Making a Difference in the Media - December 2001

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Cover Story

26 Making a Ditlerence in the Media

- Results of AlMs Survey - Armenias Media Struggles lo Find lts True Role - Web Hye-Lights - A Few of Our Favorite Shots

AIM and the Battle for a Media to Meetthe Times

10 11

From the Editor

Letters

14 AIM View NoteIook

16 0uote Unquote I Believe it or Not 17 Biilhdays & Anniversaries I)id You Know?

18 19

Where are They Now? | Bytes on File

24

Dateline

Postscript

Connections

62

Disco Tomb Ancient Burial Site Found on Abovian Street

64

A Gup ol Soup Elderly Turn to Charity to Survive

66 Salt Lake City Yerevan 0asis 0ffers Calm and Cure

Ails

72

Art into Architecture Turning Words and Music into Brlcks and Mortar

Gonnections

Arls

68

70 All

The Canine Glass Divide

74 Art Scene 76 Falling in Style 78 Sports 82 Underexposed 84 Essay 85 0n the Shell

About Eve

The Journeylakes a Trip into Memory

Patrols Hunt Down Street Dogs While the

Focus

New Rich Show Off

22

Making Money Dram Marks Eight Years as Armenias Cunency

Armenian lnternalional Magazine Volume 12, lssue

Gover design by Patrick Azadian

Ten

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2OO1

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1\INI Publisher

Let's Talk

ilichaol l{ahabol Editor

Tony Halpln Senlor Editor

John Hughot Art Director

Paticl Aradian,

100th issue provides a useful opportunity to pause and re-examine what we do. AIM should be responsive to its readers and I want to hear your views about the magazine.

What does it do well? What can be done better? What would you like to see covered within our pages that we haven't so far done? What do you want more - and less - of?

lhe I

Hrair

Sa*ls Srilisslan Editor at Large

Perik lazrrlan Associate Editors

l.

H. Alaxanddan, Laursnco Bitl61

-

YoBv8n

Editors

Contributing

Mallhew l(rranian, Romld Gfig0r Suny, Talln8 uo8kstilchlan

There's always the danger in inviting comment that you might hear plenty of things you'd rather not. But honest criticism is as useful as sincere praise and if you dish it out you have to be ready to accept it. Since you've already demonstrated a commitment to AIM througlr your subscription, I'm firmly convinced the magazine can only beneflt from the exercise.

So I look forward to receiving your opinions by letter,fax, or email in the months ahead, to chew over suggestions and reflect on criticisms.

I hope, too, to publish a representative selection of your views, with responses, as part of to dialogue between AIM and its readership. The results of the read- ongoing "ommiiment help to provide a clearer picture of the people we serve - and those this issue in ership survey we don't yet reach. Now I want to learn more about what you think of what we do.

If AIM is to serve for another 1fi) issues, however, there has to be change of a broader nature.This month's cover story contains a detailed account of the magazine's history and circumstances. I see no gain in concealing the fact that AIM needs more subscribers if it is to grow and meet its obligations to its readership. We need more of you so that you can expect

- and get -

PADA

Assistant Editor

Associate Publisher

Trni I{.lldonian Subscriptions Manager

Sols Xtodanlar Advenising Manaoer

Flml Molfiilarltn Marketing Managel

Vailtnlan

Anahid Drr

lntern

Ghristlnt Shirinyan Yer8vao Buroau 67 Koghbatsi Street, No.

1

Phone 53 36 99 AIMarm@arminco.com Coordinator

Amhll Mailirossian Photo Editor

Arslnoh lGaohlkian Web & Promotions Armlnoh Grlgorian, l{ailnc Arush![ian Editorial Assistant

more from us.

- the evolution of an The challenges of reporting and better maga bigger demand simply Diaspora a worldwide Republic and independent azine. Standing siil isn't an option - it means being left behind. We want to be that magazine

Sora Danlolian

an ever more varied and complex story

and believe flrmly that we can be.

The stark reality is that AIM is currently the only independent Armenian publication even striving to achieve the level ofcoverage and professionalism that the present situation requires Ask yourselveq if AIM did not exist, where you would have turned for the same range of stories provided up to now, never mind on the scale that we know is needed in the future.

To avoid being misconstrued,let me state plainly that AIM isn't about to disappear. It has survived through thick and thin in the past decade and more because we know there are enough of you out there who care.That continues to be the case.

But neiiher is it crying woll It is easy to imagine that because AIM has ridden a series of crises in its history that it will always do so - or that it is even desirable that it should.

The times demand better and we know our readers deserve better. Better means more more articles from more places about more subjects. And, fundamentally, better me must mean more subscribers so that we have the resources to do justice to everybody's expectations. If every subscriber presented even one gift subsoiption to a friend or relative in this hol-

Advertising Manager

Gohar Sahakian C0nlribulors: Armofl ia

remains only to wish you all on behalf of the staff at AIM a happy and peaceful Christmas in what has been a traumatic and troubling year for the world.

It

Gayano Abrahamian, Zhanna

Amenla

PhotogEphers:

Buadl France

Alilanian,

-

zrn

lGachrffian,

Avln fih$ldan, Xanll

-

H.III

ln

thdrn;

-

- sci

Gao lrfilnian; thtaCaq irassachusotb foundrtii.n; Rhode lslmd BrOe Ara Zotian.

ila&ounlan, Elc ll@dan,

Nfl Yo*

- tldllhr

tlrEedal,ltlrtm ilt:bdm,

Anblml0qdihn,trmlEltJohrmec&lilunh

Translalors: Armenia

-

-

Mlcharl Htrutyunlrn, Editol

Sltlthil tudcilrtn.

Emritus

chatlar llazallrn

-

iday season, the position for the year ahead would be transformed.

So AIM's fate and future development over the next 100 issueg just as in the flrst L00, depends on you. I for one am happy that it should be so.

-

Chrllnlan, SuEn lhhodan, Asftol Gerc0inlrn, taun Gononian, Mallalna Gdgodan, Julla Hakotyan, llan tilad(Eltn, L[sln6 Zsytunia$ Calitomia - Ara Ammanian, Paul Chadadian, Blra Gelhuan, Som G.llatn, &ldcn Xidd, Asnsd Po[iadan' Janet Sanuolian:London - Fclh Gslcy, S$an PrtiE; Nil York- ChildopherAhmian, G00r00 Boumodlsn; Rhode lsland - ilail ilallo.ltn; Pais - lryd.m Geum6; Uruouay - Die00 Xanmtnouldan; W6hinqton, DC - ltloond ilooradian.

Accountiflg Seruices

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lntsmrllonal Subscriotl0nt and Afioillsim Brprosont0liv6s AE!ilins C0le0i0 [,lekhtEiM, V[rcy del Pino 351'l (1426)BEnos Aiffi, Phore f,4'11

l6illh

varooj lsken(hriil, 1 48 loola Ave. E6t Killara NSW 2071 Phone tr2.9251 2882: Allred Maltarian, P0. Box 370, Haris Pail NSW 2150. Phone m9897 1e,46: Vahe Kateb P0 Box250, Pon Mebourre, Vlctoila 3m7, F10re039713 1213 Raunio Hakimian. 3150 Sadelon Street Sl. lflrent, ouebe H4R1E3, Phone 511

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ln!

Wrlle to AlMt We welcome all communication. Althouoh \rE read all letlers and submissions. we are unable l0 acknowled0e evarvlhin0 v{e receive due to limitd sbffing and resources. Letters to lh1 Edihir nny be dited for publica(ion.

Armenian lnlemalional Magazlne Founded in 1990 Founding Editor

Vartal oskanian

Founding Publisher

Michael Nahabet

207 South Brand Boulevard, Suite 203, Glendale, CA 91204 USA Phone 818 246 7979 Fax 818 246 0088 AlMa0azine@aol.com

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

"why" is almost not important anymore for we can't trust him with his truth.

If he thinks thatpolitics canbemnductedby silencing opposing ideag then he is alignrng himseHwith the Iikes of Hifler and Stalin.And we know what happened to that kind of politics Manoog Sarkian Glendale, California

Missing I doubt that you will publish this letter in

problems.

I commend AIM for bringng such issues to light so we can all find ways of educating our society towards a consciousnesgwhere we are no longer hurting our own because wejust

don't know any better. In this day and

age,

your following issue, because I do not

with information being so accessible to

remember seeing any letter that does not applaud your magazine's virtues in one way or another.

However, I can only assume that you are

many more people so much more easily,there should be no more excuses for ignorance.

Please continue to shed a light on our

aware of the September 11,2001 tragedy of the World Tlade Center - and I must ask you to kindly explain, how come you have not mentioned one single word about it in your

Flom Home

using abortion as such a means, and the resistance of groups against education regarding other means of birth control (Connections, November 2001). I can see how these two issues can be related, because ignorance is the root of most of our societal

so

communitieg no matter how painful it may be. Keep up the great work.

LauraVartaninn Southem Califumin

Armenian "INTERNATTONAL" Magazine's

Now John Hughes has come of age vis-ivis Armenia. His passion I deep on "Finding Home" (Essay, October 2001) and his introspection reveals itself. He has mastered an understanding of the psyche and soul of the Armenian person and has become the persona. He has felt the Armenian heartbeat and is stimulated by it. The neurons of the nation are finally electrifying him. He is there a:rd now makes us feel proud that he has arrived. We welcome you dear brother john, and we treasure our friend. We shall not expire; we shall re-seed and grow agam.

Thank you John Hughes for your newly found kinship with us.

Carl Zeytooninn

By Email

Respec{ing Opposition

A thought of a so called trial. "He who live by the sword..."

In any civilized society, anyone who commits a crime against the elected members of the established government, that crime carries the strongest punishment of the land, pretty much automatically. Shooting unarmed people indiscriminately, for "reasons" that are at best questionable is a despicable act of cowardice.A crime against government is a crime against the state, and a crime against a state is a crime against its people.

Who told Hunanian that he is better than Yazget Sargsian, for example? Where was Hunanian when Vazgen Sargsian was fighting in Artsakh?

I think we should let him take his "reasons" for his actions to his grave, because the

October 2001 issue that I just received today.

disaster that concems the whole planet, and AlM,published on US tenitory simply dares to ignore it? If there is any mention of it that I have not found inyour last issuegplease tell me

Late Arivals I just got the November issue yesterday is there a way to remedy late arrivals?

Probably because it was late, there was a reference to the World Tiade Center in the article about the best restaurants.

Although I don't live in California, we do

the page and I would certainly apologize.

have relatives who live there and like to

Magazines and newspapers from all over the world have included its comments about such a

Tacvor Sirinian

By Email

Editorts note: Reference to the September 11 attack was made in Octoberb AIMView (page 14) andinlohn Hughes' essay (page 60).

I see no merit in attempting to establish a tenuous relatiorahip between even* of global significance, such as the WTC disaster, and arti-

-

attend the various lectures and programs that are advertised in AIM. But several of them were in November.

Sorry to send this news!

Janet Tatevosinn

By Email

Editot's note: The

restaurant concemcd is in

cles in the magazine on Armeninn issues.

Whmever such linl<s do occur, they will be

the World Trade Center in Bosto4 Massachusens Mearura arebeing taken to ensure the magazine arriva promptly eachmonth andwe

thoroughly reported.

hope

Shedding Light

Seeking Infonnation

recently received an email about a report from Armenia that seven gays have been killed in the last year. I have a son who

responsibility as the editor of AIM.

I

is gay and visited Armenia this summer, and

the thought of the possibility of him being targeted by our own people for being who he is is disturbing.

Maybe we are lucky that we live in a community of Southern Califomia where such matters are no longer issues But I am certain that if we had more Armenians around us, things would be different, unfortunately.

In your recent issue, I read with horror about the iporance ofArmenians inArmenia regarding birth control and the dangers of AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

n

resolve this issuc very shortly.

First, congratulations on your new Second, I wanted to convey my disappointment with the November issue. It's a great issue, however, it fails to cover a current and hot issue in the US Diaspora today, namely Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act (with the exception of a reprint article by SamWeems).

This issue has been debated

in

the

Armenian political arena for the last few monthg and I believe it deserves AIM's timely analysis of the situation.

Zareh Samurkashian

By Email 11

The Fourth Millennium Society is an independently iunded and administered public charity committed to the dissemination 01 inlormalion for the purpose 0f developing an inlormed public. Underpinning all 0ur work is the firm conviction that the vilallty 0f an independent press ls lundamental t0 a democratic society in

Armenia and democratlc rnstituti0ns in the Diaspora. The Fourth lVillennium Society publishes Armenian lnternational l\4agazine in its effort t0 c0ntribute t0 the national dialogue. The directors are Society who are com0raleful t0 the Benefactors, Trustees, Patrons and Friends 0f the Fourth Millennium and devel0pment of Armenians and Armenia through the promoti0n 0f mitted t0 the well-being, 0row'th

open discussion and the lree 1l0w of informati0n among ndividuals and 0rganizations. Their financial c0ntrlbuti0ns supp0rtthe w0rk 01 the Fourth Millennium S0clely and ensure the independence of Allvl

haull iruun$

Vahe Aghabegians, Salpi Haroutrnian Ghazarian, Shahen Hairapetian, lvlichael Nahabet, Ralli Zinialian, Directors

Directols 2001 Shahen Hairapetian, Armen Hampar, Zaven Khanjian, Michae{ Nahabet, Alex Sarkissian, Bob Shamlian, Raffi Zinzalian

Benelaclors Sarkis Acopian, Albert & Tove Boyajian, The Cafesjian Family Foundation, lnc

Hirair Hovnanian, The Lincy Foundation, Louise Manoogian Simone

Senior Trustees AUSTRALTA Heros & Kate Dilanchian CANADA Razmig Hakimian, Kourken Sarkissian H0NG K0NG Jack Maxian USA CA Armand & Nancy Arabian, Khachig Babayan, George & Flora Dunaians, Armen & Gloriat Hampar,

Araxie M. Haroutinian, George & Grace Kay, Joe & Joyce Stein NY James Tufenkian Rl Papken Janjigian

Founding Truslees AUSTRALIA Varoojan lskenderian USA CA Garen Avedikian, Mardo Kaprielian, Edward lVlisserlian, Bob lVovelt Varoujan Nahabet, Norair Qskanian, Emmy Papazian, Zareh Sarkissian, Raffi Zinzalian FL Hagop Koushakiian PA Zarouhi Mardikian

Tenth Anniversary Corporate Sponsors Aesthetic & Beconstructive Plastic Surgery, Garo Kassabian, Armenian Jewelers'Associatlon, C0mmerce Casin0, Hasmik Mgrdichian; George Tumanjan; Grand Tobacco, Hrand & Mikayel Vardanian, ISB Group, Armen & Ketty Kazandjian, Law Office 0f Aris Artounians, Aris & Karine Artounians; Law 0ffices of 0urfalian & 0urfalian, Rafi & Sarkis 0urfalian; NASA Services Inc , Sam & Elizabeth Sarkislan, Nick & Kamelia Sarkisian, Arsen Sarkisian; Pacitic Sales, Jerry Turpanlian; Bemax of Glendale, Vahe & Aida Yeghiazarian, Yerevan Hotel

Associate Truslees AUSTRALIA Arman & Nairi DerderYan USA CA

Va(kes & Jean Barsam, Walter & Laurel Karabian, Gary & Sossi Kevorkian & Artemis Nazarian, Ralph & Savey Tufenkian NH Jeannetie John

Nazar

Palrons Rouben

ARMENIA

Ardash & l\,4arian Derderian Dim tri & Tamara

Gagik

CANADA

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lsnAtt

I"EBANON

Bichard Simonian

Julie Kulhanjian & Roger Stlauch Louis & Grace Kulkjian Dora Serviarlan Kuhn

UAE

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USA CALIFONNM

& Erdjanik Markarlan & Rita Mesroblan

Harout

ElLzabeth Aqbablan

Garabed Akpolal

Edward & Aiice Navasarqian

Hatry & Alvarl Barseghlan Aram & Ierâ&#x201A;Źz Bassenian

Armand 0. Norehad Kennelh & Cindy Norian

Daniel Behesniliaf

Rall 0urlalian l\l chael & Hermlne Piranian

Berj & Hera Boyajian

Kevork Atinizian USA MICHIGAil

George Chamch klan Edoar & Salah Hagopian Alex [,4anoogiaft Kirakos Vap!rciyan USA NEVADA

Latry & Seda Barnes USA NEW JERSEY l\.4argarel Chaf

tikiant

USA IIEW YORK

M.

l\,4lchae Ansour

Hatry & Aida Koundakjian Nancy Krlcorlan Vahe Nishaniant

V John & Lucille

G. Sarklsslan

Harout Topsacalian USA WASHINGTOI{ OC

Batry & lvlargarel Zorthlan

Hratch & Helga Sarkis

Phone 8.18.246.7979

818.248.0088 filt( 0l

12

USA MASSACHUSETTS

Arpiar & Hermine Jafoyan Z. Greg Kahwajian

John & Bose Ketchoyan Zaver & Sofa Khanjian (rikor Kr korian

Kevork Bouladian

USA COI{NECTICU]

Shahen & l\.4anha Haroutunlar

Nlshant & Sona Kaaian Kirk & Ann Kesapyan

Karakashian

Krikor & Haroul lslanbul ar

aimnUarinn@aol.rum

Gaidzag & Dzovig Zeitlian

Louis T. Hagoplan Kevork & Pamela Toroyaf

Kevork

I]AtY

Glendale, California 91204 USA

Sun Plastlcs. lnc.

Petros & Garine Taqlyan Ara & Avedis lavitlan

Pierc & Aiice Haiq

Jack & l\4ato Kalaydjian & Satenig Karajerjian

Garo Keheyan

207 South Brand Blvd, Suite 203

& Knar Galstian

Vahan & Audrey Gregor

Louise Aznavour Geralr & Elise Dervishiaf

I0 plln[lll$tG[11[R trtlflllt il]tll

Alex Sarkissian Roberl & Helen Shamlian

l\r!anoushag Fermanian

Anonymous

Mihran &

Dimlki

& Lucrlle Estephaniaf

Steve

l\,4ack Vahanian

Ramik A

& 0iyana Danielian

Caro

AUSTBATIA

Anin Etmekliaf George & Vartouhi Tavotkjlan

Adrire

Tanla ChakaLian

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[iligirdlc & Afl

V&

Friends ol AIM The Fourlh [.4illennirm Society is gratelul lo the lol]owlnq I0r contributing during the last month to ensure AlMs financ USA CA lsaac & Frleda Valtanian, NJ Jack & An Anserian

AIM DECEMBER

2OO]

a

independence

QioYanni besrgn

fndl Onc.

Jo. Taktajian

GIO\ANNI BOTANICA' Corporate Headquarters 48 West 48th Sneet, Suite 1310

New York NY 10036 USA Telephone 212.7 64.2125 F ax 212.7 64.2145

1.888.ASKGDII

Japan Headquarters Fonte Aoyama 707,2-22-L4 Minami Aoyama Miato-Ku, Tokyo, 107-0062 JAPAN Telephone 03.5414.6135 Fax 03.5414.6136

The Medium and the Message Wanted:Media Moguls Events in America and Afghanistan have made this the year of Al-Jazeera. The Arab television station has broadcast scoop after scoop throughout the war on terrorism, becoming so influential that world leaders such as British Prime Minister Tony Blair have felt compelled to appear on it for interview.

Al-Jazeera has been catapulted on to the world stage in the same way as CNN rose to prominence in the Gulf War. The difference is that it is also the flrst non-Western media operation to achieve truly global significance - quite an achievement for a small company operating out of the Gulf State of Qatar.

So what does all this have to do with Armenians? Well, A1Jazeera cost $130 million to set up, largely through a loan from the Sultan of Qatar. The station shows every sign of repaying the loan early, so profitable has been its coverage of events since September 11. Even if it didn't, the investment looks like money well spent - a distinctive Arab voice has emerged in the reporting of intemational events.

That is the game we're in. Influence comes with the ability to influence opinion, and thus shape public policy. Those who backed AlJazeera understood this and were willing to spend serious sums of money to achieve it. The result? It's become an essential part of any world leader's cable package.

Is there anyone in the Armenian world today with the same sense

of ambition? The republic's newspapers are penny-dreadful scandalTV stations narrow and unambitious. In the Diaspora, both media remain at the level of parish newsletters, largely ignored even sheets, its

by those they serve.

It may be dull and predictable to say so, but the issue is resources.

in media improves not only the influence and image of Armenians generally, but makes investing in Armenia a whole lot easier. Projects costing millions of dollars are put together in Armenia by people who would never spend a cent outside the country without flrst reading the Wall Street Journal or Financial Times to make sure they were armed with the latest relevant information Investing

about the investment climate.

Spending even a small percentage of such sums on creating a reliable and informative media in Armenia would pay ample dividends, economically and politically. Needless to say, it would also strengthen the democratic process. It was the First Amendment to the US Constitution for a reason - does anyone seriously believe the benefits of a free press only apply there?

This is not about AIM - though AIM's financial travails down the

years are instructive of the wider problem. It is about whether Armenia and Armenians understand well enough that the levers of power in the 21st Century are pulled through a TV screen and the front page. Information is globalizing - it is ironic that a people

$ljB$[Rlpil[il$ I [til[tnY Riltttll,lt rltll0lllilfi I

[[l1 [nlllJnlfifi]t| 207 South Brand Blvd, Suite 203 Glendale, California 91204 USA

Phone 818.246.7979

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Fax 818 246.0088

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2OO1

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with so much experiencâ&#x201A;Ź of living globally should lack the means to express it.

This is not to argue that a collection of six million people scattered across the globe can produce a media machine to rival CNN or the BBC. But it is to argue that the lack of any media approaching international standards of professionalism is a serious handicap to the interests of those people, both domestic and external.

Is there to be an Armenian voice - well-informed, respected and thorough - in world affain? Or will Armenians be relegated to the ranks of the voiceless, watching mutely as'decisions are taken on a range of issues that directly impact their lives? Must they always be

dependent on the goodwill of others to get their point across?

So to return to the question - is there anyone out there with the ambition and the resources to make it happen? It is no accident that major corporations and wealthy entrepreneurs sink so much of their capital into building media empires. They understand not only that it buys influence, but also that it is good business in the information age to be the purveyors of information. There's money to be made for the people who get it right.

Influence, authority, profit. In any other sphere of activity, Armenians would be quick to seize on a business that held out such prospects. So why not

media?

t

This Sporting Life Watching Team Armenia A nation's character is said to be magnif,ed in the sporting arena.

Brazil's footballers bring the shimmering flair and samba rhythms of the beach party onto the field of play, Germany's the dull but relentless efficiency of their industry.

It would be kindest to draw a veil over the prowess of Armenia's national football team, except perhaps to say that it will be some time before it has a realistic hope of qualifying for a World Cup tournament.

Team games, it seems, are not Armenians'forte. The discipline and collective endeavour required for success do not come easily in a culture where every individual jostles for the right to do as he or she wishes.

It is this ethos of the individual, however, that seems to bring out the best in Armenians across a range of sports. Armenia's impact in the chess world is out of all proportion to the country's size - a team game only in name in tournaments, since it is each player's individual achievement at the board that counts.

Armenians are also a force in the weightlifting world - both for the republic and under other national flags. It is man against weight,

the individual pitted against himself and the world.

A growing crop of talented tennis players seems merely to affirm the individualist creed. All depends only on yourself and whether you have the skill and the will to overcome your opponent.

And not just in sport. Painters, writers, scientists, solo musicians of outstanding ability - Armenia seems to be a conveyor belt of talented individuals at times.

Unsurprising maybe, since a culture that has spent most of the past 600 years existing within other societies has had little outlet for collective endeavour beyond its confines.

But that's what makes the present so interesting - the experiment in mllective nation-building endeavotr. To retum to the footballing metaphor, teamwork and tactics take time to sink in and become second natue.

Perhaps we should watch the progress of Armenia's football team a little more closely. Its performance on the f,eld may tum out to be the best barometer available on the state of the nation.

World Cup 2010

anyone?

r

At the End of the 1700 A Clearer Sense of Self This has been an issue devoted to milestones and December marks the end of the celebrations for the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's conversion to Christianity. Inevitably, in our marketingdriven age, God and Mammon have vied for attention - was it spiritual landmark or economic godsend for Armenia?

Jesus may have driven the moneylenders from the Temple but Armenia's religious tourist-fest hoped to pull in the mighty Dollar not to mention Franc, Pound, Mark, and Yen. The uncertainty over air travel that followed the tragedy at the World Tiade Center on September 11 had its effect on tourist numbers at the height of the celebrations. Organizers of the festivities estimated that Armenia's economy may have lost as much as $50 million

in income from stay-aways.

This may have been self-serving. We must wait until the numbers are out before we know whether Armenia succeeded in its goal of attracting 150,000 tourists during the year. But there have already been rum-

blings that the total is far below target and that the September 11

tragedy has been seized on as a convenient excuse in some quarters.

In marketing terms at least, the impression certainly is that the year has been a missed opportunity. Armenia had a chance to

project

global image, opening its doors to the world community and placing itself firmly on the tourist map.

Instead, it chose a safer option - essentially encouraging the worldwide Diaspora to make this the year they visited the Motherland. Fine in itself, but the riskier strategy could have brought economic dividends that lasted well beyond the celebrations of 2Cf1- who dares, wins.

What remains? Those of a religious persuasion will have deepened their faith, Armenia has an impressive new cathedral, and many Diasporans will have returned from holidays in the homeland with a renewed sense of identity.

This could be the most enduring legacy of the 1700th celebrations.

In commemorating St. Gregory the Illuminator's deeds, Armenians from the republic and the Diaspora may have shone a light more r clearly on who they are and what they have in common. a

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

NOTEBOOK

rrl

thought today about the fact that the Nagorno Karabakh-Armenian-Azerbaiiani conllict is already 13 years old. The OSGE Minsk Group is nine years old. See how many years have passed... lf we wait a bit longer the OSGE Minsk Group will be old enough to marry.ll

rlThere is a surplus ol electric enelgy sale to Turkey and there is a possibility of barler trade (for) payments. Armenia by far has the most excess generating capacity in the region. This capacity can be used il new markets for energy, and especially Turkey, are opened.

-President Haidar Al iyev ol Aaerbaiian to 0SCE Minsk

Grou;r;r*lffil

lllt

was Galifornia's vineyards that brought Armenians to this great state more than a 100 years ago. And for a century Galifornia's Armenians have been an inextricable part of the Galifornia landscape, culture and economy.Today, with this wine lrom Armenia's own vineyards, we toast the next hundred years and the new kind ol cooperation that together we will create between Galilornia, the Golden State, and Armenia, a country with a golden future. !t Armenias Minister orForeisn Atrairs 0n sisnins the

-furfisn

rr

Armenian Business Development Council 0ctober 2001

rlThe problem in America is if you're black you're always going to be labeled as a 'black lilmmaker.'

But if you're Goppola or Scorcese or any ol

those guys, they may refer to you as being Italian, but they don't limit you in your material.

Plus it's weird, too, because most people don't know that we were raised by an Armenian mother. Where does that get ligured in?

tt

who with twi n brother

At

ten directed the number one t nte r v i ew,

,rrrr;,1f;*11rfl:lll}fl:

between the Republic ol Armenia and the $ate

;U[:l J#[:l)

Phitadetpt,r#i;o,rff

i1

ol Calilornia

IIWe will definitely get Nagorno Karabakh back.

(( ll we want to have not only

a preserved country,

but also a developing capital city, we must give it such a status that will allow the cily to have its own budget.ll

We have everything we need to do that. lf it cannot be done peacefully, then we will get it back with the help of the army.

-President Haffil#lffil

ll

-Robert Nazarian

Mayor of Yerevan, seeking greater

aut.rr.r.r*:|lffirJl,I[|;i

No Ganilles in thc Eatheilnal may be named after St Gregory the Illuminator but lighting canldles is banned inArmenia's new $12 million cathedral. Clergy are anxious to protect the interior of the church, built to commemorate 1700

It

yean of Armenian adherence to Christianity.They have banned candles because of concerns about smoke damage to the walls and icons It is traditional for church-goers in Armenia to light candles while offering up prayers - many people go to church simply to light a candle and pray for a few moments.

However, those attending St Gregory's are directed to a basement room, entered from outside the cathedral and still in the process of construction, which has been set aside for the lighting of candles The situation has upset many parishioners in Yerevan.

Saleswoman Lida Hovhanisian, who lives close to the cathedral,

says: "Why do we need this huge magnificent temple if it serves as a museum and true believers have to light candles in the basement?"

But other visitors have supported the ban.Vahe Asatrian says:"I-arge amounts of money were spent to build this cathedral. We can't be so selfish and not think about our children and grandchildren -this is their inheritance." Clerics insist the situation is temporary. The chapels of St Ashkhen and St Tidat, which are not yet completed, are likely to become the places where candles can be lit at the cathedral.

"It doesn't matter where you light a candle because it has a deeper meaning.The thoughts and faith you take with you into the church and the prayer you deliver with the candle is more important," says Father Sargis chopurian' a priest at St Gregory's -Nara Markossi#

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

NOTEBOOK

Realiration ol a llneam lllhen

the flrst issue of AIM appeared in July 1990 it was the realof a dream that had ateady been four years in the making.

The magazine's founders first got together in 1986 to consider a new venture linking Diaspora and homeland, even though the thought of an independent Armenia was then just a pipedream.

By 1989, the idea had been incorporated into a company, a dummy issue was created, and serious planning began for the formal launch.The first problem was money.

Mike Nahabet, AIM's founding and present publisher, said: "We initially wanted to raise funds from public investors and we spent about six months working on that. In the end it didn't happen so we decided to raise the money ourselves."

Nahabet, founding editor Vartan Oskanian, and six other investors each contributed $15,000 to create a publication fund.The other partners were: Shahe Keheyan, Thomas Yeterian, Koko Krikorian, Vartan Karoghlanian,Zareh Bastajian, and Vatche Oknayan.

The eight colleagues had something in common.They had all studied together in Soviet Armenia during the mid-1970s, either at Yerevan's Medical Institute or the Polltechnic University. There, they had talked often of issues important to Armenians - the magazine was an opportunity to extend that debate to anyone who wanted to join in.

The new magazine needed experienced joumalists if it was to meet the standards its founders wantedto setfrom the start. Charles Nazarian, recently retired from the Daily News in Los Angeleq was brought on board to take charge of editorial. Haig Keropian, who had worked with Nazarian at the News, supplemented his wealth of experience.

Thirty thousand copies of the launch issue were published and distributed to a mailing list of addresses. Reaction was immediate and

UU irution

overwhelming - people called and wrote in to say they loved what they saw.AIM had arrived. !

-Tony Halpin

Li[nary Moue ilew

York Public Library's Donnell branch, has an importani'World Language' department, has moved its Armenian section

llwhich

-

some children's books, literature in Western

and Eastern Armenian, some literature in translation, and a few art and architecture

books - behind a 'Staff Only' door where one needs special permission to enter. This is due to lack of interest of visitorg who on average, have been checking out one Armenian book

per L5

months.

r

-Lola Koundakjian

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

NOTEBOOK

Uah6 tattal AIM3 First Art Director and His Images f

ven ifyou havent heard ofVah6 Fattal

(AIM

LSeptember 1990), his seation stares out at you from the cover of every isue of AIM. Fattal designed the magazine's logo and its early covers, including the striking image that graced the first issue.

His designs have become a familiar part of modern life, with logos for Minolta, the Girl Scouts, Kaiser Permanente health care,

Hanna-Barbera and UCLA Extension.

Fattal has also been responsible for poster and tifle desigrrs for a number of TV and feature films, including Dances With Wolves,

Imagine: John lrnnon, The Shining, Baby Boom, Miami Mcp and The Thom Birds.

The power of his images comes from their

utter simplicity, an extremely dfficult visual process of peeling off the unnecessary in order to reach the naked core.

Born in Syria to Armenian parents, Fattal studied fine arts at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts

in Paris.

"I admire my parents for letting me study fine arts," he says. "They knew studying art was not like studying to become a doctor or an engi-

obrdLh'9dtu,ll& h,eE@hfrhh blB!:@eM.dd

neer.

It wasnt

easy to

make a living

as an

director at various design firms where he created some of his memorable images.

A decade later, together with partner Russ Collins, he founded his own firm, Fattal & Collins. The following year, the firm won the

ABC Television advertising account and serviced all of the network's creative needs for 14 yean. Other projects ranged from identity design programs for ABC Motion Pictures to promotional materials for the likes of Nissan and the Kirov Ballet.

Dwing the

most demanding periods of his Fattal offered his talent free ofcharge to worthy Armenian causes. In 1989, at the height of the Karabakh Movement in Armenia, he desiped the now famous solidarity poster for Karabakh. Latel after Karabakh's declaration of independence, he went on to design its flag.

"If creating the Minolta logo represents my highest professional accomplishment, the career,

Karabakh flag is undoubtedly the accomplishment I am most proud of," he says.

-

MINOLTN

(,(.N

artist."

After moving to Ins Angeles in l%l,Fattal worked as a design consultant and senior art

ATIAATI

rIEI

lHrrGlNI Cilatz*a.e..E,--,-f;._â&#x201A;Ź!r-.-,.

ffi

Colunbir Plcturo Telwision

a il

GrRr800m8

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

"I remember receiving a letter from the Govemment of Karabaltinviting me to see the flag I had designed flying freely with my own eyes. That was such a powerful emotional experience that I could not hold back my tears."

Throughout his design career, Fattal has continued painting and exhibiting his work in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. At the beginning of this year, he brought his design activities to an end to devote himself full time topainting. His last showat ChacMool Gallery in l,os Angeles opened with the unexpected visit from one of the last remaining giants of American Art, Robert Rauschenberg. r -Asbed Pogharian

NOTEBOOK

Geonge lleufimeiian

ff fter he left office in 1991, two-term

California Governor George

hDeukmejian became a partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Sidley and Austin until his retirement last year.

For a family man like Deukmejian, retirement meant more time with his family and grandchildren. However, the Governor continued to be active on the board of directors of several corporations and nonprofit organizations. As for politicg in June of this year, California Secretary of State Bill Jones named Deukmejian as chair of his campaign for Governor of California. Earlier, Deukmejian had endorsed Jones for the post he himself occupied from 1983 to 1991.

Deukmejian also continues to be active in the Armenian community. Recently, he spoke in Toronto at a fundraiser for an exchange program between Armenian and Canadian Members of Parliament, organized by Canadian MP Sarkis Assadourian.

He also acts as Master of Ceremonies at Armenian functions ranging from the Ararat Home of Los Angeles to the American University of Armenia. r -Asbed Pogharian

AIM DECEMBER

2OOI

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Maklnu Money Dram Marks Eight Years

as

Armenia's Currency

BY HAYKAZ BAGHIAiI AND l{ARll'lE KHACHATRIAN IYEREVAN

rmenia's crurency, the Dram, marked its eighth birthday on November 22,After a rocky introduction, when the conversion rate against the US Dollar plummeted, leaving millions impoverished almost overnight, the Dram is now regarded as one of the success stories of the former Soviet Union.

It is certainly among the most stable currancies - in the two years to June 2001, for example, the Dram declined in value against the Dollar by less than two percent, despite the political crisis following the October 1999 assassinations in Parliament and the continu-

ing economic impact of emigration.

The complaint now among business leaders that the "sound money" policy being punued by the Central Bank of Armenia. with a stable exchange rate and low inflation, is making it hard for them to compete against cheaper imported goods But consumers benefit from lower interest rates and gain confidence from predictable prices

is

Arguments about appropriate monetary policies only indicate how far the Dram has come in establishing its credibility. The Government's decision to let the Dram find its own level rather than use up precious - and in the early days non-existent - foreign curency reserves to peg it to an artificial rate has eventually paid dividends. Currency exchanges offering buy and sell rates for the Dram against a host of foreigncunencies are a common sight on almost every street in centralYerevan.

Armenia began preparations for its national currency within months of independence, set-

ting up a commission in January 1992 under Finance Minister Janik Janoyan and Tigan Sargsian, then head of the parliamentary committee on finance, now chairman of the Central Bank. Denominations and designs of banknotes were approved, and orders prepared for the new curency.

But the rapid disintegration of the Soviet Ruble zone compelledArmenia to introduce its currency earlier than it would otherwise have wished. Several former Soviet republics' including Georgia and lJkrainq moved to introduce coupons as a preliminary step towards national currencies

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

The final blow came in July 1993 when, in an effort to control its money supply in the face of rampant inflation, Russia began issuing new Ruble notes. According to the flrst chairman of Armenia's Central Bank, Isahak Isahakian, the decision meant that Russia

effectively removed itself from the Soviet

Ruble area leaving other republics in the ruins of the destroyed flnancial system.

Between June and October, Armenia was in negotiationg along with other republics, to join Russia in the new Ruble zone. Armenia's Parliament even passed a law making the Russian Ruble legal tenderwithin the republic.

But agreement could not be reached and,when Tirrkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan decided to go it alone and issue their own currencieg Armenia found itself at risk of being flooded with former Soviet Rubles In responsg on November 22, the Central Bank put the Dram -the word means "money" in Armenian - into circulation, The initial exchange rate was set at 14.5 Drams to the Dollar and 200 to the Ruble but

this quickly proved wildly optimistic with Armenia's e@nomy suffering massive contraction in the grip of a oippling energy crisis The National Statistical Service estimates that Armenia's economy shrunk by 50.6 percent between 1990 and lW4,the biggest decline of any former Soviet republic.

The new currency nose-dived within weeks of being issued as people frantically sought to exchange it for Dollars. By January l994,the rate on the street was down to 92 to a Dollar - already a six-fold devaluation.

Six months later it had crashed to more than 300 Drams to a Dollar, wiping out the value of people's savings, as the country

entered a period of hyperinflation. By the end of its flrst year in circulation, the Dram was down to 400 - 27 times less than its initial flotation rate.

"Afterwe carried outthe change ofcurrency, itturned outthat there wasmuch more moneyin the republic than we had received from the Central Bank of Russia- That hit the exchange rate and provoked inflationisaid Isahakian.

The Central Bank could do little to support its infant currency.According to Isahakian, gold and crurency reserves at the time of the launch

totaled only around haH a million dollars TMay, they are worth an estimated $320 million.

Banknotes worth ten,25,50, 100,200, and 500 Drams were issued at the time of the currency's launch, along with Luma coins - there were 100 Luma to a Dram. But the coins quickly became redundant as the Dram devalued - few people in Armenia even remenber seeing one. The 1,000 Drams note made its

debut in October 1994 followed by the 5,000 Drams in September 1995 - since then,20,000 and 50,000 Dram notes have also been issued. as

The Dram finally stabilized in early 1995 Armenia resolved its energy shortage with

the activation of the Metzamor nuclear power plant, allowing its economy to begin to grow. Over the next 18 months, it was barely unchanged at about 410 Drams to the Dollar.

It began to slide again in the second half of 1996, when the country was enguHed in political crisis in the wake of the disputed presidential elections. By mid-1997 the Dram had lost a quarter of its value and passed 500 to the Dollar for the first time.

The Russian financial oisis of 1D8 also had an impact - people in Armenia receive some-

thing in the region of $15 million every month from family memben working in Russia and the supply of money suddenly dried up. But while the Dram hit a new low of 535, the fact that Armenia was no longer part of the Ruble zone helped to insulate it to some extent.

Today, the crrrency stands at around 560 to the Dollar, fluctuating in value only one or two percent throughout the past year. While few are willing to bet that it won't eventually breach the 600 barrier, most accept that any devaluation is likely to be gentle, barring sudden political or economic shocks

The Dram is spent and traded freely by Armenia's citizens in their daily lives. After just eight yearg it has passed that essential confidence test of any viable

currenry. r

Dnm Bdar 1091-2001 600 550 600

450 400 350

ffil

1l I EE tiE

BB

li5 AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

H E

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fr,,f'J ar 7, t

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bricks Ilorn the ruins

Great Britain

Canada ltot.r'1,,,t1tcr \llrlrrk K;rr''h u ltr rst' s ork ulrr lt'prrrig6r'11 ,rtt 1lt. ( lrttlrrlilrrr $l lrrll

cliecl on November

li

agecl 86.

Karslr. xrungcr brotltcr of lvor-lcl l'ttmous portrait photouraphcr Ytrusuf Karsh. rose to

f, A

rerics ol etr:nts is nhrtttt.tl lt St .\l[.lrrts C"tl,..lr,,l [(| comnlL lll()r'ltr' tltc Alrttt'nrrrt

Gcnocide.

-lr-ansept The cathcclral's North Juslicc and

Pcace (bnrnrittec. in cort.junction ritlr the' Armenian ('hurch in l,onckrn. is organizing an

tulil-rs a tulip was cvcn namccl altcr him.

I Ic also helpccl to found the Canaclian

erhibition on the (icnociclc ancl sutrscquent sun'ival ol the Arnrcnian pcople in Arrnenia

Tirlip Fcstival. u,hich rlacle hinr its honorary prcsirlcnl ancl plannccl to nrark his involvcmcltl ilt its 50th arrniversary ncxt Sprine.

An Armenian who camc oliginallv l'r'onr

ancl elselvhcre.

for his piclures ol

Canada in 1937. Hc ancl Yousuf rvcre given the kcvs to thc cilv ol' Ottawa in Mav 2000 in honur ol theil u'ork.

Folmer Ottawa mayor .lrm Watson. rvho

lirr k*'. Karsh nrovccl to

prcscntecl the a*,ards. clcscribcd Malak l(arsh of thc great boostcrs o[ this citl' and genuine lr,' clecer.rt. kincl ancl ertrenre lv tala .jr-rst cnted man." as "or1e

Yousul'Karsh. known as "Karsh of C)ttau'a." nori, lives in Boslon ancl is clue to rnark his 93rd birthclav this month.

'I}c cxhibition will open on .lanr-ran' 26. a dav be lirrc Great Britain marks its scconcl Holocar.rst Rcmembnrnce Dav. It rvill contin ue

until Fcbluan

T,,M

the artcicnt Rornan

city ol Vclulanriunr.

Ottarva's

pronrincnce

o1'

-b.*

9.

A

Stud1, Day on Armenia riill also takc placc ou Februarv I 6 in conjunction u'ith the St Albans Catheclral (lhristian Str-rdy Centrc.

Subjccts incluclc thc Khatcl.rkar-. rvhich bears u remarkable similaritv to Ccltic crosscs. trncicnt

France

Arr thu iuitirrtit,rr trI tlrr' I-rirteh Sr'nrtu (rl,'lrlrirmarr. t ltr' M11 ot oI \ r'r'r'\ lrfl . R( )lr\'l l \azarian an(l thc Mavor ol Istanbul, AIi Clultun nrcl lor talks in Paris.

Thev cliscussccl possibilitics fol cool'rcralion betwccn thc two citics. includinc links bctrvccn thc Frcnch univcrsities in Ycrcvan ancl Istanbul.

Ma1,1r1'\'i7'11"'n saicl altcr the mccting that Arrncnia sought kr builcl gooci fulurc lclations ivith all countrics. incluclins-furkq,. But bclbrc thc flltLrrc could be crcutccl. it was lirst necessiln, to cvirl ue thc clark pugcs of thc past. \,1Lrlit

The Netherlands

and nrodern Arnrenian historl'. ancl thc Armcnian Gcnociclc.

Locatecl about 20 milcs norlh of Lonckrn.

St Albans ('atheclral is onc clf Eurol'rc's longcst ancl its earliest part \\'as brirlt u,ith

\r\1 r)ECENflil t{ 2(X)l

f) Irrrr. 1rr. holJ rrn inl.clnationirl lllt nuslr'r f- tlrtltlrllisn ltr plllrliglTC tltt' Al'tnetlilrtt Genociclc havc bccn

ol

1-rt"tt

fortvarcl bv a group hlvc launchccl

DLrlch Armcniaus. Thcv

an open competition to encourage artists to contribute a work depicting an image of the history of the Genocide.

The best ones are to be reproduced and distributed internationally in time for commemorations on April 24,2N2.1\e organizerq who say they still need to raise funds for the initiative, aim to print the posters in English, Spanish, Dutch, German, Tirkish, Hebrew, Arabic, and Armenian in a bid to increase public awareness of the campaigrr for Genocide recognition. Further informa-

tion on the website www.L5kvelscorn{l9l1l

flrm, and HSBCArmenia bank.

Meanwhile, the Duchess went to Gumd

to

see pupils and staff at the Lord Byron School, which was built with funds provided

by the British Government after the 1988 earthquake. She was elected an honorary member of the school's board of trustees.

A three-day festival of British films was also held in Armenia during the visit, organized by the British Council. Films shown in English included Bridget Jones's Diary.

United States

Armenia

fI

he Drkeand Duchessof

the fint members

Glouceslerhame

Armenia has made during the past decade and said,"I'm very pleased to be able to sign

this M.O.U." The agreement will last two

GeorgeV

years at which time

The Gloucesten visited the Matenadaran

identi$

The Duke, an architect by profession, said it was important that the new embassy have "both an official and friendly appear-

The

it was mmpleted serve to increase British

I

ance". He hoped wherr

would

involvement in Armenia.

The Duke also visited a number of Armenian businesses with Bdtish investment, including the Diamond C.ompany of Armenia, the PharmaTech pharmaceutical

it

can be dropped or

An advisory group of ArmenianAmerican business and academic leaders will renewed.

manuscript museum (pictured) and attended the unveiling of aplaque at the newBritishErnbasry building in central Yerevan on November 3.

it

Davis (pictured),flanked by a dozen other dignitarieC signed a so-called "Memorandum of Understanding" at a ceremony on November 20. It is the flrst step in a process aimed at promoting gteater economic, educational and cultural exchange. Oskanian noted that Armenians have been living in California for a century and that he hopes the agreement will "simply formalize and put a stronger footing under the excellent relations ulr"ady existing between Armenia and California."

Before an audience of about 150 business and political leaders Govemor Davis praised

the economic progress the Republic of

of the British Royal

Family to visitArmeniaThe Duke is first cousin to QueenElizabeth tr and a grandson of King

that

"here's to the next 100 years of cooperation between Califomia the'Golden State,' and Armenia the country with a golden future."

Oskanian and California Governor Gray

A toast of red Armenian wine sealed the Ao.a in the ballroom of the Glendale Hilton hotel where Arrnenia's Minister of Foreigrr

Atrai$ Vartan Oskanian declared,

u.

areas of potential exchange.

new US Ambassador to Armenia, John OrA*uy,wils swom in at a Deparrnent

of State ceremony in Washington, DC on November L6.

Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Ordway was Deputy Chief of Mision at the US Embassy in Mosmw.A career diplornat he has also served as Deputy Folitical Advisor to the US Mission to NATO (1993-%), as Director of Aftican Affain to the National Security Council Ory2:193) and Deputy Director for Russian Aftim at the State Deparftnent Bom in California, Ordway is a graduate of Stanford Univenity and Hastings College of the I-aw.

Ordway replaces Ambassador Michael C. Lemmon,who was posted toArmenia in 1998. Before his departure,lrmmon said he had witressed major improvements during his three years in the republic and urged the Armenian Government to continue its economic and political reforms

T,rk"y has been eleded to the United I NationsEducational,Sientific,and0,iltural qganization (IINESCO)b Administration

Council for the 2m1-m5 @rflThe Council has animportant decisiormaking role in the inter-

nationalorganization AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

!

Goven $tony

0n ilG Recond AIM and the Battle for a Media to Meet the Times

BY T01{Y HATPTN AND SALPT HAR0UT|NTAN GHAZARTAN IYEREVAN

ricky thingC milestones They provide an occasion for celebrating goals achieved, dif-

ficulties overcome, memories shared. But they also provoke reflection - regret for opportunities missed, mistakes made, innocence lost.

One hundred issues - it seems a lot, but then nothing at all. Many other publications -includ-

ing newspapen in the Amenian Diaspora have a longer pedigree. Still more take far less than ten and a haH years to reach their publishing century.

And yet, and yet... when a group of young Armenian professionals gave birth to AIM in July 1990, the sunny optimism shone through the opening editorial.

Armenian Intemational Magazine, they declared, would "make the Armenian voice heard more loudly and on a professional level as it links the Motherland with the Diasporan communities and brings Diasporan communities closer to one another."

It is ttris distinctive mission that continues to setAIM apart -much to the surprise and disap pointrnent of those who began the venture.The intention alwap was to set a new standard that othen would quickly adopt -thereby raising the overall quality of information available to the publigArmenian and non-Armenian, at a time

of historic change for homeland and Diaspora.

AIM has striven through each and every issue to live up to its mission statement, with varying degrees of success But at one level it has certainly failed - it did not change the prevailing atmosphere of amateurism and introspection that characterizes so much of what passes for journalism in Diaspora communities It would be strange if the effort to produce 100 issues -put another way,between 7,000 and 8,000 pages devoted to things Armenian - had not left its mark.The determination to provide readers with a better quality of information has

been tempered by the constant struggle to secure sfficient resources Tensions between the ambitions of joumalism and the realities of finance have been a constant theme.

It is unavoidable thatjournalism costs and good journalism costs a lot. Joumalists are troublesome people - they will persist in finding ways to make the story better, regardless of the expense. Paying the bills is something for other people to think about - their business is words and pictures.

AIM has tried to provide an honest home for such people - writers and photographers It pays for articles and picturegno doubt less than they merit, commissioning original work that

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

would never otherwise have been produced.

It does not steal journalism - editors have lost count of the times they have found articles

and photographs shamelessly lifted from AIM, without the slightest consideration for the people whose work has been pilfered. It remains depressingly common that people who would never dream of stealing from their local store feel quite at liberty to traduce the work of journalistg confident they will suffer no consequences Such is the esteem in which joumalism is held in a culture that claims a special affiliation for the written word as descendents of Mesrop Mashtots But then joumalism must eam respect. Just as the famous music hall song implored decent mothers not to put their daughters on the stage, so today no respectable Armenian family regards journalism as a proper career path AIM's early days: Below, left: Founding and curenl publisher Michael Nahabet. Below center: Founding editor Vailan 0skanian, who is cunently the Minister of Foreign Allairs ol the Republic of

tumenia. Below right, left to righl Adveilising stall member Victoria Maniikian, AIM's lirst executive edihr and cunent editor emeritus Gharles Nazarian. Stall wdter Tony Halpin, who is AIM's curent editor.

)1

that subscriptions cover only about half of the magazine's operating costs Advertising covers a good proportion ofthe difference but there is still a gap between income and expenditure.

That gap is plugged by a number ofbenefactorg large and small, who see the benefit of an independent, professional Armenian pres and have given financially to keep that ideal alive.

But there must be strings, right? Nobody gives money for nothing. Well, newsflash

AIM

-

has never accepted donations that

come with conditions and those who have given have never sought to impose any.They are big enough and confident enough in their own achievements to feel comfortable in a foee media environment - even one that feels

at liberty to criticize them when

occasion demands. Perhaps they haven't been given the credit they are due - but then journalists are an ungrateful bunch.

AIM set out to be self-financing, to stand or fall at the decision of its readership. Critics

would say, after a decade, that the judgement is in - too few people are willing to part with $40 to sustain the level of operation AIM believes necessary. Optimistically - naively perhaps - AIM's editors continue to take a long-term view that change comes slowly but that the goal is achievable.

Certainly, AIM's arrival could hardly have been better timed. The first issue marked the 75th annivenary of the Genocide, the crime from which the modern Diaspora emerged.

The magazine was both an attempt to step up to that intemational reality and to knit together the disparate experiences of Armenians into a shared future.

Issue two

for their offspring. It's muck-raking or namecalling - and always there's somebody who calls the tune in any Diaspora publication.

BesideE there aren't any opportunities to get

- at least if you want to stay honest.

AIM's founders declared their determi-

rich

nation "to preserve the independent status of the publication so that the pros and cons about Armenians andAmenian issues may be printed without prejudice or fear of stirring controversies."

The magazine's most vocal critics would Above: Galilomia

0lhet Printers

(COP) in GIendale,

Galifornia has been printing AIM since the lirst issue. As ol last year, GOP has also been set up to print 'direct to plate.' This processs eliminates the need for the produclion ol lilm, thus making the printing procedure more efficient and Iess costly. Photo by Eric Nazarian.

disagree,

but AIM has sought constantly to

hold to that principle in a market still dominated by party political publications and partial perspectives. Some of its articles have incurred the wrath of powerful people - to the flnancial detriment of the magazine.That's life. But what can be said in clear conscience is that not a single word has ever been bought by anyone.

Of course mistakes have been made, AIM is put together by humans after all.Thankfully, our readers have never been slow to complain if they believe coverage of a particular issue has fallen short. Every month, they are judge and jury - and that is just as it should be.

Here, a few economic facts may be worth explaining. Each issue of AIM costs something in the region of $50,000 to produce. Some 6,000 subscriben pay $40 a year for ten issues - it doesn't take a degree in math to understand

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

in

September confirmed the

spooky prescience of establishing the new publication. It charted new and unexpected territory - the coming to power of the Armenian National Movement in the Parliament of the Soviet republic. An independent homeland, the dream of 70 yearg appeared to be on the horizon and AIM's principal task came into focus - to chronicle this historic process and shine light on the changes it promised for Armenia and Diaspora.

AIM had already established a small bureau inYerevan, the first Diasporan media organization to do so. But events on the ground were moving so fast that by issue three, in November, the publishers had doubled the staff to eight writers and photographers.Their task was to capture in words and pictures the historic changes sweeping their country collecting vital facts and information as well as offering an "insider" perspective

that helped to balance the perceptions of staff in the Los Angeles headquarters.

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When it workccl. it worked spectacularlv

lbr cxarnple. AIM can lav clairr to having built up the most comprehensive library available ofphotographs docunrenting life in tl.re republic over thc past ten years.'fhe works of photographers Roupen Mangasarian.

Zaven Khachikian. and Mkhitar Khacl.ratrian have sraced AIM's pages from the beginning and brought their authors justifiably to wider attention.

Other aspects were less

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successful.

Tianslating lcporting stvlcs and mentalities proved harder than any ol'us expected bccause the traditions of American and Armenian journzrlism were just so diff'erent. Gathering inlormation in Arnrenia often took forever as the sccretive attitr,rcles ol authority - and an inheritcd reluctance to ask dilficult questions conspircd against cleadlines. More time was consumcd in rewriting articles to create a unilitrm eclitorial stvle that readers would recognize.

Likc Biltain and the US. Diaspora

S

ffi

s E

ancl

Homcland often scemed to be two nations scparatecl by a common language. In this. horvevcr. was no different from anyone else - wc were all finding our way in the new landscapc.

AIM

Controversies? There've been a I'ew. After

initial trial periocl, AIM moved to a monthly publication schedule in Januarv 1991. This was markctl riith I covcr story investigation an

into thc use of monies raised by

Diaspora organizations for the victims of the I 98lJ earthquake. The articie sought to answel' a sin.rple cluestion two vears atter that tratic event, rvhat had thcy done with your money'?

The answcrs - many had done good work. others very littlc - were in some respects less irnportant than the fact that editors had asked direct questions and printed what they hacl tbund. This heralded a ncw style o1 journalism for the Armenian press. one which readers appreciated as the overwhelming response showed. AIM remains alone in the Englishspcaking Armenian press in devoting the tintc and rcsources to carrying out detailed investigations on controvcrsial issues and printing what they reveal for the readers to judge.

Nor has it shiecl away from social contro-

versy. Articles exarnining gang activity. domcstic violence. abortion, and the strugglcs

of gay ;rnd lesbian Armcnians to ()vercomc communitv denial have all provokcci strong reactions. Many readers have praised the magazine lbr airing prcviously taboo subjects, others have beerr strongly critical of what thev see as AIM's "soiling" of an iclealized Armenian image.

AIM rnarked the beginning of its second year by announcing plans to publish the magazine simultancously in English and Armenian.

It

was an anrbitious undertaking, clriven part-

dav. there was no shortagc of subjects

to cover

ly hy rr dcsire to mrku thc mnsrrzine accessible to people who dicl not read English. and partly by the heady tintes. But it was a step

in the infant

too far too soon.

Althongh appreciated by many who saw it. the Armcnian edition tailed to win rcadership and closed after just seven issues. The clemands in statT and finance were too great to be borne indefinitely.

The Sovict Union went out of busincss on January 1, 1902. lcaving an inclependent Anrenia

Angeles in June to take up a post in the newly fomred Foreign Ministry of Armenia. For the past three years; he has been Foreign Minister.

For the record. one of the authors of this article now also rvorks at the Foreign Ministry.

She IIst severed her editorial responsibilities

to find its wa,v in the world.The year started with a bang forAIM trxr as an exclusivc interview with

Z-viad Gamsakhurdia. the Gcorgian president ousted in a bloodv civil rvar. was svndicated to l(X) newspapers arouncl the lvorld.

With the war raging fiercely in NagornoKarabakh and thc cconomv cclllapsing bv thc AII,I DECEMBER

2(X)1

republic.AlM

was not only record-

ing the historic events, but sharing in them.

Founding Editor Vartan Oskanian lelt Los

Top: At the

AIM Glendale offices, boxes con-

laining each issue line the walls. Oflen our readers request back-issues. Salpi Haroutinian Ghazarian, editor from February 1992 lhrough September 2001. Above: At AIM's Yerevan otlices, Tony Halpin gives direction to photo edilor Arsineh Khachikian who recently loined the Yerevan leam, lrom Boston Massachusetts.

Photo by

Mkhitar Khachatrian.

Armenia's children need your help.

Your gilt t in the health of o

Goven

Sony

I

at

AIM before taking

up her post in Yerevan.

Such proprieties have not

preventedAlM's

high-level connections in Armenia from being used as sticks to beat it. Critics have accused the magazine of being too close to govemment, too willing to tum a blind eye to injustices, too ready to excuse the inexcusable. detached analysis of the magazine's record over the decade would show that there is little to justiS such conclusions AIM was highly critical, for instance, of the circumstances surrounding Irvon Ter Petrosian's re-election as president in 1996, and has penistently highlighted the comrption that continues to blight Armenia's economic development.

It would be disingenuous not to admit that much of the criticism of the magazine has come from the side of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, or Dashnaksutiun. Some of it has been a reaction to criticism of the party inAIM, although the magazine has also reported the

A

the Diaspora who might claim to know better.

There were certainly plenty death issues to report.

of life-and-

Developments in Kmabakh,where Armenian

several issues of AIM failed to appear. An open letter explaining this dilemma in a combined November/December issue was a prelude to the long silence of 1995.

fighters had gained the upper hand and swept into Azerbaijan itself, and in Armenia, where economic hardships showed no sign of abating, continued to dominate coverage.

But the evolving debate about the future of Diaspora and its relationship with the new reality was also a regular theme of the maga-

AIM managed a second combined issue for January and February whose editorial admitted frankly to readen that"our future is quite uncertain". The magazine did not appear again until December and then only in black and white.

It would have been easy to bow out at that

zine, alongside lighter articles highlighting unusual or outstanding achievements by indi-

come to an end. But the story was as exciting as ever and the need to report it equally pressing. It

vidual Armenians worldwide.

However,the scale of change and the journalistic challenges it presented were beginning to take their toll.AIM's readership base, although growing, was not keeping pace with expectations of the magazine. By mid-1994,

was humbling too to discover how loyal our readers were - they really cared that AIM had

point and admit that a bold experiment had

gone missing from their lives and wanted it back.

During the long absence, intense efforts were being made to secure sufficient funding to revive AIM and place it on a better flnan-

views of party leaden on a range of issues prominently and regularly.

But it is fair to say, too, that much of the friction emanated from the fact that the Dashnak party was in a state of almost permanent hostil-

ity towards the ANM-led

government in

- regarding the regime almost as a usurper of its historic destiny. Anything less than absolute agreement with its policies and prescriptions was taken as evidence of conspirary against it. A failure to take a party political line - AIM's entire reason for being - was itself perceived as a political position.

AIM's basic attitude in reporting the historic developments inArmenia has been simple -whatever divisions might exist within the Diaspora and between Diaspora and Republig Armenia

the principal task for the immediate future to assist Armenia in achieving fint sur-

was

vival and then sustainable development.

This muld best be done tlrough honest reporting of successes and failures so that the real situation could be understood - always accepting that that reality was never either

absolutely perfect

or

completely without

merit. And it required a recogpition of difference - that Armenia's future had fint and foremost to be decided by the people who lived there, not imported from outside by those in Above, left to right:

Ma*eting manager,

Anahid Der Vartanian; Assistant Editor, Hrair Sarkis Satkisian; Advertising Manager, Fimi Mekhitarian and Editor at Large, Parik Nazarian. Far righL Subscriptions Manager, Seta Khodanian. Right, left to righL Translator Shushan Kudrchian; Reporter, Suren Deherian and Reporler/Iranslator, Michael Harutiunian at AIM's oflice in Yerevan. Photo by Mkhitar

Khatchatilan.

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

31

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SHIRINIAN SILK HTREKE RUGS

Coven Stony

cial lboting frlr the future. lt was clearly an rrrr ku lrltl posil ion lo hc irt - a magazine committccl to independence but going cap-inhancl to wealthy individuals and organiza-

5U BSCRI

PTI$h* IN-IYfi ICE

rfrHoo or plYm:rr n cHEcx :xctottD

cvls

lions for support. Demands could havc becn

rrade that rendered the whole exercise redundant. even if AIM reappearcd.

Thev weren't - and the donors clescrvc full credit. Thev demanded only that AIM clo its job better. recognizing thc importance ol'the rolc it was trying to hrlhl. There were no socrct clcals and no secret monev all the donors' namcs appear in each issuc of AIM so that rcadcrs know who the1, arc and can jLrclge lil' thomselves whether articles havc pullccl anv punches.

Slowly but sur-clv A[]VI resttxed its color pages and retumecl lo norntnl size. There havc bcen occrisiontrl hiccups since but no retum to thc It woulcl he nicc to sav that the magnow on a stable fixlting, but it isn't so - the rcaclership, though loyal. ret.nait.ts stubbornl.v bclow the level clf subscriptions needed to make

crisis

o1' 199-5.

:rzir.rc is

scll-financing. We continue to relv on donors cven as we remain convinced that one dal AIM aud its readers will prove that there is a viable market for qualiffArmenian journalism.

AIM

A hundred issues on. older and wiser.AlM's nrission remains - to make the'Armenian voice heard more loudly and on a professional levcl" Mao rvas once asked what hc thought the

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"Your Magazine is very appealing to read but your bills need much improvemenl to make them atlractive to pay." AlM appreciates readers'c0mments, in any lorm. Following this unique correspondence from one 0l our loyal readers, subscripiion invoices and catds were redesigned to be more visually appealing and user-freindly.

effects of the French Rcvolution had been.

He rcplied that it was too soon to tell. AIM doesn't have the luxury of such a timespan. but ir.r somc senses it is still too carly to say rvl'rcthcr the r.nagazinc will be the catalyst that changes thc prcvailing culture of Armcnian .journalism in the wider interests

ceeds in prospering. then it has in tact [ailccl.

The realities ol thc modern meclia rnarkcl global, immediate. tincl ctrpablc ol shaping political realities - n'rake the neecl ftrr a brcakthrough more urgent than evcr if Arnrcnians are to lravc a real sa-v in their l'uturcs.

ol rcaclcrs

a roller-coastcr ridc,

everYrvhere.

AIM

is proba-

bly unique in believing that if it alone

suc-

The first hundrecl issues ol'AIM havc been involving the encrgv and ttrlents of literally hurclccls of people. The second "ccutury" pnrrniscs kr be eclualll' errthralling.r

ro slt,a4ff JgTg

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Whatcver its other claims.

through serioul impafiial journalism.

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800.$Hllll,fllM nIMAGAZINt@A{lt ,S0M AIM DF]CEMBER

2(X)I

Ths Armenian

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Mnrr*w

Rmgi*xtry

hl**ds Ymur SupportRegister to Become

Bella Kocharian M.D. The First l"ady of Armenia and Honorary Chairperson of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Charitable Trust was the first bone marrow donor to register.

a

Donor lt's a simple process. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health can give a small blood sample for tissue type

testing and listing with the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Join 1,500 Armenians in Los Angeles and in Yerevan who have registered to donate bone marrow

to a patient with the same tissue type who is suffering from leukemia or other blood-related disease.

10,000 volunteer bone marrow donors must be recruited by the year 2004 in order to achieve the rate ofone match per200 donors.

Opening

l,Vm

of Recruitment Center at the Glendale Memorial Hospital in February 2001.

Left to right: Bella Kocharian, M.D.; Lois Winston, Ph.D.; Frieda Jordan, Ph.D.; Sevak Avagyan, M.D.

#mmn*t A$fnrd to hmm* n

Single OnH.-.

Send Your Monetary Donation The Armenian Bone Marrow Registry Charitable Trust was founded in 1999 to serve patients in Armenia and in the Diaspora who suffer from blood-related diseases. The Registry established its first tissue-typing laboratory in Yerevan, Armenia, in December 2000.

A satellite recruitment center and typing laboratory was established this year at the Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Los Angeles and the Foundation Laboratory, Glendora.

The Registry has secured the cooperation ofseveral international medical centers, such as the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust in England, Glendale Memorial Hospital and St Jude Hospital in US. Plans include the establishment of recruitment centers in Europe and in the Middle East. $450,000 is needed to operate the tissue-typing laboratories with medical staff and testing equipment and to maintain a computer database for searching and matching leukemia patients with suitable bone marrow donors. Generous grants already have been received from the Lincy Foundation, Glendale Memorial Hospital and private donations.

USA Frieda Jordan. Ph.D., Chairperson 347 West Stocker Street Suite 208 Glendale, CA91202 Phone/Fax ,i ti

lrif

'rr'n"I!\"

8L8.547 .137 4 t\1 )r\ tt\ t rt ;

Sevak Avagyan, M.D., Executive Director Fax {3741) 53 98 90 375002 Yerevan, #1A Saryan Street E-mail abmdr@arminco.com

pnone

ABMDR

Iaboratory in Yerevan.

Tissue-typing is done on a small

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t.i

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Armenim Bone Marrow Donor Registry is a nonprofit organization registered 6 a 501O(3) under the Amenian Health Alliance Accredited by the Armâ&#x201A;Źnian government as an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organization.

The

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,1,

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Gouen $tony

Who Ane You? MAKIiIGA

Smart, Successful and Eager to

DIFFERENCE IN THE MEDIA

Engage,According to Our Reader Survey

BY AGHOP DER.XARABETIAN I LOS ANGELES

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for editon to better undentand who

is

buying their magazine or newspaper and survey offen a snaphot of the "typical" subscriber and his or her responses to

why.

AIM's first

the magazine.

never possible to know for sure whether respondents truly represent a ooss-section of subscriben since the survey is voluntary and therefore non-random. We need to make generalizations with caution.

Yet there are reasons to believe that the results give a reasonable reflection of AIM's readership. Fust, the 620 responses represent about 10 prcâ&#x201A;Źnt of current subscribers, an excellent response rate by industry standards Second, the proportions of respondents from different countries compare very well with the

It

is

actual percentages among

AIM's subscribers

These show that 74 percent live in the United Stateg eight percent in Canada,five percent in England andAustralia respectively, three percent in kan, two prcent in France and the remaining three percent from other countries in

the Middle East and IatinAmerica.

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Respondentq like subscribers, come predominantly from English-speaking countrieg

hardly suqprising since AIM is produced in English.Whether this is also because the great majority of the Armenian Diaspora can now be found in English-speaking countries is

It is probably reasonable to assume that this sample, and perhaps AIM subscribers as a whole, is fairly well off financially.

Such a conclusion may be partially supported by other indicators such as educational level and occupation.Here,one sees highly educated individuals in professional occupations

hard to say. Of the American respondents, nearly 30 percent say they were born in the U$ suggesting that around half are fint gen-

An impresive 43 percent of respondents report holding masten or doctoral degreeg and

eration immigrants

35 percent have four-year college degrees

Economic status has important advertising

andmarketingimplications in a survey like this The income question in the survey asked for the total combined family income before taxeg

but did not speciff the cunency. Given the international nature of the sample this muld be a problem in interpretation.The amounts from which respondents could choose mean different things in different countries Neverthelesg here is how it looks: Five percent reported a total family income of less than 50,000, 16 percent placed themselves in the 50 75,000 category 18 percent reported 75

-

-

100,000, and 41 percent said was over 100,000.

AIM DECEMBER

family income

2OO1

More

than 50 percent hold professional ormanagerial positions Other indicators of economic status add to this impression. Nearly 60 percent report owning stocks,52 percent own mutual fundg about 70 percent own their homes, 25 percent have three or more carq and 73 percent use e-mail.

The age distribution of the sample

is

instructive. Over 60 percent are 45 years and older,31. percent are between 25 and 44,and just six percent are under 25.

Overall, Tl percent are married, T6 percent to the Apostolic Church, ten percent to the Protestant Church, and six percent to the Catholic Church. Also, strikingly, T5 say they belong

Gouen Stony

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percent of the respondents were men.

Part of AIM's mission has been stated as informing and engaging theArmenian community. However, it is hard to establish causally if AIM is achieving these objectives. People may be reading AIM because they are informed and engaged to start with, or they may become more informed and engaged as a result of reading AIM. The respondents to this survey indicated a

high degree

of

community engagement.

Some 53 percent report that they have visited Armenia and 82 percent say they know Armenian. Alsq 65 percent are members of an

Armenian organization,52 percent report

holding office in Armenian organizationg and 70 percent attend church.

Reading Armenian periodicalg including AIM, may be considered a form of engagement.

About 70 percent report reading otherArmenian

related periodicals

in English, 45 percent in

Armenian, and 12 percent in other Ianguages Interestingly, respondents report that they have been moved to action as a result ofreadingAIM. Nearly 40 percent answered'yes' to a question that asked: "Were you moved to take any action as a result of having read a speciflc

article?".

rcd

rl

This is an impressive percentage and speals AIM may be having on its readerg and perhaps the wider mmmunity.This

well of the impact

needs to be explored in some depth in the futurq especially in terms of the nature of the actions taken and what articles prompted them.

Being informed about one's ethnic commu-

nity is an integral part of affirming and maintaining one's sense of belonging and identity.

AlMmaybe having animpactinthis regard as well. Responses to questions about reasons for reading AIM validate the magazine's international perspective as well as the balance of its focus onArmenia and Diaspora mmmunities Over 90 percent of respondents identified a need for information about Armenia as the main reason for reading AIM, while about 80 percent identified Diaspora issues.

Also,74 percent said news about international Armenian communities was their main reason for reading AIM, while 52 percent said they wanted news from the Caucasus.

For some, especially readers who have immigrated, this aspect of AIM offers a connection to their former homes, where they may still have families and friends Satisfaction ratings with AIM are high, with nearly 75 percent of respondents rating

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

the magazine as "excellent" and 80 perc€nt considering it to have high credibility.

These statistics tell us that the typicalAlM subscriber is a middle-aged manied man with a college education and some moneyto spare, who belongs to the Apostolic Church.

More importantly, AIM readers are engaged in the community and a substantial number tend to be

in

leadership positions

They are interested in reading about Armenia and about otherDiaspora communitiegand an impressive number report taking action as a result of reading articles in the magazine.

In-depth analysis of comments and suggestions by respondents should provide serious food for thought about ways to improve the quality of AIM's content still further.

AIM appears to have become a source of

quality information about Armenia and Armenians everywhere. It now has the challenge of making itself more accessible to sectors of the community other than those who are already engaged, as well as to diversi{y

readers.

r

the demographics of its -Aghop Der-Karabetian is Associate Dean 0f Arts and Sciences, and Chair of Psychology Department at University of La Verne.

Assistance in data analysis by

l{une Gazdhyan

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Armenia's Media Struggles to Find Its TLue Role

DIFFERENCE IN THE MEDIA

TEXT BY PETER ETCHSTAEDT I PHoToS BY KAREl'l MINASSIAN IYEREVAN

Isit

at a conference table with half a dozen

I ioumaliss nom one of Y-erevan'swell-known I*eetly newspapers and pass out photo-

of a story from a recent edition of their newspaper. I ask the journalists to read it, then tell me where the news isThe topic is

copies

mining in Armenia and the story begins 1,000 years ago.

After five minutes, each looks at me, and shakes his or her head. No one knows.

Later,I am in the office of one of Yerevan's teading daily newspapers, sitting with half a dozen staff reporters repeat the exercise, but this time the story is about a crime. I ask the joumalists to tell me what actually happened, if the event really occurred, because it's not clear from the story. Witnesses don't want to talk and officials say they know nothing.

I

I get blank stares. The journalists shift uncomfortably in their chairs After a year of working with both student and professional joumalists in Armenia, I have learned that journalism in Armenia is a unique animal. It prowls and growls with a mind of its own. It snaps and bites. It snuggles and purrs at the command and control of unseen forces - or so I thought.

When I discuss practices such as writing stories based on facts, rather than rumors or personal misperceptiong I'm told that's not necessary.

When sources

I

ask why few reporters name

of information, I'm told that no one

tells the truth, and besideg everyone "knows".

When I suggest stories be organized to deliver information in a logical manner, I'm told it's boring and uncreative.

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

Given this situation, it is no wonder that of the population read newspapers while 85 percent say they get their news from television.

only flve percent

What is generally considered an "independent" press in the world, does not exist inArmenia.

Some of Yerevan's most popular newspapers are voices of political partiesThe government sponsors some.

A very few can be considered relatively independent, but these rely heavily on what some call "invisible friends." Since these friends pay the bills, they get favorable treatment and their enemies are slammed.

When pressed, journalists and editors,like many other Armenians, like to blame the

poor economic conditions

Journalists and editors confess they accept money for articles because they must 41

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Brin$ the beauty of into Jruur Home

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osey to6.at founded Mof,ufe Mar6[e 12 years ago. foday, cessfuf and [ar6e imyorter of mar6[e,

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-

newspapers don't sell advertising of any sig-

nfficant amount. Editors say they rely on

"friends" because merchants won't buy advertising in newspapers because of low circulation numbers.

This state of affairs for the print media is not the result of the economy, but rather a journalism tradition exactly opposite to that of the western or American press.

That tradition stems from past centuries when the "press" was the province of the intelligentsia. It was a forum for essays and opiniong a showcase for literature. Newspapers were not produced for the colnmon man, but for the educated elite. So what if only a few understood them eat cake. what was written?

kt

By contrast, the press in America was born as a populist press It grew up as the voice of the people. It shunned elitism, complexity, and irrrogance. Its banner became: "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

Independence and objectivity were hardwon values, but in the end, if you wanted to find out the truth, you read a newspaper. To a large degree, it is still true today.

During the 80 years under communism, the press in Armenia and throughout the former Soviet Union was the tool of the Government.

Information was delivered to the people, but only the information that was deemed appropriate. Journalists were party members

The distinction between propaganda and "news" was blurred - a problem that lingers today. People learned to read between the lines because only there oould one perhaps flnd hints of the truth. Everything was left

percent of the average newspaper's content nearly a three fold increase.

And the journalists themselves are beginning to change.They are learning to separate

speculation and interpretation.

clear first paragraph that tells readers who, what, where, when, why and how. Through a multitude of programs, journalists are working in the western-style publications in the US and elsewhere.

The young journalists, anxious to try what's new, are quick to adapt their writing to

open

to

Unfortunately, many Armenian journalists prefer to put the meaning between the lines and leave the reader to speculate.

Given this heritage and tradition,Armenian joumalism has had a difficult time adjusting

to the new-found freedoms that came with the country's independence in 1991. Many define freedom ofthe press as the freedom to whatever they want,whenever they want.

For that liberal interpretation of a "free" press, some have paid a price. One well-known newspaper editor points to a scar on his head from where he was beateh by a pipe for something he wrote.

Another newspaper still operates behind a set of iron gates that were installed to protect the staff after the offices were firebombed. Yet another news staff was beaten

say

when a prominent businessman didn't like what was written about him.

But the situation

is

changing.As the coun-

try's economy slowly improveg more and more advertising is being sold. From less than five percent of a newspaper's content more than a year ago, advertising is now nearly 15

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

fact from opinion, learning how to write

a

dictums of western world.

It is a necessary progression, even if late, because Armenia has recently gained membership of the Council of Europe.With it come new definitions of press freedoms, as well as new expectations and responsibilities of an independent press.

And with the burgeoning world of the internet, change is coming fast.Three newspapers now offer news on websites in multiple languages. With global reach, Armenian journalism faces new demands and standards.

The future of the print media in Armenia - even if there will be a future - depends on how quickly they can change,grow and adapt r to the outside world.

-Peter Eichstaedt is

a journalist and author.

He directs the IREX Professional Media

program in Armenia.

43

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ARMENIA Mcdnceil Gemtcr ac Genter of Armenia I yqltO like to thank you for every*ring

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Armenian Alphabet Puzzle Assemble these random shapes by following the chart and learn how to form letters from the Armenian Alphabet. This collection of stained wooden pieces come in its own sack. Made in Armenia comes with 20 pieces and chart.

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Game ol Stones This ancient game of stones comes in its own wooden box. lncludes a book of instructions for different games. The hand painted traditional details will occupy children s minds as they enjoy playing the games of their grandparents.

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Childrens songs in Armenian with international rhythms. This wonderful collection ol songs and poetry olfers basics such as the Armenian alphabet, counting, days of the week, and parts of the body. Though targeted for preschool age children, this CD offers a variety of fun for the whole lamily.

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tsBN 1-57322-186-4 A series of poem-like, lyrical chapters on the Iives ol men, women and children trying to live through the horrors of 1915-1918 in Ottoman Turkey.

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Couen $tony

We[ l|ye-Llulth MAKING A DIFFERENCE I]tI THE MEDIA

BY ABA ARZUMANIAN

TheWorldWideWeb is rahaping the way Armeniatx communicate with each other and the rest of the'global village.' There are literally thousands of Armeninn websites in cyberspace so head out there and find what you like.

This is in no way a comprehensive listing, it's not even a'best of the net list.' But it gives you an idea of the range of sites available at the click of a mowe. Happy surfing.

Category ACADEMICS

tltrtrl{t.

www.matenadaran.am Subject Virtua I

ffi

Iy3=

Category C0MIilUNICATION www.namag.G0m

SubjectArmenian email

Much of this website is made up of fairly generic and little used pages: horoscope, chesg chat, classified ads. The one feature that redeems this site is, as its name implieq free Armenian language email service. At namag.com with only a few clicks of the mouse and an easy if not quick setup, you'll be writing and receiving emails in the mother tongue. Both you and your recipient have to download the package, but once you do, it becomes quite fun to be able to write and read emails in Armenian.

Category

they are more common on the Narek site.

Music Cab has a larger selection of Armenian music and offers music from other world cultures, while Narek makes up for this lack with its books and videos sections. Music Cab is easier to navigate, but at the same time it's easier to purchase with Narek, which also offers more shipping options, some at lower costs. Overall, both sites offer great products that are often hard to find outside of Armenian cultural centers and sometimes even outside of Los Angeles

Category C0MMEilAAL/i|IIUSiC www.musiccab.com www.narek.com Subject Purchase CD's, videos and books Both sites offer a good representation of various forms of Armenian music to purchase only in CD format. Offering mutually exclusive works, they both have musical samples one can download and listen to before purchasing. Not all selections on either website are linked to samples, though

Matenadaran

This electronic manifestation of one of the "oldest and richest book-depositories in the world" provides a great deal of information on the materials contained within the renowned institute. One can almost learn more about the Matenadaran through a visit to this website - offered in both English and Armenian - than with a tourist guide at museum itself. Although the real thing can never be replaced by computerized information, the Matenadaran has succeeded in providing an important service for scholars as well as the Armenians in general around the world. Categories include: history philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, literature, future, tech lab etc. The site, though mostly text, makes a handsome presentation in , the form of a scroll with inlayed Armenian miniatures as well as photographs in certain areas.

Y0U\H

www.usanogh.org Sublect Student publication

Though this website has been through ups and downs it is one of the only, if not the only, completely student owned and operated Armenian publication around.

The website is the electronic version of a newspaper of the same name published since 1998. It does have some growing and redesigning to do, but its main attraction is that it offers provocative articles dealing

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

51

Goven $tony

with youth issues and interests. Other main features include a bulletin board, a comprehensive events calendar and a photo gallery used by many of Southern California's

Armenian Student Associations.

Category

flEWS

www.gr00ng.G0m Subiect

Armenian News Network

The excellent presentation of this site lends itself to being used as a tool for teachers and educators. This site presents a wealth of information with an impressive introduction and numerous sound and video effects.

TheForgotten.org presents a truncated timeline along with photographs in an easy-touse and well-designed schematic. The site also has over 25 archived ready-to-view Genocide testimonial videos including that of Armin T. Wegner.

Category POLITICS

www.anca.0rg SubjectArmenian

political action in America

dent of the 20th Century. Its presentation is much more straightforward than TheForgotten.com and is suited to a more in-depth study of the Genocide.

Category REPUBLIC 0F ABMENIA

www.gov.am Subject

0lficial website ol the Armenian

Government

There are no bells or whistles on this site.

It's straightforward news. The site simply lists articleq press releases and news postings that have everything and anything to do with Armenia, Armenia's foreign relations and neighborq T|anscaucasia and Asia Minor in general and the Armenian Diaspora. Posting between 20 and 30 items a day Groong has something on most any subject related to Armenians. Though uncategorized, the site employs fairly descriptive titles that comprise a list of links on the flrst page encompassing a week's worth of news.

Links to lists dealing with other parts of the globe appear on the site but have minimal coverage. You can click and type your way to the website to get your news or simply have it show up in your mailbox by subscribing in two user-friendly formats. An excellent resource.

Category HlST0nY www.thelorgotten.org Subject Armenian Genocide

{}a6rrlaaaOt Ms-..&b*rr*l

The official site of the Armenian National Committee of America offers a good center where the average Armenian can do something to contribute to the cause by only spending a few minutes a week at the site. Among the more useful aspects of the site are: a listing of action alerts, outlining what is going on in US politics that has an effect on the Armenian nation and what Armenians can do to influence those happenings in positive ways; a contact form to hundreds if not thousands of media outlets nationwide, through which one can express concerns on lack of coverage or inaccurate coverage; a listing of US congressional representatives as well as "grades" awarded by the ANCA in relation to how they have voted on issues affecting the Armenian community. A quick fix for the activist who is low on time.

Category ACA0EMICS/iiliST0RY

www.armenian-genocide.org Armenian Genocide site, the Armenian National Institute's (ANI) web presence offers a great deal of information on the Genocide. From international documents on the affirmation of the Genocide to a comprehensive timeline which gives almost day-by-day coverage of the period, this website is an indispensable resource for any stuSubject

An academic

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

hnrmnt otmilr hrvl.lbr

omdrl wcbrlE

Wd@m,

Much like the Armenian nation. this still under construction and has a long way to go. While the information it provides is less than extensive, it redirects the user to very useful and interesting sources on Armenia. Providing some information on the country's governmental structure, this site's main feature is its many links to various official Armenian ministerial websites.

Among these the most notable are armeniaforeignministry.com and site is

president.am.

Gategory GENERAL www.armeniaguide.G0m Subject Everything There is no doubt - this is one of the best Armenian websites on the net. There is either in house information or a link to nearly anything you can think of that has to do with the world of Armenianess.

Whatever you're interested in, be it cooking, Artsakh, international shipping, Fedayis, artists, business, Khachkars, travel, stamps, videos, maps or Armenians in soccer, you'll find it here. You can spend hours here and

Gouen Stony

not come across the same page twice.This site is not to be missed.

Category GE IEBAL

www.

a

Subject

men

iad iaspora. co

m

Everything

Some websites are kind of like meeting places - town squares online. This site along

vithArmeniaGuide.com is one of those sites There's a little bit of everything on the first page: hotelg weather, current eventq charity fundg cunency exchange rates etc.The

CaIegory SClEllCE

numerous databases are probably among the most useful features of this site. Organized into categories such as jobg univenities, banks in Armenia, they have information that one would be hard-pressed to find in one place anywhere else. One of the more interesting is a list of Armenians who have repatriated to the Republic of Armenia from around the world.Also be sure to check out the humor page before you leave this site; if you miss it, that's okay too, you'll be back soon.

www.sci.am Subject National Academy of Sciences ol

Armenia

Anyone interested in the sciences can easily lose themselves here. Find updates and information on various research groups as well as the National Academy itself at this well designed, no-nonsense site.

Whether you want to know about physics, geology, chemistry botany, geophysics or even space exploration, you'll find it here and how Armenians are

involved.

r

Also Gheck The$G 0ut ulww.lreenet.am One of Armenia's most popular email/web services.

www.cilicia.com A great deal of information on pretty much everything. uuunr.hyeetch. nareg.Gom.au

Exquisite design, although the info is not always accurate. Gallery of purchasable art by the webmaster. Internet coloring book with Armenian themes and an interesting "online book." wwru.armeniangenocideposters. 0rg The website of an innovative new project to raise awareness of the Genocide through an artistic poster campaign.

www.circle.am A listing of some popular websites based

inArmenia.

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

53

Gouen $tony

flnil a Few ol 0un tauonitcs

MAKIT{G A DIFFERENCE IN

IIIE MEDIA

IM has beenthe showcase for literally thousands ofphotographs over the past 100 issues,building up a unique archive of images from Armenia and the Diaspora in these historic times The pictures that have appeared in the magazine are themselves only a fraction of the larger pho tographic library mmpiled by AIM. In all, it has more than 14,ffi0 photographs of people, placeg and events that have helped to shape the decade in faraway places and in your neighborhood.

The photographs that follow are a selection from the pages ofAIM down the yearsThey represent moments of tragedy and fiiumph,of love and pain,of the simple pleasures of Iife even at times of tumultuous change. In short, we hope they capture part of what the Armenian experience has been and continues to be.

The pictures are also testament to the skill and dedication appeared in AIM. Those documenting the war in Karabakh, sonal risk,not for financial reward but for the sigtificance of We hope these images stir memories, provoke thought,

of the photographen whose work has for example, were taken at great perthe moment.

and encourage appreciation of both

the people in front of and behind the lens.

Glockwise lrom top right: >July 1990. "The Foolish Man" A cartoon slory of a man who tries to find fortune, but is loo blind to see it staring him in the face. > Jan/Feb 1991. "spitak Rescue Team" Rescue drill at Yerevans central square by the Spitak Rescue team. > May l99'1. "0ut ol This World" Armenian Scientists in NASA Space Program. >Aug/Sepl 1991. "Moscow's State Terorism." Armenians under attack by Soviet and Aaerbaijanitroops. >July 1990 Cover. "75 Years Altet: Armenians at a Grossroads" April 24: Armenian's woldwide remember genocide vlctims ol 1915.

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Goven Stony

Clocltwise lrom lop lefl:>Ju|y1992. "Billol Health" An anatomyof Armenia'sMedicalsystem. >April1992. "The Blue Helmels" Benefitsof Armeniabeing in the UN. > November 1991. "Looking Ahead" Armenias lirst freely elected President faces formidable challenges and tough decisions. >April 1992. "Betting lhe Boltom Buble" Casinos in Armenia. >Aug/Sep 1991. "Our Tragic Union" Yelena Alikhanyan-Bonner, Human Rights Activist and Widow of Soviet DissidentAndrei Sakharov on Armenia, Democracy, and the Future ol the Soviet Union.

i''**-\-

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Goven $tony

Glockwise lrom top lelt>Aug/Sep 1992. "Fr0m Shushito Rome AGhronicle" Armeniansoldiers life in Karabakh. >Nov/Dec 1994Cover. "Man 0f the Yeat" "Songs lrom the Street" A Charles Aanavour story. >January 1993. "The Politics of Bread" A report on Armenias struggle lor

Man of Karabakh.>Aug/Sep 1993.

subslance. >Jan/Feb 1995. "Passing" The passing of Catholicos Vasken l.>January 1994. the bare minimum can still go a long way.

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"Survival Taclics" Forthe war-wizened masses ofArmenia and

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Karabakh,

Goven

Sony

Glockwise lrom top lelt > Januaryl998. "Where Time Slands Still" Life after the earthquake. > February 1996. "He Came, He Saw, He Gonquercd" Catholicos Karekin I's visit to North America. > Jan/Feb 1997. "Earlh Revisited" Earthquake photos on exhibit. > Jan/Feb 1995. "Martet' Man looking at a $100 bilt. > FebruarlggS. "Enter the Military" The Armenian National Movement is no longer the leading political lorce in the Armenian Parliament.

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n sr-ff$frl0llt

"A Second Beginning" Robert Kocharian is elected. Picture of a child in the crowd. > March 1998 Cover. "ln Step "A Second Beginning" Kocharian with former President Ter Petrossian. > June 1998. "Yesterday's Mon_astery,

Clockwise trom top lett: >Apr/May 1998.

with Democracy"

> Apr/May 1998.

Tomorrow's Hoiel" Pians to turn an Armenian monastery into a 5 star hotel. >June 1998. "The Utban Priest" The role olclergy is changing; Father Shnork Demirjian is refining the priesthood one hour at a time.

58

AIM DECEMBER

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Goven $tony

Glockwise lrom top leffi >July ]998 "Ties Which Bind Two Nalions" After some lalse stars, Armenian-German economic and political relations take off.

"0n the American Tour" From New York to Los Angeles, President Kocharians first US visit was all about business. > November 1998. "Amenia's Bird Kingdom" 346 species of birds are among Armenia's most valuable natural resources. >June 1998. "War as Life, Lile as Art" Karabakh seen through the eyes of children. >July 1998. "The Female lnmates ol Abovian" Life at Abovian.

> November 1998.

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Gouen

$tony

left

> November 1998. "Worth a Mitlion Bucks" Getting Arshak ll on the San Francisco 0pera stage will be an artistic and public relations coup.

"Man ol lhe Year" Peter Balakian. >April 1999. "The Marathon Man" Haik Abgarian came in 1Oth at the new York Marathon among 200 wheelchair participants. > November 1998. "Pulling More Than His Weight" Robert Galstyan is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds strongest man. > November 1998. "system ol a Oown" ls itartor is it rabble rousing? > 0ctober 1999. "Pan-Armenian Games" 0ver 1,000 athletes participate in first even Armenian 0lympics.

Glochrrise lrom top

> Decemeber 1998 Cover.

60

AIM DECEMBER

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Gouen Stony

.,:ii

Mr lelt

"Meant to be Forgotlen" Children of Kharberd 0rphanage. > 0ctober 2001 . "Faith Forward" Spirits and stones mark a new > Jan/Feb 2001 . "The Gentury That Was" An End and the Beginning - protest picture. > Jan/Feb 2001 .

"Seeing What Man Has Wroughl" Pictures of genocide. >July 2000. "France Conquers Europe wilh Ethnic Battalion" France's multi-ethnic squad took the Euro 2000 title (football). >July 2000. "Through a Banel 0l a Gun" John Hughes essay on migration increase out of Armenia.

Gloclnrvise lrom top

era for church and state

> July 2000.

- picture ol Pope and Catholicos.

AIM DECEMBER

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DI$GO

ruMB Workers Find Ancient Burial Site on Abovian Street TEXT BY HUSIK ARA I YEREVAN PHOTOS BY MKHITAR KHACHATRIAN

eep beneath one oi Yerevan's trendy discos, construction workcrs have unearthed a tornb tl.rat clates kr thc l4th Ccntury.

Nine meters (27 ft.) bclow the tloor of the Star Tin.re disco on Central Yerevan's Al.nvian Street. human bones were discovered this spring

r Yerevart rnarrsiorrA vault. measuring 6 meters by 6 nreters by

in uhat wes ortcc

)

one meter deep (972 sq. ft.), held the skeletal remains of seven humans in what archeologists believe was the tomb of a wealthy landowner.

"The exact date of the monument's constructiorr is 1319." said archeologist Husnik Melkonian lron.r the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography in Yerevan, who led the excavation teerm. "The skeletal remains have the pronounced peculiarities of the Mongoloid race.We thir-rk that the construction was ordered for a high ranking t.cudal lord and his family at

thc pcriocl

ol

Morrgolian domination in

Armenia."

The vault is cross-shaped ar.rd the entrance is so small it can only be reached by crawling. A tombstone maclc of tuta stands at the vault's entrance arrd thc lowcr pafls arc rnarked with

decorative stones similar

to

designs

in

olcl

Armenian churchcs

There is an inscription in the inner front parl of the vault written in Armenian and Arabic. giving the date of construction, but little clue as to the original owner.

The current owner

of the property,

Volodia Bedganian, who flnanced the project, said that no jewels or valuable relics were part of the discovery. (As Bedganian is owner of the property, he inherits ownership of the

AIM DECEMBER

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tomb and relics But the government agency

in

of

antiquities has asked Bedganian's cooperation in maintaining the charge

tomb and the remains.)

Archeologists called to the site say the construction of the vault is consistent with designs of Muslim tombg including a mosaic etched

into the lower part of the southem wall.

Parts of the tomb that have been damaged are being reconstructed.

But a more 2Lst century use has been found for the area that was being constructed that led to discovery of the tomb. That area, formerly a basement in a mansion has been

AIM DECEMBER

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turned into "Monument Bar," advertised in a sign outside the Star Time disco.

Admission to the Monument Bar is free,

but for an extra 2,000 drams (about

$4)

patrons get a tour of the tomb. On the way down, visitors pass the glass-enclosed skeletal remains of the rooms first/last occupants.!

63

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A Gup ol $oup Elderly Turn to Charity to Survive TEXT BY MARTANNA GRlGoRlAl{ |

I I I

PHoToS BY MKHITAR KHACHATRIAN

I YEREVAN

n the immediate years following independ-

ene,m sdd *fid.o O"t"tlort a ioe*ro,ia *rorsar* otpe@ became waHe to provide tbr trcnxeheArrmgtpnmvuherableweretheeld erty - a large segment of society m.suned to State

sryut,wtrth nm

no kxtgu guannteed

To combat the growing need for nourishment, the first charitable canteens began to appear in 1994. As social mnditions worsened, the number ofcanteens increased.

Tirdaythere are 15 "soup kitchens"operating in Yerevan, most open six days a week, year-

around.They were founded thanks to efforts of ttre Armenian Apotolic ChurchArmenian Assis tance Foundation, Armenian Charity lJnion, Armenian General Benevolent Union, German Red Cross, Municipalities, lLfenkian Foundation and other charitable organizations

About 2,100 citizens take advantage of Yerevan charitable canteens' hospitality. Some are jobless and poor, without hope of getting a job in the future.But the majority are elderly,deprived

of

suppoft from their fumily, or simply from very poor familiegwhce last hope is a canteen They come on crutcheq in shabby clothes, their grey hair sticking out in all directionsThey

walk, eyes down, depressed, wearing winter shawls even in the summer heat.

Each morning, for instance, about 140 eld-

erly people shuffle to a red tufa building in the Shahumian suburb ofYerevan.

Getting there is their last hope. The only hospitable place they can find. A place where they can get a free meal of steaming hot soup.

The tables are ready before "guests" arrive.

When they enter the canteen, with careful steps guided by crutches made from branches, they do not look around.They sit at tables pair-by pair and start eating.

They do not talk.

iddle-aged waiters serve the meal from big, iron boilers into red plastic bowls and fill blue plastic cups with hot sweet tea.

There is no noise of plates and qpoons because everythingis made of plasticlt is lighter and does not break when frlling out of shalry hands

Folitical and social leader Vahan Z,atktan founded this canteen in 1996. The people who

She is an honored and respected teacher, once

been coming to the canteen.

Close to Gohar, at the next table, an old woman, Rosa, ate her dinner, drank her tea and kept a piece of bread hidden in the pleats ofher shabby gown. She is saving the bread so that she will have something to eat at home, Rosa, who is 77, has a patch over one eye and leans on a crutch, hardly resembling the

Zatikian's teacher, now benefiting from the

person

goodwill of herformer pupil.

Gohar, who is 78, was a teacher for 54 years

responsible position in society.

Today, she lives on the merry of God and hopes for the kindness of people. She cannot live on her pension of 3,300 Drams (about $6). It is not even enough for bread.

ZhannaArakelian is 76. She has a kind face,

come here are workers,teachers,physicians'even a prosecutor.The mayor ofthe region has given

them special permision to visit, to get a meal once a day.

GoharAikazian sits at a distant table, noticeable by her tidy appearance, dyed hair, eanings and necklace that match the colon of her clothes

For more than haH a century of service, the

Government rewards her with 4,300 Drams per month pension - about $8, or 26 cents per day to live on. For the past five years, she has AIM DECEMBER

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of her

younger years who held a

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though her hands are twisted from age and a hard life.

Zhanna raised seyen sons and many grand-

children. But when her husband died a year and a half ago, her family abandoned her. They do not see the old woman's furrowed face, her faded dressing gown, her tears This canteen is the only place Zhanta can go. The grief and pain gathered inside her makes her write verses: "I am lost, I am stray, I don't know where to go."

And she singg always about the children who have forgotten her, about her life. She cries and then sings again. Almost nobody notices her swelling eyes. After all, everybody here has painful memories.

"My crutch is my friend now," Zhanna says. "People will think I am going uazy,but when I am alone I talk to my crutch and share the grief of my heart with it."

Zhanna comes to the canteen from Monday to Saturday, inseparable from the old bag she carries over her shoulder. She tries to convince distant acquaintances and neighbon she sees on the streetthat she ismming back fromthe shop or from her children's place,smiling gently with

theelderlywrinklesofherface. r

IMMEDIATE OPShIING I THE URBAFI INSTITUTE The Urban Institute is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Grants Manager For USAID's Earthquake Zone Recovery Program.The individual will be Program Component Manager for a Housing Improvement Grant Program ($1.4 million) in Armenia. The program is to provide grants of up to $100,000 to condominium associations to make critical repairs and upgrades to buildings, which sustained damage from the 1988 earthquake, but were not condemned and have continued to provide shelter, although they are rapidly deteriorating.

Applicants should have degree in civiVstructural engineering or architecture or related field and experience in both construction design and management.The Grants Manager will function as a tqrm leader for staff of 6 Armenian nationalg including engineers, as well as a social coordinator and financial manager. Residency for 18 months ( potentially 2.5 yearc ) required in the cU of Gyurnri (located two hours from Yerevan).

Experience in former Soviet block and language proflciency in Armenian or Russian preferred. Must be able to be at post by March 1,2W2.

Please fax CV's to Dessi Petkov at202-466-3982 or email at

@ttov@ulmban or&

Ethe urhan institute

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$altLake Glu Yerevan Oasis Offers Calm and Cure TEXT BY SUREN DEHERIAN I PHoToS BY MKHITAR KHACHATRIAN I YEREVAN

l:ir,',:, ':'

rr.

I I I

n a district of Yerevan called Aresh,

an

Rather, many who come here believe these

of healthv calm is hidden between an abandoned faitorv and the hill that leads to Massii the city's most populated district.

Here a tiny lake - a pond really - is fed by two small rivers and surrounded by the remnants of a stone quarry.

It has emerald transparence, a quiet, peace-

waters have curative powers for ailments ranging from rheumatism to allergies For these waters, locals say, are a magic mix of minerals.

The two streams that form it come from different sides. One is cold, fresh water and the second river warm and salty because it passes through a salt deposit on its way to the lake.

The two layen create pockets of temperature in the water. An average sized adult can feel several different degrees of water simply by

nusis

firl surface,wrinkled from time to time by waves that sway with matchstick sized fuh.

Swimmers find relief from summer heat in the waten of the little lake. But it is not the coolnes of the waters that attract regular visitors

treading in one place.

AIM DECEMBER

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..l

And, with such a high element of salt, it is to float, gently caressed by the unusual mix of waters.

easy

Lying on your back on the waterh surface like with your ean dipped into the water you are mmpletely isolated from the entire world.

There is only one thing for you to do - look at the sky and be delighted with its beauty.

Some elderly people,who are regular swima float

mers here during the warm days of summer have even nicknamed it "Heavenly Lake."

Getting to the heavenly waters, however, requires flrst wading through man-made trash

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that collects at the shallow end ofthe lake. Still, bathers are willing to tolerate the mess to get to the clean waterg where they say the miner-

decade. Before, he travelled to the Black Sea at

visit

the suggestion of his docton.

'As I don't have a lot of money, I started to visit this lake instead of the sea," said Movsisian, "and this lake saved my health."

the lake from early morning until midday.

After midday, children start to go there and

One "cure" that people undergo here is mud-treatment. The mud is supposed to ease

adults leave the place - when the noise of children replaces the serenity of the still morning.

"This lake gives me indescribable pleasure and positive energy," says 65-year-old Mania Hakobian,who has been a regular visitor since 1987.

rheumatism, backaches and joint aches.

Bathers take the mud from the bed of the shallow lake and spread it on their bodies. It has an unbearable smell of rotten eggs When the mud dries in the sun, it shrinks, pricks the body and then turns grey.

Afterwards, the mud bathers wash under the water of a small fresh river, which erupts from the upper side of rocks on a hill near the lake. It serves as a shower too for those who wart to get rid of the salt residue after swimming in the lake.

The lake has become a social club of sorts

als counter any ill effects.

Pensioners, women, men and families

Another regular bather is 38-year-old eye-doctor Varazdat Seiranian, who works in Yerevan's Republican Eye Hospital. He visited the lake for the first time with his mother and sister in 1988 on his uncle's advice.

"The salt in the water makes it easy for people to use the lake for physical therapy," Seiranian says.'And swimming in the lake is

conducive

to strengthening of the nervous

system."

for the regulars who mix their bathing with about politics and common concerns.They sit to dry on the rocks surround-

discussions

Artush Movsisian, a 70-year-old pensioner,

ing the lake and work on the world's prob-

for

lems while the chemistry of their "salt lake" works on matters closer to their hearts.

also regards the lake as a useful treatment

rheumatism.He hasbeen swimminghere for a

r

ARARATBECKONS A

In Armenian Narration,American or P.A.L. Format ARARAT BECKONS is a film of striking beauty and mystery on the first Armenian expedition to reach the summit of Mount Ararat. The film became a reality after four shipments of film were smuggled out of Tirrkey over a two year period.

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www.mountararat.net

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Ihe Ganlne Elass l|lulde Patrols Hunt Down Street Dogs While the New Rich Show Off

BY MARIANNA GRIGORIAN IYEREVAN

I I I

n the still hours of

Yerevan momingg the

BY GAYANE MKRTCHIAN

staff of "Stray Animal C.ontrol" goes irito the streets with an unpleasant but piontuUt" 1oU.

I I lhile dozens of wild abandoned dogs llllspena rher ciays anci rughts on tne f f rrr.",r, even sreiumg o.eio r.om rne

Three men, armed with hunting rifles track down and kill dogs that have become a

beggar who digs into the same trash can, Yerevan's pedigree dogs proudly stroll every evening with their masters by Opera Square.

They are hard to miss. They look well fed - at least better than the rest of the dog population - and their hair is shiny.

And while they enjoy this evening walk downtown, their masters talk to each other about the main characteristics, ages and habits of their aristocrat pets, which play in the grass and bark happily.

nuisance and, sometimes, a danger.

Since the early 1990q when street dogs became a hazard in Yerevan,47-year-old Ashot

Gazarian,

a jeweller, 41-year-old Gagik

Poghosian, a day laborer, and 40-year-old Edik Yeranian, an engineer, work their "second" jobs from midnight until 5am.

For animal lovers their work is controversial, even intolerable. But for these canine bounty hunters, it is simple.

They identify their prey - sometimes on mmplaints from residents - and shoot them.

Then they cut off the tail - proof of a kill - for

German and Caucasian shepherd, Rottwieler,

Doberman, Boxer and Labrador are among the most common breeds in Armenia today.

Most of their masters are men, whereas Poodles - with properly sculpted haircuts andYorkshire terrier breeds are walked and kept on leads mostly by women.

which a dog hunter is paid 300 Drams (about 60 cents) and his driver 100Drams (about20cents).

On an average night a hunter/driver team collects 8 to 10 tails An active hunter can make as much as $100 a month - double or triple the salary of ordinary municipal employees

A

nine-member committee, whose odd job it is to count dog tails and decide how much money should be paid to each hunter, hands out salaries. The animal carcasses are hauled to a garbage dump and buried.

Even the director of the service, Michael Davdian, regards the methods the city council employs as barbaric and undesirable.

"I have had a dog for a very long time," he says. "However, street dogs have become a real problem for the capital.

"The method of control we have chosen is awful and very cruel, but we do not have an alternative. Packs of dogs wandering in town are not just frightening for the citizeng but also very dangerous."

According to official statisticg street dogs bite more than 300 people every year in Yerevan. An international organization for animal protection offered to help take them off the streets several years ago by promising $1 million to create an animal shelter. But nothing happened.

A second option was put forward by a group of local Armenians. They wanted to

I YEREVAN

create a center for "neutralizing" dogs so that, after extermination, their meat could be fed to the animals atYerevanzoo and theirfat given

to the city's Oil and Soap Factory.

This project has not taken shape either.

Other suggested methods of controlling street dogs have included shooting them with syringes

filled with poison.

The principal objection to this measure was that many stray dogs scavenge in street garbage bins It was feared that poison from the syringes would leak into the garbage, where many destitute people also search for their daily meal, thus putting them at risk as well.

Meanwhile, the dog patrols say their prey have gotten wise to the hunters' intentions.

When the "Stray Animal Control" vehicles appear, street dogs start barking, snarling, and howling, running away as fast as they can.

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Pit Bn$forbidden to be bred in many European countries because of their aggressive behavior, are also well represented in this permanent dog exhibition on the streets of the capital.

Some are also used in dogflghtsAn easy and quick way for the master of the winning dog to make some moneyis thefewminutes ittakesfor a Pit Bull to tear anotherdoginto bleedingpieces

The phenomenon of having expensive new is increasing, despite the continuing harsh social conditions in Yerevan.

Having a pedigree dog is a matter of image a means of showing off statug like cellular phones a few years ago, before they became dogg if not

too common, and car alarms before that.

It is now a common sight to have a pedigree dog bending its head for fresh air over an elec-

tronically opened window

of an

expensive

BMW,whose driver's ear is stuck to a cell phone.

Though pedigree dogs existed during Soviet timeg breeders could not even imagine what was going on West of the Iron Curtain, as

forbidden science.

The most striking difference was among German Shepherds After the First AII-Soviet

genetics were considered a

Union Exhibition in 1989 in Moscow, Soviet

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breeders came to realizc thtit thele was not a single breed that looked like the same breed o1 another Soviet republic.

After"this. things startccl to change: breeders became specialists. Ancl thct, learr.red fast.

Toclay, brccclir.rg ancl sclling pedigree dogs is a goocl busincss. Most ol'thc more exotic breeds are importccl liom Moscow or St. Petersburg ancl are cxpcnsivc. A Clhow Chow costs about $4(X), a Dobcrman, $200 and Caucasian Shephcrcls. :f-5(X)-$fiX). The more common Cierrnan Shcphcrcls cost fi'om $1,50-$2m.

Thosc selling thc dogs provide customers u,itli the pccligrcc and in some cases a diplorra. ccrtit_ving that the dog has been trained.

Dogs are sold in Yerevan'.s Vernissage

'

"rril

mtrrket and training is available through nunrerous clubs. Norair Chilingarian, who usecl to be a consultant on German dogs at tl.rc "Aralez" club. recalls that those keeping the dogs u,ere readv to spend largc surns to have their favorite and expensive pct trainecl.

"There u,erc cases when I was paid $1,3U) lbr four months of training." Chilingarian says.

Lucky dogs. inclcccl. in a countrv where the average salarv lor humans is only around S40 a

month.

r

The lourney Thkes a TLip into Memory

BY ELIZA GALFAYAN I LOS

ANGELES

t's joumey's end for an eager threesome of hip VoungArmenians who have just finished filming an odysey into history and the heart. Emy Hovanesyan, Edrrin Avanes and Angela 7.Wn}+ yan are the co-producers and co-conspirators behind The Joumey (www.thejourney.i8.com), a story of self-discovery in a time of political upheaval in Armenia.

The trio are excited about their fledgling

I I I

venture, hoping to conquer the world with their film or at least make some waves at festivals next March.

This chillyThrusday evening,they are at the Equator Caf6 in Pasadena, Califomia wrapping things up on their way to their last location shoot in downtown LosAngelesThen it's time to say goodbye to their makesffi family of cast and crew and move on to post-production.

Hovanesyan and Zograby an co-wrote the script and then hooked up with Avaness who is an executive board member of the Arpa Foundation for Frhn, Music and

futs (AFFIvIA).

The story centers on a young photojournalist named Eve who returns toArmenia on assign-

ment after a long absence and finds herself

would express our struggle for independence and freedom.

"Some details of the script are taken from my own life. Of course they are a little bit

every part of the production including providing a line producer and hair andmakeup artists Experienced, committed peoplg they went out of their way to make the crew from America feel welcome. l,ocal actors and actresses such as Varduhi Varderesian, Karen Janibekian, Karen Jahangirov, Karine Janjughazian and Mairanush Grigorian participated in the shoot, as well as othen fromArmenFrlm studios "From a production point of view the locals were very skeptical about wrapping things up in ten days It was extremely intense because they just have a different work ethic but we did it and in the end we proved something to them and to ourselves about what we had accomplished." says Avaness Sona K.Thtoyan plap the lead in The loumey.

Though she was born in Baltimore and raised in the U$ there is no denying her Armenian lineage, it is evident in her eyes, her smile, her every feature, even though she comes across as an all-American grl who happens to have a

exaggerated."

name ending

caught up in the independence movement and

personal emotional journey of love in a new Armenia.

Deep within the story are Hovanesyan and Zngabyar who both come from Armenia and

a

left when they were young.This past September

the crew completed ten days of shooting in Armenia and the experience seems to have left them all a bit shaken.

Hovanesyan left Armenia in 1990 to study at the New York School of Visual Art. During

a break from filming outside the Matenadaran manuscript museum, where the crew was filming a reconstruction of a street demonstration during the independence struggle, she said:

"I

had dreamed for a a movie which

long time about shooting

In Armenia,

locals had

a role in

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

almost

in

yan. Before becoming

involved in the f,hn, being Armenian was sim-

Ants

ply a matter of family record for Thtoyan, of having a history linked to a tragic people in a tragic land far, far away from her own reality.

All that changed when she found herself there.

She was on her way to Paris when JF Productions approached her about taking

'i'r'il1$\

the lead role as Eve. She had never intended to find herself caught up in a place she still can't speak about now without crying, without losing her voice. It was her first trip to Armenia and she found herself tacing a culture shock she wasn't prepared for.

'Armenia wasn't a reality fbr me until I went there. I never really had a connection or reason to go until the film came around. And then I went and it was real with all its brutality and all its beauty" says Thtoyan as she looks away because she's crying again.

Evident in all their voices and eyes is an over-

powering enthusiasm full of hope to arcomplish Opposite page, lelt to right: Co-producers Emy

Hovanesyan, Angela Zograbyan and Edwin Avaness on location in Yerevan. Edwin Avaness is also the director ol photography ol The Journey. Photos by Pash Nazarian.

i\$ !+t 'a ,,,.1

something bigger than themselveg to grab the world's attention for Amenia, her beauty, her strugglg and the identity cnsis her children are facing.There is no denfng their energy and the one who seems to hold it all together is Hovanesytrn who dreamt of retr.rming home and mnking this fllm for as long as she can remember.

"It's changed so much during my absence but it still feels like home" she says.

Thtoyan summed things up best. "Would t

1:

choose to live there? No. I cry because it did something to me. It was neither good nor bad.

My expectations weren't met either way."

And in essence the Armenian diasporan's experience is just that. A joumey to a my'thical place where nothing is as one expects and yet the spirit stirs with pain and laughter all at once. r -Additional reporting by Gayane Abrahamian, Yerevan

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Ants

Art lnto Anchltecture Turning Words and Music into Bricks and Mortar

BY ASBED POGHARIAN I

LOS ANGELES

H S."l' :lll,i',,iI ll**::I ;ll:: llU If , ccatur'\ ilr'(). l rr olo ,)e\ Kr()\\ that years later. a vouns poet bv the nantc

Zttnkogudoun into ii builcling. A builcling?

Words into bricksl Poclry int<t a physical structure? Is that possible?

livcs. Baluvr Sevag. in his turn, could not imag-

The arnswcrs lic with Boris Shtrvanian. an architect basecl in Los Arrgcles.'As a sluclcnt at tl.rc Melkonian Eclucational Institutc in Cvprus. Anlereli Zankrigiidoun hacl ovcr-

inc thal vears latcr a young architect lv<tuld one day convert his rnasterpiece. Anlercli

savs Shirvanian.

o1'

Baruvr Sevag would onc clav write a pocnr callccl Anlereli Zunkugultttu r. based on thcir

rvhclmed me bevoncl h un'ran cor.nprehension," "Prior to rny Masters thcsis at

Cal Rrly Rrnrona. I came across Dlntcum. a book bvlhonras Schurnaker. about an Italian architect rvho hacl dcsignecl a builcling hased on svmbolic intcryrrctations o1' Dantc's The Divine Cirnrccly. Sincc we Armcnians have a rich literaturc. I tlrought of doins thc santc by clesigning a builcling to be usccl as an Armenian C'ulturirl Ccnter."

Shin,anian soon liuncl out that corninu up

p:,e lN 'i.r-

o

,

"+'

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f, t{ AINI DECITIIBER

2001

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with the idea was the easier part ol the project.

He now faced the challenge of liguring out a guideline to help him translate Sevag's words into bricks. It took Shir.raniarr days to fully comprehend the complex poem. a difficult task in itself, and even longer to digest it fully in order to extrapolate architectural meaning out of it.

Anlereli Zankagadoun begins with

twcr

- one in Eastern Armenia. the birth of poet Hovaness Toumanian. and the other in Western Armenia, the birth of composer Gomidas. This was the key Shir',anian was looking for; the dual identity of the Armenian people. Therefore, his design would have an "eastern" wing and a "westem" rving. For the purposes of his project. he managed to find the perfect site. a lot that was physically divided into east and west by an alley that ran through it. Moreover, it was in Glendale (at the comer of Central and Colorado), a city with a dense Annenian population.making it a perfect location tbr an Armenian Cultural Center. births

Opposlte page Boris

Shirvanian. Shirvanian's

vision of an Armenian Cultural Center on the corner 0l Central and Colorado Boulevards, in Glendale, Calilornia. This page: Boris Shirvanian

"Since Tbumanian was a writer and was born in Eastern Armenia, I came up with the idea of a library at the eastern wing of the building," says Shirvanian.'And likewise. since Gomidas was a musician bom in Western Armenia, the westem wing would be an auditoriurn for the performing arts" The final design of the building consisted of three structures - the east wing, the west wing and the entrance courtyard, all based on the grid plan of St. Ejmiatsin Cathedral. AII three shared a common shape. but were different in proportion. "In the poem, Sevag writes about Ejmiatsin and refers to the physical aspects of the cathedral. Based on that I came up with the conceptual design of the floor plan."

Responding to whether he would like to of his architectural version of Anlereli Zankagudoun as an actual building. see the design

Shirvanian smiles and looks into the distance.

I would love to see it one day. It all depends on funding. If the funds materialize. it will become tr reality. If not, it will continue to be a reality clnly on paper."

Funding or not,Shirvanian has skillfully managed into translating Sevag's words into bricks in his unusual and highly crcative r

"Sure.

projecl.

dark forest

WE SIIIP THROUGHOUT IHE CAUCASUS AND ALL ouER rHI lilonLD

ln

1S88, the Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory, followrng the fall of the Sr:viet Empire, souoht independence from Azerbaijan. By 1990, bolh Armenia and Azerbailan were rn a war

that lead to tens o{

thousands of

casualties, many m0re wounded, and over a million refugees

Shot r:n location in 1994, Dark forest cornbrnes state-of-the-art c0mputer animation with live footage t0 tell the story of the people at the front lines. lt is an account of bravery in the iace of incredible odds, where geopolitical forces stand ready lo crush an ancrenl

people. Professionally done

and

popularly acclaimed, )ark forest a must-see experience.

is

#t

APAITE]I CO. [TD. Ireight lorwording Compony Founded

in

1993

FIATA associate member since 1997

flnt $cene

i

n exhibition of works by nine Armenian-American artists is to

Hbe

staged at Chicago's Beacon Street Gallery. The exhibition

from March 8 to April 26, 2002 is titled Inheritance: Art

and

Images Beyond a Silenced Genocide and commemorates the 1.5 million men, women and children who perished at the hands of the Ttrks.

The artists involved are Tina Bastajian, Naomi M. Pridjian, Eileen Shahbazian, Elisa Khachian, John Mahtesian, Jean Marie Casbarian, Eileen Claveloux, Jaqueline Doumanian and Dahlia Elsayed, The exhibition will display a diverse range of work including film and photo installation, three-dimensional assemblage, painting, photography and sculpture. Though the artists are virtual strangers to one anotherthey are boundtogether by a common thread in theircreations "The exhibition deals with inter-generational transmission of trauma, resulting from the silencing both globally and personally, of the traumatizing event.The survivors did their best to spare their children the agony of the past - despite the silence we were not spared," says

Pridjian who is also the project curator.

The artists who are the children and grandchildren of survivors are left to make sense of the aching and agony they've inherited by simply being Armenian. It is a timeless, tireless gnawing at the very fiber of their being. It is an acknowledged history full of tragedy kept silent, beneath layers of black. These artists are uncovering the sadness layer by layer, each in a way unique to their personal history yet obviously shared with the community at large.

"When the idea for this exhibit was brought to us, we immediately saw an opportunity to give voice to the creative spirit of this group of Armenian artistsr" say Patricia Murphy and Susan Field, Directors of Beacon Street Gallery. 'As they individually reveal the generational impact of an historically ignored ethnic cleansing, they also put into word, print, sculpture and photography the effect of this trauma that will resonate with those from other cultures who have shared a

similar

AIM DECEMBER

fate."

r

-Ellza Galfayan 2OO1

Ant $cene

Galleny in a PankinU Lot Artists Thke the Avant-Garde to the Outside World exhibited in previous shows at the parking lot. His art requires an open air space where he can safely blow torch plastic items -recycled,industrial or household - into abstract sculptures that he then spray paints black.

Avolskaniarlthe o'*mer/operator of theAvis RoteDie agreedto let Sev work inhis parkinglotThen artist and friend Raffi Adalian came to paint and a container arrived for them to store their work and supplies Soon, other artiss and friends came and eventually the idea foran exhibitionwas bom.

Before the exhibition was called Ground Zero it was known as the Art Happening at the Parking Lot. The group justifles the name by explaining that Ground Zero is where it all happens from scratch.

The flrst show was an interactive event between artist and observer with sculpture, painting, music, video art and sound art all happening spontaneously under the open sky.

ThesecondArt Happeningwas more of an exhibitionof works byvarious artists such as Lark, Kiki, Sev, Raffi Adelian, Martiros Adelian, and Narine kajanyan, as well as a musical performance byTiganTbhmezian.

All have been memben of the movement from the beginning.

The Parking Lot was an open-air experiment where different mediums of abstract and experimental art could come together. Ground Zero is its metamorphosis During the Ground Zero show on November 17, recent works by Jiayr Znrthran were shown as well as those by previous participants such as Alina Mnatsakanian, Kaloust Guedel, Raffi Adalian, Martiros Adalian and Narine Isajanyan.

For Kiki a local artist from Armenia, the event offered an oppor-

tunity to introduce modern art to the Armenian community, which has been largely indifferent to it in the past.

"There is a parallel movement in Armenia that's been around for the past 30 years but the community there does not accept it either.

Our art is not about being Armenian, it is not nation specific, modern won't win any prizes for tact, but

group of avant-garde artists in Los Angeles have given birth to a new movement in the Armenian art scene. Ground Zero is their vision of a purely art for art's sake exhibition in a non-traditional setting.

Their idea lives in the empty off hours and weekend parking lot of the Avis Roto-Die on San Fernando Boulevard, nestled behind the gates and barbed wire of Glendale's Forest Lawn Cemetery. At first sight it is an unseemly place for an art exhibition and then it becomes clear that art can intervene anywhere and make it right.

Sev is a leading member of Ground Zero whose works have been

lhey

!

a

art has no boundaries therefore there is less appeal," he says The Parking I-ot has become a haven for free e4presion, for artists of various backgrounds to come together and creatg share ideas, and critique.

"This is not the place for someone to exhibit theirwork from ten yean ago.We welcome anyone who wants to exhibit abstract or experimental art that they've created to fit into this very specific setting" saysAdalian.

These exhibitions have no curator or gallery-like organization.

They are raw and rough-edged, a hands-on affair where the artist does everything from hanging or displaying work to packing up afterwards. The result can be exhilarating for the

AIM DECEMBER

observer.

r

-Eliza Gallayan

2OO1

75

Fashion

FallinU in Style

Introducing AIM\ new fashian commentator, Sona Gallatin. Each month, Sorut will single out whnt's good-n-go in clothes and rnake-up. Streetwise and opinbnated, Sona\ tips for looking sharp are a must-read for the modem Armeninn.

he time has finally come when fashion from Armenia hits the top market. A

make for me.These sweaters are like a bit of nostalgia for the new generation.

This season's hottest fabrig suede, has the widest range of style and is now available everywhere. We went with the shearling and suede look on Danielle (left), wom in the popular pale blue color from the Gap. Bedig (above left) is

wearing a more casual sophisticated look by

children's sweater line designed and

adding a suedejacket over a loose knit pullover.

manufactured inArmenia is now available to the American consumer at Nordstrom. These hand knits - shown here on our adorable Michelle Coco (above right and opposite page top) - are woven in rich earth tones and accented with bright jewel tones I love their versatility - you can pair them with jeans or dress them up with a skirt. I remember wearing hand knit sets my grandmother used to

It's the perfect weekend look, complete with

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

matching cell phone cover by Body Glove.

Another fashion must this year, is the denim jean. In all shadeg in so many styles, some stretch some glitter,some have fringe on the bottom and some have fringe all over. Denim is stongerthan ever this year. Danielle (opposite page bottom) is wearing dark denimby Gues for girls

There are a lot of natural earth tones in

clothes and in make-up as well. Daytime makeup is definitely toned down, well-blended, natu-

ral shadesRecenfly I was at amakeup premiere

where I met rep6 from the Helena Rubinstein line. If there is a great mascara out therg it is from Helena Rubinstein. In reality, all most Armenian women really need is a great mascara and a perfect lipstick the Rouge Plus line from Helena Rubinstein is also a favorite.

There is a new product available that can plump up your lipg and lasts for two dayq it's

called the lip sculpture, it's great, and a lot less trouble than plastic surgeryl I hope to hear from anyone who knows of an Armenian working in the fashion industry.

Next issue, a make up session with Stila cos-

metics on a familiar

face.

r

Alma Anguiano Photography Sonia Keshishian Stylist Sona Gallatin Make-up

SAVE 40o/o'7 0o/o MRYDAY

$ponts

BneakinU Thnouult Q

lI

everal tennis players who are Armenian by origrn currentiy ptay lor ffi'erent ccrLmtries in

mmpetitions

on the

of

Association

Professionals circuit.Armenia also has

iLs

petitions and cunently stands 74th international rankings

in the ATP's

His highest career ATP ranking was 5-5th, 1999. In all, Sargsian has played in 141 tournaments, winning 94 matches and losing 126. Career earnings have topped $1.3

Tennis

in October

own repre-

sentative in the ATP's rankings of tlrc worlds best playen Sargs Sargsian\ professional areer began in 1995 when he entered the US Open,oneof the tbur "Grand Slam" toumaments alongside Wmbledon, the Rench Open, and the Australian Open.

million.

strated that Armenia can produce top tennis play-

Although he now lives and trains in Orlandq Florida. Sargsian continues to represent Armenia when he plays. His most recent performances have been at tournaments in Japan, China^

en He has won numerous tournaments and com-

Russia, Germar.ry and

Six

yean on,2&year-old Sargsian

has demon-

Slovakia.

RisinU $tan llwiss-Armenian Marie-Gaiane Mikaclian Dgorn"o altenllon ly.

rn

.re tennls \\'orld recenl-

when the l7-year old beat qualiliers includ-

ing the 13th-rankedThtiana Panova of Russia.

Mikaelian, ranked 108 by the World Tennis Association, made it to the quarter-Iinals of the

Zurich WTA tournament before losing to Jenniler Capriati, ranked nuntber one^ of the United States 6-4.6-2.

Following her victory over Panova, Mikaelian said:"It's my best game till now I played very well, and I'm so happy to beat a good player."

Before participating in WIA tour and representing Switzerland, Mikaelian played five junior tournaments forArmenia and won the European Junior Championship tmder the Armenian flag.

r

Winningthe Enicsson Gup in UnuUuay David Nalbandian, 19, from Cordoba, Argentina won lhe trophy lor the Ericsson Cup tennis in Montevideo, Uruguay on November 11. The tough-playing right-hander lurned pro in 1995 and is now the 80th ranked player in the world.

Nalbandian currenlly has the 4th highest ranking of the six Argentineans who entered the US 0pen this year.

AIM I)ECEMBER

2OO1

r

$ports

Pyunio in Neur Yon[ Eity

athletes fromArmenia's Sunic organization for disabled people were among enrants to this year's NewYork Marathon.

They included Aleksan Bayandurian, a 2& yearold Karabakh warveteran who was participating in only his secondmarathon afterentering

lhree

I

the tnsAngeles race inthe Spring He is proving a natural talent, finishing eighth in the race with a time of two hours 36mins 45secs Bayandurian had a leg amputated above the knee after being injured during the war.

Ilayk Abgatiaq a vetâ&#x201A;Źran of previous marathons

ffi

inNewYorhChicagqand LmAngeles'took

plaoe this year

with a time of two hours 18mins

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

58 secsAbgariaq23,is a below-knee amputee after

nrffering an automobile accident The third athlete to oompete in the marathon was Artur Grigorian, a paraplegic from Spita( northem Armenia who was ttre only s'urvivor of the 1!)88 earthquake from his entire class at school He entered the handcycle category coming in 21st with a time of two houn 16mins 22secs After the marathon on November 4, members of the NewYork Armenian community had a chance to meet with the athletes at areception

held at the Armenian Church of the Holy MarF/rs The trio retumed home to Armenia

nextday.

r

$ponts

LiltinU lon Glony Jwo Armenian weightlifters

I

won silver medals

rankings behind Russia in first,Tlrkey in sec-

at the 71st Men's World Championships

ond, and Bulgaria in third place.

The team comprised six weightlifters in five categories out ofapossible eightformen (56kg 62k9, 69kg Tkg,85kg %kg 105kg and +105kg) laid down by the IWE They were mmpeting against representatives from 55 countries at the 71st Men's and l.4th Women's World Championships in the coastal resort of Antalya.Armenia did not have any competitors in the women's championships Besides those in ttre Armenian national teanl a number of Armenian weightlifters are rep-

in Turkey.

Anen Melikian,25, was runner-up in the TTkgcategory on November 7, lifting a combined total of 365 kilograms in the "clean and jerk" and "snatch" categories.

Gagik Khachatian followed up a day later with Armenia's second silver medal, in the 85kg class He lifted a total of 387.5kg to finish just 2.5kg behind the GeorgianAsanidze George.

Hakop Pilosian,28, narrowly missed a third medal for Armenia, but finished fourth in the %kg clas just outside the bronze position.It was a particular disappoinfrnent for Pilosian who is ranked third in the Intemational Weighflifting Federation's (IW$ rankings and was regarded as Armenia's best hope for suocess

After the eighrday competition, which ended November 11, the Armenian team was placed fourth in the world overall in the [WF's

181kg and Tirkey's Mutlu Halil became the record-holder in 56kg category with a "snatch" of 138.5kg. Russia's Madimir Smorchkov also broke the world record for the "snatch" in the 105kg clas with a lift of 198kg.

Weightlifters are permitted a total of three attempts in the "snatch" and another three attempts in the "clean and jerk" contestsThe combined total of the weights they lift in each of these forms decides their flnal placings

The head

of Armenia's

Weightlifting

resenting other countries at the championships. Yurik Sargsian competes for

Federation, which was founded in 1928, was among the referees inthe championships Oksen Mirzoian is a former Olympic Champion at the Seoul Games in i988 and refereed in the

Australia and took eighth place in the 52kg with 29.5k9. Matvei Dalakian represents

Jose Herrera

class

Israel and finished 13th in the same category.

The contest saw two world records set early.Aliashchuk Henadzi from Belarus set a "clean and jerk" record in the 52kg category of

62kg and 94kg competitionq together with

from Venezuela.

Mirzoian was also

a referee, together with MaryFlancockfrom Great BritairUin the women's 48kg and 69kg categories Mirzoian is one of a number of prominent Armenians who have made their mark in the weightlifting world. Rafael Chimishkian was Olympic Champion in Helsinki in 1952 and

Yurik Vardanian won gold at the Moscow Games in 1980.

During Soviet times Armenians were considered among the best for weightlifting.

The flag of the USSR was raised many times in international competitions thanks to the success of Armenian weightlifters.

The modern generation of Armenian weighffiers is just as committed and talented as their illustrious predecessors At the 2001 Junior Men's World Championships in Thesalonica, Greece, the Armenian team won two gold medalg two silver and a

bronze. r

-Michael Harutiunian Yerevan

Armenia's Team and Final Placings in the 2001 Men's World Ghampionsh:ps

ilame

Category

Place

Gombined

Total Kilograms Rudik

Pelrosian 69kO 9 Vasilian 69kq 10

Varazdat

2

365.0

2

387.5

%ko

4

400.0

'l05ko Rafik Chakhoian

12

395,0

Gaqik

Hakob Pilosian

80

lift on his way to a silver medal.

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

320.0

Melikian 77kg Khachatrian 85kq

Arsen

Arsen Melikyan makes a successlul

322.5

The University of Michigan Armenian Studies Program is delighted to announce the continuation of its successful Summer Language Institute to be held in Yerevan, Armenia Participants

will study the Armenian

language

fromJune 21 through August 19r 2002.

in an intensive format while surrounded by Armenian culture and

history. This program is open to all undergraduate, graduate and professional school students, who wish to learn Classical Armenian, as well as Modern Eastern and Western Armenian. A series of lectures on Armenian culture and history and an extensive program of excursions and cultural events will supplement the course. North

American undergraduate students are required to take the course for credit (8 credit hours); exceptions may be made for valid reasons. U.S. graduate students enroll for a non-credit certificate for Eastern or Western Armenian, and may take Classical Armenian for credit (6 hours). European students may take any of the courses for a non-credit certificate only. The same academic and program criteria will apply to credit and non-credit students.

A few partial scholarships, based on need, are available to undergraduates taking the course for credit.

In addition to high quality, intensive language instruction the program offers the opportunity to live and learn in fumenia.Ihe program is directed by

Dn. KfVOnf Benmf;IAN,

Marie Manoogian Professor of Armenian

Language and Literature and Director of the Armenian Srudies Program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

For more information or for an application packet, please contact:

Knrsrv M. D

CoonorNAToR

1080 South University, Suite 3663

The University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1 106

kdemas @ umich. edu Terephone 734 764 1825 p^*734 763 9154 E-mait

Undenexposed

[edicatoil [y lfiils to Antsaklt -.-fx,

Lf

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e*-FFr

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fi.{:.c+,

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n a damp cellar floor in the Achapnyak district

llofYerevan.children expresing their emorions in images create dreams in fairy tale colors They giggle childishly as they draw lines and bring the paper to life, sunounded by smells of paints and humidity and the sound of pencils.

These studentg their faces dirty with paint,

are from the Charity Children

Art

School.

Aged from three to 15, each one is treated as a potential master by Vardan Dumashian who founded the school ten years ago.

Hundreds of youngsters with an aptitude for painting have studied at his school in that time.

It is an academy that, in addition to technique, teaches the history of art and of Christianity.

Recently the students learned a hard lesson in the business of art too. To commemorate 1700 years of Christianity as Armenia's State religion, Dumashian's students created

"Saint History", a book of remarkable skill and exquisite detail, replicating the works of Armenian monks centuries ago and collected at the Matenadaran museum.

About 30 students and teachers produced

The illustrations were created according to ancient Armenian traditions of the miniature technique.The drawings were made with the full range of colors, and with the use of

-

bronze and garlic juice.

but is demanding $3,500 in privatization fees an impossible amount for the school to afford.

The Charity School is exactly what its name says. Students provide their own sup-

The children worked to prepare "Saint History" in time for the celebrations Fourteenyear-old Satenik Thdevosian was selected to

plies, supplemented by teachers. Neither Dumashian nor any other instructor is paid.

Rather, they spend their own money on

be a scribe, and for six months worked day and

for the school.

"We don't have any money now. just as we didn't have it in the past," Dumashian said. "We don't have proper conditions But what we do have are eagemesg love, painting, and a great desire to paint,to study and to live.We will never close the school for financial reasons" For now Dumashian would be satisfied simply to get "Saint History" published. He spent about $30 to have one copy made to use as an example and he is hopeful that someone will see it and invest in a proper publication run.

"If there are people who will help us, who will assist the school and the publishing of our'Saint History'we will be very grateful to them. And we will make these people honorary members of our school.There is no higher title that we can offer," he

night copying texts in the ornamental style of her distant ancestors.

However, there are things in the adult world

that are dfficult for children to understand.

Such as the disappointment of learning that no

one would want to publish their hard work.

Dumashian offered the book to the Church Committee on 1700th Anniversary Affairg but was turned down. He wrote a letter to Khosrov

Harutiunian, vice-chairman of the State Committee on 1700th Anniversary affairs "It seems my letter did not even reach his desk," Dumashian said.

the 100 handwritten and illustrated pageg

The future of "Saint History" is about as uncertain as that of the school today. The building in which it is housed, although unat-

word by word, letter by letter and illustration by illustration. Even the youngest students, three and six years old, participated in draw-

tractive and in poor condition, is said to be in a desirable location for other purposeg including a restaurant or a casino.

ing and painting icons.

ed use of the building to the school at present,

The municipality of Achapnyak has grantAIM DECEMBER

2OO1

necessities

said.

r

-Text by Marianna Grigorian Photos by Karen Minassian Yerevan

Undenexposed

$inUinU $cientist "Yes," said the connected strangers and, lying under thick blankets in the deep winter of1993,Suren Seyranian sang "Santa Lucia" into a phone and began a tradition that has made him the singing phone man of Yerevan.

From that accidental connection. 54-year old Seyranian, a research assistant at the Institute of Mechanics of the National Science Academy, started to use the telephone receiver as his microphone.

Since then Sepanian has added more than

sonp to his repertoire. Among them are

10

songs

from Sayat-Nov4Armenian "rabiz" songg clasi cal, contemporary songg arias and romances But his favorite remains his first song "Santa Lucia-"

"That day

I

sang because

it

was cold.

Because I couldn't write physics formulas any more. Because my fingers had tumed into ice,"

wi":l,h*'ff 'H?ff fffi,rffffil*,H

immediately realized there had been a mistake.

As he was about to put down the receiver,another line was connected with other voices So it happened that four strangers on one telephone line began to talk. Suddenly one of them suggested: "I am singer Suren. Do you want me to sing something for you?"

Sepanian says "And because the desire to create was pressing upon my soul."

After his flrst telephone concert the number of people desiring to hear the odd physicist's singing increased. And he was always

ready to warm all those people who called him by singing one or two songs.

Local newspapers soon heard of the phone-song man and Seyranian's status as a cult hero developed.

Music Conservatory where he and Armine Sargsian started teaching him vocal techniques. FilmmakerVardan Hakobian made a seven-minute film about Seyranian called "C'est la Vie" which won third place at a film festival in France.

Seyranian soon started to see his novelty as a way of offsetting his dire flnancial problems. His $20 salary from the Academy had not been paid for months, so Seyranian turned to singing as a vocation - sometimes taking his talent from the phone to the street.

"I sing for everyone without any mnditions and if they want, they pay me for it," says the singng scientist. "Years ago a song cost 20 Dramg the price of a piece of bread. Now there are no set pricegpeople pay when they want."

Once he earned 8,500 Drams (about $17) by singng in a police station. The police chief ordered each of his officers to pay 1,000 Drams for a song and Suren retumed home with a pocket full of money and a sackfnl of praise.

Sometimes young men call Seyranian and give him a girl's phone number and ask him to serenade the girl. And once a woman called asking him to sing a lullaby to her

baby. r

-Text by Lusine Zeytunian

Armenian singer Vahram Thdevosian

Photo by Mkhitar Khachatrian

heard Seyranian sing and invited him to the

Yerevan

AWalHonLile from the Armenian-American Mammography Crnter in Yerevan to the city's Opera House.

The aim was to raise awareness among

women who might need the treatment that Zadoian knows saved her life.

This was the mammography center's fifth Health Walk. Sinoe it opened in 197, some

emma Zadoian is dressed in pink to tell the world that she is a survivor. Z,adoian,51, had surgery to remove a tumor in her breast three yean ago and on October 13 she joined

ll

I

HealthWalk 2001.

About 150 penple, including studen8, chila band -many like Zadoianwar-

dre4 ryclists and

ing pink, the intemational color of breast cancer srwivors - walked under balloons and banners

7,00

women have been tested for breast cancer in Armenia-on an average day,about 80women are examind most for free.

Staff estimate that breast cancer accounts for about a flfth of the 22,W cancer cases in

Armenia at present.

Zadoian was among marchers who have seen the devastating effect it can have.

Her

sis-

ter died ofbreast cancerjust 12 months before in her breasts and went to the center for examination and treatment.

"My children and all my relatives were in a

she herself felt pains

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

terrible state," Zadoian said. "They were horror-struck because my sister had died of the same disease. She went to a doctor too late, when it was impossible to do something.

"However, thanks to timely care from doctors at the mammographycenter,I amalive and can live happily together with my children."

During the rally, participants were en@uraged to promote preventative measures against breast cancer - primarily, routine examination. *Twelve percent

of deaths among woman

are caused by breast can@r," said Madlene Minassian a volunteer organizer. "To save women's liveg early detection is very important.

We try to keep Armenian families healthy and prevent our children becoming orphans"

r

-Text by Marianna Grigorian Photo by Mkhitar Khachatrian Yerevan

f I

his essay will attempt to address a nebulour if not non-existenl. concept: Armenian logic. Given the scarcity of evidence available for verification of the subject, you'll forgive me, please, if research material expires before this page is filled. Better, we will use a negative to prove a positive. (Oh, God, I think I'm starting to be effected by it.)

We begin with a definition. Oxymoron - epistemologically corstructed from the prefix "oxy", a koine Greek term meaning "an inability to avoid speaking even when (or specifically if) the statement makes no sense"; and "moron", a neoBeavis and Butthead suffix meaning well, "moron."

Example (courtesy of American comedian

George Carlin): "Military intelligence."

Example (courtesy of an essayist, flying to 11 US cities in 26 days): 'Airport security."

Armenian logic.

During the first year of living in Armenia, I foolishly connected my telephone to an answering machine. Seemed reasonable. Even if the messages were left in a language I couldn't compute, I figured it better to not miss calls One of my first lessons in Armenian logic grew from that bit of folly.

On a day when I was to meet my friend Hayk for a trip out of Yerevan, I tumed on the answering machine when I had to leave my flat for a brief enand during the time I was expecting his phone call.

I returned after our appointed time had passed, yet there was no message to announce his plans Later in the day when he called and I answered I said: "I thought you were going to call earlier."

"I did," Hayk said.

"But my answering machine

was on..."

"Yes," said Hayk. "But you weren't home, so

I didn't leave

a message."

Irtme

remind you (though some will argue

the point) that this is a cotrntry that, upon becoming independent, immediately sanctioned a national stamp, though it had no workable means of delivering mail. Armenian logic.

Lately in Yerevan, a few people have installed meters in their homes, in anticipation of the (long rumored) day when residents will have to pay for water.

One of my friends showed me the new contraption, fixed to the plumbing connecting his commode. I asked him why he would go to the expense and bother to start measuring the amount of water his family consumed, when the water itseH is free.

He explained to me that he wanted to

know how much water he's not being charged for, so that he won't be overcharged when payment is required.

Something like that. My head was spinning from the explanation, so I might have it wrong. I'm sure, though, it is an example of Armenian logic.

afford a 6-mile,75-cent bus trip to Shoushi said he d come toYerevan - a $12 bus trip,200 miles away - and get the money.YegArmenian logic.

It reveals itself in ways as perplexing as are the attempts to explain it, this Armenian logic. (And not always in frivolous fashion.

Example: Women in Armenia have multiple

abortions because their husbands believe birth control pills are harmful.)

It crosses every facet of living here, from traffic laws (don't do anything unless you see a sign saying you are allowed, not vice versa) to marriage (young couples get married because they say they want to be alone, then move in

with their parents).

It ffiuences business life, as a friend leamed on a recent night in Yerevan...

Hrair found a Republic Square caf6 open at around three in the moming. He asked the worker why he stayed open so late.

The worker replied that it wasn't the owner's

intention to stay open so late. In fact he used to close late at night. But not long ago the man

Another: On an assignment in Karabakh, I needed to hire a local photographer. After faililg to reach him during the days there, I called him from Yerevan and asked if he could go from his home in Stepanakert to Shoushi (about 10 kilometers) for the job.

I explained that he'd be paid about $75 for the work.

The photographer told me he didn't have enough money for gas to make the 6-mile trip to Shoushi and asked if I could pay him in advance. I need the photos today, I told

whom he'd hired to guard the (closed) caf6 at night had died, so now it simply stays open 24

him, and I'm in Yerevan and you're

them,

(200

miles away) in Stepanakert, so how can I pay you in advance?

The photographer who said he couldn't AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

hours a day.

Armenian logic is at home, in the home...

At a friend's house, I'm looking at a painting that is hung about 9 feet off the floor, so that it is virtually impossible to appreciate its subtleties.

It is not uncommon to

see pictures hung

way above eye level here, where ceilings may be 12 or 15 feet high.

Why do Armenians hang their photos and

painting so high that you can hardly

I

see

ask.

The lady of the house answers: "Because, at that height, it isn't necessary to dust them."

Finally.Armenian logic that makes sense.

!

0n the

Shell

fieadlng, UlewlnU and Ustenlng $u$[ettions

BY ARA ARZUMANIAN

This Month's Feature

Good Kunds Bad l(upds: No Fniends

[ut the Mountain$

Access Production 0-971 3466-0-7

t ll

searing indictment of the Tirrkish government's modern day atrocities and the United eye to the same. Good Kurds Bad Kurds dares to pull back the covers and reveal the campaign of ethnic cleansing of Kurds in today's Tirrkey and the dollars and

Strt.r'ilind

hardware that make it possible.

Embossing the story of a Kurdish-American family on the current Kurdish struggle, Kevin McKiernan transits from Washington's Capitol Hill to the hills of Historic Armenia and Kurdistan in southeast Turkey, where the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fights against the once-again genocidal forces of the Tirrkish government.

Nearly every bit of footage in the documentary is unique, from the ghastly, yet all-toofamiliar sight of civilians massacred by TLrkish forces to the rare, flrst-hand interview with

PKK leader Abdullah "Apo" Ocalan.

The fiIm is written, directed and produced by McKiernan, who has unfortunately had tittle in getting his story - a product of over nine years of hard and dangerous work - aired on mainstream media sources. They all seem to chime in with the same refrain that the plight of the Turkish Kurds is simply "not on their radar". It should be noted that Iraqi Kurds have had no trouble in publicizing their struggle against the Hussein regime, Iraq being an enemy of the US as opposed to Tirrkey the ally. The film has, however, won numerous awards for best documentary and human rights journalism at fllm festivals. Most recently, PBS has picked it up as part of the Independent Lens series. success

Genocide to the present day, such an absence detracts greatly from the work's credence.

Though some chapters offer good information on the true role of the military in Turkey's government they do not go far enough in outlining the Tirrkish Armed Forces' (TAF) power in governmental decision-making and also attempt, subtly and falsely, to paint the TAF in leftist shades.

Iunkey in lttbnld Politics Lynne Rienner Publishers, lnc.

1

-55587-954-3

I t is imoortant to lkno* tn.'. neighbors when

they are friendg but even more so when they are ene-

miesAnd

so

famil-

iarizing oneself with this type of Tirrkish "academics" is an honorable field of study for anyone concemed with Armenian issuesTiukey in World Politics presents a number of contemporary matters of internal and external interest to Thrkey in a heavily centric and nationalist vein.

The small collection of essays, coming to just over 250 pages is brought together by Middle East Review of International Affairs Editor, Barry Rubin and chairperson of the Department of Political Science and International relations at BoaziEi University

in Istanbul, Kemal Kirici.

Despite the fact thatArmenia

is

currently

Tirrkey's smallest neighbor, very few mentions of Armenia and theArmenians make it into this text. Considering the deep historic involvements of the two and the legary of the

While highlighting Russian support for Armenia in the liberation wilr over NagomoKarabakh, for example, the essay neglects to mention any type of support by Tirkey for Azerbaijan in the same struggle, other than in the moral or diplomatic spheres.

In addition, there is a complete absence of any serious discussion on the Kurdish question, the PKK, relations with Armenia, the illegal blockade of the same or the Genocide. Armenian-Turkish relations are simply a product of "tensions rooted in history and aggravated by Armenia's role in the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict". No mention is made of the Genocide, not even the usual attempt to dismiss it as propaganda. Reflecting the arrogance of the entire collection, the chapter dealing with Turkish participation in the European Union speaks contemptuously of calls by member nations for "respect for human rights" in Turkey.

Although much of the information in this book is useful in understanding the official Thrkish position, none of it can be looked on with any credibility.

AIM DECEMBER

2OO1

lnias & $ongs Gegham Grigorian Sarian E. Group sEG-12152

Hil?s;1fr:x;3; such as Placido

Domingo, Gegham Grigorian is world renowned for his voice and operatic performances. With this offering, Grigorian presents Armenian works alongside those of European composers - making this a perfect selection for the Armenian opera lover or indeed any fan of opera.The grandeur and drama of the musical compositions accompany Grigorian's tenor perfectly as compelling emotion pours forth from his immense voice.

Great Armenian works such as Gevork Armenian's Du Im Hpart Hye Aghchiktake an unassuming place next to well known staples ofopera such as di Capua's O Sole Mio! ln [act. if you're not paying attention, you may not notice where the Armenian ends and the Italian begins.

This work is one of few that lives up to the claims of the liner notes contained within:'Arias & Songs reminisces Grigorian's international performances and inspirations.

It brings together a collection of operatic masterpieces to deliver an insight to the soul

of Armenia's great

tenor."

l

The Story of a Place in Essays and,

Text by

IOHN

HUGHES

Photos by

BRUCE C. STRONG

it

In 56 poignant photographs, 12 essays, and seven poems, two American journalists reveal a place that neither can claim as his own, but to which both were drawn for unexpected discovery.

In a work of passion that combines journalism and art, is the story of contemporary Armenia, unclouded by preconceived perceptions.

Sometimes

it

takes

an

outside eye t0 see the inside

Llardcover -144 pages -13"x1 1" Price: $10 Shipping within the US: $10

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$5 for Camda ordem

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