Tuesday, August 9, 2022
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Tebi Yergir Forum Inspires Diasporan Armenians

by Contributor
April 4, 2012
in Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
13
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The participants of Tebi Yergir (photo by Ani Ishkhanian)

GLENDALE—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation ‘Shant’ Student Association provided a unique forum on April 1 that inspired Diaspora Armenians to making a meaningful contribution to their homeland. Hundreds flooded the Glendale Public Library to hear about Tebi Yergir: Making Repatriation a Reality and network with over fourteen organizations that facilitate that process.

Sara Anjargolian and Al Eisaian make presentation (photo by Ani Ishkhanian)

“To see Diasporans wanting to engage and to learn more made me smile,” stated Tebi Yergir committee member Manuk Avedikyan. “The future of Armenia shines brighter when I see other people with the will to engage. I saw a dedicated group of Armenians who want to participate with Armenia not only through ideas but through actual work.”

The program featured two distinguished speakers who spoke about their experiences in Armenia. Entrepreneur Al Eisaian (whose current project is a Yoga and Meditation Retreat in the village of Aghtsk) gave examples of how individuals can be more involved and the need to build a new narrative of Armenia. Sara Anjargolian, a documentary photographer who has been involved in various projects in Armenia, walked event participants through her journey, her experiences and her relationship with Armenia.

The event concluded with a raffle drawing for a free one-way ticket to Armenia, generously sponsored by Harout Bronozian, host of the “Veratarts” Armenian TV program found on returntoarmenia.com.

Raffle sponsor Harout Bronozian with winner Hayk Makhmuryan (photo by Avo John Kambourian)

“While globalization makes us all citizens of the world, cultural identity makes Armenia my capital. From the day I emigrated, there were thoughts about reconnecting, and perhaps I was unknowingly waiting for some sign. Winning the one-way ticket to Armenia was much more than a sign, it was the shortest and most direct instruction manual to an adventure that will doubtlessly be not only a detour, but a defining part of my life’s journey,” stated raffle prize winner Hayk Makhmuryan.

For more information and to keep up to date with ARF ‘Shant’ activities, please visit www.ARFShant.org.

ARF ‘Shant’ Student Association’s mission is to assist existing Armenian Student Associations in universities by providing a platform for the study and promotion of all things Armenian on campus. Furthermore, we strive to mobilize the community at large in furthering the Armenian Cause through political, academic and intellectual means. Our work is also geared towards building strong ties of solidarity with organizations and activists in Armenia in order to achieve genuine freedom and democracy.

http://www.youtube.com/v/s1qNcL51tzk

Contributor

Contributor

Next Post

Yerevan Police Clash With Protesters Again

Comments 13

  1. Nigol "t" says:
    10 years ago

    ARF does a better job to repatriate Armenians to Armenia then the Diaspora Ministry of Armenia. The ministry’s budget is wasted on diplomatic travels of the minister.
    Thanks to ARF “Tebi Yergir” propaganda we and many other friends with families moved to Armenia more then a decade ago and are doing great.
    To build a nation from the ashes of the Soviet era and Levon’s, we need a nationalist government, a president that will think of the nations coffers and not his own family’s.

    Reply
    • ghazaros says:
      10 years ago

      Nigol, coulden’t agree with you more.

      Reply
  2. Andy says:
    10 years ago

    Before you decide anything, go there and ask a diaspora Armenian who made the move, would he recommend his brother, sister or best friend to move there, I lived there for 5 years and I know, most of the people who moved there from Lebabon, Syria, and me from US went back, all were engaget in buisness, almost all lost there shirt, don’t take my word for it, go find a diaspora Armenian and ask him, or her, specialy someone who is engaget in buisness.

    Reply
    • ghazaros says:
      10 years ago

      Andy, we all know what you are saying. when it comes to national affairs, one should look for solutions, not sit down and air their personal anger. Too bad you had bad luck. That should not make you campaign for others not to go. Be part of the solution….like as they say, if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Once you are out of the kitchen, be quiet. Let every one contribute and struggle in there own way. You should have stayed and struggled rather than being of feable heart and retreating. I know of tens of diasporans with stories like yours who are staying and putting up a sttruggle for a better Aremnia to-morrow.

      Reply
    • Kevork says:
      10 years ago

      Andy, I agree that as a result of corruption many repatriating Armenians have lost their behinds trying to conduct business in Armenia. But on the other hand, I believe that the best way this will change is for Armenians to go to Armenia in large numbers, and when that happens, Armenia has no choice but to change for the better. That’s why it’s important that Armenian families start sending their children to Armenia from an early age so they can get used to the lifestyle there and eventually make the difference.

      Reply
    • Suren says:
      10 years ago

      Many of the successful businesses in Yerevan are run by spyurkahyes. There is good stories and bad ones. You can’t go to Armenia with only your heart you need to do research and think of your future logically as well. Many have done well for themselves.

      Reply
    • Al Eisaian says:
      10 years ago

      Dear Andy,

      I have no reason not to believe you, as I am sure there are cases of bad treatment. I am curious if you can share some details of what exactly happened that made you come to this position. I would also love to engage you in a dialogue on or offline. I have been doing business in Armenia since 1999 (3 software business, and one a retreat) and have not had a SINGLE issue. I know of several friends, too many to list here, that have also been successfully operating in Armenia for years if not decades. From hotel operators, to restaurant owners, to SW development companies, to coffee-shop owners. I am being very sincere and honest by saying that NO ONE I know personally in Armenia has told me of any issues in running their businesses. I have however HEARD 3-rd hand of certain diasporans having issues. I am hoping that these folks will come forward and speak in detail and honestly about the specific issues and the specific governmental persons or other citizens that have caused them these difficulties. Only through open and transparent conversations can we begin to turn the tide. Again, I thank you for the sacrifice that you have already made and I hope you will write a long and factual article about your experiences asap and publish. We need all voices to be heard and the truth to come out whatever, it is and begin the road to solutions.

      Reply
    • Al Eisaian says:
      10 years ago

      Dear Andy,

      I have no reason not to believe you, as I am sure there are cases of bad treatment. I am curious if you can share some details of what exactly happened that made you come to this position. I would also love to engage you in a dialogue on or offline. I have been doing business in Armenia since 1999 (3 software business, and one a retreat) and have not had a SINGLE issue. I know of several friends, too many to list here, that have also been successfully operating in Armenia for years if not decades. From hotel operators, to restaurant owners, to SW development companies, to coffee-shop owners. I am being very sincere and honest by saying that NO ONE I know personally in Armenia has told me of any issues in running their businesses. I have however HEARD 3-rd hand of certain diasporans having issues. I am hoping that these folks will come forward and speak in detail and honestly about the specific issues and the specific governmental persons or other citizens that have caused them these difficulties. Only through open and transparent conversations can we begin to turn the tide. Again, I thank you for the sacrifice that you have already made and I hope you will write a long and factual article about your experiences asap and publish. We need all voices to be heard and the truth to come out whatever, it is and begin the road to solutions.

      Reply
  3. Anush says:
    10 years ago

    Go to Armenia for a short visit and spend your vacation money there instead of anywhere else. BUT DON’T SETTLE IN ARMENIA!! At least, not yet. It will take a few decades for anything to improve there, unless the Armenian Diaspora organizes an effective MASSIVE REPATRIATION similar to “Nerqakht”. But I don’t see that happening unless the situation in the Middle East becomes so unbearable (on individual and community levels) that an organized migration takes place from Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait and Jordan/Israel… The rest of the Armenian Diaspora can enjoy the self-fulfilling satisfaction by “generously sponsoring raffle drawing for one-way ticket to Armenia”…

    Reply
    • ghazaros says:
      10 years ago

      Anoush jan, you sound like one of the natives who have LEFT Armenia. When you say “do not settle in Armenia”, are you getting payed by the Azeri’s?. Massive repatriation would be the solution, of course. In the mean time, besides negative contribution, please let us know what effort are you spending towards such an end. Got your message, you hate Armenia. Get out of the middle and let the diasporan youth’s dream gradually become a reality……We have met the enemy, and it is us!!

      Reply
      • Anush says:
        10 years ago

        ghazaros, if you are repatriated and currently, permanently living in Armenia, my hat’s pff to you! But if you are still in the Diaspora, then please allow me to tell you that you don’t know anything about the realities in Armenia, thus you can be considered a hypocrat filling the ranks of blindfolded individuals utterng outdated slogans. And please, put an end to the childish and worthless mentality of “whoever doesn’t think like us is our enemy”.If you had learned SOMETHING about Armenian history you would have been familiar with the Turkish cheap accusations against any Armenian they wanted to get arrested, and that was by saying “he cursed at Mohamed.” If having a realistic approach to the situation –based on my lifelong experiences– makes me your enemy, then I hope you take the blindfold off one day. Hope sooner than later.

        Reply
        • Al Eisaian says:
          10 years ago

          Dear Anush,

          Do you believe there is a middle-ground? It seems that Armenia and Armenians lose if we hold on to extreme positions of “DON’T SETTLE IN ARMENIA,” to “MOVE THERE AND FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.” I think there are several positive engagement possibilities between these two extreme positions. I am curious to learn about your own experience that has brought you to your current position. May be the next event should be a widescale dialogue and sharing of personal stories from diasporans that have attempted to move to Armenia and have had difficulties settling there. Then we can cool-headedly examine the causes and begin to demand addressing of these issues. Nonetheless, we can not afford to attack each other. We need to attack the problems and create solutions and possibilities. I for one thank you, Anush and all the rest of you, for staying engaged and continue caring about Armenia and common Armenian person.

          Reply
  4. Edward Demian says:
    10 years ago

    Armenia needs rural workers. Peasants, who work the land. You won’t find those among the city slickers of Beirut or Los Angeles. They have enough of those. You want settlers, you need to provide land and loans to start a farm, a viniard, a cattle herd. Those people are found in Northern Syria, Southern Moldova, Krasnodar, Russia, Ossetia etc. Those are the ones that need help. The churches are more aware of those than anyone else. But this is a good idea anyway, such as it is. What I want to know is, Who is doing anything about bringing to Artzack the Hamshen of Russia? One family at a time would still be something.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Russian Border Guards Set Up Checkpoints In Meghri

Russian Border Guards Set Up Checkpoints In Meghri

2 hours ago
Azerbaijan to Connect to Nakhichevan Through Iran

Azerbaijan to Connect to Nakhichevan Through Iran

2 hours ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

    Readable Experience

    Content Scaling
    Default
    Text Magnifier
    Readable Font
    Dyslexia Friendly
    Highlight Titles
    Highlight Links
    Font Sizing
    Default
    Line Height
    Default
    Letter Spacing
    Default
    Left Aligned
    Center Aligned
    Right Aligned

    Visually Pleasing Experience

    Dark Contrast
    Light Contrast
    Monochrome
    High Contrast
    High Saturation
    Low Saturation
    Adjust Text Colors
    Adjust Title Colors
    Adjust Background Colors

    Easy Orientation

    Mute Sounds
    Hide Images
    Virtual Keyboard
    Reading Guide
    Stop Animations
    Reading Mask
    Highlight Hover
    Highlight Focus
    Big Dark Cursor
    Big Light Cursor
    Navigation Keys

    Asbarez.com Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • www.asbarez.com
    • August 9, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to