ARMISS choir performing the Air For Advent
Books for Life of Bible Society received its share from the blast
Christian youth movements call for signs of unity
A number of major international Christian youth movements and organizations called for stronger efforts towards unity in a joint statement issued on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Addressed to the heads of the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, Christian World Communions and Regional Ecumenical Organizations, the statement asks them to "share ecumenical dialogue with young people" and expresses the commitment of the signatories to "raise awareness of the importance of Christian unity among young people".
Source: World Council of Churches
Source: World Council of Churches
A street in Lyon was named in memory of Hrant Dink
On January 19, on initiative of Mayor of Lyon Gerald Colomb, a street was named in memory of Hrant Dink.
Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church Rene Levonian conveyed the gratitude of Dink’s widow Rakel.
Turkish Ambassador to France Ismail Hakka Musa also attended the ceremony. However, he left immediately after the event participants referred to the 1915 events.
Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church Rene Levonian conveyed the gratitude of Dink’s widow Rakel.
Turkish Ambassador to France Ismail Hakka Musa also attended the ceremony. However, he left immediately after the event participants referred to the 1915 events.
Think Before You Post
Watch this trailer on youtube...
You have to be aware of what you're posting on the web.
Here's a question that will help you decide whether what you will post about yourself is for your own good: Will my parents be proud of me if they see it? Could it be used against my own good? Might I later regret about posting it? Could I lose my job because of it?
Educating our kids and youth about the web...
You have to be aware of what you're posting on the web.
Here's a question that will help you decide whether what you will post about yourself is for your own good: Will my parents be proud of me if they see it? Could it be used against my own good? Might I later regret about posting it? Could I lose my job because of it?
Educating our kids and youth about the web...
Ten Thousand Gathered in Istanbul in Memory of Hrant Dink
http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/104282/more-than-ten-thousand-gathered-in-memory-of-hrant-dink
On the first anniversary of the murder of journalist Hrant Dink, more than ten thousand people gathered in front of the Agos newspaper office, the place where he was shot.
On 19th January 2007, Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, was shot dead in front of his office in Sisli, Istanbul. The country was shocked by pictures of his prostrate body on the pavement, covered by newspapers, with just the worn soles of his shoes visible. A voice of dialogue and democracy had been silenced.
Hrant Dink’s funeral turned into a reaction against racism and nationalism, as tens of thousands of people gathered in a silent procession which accompanied Hrant Dink’s body from his newspaper office to the church where he was laid to rest.
Last year a call to "question the darkness"
The most moving part of the procession was a speech by Hrant Dink’s widow, Rakel Dink. She spoke out against the increasing nationalism in the country. Referring to the young age of the suspected triggerman, she said: “Whatever may be the age of the murderers, 17 or 27, I know that they were born as babies. Without questioning the darkness that has created murderers, my brothers and sisters, there is no way forward.”
People carried placards reading “We are all Hrant, we are all Armenian”, a sign of solidarity, and also a protest at the fact that Hrant Dink was murdered for his identity. There was later a nationalist backlash against the slogan, with people deliberately misunderstanding the sentiment behind the expression of empathy.
No justice yet
In the year since the murder, the Dink family has had to discover that it is difficult to “question the darkness.” Although the official murder suspects are on trial, it seems clear that those really responsible are will not be prosecuted. The Trabzon Gendarmerie and the Istanbul Police are accused of gross negligence, as they knew of murder plans long before the attack happened. Evidence has been withheld and permission to investigate security officers has been refused.
"If he had lived, he would be in prison now"
Thus today’s gathering was as much a commemoration of Hrant Dink as a protest against the continuing darkness.More than ten thousand people gathered in the street of the Agos newspaper office, the place where Hrant Dink was shot.
The site of his murder was covered with a picture of Hrant Dink, candles and flowers. People shouted slogans such as “Long live the brotherhood of peoples” and “The murderer state will be made accountable.” Foreign press was in strong attendance.
Like last year, widow Rakel Dink addressed the crowd. Referring to Hrant Dink’s sentence under the controversial Article 301, she said: “They say, ‘who has gone to prison [under Article 301]?’ I say, if they had let my violin [her term of endearment for her husband] live, he would be in prison now, because if they had let him live, he would be in his third month in prison now.”
"You are here for justice"
She said that Hrant Dink’s blood had not become quiet: “The sound of blood can only be silenced with justice. And this is what you are here for today, for justice.”
Saying that “the pain has made us relatives,” Rakel Dink reminded the crowd of the many sickening indicators of approval of the murder: the gendarmerie officers arresting suspected triggerman O.S., who put a flag in his hand and took souvenir photographs of themselves with the suspect, football fans who reacted to the slogan at the funeral procession by shouting in stadiums, ‘We are all Ogün’ [referring to one of the murder suspects], the intelligence officer Muhittin Zenit who spoke to Erhan Tuncel , police informant and murder suspect, shortly after the murder and evidently knew of the murder plan.
Rakel Dink asked: “What has my country’s justice system done about the gendarmerie who knew everything up to the brand of the gun that was used in the murder, about the [nationalist organisations] who planned the murder? What has my country’s justice system done about the assistant governor and his so-called friends who tried to put my husband in his place?”
Writer and peace activist Arundhati Roy attended the commemoration at Rakel Dink’s side, also standing at the window of the Agos newspaper office.
"Hrant needs our courage"
Journalist Oral Calislar also spoke to the crowd. He said, “Hrant’s murder was planned by a group…We have realised that they decided long before to kill him…The newspapers made him into a target…at the court hearings [for his trial under Article 301] they tried to lynch him.”
“We now know those who are putting guns into the hands of children…We know those who led and encouraged. It needs courage to make the murderers and organisations within the state accountable. Hrant needs our courage.”
The gathering was joined by Joost Lagendijk, co-chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Turkish academics, politicians and activists of the left, writers and journalists. (EÖ/TK/AG)
On the first anniversary of the murder of journalist Hrant Dink, more than ten thousand people gathered in front of the Agos newspaper office, the place where he was shot.
On 19th January 2007, Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, was shot dead in front of his office in Sisli, Istanbul. The country was shocked by pictures of his prostrate body on the pavement, covered by newspapers, with just the worn soles of his shoes visible. A voice of dialogue and democracy had been silenced.
Hrant Dink’s funeral turned into a reaction against racism and nationalism, as tens of thousands of people gathered in a silent procession which accompanied Hrant Dink’s body from his newspaper office to the church where he was laid to rest.
Last year a call to "question the darkness"
The most moving part of the procession was a speech by Hrant Dink’s widow, Rakel Dink. She spoke out against the increasing nationalism in the country. Referring to the young age of the suspected triggerman, she said: “Whatever may be the age of the murderers, 17 or 27, I know that they were born as babies. Without questioning the darkness that has created murderers, my brothers and sisters, there is no way forward.”
People carried placards reading “We are all Hrant, we are all Armenian”, a sign of solidarity, and also a protest at the fact that Hrant Dink was murdered for his identity. There was later a nationalist backlash against the slogan, with people deliberately misunderstanding the sentiment behind the expression of empathy.
No justice yet
In the year since the murder, the Dink family has had to discover that it is difficult to “question the darkness.” Although the official murder suspects are on trial, it seems clear that those really responsible are will not be prosecuted. The Trabzon Gendarmerie and the Istanbul Police are accused of gross negligence, as they knew of murder plans long before the attack happened. Evidence has been withheld and permission to investigate security officers has been refused.
"If he had lived, he would be in prison now"
Thus today’s gathering was as much a commemoration of Hrant Dink as a protest against the continuing darkness.More than ten thousand people gathered in the street of the Agos newspaper office, the place where Hrant Dink was shot.
The site of his murder was covered with a picture of Hrant Dink, candles and flowers. People shouted slogans such as “Long live the brotherhood of peoples” and “The murderer state will be made accountable.” Foreign press was in strong attendance.
Like last year, widow Rakel Dink addressed the crowd. Referring to Hrant Dink’s sentence under the controversial Article 301, she said: “They say, ‘who has gone to prison [under Article 301]?’ I say, if they had let my violin [her term of endearment for her husband] live, he would be in prison now, because if they had let him live, he would be in his third month in prison now.”
"You are here for justice"
She said that Hrant Dink’s blood had not become quiet: “The sound of blood can only be silenced with justice. And this is what you are here for today, for justice.”
Saying that “the pain has made us relatives,” Rakel Dink reminded the crowd of the many sickening indicators of approval of the murder: the gendarmerie officers arresting suspected triggerman O.S., who put a flag in his hand and took souvenir photographs of themselves with the suspect, football fans who reacted to the slogan at the funeral procession by shouting in stadiums, ‘We are all Ogün’ [referring to one of the murder suspects], the intelligence officer Muhittin Zenit who spoke to Erhan Tuncel , police informant and murder suspect, shortly after the murder and evidently knew of the murder plan.
Rakel Dink asked: “What has my country’s justice system done about the gendarmerie who knew everything up to the brand of the gun that was used in the murder, about the [nationalist organisations] who planned the murder? What has my country’s justice system done about the assistant governor and his so-called friends who tried to put my husband in his place?”
Writer and peace activist Arundhati Roy attended the commemoration at Rakel Dink’s side, also standing at the window of the Agos newspaper office.
"Hrant needs our courage"
Journalist Oral Calislar also spoke to the crowd. He said, “Hrant’s murder was planned by a group…We have realised that they decided long before to kill him…The newspapers made him into a target…at the court hearings [for his trial under Article 301] they tried to lynch him.”
“We now know those who are putting guns into the hands of children…We know those who led and encouraged. It needs courage to make the murderers and organisations within the state accountable. Hrant needs our courage.”
The gathering was joined by Joost Lagendijk, co-chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Turkish academics, politicians and activists of the left, writers and journalists. (EÖ/TK/AG)
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Hrant Guzelian, in his rememberance
Remembering Hrant Guzelian who took Hrant Dink under his care in the Badanegan Doon (Camp Armen) that Baron Hrant personally endeavored to build.
In the video, Mr. Hrant Guzelian is singing hymn #763 from the Elmajian book of hymns.
He loved this song and sang it very well. He used to sing this song during meeting, and many learnt this song through him.
Ո՞վ է Այս Վշտաց Տէրը
1. Ո՞վ է աս, որ Եդովմէ կու գայ,
Ըզգեստով կարմիր ներկուած,
Ծակեր կան իր ձեռքերուն վրայ,
Գեղարդով կողն է խոցուած,
Ո՞վ է աս, վշտաց Տէրն,
ա՜հ ո՞վ, ինչո՞ւ է վիրաւորուած
Արքայի մը կերպարանքով,
բայց ինչո՞ւ դէմքն է աւրուած:
Կրկ.
Քրիստոսն է փառաց մեծ իշխան,
Իր կեանքով փրկանք տուաւ,
Խոնարհեցէք, պաշտեցէք զԱյն,
Յիսուս, հըզօր Փրկիչ իրաւ:
2. Ո՞վ է աս, որ մեժուած աշխարհէ,
Կը կոխէ մէջն հնձանի,
Սիրելիքն Իր զինք մոռցած են,
Ըսփոփող մըն ալ չունի,
Ո՞վ է աս որ կը չարչարուի,
Բայց երբեք չը քրթմնչեր,
Զերթ մորթուիլ տարուող ոչխարի,
Բայց բառ մը չարտասաներ:
3. Ո՞վ է աս, ունի արքայական,
Թագ մը Իր գլխուն վըրայ,
Փուշերով բայց հիւսուած է ան,
Ծաղրանքի ալ առարկայ.
Ինչո՞ւ զԱյն կը ծեծեն այդպէս,
Թքնելով Իր երեսին,
Ինչո՞ւ է քրտինքն արեան պէս,
Կ՛աղօթէ երբ առանցին:
4. Ո՞վ է աս, որ Գողգոթա եղած,
կը մեռնի անարգ մահով,
Կ՛աղօթէ վասն իր թշնամեաց,
Կը դնէ երբ կեանքն սիրով.
Ո՞վ է աս, որ շարժի երկիրն,
Արեգակն ալ մըթննայ,
Շիրիմներ իսկ յանկարծ բացուին,
Գլխիկոր երբ մեռնի Նա:
Թարգ. Է. Է. ԷլմաճեանHrant Guzelian, the hero, is no more...
Hrant Guzelian, the living hero
* Camp Armen Alumni group pictures, shown in the video, we received from Mr. Garabet Orunöz, from Turkey.
* The first 25 seconds are taken from a video that we received from Rev. Dr. P. Haidostian through Sh. Kilaghbian. The audio is taken from that video.
Chanitzagans at Stronghold's concert
At Saturday night, January 12, 2008, the chanitzagans of both Emmanuel and Marash churches participated in the Strongholds Concert held at Forum du Beirut, Lebanon.
The place was fully packed with people that some had to sit on the floors and stairs in order to attend this long-awaited event. Arek Karagoezian, a Stronghold’s member and one of our youth members, was on the drums with his sticks!
It has been a soul-refreshing concert to refocus our eyes on God and trust in His sovereignty. The Christian band sang praises in English and Arabic accompanied by a drama about a man who tried all roads (drugs, adultery, fame, fortune) but couldn’t find peace in anything.
The concert was dedicated to our beloved capital, Beirut, which has been going through great turmoil for the past 3 years. Prayers were raised to God for peace to prevail and for political parties to reconcile and work together for a better future.
Manochil
The place was fully packed with people that some had to sit on the floors and stairs in order to attend this long-awaited event. Arek Karagoezian, a Stronghold’s member and one of our youth members, was on the drums with his sticks!
It has been a soul-refreshing concert to refocus our eyes on God and trust in His sovereignty. The Christian band sang praises in English and Arabic accompanied by a drama about a man who tried all roads (drugs, adultery, fame, fortune) but couldn’t find peace in anything.
The concert was dedicated to our beloved capital, Beirut, which has been going through great turmoil for the past 3 years. Prayers were raised to God for peace to prevail and for political parties to reconcile and work together for a better future.
Manochil
God and Globalization, a lecture in NEST
