A carpet of unique value has been donated to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute through Aspet Hamalian and the Armenian Embassy in Lebanon in accordance with the testament of Beirut resident Hrayr-Mkrtich Srapian, Armenpress reports citing the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute official website.

The donor of this donation highlighted the importance of preserving the memory of the Armenian Genocide and transferring them to the future generations.

The carpet has been created by Armenian orphans of Ghazir orphanage in 1925. A similar carpet created by them has been donated to US President C. Coolidge as a gratitude to the American people for assisting Armenians. During the 1920s about 1400 Armenian female orphans who survived the Genocide sheltered in Ghazir orphanage. In addition to other crafts, they also learnt carpet weaving. During 1923-1930 more than 3000 carpets have been woven here, over 1000 Armenian orphans received carpet-weaving certificates.

The carpet belonged to the Srapian family living in Beirut. The father of the donor is an Armenian Genocide survivor Hovhannes H. Srapian (born in 1899). Hovhannes, who survived the massacres, was settled in Aleppo than in Beirut.

Due to changes in the institute of the Armenian president, the budgetary allocations to the presidential staff have decreased under the 2018 state budget, first deputy finance minister Atom Janjughazyan said during the discussion of the 2018 state budget draft in the Parliament, Armenpress reports.

“2 billion 445 million AMD will be allocated to the presidential staff, from which 2 billion 395 million AMD are expenses for staff maintenance. I would like to note that due to changes in the presidential institute this figure is less than the figure of 2017”, the deputy minister said.

He added that the process of finalizing the institute continues, and they already have a new application from the presidential staff according to which it is expected to reduce the envisaged sum by another 64 million AMD. “If there is a need for reviews, they will be reflected in the amended version of the budget draft which will be submitted for the Parliament’s discussion or the government will make those changes within its powers”, he said.

Under the 2017 state budget 4 billion 522 million AMD has been allocated to the presidential staff.

Armenia is already preparing for the World Congress on Information Technologies (WCIT) which will be held in Yerevan in 2019.

The Congress is expected to be attended by 2000-2500 delegates from 80 countries.

Karen Vardanyan, executive director of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), told ARMENPRESS that the action plan for the Congress is already developed, the budget is ready. He informed that the session of the governmental commission created for this purpose will be held in a week. The commission includes the ministry of transport, communication and IT, the ministry of economic development and investments, the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA) and the UITE.

“We are going to present the action plan and the budget. Despite that the main organizational works will be carried out in 2019 since the Congress will be held in autumn, there are steps which we have already implemented and plan to implement also in 2018”, he said. Among the steps already implemented is the development of a brand, which, however, needs re-designing, as well as the operation of preliminary website which will also be replaced by an interactive platform with broader opportunities.

“If the current website is about the event, the next one will have business for the business platform, all people registered must see the others in order to make appointments for practical meetings, as well as to be able to contact with the organizers. In line with this, a mobile app will also be created”, Karen Vardanyan said.

Among the steps for 2018 is Armenia’s high-level participation in the WCIT in India. In particular, it would be desirable for the Armenian delegation to be led by the Prime Minister. “It is a common process when the PM of the next hosting country visits the Congress and invites IT leading figures his country”, Vardanyan said.

As for the budget, Karen Vardanyan said it almost doesn’t depend on the county, the main expenses in each country are within 3.5-4 million USD. Of course, there are countries which spend much more resources. It is expected to hold the event though public-private sector investments.

He said the preliminary team will start forming the lists of sponsor-partners and delegates in 2018. There is a preliminary agreement to hold the event in the Karen Demirchyan sports complex. The main slogan of the Yerevan Congress is ‘the power of decentralization’. “In other words we want to emphasize that no matter where you are in today’s world, if you make efforts in IT field or any other branch, you can become a center”, UITE executive director said.  

He thinks that holding the world congress in Armenia will significantly affect the sector’s developments in the upcoming months. “About 2000 leaders in IT business, education and state programs will arrive in Armenia. This is a great opportunity for our specialists to establish new ties which will further boost IT development in Armenia. It will seriously impact the field for 6-7 years”, Karen Vardanyan said, adding that the Congress is a place for generating key ideas and development trends.

As for participation in the Congress, it involves a registration fee, but great discounts are expected to be made for students and youth groups.

The WCIT is being held since 1978. It is attended by high-ranking officials, supranational organizations in IT field, heads of universities and research centers, representatives of public structures.

«Արմենիա» օդանաւային ընկերութիւնը, Ամանորին ընդառաջ, մշակած է նոր սակագնային քաղաքականութիւն: Ընկերութեան դէպի Հայաստան բոլոր կանոնաւոր չուերթերու տոմսերը պիտի ըլլան մատչելի, կը հաղորդէ «Փանարմինիըն»-ը::

Ամանորի նորամուծութիւնը Պէյրութ-Երեւան եւ հակառակ ուղղութեան համար հաստատուած նոր սակերն են: Յատկանշական է, որ դեռ քանի մը տարի առաջ այս ուղղութեամբ տոմսերու գիները ամրան եւ Ամանորի եղանակին շատ բարձր էին` հասնելով մինչեւ 500 եւրոյին համարժէք դրամի: Դեկտեմբեր 18-էն Պէյրութէն Երեւան չուերթերու տոմսերը հասանելի պիտի ըլլան 140 եւրոյին համարժէք դրամով, իսկ՝ Երեւանէն Պէյրութ տոմսերը` սկսած 148 եւրոյով:

«Այս կերպով մենք կը փորձենք մեր ներդրումը ունենալ զբօսաշրջութեան զարգացման գործին: Կը ցանկանք, որ նշուած երկիրներէն մեր ազգակիցներն ու զբօսաշրջիկները ժամանեն Հայաստան եւ դիմաւորեն Նոր Տարին այստեղ», – նշած է ընկերութեան փոխտնօրէն Գէորգ Խաչատրեան: