On July 18 at the Komitas Chamber Music House Yerevan Press Club celebrated the tenth anniversary since its foundation. Along with the jubilee the Yerevan Press Club Annual Award Ceremony was held. The Award was established and conferred since 1998 to the best journalists, media and media organizations of Armenia. This year the ceremony was held by Yerevan Press Club with the assistance of the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the United Nations Development Program.
The jury, determining the awardees, was represented by: Edik Baghdasarian (Chairman of “Investigative Journalists” NGO); Levon Barseghian (Chairman of the Board of “Asparez” Journalist’s Club of Gyumri); Avet Demurian (Chairman of “TEAM” Research Center); Astghik Gevorgian (Chairwoman of the Journalists Union of Armenia); Ashot Melikian (Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression), Nouneh Sarkissian (Managing Director of Internews Armenia public organization).
Traditionally, the awardees received special prizes from missions of international organizations and public organizations of Armenia.
The YPC Annual Awardees are:
Haik Gevorgian, correspondent of “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily – for the assistance to the transparency of the economic sphere. The special prize to Haik Gevorgian from the World Bank Office in Armenia was granted by the Office Director Roger G. Robinson.
“Yerkir-Media” TV company – for the political analysis programs. The special prize to “Yerkir-Media” from the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression was granted by the Committee Chairman Ashot Melikian.
Tatul Hakobian – for the coverage of regional issues in “Azg” daily. The special prize to Tatul Hakobian from the USAID Office in Armenia was conferred by the USAID press attache Elizabeth Zentos.
“Hayrenik” TV company – for the programs addressed to children and adolescents. The special prize to “Hayrenik” from the Journalists Union of Armenia was conferred by the Chairwoman of the JUA Astghik Gevorgian.
German Avagian, photojournalist – for the photograph series “Deadly Toys”. The special prize to German Avagian from the London-based Media Diversity Institute was granted by the MDI Coordinator in Armenia Artur Papian.
“Radiolur” news and analysis program of Public Radio of Armenia – for ensuring up-to-date and diverse information. Special prize to “Radiolur” from OSCE Office in Yerevan was conferred by the Office Head, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin.
“Shoghakat” TV Company – for the esthetics of the TV air. The special prize to “Shoghakat” from Internews Armenia was conferred by the Managing Director of the public organization Nouneh Sarkissian.
Vazgen Manukian, Chairman of National Democratic Union party, RA National Assembly deputy – for the commitment to public policy culture. The special prize to Vazgen Manukian from the “Partnership for Open Society” initiative was granted by Jemma Hasratian, the Chairwoman of “Women with University Education” NGO.
On the Yerevan Press Club jubilee two commemorative Awards of the YPC Board were established in remembrance of the untimely deceased founders of the organization, prominent journalists Valeriy Aydinian and Tigran Naghdalian.
The Commemorative Awards of Yerevan Press Club were granted to:
Tigran Paskevichian – received the Valeriy Aydinian Award for publicist articles published in “168 Zham” weekly. The Award to Tigran Paskevichian was given by Valeriy Aydinian’s widow Karineh Babajanian.
Artak Alexanian, observer of the Public Television of Armenia – was granted the Tigran Naghdalian Award for the creative pursuit. The Award to Artak Alexanian was given by Tigran Naghdalian’s sister Karineh Naghdalian.
The results of two competitions, announced in May by UN Office in Armenia and the UNDP in cooperation with YPC, were disclosed, too.
The contest of UN Office in Armenia “No One is Left Behind” for print and electronic media journalists was arranged in the framework of the UN 60th anniversary and the World Summit on the progress of “Millennium Development Goals” program implementation, which will take place in September in New York.
The Representative of the UN Department of Public Information Valeriy Tkatchouk awarded the winners of the contest of UN Office in Armenia:
Arpineh Harutiunian, “Investigative Journalists” NGO – received the first prize (a trip to UN headquarters in Geneva) for publications in “Hetq” and “ArmeniaNow” online newspapers;
Sara Petrosian, “Investigative Journalists” NGO – received the second (monetary) prize for the publications in “Hetq” online newspaper.
Susanna Shakhnazarian, Chairwoman of Goris Press Club – received the third (monetary) prize for the publications in “Ban u Gorts” newspaper.
The Acting Permanent Representative of UNDP Alexander Avanesov granted monetary prizes to the UNDP contest winners for the best publications on corruption in health care and education: Hasmik Budaghian, “Aravot” daily observer, received the first prize; Vahan Ishkhanian, “ArmeniaNow” online weekly – the second.
On the 10th anniversary of Yerevan Press Club gold signs and diplomas, for the lengthy effective cooperation and contribution to the YPC jubilee events, were granted to the Head of OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, and the heads of the three partner organizations: Astghik Gevorgian (Journalists Union of Armenia), Nouneh Sarkissian (Internews Armenia) and Levon Barseghian (“Asparez” Journalist’s Club).
YPC President Boris Navasardian was awarded a memorable medal of OSCE Office in Yerevan. When awarding the media, the Head of the Office, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin said, in particular, that “the 10th anniversary of the Yerevan Press Club also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the OSCE becoming a full fledged organization with its institutions and filed missions”. Vladimir Pryakhin also read out the congratulatory address from the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti. Noting the contribution of YPC in the development of professional media in Armenia, Miklos Haraszti, in particular, thanked for the informative Yerevan Press Club newsletter: “My office has been using your newsletter regularly, and we consider it to be an important and reliable source for information on the Armenian media situation.”
Congratulations to YPC were made by the Chairwoman of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues Hranush Hakobian, Rector of Yerevan State Linguistic University named after Brusov Suren Zolian, RA Human Rights Defender Larisa Alaverdian, Chief Editor of “Azg” daily Hagop Avedikian, Managing Director of Internews Armenia Nouneh Sarkissian, MDI Coordinator in Armenia Artur Papyan, who presented YPC with an authentic copy of the Times daily, published on July 18, 1995 – the YPC foundation day. Congratulatory addresses were also received from the News Service of Holy Echmiadzin, Ambassador of Russia and former Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Vladimir Kazimirov, Stepanakert Press Club, “Yeni Nesil” Journalists Union of Azerbaijan and a number of other local and foreign organizations.
Previously within the celebration of the jubilee YPC arranged several events for journalists (see below). On July 18 the best players of the soccer game and the chess simul received memorable prizes.
