I’ve always wanted to go to Armenia and stay for at least 3-6 months out of the year. My issue is I don’t know anyone there. I’m a 22 year old who just graduated and is considering buying an apartment over there for myself. Repats around my age, how do you make friends in Armenia? Are young people welcoming to repats? How will I need to go about fitting in?

Date: 12/02/2024

Reading time: 3 minutes, 724 words

🪖 Military

Armenian civilian killed in sniper fire in Syria: report

Dr. Yervant Arslanian, a respected Syrian Armenian physician from Aleppo, tragically passed away on November 30

PanArmenian

🏛️ Politics & Government

The restraining order against the mayor of Stepanakert is unchanged, although other mayors of Artsakh have been acquitted in similar cases

Stepanakert mayor Davit Sargsyan's preventive measure remains same: administrative control. Martakert and Askeran mayors have been acquitted in cases of expropriation of cars belonging to Artsakh communities. Human rights defenders are convinced that these cases have a political motive.

CivilNet

Putin Manipulates Facts: Armenia Appealed to CSTO During Attack on Sovereign Territory, Not Karabakh

Russian President Vladimir Putin said events in Nagorno-Karabakh have nothing to do with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Shushan Stepanyan: Armenia turned to the CSTO not because of the events in Artsakh, but in connection with direct aggression against the Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijan has repeatedly invaded Armenia’s sovereign territory, two of which were particularly large-scale.

CivilNet

Armenia’s absence from CSTO no source for “positive image” - Belarus

Alexander Volfovich added that Armenia’s absence does not affect the overall agenda of the organization.

PanArmenian

Aghazaryan rejects Pashinyan, he will not give up the mandate

Deputy of the Civil Agreement faction, Hovik Aghazaryan, rejects Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's request, he is not going to resign his parliamentary mandate. He conditioned the retention of the mandate by two circumstances: the criminal proceedings against his son are still pending. The second is that he is involved as a witness in sponsoring the export of small cattle.

CivilNet

No alibis: Armenia must take responsibility for Aleppo Armenians

Up to 12,000 Armenians currently reside in Aleppo, says Armenia's Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Consul General of Armenia in Aleppo has been unable to return to Aleppo.

CivilNet, Without alibis. Armenia should take responsibility for the Armenians of Aleppo

Iran's Foreign Minister left for Ankara after the meeting with Assad

Abbas Araghchi arrived in Ankara from Damascus, where he discussed the situation in Syria with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. The Iranian official noted that Syria or the region should not turn into a center of terrorists for the second time.

CivilNet

Armenia believe ICC is an important element of international law – FM

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan addressed the 23rd Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Armenia is ready to be very active in supporting regional and international collaboration to prevent impunity and strengthen adherence to international norms.

ArmRadio, Armenian FM, ICC President discuss cooperation, Armenia to join Assembly of ICC States Parties for the first time

ICJ begins hearings to clarify climate change obligations

The International Court of Justice will hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations over two weeks. The outcome of the hearings could result in grounds for establishing legal obligations worldwide. The court’s opinion is expected to be delivered in 2025.

ArmRadio

Armenian PM congratulates Antonio Costa on taking office as EU Council President

Nikol Pashinyan congratulates Antonio Costa on taking on the role of EU Council President. PM: "Wish him all the success during his tenure and look forward to our close cooperation on further deepening of Armenia-EU partnership"

ArmRadio, Armenia looking forward to working with new EU Commission, Pashinyan tells von der Leyen

Yerevan Municipality does not elaborate on the principle of tree cutting

Yerevan Municipality is not going to provide a complete list of trees to be cut down. CivilNet applied to the municipality asking to provide the list. According to the data of the municipality, 1000 to 1500 dry trees are cut every year. The municipality also did not say whether public discussions were held on this topic.

CivilNet

Deputies of the "Armenia" faction filed a lawsuit against the Foreign Ministry

MPs of the opposition faction of the National Assembly have filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The preliminary court hearing will take place on January 14. The opposition MPs got acquainted with the draft of the peace agreement, after which they made a statement.

CivilNet

For You, Armenia: Telethon 2024 raises $15.3 million for development projects in Armenia

The 27th Telethon of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, held on November 28 under the slogan “For You, Armenia,” has raised approximately $15.3 million so far. Fundraising efforts continue, the final results will be summarized by the end of the year.

ArmRadio

🧪 Science & Technology

Armenia’s long-term vision is to become a global technology hub – Minister

Armenia’s long-term vision is to become a global technology hub known for innovation, quality and excellence. “AI is not just a buzzword now but also a driver of quality of quality,” said the minister of high-tech industry.

ArmRadio

Date: 12/01/2024

Reading time: 0 minutes, 0 words

Date: 11/30/2024

Reading time: 0 minutes, 169 words

🪖 Military

60-70% of Aleppo under armed groups’ control, says Syrian Armenian newspaper editor

The total death toll from the clashes has reached 311, including 183 from Islamist groups, 100 government forces, and 28 civilians. Almost all shops in Aleppo are closed, including bakeries, with only a handful remaining open.

CivilNet

Armenia suspends humanitarian demining and medical activity in Aleppo amid escalation

Armenia is temporarily suspending activity of de-mining and medical teams in Aleppo, the Ministry of Defense says. The situation in Syria makes it impossible for the Armenian humanitarian demining and medical team, which has been carrying out mission in the Aleppo region since 2019, to continue its activities.

ArmRadio

🏛️ Politics & Government

Armenia closely monitoring developments in Syria – MFA

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ani Badalyan reconfirmed that there were no Armenian national among the victims of the ongoing events in Syria. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 300 people – including more than 20 civilians – have been killed since Wednesday.

ArmRadio

Police use water cannon as Georgia EU protests erupt for second night

Thousands of protesters returned to the streets of Tbilisi overnight to protest against the government’s decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union. Police deployed tear gas and made heavy use of water cannon against the demonstrators.

ArmRadio

Donations to Armenia:

Himnadram

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Armenian Wounded Heroes

ArmeniaFund

Hello friends!

I am a postgrad student from Ukraine and I urgently need one book which is not in Ukraine. It can only be found in two libraries -- in The National Library of Armenia and russian state library. For obvious reason, I can only obtain it from Yerevan.

If you have spare 20 minutes, could you please visit The NLA and take photos of this book?

https://armunicat.nla.am/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=1171938&query_desc=%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C

It has only 18 pages.

Thank you so much in advance guys, I've been to Armenia before and can't wait to visit it again in the future as I loved every minute of time spent there!

Did you know that William Saroyan is Johnny Depp's favorite writer?

Depp once shared on Instagram about his love for Saroyan’s works. Interestingly, a part of the "Human Comedy" book is even tattooed on Depp’s right hand when he portrays Captain Jack Sparrow.

https://preview.redd.it/mpeoaqyn9f4e1.jpg?width=803&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65325db06753129524ff5e8292bb9a91e6cd0b74

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me ID the pictured statuette? I took an impromptu day trip from Tbilisi to the Haghpat Monastery in Lori Province and purchased this. Wish I'd had more time (and a guide) to understand the history. Would love to go back but hopefully in the meantime someone can help with this?

It has a screw hole at the bottom, suggesting the person hangs upside down I assume?

Thanks in advance.

Hi there, recently I have been interested in Armenian culture, so I'd like to know some good Armenian neo-folk musicians or bands!

But it's not limited to one genre; modern and traditional music are all great, so please give me some recommendations! Lyrics should preferably be in Armenian. Thank you!

https://preview.redd.it/kbuqwbrgzc4e1.png?width=681&format=png&auto=webp&s=1d6a7c3cec62a40ba1afbe1d89149da2f0d32fa1

I have found this statement on the Wilson Center website, and would like to do further reading, but unfortunately, the article doesn't have any references. I'd be glad if anyone here (with inner knowledge of the context) could supplement evidence, preferably in English. I especially am interested in the first sentence, but despite all the effort of mine, neither Turkish nor popular English sources have a word on it. And at the moment, I'm hopeful that someone here is actually aware of the context behind this.

Here's the link to the article: Wilson Center

What steps are being taken by Armenians in Armenia and the diaspora to rescue Armenians of Aleppo? I'm seeing only worries being stated here and there but is there any action plan by any organization so far?

EDIT: it's not a time now to blame them for staying there. Stop this attitude!

I recently stumbled upon an intriguing chapter of Afghan history while reading Christians of Afghanistan under the Mughals and Durrani monarchy, 1700–1901 by Jonathan L. Lee (2018), which offers a comprehensive exploration of this forgotten chapter. This story offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Armenian community in Afghanistan, their contributions, and their close yet at time precarious relationship with the rulers of the time.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Armenians in Afghanistan played important roles in trade, artillery craftsmanship, and even wine production. Under Ahmad Shah Durrani, hundreds of Armenian families were settled in cities like Kabul and Kandahar. Remarkably, they were allowed to openly practice Christianity, which reflects the relative tolerance of the era. Ahmad Shah even gave them land for a church in Kabul, and this support continued under his successor, Timur Shah. Armenians and their Muslim neighbors often shared moments of mutual respect, celebrating festivals like Easter, Christmas, and Nawroz together, and attending each other’s funerals and weddings.

One of the most notable Armenians was Tīmur Khan Vartan, a merchant, physician, and leader of the Armenian community in Kabul. In 1847, a remarkable story unfolded when the Afghan Prince Muhammad Azam Khan asked to marry Vartan’s daughter. Vartan initially resisted, but with the intervention of a British officer, Major George Lawrence, the prince assured that the marriage would be consensual and that Vartan’s daughter could continue practicing her Christian faith.

The story of their Afghan-Armenian son, Ishaq Khan, further illustrates the integration of Armenians into the elite class of Afghan society. He rose to prominence as the military governor of Afghan Turkistan under his uncle, Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Despite his high status, his Armenian heritage and foreign connections made him a target of suspicion during political upheavals. His life reflects both the opportunities and challenges faced by the few Armenians who became part of the Afghan elite.

Despite their small numbers, the Armenians maintained their faith and cultural identity for many years. However, during the reign of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan in the late 19th century, the community faced growing suspicion due to their connections with foreign powers. In 1896, the remaining 14 Armenian families were expelled to India, bringing an end to their centuries long presence in Afghanistan.

I find stories like this fascinating because they reveal an often overlooked part of history, showing how diverse and interconnected societies have been, even in parts of the world in which you wouldn't expect it.

Barev, I'm an Armenian-American living in Florida. I am looking for any English translations of letters written between Komitas Vardapet and Margarit Babayan from 1902-1915 for a personal project. I am finding many good articles and biographies about Komitas but I'm struggling to find any complete translations of his letters. If you know of any online databases that might contain some of these letters, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :)

My grandmother told me that he built the train station in Vanadzor(Kirovakan), she also told me that there is information about him exactly on the train station. If anyone have information, let me know.