Jivan Gasparyan: artists mustn’t give away their presentsApril 6, 2011 - 15:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - World-known duduk player Jivan Gasparyan believes the stir raised over the presents of apartments and cards granted to Armenian stars at Tashir 2011 music awards ceremony to be absurd. “Why would I let anyone else have my gift? That would be the same as giving away the flowers I received. Wouldn’t it be offensive for those who presented me with them?” Gasparyan told a news conference in Yerevan. “However, some of those people did not deserve the presents. Naturally, a boy who has had no experience and hardships on his way to popularity does not deserve such a present,” the musician added. When asked to give his opinion on the fact that some of the stars who received costly presents already have several apartments while many families in Armenia have no homes, he stated, “There are many organizations in Armenia aiming to help homeless families. Yet in many cases, the aid is appropriated by the organizations’ heads. This is the problem that needs to be addressed.” Meanwhile, Armenian Facebook users have decided to launch a group to raise funds for the homeless. Participants can transfer AMD 500-1000 per month. A bank account will also be opened soon. The initiative was joined by Diaspora representatives from different countries. Earlier, a group named Call on Tashir 2011 Stars was launched on Facebook. The group members urge Armenian pop stars, who were presented with the apartments in Moscow and Yerevan during the ceremony, to give them away to homeless families. The number of group supporters is growing day by day. Top stories The creative crew of the Public TV had chosen 13-year-old Malena as a participant of this year's contest. She called on others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech. Penderecki was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. The festival made the news public on March 19, saying that “several options are considered in order to preserve its running” Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |