Events
State of Armenian Irregular Migrants in Turkey
CRRC-Armenia hosted a presentation on the main findings of the investigative journalistic research “State of Armenian Irregular Migrants in Turkey” on November 30, 2009. The presentation was conducted by Artak Shakaryan, Armenia-Turkey project manager at Eurasia Partnership Foundation, and it was based on the research paper authored by Alin Ozinian.
The investigative journalistic research has been carried out in Istanbul, Antalya, Trabzon and Ankara, through focus group and in-depth interviews, as a part of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation “Identifying the State of Armenian Migrants in Turkey” project.
The exact number of Armenian migrants in Turkey is unknown to this day, but according to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who stated that the real number is 50.000 in January 2009. Other politicians have suggested different numbers reaching as high as 70.000. According to the study about 95% of all the illegal Armenian workers in Turkey are women. It’s interesting that most of the Armenian immigrant men don’t work and come to Turkey to stay with their wives and keep them safe.
Armenian migrants mostly live and work in Istanbul. Some of them also work in Antalya or Alanya during the summer period as a hotel personnel but they stay just for 3 or 4 months. Most of the illegal Armenian women workers are between 40 and 60 years old. The youngest of them are 20 years old.
The situation of the children of Armenian migrants, however, is the most heartbreaking subject. The children of Armenian migrants cannot go to any public school or Armenian Minority school as they have no Turkish citizenship. Most of these uneducated children spend their lives by playing on the streets. They are prone to have bad habits and develop a criminal personality.
The concern was raised during the meeting of Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Ergdogan and His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian and the Armenian delegation at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul on November 6. Erdogan assured the Armenian delegation that over time all problems will receive their solutions. Most importantly, he gave a positive resolution to the problem of the children of Armenian irregular migrants working in Istanbul allowing them to be included in Armenian community schools as “guest students”.
The meeting of Armenian and Turkish leading media figures in Bursa
A group of 30 leading Armenian and Turkish media professionals met in Bursa, Turkey on October 13-14, 2009. The meeting was part of EPF’s project Reducing Media Bias in Armenia and Turkey, funded by the Norwegian government and USAID. In Bursa, the high-profile editors and media experts discussed the findings of joint research, conducted as part of the project, on media bias in Armenia and Turkey. The meeting also helped the participants establish direct contact with fellow media decision-makers on the other side of the border. Perhaps most importantly, Armenian and Turkish media experts discussed the current stage of Armenian-Turkish relations, the process of normalization, and the ways media can contribute to positive outcomes as part of that process. After the workshop, a group of Armenian and Turkish journalists attended the World Cup qualifying soccer match between their national teams.
The Armenian media was represented by Asparez Club, AZG daily, Internews, Kentron TV, Lori TV, News Armenia news agency, Tert.am, Yerevan Press Club, Yerkir daily, and Yerkir Media TV. The Turkish media was represented by Akşam, CNN Türk, Cumhuriyet, Habertürk, Hürriyet, Milliyet, Radikal,Sabah, Yenişafak, and Zaman.
The joint research on coverage of Armenian-Turkish relations in Armenian and Turkish media in 2006-2009 reveals a number of trends in the Turkish and Armenian press:
a)The press closely follows a political/official agenda. Most stories cover a political act or announcement;
b)The main actors and sources are politicians and officials. The main subjects the stories cover are of political or diplomatic nature;
c)Human-interest stories, as well as, non-political actors or sources are noticeably absent;
d)The stories are told in a one-sided fashion. Sources and viewpoints reflecting the other side are under-represented;
e)There is biased and personal approach in the majority of stories;
f)In their effort to cover Armenian-Turkish relations more as news, the media overlook interviews, commentaries, and other personal accounts.
The meeting’s two days were filled with fresh ideas and reciprocal interviews. Armenian and Turkish media professionals offered a number of new ideas for decreasing the existing media bias in Armenia and Turkey. For example, participants proposed to organize long-term exchange-visits of journalists.
The return visit of Turkish media experts to Armenia is scheduled for the first week of December.
Gyumri Youth Bank was Presented Proudly on a National Level
Old Tradition is Restored With the Help of Martuni Youth Bank
A surprise was waiting to a crowd gathered by the Gallery of Martuni town on June 27, 2008. “The heroes” of the occasion were the members of Martuni Youth Bank. “Khdumi Tses” (Joy Feast) celebration, part of the Vardavar Feast has always been celebrated with a big festivity in the town of Martuni, but recently for unknown reasons it has been forgotten. Aiming at restoring the forgotten Feast the youth has started work with a great enthusiasm.
The celebration usually takes place in the following way: all the participants form a circle and sing corresponding songs, waiting “Khndum” to appear. A tray full of sweets is brought out of the church. Each tries to steal at least a piece from the sweets of “Khndum”, symbol of good luck.
Traditional “gata” (wish cake) has not been forgotten as well into which, according to the tradition, a small object, for example a coin, is put while baking. The person who gets it in his/her piece considered lucky and something good will happen to him/her during the year. The celebration started with the melody of “Sona yar” by Komistas and ended with “Jan Vardavar” song once again revived our forgotten but worthy tradition.
Eurasia Partnership Foundation in cooperation with the Community Foundation of Northern Ireland is implementing Youth Bank program since 2007. Youth Banks are formed in five regions of Armenia, which help the development of rural areas and activism of youth from rural places. Khndumi Tses is one of the five community projects sponsored by Youth Banks.
Labor Migration - Analyzing Trends in Armenia
On April 29, 2008, Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) in cooperation with the Armenian NGO “Zinvori Mair” convened a two-day conference in Yerevan entitled “Migration from Armenia to Russia: the Role of Civil Society, Networks, and Dialogue with Government”.
The goals of the conference were to increase public awareness about Russian and Armenian migration policies, present the two countries’ experience in addressing migration-related issues, and forge stronger ties between government and non-governmental organizations in Russia and Armenia in their efforts to decrease irregular migration. A number of experts on migration issues from both countries delivered presentations at the conference, which was attended by representatives of the Armenian government, local NGOs, foundations and international organizations.
“USAID realizes the importance of migration and remittances for Armenia’s development and works towards improving the internal situation in the country, including labor market development and promotion of Armenia’s competitiveness so that there are enough competitive and well-paid jobs within the country to support Arme-nian families,” USAID/Armenia Program Officer James Carlson said in his conference-opening remarks. He differentiated general and elite migration, noting that while the first is directed towards meeting the basic needs of the population, the latter is considered to be an important source of added value for the country, as elite migrants are very likely to bring back their skills and knowledge, thus further fueling the economy.
Participants discussed current trends and concerns related to labor migration in Armenia, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive state policy that would protect the rights of Armenian migrants abroad as well as assist them upon their return home. EPF also presented the findings of the new USAID-funded research on labor migration trends in Armenian regional communities, conducted by the Foundation in 2007-2008.
Based on recent sociological surveys, 96,000-122,000 people (or 3.0-3.8% of the population) migrated from Armenia between 2005 and 2006, with two out of three migrants mentioning lack of employment or low salaries as their main reason for departure. As Gagik Yeganyan, the head of the Migration Agency within the Ministry of Territorial Administration of Armenia, noted in his presentation, Russia and former Soviet republics rank first (75%) as a target destination for Armenian migrants, followed by European countries (15%) and the U.S. (10%).
Underscoring the need to assist in the return and reintegration of Armenian migrants, Yeganyan introduced the Migration Agency’s new virtual system (http://www.usaid.am/index.php/en/17/285/) which will now allow Armenian citizens abroad to learn more of migration-related concerns, risks and consequences, official announcements and publications, as well as direct their questions to an expert on-line.
As a conference wrap-up, participants collaborated in the development of a resolution on migration policy and on a number of issues, including bilateral cooperation and diplomacy, special assistance and reintegration programs for migrants and their families.
http://www.usaid.am/index.php/en/17/285/
Bosphorus Quartet to Perform in Yerevan
Yerevan, Armenia – The esteemed Bosphorus Quartet from Istanbul, Turkey will perform at Komitas Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan at 19:00 on June 18, 2008. The concert is part of a cultural exchange between Armenia and Turkey made possible by Eurasia Partnership Foundation, together with the Komitas State Quartet NCSO and by funding from USAID. As part of the exchange, Yerevan’s Komitas State Quartet will perform in Istanbul on June 13, 2008.
The Komitas Chamber Music Hall is located at 1 Isahakyan Street. Concert tickets are available free of charge from the Box Office of the Komitas Chamber Music Hall, as well as from the management of the Komitas Quartet, by phone at (091) 43-24-80.
“This project intends to forge a musical bridge between Armenia and Turkey, celebrating the artists of each country while establishing a practice of cultural cooperation,” says Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, Country Director of Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Armenia. “EPF believes that supporting cross-border grass-roots initiatives between Armenian and Turkish civil society activists, businessmen, journalists, and artists will accelerate the normalization of relations between the two countries.”
The concert is part of Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s Armenia-Turkey Initiative, which promotes improved dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the non-government, government and private sectors in Armenia and their Turkish counterparts.
Komitas Quartet to Perform in Istanbul
The esteemed Komitas State Quartet from Yerevan, Armenia will perform at the MIAM Hall in Istanbul, Turkey at 19:00 on June 13. The concert is part of a cultural exchange between Armenia and Turkey made possible by Eurasia Partnership Foundation, together with Orion Production Concert Promotion and Artist Management (Turkey) and the Komitas State Quartet NCSO (Armenia), and by funding from USAID.
As part of the exchange, the Bosphorus Quartet will perform in Yerevan June 18.
The MIAM Hall is located at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Music of the Istanbul Technical University, İTÜ Maçka Maden Fakültesi Konser Salonu. Concert tickets are available free of charge from Mr. Hakan Balçık, by mobile phone at (+90-532) 356-02-74. For more detail please contact the manager of the project, Mr. Murat Gurol by phone at (90 212) 262-59-62 or (90 532) 296-08-30.
“This project intends to forge a musical bridge between Armenia and Turkey, celebrating the artists of each country while establishing a practice of cultural cooperation,” says Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, Country Director of Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Armenia. “EPF believes that supporting cross-border grass-roots initiatives between Armenian and Turkish civil society activists, businessmen, journalists, and artists will accelerate the normalization of relations between the two countries.”
The concert is part of Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s Armenia-Turkey Initiative, which promotes improved dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the non-government, government and private sectors in Armenia and their Turkish counterparts.
For more information about Komitas State Quartet please visit official web site
Nationality: Human- South Caucasus Documentary Film Festival
Documentary Film Festival of Peace and Human Rights is held for the second time this year. From April 14th until October 15th 2008, our mobile festival group will travel to 27 places throughout the South Caucasus.
April-May: Zugdidi, Akhmeta, Akhalsopeli, Nukriani, Tbilisi
May: Sukhum/Sukhumi, Beslakhuba, Gagra
June: Baku, Barda, Geokchay, Oghuz
June-July: Djava, Eredvi, Zar, Znaur, Tskhinval/Tskhinvali, Cynar
September: Noyemberyan, Vanadzor, Gyumri, Yerevan, Yeghegnadzor
October: Stepanakert, Shushi/Shusha, Gadrut
See more on the Festival's web site
This project is supported by the Heinrich Boell Foundation, the South Caucasus foundations of Open Society Institute’s (OSI) network, the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia.
April 2008
April 7-8
Corporate Social Investment Luncheon and Workshop for Armenian Businesses
Armenia Marriott Hotel, at 9:00-18:00
April 10
Press Conference on Freedom of Information
Congress Hotel, at 16:00
April 15
Anticorruption Network Workshop
April 16
NGO Club Meeting
Eurasia Partnership Foundation Office, at 19:00
April 17-18
Youth Bank Workshop
April 28
Press Conference on Conscripts and Migration Issues
April 29-30
Conference on Labor Migration: “Migration in Armenia: Problems, Solutions, and the Role of Partnership”.
Congress Hotel
May 2008
May 20
Conference: “Global Challenges and Threats: Are Joint Efforts between Armenia and Turkey Possible?”, Congress Hotel, at 10a.m.
Talks on Turkey to be held in Yerevan
Call for project ideas, call for participation
Films on Freedom of Expression are available online !
Request for Proposals:Developing Social Entrepreneurship in Armenia
