The Caucasus Neighborhood is a weekly roundup of news from the region. Developments this week had a lot of people in Armenia singing “Back in the USSR” with President Sargsyan’s abrupt decision to join Russia’s Eurasian Union, despite years of work towards an association agreement with the European Union instead. We also look at tension in the Caspian Sea basin as Iran speaks out on Azerbaijan purchasing naval arms from Israel.
In this episode of Mindful Leaders, we explore the life of Stephany Sanossian, an artist and designer. Born in Aleppo, Syria, to Armenian parents with ancestral roots from Aintab, Stephany is an artist with a background in design. She left Syria to pursue her studies and passion in Barcelona, after which she settled in Dubai. Stephany’s life journey is a testament to her passion for and dedication to tradition combined with innovation. Her artwork interlaces the charm of Middle Eastern and Armenian art with contemporary flavors, complexities, and perspectives. Her collages and installations have gained global recognition and are showcased […]
By Mark Dovich An independent audit into the financial reporting practices of Armenia’s ruling political party has found further irregularities, after separate investigations into Civil Contract’s finances earlier this year by CivilNet and Infocom, another local news site, raised concerns over how it sources campaign donations. CivilNet obtained a copy of the audit Monday from Armenia’s Corruption Prevention Commission, the government body tasked with overseeing political party finances in the country. The review, which covers Civil Contract’s finances for 2022 and was conducted by Trust Audit, a Yerevan-based auditor, found the party accepted a number of donations that were made […]
By Tigran Yegavian In the spring of 2024, Armenia is living through one of the most serious and decisive hours in its history as an independent sovereign state. For nearly four years, Armenia and the Armenian nation have been undergoing an interminable descent. The worst-case scenario is playing out at every level of society: defeat, mourning, territorial amputations, declining demographics, the inability of the elite and the country’s institutions to rise above disaster. Armenia is also bearing the brunt of successive leaders’ calamitous management of power and aggravating geopolitical circumstances. Its very existence is now threatened. Armenia’s territory has shrunk […]
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 […]
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 […]
