Armenians have lived in Artsakh for centuries: President Sarkissian addresses the Summit of Minds

President Armen Sarkissian participated in a plenary discussion on “Geopolitics: Where is the world going?” held within the framework of the Summit of Minds in Chamonix, France.

As a keynote speaker, President Sarkissian addressed the challenges of the modern world. Speaking about the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, the President stressed that in Nagorno Karabakh, in Armenian Artsakh, Armenians have historically lived for thousands of years.

“If you go to Karabakh, you will find churches from 4th, 5th centuries, because Armenians have lived there for thousands of years. Today we have an issue with our neighbor Azerbaijan, and we appeal to the international community, UNESCO, concerned about the fate of these religious and cultural monuments,” the President said.

President Sarkissian briefed the summit participants on the history of Artsakh and the reasons for the conflict, how the USSR leadership gave the territory historically belonging to Armenia to Azerbaijan in the early 20th century. The President of Armenia noted that during more than 70 years of the Soviet Union, the people of Nagorno Karabakh strived for freedom, independence, declared it in 1991, and then won the first Karabakh war provoked by Azerbaijan in 1994.

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Armenia hosting its first-ever drone competition

September 18, 2021 – 17:39 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia is hosting the first drone competition organized by the Karen Vardanyan Educational Foundation (named after the late director of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises and the man behind robotics and drone research clubs in schools).

The competition takes place at a drone training ground opened specifically for this occasion, with a 100-meter runway. It was built in the country’s Lori province for two reasons: first, there are different types of terrain (forests, mountains, roads) in a small area, and second, Vardanyan advocated that the high-tech spots of attraction be located not only in Yerevan, but also in the provinces.

“We want to hold such a competition at least once a year, and twice would be even better: in spring and autumn,” Suren Vardanyan, director of the Karen Vardanyan Foundation, told reporters on Saturday, September 18.

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Sweden to reintroduce entry ban on residents of Armenia

The Swedish Government has decided to ban from entering the country all persons travelling from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Japan, and Serbia since they have been removed from the list of epidemiologically safe third countries.

The decision to ban entry for the six countries has been announced by the Ministry of Justice of Sweden and will enter into force next Monday, September 20, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“The Government has adopted amendments to the temporary ban on entry into Sweden. The decision means that the ban will be reintroduced for entry from a number of countries in accordance with the Council of the European Union’s updated recommendations for travel into the EU Member States,” the statement of the Ministry of Justice reads.

This means that starting from Monday, only travellers reaching Sweden for absolutely necessary purposes can enter from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Japan, and Serbia. Travel for essential purposes is only allowed to those who hold a Swedish residence permit, travellers who transit through the territory of Sweden, healthcare workers, travellers who carry out essential duties, researchers in health and medical care, and elderly staff, among others.

Vaccinated travellers may soon be exempted from the entry ban, but an official statement regarding the matter hasn’t been given yet.

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Armenia, France call for resumption of Karabakh peace process within OSCE

September 18, 2021 – 15:18 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke over the phone on Friday, September 17 and stressed the need for resuming the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.

The two commended the consistent development of Armenian-French privileged relations and reiterated their interest in expanding the multidimensional cooperation, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports. The sides agreed to discuss in detail in the near future the prospects of promoting the cooperation in the economic sphere, including through the implementation of new development programs in Armenia.

The Foreign Ministers weighed in on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, emphasizing the need of resuming the peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Mirzoyan noted that Armenia and the Armenian people highly appreciate the position of the French government and parliament and the steps undertaken during and following the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh (Karabakh).

The sides also exchanged views on the humanitarian issues following the 44-day war. In this context, Mirzoyan specifically emphasized the immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians held in Azerbaijan.

The sides touched upon the situation resulting from infiltration of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia. The need to make efforts aimed at de-escalating and stabilizing the situation was stressed.

Azerbaijani forces violated Armenia’s border in several sections in the provinces of Syunik and Gegharkunik on May 12 and 13 and are still refusing to withdraw their troops from the area. Since then, almost a dozen Armenian servicemen have been killed in Azerbaijan’s shooting, a dozen others have been wounded, while six troops were captured on May 27, although four of them have already returned home.

Foreign Minister Mirzoyan also expressed gratitude to the French side for its continued support in the fight against COVID-19.

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TUMO announces $50 million “TUMO Armenia” campaign to extend its learning network nationwide

Marking TUMO’s 10 year anniversary and the inauguration of the new TUMO Gyumri building, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies today announced a five year, $50 million initiative to make its leading edge educational program available to all teenagers throughout Armenia and Artsakh, PRNewswire informs.

With 110 satellite facilities called TUMO Boxes connected to 16 fully equipped TUMO Hubs in regional centers, the program will serve 80 thousand students and reach all young Armenians even in the most remote villages.

A $10 million seed fund donated by the Yemenidjian family will launch and support hubs in Vanadzor, Kapan and Koghb, along with TUMO Boxes that feed into these and three existing hubs. To raise the remaining $40 million, TUMO is kicking off an international fundraising campaign.

The Armenian General Benevolent Union and Elie & Elzbieta Akilian have each pledged to match up to $10 million of funds raised in the first 2 years of the campaign. With $10 million in seed funding, a $20 million fundraising goal, and an additional $20 million in matching contributions, the deployment initiative is already underway.

The announcement was made during the anniversary celebration of the official opening of the new TUMO center in Gyumri in the presence of government representatives, partners and friends. TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian joined via live video and gave opening remarks.

“Our vision has always been to empower all young Armenians to achieve their full potential,” said Sam Simonian. “And now we are setting out to fulfill that vision throughout Armenia and Artsakh.”

Also attending were Armen Yemenidjian, representing the Yemenidjian family, Vasken Yacoubian and Vera Setrakian on behalf of AGBU, Elie Akilian, on behalf of Elie & Elzbieta Akilian, via video feed, and TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian.

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TUMO announces $50M campaign to cover entire Armenia

September 18, 2021 – 13:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Marking TUMO’s 10 year anniversary and the inauguration of the new TUMO Gyumri building, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies on Saturday, September 18 announced a five year, $50 million initiative to make its leading edge educational program available to all teenagers throughout Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

With 110 satellite facilities called TUMO Boxes connected to 16 fully equipped TUMO Hubs in regional centers, the program will serve 80 thousand students and reach all young Armenians even in the most remote villages.

A $10 million seed fund donated by the Yemenidjian family will launch and support hubs in Vanadzor, Kapan and Koghb, along with TUMO Boxes that feed into these and three existing hubs. To raise the remaining $40 million, TUMO is kicking off an international fundraising campaign. The Armenian General Benevolent Union and Elie & Elzbieta Akilian have each pledged to match up to $10 million of funds raised in the first 2 years of the campaign. With $10 million in seed funding, a $20 million fundraising goal, and an additional $20 million in matching contributions, the deployment initiative is already underway.

The announcement was made during the anniversary celebration of the official opening of the new TUMO center in Gyumri in the presence of government representatives, partners and friends. TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian joined via live video and gave opening remarks.

Also attending were Armen Yemenidjian, representing the Yemenidjian family, Vasken Yacoubian and Vera Setrakian on behalf of AGBU, Elie Akilian, on behalf of Elie & Elzbieta Akilian, via video feed, and TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian.

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Emir of the State of Qatar honors Armenian Ambassador with an Order

The Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has decorated the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Qatar Gegham Gharibjanyan with an Al Wajbah order.

The Emir received outgoing Ambassador Gharibjanyan on September 12, the Armenian Embassy in the State of Qatar informs.

The award notice says it was handed in appreciation of the Ambassador’s commendable efforts, his good work and the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

While a number of Ambassadors to Qatar, including those of France, Belgium, Hungary, Japan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, have retired over the past month, Gegham Ghaaribjanyan is the only envoy to be honored with the order.

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Former U.S. Ambassador John M. Ordway visits Armenia

Embassy Yerevan welcomes back Ambassador John M. Ordway (ret.) who led the U.S. Mission to Armenia in 2001-2004.

“We are excited to have Ambassador Ordway in Armenia, as the country celebrates 30 years of its independence and we are marking 30 years of U.S.-Armenian diplomatic relations,” the US Embassy said.

“Ambassador Ordway is looking forward to seeing first-hand some of the achievements of our nearly three decades of partnership and to catching up with old friends and colleagues.,” the Embassy noted.

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Karabakh denies presence of Azerbaijanis with Iranian passports

September 18, 2021 – 12:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The National Security Service of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on Friday, September 17 denied rumors about the presence of Azerbaijanis with Iranian passports in Artsakh.

“Rumors are spreading in the media in Armenia and Artsakh alleging that persons with Iranian passports, who may be Azerbaijanis, are involved in construction work in Artsakh. Please be informed that these suspicions do not correspond to reality. As before, now too foreign citizens are involved and continue to participate in various professional and non-professional work in the Republic of Artsakh, including construction,” the NSS said.

In each such case, the Artsakh National Security Service cooperates with Armenian colleagues to identify possible agents of foreign special services.

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Armenia's daily Covid-19 cases surpass 1000 for first time since April

September 18, 2021 – 11:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Armenia grew by 1011 to reach 253,093 on Saturday, September 18 morning, according to information provided by the Health Ministry. The number of daily cases last surpassed 1000 in April.

Fresh figures also revealed that 569 more people recovered, 16 patients died from Covid-19, while two others carrying the virus died from other causes in the past 24 hours.

A total of 7018 tests have been performed in the past day, the National Center For Disease Control and Prevention said.

So far, 235,599 people have recovered, 5117 have died from the coronavirus in the country, while 1187 others carrying the virus have died from other causes.

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