ARARAT Center for Strategic Research

The 6th annual conference on the Armenian Cause Today took place on 13-14 November 2008 in Tehran. The conference discussed the new challenges in pursuing the Armenian Cause in the light of the current situation in the Caucasus. As one of the keynote speakers for the event, Head of the "Ararat" Center for Strategic Research Dr. Armen Ayvazyan delivered a report on the "Structural Analysis of the Armenian-Turkish conflict".

10 October 2008
Parliamentary Hearings at the NKR National Assembly
On 10 October 2008 Dr. Armen Ayvazyan, Head of the ARARAT Center for Strategic Research participated in the NKR National Assembly hearings on the “Current Situaiton in the South Caucasus: The Prospects for International Recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.” The Republic of Armenia delegation was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Sh. Kocharyan, member of RA National Assembly E. Soghomonyan and several experts.
The event was widely covered by the press. A. Ayvazyan discusses the topics raised during these parliamentary hearings in his 14 October interview to “Golos Armenii” newspaper (in Russian).

Meeting with Swiss Parliamentarians

On October 8, 2008, the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute organised a briefing by several Armenian experts for the members of Swiss Federal Assembly's Parliamentary Group Switzerland-Armenia. The Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia was also present.

Mr. Richard Giragosyan and Mr. Sergey Minasyan spoke about Armenia's internal and external political developments.

Dr. Armen Ayvazyan, Head of ARARAT Center for Strategic Research made a presentation on the "Artsakh Conflict in the Context of Regional Reallignments". The excerpts from Dr. Ayvazyan's report are available here (in Armenian).

03 October 2008
Dr. Armen Ayvazyan to Meet YSU Students

Today, on October 3, 2008, at 16:30, Dr. Armen Ayvazyan will meet students of the Journalism Department at the Yerevan State University. The meeting is organized by the “Young journalists club” active within the University. Dr. Ayvazyan will speak on issues of regional security, Armenian-Turkish conflict, Artsakh, and national identity. There will be a quesiton and answer session following the lecture. The event is open to the public: Address: Alek Manoukian Str. 5, Yerevan State University, Department of Journalism, “Multimedia” Center.

01 October 2008
Head of ARARAT Center Meets Students in Vanadzor

On Tuesday, September 30, 2008, Dr. Armen Ayvazyan, Director of the ARARAT Center for Strategic Research had a talk at the Vanadzor State Pedagogical Institute. The event was initiated and organized by the "Armenian Human Rights Center after Fridtjof Nansen" in Vanadzor. Over hundred university students in the town attended the meeting. The lecture focused on the issue of the Armenian identity – its components and present challenges. The question and answer session also touched upon the strategic security issues of Armenia in the context of the Armenian-Turkish conflict.

22 September 2008
ARARAT Center for Strategic Research presents

“Saga about General Andranik”, a book by Suren Sahakyan
and “Haratev Paykar”, CD of Sahak Sahakyan’s patriotic songs

Wednesday 24 September 2008, 19:00
Komitas Chamber Music Hall, Yerevan

The book presents the saga about General Andranik, recorded and edited by dialectologist and philologist Suren Sahakyan during 1960-1980 from the stories told by the Western Armenians, particularly the Alashkertsis, Sassountsis, Mshetsis and Shapingarahisartsis, as well as the Eastern Armenians.

These unique epic stories, created in the 19-20th centuries, shed light on the heroic life of General Andranik and his comrades-in-arms. This saga is a wonderful product of the collective mentality of the Armenian people – the reflection of its attitude towards the national liberation struggle.

We will also present the new compact disc of military-patriotic songs by the famous singer Sahak Sahakyan, who will perform a number of them during the presentation.

The book and the CD will be presented by:
• Lusine Sahakyan, PhD in Philology, editor of the book
• Arusyak Sahakyan, PhD in Philology
• Alexander Safaryan, PhD in History
• Tovmas Poghosyan, PhD in Philology

Excerpts from the Saga of General Andranik will be read at the presentation.

For more information about the event, contact the ARARAT Center for Strategic Research by telephone to 27 48 33, or by e-mail to info@ararat-center.org or araratinfo@gmail.com.

01 september 2008
Karabakh Medal Awarded to ARARAT Center for Strategic Research

The "20-TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KARABAKH NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT" medal was handed to Dr. Armen Ayvazyan, Director of the ARARAT Center, by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Mr. Ashot Ghulyan, at the August 30, 2008 meeting with the graduates of the Center's 2008 Summer School program. Mr. Ghulyan mentioned that the medal is awarded to the ARARAT Center for its consistent activities and continued research into the Karabakh problem.

On the front of the medal are featured the "We and Our Mountains" monument in Stepanakert by S. Baghdasaryan and the dates marking the twenty-year-long movement. The reverse side depicts a Fist symbolizing the movement and the flag of NKR in the form of a dove.

August 9, 2008

ON THE 4500TH ANNIVERSARY OF HAYK’S VICTORY

Dear compatriots!

The year 2008 marks the 4,500th anniversary of the Armenian Patriarch Hayk's victory against Bel, at the Hayots Dzor battle.

According to the calendar calculation by Levond Alishan, prominent armenologist, the day of the battle falls on the 1st day of the month of Navasard in the Armenian calendar, i.e., August the 11th. Hayk's victory put the process of Armenia's state-formation and development on a firm basis.

ARARAT Center for Strategic Research congratulates all Armenians worldwide on this glorious occasion and wishes that our collective will-power be as firm and steadfast as Hayk's arm. Commemorating our state-crafting victory, we believe that the Armenians will honorably meet the present challenges facing Armenia as well and build, step by step, our brighter future - irreversibly strong and united!

On the occasion of this anniversary ARARAT Center presents on its website:
• An article on the significance of Hayk's victory and the calendar calculation of this historic event by Edward L. Danielyan, Dr.-Prof. of History;
• The ancient Armenian "Birth of Vahagn" poem preserved by Movses Khorenatsi as well as its translations into Russian and English;
• The debut premier of a song by Mrs. Ruzan Sahakyan based on the "Birth of Vahagn" poem;
• A poster depicting the birth of Vahagn, God of War in Armenian mythology.

LONG LIVE ARMENIA!

ARARAT Center For Strategic Research
Yerevan, August 9, 2008

15 July 2008

ARARAT Center for Strategic Research is pleased to inform you about the new stage of its Javakhk project.
The Javakhk archive offers news, facts, analyses and publications on a broad range of issues. It contains a large amount of information and analyses on the socio-economic, political, cultural and demographic situation in this strategically important Armenian-populated region.
We believe that this new internet-resourse will be useful for the Armenian decision-makers as well as the public at large for better identification and deeper understanding of the urgent problems awaiting solutions in Javakhk.

PRESS RELEASE
"Ararat Foundation"
"Ararat" Center for Strategic Research, Yerevan
3115 Foothill Blvd., M-173
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: 818-303-5566
e-mail: contact@araratfoundation.org

Armen Ayvazyan to speak on "The Cornerstones of Armenian Identity or Who Is An Armenian" - Lecture & Public Discussion.

You are cordially invited to a lecture and a public discussion on " The Cornerstones of Armenian Identity or Who Is An Armenian " by Armen Ayvazyan, doctor of political science and history, senior researcher in the Matenadaran, adjunct assistant professor of political science at the American University of Armenia and director of " Ararat " Center for Strategic Research in Yerevan.

"In the current most complex period of development of Armenia and the Armenians, the problem of the Armenian identity represents not only an academic interest but has a serious practical significance. There are some irrefutable realities which we must see and accept exactly as they stand. A strong national identity is a strategic asset in the process of building and strengthening a nation-state. The dilution of national identity hinders the consolidation of individual and society around national goals and objectives. "Armen Ayvazyan

This very special event will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale, CA. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

* " The Cornerstones of Armenian Identity or Who Is An Armenian ", a newly 29-page publication in Armenian, English and Russian will be presented to the public.

Patriot Club congratulates all of you with the Victory Day and invites you to a very interesting and informative meeting with Dr. Armen Ayvazyan

Director of the "Ararat" Center for Strategic Research, Professor of Political Science in American University of Armenia, Ph.D. in Political Science, author of many books and scientific works and above all a True Armenian!

The topic of the meeting is
"The Fundamentals of Armenian Identity Today
Or
Who Is an Armenian?"

The meeting will take place on
May 15 (Thursday) at 18.30 in the
American University of Armenia Room 26

In the current most complex period of development of Armenia a strong national identity is a strategic cornerstone, which must unite Armenians around national goals and objectives... The question of identity is vital especially today when the Armenian ethnicity is under the threat of extinction on the territory of its own homeland …

On April 25, 2008 Dr. Armen Ayvazyan, Director of the ARARAT Center for Strategic Research, held a discussion-lecture with a group of about 50 students in Yerevan on the topic of “Strategic Gaps in the Armenian Political Thought”. The meeting was organized by the Luysi Ashkhar NGO .

The lecture focused on the following subtopics:
• Current state of the Armenian strategic thought;
• Strategic importance of terminology;
• History as a strategic resource and the inseparable part of geopolitics;
• Artshakh together with the liberated territory as an integral and foremost for Armenia’s strategic security;
• Armenia’s present geopolitical situation. What is modern Armenia? What is Homeland?

The lecture was followed by an active question-and-answer session in the framework of predefined issues. The meeting lasted about 3 hours. It generated interest among participants for future follow up activities.

ARARAT center for strategic research
30 April, 2008
More here

We are glad to announce the opening of "Ararat" Center's Blog

Cher(e) ami(e),

La sécurité de l’Arménie est un sujet qui nous préoccupe tous, et il est essentiel que nous en comprenions les enjeux, les menaces et les intérêts stratégiques.

L’UGAB et ses sections de Paris, Marseille, Lyon et Valence, en partenariat avec l’Institut Tchobanian, organisent un cycle de conférence sur le thème « les fondements de la sécurité de l’Arménie et les moyens de les appliquer ».

Ces conférences analyseront les menaces majeures auxquelles feront face la République d’Arménie et le Karabakh dans un proche avenir, autour de sujets du conflit au Karabakh, des relations Arméno-Turques et de la situation des Arméniens au Djavaghk en Géorgie.

Visitez le site http://fr.agbueurope.org en français.
Please visit http://en.agbueurope.org in English.

Détail des conférences

Paris
Vendredi 4 avril à 20h30 au Centre culturel Alex Manoogian de l’UGAB
118 Rue de Courcelles, 75017 Paris
Pour télécharger l’invitation : http://paris.ugab.fr/2008/02/11/securite/

Intervenants
Armen Ayvazian, directeur du Centre de Recherche Stratégique “Ararat”
Professeur Assistant de Science Politique à l'Université américaine de l'Arménie
Grand Témoin
François THUAL, Géopolitologue, Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite et Officier des Palmes académiques
Débats dirigés par Varoujan Sarkissian
Rédacteur en chef de France-Arménie

Marseille
Mardi 8 avril à 20h00 au Centre culturel de l’UGAB
327, bd Michelet, 13009 Marseille
Pour télécharger l’invitation : http://marseille.ugab.fr/2008/03/20/securite/

Intervenants
Armen Ayvazian, directeur du Centre de Recherche Stratégique “Ararat”
Professeur Assistant de Science Politique à l'Université américaine de l'Arménie
Et Prof. Robert Der Merguerian
Débats dirigés par Varoujan Sarkissian
Rédacteur en chef de France-Arménie

Valence
Mercredi 9 avril à 20h00 au Centre culturel de l’UGAB
6 Rue Faventines, 26000 Valence
Pour télécharger l’invitation : http://valence.ugab.fr/2008/03/26/securite-armenie/

Intervenant
Armen Ayvazian, directeur du Centre de Recherche Stratégique “Ararat”
Professeur Assistant de Science Politique à l'Université américaine de l'Arménie
Débats dirigés par Varoujan Sarkissian
Rédacteur en chef de France-Arménie

Lyon
Jeudi 10 avril à 18h30 au Centre culturel de l’UGAB
12 Rue Emile Zola, 69002 Lyon
Pour télécharger l’invitation : http://lyon.ugab.fr/2008/03/28/securite-armenie/

Intervenant
Armen Ayvazian, directeur du Centre de Recherche Stratégique “Ararat”
Professeur Assistant de Science Politique à l'Université américaine de l'Arménie
Débats dirigés par Varoujan Sarkissian
Rédacteur en chef de France-Arménie

Ararat Center for Strategic Research introduces a special section, Javakhk on its website (see in Analysis), where analytical and documentary materials will be posted about the problems of Javakhk and its Armenian population.

Read the Press Release here.