Defence of Free Expression: Participating: Fethiye Cetin, author of My Grandmother which describes her discovery of her Muslim grandmother's true Armenian Christian identity, translator and writer Maureen Freely, Armenian writer and filmmaker Nouritza Matossian, and Ragip Zarakolu, one of Turkey's best-known dissident publishers. The event will be chaired by Lisa Appignanesi, President of English PEN. This event is made possible through the generous support of Amnesty International. At Nash Room of The Institute of Contemporary Art - London. Tuesday 24 June at 6:00 pm - Traditional reception to all Armenian graduates on the island at the residence of the Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian. Saturday 28 June at 8:30 pm - Pancyprian Youth Boat Party organised by the Youth Committee of the Armenian MP. Departure from Nicosia from Armenian Prelature at 7:30 pm. Food, first drink and bus service. All inclusive 20 euros Sign up until June 20, 2008 with Araxi Chilingirian - 99541688 - Nicosia, Kevork Keoshkerian - 99817806 - Nicosia, Vani Bohdjalian - 99524746 - Larnaca, Diran Kassabian - 99246397 - Limassol. Open invitation to all between the ages of 16-40. Saturday, June 28, at 06:00pm - Armenian Evangelical Church service in Greek Evangelical church, 20 Gladstonos street, Nicosia. Speaker: Hrayr Jebejian. All are welcome 16 July - 3 August - The Armenian Blue Cross of Macedonia and Thrace (Armenian Relief Society - HOM Greece) like every year is organising a Summer Camp for Armenian Youth. Participation is open for juniors between the ages of 8-16, and is set for 300 euros. Sign up with Armenian Relief Society "Sosse" Cyprus Chapter Committee members by June 28, by calling Lilly Hovsepian 99354552 and Isgo Guevherian 22494536. A special rate for 15 passengers has been arranged and will be given out on a first come, first serve basis 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