Remain. #Brexit

I never had any doubts re where I stand on this question. I was a voter. And I voted for Remain. Here is my #VoteRemain.

I strongly believe with all its issues and problems, the positive of the EU far outweighs the negative. And if you did follow the debate in the UK, and if you do follow my blogs and Twitter updates, you would know that I could never ever support those behind the campaign to leave. The most prominent #Brexit campaigners were nationalists, racists, full of hate towards migrants, and their vision of the UK and the worldview is totally opposite to mine.

In the early hours of the morning, it became clear that nationalism, racism, isolationism, hate - i.e. #Brexit - narrowly won this EU referendum.

The United Kingdom is a country that includes England (voted Leave), Scotland (voted Remain), Wales (voted Leave), and Northern Ireland (voted Remain).

This "Kingdom" is anything but "United".

As Edward Snowden tweeted: "No matter the outcome, #Brexit polls demonstrate how quickly half of any population can be convinced to vote against itself. Quite a lesson."

Iconic undercroft in London's South Bank under threat of 'redevelopment' by retail units

You may think that in London while deciding on redevelopment, construction, they would pay special attention to preserving historic, iconic parts. Partly - yes. But not so much. Few years ago they demolished Astoria theatre for a big transport redevelopment Crossrail  project. I will always remember Astoria: gigs, clubbing, my first boyfriend in London...

Now the so called 'redevelopment' (= relocation, and instead filling the space with even more shops and restaurants) threatens another iconic London place - undercroft on South Bank. A place filled with graffiti, skateboarders. A location for film settings etc.

If you ever been on South Bank, one of my fave parts in London, it would be impossible to miss the undercroft. It has very cool, alternative, counter-culture feeling.

I was there on Sunday, and joined the protest against re-location of undercroft by signing the petition. You may do so online too: petition

2013: rock-n-roll New Year !!

On a personal note...

Never before I was able to achieve so many personal To Do-s [some coming back from my teenage years] as I did in 2012. Apparently, dragon loved me. But hey, I was determined, I took the risks, and it was worth it. I fought some of my personal inhibitions [yes, I do have inhibitions too :) !], and it was so worth it.

I wish readers of my blogs, my friends and family to see at least some of the most important dreams realised in 2013.

May 2013 rock your inhibitions and set you free.

It’s London calling. It’s rock-n-roll.

Have a very happy New Year !!


With love, 

x Mika

British ambassador in Armenia says ‘good-bye’. “Love embassy” stays

If you ask my opinion, I’d say - to date - Charles Lonsdale was the best foreign ambassador in Armenia. He fitted right and genuinely into the environment, issues, people transforming the embassy into the “love embassy”. Although Daily Mail dubbed it a “love embassy” with negative connotations, for me this was the best term ever to refer to any diplomatic mission. What can be better than love?

[...] The controversy comes after it was revealed that the current ambassador recently married an Armenian woman working at the British Embassy.
The two developments have led to local politicians nicknaming the British mission the ‘love embassy’. [...] (Daily Mail)

I personally met Charles and Maria in Yerevan. Here is what I posted following the meeting:

What a nice couple: UK ambassador in Armenia Charles & Maria. Friendly, intelligent, cool. Great night out with them & Onnik + more friends. People. Atmosphere. Super. At my fave venue in Yerevan. Alternative Armenia reality. The one I like. #YerevanDiaries

Below is an extract from his farewell blog post. Good-bye, Charles. You will be missed!!

[...] The economic crisis means poverty is as serious an issue as ever, though I’ve written before now on some good work being done by NGOs, including Oxfam.  There’s also been some progress on gender issues and it’s possible now to hope for some progress on the question of domestic violence in a way I didn’t think possible when I first arrived.  There’s even been some limited progress in reporting of lesbian and gay issues, though there’s still a long way to go to overcome some deep-rooted prejudices. 

Encouragingly, I think we’re seeing more active participation by young people in both formal and informal politics, including campaigning on particular issues, such as the environment.  That’s something we’ve supported and encouraged and meeting bright, active young people has always been one of the things that gives me hope for Armenia’s future, whatever the challenges ahead.  The biggest issue though is to ensure that those young people see their future in Armenia, and that they have the opportunity to put their talents to work here, rather than joining the steady outflow of people away from the country. 

I have occasionally apologised for adding to that outflow by marrying one of those bright young Armenians, and I will be forcing her to leave, at least temporarily to come with me to Vienna for my next job.  As she pointed out though, it’s open to debate if I’m taking her away from Armenia or she is taking me to Armenia.  At any rate, I look forward to returning to this fascinating country.

When asked for my feelings on departure, I’ve tended to say that I’m a frustrated optimist: there is a lot of potential and I’ve come across many capable, smart people.  But somehow the necessary changes have rarely moved as fast or as far as I would hope.  But I remain optimistic that positive changes can and should continue. [...]

And now I’d like to welcome Jonathan Aves and Katherine Leach, new British ambassadors in Yerevan. I have to admit, like many, at first I thought such a dual appointment is a pretty bizarre arrangement. This is probably because there was no much precedent for us and that’s what we used to see: one ambassador per country. But hey... “Two for one”. Normally, a good deal :) Anyone familiar with my blog would know that I frequently defy what was “expected”, “used to” or the “norm”. And I am pretty open and excited to see this new arrangement in action.

I met Jonathan and Katherine in London and have to say they seem full of energy and enthusiasm to contribute for best in Armenia. Here is hoping they will double their efforts in pursuing the issues and more mentioned by Charles in his farewell post.

*pictures - via British Embassy Yerevan FB page and MFA.

Ever was curious how I 'became' gay? What sort of "propaganda" turned me, a little child, into a homosexual guy?

Read this on Unzipped: Gay Armenia -

How I ‘became’ gay. A very personal reflection ahead of return to Stalinism and Fascism in Russia

Amy Winehouse: my London is shrinking

She was part of my London. When I moved here, after the initial ‘introductory’-touristy period, I started creating MY very own London within THE London. “Creating” is probably the wrong choice of word here because I didn’t artificially create it per se. It was evolved in a very organic way. Into a space with people, places, things that come to my mind when I think of London. They are a reflection of my interests. Taste. Preferences. Together they define much smaller, much more intimate and dear London to me.

Now that Amy is gone I feel the sense of (part)emptiness and I do not know how, when or if I will be able to fill it again.

It feels like part of my London is gone, cut off. Part of myself. It's painful.

Good bye, Amy... xxx

Thank you, stranger!

I was carrying a pretty heavy luggage through London underground (metro) the other day and a guy, one of the fellow commuters, offered his hand to help. Nothing special, you might think. But it was special to me. It has never happened to me before. I mean never before a guy, complete stranger, would offer me help in such situation. I have not noticed this man-helping-man-in-transport-of-London pattern around too. What I normally see is when a guy offering help to another woman. I personally did offer such help too quite a few times, but it never occurred to me offering similar help to another guy. (Btw, I have not seen a reversed example: woman offering help to a man in similar matters. Oh, gender roles...)

When he offered his help, at first I was confused and thanked him by saying it’s OK, I can do it myself. But then he insisted, and I agreed... and it felt nice. Simple and nice. Thank you.

YER - LON

I can’t explain how or why but looking at this picture I took not so long ago in Hampstead Heath (London), view from the Heath (via this particular picture) reminded me that of Yerevan (minus lack of Ararat). It’s probably just me... having a moment of nostalgia. It’s as if I took this picture in London overlooking Yerevan.

My New Year resolution for the Armenian Cause

Aram Hamparian of the Armenian National Committee of America tweeted the other day:

#anca is interested in your New Year's resolutions for the #Armenian Cause.
@ANCA_DC

Well, here is mine: to make, however small, but personal contribution to evolve Armenia into a democratic state where human rights are not simply words but a reality. Everything else will follow.

To readers of my blog: BIG THANK YOU for reading my blog, for being in touch, for inspiring me. Whether it’s global, or very personal/intimate, whatever your dreams are, I hope and wish that at least some of them will come true in 2010. Have a very happy one!! x

Unzipped on France24 re Armenia - Turkey rapprochement

France24 did feature in past some posts from both of my blogs, but I was not aware of this one until today. (Thanks to Shant for the video!) It was made on 24 April 2009. They quoted from my post Obama, Turkey, and I. What I said back then has a particular relevance and urgency today too, in my opinion, considering new developments in Armenia-Turkey rapproachment.

Armenian side did whatever possible to do to pave the way for reconciliation despite Turkey’s official refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

Serj Tankian and... my Gay Armenia blog

Thank you so much to iddewes!! I am very touched, indeed... You know, I am a big fan of Serj, and happy to hear that he seems nice in real life too… :)

Via iddewes (+ videos):

...I did manage to get in to see Screamers at the Amnesty International centre. I was a bit worried because I'd heard that Serj Tankian would be there and I thought there would be loads and loads of SOAD fans there, and they always overbook there. [...]

Well the film was very good, anyway, yes it was quite a bit about SOAD but also about the genocide [...] and then there was the Q and A with Serj, the filmmaker Carla Garapedian and two people from Amnesty; quite interesting to listen to them too of course. And then I finally did get to meet Serj at the end. I'd been texting Artmika that he was there but I'd been too shy to speak to him or take a photo - Artmika texted back 'forget about shyness, you have to get a photo!!' - ok so in the end my excuse for going up to him was not to say I admired him or anything like that but to tell him about Artmika's Gay Armenia blog! So yeah Artmika he knows about it now! He was very nice and did actually seem quite interested to hear about it and asked if Artmika lived in Armenia, etc.

So that was good too...I'd have been disappointed if he'd turned out to be an arrogant jerk, but he really wasn't like that at all. :) [...]

Full details: Unzipped Gay Armenia

*photo - via Independentmusic

Не отрекаются любя

Happy bday, Alla!

Armenia: Stars of the past, or ‘lost stars’

I suppose you had to live in Armenia in 80s-90s to really appreciate this particular issue of Special Report programme produced by Banadzev. For me, watching this programme brought back so many great memories: Zara Tonikyan, Elvina Makaryan, Nona Zotova, Erik an Iza from Rubicon… These were very different kind of stars, at very different levels, but they were all part of my life, and I felt very nostalgic watching this programme, and learning some (albeit brief and incomplete) updates of their present life, and few unknown details of their past.

For example, I was always wondering what happened to Zara Tonikyan who was among my favourite Armenian singers back then. Unfortunately, not much is known of her, it’s still pretty much of a mystery. But I learned from the programme that she is in Belgium now performing in an unnamed club. I wish I could know which club is this so that will visit it during my upcoming trip to Brussels.

I knew that Eric (of Eric & Iza) - from popular music/entertainment interactive programme Rubicon on Public TV - is engaged and currently involved in an entertainment magazine publishing business in Yerevan. But I had no idea what happened to Iza. Now I know that Iza got married and lives in Thailand, and she sounded OK. There were brief updates and archive/current footage from some other Armenian ‘lost stars’ too, as the programme put it. (Btw, it was interesting to see a footage of very early Inga and Anush Arshakyan (in part 1), who will represent Armenia in Eurovision 2009)

Thanks to Banadzev production company for this pleasurable experience. Hope they will be consistent in keeping us updated on our past/present, and will continue providing a good quality programming touching alternative subject matters which are not touched by the mainstream.

Part1


Part2


Part3

Alternative Christmas Message

There is this tradition in the UK. Since 1993, one of the main TV channels – Channel 4, each Christmas broadcasts an Alternative Christmas Message (formal one - by Queen). The “alternative message” is normally delivered by someone famous and controversial, be that celebrity or politician.

We do not have a tradition of Christmas message in Armenia, but we have New Year one by country’s president.

I would propose delivering this message to one of our political prisoners, or perhaps a prominent oppositionist and newspaper editor Nikol Pashinyan who is currently on the run and hiding following 1 March events. As we should not have political prisoners while celebrating Christmas. We should not have people who are in hiding because justifiably they do not trust our legal system and courts.

And to all readers of my blogs who celebrate Armenian Christmas (and to those who do not), have no doubts, no matter what anyone says - You Are Beautiful!

Merry Christmas!!

P.S. And one more thing. We can’t have Christmas without good old animation. Here is the perfect one, in a true spirit of Christmas.

...

Inspirational: "I am American"

They proved that impossible is possible in America. They proved that ‘American dream’ exists. With all its shortcomings, this was a huge democratic exercise.

Over the last decade, and especially last years, US reputation fell down below the lowest possible denominator. It became a bad tone to say "I am American". No longer. At least for now, for me it sounds more like a compliment. Now they may proudly say: "I am American".

I knew that November is going to be a special month for me. It indeed turned out to be very special for personal/professional reasons. It's now very special for the 4th November too, double, triple special. It feels great, inspirational.

Expectations are so high of him that chances to get disappointed are very high too. Beginning of new era, or so I hope.

Important day of my calendar – 16 October, Armenia

17 years ago, on 16 October 1991, we had the first and the only presidential election in modern Armenia considered as free and fair. Levon Ter-Petrosyan was popularly elected the first President of the newly-independent Republic of Armenia. All subsequent elections were flawed to various extent, and the last one (19 February 2008) had tragic consequences. It’s not personalities which matter to me this day. Forget about Levon or subsequent presidents. It’s free elections which I care about. It’s free elections which seem to me like hopeful memory from not so distant past. It was history in making which I participated in. Unfortunately, it did not transform into routine reality but remains a ‘history’.

Until we have in Armenia free and fair election again, this day will remain in my calendar as one of the most important dates to remember and to hope that one day it will become so routine that there will be no need to mark it.

Hetq Online on Armenian blogosphere

Overall, one of the rare articles in Armenian media which depicts Armenian blogosphere, bloggers and blogs as they are. Shushan Harutyunyan, the author of this report, is a blogger herself, and knows blogging perfectly from the inside. She is the author of A1+ blog, as well as a more personal one. Hetq’s article contains interviews with Kornelij, Ditord, Reporter-arm and myself. I recommend it.

Armenian version

English version

It’s “coming of age” for Armenian blogging

Onnik Krikorian, Caucasus editor at Global Voices Online, posted analysis on evolution of Armenian blogging which reached the point of “coming of age” following the recent political stand-off and media blackout in Armenia. Highly recommend it!

Only few months ago, practically no one in Armenia was aware of blogs or blogging, including media representatives. Now blogs/blogging/bloggers became the It topic with various reports in Armenian online and printed media, as well as radio, dedicated to them.

Future media professionals in Yerevan also turn their attention to blogging by writing their final thesis on blogging phenomenon.

Full post is availabe here: Armenia: Blogging Comes of Age

My blogs Unzipped and Unzipped: Gay Armenia also mentioned there:

“One blogger from Armenia now living and working in the United Kingdom had already set a precedent for blogs covering issues that were not reported elsewhere with his Unzipped: Gay Armenia site. The blogger applied the same level of professionalism, albeit in support of the former president, on his other blog, Unzipped.”

Defenders of democracy in Armenia

I thought I would never see it again. It’s like 20 years ago, the same atmosphere in Yerevan. Despite all differences, in this crucial time for the future of Armenian democracy people seem united, they refuse to be intimidated by authorities. They share food, tea, they dance, they spend night in Liberty sq, they feel togetherness, exactly like it was 20 years ago.

I am proud of you, guys. I am proud of my parents. I am proud of my dad who after hearing in the morning that police announced “rally is not sanctioned by authorities” and “there may be unforeseen consequences”, instead of being intimidated, immediately went out of the flat and joined the crowd. Like thousands of you. You did not get intimidated, instead – you danced, tens of thousands of you. I am writing these words, and feel very emotional now. I feel proud of being associated with you.

You are great, people!


P.S. And it is so encouraging to see so many young people around. (photo via Hetq)