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Dear UNICEF Friends,
Enclosed please find the following :
1 Report of the XUNICEF Reunion 14-24 September 2019
2 Useful Armenian Language Phrases
3 Useful Georgian Language Phrases
4 List of Participants
5 Draft Guidelines for Future Reunion Organizers prepared by George Kassis
With Warm Regards and Best Wishes for the Holiday Season,
Jim Mohan
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UNICEF Reunion Armenia/Georgia
A total of 75 participants came from 26 countries.
Those who came by air arrived in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia at the Zvartnots International airport.
We were met by the staff of Hyur Service, who organized the itinerary of the reunion. We were transferred by bus to the “Radisson Blu” 5 star hotel located at 2 Azatutyan Ave. in a beautifully landscaped area.
After checking in, we enjoyed a “Welcome Buffet Dinner”. This was followed by a conference of participants on the second floor ballroom area of the hotel.
A group photo was taken with a “Best Wishes” sign to be sent to our colleague Baquer Namazi in Teheran, Iran.
The UNICEF Representative for Armenia, Tanja Radocaj gave us a briefing on UNICEF activities in the country.
George Kassis provided a comprehensive briefing on the political and social history of the country.
Ute Deseniss Gros reflected in a very moving way on her mission to Yerevan in September 1994 and her meeting with Johani Alanco, the first UNICEF Representative in Armenia, and Dr. Mikayel Alexanian, UNICEF National Officer.
Ute’s comments are carried in full in the XUNICEF News & Views Update for the period 3-10 November 2019.
Dr. Tom Cateni was awarded the “Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity”, which is a $1 million global Humanitarian award to honor those whose actions have made an exceptional impact to advance humanitarian causes. It is awarded annually in gratitude to those who saved Armenians from Genocide. Dr. Cateni has been in charge of a medical mission in the Nuba area of Sudan for several years.
Rudolf Hoffmann made the following comments on the beginning of UNICEF co-operation with Armenia:
“By the end of 1993 UNICEF fielded its second mission to Armenia to complete the situation analysis which led to the first country programme the following year. The circumstances were rather harsh…..5 years after the terrible earthquake (1988/89), hundreds of people were still living in shelters, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990 produced a shortage of drugs, vaccines and energy, the shutdown of the domestic nuclear reactor (due to the earthquake) did not fill the gap in energy supply. One could witness during the bitter winter houses where people inside had taken out the wooden frame of doors to use as firewood in the chimney.
It was of great help that Dr. Mikayel (Mischa) Alexanian, who worked in the Ministry of Health, became our counterpart to develop the first assistance programme for Armenia. He joined UNICEF as a National Officer and later moved after change to international status to Kiev to lead the office in Ukraine. Sadly, during travel duty during nighttime in August 2001, his driver crashed with a truck without lights and Mischa died on the spot.
He was a competent, friendly and extremely helpful colleague and his great contribution to UNICEF Armenia will always be remembered.”
September 15… Sunday
A visit was made to “Vernissage”, which is a large open-air market (gallery) with excellent examples of traditional jewelry, souvenirs and homemade handicrafts. The market lies along Aram and Buzan streets. It is 350 meters long and connects Hanropetutyan and Khanjyan streets.
We then visited the historic “Tufenkian Hotel” in the Yerevan city center to view a full collection of quality designer Tufenkian carpets and hand-crafted rugs in various styles including Persian, Tibetian and Oriental.
In the evening we attended a performance of Armenian folksong-dance ensemble at the “G. Sundukyron National Academic Theater”. It was formed in 1922 and is named after Gabriel Sundukian. He established the “Armenian School of Realistic Drama”. The theater is the oldest modern theater in the country.
September 16….Monday
In the morning we visited “Khor Virap Sacred Monastery” on the Ararat plain in Lusarat. It is the most visited pilgrimage in the country and is located about 8 kilometers from the closed border with Turkey. It is 8 kilometers south of Artashat, Acat Province within the territory of ancient Artashat. The Monastery was host to a theological seminary and was the residence of Armenian Catholics. The large St. Astvatsatsin church there was built in the 17th century but lacks any decorative carvings.
Later we visited the iconic “Temple of Garni” in Kotayk Province. It is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnade building in Armenia and the Soviet Union. It is the best known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia and is shrouded in mystery. There is a “symphony of stones” view from the temple. It was built by Armenia’s King Tidet in the 1st century AD. It is set on the edge of a gorge overlooking the Azat River and is dedicated to the Sun God, Mitra.
After lunch we visited “Geghard Monastery” in Goght. It is a UNESCO World Heritage listed monastery carved out of the rock face of the Azat River. It is named after the holy lance that pierced Christ’s side at the crucifixion. It was founded in the 4th century by “Gregory the Illuminator” at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The oldest surviving chapel dates back to the 12th century. The “Surp Astvetcatsin”(Holy Mother of God) Church has some extraordinary carvings and a “gavit” with nine arches.
The ramp to the monastery was full of vendors who were selling souvenirs and food. As we approached the entrance we made way for a colorful wedding party that had come to the monastery to celebrate their marriage. The entrance itself is marked with a “khachkar”, which is an Armenian cross-stone that is a carved memorial stele bearing a cross with botanical motifs and interlaces.
After returning to Yerevan, we went to a restaurant in a carpet factory to have a vegetarian meal and watch an impressive performance by the “Armenian National Dance Group”. The UNICEF group was invited to participate in the local dances.
September 17….Tuesday
We first visited “Echmiadzian”, which is the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is here that reportedly “Saint Gregory the Illuminator”(Surp Grigor Lusavorich) saw a beam of light fall to the earth in a divine vision. He is thus credited with building the first “Mayr Tacher” (Mother Church of Armenia). The Cathedral compound and its surrounding settlements functioned as the capital of Armenia from 180 to 340, when Christianity was first adopted by the Armenian nation. Although the Cathedral is undergoing major reconstruction, when we were there” Morning Services” were being held.
While Armenia has been making wine for 6,000 years and is considered the birthplace of wine, the country is most famous for brandy. So after the Cathedral, we visited the “Arat Brandy Factory”, which was founded in 1877. The factory(company) is commonly known by its famous brand “ArArAt.”It is the leading enterprise of Armenia for the production of cognac. We took an excellent tour of the “Ararat Museum, where 15,000 barrels are stored and a “tasting” experience was enjoyed.
After lunch in Ashtarak, we went to the “Armenian Alphabet Monument” (“Alphabet Alley”), which is located in Artashavan village of the Aragatsatn region on the western slope of Mount Aragats. Scattered across the rocky plain are 39 giant stone images of the Armenian alphabet. The alphabet itself is more than 1,600 years old and was devised by Saint Merrop Mashtot, an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical leader in 405 CE in order to make the Bible accessible to Armenians and spread Christianity. The Armenian architect Torosyan created the carvings near Mashtot’s final resting place in 2005.
We returned to Yerevan for dinner and an excellent picture show at a restaurant near the hotel.
September 18…Wednesday
The day started with a 2 hour 122 km trip to Noravank, which literally means ”new monastery”. It is located in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River, near the town of Yeghegnadzor. The complex of Noravank was founded by Bishop Horhannes in 1105. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer brick-red cliffs across from the monastery. The complex includes the 13th century “Surp Karapet” church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, a small 13th century chapel dedicated to Surp Gregor and the often photographed 14th century two-story “Surp Astuatsatsin” Church(Holy Mother of God), designed by Momik the architect in the 14th century. It is built on top of the mausoleum of Burtel Orbelion, who is the donor of the church and is buried in the mausoleum below with his family. It is possible to get to the second floor of the church by way of a narrow stone made staircase which juts out from the face of the building. The entire magnificent complex is one of the most spectacular sites we visited in Armenia. Married and unmarried priests serve here.
We stopped for lunch at the “Lchak Restaurant” in the Arpi village of Yeghegnadzor. It proved to be the perfect place for rest, rich natural landscape with water, ducks and fantastic food.
Then we travelled 5.7 km from Halidzar village to Tatev on the “Wings of Tatev AERIAL Tram Way”. This Swiss built tramway is reportedly the world’s longest cable car. The small village of Tatev is home for about 900 people. It is noted for the Monastery there which in medieval times was a scholastic, enlightenment and spiritual center and played an important role in Armenian history.
The location of the Monastery is really extraordinary, as it is perched on the edge of a basalt plateau overlooking the Vontan River with spectacular views over the peaks of the Karabakh mountains.The bishops of the southern province of Syunik built its main church, “Surp Poghos-Petros” (St.Peter and St.Paul) here in the 9th century. Next to it is the 11th century “Surp Grigor Church”, and there is a small chapel above the gatehouse.
At the height of the Monastery’s fame, some 600 monks lived and worked in the complex.The national icon Surp Gregor Tatevatsi (St. Gregory of Tatev, 1346-1409) is buried here.
We took our shoes off before entering the Monastery. We then light candles and knelt on the carpets before the head priest at the altar, while beautiful soft music and chants played in the background. The priest gently put his hands on my head and blessed me. He quietly read from the holy books in front of him. It was a mesmerizing spiritual experience.
We then travelled to the “Hotel Yeghevnut” in Goris, where Mary Racelis lead a discussion on the results of an earlier meeting at UNICEF HQ with Peter Mason on the “Memorandum of Understanding” with Retired UNICEF staff. After dinner we separated into groups to spend the night in Hotels Ven, Kirch and Noy.
September 19 – Thursday
A visit was made to the “Hin Areni Wine Factory”, which is located 110 km from Yerevan and at the entrance to the small village of Areni. The winery is a two-story stone building with an annex and produces over 250,000 bottles of wine per year. There is a cellar in the building with bottles of wine, huge barrels and a small production facility. The winery is a professional family enterprise that produces quality red wines using Areni grapes and a dry white wine using “voskehat” (golden seed grapes) both varieties are grown in nearby vineyards. Our visit was very timely as grape harvest is done in September. We made a tour of the facilities and enjoyed a “tasting” of the wines.
Our next destination was the “Monastery in Sevanavank Peninsula”, which overlooks Lake Sevan. To reach there we travelled over Selim Pass which links the provinces of Gegherkunik and Voyots Dzor. The road over the Vardenis mountain range is the most spectacular driving route in Armenia. The road climbs to 2410 meters. We were lucky in September, because it is reportedly covered in heavy snow in the winter.
Just below the highest point on the Pass is the “Selim Caravanserai”, built in 1332 by order of Prince Chaser Orbelian to offer shelter to caravans on the ancient “Silk Road”. It is about 3 hours from Yerevan. We stopped there to enjoy the spectacular views and explore the Caravanserai, which is composed of three nave halls, vestibule, domed chapel and small rooms where travelers used to sleep. It is built of basalt blocks with a big central hall for animals. It served as a trading stop for caravans linked by camels. They stopped there for 2-3 days for rest and food.
From there we drove on to Sevan Lake, which at 6,234 ft. is reportedly the second highest big lake in the world after Lake Titicaca on the border of Bolivia and Peru. On the northeastern shore of Lake Sevan, the “Sevanavank Monastery” complex is located. A pagan temple once occupied the site overlooking the lake, but it was reportedly a church in the 4th century that is now in ruins. There are now two other churches there that were built in the 9th century, “Surp Astvatsatsin” and “Surp Arakelots”. The black-and-orange stone construction of the churches is offset by the orange and green andesite and limestone “Khachkars”, stone blocks with intricate designs carved into them. In the 1800s the Monastery complex was used as a rehabilitation center for monks that misbehaved. There is a very long flight of steps to get to the top of the Monastery. Not all of us made it. I certainly didn’t.
From the area of Lake Sevan there was a temptation to want to go on further in the South Caucasus to the region of “Nagorno-Karabakh”, a self-declared beautiful republic recognized by no one. This small region is of Armenian culture but claimed by Azerbaijan. As a consequence it was the subject of a brutal war between 1990 and 1994.
So for security and time reasons, we did not go Nagorno-Karabakh but drove on to the attractive Swiss like town of Dilijan. Before being divided there into a few small bungalow-like hotels, a meeting of all participants was held in “Hotel Dilijan Resort”, a Soviet style hotel. We discussed the draft “Memo of Understanding” for XUNICEF members that had been prepared earlier by the “Ad Hoc Committee” with Peter Mason at UNICEF HQ in New York. Suggestions were made by the participants in Dilijan about possible locations for the next Reunion. These included Toronto, the Philippines and Northern India. Other locations may be suggested later this year.
September 20-Friday
In the morning we visited the Dilijan Community Center (DCC), which offers various educational, cultural and social programmes to support the local population. We divided into three groups to participate in briefings on the impressive activities of the Center that are supported the IDEA Foundation (Initiative for Development of Armenia), Diaspora (Armenians living abroad), the European Union, UNICEF, Peace Corps and others.
After the visit to the Center, we had an excellent lunch at the colorful and unique “Tara” restaurant in Dilijan.
After lunch we drove 13 km northeast through a beautiful valley to the hidden “Monastery of Haghartsin (Dance of the Eagles”). It was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and has three churches: one named to “Gregory the Illuminator”; another for the “Virgin Mary (Surp Astvatsatsin)” and the third for “St. Stephen (Stepanos)”. There are notable “Khachkans” (Armenian cross-stone) one on the southern wall of “Surp Astvatsatsin”, a sundial on the wall of St. George, a ruined ”gavit” (entrance) and a dining room with lovely arched ceiling.
The Monastery was built under the support of two brothers, princes of the Bayratuni Kingdom. Their family seal is on the back of St. Stepanos. The Monastery has been recently restored with funds provided by the Sheik of Shajah from UAE, who has taken an interest in other religions.
The next stop was the town of Gosh (Tavush region) on the left bank of the Getik River. Located here is the “Goshavank Monastery”, founded in 1188 by the saintly Armenian cleric Mkhitar Gosh, who is buried in a little chapel overlooking the main complex. The Monastery has a main church “Surp Astvatsatsin”, smaller churches to “St. Gregory of Narek” and “St.Gregory the Illuminator” and a “matenadarian” (library) that reportedly held at one time 15,000 books. A fourth church was built on top of the library in 1991. Goshavank was considered one of the principal centers of Armenia of its time, but it was abandoned after the Mongol invasion in 1375.
Because of the interesting nature of Goshavank, we were delayed in arriving at the United World College (UWC) in Dilijan. This was unfortunate because UWC international students had been patiently waiting for us outside the College, while holding their national flags.
UDC Dilijan College is the 14th member of the United World Colleges movement, one of 18 such colleges around the world. It is the first international boarding school in Armenia. The college matriculated its first 96 IB1 students (11 graders) in September 2014. The school offers IB Diploma years 1 and 2 (grades 11-12). The school now has approximately 220 students from 82 countries and a faculty of 42 from various countries.
UWC Dilijan is a very impressive, modern learning center supported by many institutions and an international Board of Governors from 22 countries. A portion of the school is on the premises of “Dilijan National Park”. Medium languages of instruction are English, French, German, Russian, Spanish and Armenian.
A meeting was held with the students in the main conference hall of the college. Mary Racelis introduced the UNICEF group and explained the purpose of our visit to Armenia. Some of us then were then invited to make some brief comments on our experiences with UNICEF work that could be of interest and guidance for the students. It was a lovely gathering in an outstanding facility.
The day ended with a gala dinner in the “Best Western Paradise Hotel” with entertainment provided by the “Nazani Dance Group”.
September 21—Saturday
Those of the UNICEF group who selected to go on to Georgia left Dilijan in the morning for the border. Unfortunately customs procedures at the border were a bit chaotic. We were travelling in two buses. Luggage was kept on one bus that went separately through the border checkpoint. UNICEF passengers joined a large crowd of tourists (mainly Russian) who were also crossing from Armenia to Georgia. Despite some pushing and shoving, the crowd was quite polite and rather intrigued by UNICEF people from so many countries. Unfortunately, many Indian travelers were delayed because of diplomatic difficulties between Georgia and India. After a long bureaucratic delay, we drove on in two buses for the 3 hour trip to Tbilisi, the lovely capital of Georgia.
One bus was apparently able to find its way to the “Great Western Hotel”, where we to stay. My bus, however, bus had extreme difficulty in finding the hotel. The Armenian driver and guide were kind and competent. But unfortunately, they didn’t speak Georgian or Russian. Many people on the street were stopped and asked for directions to the hotel. But they couldn’t speak Armenian or English!
It all became somewhat chaotic. Some of the participants on the bus became impatient and started shouting impolitely to the driver and a guide, who broke in tears. Trying to use GPS didn’t help either. After backing down a few narrow one -way streets, we did eventually arrive at the hotel.
Some participants, who still had any energy left from the adventurous trip, took a bus tour of Tbilisi. The tour included the twisting lanes of Old Town (Kala), the 13th century “Metekhi” church and the ancient Abanotubani district, known for its sulphuric baths and the eastern bank of the Mt. Kari at the foot of Nakats botanical gardens and waterfall.
September 22—Sunday
During a breakfast meeting at the hotel we were given an excellent comprehensive briefing of UNICEF activities in Georgia by the Deputy Representative, Gottfried Hanne and Finance Officer, George Chipeshvili. Current programme activities focus on health, education, violence, child protection and poverty. A new Country Programme will be prepared for the period 2021-2025.
It was noted that the Parliament of Georgia had recently adopted a “Draft Code on the Rights of the Child”, which reinforced the state system and ensures the welfare and protection of every child in Georgia. The Draft was developed by the “Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of Parliament” with the technical support of UNICEF Georgia.
After breakfast we visited the “Holy Trinity Cathedral”, commonly known as “Sameba”. It is the main Cathedral of the Georgia Orthodox Church and was erected on the Elia Hill in 2004. It rises 286 feet above the left bank of the Kura River (Mt.Kvari) in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in old Tbilisi. It is the highest church in Georgia and can be seen from any place in Tbilisi. The Cathedral is 5 aisles wide and has a huge gold-curved central dome with a gold –covered cross above it.
The Cathedral has a capacity of 15,000 people. It is part of a complex that includes the residency of the Patriarch, a monastery, school of theology, academy, hotel and nine chapels, five of which are located underground. Construction was timed to the 2000th anniversary of Christianity and the 1500 anniversary of the independence of the Georgian church.
We later travelled 40 km to the north from Tbilisi to the “Zhinvali Hydroelectric Dam”, also known as “Jinvali”, on the Aragi River in the Caucasus Mountains. The dam was built by the Soviets in 1986 and it formed a blue service lake, which is also called “Zhinvali Reservoir”.
We then travelled on to “Ananuri Fortress”, which is 66 north of Tblisi. It is in a lovely rural setting with beautiful old Georgian architecture. Within the fortress are two 17th century churches. The largest of these is the “Assumption Church”, which is covered with stone carvings, including a large cross on every wall. Inside the church there are frescoes, including a “Last Judgement” on the south wall. The fortress itself belonged to the “eristavis” (dukes) of Aragui, who ruled as far as the Tergi valley from the 13th to 18th centuries.
After lunch we returned to Tbilisi, where participants had a choice of either resting or exploring sites of their choice in the city that included places like the “Georgian National Museum”, the “Flea Market”, the “Museum of Fine Arts”, the “Museum of Georgia”, the “Cable Car”, the “Clock Tower”, “Peace Bridge” and the “Meidan” area of cafes and restaurants.
September 23—Monday
Our last day in Tbilisi was extremely busy.
The first stop was “Mtskheta”, a “UNESCO World Heritage Site” about 20 km north of Tbilisi in Mtskheta-Mtizaneti province at the meeting of the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi. It has been the spiritual center of Georgia since Christianity was established here in about 327. It was the ancient capital of the “Eastern Georgian Kingdom” from the Third Century BCE to the Fifth Century CE.
Then we explored the extraordinary, enormous and beautiful “Svetitskhoveli Cathedral”. It was built in the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an elongated cross plan and has beautiful stone carvings both inside and outside. Local legend has it that Christ’s robe is buried beneath the central nave, under a square pillar decorated with colorful faded frescos. Reportedly the robe was brought to Mtskheta by a Mtskheta Jew named “Elioz”, who was in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’s Crucifixion.
We also visited the holy 6th century “Javari Monastery”, which is located on a hilltop near Mtskheta. It is also listed by UNESCO as a “World Historic Site” and has remained almost unchanged since the 6th century. The Monastery contains a beautifully symmetrical little church building that has a bare interior of ancient stone, except for a wooden cross on a central base. The Monastery is an example of harmonious connection with the natural environment, characteristic of Georgian architecture. The Monastery complex includes the church, a bell tower, castles and clerical residences.
After lunch we visited the ancient rock-hewn town of “Uplistsikhe (literally Fortress of God”). It is located on the river Mtkvari, about 10 kilometers from “Gori”, which is where Stalin was born and went to school.
The breakaway region of South Ossetia stretches up to the main Caucasus ridge north of the Georgian town of Gori. Because of time and security issues, we did not travel to the region. Besides, both the US State Department and the British Foreign Office advise against travel to both South and North Ossetia. However, you can look at South Ossetia from Gori, as the boundary comes to within 400m of the highway just west of “Karapila” village.
Uplistsikhe is the oldest ancient settlement known in Georgia. While it is a fascinating and once enormous cave city, it is not easy to explore. To gain entrance to the Main gate of the city, one must carefully climb rock and metal tracks. Above the gate there is a pointed arch caved in the rock above it. This is known as the “Theater” and is probably a temple from the 1st or 2nd century AD.
On the “Main Street” above are several important cave structures and ancient temples. All in all, it is a very tough climb. The guides had wisely cautioned us.
Many of us did not get that far. I certainly didn’t.
To end the day we all went back to Tbilisi for a farewell dinner at the “Mravaljan” restaurant. Praise was rightfully given to UNICEF colleague Gautam Barnerj and the guides, drivers and staff of Hyur, who had skillfully planned and help carry out the entire UNICEF Armenia/Georgia activities from 14-23 September.
It was noted that this was the 12th Reunion since the original international one in Montreal many years earlier. They were all very successful and enjoyable. But some concern was expressed about the difficulties of dealing with the large number of participants in this group - 75 from 26 countries. Indeed it was felt that some participants had behaved on some occasions inappropriately as XUNICEF staff in their attitude towards the local guides and drivers. It was felt that some had been “disrespectful, arrogant, undisciplined, rude and demanding.” In fact, some participants had been so offended that they indicated that they might not come to a future reunion if such behavior persisted.
Consequently, I made a “tough love” admonition to those who had behaved poorly, reminding them that although we were “retired”, we were putting at risk the high esteem that people around the world have for UNICEF.
September 24—Tuesday
We all departed from Tbilisi for other world destinations, while looking forward to our next UNICEF Reunion at a date and place to be determined later.
Useful Armenian Phrases
Shnorhakalutyun----Thank you
Barev---hello
Inch pes yes---How are you ?
Lav em shnorhakalutyun---I am fine, thank you
Eesk’ duk?---And you ?
Yes hognats yem---I am tired
Bari yereko---good evening
Bari gishet---good night
Bari luys---good morning
Bari ereko---good evening
Hamegh---tasty, delicious
Luv---good
Du luv marks---you are a good person
Eench arjhey---How much?
Anunut eench eh ?---What is your name ?
Hajoh---goodbye
Ayo---yes
Voch---no
Im ser---my love
Yes uragem---I am happy
Dun uraghem ?---Are you happy ?
Inka uraghem---he is happy
Hetz---bread
Khuntrem---please
Genakseeks---let’s go
Sari---rest
Im anunn e Jim---my name is Jim
Yekek utenk---let's eat
Bari ahorja---bon appetit
Khosum es angleren ?---Do you speak English ?
Chem hasksanum---I don’t understand
Useful Georgian Language Phrases
Gamarjobat---Hello
Rogora khart ?---How are you ?
Madlobt---Thank you
Arapi---You are welcome
Nakhvamdis---goodbye
Ramdeni ?---How much ?
Ar mes mis---I don’t understand
Inglisuri itsit ?---Do you speak English ?
Bodish---Sorry
Ukatsrovad---Excuse me
Hi sheidzieba---Please
Ho/diakh---Yes
Ara---No
Ara ushavs---It doesn’t matter
Gaumarjos !---Cheers !
Gilotset !---Congratulations
List of Participants
Rudolf Hoffmann (Germany)
Kay Cain (New Zealand)
Luzma M De Leon Montano (Mexico)
Bruce Kennedy (Canada)
Tsedale Mihrete (Ethiopia)
Shiranee Gunaratna (USA/Sri Lanka)
Margherita Amodeo (Malta)
Misrak Elias (Ethiopia)
Ramaswamy Padmini (India)
Promilla Mathur India)
Rosella Morelli (Italy)
Reeba Alfred (India)
James Mohan (Ireland)
Emelia Timpo (USA/Ghana
Elizabeth Quaye (USA/Ghana)
Gourisankar Ghosh (India)
Mridula Ghosh (India)
Christiane Dricot d’Ans (Belgium)
Jean Dricot (Belgium)
Momtazul Karim (USA/Bangladesh)
Ferdous Karim (USA/Bangladesh)
Alfred Ghosh (India)
Kuntala Ghosh (India)
Gobinda Kumar Kundu (India)
Sukla Kundu (India)
Preeti Jha (India)
Arun Jha (India)
Media Susan Muza (Zimbabwe)
Winston Muza (Zimbabwe)
Doreen Lobo (USA/India)
Adrian Lobo (USA/India)
Stephen Umemoto (USA)
Diane Umemoto (USA)
Sreelakshmi Gururaja (India)
Jayarao Guururaja (India)
Ute Deseniss-Gros (Germany)
Anette Schoepflin (Germany)
Tadeusz Palac (United Kingdom)
Annelore Palac (United Kingdom)
Ramesh Shrestha (Canada/Nepal)
Manju Shrestha (Canada/Nepal)
Marasneny Seenappa (India)
Padmini Seenappa (India)
George Kassis (USA)
Jill Kassis (USA)
Delia Craddock (Ireland)
Mary Cahill (Ireland)
Jeroo Dara Master (India)
Trity Parvez Cawasji (India)
Blanca San German (Mexico)
Karen Rasmussen (Denmark)
Mary Racelis (USA/Philippines)
Amona Sadiq (USA)
Susanna Hollnsteiner (USA/Philippines)
Surangkana Pitaksuntipan (Thailand)
Jacques Berthier (Sweden)
Krishnamoorthy Subramanian (India)
Pushpa Subramanian (India)
Shitave Hussein (Ethiopia)
Sophia Hussein )USA/Ethiopia)
Cecilia San Agustin (USA/Philippines)
Maria Dammer (USA/France)
Niloufar Pouraz (Canada/Iran)
Cyrus Shahkhalili (Canada/Iran)
Geeta Athreya (India)
Girija Devi (India)
U Soe (Myanmar)
Daw San Yi (Myanmar)
Monica Munoz-Varges (Chile)
Fernabda Fuentes Munoz (Brazil)
Masood Ahmed (Bangladesh)
Jacqueline Peters (Netherlands)
Wilma Goppel (Netherlands)
Gatam Banerji
Tarevik hakobyan
Draft Guidelines for Preparing XUNICEF Future Reunions
Based on the experiences of XUNICEF members who have participated in one or more reunions, the following draft guidelines have been kindly prepared by George Kassis. It is meant to serve as a general guide for those putting together programs for future reunions:
Experience shows that the average age of participants in such reunions is roughly 70. While it is assumed that those participating in these reunions are of generally of good health, able to take long walks around sites, parks or markets, it is unrealistic to expect participants to climb 400 or even 200 steps to some site and work their way back.
Most reunions have attracted around 100 participants. Preliminary bookings should be for up to 150 participants.
Most participants, being retirees, tend to have grown accustomed to a more leisurely pace, including a couple of hours relaxation time in the afternoon, be it to take a nap, catch up on e-mails and calls or simply spend one on one time with a long time not seen friend. Ideally this could be after lunch or before dinner.
While, to the extent possible, it is preferred that the tour package be all inclusive, leaving out one meal a day, say lunch or dinner, would allow for a lesser focus on food and eating and allow for interactive time one on one with friends.
Because participants come from all over, it is not realistic for the tour group organizing company to book flights for participants. However, it is critical that the tour group organizing company, as part of the package of services provided, meet every participant upon arrival at the airport, help with their luggage and escort them to their hotel, and arrange for taking each participant from the hotel to the airport at the appropriate day and time. The cost of these services should be part of the total put together by the tour organizing company.
Experience shows that staying at different hotels complicates matters significantly. It is therefore important that all participants be housed in the same hotel.
It is critical that participants can make payments using credit cards, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. It is highly cumbersome and quite expensive to try and make transfers through banks or money transfer agencies.
Given the size of the group, generally around 100, their nationalities, generally around 20, and the various parts of the world they are coming from, it is only natural that they will have a multiplicity of queries, needs and requests. It is therefore expected that the tour managing company will have a desk in the hotel lobby to address such needs.
Orientation: For most of the participants, it will be the first time they visit the country where the reunion is being held, and keen to learn about the country and its people, its culture, its history and unique character. It is therefore imperative that the welcome dinner be followed by a presentation aimed at preparing the participants as to what is to come and advice on appropriate cultural behavior.
Bus rides: Bus rides should be limited to under two hours in each direction, with busses equipped with air conditioning as well as a restroom.
It was of great help that Dr. Mikayel (Mischa) Alexanian, who worked in the Ministry of Health, became our counterpart to develop the first assistance programme for Armenia. He joined UNICEF as a National Officer and later moved after change to international status to Kiev to lead the office in Ukraine. Sadly, during travel duty during nighttime in August 2001, his driver crashed with a truck without lights and Mischa died on the spot.
He was a competent, friendly and extremely helpful colleague and his great contribution to UNICEF Armenia will always be remembered.”
September 15… Sunday
A visit was made to “Vernissage”, which is a large open-air market (gallery) with excellent examples of traditional jewelry, souvenirs and homemade handicrafts. The market lies along Aram and Buzan streets. It is 350 meters long and connects Hanropetutyan and Khanjyan streets.
We then visited the historic “Tufenkian Hotel” in the Yerevan city center to view a full collection of quality designer Tufenkian carpets and hand-crafted rugs in various styles including Persian, Tibetian and Oriental.
In the evening we attended a performance of Armenian folksong-dance ensemble at the “G. Sundukyron National Academic Theater”. It was formed in 1922 and is named after Gabriel Sundukian. He established the “Armenian School of Realistic Drama”. The theater is the oldest modern theater in the country.
September 16….Monday
In the morning we visited “Khor Virap Sacred Monastery” on the Ararat plain in Lusarat. It is the most visited pilgrimage in the country and is located about 8 kilometers from the closed border with Turkey. It is 8 kilometers south of Artashat, Acat Province within the territory of ancient Artashat. The Monastery was host to a theological seminary and was the residence of Armenian Catholics. The large St. Astvatsatsin church there was built in the 17th century but lacks any decorative carvings.
Later we visited the iconic “Temple of Garni” in Kotayk Province. It is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnade building in Armenia and the Soviet Union. It is the best known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia and is shrouded in mystery. There is a “symphony of stones” view from the temple. It was built by Armenia’s King Tidet in the 1st century AD. It is set on the edge of a gorge overlooking the Azat River and is dedicated to the Sun God, Mitra.
After lunch we visited “Geghard Monastery” in Goght. It is a UNESCO World Heritage listed monastery carved out of the rock face of the Azat River. It is named after the holy lance that pierced Christ’s side at the crucifixion. It was founded in the 4th century by “Gregory the Illuminator” at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The oldest surviving chapel dates back to the 12th century. The “Surp Astvetcatsin”(Holy Mother of God) Church has some extraordinary carvings and a “gavit” with nine arches.
The ramp to the monastery was full of vendors who were selling souvenirs and food. As we approached the entrance we made way for a colorful wedding party that had come to the monastery to celebrate their marriage. The entrance itself is marked with a “khachkar”, which is an Armenian cross-stone that is a carved memorial stele bearing a cross with botanical motifs and interlaces.
After returning to Yerevan, we went to a restaurant in a carpet factory to have a vegetarian meal and watch an impressive performance by the “Armenian National Dance Group”. The UNICEF group was invited to participate in the local dances.
September 17….Tuesday
We first visited “Echmiadzian”, which is the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is here that reportedly “Saint Gregory the Illuminator”(Surp Grigor Lusavorich) saw a beam of light fall to the earth in a divine vision. He is thus credited with building the first “Mayr Tacher” (Mother Church of Armenia). The Cathedral compound and its surrounding settlements functioned as the capital of Armenia from 180 to 340, when Christianity was first adopted by the Armenian nation. Although the Cathedral is undergoing major reconstruction, when we were there” Morning Services” were being held.
While Armenia has been making wine for 6,000 years and is considered the birthplace of wine, the country is most famous for brandy. So after the Cathedral, we visited the “Arat Brandy Factory”, which was founded in 1877. The factory(company) is commonly known by its famous brand “ArArAt.”It is the leading enterprise of Armenia for the production of cognac. We took an excellent tour of the “Ararat Museum, where 15,000 barrels are stored and a “tasting” experience was enjoyed.
After lunch in Ashtarak, we went to the “Armenian Alphabet Monument” (“Alphabet Alley”), which is located in Artashavan village of the Aragatsatn region on the western slope of Mount Aragats. Scattered across the rocky plain are 39 giant stone images of the Armenian alphabet. The alphabet itself is more than 1,600 years old and was devised by Saint Merrop Mashtot, an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical leader in 405 CE in order to make the Bible accessible to Armenians and spread Christianity. The Armenian architect Torosyan created the carvings near Mashtot’s final resting place in 2005.
We returned to Yerevan for dinner and an excellent picture show at a restaurant near the hotel.
September 18…Wednesday
The day started with a 2 hour 122 km trip to Noravank, which literally means ”new monastery”. It is located in a narrow gorge made by the Amaghu River, near the town of Yeghegnadzor. The complex of Noravank was founded by Bishop Horhannes in 1105. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer brick-red cliffs across from the monastery. The complex includes the 13th century “Surp Karapet” church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, a small 13th century chapel dedicated to Surp Gregor and the often photographed 14th century two-story “Surp Astuatsatsin” Church(Holy Mother of God), designed by Momik the architect in the 14th century. It is built on top of the mausoleum of Burtel Orbelion, who is the donor of the church and is buried in the mausoleum below with his family. It is possible to get to the second floor of the church by way of a narrow stone made staircase which juts out from the face of the building. The entire magnificent complex is one of the most spectacular sites we visited in Armenia. Married and unmarried priests serve here.
We stopped for lunch at the “Lchak Restaurant” in the Arpi village of Yeghegnadzor. It proved to be the perfect place for rest, rich natural landscape with water, ducks and fantastic food.
Then we travelled 5.7 km from Halidzar village to Tatev on the “Wings of Tatev AERIAL Tram Way”. This Swiss built tramway is reportedly the world’s longest cable car. The small village of Tatev is home for about 900 people. It is noted for the Monastery there which in medieval times was a scholastic, enlightenment and spiritual center and played an important role in Armenian history.
The location of the Monastery is really extraordinary, as it is perched on the edge of a basalt plateau overlooking the Vontan River with spectacular views over the peaks of the Karabakh mountains.The bishops of the southern province of Syunik built its main church, “Surp Poghos-Petros” (St.Peter and St.Paul) here in the 9th century. Next to it is the 11th century “Surp Grigor Church”, and there is a small chapel above the gatehouse.
At the height of the Monastery’s fame, some 600 monks lived and worked in the complex.The national icon Surp Gregor Tatevatsi (St. Gregory of Tatev, 1346-1409) is buried here.
We took our shoes off before entering the Monastery. We then light candles and knelt on the carpets before the head priest at the altar, while beautiful soft music and chants played in the background. The priest gently put his hands on my head and blessed me. He quietly read from the holy books in front of him. It was a mesmerizing spiritual experience.
We then travelled to the “Hotel Yeghevnut” in Goris, where Mary Racelis lead a discussion on the results of an earlier meeting at UNICEF HQ with Peter Mason on the “Memorandum of Understanding” with Retired UNICEF staff. After dinner we separated into groups to spend the night in Hotels Ven, Kirch and Noy.
September 19 – Thursday
A visit was made to the “Hin Areni Wine Factory”, which is located 110 km from Yerevan and at the entrance to the small village of Areni. The winery is a two-story stone building with an annex and produces over 250,000 bottles of wine per year. There is a cellar in the building with bottles of wine, huge barrels and a small production facility. The winery is a professional family enterprise that produces quality red wines using Areni grapes and a dry white wine using “voskehat” (golden seed grapes) both varieties are grown in nearby vineyards. Our visit was very timely as grape harvest is done in September. We made a tour of the facilities and enjoyed a “tasting” of the wines.
Our next destination was the “Monastery in Sevanavank Peninsula”, which overlooks Lake Sevan. To reach there we travelled over Selim Pass which links the provinces of Gegherkunik and Voyots Dzor. The road over the Vardenis mountain range is the most spectacular driving route in Armenia. The road climbs to 2410 meters. We were lucky in September, because it is reportedly covered in heavy snow in the winter.
Just below the highest point on the Pass is the “Selim Caravanserai”, built in 1332 by order of Prince Chaser Orbelian to offer shelter to caravans on the ancient “Silk Road”. It is about 3 hours from Yerevan. We stopped there to enjoy the spectacular views and explore the Caravanserai, which is composed of three nave halls, vestibule, domed chapel and small rooms where travelers used to sleep. It is built of basalt blocks with a big central hall for animals. It served as a trading stop for caravans linked by camels. They stopped there for 2-3 days for rest and food.
From there we drove on to Sevan Lake, which at 6,234 ft. is reportedly the second highest big lake in the world after Lake Titicaca on the border of Bolivia and Peru. On the northeastern shore of Lake Sevan, the “Sevanavank Monastery” complex is located. A pagan temple once occupied the site overlooking the lake, but it was reportedly a church in the 4th century that is now in ruins. There are now two other churches there that were built in the 9th century, “Surp Astvatsatsin” and “Surp Arakelots”. The black-and-orange stone construction of the churches is offset by the orange and green andesite and limestone “Khachkars”, stone blocks with intricate designs carved into them. In the 1800s the Monastery complex was used as a rehabilitation center for monks that misbehaved. There is a very long flight of steps to get to the top of the Monastery. Not all of us made it. I certainly didn’t.
From the area of Lake Sevan there was a temptation to want to go on further in the South Caucasus to the region of “Nagorno-Karabakh”, a self-declared beautiful republic recognized by no one. This small region is of Armenian culture but claimed by Azerbaijan. As a consequence it was the subject of a brutal war between 1990 and 1994.
So for security and time reasons, we did not go Nagorno-Karabakh but drove on to the attractive Swiss like town of Dilijan. Before being divided there into a few small bungalow-like hotels, a meeting of all participants was held in “Hotel Dilijan Resort”, a Soviet style hotel. We discussed the draft “Memo of Understanding” for XUNICEF members that had been prepared earlier by the “Ad Hoc Committee” with Peter Mason at UNICEF HQ in New York. Suggestions were made by the participants in Dilijan about possible locations for the next Reunion. These included Toronto, the Philippines and Northern India. Other locations may be suggested later this year.
September 20-Friday
In the morning we visited the Dilijan Community Center (DCC), which offers various educational, cultural and social programmes to support the local population. We divided into three groups to participate in briefings on the impressive activities of the Center that are supported the IDEA Foundation (Initiative for Development of Armenia), Diaspora (Armenians living abroad), the European Union, UNICEF, Peace Corps and others.
After the visit to the Center, we had an excellent lunch at the colorful and unique “Tara” restaurant in Dilijan.
After lunch we drove 13 km northeast through a beautiful valley to the hidden “Monastery of Haghartsin (Dance of the Eagles”). It was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and has three churches: one named to “Gregory the Illuminator”; another for the “Virgin Mary (Surp Astvatsatsin)” and the third for “St. Stephen (Stepanos)”. There are notable “Khachkans” (Armenian cross-stone) one on the southern wall of “Surp Astvatsatsin”, a sundial on the wall of St. George, a ruined ”gavit” (entrance) and a dining room with lovely arched ceiling.
The Monastery was built under the support of two brothers, princes of the Bayratuni Kingdom. Their family seal is on the back of St. Stepanos. The Monastery has been recently restored with funds provided by the Sheik of Shajah from UAE, who has taken an interest in other religions.
The next stop was the town of Gosh (Tavush region) on the left bank of the Getik River. Located here is the “Goshavank Monastery”, founded in 1188 by the saintly Armenian cleric Mkhitar Gosh, who is buried in a little chapel overlooking the main complex. The Monastery has a main church “Surp Astvatsatsin”, smaller churches to “St. Gregory of Narek” and “St.Gregory the Illuminator” and a “matenadarian” (library) that reportedly held at one time 15,000 books. A fourth church was built on top of the library in 1991. Goshavank was considered one of the principal centers of Armenia of its time, but it was abandoned after the Mongol invasion in 1375.
Because of the interesting nature of Goshavank, we were delayed in arriving at the United World College (UWC) in Dilijan. This was unfortunate because UWC international students had been patiently waiting for us outside the College, while holding their national flags.
UDC Dilijan College is the 14th member of the United World Colleges movement, one of 18 such colleges around the world. It is the first international boarding school in Armenia. The college matriculated its first 96 IB1 students (11 graders) in September 2014. The school offers IB Diploma years 1 and 2 (grades 11-12). The school now has approximately 220 students from 82 countries and a faculty of 42 from various countries.
UWC Dilijan is a very impressive, modern learning center supported by many institutions and an international Board of Governors from 22 countries. A portion of the school is on the premises of “Dilijan National Park”. Medium languages of instruction are English, French, German, Russian, Spanish and Armenian.
A meeting was held with the students in the main conference hall of the college. Mary Racelis introduced the UNICEF group and explained the purpose of our visit to Armenia. Some of us then were then invited to make some brief comments on our experiences with UNICEF work that could be of interest and guidance for the students. It was a lovely gathering in an outstanding facility.
The day ended with a gala dinner in the “Best Western Paradise Hotel” with entertainment provided by the “Nazani Dance Group”.
September 21—Saturday
Those of the UNICEF group who selected to go on to Georgia left Dilijan in the morning for the border. Unfortunately customs procedures at the border were a bit chaotic. We were travelling in two buses. Luggage was kept on one bus that went separately through the border checkpoint. UNICEF passengers joined a large crowd of tourists (mainly Russian) who were also crossing from Armenia to Georgia. Despite some pushing and shoving, the crowd was quite polite and rather intrigued by UNICEF people from so many countries. Unfortunately, many Indian travelers were delayed because of diplomatic difficulties between Georgia and India. After a long bureaucratic delay, we drove on in two buses for the 3 hour trip to Tbilisi, the lovely capital of Georgia.
One bus was apparently able to find its way to the “Great Western Hotel”, where we to stay. My bus, however, bus had extreme difficulty in finding the hotel. The Armenian driver and guide were kind and competent. But unfortunately, they didn’t speak Georgian or Russian. Many people on the street were stopped and asked for directions to the hotel. But they couldn’t speak Armenian or English!
It all became somewhat chaotic. Some of the participants on the bus became impatient and started shouting impolitely to the driver and a guide, who broke in tears. Trying to use GPS didn’t help either. After backing down a few narrow one -way streets, we did eventually arrive at the hotel.
Some participants, who still had any energy left from the adventurous trip, took a bus tour of Tbilisi. The tour included the twisting lanes of Old Town (Kala), the 13th century “Metekhi” church and the ancient Abanotubani district, known for its sulphuric baths and the eastern bank of the Mt. Kari at the foot of Nakats botanical gardens and waterfall.
September 22—Sunday
During a breakfast meeting at the hotel we were given an excellent comprehensive briefing of UNICEF activities in Georgia by the Deputy Representative, Gottfried Hanne and Finance Officer, George Chipeshvili. Current programme activities focus on health, education, violence, child protection and poverty. A new Country Programme will be prepared for the period 2021-2025.
It was noted that the Parliament of Georgia had recently adopted a “Draft Code on the Rights of the Child”, which reinforced the state system and ensures the welfare and protection of every child in Georgia. The Draft was developed by the “Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of Parliament” with the technical support of UNICEF Georgia.
After breakfast we visited the “Holy Trinity Cathedral”, commonly known as “Sameba”. It is the main Cathedral of the Georgia Orthodox Church and was erected on the Elia Hill in 2004. It rises 286 feet above the left bank of the Kura River (Mt.Kvari) in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in old Tbilisi. It is the highest church in Georgia and can be seen from any place in Tbilisi. The Cathedral is 5 aisles wide and has a huge gold-curved central dome with a gold –covered cross above it.
The Cathedral has a capacity of 15,000 people. It is part of a complex that includes the residency of the Patriarch, a monastery, school of theology, academy, hotel and nine chapels, five of which are located underground. Construction was timed to the 2000th anniversary of Christianity and the 1500 anniversary of the independence of the Georgian church.
We later travelled 40 km to the north from Tbilisi to the “Zhinvali Hydroelectric Dam”, also known as “Jinvali”, on the Aragi River in the Caucasus Mountains. The dam was built by the Soviets in 1986 and it formed a blue service lake, which is also called “Zhinvali Reservoir”.
We then travelled on to “Ananuri Fortress”, which is 66 north of Tblisi. It is in a lovely rural setting with beautiful old Georgian architecture. Within the fortress are two 17th century churches. The largest of these is the “Assumption Church”, which is covered with stone carvings, including a large cross on every wall. Inside the church there are frescoes, including a “Last Judgement” on the south wall. The fortress itself belonged to the “eristavis” (dukes) of Aragui, who ruled as far as the Tergi valley from the 13th to 18th centuries.
After lunch we returned to Tbilisi, where participants had a choice of either resting or exploring sites of their choice in the city that included places like the “Georgian National Museum”, the “Flea Market”, the “Museum of Fine Arts”, the “Museum of Georgia”, the “Cable Car”, the “Clock Tower”, “Peace Bridge” and the “Meidan” area of cafes and restaurants.
September 23—Monday
Our last day in Tbilisi was extremely busy.
The first stop was “Mtskheta”, a “UNESCO World Heritage Site” about 20 km north of Tbilisi in Mtskheta-Mtizaneti province at the meeting of the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi. It has been the spiritual center of Georgia since Christianity was established here in about 327. It was the ancient capital of the “Eastern Georgian Kingdom” from the Third Century BCE to the Fifth Century CE.
Then we explored the extraordinary, enormous and beautiful “Svetitskhoveli Cathedral”. It was built in the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an elongated cross plan and has beautiful stone carvings both inside and outside. Local legend has it that Christ’s robe is buried beneath the central nave, under a square pillar decorated with colorful faded frescos. Reportedly the robe was brought to Mtskheta by a Mtskheta Jew named “Elioz”, who was in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’s Crucifixion.
We also visited the holy 6th century “Javari Monastery”, which is located on a hilltop near Mtskheta. It is also listed by UNESCO as a “World Historic Site” and has remained almost unchanged since the 6th century. The Monastery contains a beautifully symmetrical little church building that has a bare interior of ancient stone, except for a wooden cross on a central base. The Monastery is an example of harmonious connection with the natural environment, characteristic of Georgian architecture. The Monastery complex includes the church, a bell tower, castles and clerical residences.
After lunch we visited the ancient rock-hewn town of “Uplistsikhe (literally Fortress of God”). It is located on the river Mtkvari, about 10 kilometers from “Gori”, which is where Stalin was born and went to school.
The breakaway region of South Ossetia stretches up to the main Caucasus ridge north of the Georgian town of Gori. Because of time and security issues, we did not travel to the region. Besides, both the US State Department and the British Foreign Office advise against travel to both South and North Ossetia. However, you can look at South Ossetia from Gori, as the boundary comes to within 400m of the highway just west of “Karapila” village.
Uplistsikhe is the oldest ancient settlement known in Georgia. While it is a fascinating and once enormous cave city, it is not easy to explore. To gain entrance to the Main gate of the city, one must carefully climb rock and metal tracks. Above the gate there is a pointed arch caved in the rock above it. This is known as the “Theater” and is probably a temple from the 1st or 2nd century AD.
On the “Main Street” above are several important cave structures and ancient temples. All in all, it is a very tough climb. The guides had wisely cautioned us.
Many of us did not get that far. I certainly didn’t.
To end the day we all went back to Tbilisi for a farewell dinner at the “Mravaljan” restaurant. Praise was rightfully given to UNICEF colleague Gautam Barnerj and the guides, drivers and staff of Hyur, who had skillfully planned and help carry out the entire UNICEF Armenia/Georgia activities from 14-23 September.
It was noted that this was the 12th Reunion since the original international one in Montreal many years earlier. They were all very successful and enjoyable. But some concern was expressed about the difficulties of dealing with the large number of participants in this group - 75 from 26 countries. Indeed it was felt that some participants had behaved on some occasions inappropriately as XUNICEF staff in their attitude towards the local guides and drivers. It was felt that some had been “disrespectful, arrogant, undisciplined, rude and demanding.” In fact, some participants had been so offended that they indicated that they might not come to a future reunion if such behavior persisted.
Consequently, I made a “tough love” admonition to those who had behaved poorly, reminding them that although we were “retired”, we were putting at risk the high esteem that people around the world have for UNICEF.
September 24—Tuesday
We all departed from Tbilisi for other world destinations, while looking forward to our next UNICEF Reunion at a date and place to be determined later.
Useful Armenian Phrases
Shnorhakalutyun----Thank you
Barev---hello
Inch pes yes---How are you ?
Lav em shnorhakalutyun---I am fine, thank you
Eesk’ duk?---And you ?
Yes hognats yem---I am tired
Bari yereko---good evening
Bari gishet---good night
Bari luys---good morning
Bari ereko---good evening
Hamegh---tasty, delicious
Luv---good
Du luv marks---you are a good person
Eench arjhey---How much?
Anunut eench eh ?---What is your name ?
Hajoh---goodbye
Ayo---yes
Voch---no
Im ser---my love
Yes uragem---I am happy
Dun uraghem ?---Are you happy ?
Inka uraghem---he is happy
Hetz---bread
Khuntrem---please
Genakseeks---let’s go
Sari---rest
Im anunn e Jim---my name is Jim
Yekek utenk---let's eat
Bari ahorja---bon appetit
Khosum es angleren ?---Do you speak English ?
Chem hasksanum---I don’t understand
Useful Georgian Language Phrases
Gamarjobat---Hello
Rogora khart ?---How are you ?
Madlobt---Thank you
Arapi---You are welcome
Nakhvamdis---goodbye
Ramdeni ?---How much ?
Ar mes mis---I don’t understand
Inglisuri itsit ?---Do you speak English ?
Bodish---Sorry
Ukatsrovad---Excuse me
Hi sheidzieba---Please
Ho/diakh---Yes
Ara---No
Ara ushavs---It doesn’t matter
Gaumarjos !---Cheers !
Gilotset !---Congratulations
List of Participants
Rudolf Hoffmann (Germany)
Kay Cain (New Zealand)
Luzma M De Leon Montano (Mexico)
Bruce Kennedy (Canada)
Tsedale Mihrete (Ethiopia)
Shiranee Gunaratna (USA/Sri Lanka)
Margherita Amodeo (Malta)
Misrak Elias (Ethiopia)
Ramaswamy Padmini (India)
Promilla Mathur India)
Rosella Morelli (Italy)
Reeba Alfred (India)
James Mohan (Ireland)
Emelia Timpo (USA/Ghana
Elizabeth Quaye (USA/Ghana)
Gourisankar Ghosh (India)
Mridula Ghosh (India)
Christiane Dricot d’Ans (Belgium)
Jean Dricot (Belgium)
Momtazul Karim (USA/Bangladesh)
Ferdous Karim (USA/Bangladesh)
Alfred Ghosh (India)
Kuntala Ghosh (India)
Gobinda Kumar Kundu (India)
Sukla Kundu (India)
Preeti Jha (India)
Arun Jha (India)
Media Susan Muza (Zimbabwe)
Winston Muza (Zimbabwe)
Doreen Lobo (USA/India)
Adrian Lobo (USA/India)
Stephen Umemoto (USA)
Diane Umemoto (USA)
Sreelakshmi Gururaja (India)
Jayarao Guururaja (India)
Ute Deseniss-Gros (Germany)
Anette Schoepflin (Germany)
Tadeusz Palac (United Kingdom)
Annelore Palac (United Kingdom)
Ramesh Shrestha (Canada/Nepal)
Manju Shrestha (Canada/Nepal)
Marasneny Seenappa (India)
Padmini Seenappa (India)
George Kassis (USA)
Jill Kassis (USA)
Delia Craddock (Ireland)
Mary Cahill (Ireland)
Jeroo Dara Master (India)
Trity Parvez Cawasji (India)
Blanca San German (Mexico)
Karen Rasmussen (Denmark)
Mary Racelis (USA/Philippines)
Amona Sadiq (USA)
Susanna Hollnsteiner (USA/Philippines)
Surangkana Pitaksuntipan (Thailand)
Jacques Berthier (Sweden)
Krishnamoorthy Subramanian (India)
Pushpa Subramanian (India)
Shitave Hussein (Ethiopia)
Sophia Hussein )USA/Ethiopia)
Cecilia San Agustin (USA/Philippines)
Maria Dammer (USA/France)
Niloufar Pouraz (Canada/Iran)
Cyrus Shahkhalili (Canada/Iran)
Geeta Athreya (India)
Girija Devi (India)
U Soe (Myanmar)
Daw San Yi (Myanmar)
Monica Munoz-Varges (Chile)
Fernabda Fuentes Munoz (Brazil)
Masood Ahmed (Bangladesh)
Jacqueline Peters (Netherlands)
Wilma Goppel (Netherlands)
Gatam Banerji
Tarevik hakobyan
Draft Guidelines for Preparing XUNICEF Future Reunions
Based on the experiences of XUNICEF members who have participated in one or more reunions, the following draft guidelines have been kindly prepared by George Kassis. It is meant to serve as a general guide for those putting together programs for future reunions:
Experience shows that the average age of participants in such reunions is roughly 70. While it is assumed that those participating in these reunions are of generally of good health, able to take long walks around sites, parks or markets, it is unrealistic to expect participants to climb 400 or even 200 steps to some site and work their way back.
Most reunions have attracted around 100 participants. Preliminary bookings should be for up to 150 participants.
Most participants, being retirees, tend to have grown accustomed to a more leisurely pace, including a couple of hours relaxation time in the afternoon, be it to take a nap, catch up on e-mails and calls or simply spend one on one time with a long time not seen friend. Ideally this could be after lunch or before dinner.
While, to the extent possible, it is preferred that the tour package be all inclusive, leaving out one meal a day, say lunch or dinner, would allow for a lesser focus on food and eating and allow for interactive time one on one with friends.
Because participants come from all over, it is not realistic for the tour group organizing company to book flights for participants. However, it is critical that the tour group organizing company, as part of the package of services provided, meet every participant upon arrival at the airport, help with their luggage and escort them to their hotel, and arrange for taking each participant from the hotel to the airport at the appropriate day and time. The cost of these services should be part of the total put together by the tour organizing company.
Experience shows that staying at different hotels complicates matters significantly. It is therefore important that all participants be housed in the same hotel.
It is critical that participants can make payments using credit cards, including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. It is highly cumbersome and quite expensive to try and make transfers through banks or money transfer agencies.
Given the size of the group, generally around 100, their nationalities, generally around 20, and the various parts of the world they are coming from, it is only natural that they will have a multiplicity of queries, needs and requests. It is therefore expected that the tour managing company will have a desk in the hotel lobby to address such needs.
Orientation: For most of the participants, it will be the first time they visit the country where the reunion is being held, and keen to learn about the country and its people, its culture, its history and unique character. It is therefore imperative that the welcome dinner be followed by a presentation aimed at preparing the participants as to what is to come and advice on appropriate cultural behavior.
Bus rides: Bus rides should be limited to under two hours in each direction, with busses equipped with air conditioning as well as a restroom.
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