Voting of Yerevan Council Elections of May 5 Completed

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS: The voting of the Yerevan City Council Elections held on May 5 was completed. The preliminary results of the voting will be summed up by 20:00 on May 6. The final report will be made on May 12, seven days after the voting day.

By 20:00 all the 464 electoral offices were closed in 13 electoral districts. As reported by Armenpress, the Central Electoral Commission presented that by 17:00 pm 44,95% of the voters, that is 366,982 people, participated in the voting of the Yerevan City Council Elections. According to the data provided by the Central Electoral Commission, by the same hour of the Yerevan City Council Elections of the year 2009 321,403 voters participated in the elections, that is, 41.66% of the people having the right to vote.

Seven political forces struggle for 65 seats of the Yerevan Council - Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), The Rule of Law, Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), Armenian National Congress (ANC), Mission Party, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) and Hello, Yerevan.

26 local and 1 international organizations carried out observing mission during the Yerevan City Council Elections.

The mandates of the members of the Yerevan Council are distributed among the candidates of the parties and alliances of parties, who get 6% (for parties) and 8% (for alliances of parties) of the votes.

Due to international seminar new youth programs to be implemented in provinces

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. "Creative rural youth work" international seminar organized by Armenian Youth Network WostAYN and funded by EU ended. In a conversation with "Armenpress" the WostAYN Secretary Astghik Avetisyan stated that the seminar which was attended by 28 youth leaders and young people from rural areas from 11 countries. The aim of this seminar was to involve the youth living in rural communities in the youth social work while using new creative methods and the youth organization's potential. During 7 days the youth from Latvia, Georgia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey, Croatia, Czech Republic and Romania were able to represent not only the national youth policy which leads in their states but also created together new projects for youth living in rural areas.

The Program Coordinator Ms. Mariam Sahakyan highlighted: "According to statistics all the young people living in rural communities are passive. There should be such initiatives to "break the ice" and find ways to involve rural youth in active public life. During these days the guests visited Yeghvard, Ashtarak and villages in the region, they became acquainted with young people, listened to their concerns, problems, they managed to shoot videos with the help of journalist Seyfi who was arrived from Turkey."

In his final speech said WostAYN's president Dr. Atom Mkhitaryan mentioned: "The International seminar gave an opportunity for Armenia to present his youth policy issues and at the same time to acquire new partners for making new youth projects in the regions."

Armenian Youth Network - WostAYN was established in 2006 in Yerevan, has acquired the status of an international organization and unites 21 youth organisations from 15 countries. The aim of WostAYN is to promote the maintenance of Armenian identity by Diaspora communities, to promote Armenia-Diaspora partnership development and strengthening in the youth field, to take part in development and implementation process of national and international youth programs.

Syrian Author Adonis is charmed by Yerevan

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Renowned Syrian author Adonis (Ali Ahmed Sayeed) paid a visit to Armenia to take part in the final events held within the framework of "Yerevan World Book Capital" program. Poetry is not the sole occupation of the Syrian writer. Adonis is also known as an expert in literature, theorist, critic, translator, and lecturer. His works have been translated into over 20 languages of the world. Adonis authored about 20 poetic collected works and 15 volumes on theory and literary criticism. "Armenpress" had an opportunity to take walk with Adonis on the streets of Yerevan and ask him a number of questions.

- Mr. Adonis, this is Your first visit to Armenia. What impressions do You have?

- Yes, You’re right. This is my first visit to Armenia and frankly speaking I am very impressed. You have a very beautiful city with wonderful architecture. Notwithstanding, I am sure that I must stay here for a long time to have complete impressions. So that I could have a chance to meet more people, communicate with poets and intellectuals, exchange opinions with them. I am hopeful that my next visit will last much longer. I guess I shall come back in 3-4 months.

- Dual contradictions are prevailing in Your art; life-death, paradise-hell etc. Is this one of the main peculiarities of Your style or this is a dictate of life?

- Yes, You are not mistaken. That tendency is a result of the bitter temptations I had to face with. It is a crystallized experience. One cannot understand the light, if he has not seen night. Life and death are different sides of existence. In order to understand love, you must experience hatred. These opposites of life are among the best means to realize the essence of existence.

- You visited a number of places in Armenia and You also paid a visit to the Tzitzernakaberd Hill on April 24. What did You feel there?

- First of all I had an impression that everybody starting from the elders to the youth, from the President to a child remains loyal to the vow and precept of the martyrs. This is a significant indicator of the fact that the Armenian people deserve the right to live and create in this land. Despite all the calamitis and difficulties the Armenians is much fuller of life now, than they ever were. And this people can live not only with the past alone, but the present and future as well.