Protesters Condemn Treatment of Armenian War Veteran in Russia‏

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Armenian Weekly (armenianweekly@hairenik.com)

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19/07/2013

Friday, July 19, 2013 Recent Articles from the Armenian Weekly... Protesters Condemn Treatment of Armenian War Veteran in Russia Taxist Blues: Public Transport in Yerevan 6K Raised for Syria Homenetmen Athletes ABMDR to Hold 2nd Annual ‘Walk of Life’ Krafian Competes at USATF Region1 Championships The Curse of Anahit US Administration Holds Briefing with Armenian Americans on Syria Humanitarian Assistance Search Armenian Weekly Protesters Condemn Treatment of Armenian War Veteran in Russia GYUMRI, Armenia (A.W.)—On July 17, around 30 people gathered near the Russian Consulate in Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia, with two messages for the Russian representative: First, they wished to honor the memory of the 18 people killed in a car accident in Moscow on July 13, when a truck crashed into a bus. Second, they wanted to voice their condemnation of the discriminatory treatment that the truck driver, Hrachya Harutyunyan, 46, had received by the Russian court and the media. Hrachya Harutyunyan Harutyunyan, a Karabagh War veteran, was taken to court straight from the hospital. According to reports, he was treated poorly and, more significantly, was forced to wear women’s garments—a colorful bathrobe and slippers—at his court appearance. Members of the Russian media have also been accused of racism in their reporting of the accident. It is still unclear why the truck veered off course and crashed. Some have speculated that a mechanical issue might have been... Read More »      • Email to a friend • Article Search • Taxist Blues: Public Transport in Yerevan I hate the taxis in Yerevan. Oh, all right, that’s not quite accurate. I dislike taking taxis in Yerevan, despite all the advantages they have to offer. Really, the best way to explore and get to know any city is on foot. And walking around Yerevan can really be wonderful, especially as it is indeed such a walkable city. You can easily get from Point A to Point B in your own shoes, something that is very hard to experience in, say, Los Angeles, for example. Of all the places I’ve lived and visited in the world—not that my sample is too immense, but, with modesty, I imagine it is sufficient to pass the following judgment—Yerevan’s taxis are among the most inexpensive and accessible in the world. It is difficultnot to catch one, barring extreme circumstances. And almost anywhere to almost anywhere in the city center almost always costs 600 drams, what is known as the “minimal” (pronounced “mee-nee-mahl”). That’s something like one and a half American dollars.... Read More »      • Email to a friend • Article Search • 6K Raised for Syria Homenetmen Athletes BELMONT, Mass.—Miles away from Aleppo, Syria, a special event was held in Belmont earlier this month to help fund the participation of Syria’s Homenetmen athletes in the 9th Homenetmen Games. Participants in the fundraiser The fundraising event took place at the residence of Bedig Der Vartanian, an active member of the organization. Der Vartanian spearheaded the initiative, along with other Homenetmen members. Homenetmen Central Executive representative Hrach Mesrobian thanked those present for their dedication and generosity. The event raised $6,000, which was transferred to the Central Executive and then to the local Homenetmen chapter in Syria. Der Vartanian’s daughter, Meghri, also contributed by allocating the money she received for her 16thbirthday to the fundraising effort.      • Email to a friend • Article Search • ABMDR to Hold 2nd Annual ‘Walk of Life’ WATERTOWN, Mass.—On Sat., Sept. 28, the New England Chapter of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) will host its second annual “Walk of Life” walk-a-thon in Watertown. Funds raised from the walk will support the instrumental work of the ABMDR, which helps Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Walk-a-Thon to Be Held Sept. 28 “Bone marrow transplanting procedures are now as simple as a blood draw, and pose little or no pain, so raising funds to recruit bone marrow donors is a key first step toward saving a life,” said ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan. The walk-a-thon will take participants on a 2.2-mile route that begins at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) on 47 Nichols Ave., and concludes at the “Faire on the Square” town celebration on Main St., where participants can enjoy the... Read More »      • Email to a friend • Article Search • Krafian Competes at USATF Region1 Championships From July 5-7, Anoush Krafian competed for the Waltham Track Club at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Region 1 Junior Olympic Championships and National Qualifier, held at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York. The event offered athletes a rare opportunity to compete at one of only four level 1 certified IAAF facilities in the U.S. Krafian during the 100m hurdles Krafian competed in the 13-14 Girls Division in the outdoor pentathlon. Eleven athletes put forth a valiant effort in the scorching temperatures and competed in the 100-meter hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump, and the 800-meter run. Krafian scored 2,291 points, medaling and finishing 5th overall. Krafian also qualified for Nationals in all three open events, earning a 5th place in the 200 meter hurdles, 31.25; earning 2nd place in the 100-meter hurdles, 16.87; and earning 2nd place in the high jump, 4’11”. The Waltham Track Club produced 25 National Qualifiers (10 boys and 15 girls) in 31 events. The... Read More »      • Email to a friend • Article Search • The Curse of Anahit Once considered the “glory of our nation” by King Trdat III, the Armenian goddess Anahit has recently been revived through the continuing struggle to “bring her back home” to Armenia. Historians and scribes have identified her with her Greek counterparts, Aphrodite or Artemis. She was the vivifier of the Armenian nation, as well as the symbol of chastity, motherhood, and wisdom. According to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator was sent to a pit on the Ararat plain by King Trdat III for refusing to place a wreath before her golden statue. As the nation was Christianized, many of the pre-Christian deities and festivals became a thing of the past, and the church became a vital part of the national identity. Currently, the head of the bronze gilded statue of the goddess dwells in a glass box in the British Museum in London. Currently, the head of the bronze gilded statue of the goddess dwells in a glass box in the British Museum in London. Her description reads: “Bronze... Read More »      • Email to a friend • Article Search • US Administration Holds Briefing with Armenian Americans on Syria Humanitarian Assistance WASHINGTON— Armenian American civic, church, and charitable organization leaders from across the United States took part today in a U.S. government briefing on Syria humanitarian assistance efforts by the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development. The briefing was held at the State Department The briefing was held at the State Department and included participation, via tele-conference, by representatives of a broad range of community leaders. The full array of urgent humanitarian issues of concern to Armenian Americans were raised by community leaders during the meeting. The Armenian community of Syria, like many other Christian and minority populations, has been caught in the middle of fighting between government and opposition forces, suffering along with the rest of the population from food and energy shortages, blockades, violence, and instability. The large Christian Armenian population in Aleppo, along with the smaller communities in Damascus, Kessab,... Read More »