Levon Tikoyan

Startups born in Armenia and startups with Diaspora Armenian founders announced a total of $216M in investments in 2023. Highlights: - 82% of those deals were closed by startups with Diaspora Armenian founders ($177M) - Armenia-born startups' raised $27M - Armenian investors (VC funds and angel networks) invested $3M in those deals. Read more in the year-end post on 3N:

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United States Should Defend Armenian Airlines, Kurdish Airports Against Turkish Bullying By Michael Rubin The Armenian Mirror-Spectator September 11, 2024 President Ronald Reagan used force to defend freedom of navigation at sea. Individual countries exert sovereignty over their own airspace and so the force appropriate to defend transit of international waters would be inappropriate with regard to airspace. Coercion, however, is welcome. Turkey has been violating its treaty obligations to Armenia for decades; rather than move toward peace, its airspace shenanigans suggest Erdogan is insincere about normalization. Erdogan’s posture toward Sulaymani suggests the same with regard to Kurdish self-rule. Airspace has become a barometer of Erdogan and Aliyev’s sincerity. Rather than kowtow to dictators, the next American president should force them to live by their own precedents. It is time to limit Turkish Air overflights of American airspace.

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🛑 The 44-day Artsakh War in 2020 was a significant conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Azerbaijan launching an aggressive military campaign, heavily supported by Turkey. This resulted in territorial losses for Armenians and highlighted Azerbaijan’s violations of international humanitarian law and ethnic cleansing efforts in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Azerbaijan’s use of cluster munitions in civilian areas, targeted attacks on infrastructure, torture and execution of Armenian POWs, and the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage were among the most serious breaches of international law. These violations were condemned by human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Turkey’s involvement through military aid and Syrian mercenaries escalated the conflict, making it not just a territorial dispute but a broader geopolitical issue. The war led to the displacement of many Armenians from their ancestral homes due to fear of violence and persecution, an example of ongoing ethnic cleansing efforts. Azerbaijan’s government, through hate speech and propaganda, further dehumanized Armenians, encouraging such atrocities. Despite these clear violations, the international community’s response was largely muted, with many nations avoiding condemnation due to political and economic ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey. This lack of accountability sets a dangerous precedent for future conflicts. The Artsakh War was not simply about land; it was a calculated attempt to eliminate the Armenian population in the region. The destruction of cultural sites and forced displacement echoed previous Armenian tragedies, particularly the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Moving forward, international efforts are needed to prevent further ethnic cleansing and ensure the safety and self-determination of Armenians in Artsakh.

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CIVILNET: "Why aren’t Armenian Americans as politically influential as they should be?,” 8/29/2024, https://lnkd.in/eBxtUEMf "CivilNet commentator and political consultant Eric Hacopian sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to discuss why Armenian Americans are not as influential in U.S. politics as they could and should be — and what to do about it.” Q: "In your view, what concrete policies should Armenian Americans be demanding from their elected officials?" A (from Eric Hacopian): "First and foremost, you start with the issue of the prisoners — freeing the prisoners and using the mechanisms and the law or sanctions to do that. … Secondly, it’s to defend Armenia in the sense from further aggression from Azerbaijan by having triggering sanctions. … Then I think things that have to do with specific defense, opening up the US weapons market to Armenia [and] starting US military aid to Armenia. …How we integrate 120,000 refugees. … Business investments in Armenia.”

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This is one of the differences between Armenian Schools…..and the Non-Armenian schools! I am sure you understand what I mean! 👊🏼❤️💙🧡👊🏼 +++++++++++++++++++ Students from @agbu_hpta, alongside the entire student body & administration, stand together with a powerful message to our political leaders: the inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners of war is a violation of human rights. This silence must end. Our captives deserve freedom and justice. As we stand strong for Armenia, let’s amplify their voices, push our leaders to take action, and demand the immediate release of those unjustly held. Join us in calling for action, not just words. One actionable step you can take with us today is to Engage with Policymakers: Reach out to elected representatives and human rights organizations, urging them to address the plight of Armenian POWs. Write letters, sign petitions, and participate in virtual town halls or community meetings to advocate for concrete actions. #ReleaseOurCaptives #HumanRights #StandwithArmenia #JusticeforAll #agbumds #agbu #agbumds49 #agbumdsmvp #thrivingtitans #Armenianheritage #inspiringexcellence #throughgenerations #buildingalegacy #inunityisstrength #armenianschool #StopAzeriCulturalGenocide #StopGreenwashingGenocide #🇦🇲 #🇦🇲🇦🇲 #armemianculture

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Los Angeles Times, "Opinion: How lies on paper enabled Azerbaijan’s destruction of an Armenian community," by Taleen Mardirossian, 8/18/2024 "For the last century, Turkey has employed the power of paper to deny the Armenian genocide. Turkish history textbooks teach young students that there was no genocide; rather, the Turks were victims of Armenian aggression, leaving them with no choice but to target the traitors conspiring against them. One Turkish textbook estimates a death toll of 57,000 Armenians. Although the real number will never be known, historians put it at around 1.5 million. "This history of violence is being repeated today. .. "In 2020, with Turkey’s support, Azerbaijan began the latest genocidal campaign against the Armenians, this time in the territory of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh. Although this autonomous region was inhabited and controlled by Armenians, who the land belonged to was contested on paper. "Claiming this land as theirs, Azerbaijan beheaded civilians. It blasted residential areas with cluster munitions. Even after a cease-fire was called in November 2020, attacks continued and tensions escalated. Then, starting in December 2022, Azerbaijan trapped and starved the men, women and children of Artsakh in an illegal blockade, cutting off access to food, medicine and humanitarian aid. In September, after nine months of psychological and physical torment, Azerbaijan launched a final attack that would force the region to surrender and its Armenian population to flee, in effect ethnically cleansing Artsakh of its people. "[T]he international community failed to see beyond what they were told on paper. "Much of the little concurrent reporting done on this conflict — reporting that has largely vanished in the past year — would include some version of the misleading statement that Artsakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijan. In other words, among the first facts often established by the media on Artsakh is that the land belongs to Azerbaijan on paper, establishing a sense of justification for their violence. .. "In the 1920s, although the population of Artsakh was 90% Armenian, the USSR debated which Soviet republic the region would be officially aligned with. Armenia was poor and faced a refugee crisis following the Armenian genocide, while Azerbaijan sat on vast reserves of oil. So the Soviets prioritized economy rather than autonomy. .. "Armenians have lived, and died, on this land for millennia. The rocks and stones of thousand-year-old Armenian churches and monasteries are engraved with Armenian inscriptions. .. Why are these carved facts not presented alongside what we are told by a source as thin, transparent and fragile as paper? "Armenians’ cultural heritage — is being actively destroyed by Azerbaijan, just like our presence is being erased from its books. "And we are all to blame. We are not taught to question paper."

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Ahead of COP29, the International Community Must Advocate for the Respect of Human Rights During the UN’s annual convention on climate change in Baku next month, democracy’s defenders have an opportunity to hold the Azerbaijani regime accountable for its human rights violations—and to push for change. COP 29, The world’s most prestigious climate conference organized by the UN is being hosted in Azerbaijan. A country known for its brutal human rights abuses and environmental destruction. A country run by a brutal Petro-dictatorship that has committed ethnic cleansing and genocide only a year ago. A country that continues to destroy ancient christian monuments that it has forcefully taken over. This cannot be the face of global climate leadership. There cannot be climate justice without human justice and respect for human rights. Demand that the world renounce this futile attempt to allow Azerbaijan to greenwash the crimes it has committed on the Armenians of Artsakh. Demand that Azerbaijan free the Armenian hostages who have been kept in the prisons of Baku. Please share using these hashtags in your posts: #StopGreenwashGenocide #FreeArmenianHostages #FreePoliticalPrisoners #BoycottCop29 #COPout29 Say NO to Azerbaijan’s genocidal policies and NO to greenwashing at #COP29.

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No you will not get Armenian 🇦🇲citizenship after 3 years of paper residency. No you will not get Dominican citizenship 🇩🇴6 months after having made a real estate investment there. You are either being lied to, or are listening to inexperienced people who don’t understand how emerging and frontier markets operate. And no, being a digital nomad working online and staying in Airbnbs does NOT count as true emerging / frontier market experience. To truly understand how such markets function, you need operational experience.

TURKEY: A CONTINUATION OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Can Turkey be held accountable for international violations committed by the Ottoman Empire? The Kemalists’ rise to power in 1922 initially raised hopes for addressing past damages, but the new regime continued former policies. The National Assembly passed laws legalizing the appropriation of Armenian property, including: • January 8, 1920, and April 20, 1922: Recognized Armenian property as “abandoned.” • April 25, 1923: Extended confiscation laws to all Armenians. • September 1923: Prohibited Armenians from returning to Cilicia and Eastern provinces. • May 23, 1927: Denied Turkish citizenship to those abroad who did not fight in the war for independence. 🔴 The 1915 genocide’s consequences persist, with unreturned damages and thousands of displaced Armenians. Armenian accounts and assets were confiscated and sent to Constantinople, raising questions about unclaimed properties and archival records. Outside Istanbul, only six Armenian churches remain, while 2,500 were destroyed or lost. Laws in 1926 and 1927 solidified Turkey’s retention of confiscated Armenian property. 🔴 Turkey continued the Ottoman Empire’s policies, erasing Armenian heritage by removing “Armenia” from maps, renaming towns, and destroying monuments and churches. By the 1950s, most Armenian churches and monasteries were gone. 🔴 Rehabilitation of 1915 genocide perpetrators: In 1943, Talaat Pasha’s remains were moved to Istanbul with honors and buried in the Monument of Liberty cemetery. Two streets were later named after him. 🔴 Article 301 of Turkey’s Criminal Code indirectly penalizes the use of the term "Armenian genocide", reflecting ongoing denialism and its moral implications. 🔴 The 1925 mediation court decision on Ottoman state debt, under the Treaty of Lausanne, confirmed Turkey as the Ottoman Empire’s successor. 🔴 The destruction of Khachkars and Armenian sites continues to this day, erasing proof of ancient Armenian presence in the region. 🔴 Turkey's flag closely resembles the Ottoman Empire's flag. 🔴 In February 2018, President Erdogan acknowledged modern Turkey as a continuation of the Ottoman Empire, contradicting Ataturk's ideology. A successor state must compensate for its predecessor’s actions if it assumes its rights and obligations but fails to address past violations. In such cases, the successor state is responsible for those offenses. To conclude: In international law, Turkey is regarded as the continuing personality of the Ottoman Empire, not merely its successor, and is thus responsible for the offenses committed by its predecessor based on the identity of the states! For a more in-depth analysis, you can find it in my book, available for purchase through the following link: https://lnkd.in/enPMmV2y #armeniangenocide #genocide #armenia #armenian #turkey #ottomanempire #humanrights #criminaljustice #internationalhumanitarianlaw #internationalcriminallaw #criminallaw #book #newbook #justice

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An example of a super useful app that has only 1 input. In Armenia 🇦🇲 you often get SMS written with latin characters. Google translate won't work, since it's not written in Armenian alphabet. You simply insert the text, and got transliteration. Plus, if you insert message written in Armenian alphabet, you'll also get it translated. Even the domain name is straight to the point - what . am

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Someone asked me why we center Torah in our work. Well, because: (1) Our modern lives and to-do lists don't leave us with much time to think through the big questions. Mystics, artists, rabbis, philosophers, poets, leaders (all just regular human beings like us) have been asking these questions over thousands of years. Now it's our time and our turn, as the ones who are here right now. (2) In my 15 years of experience building groups who study Torah together, nothing brings people together in close relationships faster. Yes, even people who think they don't like or can't access "Torah study." Torah allows us to go deep quickly, seeing ourselves, each other, and the world with more creativity and clarity. (3) Torah trains us in the skills we need to build a better world. We learn how to build pluralistic democracy by learning how to understand and even argue for positions we may not hold, or to engage in disagreement with civility. We use the word Torah to indicate a way of interacting with rabbinic literature that is sacred, inspiring, and unsettling at times. Reading Torah means opening myself up to the text laying a claim to my life and my behavior. It is an encounter at a deeply personal level as well, as I am studying my people’s covenantal tradition and not that of another. I can still disagree, argue, and protest what I read in rabbinic literature. And, I can creatively turn it on its head with a better reading. All these are options in Torah. It is this kind of experience which adults around the country are signing up for with IYUN (http://iyun.us). So, yes, we’re REALLY into Torah.

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The Armenian Weekly, "Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan split the loot of the 2020 Artsakh War,” by Harut Sassounian, 11/1/2022, https://lnkd.in/ePRxfFdW ""While Armenia has been licking its wounds of the 2020 Artsakh War, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey wasted no time to get together and split with their families and cronies the loot they acquired after occupying the territories in and around Artsakh. ""Azerbaijani journalist Ulkar Natiqqizi published an investigative article on October 24 titled: “‘Brotherly’ Azerbaijan and Turkey build lucrative Karabakh business ties.” The piece reveals how the two presidents have divided among their family members and close associates what they plundered from Artsakh… "Natiqqizi reported, “In total, the Azerbaijani government has allocated nearly $2.9 billion for reconstruction and restoration projects in Karabakh. Data have not been published breaking down which countries’ companies get contracts, and other countries perceived to be friendly, including Italy, Israel, and the United Kingdom, also have gotten contracts. But Turkish firms appear to be the biggest winners of the contracts. Roughly 30 Turkish companies are operating in Karabakh, according to the Turkish embassy in Baku."

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The war that the internet forgot⚠️ The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a long-standing territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, has seen a recent escalation in hostilities. This region, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but with a majority Armenian population, has been a flashpoint for armed clashes. Amidst this tension, Azerbaijan has utilized advanced LORA missiles from Israel, which are quasi-ballistic with a 400 km range with error probability of just 10 meters. In response, Armenia is seeking to enhance its defensive capabilities by potentially purchasing Pralay missiles from India. These missiles are an integral part of India's rocket force, boasting a range of 150 to 500 km. Pralay's quasi-ballistic nature allows for mid-flight trajectory adjustments and low-altitude travel, making them nearly impossible to intercept due to their capability to release decoys. The effectiveness of Pralay is comparable to the Iskander-M, which has been successfully deployed in Ukraine, thereby validating Pralay's combat reliability. India’s previous military support to Armenia, including Pinaka missiles and artillery guns, along with a signed deal for Akasha missiles, positions India as a significant defense partner. If Armenia finalizes the Pralay missile deal, it will be India's largest defense contract of 2024, significantly bolstering India's reputation as a major global defense exporter. Recently, the President of Azerbaijan received a ceremonial welcome in Pakistan where he expressed support for Kashmir. Therefore, this deal would not only enhance Armenia's military capabilities but also serve as a strategic warning to Azerbaijan regarding their recent focus on the Kashmir issue. Also, the deterioration in Armenia-Russia relations, with the former adamant upon a withdrawal from the Russian-led CSTO due to unmet defense promises by Russia while they were under attack by Azerbaijan, underscores Armenia's pivot towards other defense partners like India. This shift reflects the broader dynamics of regional power plays and international defense collaborations. Source- https://lnkd.in/eEkFkT3Z #India #Armenia #Azerbaijan #War #Defence #Pakistan #Kashmir #Israel #Ukraine #Russia #NagornoKarabakh #DefenseIndustry #MilitaryTechnology #Geopolitics #InternationalRelations #DefenseDeals #StrategicPartnerships #MissileDefense #GlobalSecurity (P14)

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The Armenian passport provides moderate access in terms of global mobility. According to recent passport rankings, Armenian passport holders can travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access to around 70-80 countries. Here’s a breakdown of its general standing and key points: 1. Visa-Free and Visa-on-Arrival Countries Armenian passport holders have access to several countries in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), including Russia and some Central Asian nations, without a visa. Armenia also has visa-free agreements with Iran, Georgia, Brazil, and Argentina, among others. In parts of Asia, like Hong Kong and Indonesia, Armenian passport holders can enter without a visa for a limited time. 2. Schengen Zone Access Armenian citizens currently need a visa to enter Schengen Area countries in Europe. However, Armenia has been in discussions with the EU about possible visa liberalization in the future. 3. United States, Canada, UK, and Australia Armenian passport holders need visas to visit major destinations such as the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. 4. Passport Ranking In global passport rankings, Armenia’s passport is considered medium-tier. While it doesn’t rank as highly as those from countries in the EU or North America, it still offers reasonable access compared to many other passports. 5. Potential for Future Improvement Armenia has been working to establish more visa-free and visa-on-arrival agreements, which could increase the strength of its passport in the coming years. Summary Armenian citizens benefit from moderate travel freedom, especially within CIS countries and parts of Asia and South America. However, for travel to Western countries, visas are generally required.

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