Stories about Armenia from May, 2008
Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Rehearsal, Opposition Urges Boycott
The Armenian Observer posts video of the first rehearsal by Armenia's entry into next week's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, but also reports that opposition plans to urge a boycott of the young local pop star, Sirusho, continue. Regardless, with interest in Eurovision and Sirusho eclipsing local political frictions, my...
Diaspora: Armenian-American Homophobia
Writing on its blog, The Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York reports on a recent anti-homophobic event at a Glendale school and the ensuing battle of words that materialized in the local press between ethnic Armenians living in the United States.
Armenia: News Roundups
The Armenian Observer rounds up and comments on the news headlines of the week. Not unpredictably, the main topic discussed in the local media was the post-election situation in Armenia although interestingly, the focus is more on the personal conflict between the first two presidents rather than the new elected...
Armenia: International Day Against Homophobia
To mark International Day Against Homophobia, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts its Unzipped: Gay Armenia List 2008 which recognizes individuals, organizations, media outlets, blogs and events which have worked towards promoting gay rights and equality in Armenia and the Diaspora. The blog, which coincidentally celebrates its first anniversary today, also posts...
Caucasus: Creative Commons
Social Science in the Caucasus posts more details, including a video, on Creative Commons and comments on the importance of introducing the licensing concept to the South Caucasus. My Caucasus Knot also weighs in on the significance of promoting Creative Commons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Armenia: Sardarapat Anniversary Extravagance
Unzipped comments on local press reports that celebrations planned to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Sardarapat will cost $1.1 million. The blog says that while such an event should be marked, it considers the amount of money being spent by such a cash-strapped nation currently experiencing a...
Caucasus: US Immigration
Social Science in the Caucasus examines statistics released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service on the number of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas issued to citizens from the three South Caucasus countries. According to that data, Armenia has the most number of visas issued with Georgia second and Azerbaijan third.
Georgia: Political Advertising
My Caucasus Knot comments on the price of political advertising ahead of this month's parliamentary election in Georgia and compares the situation with that during elections in Armenia. Despite concerns with higher than normal rates for the pre-election campaign period in Armenia, the costs in Georgia are comparatively astronomical.
Armenia: Sirusho Soundcheck
All Kinds of Everything comments on the soundcheck by Armenia's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho. Although reporting that her initial soundcheck was “absolutely dreadful,” the blogger says that it improved although the young singer still had problems with the high notes.
Armenia: Royal Visit to Turkey
Unzipped covers the Queen and Prince Philip's first visit to Turkey since 1971. As the official state visit has been taken as signifying the importance of Anglo-Turkish relations, the blog makes reference to concerns that it could also impact on the international campaign to have the 1915 massacre and deportation...
Armenia: Iranian Trade Relations
The Armenian Economist reports on the state of trade between Armenia and Iran. The specialist blog says that actual economic turnover between the two countries is very low and pales into insignificance when compared with the amount of trade between Iran and Turkey.
Armenia: Hunger Strike
Nazarian reports that the whole adult population of Dzorakap has gone on hunger strike in support of two men detained following the 1 March clashes between the radical opposition and the authorities in Yerevan. The detainees, Mushegh and Shota Saghatelian, hail from the village.
Armenia: Mr Gay Europe
Unzipped Gay Armenia is excited by news that Armenia might be represented in this year's Mr. Gay Europe. The blog notes that the country's involvement will be a significant event and follows the region's first ever entrant last year from neighboring Azerbaijan.
Armenia: Blogging Comes of Age
Arguably the most active country in the South Caucasus when it comes to blogging, the content and relevance of blogs on Armenia was at first nothing really worth writing home about. Most posts by foreigners living in the capital almost entirely focused on how good their lives were while others...
Armenia: Charity Football Match
Dominic in Armenia, a Peace Corps Blog, posts photographs of a charitable football match recently held in Yerevan with the involvement of international aid workers and under-privileged local children. The blog says the women's team was the most impressive and changed the perception of many local Armenians towards gender and...
Armenia: Surveillance of Gays & Swingers
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on the English translation of an article written by a fugitive opposition newspaper editor and activist on surveillance of prominent gays and swingers by the successor to the KGB, the National Security Service. It is alleged that compromising dossiers are collected which can later be used...
Armenia: Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves
“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves,” The Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin sang together, and in Blogian's case this certainly seems to be the case. After overhearing one of her husband's friends try to convince him to travel to Europe to “have fun with women,” the blogger's sister ripped up his...
Caucasus: Subjective Well-being
Social Science in the Caucasus, the blog of the Caucasus Resource Research Centers, looks at the the subjective well-being of citizens living in all three South Caucasus republics. Although the data used for the survey is from 2006, the survey finds that the impact of poverty and unemployment is more...
Diaspora: Armenian Student Association Remembers Genocide
Unzipped features a guest blogger from the Armenian Student Association in California who reports on how Armenian-American university students remember the Armenian Genocide through art and performance.
Armenia: Bomb Alert
The Armenian Observer posts photographs and an account of discovering one of Yerevan's main roads blocked off by police after a small home-made bomb was discovered. The bomb was later defused.
Armenia: Youth Activism
Seetizan, the blog of a local youth activist, continues to dwell on the need to encourage the active participation of citizens, and especially youth, in addressing various local issues which are usually related to, or actually part of, much wider problems affecting the whole world. In his latest post, Seetizan...
