99th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide to Take Place in Ottawa, Canada – April 24th, 2014

The 99th Anniversary on the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide is quickly approaching next month on April 24th, 2014. To Canadian-Armenian community and more, Lets make our attendance in Ottawa, Ontario Canada in front of the Parliament Hill, The March to The Turkish Embassy a successful one with thousands of people, Lets crowd and fill the park by the Turkish Embassy, lets make the march there a huge one. Lets stand tall, voice ourselves even louder.

We need to get out there in the public eye and raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide. Not just getting together in Armenian Community Centres to commemorate, but must take a stand outside Like of course Ottawa, Queens Park, and in front of the Media eyes, gain as much Television, Social Media Awareness, get these news casters to the scene, get us on Television, and make us well known. That is how we are going to let people know what happened. We have many Armenians in Media. Lets get this Rolling…. I have never seen our Ottawa commemorations air on our TV’s and Broadcasting Corporation Channels. Something must be done about that.

The Turkish Ottoman Empire Killed 1.5 Million Armenians, and tried to wipe us all off from the Earth on April 24, 1915, but could not succeed. They also stole our lands and our Mountain Ararat – Also Known as Mount Ararat.

Please make prior arrangements from now to attend the commemoration. It is important and something we all should participate in and do our best. Lets help each other and join each others hands and lets go to OTTAWA, CANADA. Canada’s Capital….

Please see your local Cambridge, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval and other Armenian communities to gain more information on Buses, and times, so on and so forth. Lets make this year a big number in attendance. We can do this.

Introducing You Armoir Fashion – Handmade & Embossed

I would like to introduce to you a whole new twist to fashion in modern day, and that is Armoir Fashion. Firstly, I’d like to introduce you the very talented and founder of Armoir and his name is Sevag Haroutunian. He is Armenian and is raised in Toronto, Canada who is a young and captivating stylist with incredible talent of the art of Fashion. His flavour of fashion is completely fabulous with so many colourful and fresh ideas and adds spice to the studio with his creative thoughts and wisdom which bring his creations to life and inspire many people with his incredible talent. in history his own people were leather masters thousands of years ago, forging the world’s first shoe 3000 years ago out of leather.

Each piece is carefully hand crafted out of cowhide leather and the masters of art are selected with fine designs of historical and ancient manuscripts bringing it to life in modern day fashion. It is made for your comfort each unique piece is hand sanded and softened to avoid irritation and rashes to your skin. It is handmade in the Armenian Highlands of ancient origin and civilization. Each hand crafted material is embossed in unique and different ways and different styles to fit your needs and to what you are interested in.

The return of leather is trending and its designs are compelling, beautiful, and bringing history back to life with these beautiful creations.

*(credit to Armoir)The history of leather work in Armenia is known exclusively through bindings of manuscripts. The practice of protecting a manuscript with boards covered with leather goes back to the very invention of the codex in the first Christian centuries. Before that books were in the form of scrolls or continuous rolls of papyrus. The earliest preserved Armenian leather bindings are from the eleventh century; the earliest binder’s colophons are from the tenth-eleventh centuries. In this period bookbinding had become a specialized and highly developed art in medieval Armenia. Elaborately decorated bindings followed the artistic fashion of the time, for instance borrowing designs used for the ornamentation of memorial cross stones or khach’k’ars. A large variety of geometric forms was used, and later, floral as well as the traditional braided bands were employed. Also typically, Armenian was the affixing of metal studs, often silver, to outline a design. As in all other areas of Armenian art, leather bindings differ from region to region and century to century, but they share the characteristics mentioned above and thereby belong to a single recognizable family.*

*its Peerless collections vary in sizes and shades, Highlighting the human touch in each art piece*

These unique collections can be found in stores in Ontario, Canada in Ma zone, Dana Jordan and Art Gallery of Ontario.

To see visuals, to obtain more information and its beauty please click on this link http://www.armoir.ca

So take and wear a part of history with you today to share with family and friends. Enjoy the masterpiece and when you wear it, I guarantee you will enjoy it and it will catch a lot of eyes and intrigue those who see this beautiful fine art of fashion of Armoir.

 

Canadian Youth Mission To Armenia – CYMA 2013

I am delighted and glad to announce the return of the 2013 CYMA Mission to Armenia once again. Since 1993 during the summer months, the Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia participants have traveled on a memorable journey to Armenia to assist in rebuilding villages, facilities, churches, and provide aid to Armenia. Annually this mission is very important to provide humanitarian work, binding youth to their homeland Armenia, and dedicated to assisting the children of Armenia. CYMA is part of the project by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada. This years mission to Armenia will be to renovate a school in the Geghadir village. In addition to renovating the school a children’s workshop, distribution of humanitarian aid, and local community visitations will also take place in the village.

The main purpose of the Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia is to experience a fulfilling journey, to learn, and participants will experience something totally different to live with local families to develop and strengthen the emotional and spiritual bond between Armenian youth, as well as Canada and Armenia. This years Journey to Armenia will be from July 8, 2013 until August 8th, 2013. For 4 weeks, Youth will not only be rebuilding the school in Geghadir Village, they will always go on excursions to visit Historical Landmarks of Armenia, visiting churches, museums, and visiting the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia. which is the Country’s Capital, also visiting St Etchmiadzin which is the First church ever built, among going to Lake Sevan and having a swim, recreational time, experiencing tasting Armenian food, the night life, day life, and among spending time with each other who will be participating, creating everlasting friendships, and returning back home with a new perspective on life, to be nurtured, educated, getting out in the world to see new things, to develop a whole new outlook on life, to spread the word on what they learned, what they experienced, and what it meant for each person to be there, and so much more.

CYMA has always been and will always be dedicated to its mission, and for many years to come.

CYMA is open to anyone over the age of 17, as of July 1st, 2013 and anybody can participate in this beautiful journey to the homeland motherland Armenia.

THE COST

The cost of the trip including airfare, food, transportation, excursion and accommodation

will be $2,800  $300 non refundable deposit by April 15 ($500 by May 1).

Second Payment: By June 1,  $1,700.

Final Payment: By June 19, $ 975

History

Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia LEGACY

1993 Built a school in Ararat
1994 Renovated a seminary and an adjacent church in Harich
1995 Renovated “Nor Tbrots” school in Ararat
1996 Renovated “Megheti” children’s day campus in Dilijan
1997 Day Camp for 200 orphans in Dzaghgatsor
1998 Renovated Khor Virab & conducted day camps in Ararat
1999 Renovated Dzaghgatsor orphanage
2000 Renovated school in Aradashen
2001 Youth Pilgrimage commemorating 1700th Anniversary of Christianity
2002 Continued renovations of school in Aradashen
2003 Renovation of a kindergarten in Taleen
2004 Many Hands, One Heart! Saghmosavank
2005 Building our Future! Renovation of Christian Education Center in Armavir
2006 Renovation of a kindergarten in the village of Aradashen.
2007 Extend Your Hand Expend Your Family: Renovation of St. Nshan Church in Armavir
2008 Oshagan Village
2009 Oshagan Village
2010 Geghadir Village Renovation of the Village  school.

2012 Geghadir Village continuing the Renovation of the School.

http://armenianchurch.ca/mission/cyma/

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.466287276717332&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/armeniamission

You can gain more information from Deacon Ivan Gyadayan or Bedros Kokorian from Toronto and Montreal Parishes. Flight will be from Montreal, Quebec.

For more information please call:

Deacon Ivan, Montreal  514-549-0416.

Email: deaconivangyadayan@gmail.com

615, Stuart Outremont, Qc, Canada H2V 3H2

Bedros Kokorian, Toronto 416-804-4763

Email: kokorian@rogers.com

Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church

920 Progress Ave, Scarborough, Ont. Canada M1G 3T5

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Thank you, and we hope you will join CYMA 2013 for a rewarding and beautiful experience to take on with you for life.

My Motherland & Beautiful Armenia & Its History

Today, I am going to talk to you about My Motherland and Beautiful Armenia.  Armenia is located between Europe and Asia. We have an incredible history of people and things. Our Alphabet has 38 letters and it was invented by one of our great inventors Mesrob Mashtotz (MES-ROB, MASH-TOTZ). We have a library called Madenataran and our important books of history are kept there and a statue of our Mesrob Mashtotz is just outside. Our very first Pontiff/Pope of Armenia was St Gregory the Illuminator, in Armenian we say (Sourp Krikor Lousavorich). He was falsely imprisoned in a hole for 13 years under this church called Khor Virab (KHO-R VEERAB), and from this Church Monastery you can see the Mount Ararat which was once Armenia’s Property and I still think to this day it is still ours. It is where the Noah’s Arc came to rest. Mount Ararat was stolen from Armenia and it’s lands from the Turkish Government. in April 24, 1915, The Armenian Genocide happened and 1.5 Million Armenians were killed and massacred by the Turkish Ottoman Empire, and which they stole our lands and property. Since then we have commemorated and paid our respects to those brutally murdered in Armenian Communities around the world. In Armenia we have the Armenian Genocide Memorial, and its called Dzidzernagapert (D-ZID-ZER-NAGA-PERT). Every year on April 24th, All of Armenia’s Schools, Workplaces would be closed and everyone would go to the Memorial to place flowers all around the Eternal Flame which has never stopped. The Turkish government still fails to recognize their crimes against Armenia and its been an ongoing struggle for the Armenians, but we sure will not give up and we will continue to protest every year until justice is served for our people who’s lives we lost. I have friends whose families in the past have been through the Genocide. There are still Survivors to this day, but Very few left in the world. Armenia’s Capital city is Yerevan. It is located in the heart of Armenia.

Our Armenia flag has 3 colours, Red, Blue and Orange. Armenia has so many different types of produce and food. Armenia’s national fruit is the Apricot (Dziran) (D-ZEE-RAN), and as well as the Pomegranate. We also have the freshest Cherries, Grapes and Watermelons.  Armenia has a beautiful lake called Sevan. I remember going there a couple of times, to swim and take in the beauty of Armenia. We have incredible monasteries and churches such as St Etchmiadzin, St Mary, Haghardzin, St Hripsime, Garni, Geghard, Saghmosavank, and so much more. We have incredible Cafes, and restaurants, we have incredible fashion stores, Armenian Cognac and different types of Liquor Factories, Kotayk Beer, Coca Cola Bottles written in Armenian letters, Wonderful tasting Ice creams. Armenia is beyond rich in History.

When I was a child., I began to learn a lot about my culture, heritage, history, Alphabet, to learn how to speak it, to read and write Armenian, my parents sent me to Armenian Saturday School. When I graduated grade 8 in 1999, and it was the first year from the Armenian Saturday school trip that we embarked on a trip to our Motherland Armenia on July 21st, 1999. We flew with Air Canada to Paris, France Charles De Gaule Airport, where we toured Paris for a good 10 hours, then we headed back to the Airport to take Armenian Airlines (Which is now Armavia) right to our Motherland Armenia. I will never forget the feeling when I landed on Armenia’s Soil. I kissed the ground and I felt so different being there. All around me are Armenian Letters, Armenian Speaking people, and everything I learned in school came right before my eyes. It was an incredible journey and experience of a lifetime and I will never forget it. At times when I was in Armenia, I felt very homesick with my first time taking a trip without my parents as beforehand all the traveling was done with my parents. My cousins also had come with me and it was a great experience. To this day, I still remember everything so fresh in my mind ,and everything was incredible. After Armenia, we took Armenian Airlines to Frankfurt Germany, where we were there for 6 hours. Then we flew Lufthansa back to Toronto, Canada where our families were waiting anxiously for us in the waiting area of the Airport.

I had arrived to Toronto, but my luggage was left behind in Germany. I had so many things and souvenirs I had packed in my luggage and I got so upset. About a few days later, my luggage was found and later brought back to Toronto on another flight. All my things were safe and nothing was broken thankfully because I had packed them very well and I had already become an experienced and good packer. I have kept my boarding passes, tickets and everything from my Armenia trip and I have created a Special Armenia box with everything in it. Later than I began to join Armenian clubs, youth committees and trying to do everything I can to keep my Heritage alive and to this day, I still do. I love being Armenian and I am a proud to be one. If you have the chance and if your making travel plans, make sure Armenia is on your list. In terms of getting a visitors Visa, you can get it right from Armenia’s Airport called Zvartnotz. You do not need any special vaccinations, shots to enter Armenia. It is very safe and clean. Armenia people are so friendly and helpful and they will accommodate your every need.. Visit Armenia. Its beautiful. for more information and if you want to know more, search the internet and you will find photos, history, background and so much more.

Shunoragalem (SHEN-ORA-GAL-EM) in Armenian means Thank you.

What Neil Armstrongs Mission To The Moon Meant To Me.

After hearing about Neil Armstrong’s passing yesterday. it got me to think about how important it is to work hard at your dreams even if it means to reach for the moon and stars. Now, you see Neil Armstrong left a huge legacy and a good name for himself. In the history books, on the internet and in world history, he will always be the one who first walked on the moon being called, the man on the moon, and that sends out a message to everyone to never stop dreaming and go for what you want, because most of the time it doesn’t come to you, you have to go after it. Now, what this meant to me is that dreams can come true, but in order for it to come true is that you must work hard at it and it will. You just have to keep pursuing what you want out of your life. You can be what you want to be, but you have to really get going. You can’t say I will do it next year, or I will start doing something soon, no, things don’t work that way. If your going to do something, do it now, and don’t leave it for another day or next time because that next time sometimes doesn’t come back. What you have to do now, you do it. Everything comes into place after whatever you do and however you want it. Sometimes things take time to progress and takes time to be successful but think of it this way, the more your procrastinate and keep leaving things off, the more time it will take to where you want to be. Now is the time to get going with your plans and do something about it. You never start from the top. Work your way up to bigger and better things.

You can do anything you put your mind to. There is no time for excuses. I am not saying everyone has to reach the moon in order to be successful in life, each one of us has a gift and talent that we can utilize. One person can be good at something and one person can’t be good at that same thing, but each of us have something to offer to this world. If not now, in future. It all depends on how you overlook your life.

I respected Neil Armstrong and now that he has passed away, I’d like to offer my sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those who knew him. His legacy and his mission will always be remembered in our hearts and he will always be known as a go getter who was mainly the man on the moon, and now he is there with the stars in the sky and heaven gained an angel. God rest his soul and keep his soul bright in the white and lighted heavens in the sky.