Tuesday, August 19, 2014 Recent Articles from The Armenian Weekly... Pope Francis to Hold Mass for Armenian Genocide Centennial

US State Department ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Karen Petrosyan’s Death in Azerbaijani Custody Bitlis Town Council Names ‘William Saroyan Street’ The Hidden Truth in Hockey’s Book AMAA Awards 140K in College Scholarships Rated SR Film Fest Kicks Off 2nd Season with Launch Party Search Armenian Weekly Pope Francis to Hold Mass for Armenian Genocide Centennial BUENOS AIRES—Pope Francis will hold Mass for the Armenian Genocide Centennial in the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, on April 12, 2015. The Announcement was made by the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires Mario Poli during a mass in the Armenian Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Narek on Sunday, Aug. 17, reported Presna Armenia. Pope Francis Pablo Hakimian, the pastor of the Armenian Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Narek, said that the announcement of a Mass for the Armenian Genocide centennial is in response to an invitation by the Armenian Catholic Church. “The Pope replied to the invitation from the Armenian Catholic Church a year ago through Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX to hold a mass for the recognition of the Genocide,” Father Hakimian told Prensa Armenia. On June 3, 2013, Pope Francis held a meeting with a delegation led by Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX, during which he also met a descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors and stated, “It was the first genocide of the... Read More » • Email to a friend • Article Search • US State Department ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Karen Petrosyan’s Death in Azerbaijani Custody ANCA welcomes call for “full and transparent” investigation of incident WASHINGTON, DC—A State Department spokesperson, in response to an August 15 media inquiry about the violent abuse and subsequent death of an Armenian civilian while in Azerbaijani custody, has issued the following statement: News reports showed Azerbaijani defense ministry officials dragging, questioning and publicly humiliating Petrosyan on national television. “The United States is deeply concerned by reports on the death of Karen Petrosyan while in Azerbaijan’s custody and by allegations that his death was not due to natural causes. The United States offers its sincere condolences to Mr. Petrosyan’s family. We call on the Government of Azerbaijan to conduct a full and transparent investigation into this incident and to make its findings public. We remind the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia of their obligations under international humanitarian law, especially their obligation to... Read More » • Email to a friend • Article Search • Bitlis Town Council Names ‘William Saroyan Street’ BITLIS, Turkey—The Bitlis town council recently approved the renaming of five streets in this historic town in south-eastern Turkey. Among the names is “William Saroyan Street,” after the great Armenian-American writer whose ancestors came from Bitlis before 1915. Saroyan was born in Fresno, Calif., but felt strong ties to his ancestral home. He visited Bitlis in 1964; 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of that visit. Ara Sarafian (Gomidas Institute) and Hüseyin Olan (Bitlis co-Mayor) in Sapkor district of Bitlis, June 2014 One of the champions of renaming “William Saroyan Street” was Barzan Serefhanoglu, whose grandfather, Adil Serefhanoglu, was the mayor of Bitlis when Saroyan visited the city. Adil Serefhanoglu showed great respect to Saroyan—and paid a high price for it. After Saroyan’s departure, he was harassed by the authorities who wanted to punish him. “William Saroyan Street” will now be the main street of the Sapkor district of the city, where the Saroyan... Read More » • Email to a friend • Article Search • The Hidden Truth in Hockey’s Book Australia’s Treasurer Joe Hockey’s authorized biography has attracted much interest, including a peak into Cabinet relationships, the budget, and future leadership contenders. Yet there is one issue that has snuck firmly under the radar, and goes to Australia’s moral fabric: the denial of the first genocide of the 20th century. Cover of Australia’s Treasurer Joe Hockey’s authorized biography The Armenian Genocide, which started on the eve of Anzac Day 1915, resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people. The Turkish government denies the genocide; at the same time Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan falsely labels the recent tragic strikes on Gaza as “systematic genocide.” The hidden truth goes to Hockey’s position on the Armenian Genocide, which is in direct contradiction to Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who recently asserted, “We do not, however, recognize these events as ‘genocide.’” Previous foreign ministers have also caved under... Read More » • Email to a friend • Article Search • AMAA Awards 140K in College Scholarships This year, the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) awarded $140,450 in scholarships to 57 worthy students who attend colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. The AMAA has helped thousands of students from kindergarten to high school with tuition aid, and hundreds of college students with scholarships. In addition, $15,000 will be awarded to needy and qualified university students in Armenia. These scholarships range from $200 to $600 as the cost of higher education in Armenia is significantly less. Since its inception, the AMAA has helped thousands of students from kindergarten to high school with tuition aid, and hundreds of college students with scholarships. Moreover, the AMAA provides financial aid to schools and institutions of higher education in the Near East, including Haigazian University and the Near East School of Theology in Beirut. The scholarships granted this year were provided from several AMAA scholarship funds established over the... Read More » • Email to a friend • Article Search • Rated SR Film Fest Kicks Off 2nd Season with Launch Party NEW YORK—Following a successful inaugural year with 55 films from 18 countries, Rated SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York is gearing up for its second edition with a gathering at Bettolona restaurant on Wed., Sept. 3. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the winning film directors, cast members, and their colleagues as well as network with important industry guests. There will be prizes to win and passes to the festival given out. Rated SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York is gearing up for its second edition with a gathering at Bettolona restaurant on Wed., Sept. 3. Founded by award-winning actor, filmmaker, and curator Nora Armani to promote positive social change through films covering a wide range of social issues, this year’s Rated SR Film Festival has two special spotlight sections titled “100 Years of Genocide” and “Women Filmmakers of MENA.” “I know many Middle Eastern and MENA women filmmakers who are really talented and make films that... 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