Zartonk Media

🇸🇾🇦🇲 A Century of Resilience: The Enduring Legacy of the Syrian-Armenian Community A century ago, survivors of the Armenian Genocide established a flourishing community in Syria, becoming a cornerstone of the Armenian Nation’s cultural and social fabric. Known as the Mayr Kaghut (Մայր Գաղութ), the Mother Community, it supported Armenian schools, churches, and cultural centers that were vital to both local Armenians and the global diaspora. From the entirely Armenian-populated village of Kessab to the vibrant Armenian districts of Aleppo, this community stood as a beacon of resilience and culture. Decades of war have forced many to flee, leaving behind their homes, traditions, and the institutions that sustained them. Many have started anew in Armenia, but with the recent fall of Aleppo, the future of this historic and pivotal community faces even greater uncertainty. #SyrianArmenians #ArmenianDiaspora #Aleppo #Kessab #ZartonkMedia

🇦🇲🇺🇸 LAFC’s Armenian-American Co-President & General Manager, John Thorrington, Named 2024 MLS Sporting Executive Of The Year ⚽️ ➖➖➖ Armenian-American John Thorrington, Co-President and General Manager of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), has been named the 2024 MLS Sporting Executive of the Year. This prestigious award is given annually to the Chief Soccer Officer, General Manager, or head sporting executive of an MLS club, recognizing excellence in leadership and team performance. This prestigious award is given annually to the Chief Soccer Officer, General Manager, or head sporting executive of an MLS club, recognizing excellence in leadership and team performance. Thorrington’s tenure at LAFC has been marked by exceptional achievements. In 2024, LAFC finished first in the Western Conference and became the only team to reach the Conference Semifinals in each of the last three seasons. The club captured its fourth major trophy since 2018 by winning the U.S. Open Cup and advanced to the Leagues Cup Final. LAFC also leads MLS in regular-season wins, points, and goals scored since its debut in 2018. Under Thorrington’s direction, LAFC reached the MLS Cup in consecutive seasons, lifting the trophy in 2022, and made history as the first MLS team to appear in two Concacaf Champions League Finals (2020, 2023). These accomplishments underscore Thorrington’s ability to build a winning roster and maintain consistent success. Thorrington’s innovative approach has built a deep roster capable of competing for trophies in all competitions. In 2024 alone, LAFC played 50 games across competitions with an impressive 31-11-8 record. Over the past two seasons, the club has played a record 103 matches, demonstrating their resilience and commitment to excellence. Thorrington’s player acquisition strategy has been instrumental in LAFC’s success, highlighted by the addition of young talents David Martínez and Omar Campos, as well as World Cup winners Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud. He also secured key contract extensions, including two-time MLS All-Star Denis Bouanga and head coach Steve Cherundolo, ensuring stability and continued excellence for the club. #JohnThorrington #ArmenianExcellence #LAFC #MLS

🇦🇲 Armenia Ranks Among Top 10 Safest Countries In The World In 2024 ➖➖➖ Armenia has been ranked 8th among the safest countries in the world, according to the 2024 Numbeo Safety Index. With a safety score of 77.6 points, Armenia remains one of the top destinations for safety, though it has dropped slightly from its 7th-place position last year. The 2024 rankings, which include 146 countries with populations over 1 million, highlight Armenia’s position as a leader in safety within its region. Notably, if countries with populations under one million are excluded, Armenia moves up to 5th place among the safest countries globally. This adjustment underscores Armenia’s impressive safety standing even among larger nations. Neighboring Georgia ranks 20th (73.9 points), Azerbaijan is 33rd (68.4 points), Russia takes 51st (60.9 points), Turkey is 53rd (59.1 points), and Iran ranks 90th (50.5 points). Globally, Andorra leads the index with a score of 87.1 points, followed by the UAE (84.4 points), Qatar (84.0 points), Taiwan (83.3 points), and Oman (81.0 points). Other top-ranked nations include the Isle of Man (79.5 points), Hong Kong (78.2 points), Japan (77.4 points), and Singapore (76.5 points). Armenia stands between Hong Kong in 7th and Japan in 9th place, showcasing its strong safety credentials. At the other end of the spectrum, the countries with the lowest safety scores are Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and Venezuela, highlighting stark contrasts in global safety levels. Armenia’s high ranking reflects its continued focus on safety and stability, making it a standout destination not only within its region but on the global stage.

🇦🇲🇺🇸 Yerevan & Los Angeles City Mayors Sign IT Cooperation Deal To Advance Digital Transformation & Smart City Solutions ➖➖➖ Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan met with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during his official visit to the United States to strengthen ties between the two sister cities. The mayors discussed leveraging information technologies (IT) across various sectors of the urban economy. Mayor Avinyan expressed confidence that Los Angeles’ expertise and achievements in these areas can significantly benefit Yerevan, which is actively undergoing a digital transformation. Mayor Bass reaffirmed Los Angeles’ commitment to supporting Yerevan and expressed readiness to share its experience and “smart” solutions to help facilitate Yerevan’s reforms. The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate cooperation in advancing digital transformation. Within the scope of the signed document, the cooperation will aim to provide high-quality services and develop “smart” solutions through technology. Yerevan City aims to improve the lives of its residents by introducing new technologies and enhancing the services provided to create a comfortable and modern urban environment, where every Yerevan resident will have better quality and accessible services. Yerevan and Los Angeles have shared a sister-city relationship since 2007, fostering collaboration and mutual support over the years.

🇬🇷🇦🇲 Greece Set To Supply Air Defense Systems To Armenia Instead Of Ukraine, Amid Strengthened Military Cooperation ➖➖➖ Greece is reportedly planning to sell Russian-made air defense systems currently used by its armed forces to Armenia, rather than supplying them to Ukraine. The Greek news website Enikos.gr reported on Monday that Greece’s armed forces are “at an advanced stage” of phasing out their S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, along with shorter-range Tor-M1 and Osa-AK systems, replacing them with more sophisticated Israeli equipment. The report did not specify the number of units to be provided to Armenia or their total cost. Following the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war, the Greek government resisted calls to donate its S-300 systems to Kyiv, despite already supplying Russian-made armored vehicles to the Ukrainian army. According to Enikos.gr, the decision to provide these and other anti-aircraft weapons to Armenia instead reflects a “strategic choice” based on the historically close ties between Armenia and Greece. The report also noted that this decision is “the product of cooperation with France,” which has become a key military ally for Armenia in the West. “The Armenians have experience in [the Russian systems’] use while also having the necessary spare parts for their maintenance, something that has been the biggest problem for the Greek Armed Forces in recent years, especially after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the embargo imposed on Russia by NATO and the EU,” the publication added. The Armenian Defense Ministry declined to comment on the report on Tuesday. However, the Armenian and Greek defense ministers agreed to deepen military cooperation during talks held in Yerevan in March. The Armenian government announced last year that the two countries would sign an agreement on military-technical cooperation, which includes provisions for mutual transfers of defense technology and the repair of military hardware imported from “third countries.” While Greece has trained hundreds of Armenian officers at its military academies since the 1990s, it has not previously supplied heavy weaponry to Armenia. During his March visit to Yerevan, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias emphasized the growing defense cooperation between Greece and Armenia, noting that India and France are also involved in “trilateral and quadrilateral” initiatives with Greece and India. However, he did not provide further details.

“Peace will be achieved only through our victory” Happy Birthday to one of the National Heroes of Armenia! 🇦🇲

🇦🇲 Armenia’s GDP Increases 5.2% in Quarter 3 Of 2024 ➖➖➖ Armenia’s GDP grew by 5.2% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reports Armenpress. The country’s GDP in Q3 2024 totaled 2.739 trillion drams ($6.85 billion) at current prices. This marks an increase from 2.575 trillion drams ($6.44 billion) recorded in Q3 2023. GDP per capita for Q3 2024 also increased to 894,328 drams ($2,235), compared to 872,832 drams ($2,182) in Q3 2023. These figures represent the average economic output per person for the three-month period. These numbers showcase Armenia’s economic performance during the third quarter of the year, highlighting steady growth and increased productivity compared to the same time last year.

🇦🇲 MOTHER ARMENIA Stunning images of Mother Armenia (Mayr Hayastan) during the full moonrise, captured by Armenian photographer Vahagn Grigoryan.

🇦🇲🏆 Armenia’s “Wings of Tatev” Wins World’s Best Cable Car Award For The Third Time At The Prestigious World Travel Awards ➖➖➖ For the third time, the “Wings of Tatev” cable car, located in Armenia’s Syunik region, has once again been awarded the title of “World’s Leading Cable Car.” at the World Travel Awards 2024, often referred to as the “Travel Oscar,” one of the most prestigious international tourism honors. This year, the Armenian cable car outperformed competitors from Bolivia, Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and South Africa. Previously, “Wings of Tatev” brought Armenia victory in this category in 2023 and 2021. The announcement of the award was made on November 24 during the official ceremony in Madeira, Portugal. The World Travel Awards, often referred to as the “Travel Oscar,” is one of the most prestigious accolades in the travel and tourism industry. Since 1993, it has recognized excellence in travel, tourism, and hospitality, highlighting outstanding projects for their pursuit of excellence, high service standards, and innovation. The “Wings of Tatev” holds a Guinness World Record as the longest reversible passenger cable car in the world, spanning 5,752 meters. Another notable achievement is its remarkably short construction period for such a large-scale engineering structure—just 10 months. This year, the cable car celebrated its 14th anniversary, having welcomed more than 1,300,000 passengers since its opening. It has played a crucial role in developing Armenia’s tourism industry, with one in five tourists visiting Tatev. The “Wings of Tatev” is part of the “Tatev Revival Program,” initiated by Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend. The cable car was constructed by the Austrian-Swiss company Doppelmayr/Garaventa, a leader in ropeway construction. It undergoes annual inspections to meet international safety standards and is managed by Impulse Business Management. Read the full article on ZartonkMedia.com

🇦🇲🇫🇷 French Football Star Olivier Giroud Auctions Jersey To Support Persecuted Christian Armenians ➖➖➖ France international football star Olivier Giroud is auctioning one of his game-worn jerseys to benefit Chrétien d’Orient (“Christians of the East”), an organization supporting persecuted Christians, including Armenians, reports Haiastan Media. Giroud stated, “I hope you will be generous in support of our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, particularly in Armenia.” This is not Giroud’s first benevolent act toward Armenians. In June 2023, he auctioned the jersey he wore during the quarter-final match against England in the 2022 World Cup to support Armenians in Artsakh. The jersey, from the match in which Giroud scored in the 78th minute, was sold during the third edition of the “Night for Mission” charity event, with proceeds donated to two Christian organizations, Portes Ouvertes (Open Doors) and Hope for Armenia. Representatives from both organizations, Anne-Florence Roche and Pastor René Léonian, attended the event and expressed their gratitude to the organizers and donors for their solidarity with Armenians in Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.