DIASPORA

Pope Francis will be in Armenia on June 24.

OSCE Minsk Group, which was formed with the purpose of promoting a peaceful resolution for Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and meditating between two sides, convened the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Aurora Prize is given at a ceremony held in Yerevan on April 24. Marguerite Barankitse, who established Maison Shalom Orphanage for children who are orphaned because the civil war in Burundi, is awarded.

It is declared that the motion for recognizing the Armenian Genocide will be voted on June in Bundestag.

Named after Aurora Mardiganian, who witnessed the killing of her relatives in 1915 Armenian Genocide and survived the massacre miraculously, Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity will be given for the first time.

Michelle Andonion have been photographing the children at risk around the world for providing a better future for them by raising awareness. Now, in her book “This Picture I Gift”, which was published on September 2015, she travels to the past of her family, Armenia and Anatolia by following the footsteps of her grandmother Sara.

On February 26, parliamentary election was held in Islamic Republic of Iran and 2 Armenian MPs are elected to the parliament.

Gyumri is still suffering because of the earthquake that happened 27 years ago and left 4.000 families homeless. World-famous Armenian people started a fundraising campaign for families who have been living in huts.

On January 28, the annual dinner of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France was held in Paris. Speaking at the event, French President Hollande said that they are revising the genocide denial law.

The owner of the famous Baron Hotel, which was established in Aleppo in early 20th century by Mazlumyan family from Kayseri, Armen Mazlumyan passed away last week. Mazlumyan's loyalty to his family's heritage, his struggle for keeping Baron Hotel standing and his extraordinary life in Aleppo which he didn't abandon even during the war are subjected to “Barons of Aleppo: A Hotel in Syria, A Family and the Last Century of Middle East” by Flavia Amabile and Marco Tosatti.