Multi-talented Armenian artist Karen Grigoryan to “Silence Against Noise” with his first London exhibit

I first heard of Karen Grigoryan last year when he staged an exhibit in Yerevan to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Artist, songwriter, producer, film director and TV host. If you think this is more than enough for one person, think again. Add to this his degrees... in political science and European studies.

Karen Grigoryan will present 40 works (20 photos & 20 graphic works) from his different collections, including "NO AIDS", "Silence" devoted to the Armenian Genocide, "Portfolio" and "Interval". This is his first exhibition in London.

Btw, while in London, Karen will be meeting British fashion icon Vivienne Westwood to interview for an Armenian IQ magazine.

Another interesting detail. The exhibition will be live streaming via artist’s blog at karengrigoryan.com

Below are details of the exhibit for your diary.

Date: 10 November 2010, 7pm.
Address:
Menier Gallery
51 Southwark Street
London SE1 1RU
meniergallery.co.uk
Nearest tube: London Bridge
Located in Bankside, minutes from Borough Market and the Tate Modern.
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Read also: Riot, nudity... a very Armenian day in London gallery by artist Karen Grigoryan

World AIDS Day 09, Yerevan, Armenia (Picture of the Day)

*picture - by Lara Aharonian
**More about the events - here
***video

Head of Armenia mobile operator VivaCell Ralph Yirikian moves to support HIV education/awareness programmes, calls for tolerance

“Because we care!”

Whenever I go back home Yerevan, I always hear stories about Ralph Yirikian, General Manager of mobile operator company VivaCell, one of the most prominent businessman (and philanthropist) in Armenia. Astonishingly, all stories I hear about him are positive. One would expect to hear lots of ‘dirt’ about the businessman of such a caliber in Armenia. One would be wrong. Yirikian, perhaps, one of those exceptional business personalities in Armenia who managed not only to succeed in his business but earn respect of the population. Well deserved, I must add, as proved by his very latest actions and statements too.

Not only Yirikian moves to support HIV/AIDS related education and awareness programmes but also he calls for tolerance towards HIV-positive people which is essential for any such initiative to have a chance for success. This is important for developing a more tolerant towards vulnerable groups and minorities environment in Armenia too.

As they say, “VivaCell is more than operator”. I have to agree with this statement. They proved it in past, they proved it with this step again.

If only Armenia have more businessmen like Yirikian, we would have healthier (not only in medical terms) and more open society. I hope Yirikian’s attention to vulnerable groups and minorities will not stop here, evolving more groups, including LGBT Armenians. My respects for now, Ralph.

For more details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*In photo (via Lragir.am) - Ralph Yirikian did a blood test for HIV before signing a Memorandum.

Maxim Anmeghichean of ILGA-Europe questions Hillary Clinton on gay rights

Maxim Anmeghichean is Moldovan of Armenian origin. He is a Programmes Director at ILGA-Europe (Europe’s main gay rights group).

On 6 March 2009, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, participated in a meeting with young Europeans hosted by the European Parliament. Max was one of the participants.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was pretty excited by the fact that Max was wearing a T-shirt saying “I love Hillary”, so she said she simply had to take a question from him. And Max used this chance perfectly by posing a question on how the US foreign policy in the field of sexual rights and LGBT issues is going to change under a new administration.

Whatever one may think of Hillary Clinton, wearing a T-shirt saying “I love Hillary” was a very smart move by Maxim Anmeghichean, to be noticed and heard. Well done, Max, you are an inspiration for many.

Financial Times Brussels Blog called Max’s Q&A with Hillary Clinton “the best moment” of the meeting.

For details and video - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*photo - via Towleroad

Armenia urged to lift travel restrictions on people with HIV in time for the Vienna World AIDS Conference in 2010

Thirty countries deport HIV+ migrant workers, sixty six countries discriminate HIV+ travellers, including 19 in the WHO Europe region [including Armenia].

“Exclusionary policies like these are a shame for Europe”, says Karl Lemmen from the German AIDS Federation. “European States and institutions should do everything possible to remove HIV related travel restrictions within its territory to guarantee that human rights prevail and `European values` exist.

For details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Armenia marks World AIDS Day 2008

see Armenia: HIV/AIDS – looking back on 2008

Armenia should abandon its unjust and unwise travel ban on people with HIV

Prominent HIV/AIDS campaigners and international health advocates of Armenian origin Jirair Ratevosian and Dr. Amy Hagopian co-authored this editorial on Armenia's discriminatory HIV-related travel restrictions. It calls on the government of Armenia to consider the widespread consensus among medical and public health professionals regarding the lack of evidence to support HIV-related travel restrictions and to reverse the policy.

The editorial was published first by The Armenian Weekly and subsequently reprinted in Asbarez on Friday, September 5, 2008.

Unzipped and Unzipped: Gay Armenia joins this call.

About the authors:

Jirair Ratevosian, MPH, is the U.S. field coordinator for the Health Action AIDS Campaign of Physicians for Human Rights.

Amy Hagopian, Ph.D. teaches at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle, Wash., and chairs the International Health Advocacy Committee of the American Public Health Association.

For details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

HIV/AIDS situation in Armenia

Statistics and commentary

see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*picture via A1+