The MAM educational initiative is providing free online courses in Armenian studies to children in the diaspora, usually aged 6-12. Students from Armenian communities around the world just need to have an internet connection, and through the MAM website and an online teacher, they can learn not only the Armenian language, but also more about Armenian culture, history, and heritage. Though the program has only existed for a year, MAM is now seeking to expand and even set up small hubs in Armenian communities around the world.
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Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity awarded in Los Angeles
By Paul Vartan Sookiasian The eighth annual Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded Thursday evening in Los Angeles to Dr. Denis Mukwege, a world-renowned gynecological surgeon and human rights activist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The one million dollar prize is a global award that recognizes individuals for risking their life, health, or freedom to save others. It was founded in 2015 by philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, educator Vartan Gregorian, and entrepreneur Noubar Afeyan, and its selection committee includes Nobel laureates and world leaders. This year’s ceremony was particularly poignant as co-founder Ruben Vardanyan is being illegally […]
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Armenia protest leaders call for acts of civil disobedience
By Paul Vartan Sookiasian Protesters from the “Tavush for the Motherland” movement gathered in Yerevan’s central Republic Square for a second evening after a day of marches and student boycotts. The demonstrators are demanding an immediate halt to ongoing work in Armenia’s bordering region of Tavush to legally define part of Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan. The deal is expected to result in Armenia ceding control of four villages to Azerbaijan. At yesterday’s rally, the movement’s leader Archbishop of Tavush Bagrat Galstanyan also demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. More than 30,000 people attended yesterday’s rally, per the […]
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Unpacking The Tavush To Yerevan Protest Movement
In this episode of the Civilnet Podcast, host Patrick Elliott and Eric Hacopian unpack the protest movement led by archbishop Bagrat Srpazan Galstanyan, sparked by the delimitation agreement with Azerbaijan over sections of the border in Armenia’s northeastern Tavush region. They explore the movement, its leaders, their demands, as well as who is taking part and why, and finally analyze whether or not this movement poses a real threat to the current government.
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Stirrings of Solidarity: Assessing Protests and Demands in Georgia
On this week’s edition of Insights, Eric Hacopian discusses the latest anti-government protests in Georgia and what they mean for democracy in the region. He also analyzes new positive developments regarding the International Criminal Court case against Israel and what that means for Azerbaijan and the progress being made towards accountability. Eric also analyzes the implications of Hungary’s blocking of EU military aid to Armenia, and what Yerevan’s options are amid challenging geopolitical situations.
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LIVE BLOG: ‘Tavush for the Homeland’ protest in Yerevan
By Paul Vartan Sookiasian A protest march led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, which began Saturday from Kirants village in Armenia’s northeastern Tavush region, is culminating Thursday with a rally in Yerevan’s central Republic Square. The demonstrators are demanding the immediate halt to ongoing work in Tavush to legally define part of Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan, which is expected to result in Armenia ceding control of four abandoned border villages to Azerbaijan. In addition to senior church leadership, a number of political groups opposed to the current government have lent their support to the protesters, who have dubbed themselves “Tavush for […]
Your work looks great. Do you have any classes for adults? I am 2nd generation Armenian in USA, Ventura County, CA. My grandparents escaped from Harpoot, Turkey in the 1880’s and settled in Fresno, CA. They experienced some prejudice and when my father left home for College in 1929 he wanted to assimilate into US culture and left his Armenian identity, faith, and language behind. My mother was Scotch-Irish and so we did not learn Armenian or have contact with Armenians and my father would not teach us Armenian and even forgot a lot of it. I have become more interested in embracing my Armenian heritage in the past several years and want to learn Armenian and teach my 3 young grandchildren and counting before they get too old. I am not sure the best way to go about learning Armenian, but saw your video on CivilNet and am interested, though I realize your work is primarily if not exclusively for children. Thank you and God bless you!
Robert Bagdazian