Your Namak for Friday, November 5
Leaders of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh meet, Human Rights Defender urges creation of security zone and Covid-19 crisis deepens.
Hi there, here’s your weekly briefing of Armenian news in English, curated, reported and fact-checked by journalists Astrig Agopian and Maral Tavitian.
Hampig Sassounian Free, Arrives in Armenia
After serving nearly 40 years in prison for assassinating the Turkish consul in Los Angeles, Hampig Sassounian arrived in Armenia on October 29. In 1982, then 19-year-old Sassounian killed the diplomat in what he described as an act of revenge for the Turkish government’s role in the Armenian Genocide. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. In March, a California parole board determined that Sassounian no longer presents a danger to society.
For years, members of the Armenian-American community have lobbied for Sassounian’s release, arguing that he has shown remorse for his crime. “If you look at the context, you look at the time, in the 70s and 80s, there was no independent Armenia, almost no countries had recognized the genocide at the time, it was looking a lot more hopeless than it ever probably did,” said Armenian Youth Federation, Western United States alumnus Haig Minasian. Minasian said he does not endorse violence, but understands the sentiment that inspired Sassounian’s actions.
Human Rights Defender Pushes for Security Zone
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan published a report advocating for the establishment of a demilitarized security zone along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The publication describes the grave threat to border residents in Armenia’s Gegharkunik and Syunik regions, where frequent incursions by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been reported following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Leaders of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Meet
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with Arayik Harutyunyan, President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), in Yerevan on November 3. The two leaders discussed the economic situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, including ongoing efforts to rebuild homes and attract investment to the region. Following the ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, no high-ranking Armenian official has visited the unrecognized state, and the Armenian government has not adopted a formal position on Nagorno-Karabakh’s political status.
Covid-19 Crisis Worsens in Armenia
Armenia marked a new record in the number of daily deaths from Covid-19, with 62 fatalities reported on November 2. Hospitals throughout the country have been converted into crisis centers in the fight against Covid-19. The government has imposed a mandatory mask mandate for outdoor public spaces, although compliance with the measure remains minimal. The official Covid-19 death toll in Armenia has exceeded 6,500 people.
Edgar Artis: Meet a designer who recycles leather from luxury fashion houses to create his own bags
“There is this thing that Armenians have: whatever it is they do, if they like it, they’re very passionate about it. I think this is also what drives me.”
When he is not creating, Edgar Artis likes to wander the streets of Paris. His chic outfits and the natural elegance with which he carries his head high draw the attention of bystanders.
But it was a long journey that brought him to one of the world’s fashion capitals. Edgar was born in 1994 in Sevan, a town in Armenia located near the famous lake. Growing up, he was ridiculed because of his physical appearance.
“I see fashion as a weapon to protect myself,” Edgar says. “It’s my defense tool, because growing up in Armenia, being a very skinny boy, always picked on because of my appearance, I realized that I did not have the beauty standards society wants to see.”
In high school, Edgar’s art teacher showed his class fashion illustrations for the first time. He was captivated by the art form and began creating his own sketches. Although he loved dreaming up whimsical designs, Edgar never thought he would pursue fashion professionally.
After failing out of the Armenian State University of Economics, he decided to go after his true passion. He started publishing illustrations of dresses mixed with elements of everyday life on Instagram, like gowns made with salad leaves or spoons. The IFA fashion school in Paris noticed his work and offered him a scholarship.
After graduating last year, caught in the middle of a global pandemic, Edgar struggled to find a job. On a whim, he decided to start his own brand. Using leather scraps left over from a previous project, he assembled a handmade bag. After posting a picture on Instagram, he says he received a hundred messages from people asking where they could purchase his makeshift creation.
“I decided to go for it and just make more,” Edgar says.
To respect the environment, Edgar uses dead-stock leather from luxury fashion houses to produce his petite bags. The minimalist designs come in bold colors including deep red and pink, the exposed seams hand-stitched with rope. One of his most striking styles comes in the shape of a gun, representing what Edgar describes as “self-defense” from judgments about one’s physical appearance.
“My brand is not just trying to sell, it’s trying to build a community,” Edgar says. “I want the people wearing my bags to know that they are accepted just the way they are. They are not alone.”
Although Edgar did not plan to become a professional fashion designer, someone in his own family showed him the path. His mother was a talented seamstress who dreamed of starting her own brand, but put her professional aspirations aside to take care of her family.
Edgar thinks he inherited his talent from his mother, but says his Armenian roots also contribute to his work ethic.
“There is this thing that Armenians have: whatever it is they do, if they like it, they’re very passionate about it,” Edgar says. “I think this is also what drives me.”
The young designer believes that the French capital is the right place to feed his creativity, but he always keeps his home country in mind. He is inspired by old Armenian manuscripts, lettering and traditional embroidery, and is planning a collection that will pay homage to his heritage.
Edgar’s brand is called Untitled because he did not want to follow the classic design process of deciding on a name and then crafting an identity. He draws inspiration from an array of sources, and just lets his creativity run free.
To read: 44 Days: Diary From an Invisible War, a book by journalist Lika Zakaryan chronicling the human toll of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Zakaryan, reporting for CivilNet throughout the 44-day war, published daily diaries from the heart of the conflict zone. The book is a collection of those writings and images, available for order in English, Armenian and Russian.
To listen: Armenia at the International Court of Justice, a podcast in which members of Armenia’s legal team break down the case against Azerbaijan in the United Nations high court.
To attend: In Conversation with Nadia Owusu, a virtual discussion with the Armenian-Ghanian author about her memoir, Aftershocks: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Identity.
That’s it for today, see you next week!
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