“Bruises to the soul”:Performance Dedicated to The Women’s Rights

On the occasion of the international day of the fight against the Gender Violations, the Armenian center of the women’s rights will present the performance called “Bruises to the soul”, the employee of the press office of the “Women’s rights center” informed aysor.am.

The initiation of staging the performance was after the “Women’s rights center”. The performance was brought to life by a group of students from Yerevan Theatre’s and cinema state institute. The performance will take place today in H. Tumanyan’s theatre.

The performance is about a young married couple. Nina is living with the hard memories in her heart and Alek is not able to understand her, see the bruises that are in the soul of her wife. The only way of coming out of that situation is the leaving…  Read more... (182 words)

Life in Armenian Village of Brnakot – Deprived of Everything

The Brnakot village used to be one of the renowned centers of Syunik. The village is known for its monuments, church, history and the people who were born here such as historian Nikoghayos Adonts. The village is known for its 4 heroes who participated in WWII, many scientists, as well as state and cultural figures.

Aramayis Sahakyan, 87, says that the village was once famous, but there are no more hospitable, humanitarian and nationalist villagers. “Nothing has changed for the good in our village. There is no birth rate. There were 90 births and 20 deaths in the village in 1963. A couple of days ago, the village council official Andranik said that there are only 7 births this year. How can the village survive like this?” says Aramayis Sahakyan.  Read more... (379 words)

Tendencies and Moods: Armenian- Turkish Relations Through Sociology And Psychology

Armenian ethno-psychologist estimating the six-week discussions over the Armenian-Turkish protocols, divide the social mood in Armenia into three groups.

Karine Nalchajyan says the first group immediately rejects any relation with Turkey. The second extreme group believes that they will finally live well, without any hostility with Turks. The third represents those who are for the normalization of relations but not by current means.

“I believe the second group, who are rather large in our country cause somehow danger for the society, because they run the Turkish preaching machinery within the country,”

says Nalchajyan, candidate of psychological science.

She believes that the problem refers to all Armenians, no matter where they live – in Armenia or in Diaspora.  Read more... (344 words)

Will high schools replace private tutors?

14-year-old Shushan Hakobyan, schoolgirl of Yerevan’s Secondary School N 197, will no longer study with her classmates as the educational institution has no high classrooms.

In 2008 Armenia converted to a three-level educational system with the following sequence: elementary school, middle school and high school.

The formation of high schools is a gradual process.

Forty-eight high schools will operate throughout Armenia this year, seventeen of which are located in Yerevan. It means that each community of Yerevan City will have one or two high schools.

At present, there are 1169 secondary schools in Yerevan.

Vanik Misakyan, chief specialist of the RA Ministry of Education and Science, says the number of high schools will total 150 in two or three years.  Read more... (595 words)

Gyumri citizens prefer fresh meat

There are a few companies importing meat to Armenia today.

The quality of imported meat is checked and tested in special frontier posts and samples are forwarded to laboratories.

The meat is allowed to be imported to the republic only after a positive answer is received.

Imported meat is used in various meat products sold throughout the country.

There is no meat-importing company in Shirak Marz and meat is usually taken to Shirak from the capital.

Local residents have different opinions on the quality of meat products sold in shops. Some sounded pleased while others said they always bought meat from acquaintances and “tested” butchers. There were people who complained of the quality of meat products and said they preferred fresh meat.  Read more... (185 words)

Armenia: Homophobia turns deadly

Even if homosexuality was decriminalized in Armenia in 2002, society remains largely intolerant and traditional in its values. Naturally, in a country where nationalist ideology is also somewhat prevalent, fears that homophobia might turn even more extreme appear to be turning into reality. With blogs providing LGBT activists with a medium through which to voice their concerns, such fears can now be highlighted more openly than before.

This is especially true when in many cases it is actually the local media, and even some civil society groups, which seeks to promote homophobia. However, in recent weeks the level of intolerance in the mainstream media has alarmed many, with one newspaper going so far as to seemingly encourage hate crimes against members of the LGBT community in the country.  Read more... (635 words)