Published since 07.2002
Published on April 18, 2008
REALIZED DREAM: DIASPORA ARMENIAN FOUND HIS TRUE HOME IN GORIS
- While many Armenians dream of leaving to settle in other countries, Shahen Zeytuntsyan, from Germany, found Armenia attractive enough. More over he preferred Syunic province to Yerevan and now 68 year old Zejtuntsyan enjoys his life and business in picturesque Goris, some 250 km from the capital. And some 3,000 km from Germany. “Goris is not given the credit it deserves. A town like this should attract people, rather than repel them. Fifty-sixty thousand people must be living here, instead of the current 25-30 thousand. There have to be conditions for that, that haven’t been created… That’s why I’ve made investments here,” he says. In 2005 Zeytuntsyan (together with his partners) opened the doors of his cozy hotel “Mirhav”. Mirhav is a unique synthesis of traditional Armenian applied arts and modern style and could be demonstrated as a museum to its visitors as Zeytuntsyan has filled the hotel with items illustrating Armenian lifestyle and culture. Entering Mirhav one is captured with the old Armenian environment, where from all corners old Armenian carpets, jars and pottery made of clay and metal, tell of Armenian past history in everyday life. Zeytuntsyan says all the items were collected and bought from Goris and its neighboring villages. Mirhav (which means pheasant) hotel used to be a house, which Zeytuntsyan has rebuilt and redecorated. “When we were just building, my idea was to make this an Armenian home, so that Armenians or Europeans perceive it as such. With clear consciousness I can say that I have saved many things that would otherwise have gone into oblivion.” Zeytuntsyan says the idea of returning to his motherland had always haunted him. Born in Iran, he left for Germany to study when he was 19 and had lived there until he moved to Armenia in 2000. His two daughters and grandchildren are now in Germany. He says that in Iran, his teachers dreamed of returning to Armenia, and they brought them up in that spirit: someday they would return to Armenia. “It was impossible in the communist period. I tried once, when I was a doctor and was a good specialist, I wanted so much to come and live in Armenia for at least a year. I applied once during the Soviet times, but go no response.” Although Baron Shahen (this is how people address him in Goris) lived in Yerevan when he just moved, he was thinking where else he could do things, where and what to invest. “The wonderful nature of Goris was very appealing to me. My friends, acquaintances, relatives would accompany me during those trips and were also fascinated by the nature, and rich presence of historic monuments.” Zeytuntsyan’s connection with Armenia started in 1981, and he used to visit Armenia time to time, taking children to visit summer camps. After the earthquake he worked in Gyumri. Zeytuntsyan is also the president of Central Organization of Armenian Unions in Germany, and one of the founders of Armenian Doctors’ Union. “I chose Mirhav name for the hotel, because it is related to Bakunts (a famous Armenian prose writer born in Goris). One of his most famous works was called ‘Mirhav’ The Pheasant. It’s also a wild bird common here. Besides, the story is so popular that Goris is often associated with it.” He thinks that it’s pointless to invest in Yerevan any more. He sees Armenia as resembling a sick body with a big head and weak legs. Any minute that head can fall off, and then the body will collapse. That means the limbs have to be treated. Zeytuntsyan says he has no regrets whatsoever, feels quite satisfied that his observations were correct. “The more decent town we have, the more people would visit. Nobody would come to a town with dark, ruined streets. So then I have to make it interesting both for people from Armenia and abroad. We have become something that attracts people.”
- Armine Avagyan
82 days before | 
Headlines for April 18, 2008
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Negotiations over the roles in the emerging government of the four political parties that formed a new political coalition in Armenia last month as well as actual appointments have dominated discussions ...NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW PROTEST: CONTROVERSY RISES AS BUILDING SITE IS REVEALED IN VANADZOR
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Large scale construction works have started in the center of Vanadzor, Lori province, when a 6 meter deep pit was dug in the center of town, where green area stood just a week ago Human rights activist ...KASHATAGH: KARABAKH’S REGION FEELS SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICITY, JOBS AND RESIDENTS
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The first pan-Armenian conference on the development of the Kashatagh region of Nagorno-Karabakh took place in that region last month. The conference was organized by the Tufenkian Foundation under the ...CLAIMS AND COUNTERCLAIMS: LAWSUITS SPLIT POLICE AGAINST JOURNALIST IN GYUMRI
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The Gyumri police is asking a court to impose a 50,000 drams (about $170) fine on the chairman of the Gyumri Journalists Club for refusal to obey the demands of the police during a March 2 political protest ...NEW MFA ON THE JOB: PRESIDENT CALLS ON ALL MINISTERS TO BE “SOLDIERS”
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On April 14, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree appointing 52-year-old Eduard Nalbandyan Minister of Foreign Affairs. Earlier, Nalbandyan was relieved of his position as Armenia’s Ambassador ...WALK TALK: ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES LAW ON ASSEMBLY AS POLICE RESTRICT AFTERNOON “WALKS”
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© AUA
Today in Armenian history- 1862 Birth of H.F.B. Lynch in London of Irish parentage. Besides his study of law, he became noted as a writer, a geographer, a politician, and a traveller, with a keen interest in Armenia. His two-volume book on his Armenia travels is a classic and describes life in Armenia at the end of the 19th century. In 1906, he was elected to serve as a member of the British Parliament. (He died in London on 1913 11 24).
- 1877 The Yerevan detachment of the Russian forces, headed by General Ter-Ghukasov, occupies Bayazet for 12 days with the help of Armenian home guards.
- 1933 Death of Avetik Sahakian (Father Abraham), the Parliamentary President of the First Armenian Republic.
- 1953 The administrative districts of Yerevan, Kirovakan, and Leninakan are dissolved.
- 1958 Inauguration of the Armenian SSR's Art Institute.
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