100 Years, 100 Reasons – Armenians Are Still Here – 1915-2015

This year in 2015 on April 24th, It will be Armenian Genocide’s 100 Year Commemoration.
The Turkish Ottoman Empire failed to wipe Armenians off the Earth and here are 100 reasons why Turkey Failed. #TurkeyFailed

1. We can Still read Armenian
2. We can still speak Armenian
3. We have 38 letters in the Armenian Alphabet
4. We are the first Adopter of Christianity in 301 A.D.
5. Our Flag is Red, Blue and Orange
6. Armenians have been Around for thousands of years and will be here forever
7. We can still write in Armenian
8. We are few in the world, but will always remain Armenian
9. We have the first church built named “Sourp Etchmiadzin”
10. We have a beautiful Country
11. The Apricot, Grapes, Pomegranates are fruits of our Nation

12. William Saroyan’s Quote “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

13. Our Armenia Capital is Yerevan
14. We can sing Armenian Songs
15. We can pray in Armenian
16. We have many churches across the world
17. We have many Armenian Community Centres across the world
18. 13 Million Armenians are living around the world
19. Armenia became independent in 1991 from the Soviet Union
20. St Gregory the Illuminator was our first Catholicos
21. We have Armenian Inventors, Innovators
22. We have So many Armenian Singers and Performers
23. Armenians are great at Chess
24. Mesrob Mashtotz, Creator of the Armenian Alphabet
25. Vartan Mamigonian – year 451 Vartanantz
26. Sassountzi Tavit – David of Sassoun
27. We have beautiful Armenian Scripture
28. Armenians have the rarest and most beautiful books in Madenataran – Library in Armenia
29. We have Khor Virap Church
30. Mount Ararat will always be ours even though The Turkish Ottoman Empire took it away from us
31. Hagop Oshakan, novelist, literary critic
32. Atom Egoyan who is a film director, producer
33. Isabel Bayrakdarian/Serouj Kradjian — Armenian Pianist, Singer
34. Cher Sarkissian — Singer “Cher”
35. Daniel Varoujan, lyric poet
36. Vahan Tekeyan, poet, political leader
37. Arshile Gorky, abstract painter
38. Hovhannes Shiraz, nationalistic poet
39. Paruyr Sevak, Eastern Armenian poet
40. Tigran the Great — Dikran
41. Charles Aznavour – Armenian singer
42. Kirk Kirkorian – Businessman and MGM Owner
43. Kev Orkian — actor, musician & comedian
44. Eric Bogosian, playwright and performance artist
45. Ken Davitian, actor
46. Robert Zildjian, founder of Sabian Cymbals
47. We have delicious Foods
48. Armenians have the best coffee
49. Andre Agassi — Tennis Player
50. Geghard Church
51. Garni Temple
52. Republic Square of Yerevan
53. Lake Sevan
54. Zvartnots Airport and Cathedral
55. St. Hripsime Church
56. Tatev Monastery
57. The Yerevan Opera House
58. Erebuni Museum
59. Sardarabad
60. Gyumri
61. Kohar Music School – Kohar Music
62. Shushi
63. Nagorna Gharabagh – Artsakh
64. The Armenian Dram — Armenia Money Currency
65. Dilijan
66. Talin City
67. Oshagan
68. Armenian Alphabet Field
69. Mamig Dadig Statue
70. Noravank Church
71. Beautiful Hills and Mountains
72. Our DOOF Kar — Our Armenia Rock
73. Rich and beautiful Agriculture
74. Hayasdan is Armenia
75. We have beautiful and rich history, that will always remain part of us
76. Armenians are Forever
77. We have Armenians in Sports
78. Jermuk Falls
79. Ararat Cognac
80. Yeraplur
81. Akhtamar
82. Armenian Cross Rocks — Khatchkars
83. The Gate to Armenia is Always Open – Welcome!
84. Mayr Hayasdan Statue — Mother of Armenia statue with a Sword
85. Beautiful Roads leading to beautiful cities and towns of Armenia
86. beautiful trees and nature
87. the skies, the ground, Armenia is natural
88. Armenian Communities of the world Come together to commemorate the Armenian Genocide
89. We Armenians get together in our communities
90. Armenians enjoy parties and get togethers
91. Ararat the Movie
92. My Uncle Rafael Movie
93. Musa Dagh
94. We feel great when we hear someone speaking Armenian in a store and just hear our beautiful language spoken
95. Armenian Folk dances are beautiful
96. Armenian Patriotic and National Songs are touching
97. Wedding attendances are large
98. Our Armenian Identity is special
99. Our hearts, minds, souls, body, physically, mentally and emotionally will always be Armenian
100. After all that we have been through from the Armenian Genocide and beyond, we are still here and will be forever.

 

There are so many other reasons.

God bless Armenia and Armenians!

The Road to Beautiful Armenia

Hello, My name is Talin Orfali and I am here to introduce to you my motherland, my culture, my heritage, The Beautiful Armenia and its rich history. Armenia is located in the South Caucasus, which is bordered by Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. The Official language of Armenia, is Armenian, However you can hear some Russian being spoken, road signs, store signs in Russian, and of course you can hear English as well.

the year 301, Armenia is the first country in the world that has adopted Christianity. The Armenian Church goes back many centuries ago and was founded by 2 Apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholomew. St Gregory the Illuminator was our first Catholicos (Our Pope), of the Armenian Church. He was held in a Hole for 13 years at church named Khor Virap(Khor Virab), which is located close to Mount Ararat, then he had finally be rescued and escaped the Dungeon. Our First ever Church built is the Holy See of Etchmiadzin in the city of Etchmiadzin. It is the oldest Church in the World.

Armenia is mountainous, with rivers, forests, ravines, and it is located mostly at 1800 meters above sea level. The highest point is Aragats Mountain at (4092m), and the lowest is Debed Valley at (400m). We also have our square, Yerevan square, which is Hrabarag. Yerevan is our capital.

The road to beautiful Armenia is incredible, the beauty of our hills and valleys, The Statues, Monuments, Churches, from our great and rich history include, the David of Sassoun, Vartan Mamigonian, Akhtamar, Garni, Geghard, Noravank, St Mary’s, Haghardzin Monastery, Mesrob Mashtots who is the Inventor and creator of The Armenian Alphabet which we have 38 letters, The Madenataran which is our Library with Saint Mesrob Mashtot’s Statue with our Alphabet in the front, There is St. Hripsime, St Gregory the Illuminator Church, You may or may not have heard about our writer William Saroyan. We have many authors, and important figures in our history, past and present.

Some of our Armenian’s include, Atom Egoyan, Andre Agassi, Andrea Martin, Charles Aznavour, Ross Baghdasaryan, Cher, Arshile Gorky, Steve Jobs, Kirk Kirkorian, Aram Khatchaturian, Alex Manougian, David Nalbandian, Raffi, Seymour Skinner who is from the Simpsons, Zildjian Family, System of a Down, Eric Bogosian, Capital Cities group (one of them is Armenian) , the inventor of the MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging), Machine is also Armenian named Dr. Raymond Damadian.

Armenia is just so rich in history, culture, and so much more. Armenia’s flag consists of 3 colours, Red, Blue, Orange. Our currency of money is Dram’s. Check your local Currency for the difference. There is just so much history, so much to know about Armenia, the history, and everything else. If you are more curious, You can definitely search online for more information on our culture, beliefs, religion and so much more.

I had the pleasure of visiting my motherland the Beautiful Armenia in 1999 for the first time. I kissed the ground of Armenia when I first got off the plane. It was a feeling that was beautiful and I was crying with happy tears. It was an amazing journey that really touched my heart. I had gone to Armenian Saturday school and everything I learned came to life, and knowing that and feeling the presence of our history makers, ancestors really made me feel so incredible, knowing that where I may have walked, that several hundred and thousands of years ago, there may have been those people walking the same very steps, as I have took. It was a feeling I will never forget. To this very day, I never forgot the moments when I was there. I will never forget when I took a swim in our lake Sevan, where we put delicious and juicy watermelon in the water so it stays cool where we can eat it by the water.  I had gone to Armenia with my fellow classmates, and couple of my cousins, teachers and volunteers after graduating Armenian School in grade 8. It was a trip I never forgot and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

After returning from Armenia, I began to volunteer and utilize my time in the Armenian community as much as possible. I was in the Armenian community centers here in Toronto and the country more than I was at home. I have just recently began to come back into it all and it feels amazing. It feels great to give back to my community as much as possible.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Armenia and make that part of your travel plans to see the world, it is a must. You can obtain a tourist visa at the Airport, and you do not need any vaccinations or anything. Follow up with your travel agent, tour operator to obtain more information and your preferences. Also if you have any other questions of Armenia, do not hesitate to contact me. I really hope you enjoyed the Road to beautiful Armenia.

I am so proud to be an Armenian.