051213- GIBRAHAYERArmenian online e-magazine

VISIT THE FOLLOWING CONSTANTLY UPDATED PAGES OF GIBRAHAYER E-MAGAZINE
Emails to the Editor - click here |Turkish writer Elif Shafak here |Articles by Professor Hovhannes Pilikian here |Tennis Champ Zaruhi Harutyunyan. How YOU can help here | Armenian language newspaper Artsagang in pdf here

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RECOMMENDED SITES of the week: www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/print.php?Article_ID=17566 , http://www.zulal.org , www.azg.am/?lang=EN&num=2005120801 , http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg131702.html ,
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GIBRAHAYER e-magazineWHAT IS HAPPENING IN NAREG?
Gibrahayer Nicosia November 14, 2005. The curriculum at the Nareg School has been undergoing serious changes, and this without the knowledge and participation of parties concerned such as The Parent's Association, parents and the community at large. Armenian classes have been substantially eliminated and have given way to Greek language classes which proportionally count more now.
Concerned parents who spoke to Gibrahayer said that while comparing the number of Armenian classes of previous years, it was evident that Armenian classes had been diminished. A young mother who wanted to stay anonymous said. "If this is the product of a new policy, we should have at least been informed, specially when most parents are preparing to send their children to private English schools. Why has this policy change taken place behind our back and prepared behind closed doors?"
With the Melkonian school closure slowly kicking in as a definite reality, the clear indication from administrators and the School Committee (Hokapartsoutiun) is that they are preparing the younger Armenian generations for Greek Gymnasiums.
"How else can we explain the increase of Greek language classes" said one father. "As this is not enough, the science classes, geography and mathematics are being taught in Greek, causing confusion not only to students but to teachers who used to teach these subjects in English or Armenian", the same father concluded.
A mother of two children in Nareg said. "If they want to increase Greek classes that is fine by me, but they should not do it over classes in Armenian, as the only reason we send our children to Nareg is to get an Armenian education.. ".
Gibrahayer e-magazine believe that if there is a need for more classes in languages, or sports, computers or an all-round enhancement of the level of education at Nareg Schools, the Hokapartsoutiun should seriously consider the introduction of an all-day school.
Interested parties should collectively address the challenges of the changing times, the effects of the the closure of Melkonian and most important of all the level of Armenian education we want to include in the school curriculum through which we will build the Armenian identity of the future generations of our community.
tatiana's corner by Tatiana Ferahian

GIBRAHAYER e-magazine

your emails click here for all emails
Dear Simon,
We are all aware of the various problems in the minds of those parents, whose children attend NAREG schools.
Besides the fact that most of the lessons are being taught in the Greek language (including geography, science, mathematics), by unqualified teachers (here I am only referring to geography and science lessons), who do not possess the language, t seems that now we have a new trend. Change of programs without notification. For instance, today, Tuesday 29 November, the schedule of our children who attend the same grade (4th), did not include a Greek lesson, but there was homework assigned and a class in Greek actually held. I am assuming a class from Mathematics has been replaced by a Greek one. I do not mean to intrude in the businesses of the management, but a small notification to the parents would be greatly appreciated.
Nareg has been renowned all these years for its high standard of education, more specifically giving emphasis to the English language. Now, English is almost non existent in the school. Why? Any specific logic behind the decision? I accept that we are living in a Greek speaking country, and I accept that our children should be more fluent in their social and professional businesses in the future, which again in some cases does not make sense, as this factor should bother only the particular group of people who have the ‘means’ to arrange positions for their children in Governmental positions, or Banks. I think everybody’s aware how things operate in Cyprus.
I surely DO NOT accept the fact that due the closure of MELKONIAN, our students are left with no option but to attend Greek Schooling. Until the date that MELKONIAN still existed, the percentage of students attending MELKONIAN after NAREG has been ridiculously low. Almost all of them have attended other PRIVATE SCHOOLS, like American Academy, English School, Falcon, etc. Now, if we are talking about the families that cannot afford private schooling, and have to seek secondary education in Greek Governmental Institutions, as MELKONIAN does not exist any more, then NAREG as it is, or was, offers a well above standard for anyone who wants to attend these (Greek) schools.
Coming to the Hokapartsoutyun of NAREG, I know the members are selected by the Armenian Representative. Most of the members that I am aware of including Arm Rep himself, do not have children attending NAREG. Consequently, cannot be aware of the real problems we are facing daily with the new systems adopted in NAREG, and surely cannot take any realistic decisions, no matter how long they take their time to make a decision.
I would appreciate if you could place my thoughts in the next GIBRAHAYER edition.
Thank you,
Garine Gostanian

more emails from our readers at : www.gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com/index.htm?p=2

news in brief
Mass graves in an onion farm on the Nabi Azir hilltop in the Armenian village of Anjar have been found. They are believed to hold the bodies of 40 Lebanese soldiers killed during the Lebanese Civil War. The graves are about one kilometre from the former headquarters of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon and are located in territory formerly occupied by Syrian troops. One of the skulls had the remains of a sock in it, which is proof of the torture tactics used by Syrian intelligence.
Lebanese MP and SDHP Central Committee Member Dr Yeghig Jerejian, Bebo Simonian and a delegation from local SDHP Cyprus Branch visited Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian in Nicosia. The meeting held in a friendly atmosphere and was an opportunity to exchange views on Various issues concerning Diaspora and Armenians in Cyprus.
GIBRAHAYER e-magazineArmenian parliament passed a memorandum prolonging the stay of Armenian peacekeepers in Iraq.
In remembrance of the devastating earthquake that struck Armenia in 1988, killing almost 25,000 people, thousands in Armenia honoured those victims by visiting the graves of friends and relatives.
Armenia’s wind power plant project developed by Iran, started operations with Iran's Energy Minister Parviz Fattah and his Armenian counterpart, Armen Movsisyan attending the opening ceremony.
A fund-raising campaign coordinated by Plovdiv, Bulgaria's Council of Armenian Organizations, initiated by AGBU Plovdiv, and administered by Edouard Arsenian, raised thousands of dollars for victims of the August and September floods that devastated
a dozens of Bulgarian villages and towns, killed at least 24 people and left 14,000 people homeless.
The president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan in his interview to Slovenian newspaper Delo stated “we do not speak about joining NATO and have not set forward such task”.
Planes from Armenia are flying via Gyumri instead of Yerevan because of very heavy for and severe weather conditions. Passengers are checking in at Zvartnots and are being taken by buses to Gyumri.
Four Turkish soldiers were killed and two others were wounded when Kurdish HPG guerrillas attacked the Turkish gendarme base of Albayrak in the province of Van.
The International Turkish Societies Federation has begun a campaign to erect an ''Armenian Terror Monument'' in New York, to remember the 42 Turkish diplomats killed between 1975 - 1985 by Armenian terror groups. A representative of the Federation indicated that for years international circles have been put to sleep by Armenian Diaspora’s lies. ''It is high time to talk about the truths. We are establishing a committee of Turkish architects and historians to build the most original monument which will send a strong message about Armenian terrorist atrocities against Turkish diplomats" the representative concluded.

to the pages of savemelkonian.org ... a response www.thepixplace.com/img60647.html
MELKONIAN ALUMNI ATTACK AGBU CENTRAL BOARD AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATORS FOR MISMANAGEMENT OF MELKONIAN FUNDS. click here

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The other point of view...

Dear Simon,
You will find attached (www.thepixplace.com/img60647.html) the title deed of the MEI and i hope you put it in your next issue so that the Melkoniantsi see that all the things that the Alumni was doing is a waist of precious time and money by taking the AGBU Central Board to court,i instead of sitting down with our community to get ideas of people that can really help or give some good ideas.
How can you take to court someone that is the sole owner of a property? This is something that i want someone to explain to me,but its 2 years now that the Alumni is formed and we have had only one "Entanour Zhoghov" for a serious matter like the closing down of the MEI.
Instead of finding a way to having a serious debate with the CB in New York the Alumni was throwing mad and swearing at them and then we wanted their help?
And now in the Save Melkonian site the Alumni has a photo of a handshake and underneath i quote "Is there a chance of this(handshake) happening?".
Now, they realised that all this time they were doing nothing and now they want to find a way with the CB?
I think these people must accept their mistakes and step down cause they are giving false hope to some Melkoniantsi that believed in them.
I hope that the CB still wants to keep a day school and its up to us to find some funds and try to bring some "kisherotig" and keep the school open as long as we can.If this happens I will see how many of our community members will send their children to MEI cause it won't be free anymore,that's for sure.
IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY. But a true WILL.
Regards,
Barrett Costanian - Nicosia
professor pilikian
GIBRAHAYER e-magazine

Post-Modern Turkish Cinema - Article 2
by Professor Hovhannes Pilikian
Here is a second article by Professor Pilikian’s following last week's one on Turkish Cinema . We are delighted that he is the leading authority in Britain on Turkish films and truly honoured to hosting his corner in Gibrahayer e-magazine.
We urge our readers to visit his blog at http://pilikian.blogspot.com read and comment on his articles appearing there.
Simon Aynedjian - Editor.

The other day, my beautiful Turkish friend Asli asked me if I knew when the next Turkish film Festival would take place. I said I was hoping it would be soon, before the year ends, to preserve the record of its unbroken annual continuity. My wife Clarice (psychologist and philosopher) had attended it with me last year, and could hardly wait to see the crop of the best Turkish films this year. I then told Asil about Vedide Kaymak, a remarkable woman ...

click for complete article, at http://gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com/index.htm?p=4
You can view Professor Pilikian's blog with all his articles at: http://pilikian.blogspot.com
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Professor Hovhanness I. Pilikian is an internationally acclaimed film producer, theater director, a classical music composer, a classical scholar and social scientist, fluent in many modern languages, including French, German, Arabic, Armenian and Chinese.
sports
GIBRAHAYER e-magazine• AYMA/HMEM lost 2-1 in the Cyprus Amateur Football Championship against front runners Coopers, while AGBU Ararat lost 8-4 against title holders Parnassos, leaving them seven points behind for the title race for the Cyprus Futsal Championship.
• The National Armenian football will be arriving in Cyprus for a ten team tournament in February. Details to follow.
• On Saturday December 10, Arthur Abraham, an Armenian of Germany, became a boxing champion. He won the IBF Middleweight world champion boxing match against Nigeria born Canadian Kingsley Ikeke in Leipzig, eastern Germany by knock out during the 5th round. more at: http://forum.hayastan.com/index.php?automodule=blog&req=showblog&blogid=2&st=
• According to the results of the survey conducted by the Press Service of the Armenian Football
Federation, Aram Hakobian, a football-player from "Banants", was recognised the best football-player of 2005 with 251 points. Armen Shahgeldian from "Mika" took the second place with 215 points, Nshan Erzrumian from "Kilikia" the third place with 82 points.


armenian music by Arek Dakessian in Beirut or Professor Pilikian
Avedis choir sings for the 1600th anniversary of Our Alphabet
On Sunday, December 4, the Avedis Choir started their world tour at 8:00 pm sharp (not armenian sharp, real sharp!) from Lebanon, actually this was their second performance in Lebanon, a two-night-in-a-row thing.
The schedule was mostly Armenian, with Bach's Crucifixus and a piece by Mozart representing the classical world, and an American traditional song towards the end... The last two pieces were the typical patriotic ending, with an unannounced performance of Yerevan Tartsadz... Also part of the program was a scene from Anoush Opera. It was simply awesome.
One word to wrap up the night... shear ecstasy !

latest on Zaruhi Harutyunyan
SEVEN MAGAZINE TELLS ARMENIAN TENNIS CHAMP ZARUHI HARUTYUNYAN'S STORY
GIBRAHAYER e-magazineA game of love
One young Armenian tennis player has moved to Cyprus in the hope of launching her career. She puts Leo Leonidou through his paces.
A 15-year-old tennis player from Armenia, who came to Cyprus to compete in a local tournament three months ago, has decided to remain on the island, where she hopes to receive the training that will allow her to compete on the professional tour.
more at http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/ click on Seven Magazine on the left and read the first article entitled,
A game of love.

gibrahayer calendar
•.. still on ... Exhibition of Armenian Books organised by the Armenian Prelature with the participation of Moufflon Bookstore at the Utudjian Hall. Duration = 2 weeks. The exhibition will then will move to Larnaca and Limassol. The books are either in Armenian, French and English about Armenian History, Literature, Dictionaries, Art, Children's Books and Armenian Cuisine. www.moufflon.com.cy
•Armenian Youth (16-40) XMAS Party at Narani restaurant (below Champs sports bar) on Friday 16 December, 2005 from 8:00 pm. Entrance 4.00 CYP with buffet and first drink free. Come and enjoy an authentic Armenian dinner, music and surprises. For reservations contact Kery Nadjarian at 99476108
• Monday 19 December, 2005 at 10:00 pm and every day at Estiades, Mari Louise Kouyoumdjian sings with Antonakis (previously with Isadoras) on the piano.
• Sunday 25 December, 2005 at 8:30 pm. Annual Dinner Dance organised AYMA. December 25, 2005. Cyprus Hilton - Nicosia. Featuring Hratch Kaydzagian and his band from Lebanon. Reservations a must. Entrance 20 CYP

more events on: http://gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com/index.htm?p=1

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