Hey hey, it’s already Monday! From hot air balloons, new TUMO boxes, unsurprising ceasefire violations, Armenian academia, and much more, here’s what you (potentially) missed out on from the last news-packed week.

Hot Air Balloon Record Set by Armenian SkyBall - What?!

Image caption: Armenian SkyBall, Piloted by Nairi Barseghyan, Sets World Hot Air Balloon Flight Record (Photo from Armenpress)

On the 16th of February, after 34 hours and 41 minutes in the air, SkyBall pilot Nairi Barseghyan set a world record for the longest hot air balloon flight in history. They represented Armenia, although the trip was carried out over Russian airspace.

“I should mention that such records belong to superpowers. If we look at the list we will see the USA, Russia, Japan, and one or two European countries, now the name of Armenia will be in this list, which was our ultimate goal” told Barseghyan when speaking with Armenpress.

The previous record-holder was 32 hours and 12 minutes long. The record will be documented by the World Air Sports Federation.

Armenian Education, Art, and Academia Continue to Gain Ground

Image caption: TUMO Makes An Entrance Into Javakhk (Photo by TUMO)

The Armenian Relief Society joins hands with TUMO to give the Armenian-populated Javakhk of Georgia the opportunity of having their own TUMO box. 200 students have already registered for the program. “Opening a TUMO Box in Akhalkalaki is very symbolic for us. As an international location that will serve hundreds of Armenian teenagers, this new box exemplifies our mission of reaching each and every Armenian community across borders,” TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian said.

Additionally, the University of Southern California’s Institute of Armenian Studies grants 23 more than $90,000 USD in funding to 23 researchers from eight countries. The research should focus on Karabakh. They had received more than 60 applicants.

Also from the West Coast, the UCLA Promise Institute names Taner Akçam as its inaugural Director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program. Akçam was among the first scholars of 90s Turkey to not only recognize the genocide but has written several books on the topic. He was friends with the late Hrant Dink, and has fought against Turkish legal prosecution for columns written in Turkish-Armenian Agos. The current French President Emmanuel Macron has awarded Akçam a medal for courage for "denouncing denial" of the Armenian genocide in 2020.

Civilians in Artsakh Targeted On Week of Artsakh Liberation Movement Anniversary

Image caption: Artsakhtsis Targeted, Human Rights Defender Calls for Removal of Azerbaijani AF from the Village (Image by the Prosecutor’s Office of Artsakh)

On the week of the 34th anniversary of the Artsakh Liberation Movement, Azerbaijan did not shy away from targeting civilians by violating the ceasefire agreement and opening fire at residential areas in Taghavard, Martuni of Artsakh. This comes shortly after an Armenian serviceman was wounded on the Eastern border of Artsakh. “This must be stopped. The military positions of the Azerbaijani AF should be removed from the village,” said Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh, in a tweet.

The people of Artsakh, especially in the vicinity of Aghavno in Artsakh, have been facing water and shortages for a while now, reported Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan last week.

The Artsakh Parliament reaffirmed the principles of the movement last week, read it in full here. “There is no Artsakh without Mother Armenia and vice versa,” said Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan on the occasion.

Notable News

Image caption: Armenia Receives 100,000 COVID Pfizer Jabs. (Photo by MoH of Armenia)

• Jigsaw Google CEO meets with Arm Gov officials to jump-start IT collaborations with Armenian companies.

• Former RA President has failed to declare the 10 million Swiss francs he has in a Swiss bank. That’s approximately $11 million USD, or $15 million AUS. Read the investigation here.

• The Tufenkian Foundation continues to renovated homes damaged by the war in Artsakh. Read more here.

• Technology school to be established in Martuni, Artsakh. Find out more here.

• Yerevan’s AYB School makes it to the finals of The Earth Prize International with RenéMask, a medical mask recycling project. Read here.

• Dr. Bedros Der Matossian publishes a book titled “The Horrors of Adana,” read more about the book here.

• Armenian fans wave the Artsakh flag and other signs at a soccer game in Marseille, France, between the Marseille FC and Azerbaijani Qarabag FC. The Azerbaijani football club has said they will complain to the UEFA. Read about it here.

• The French city of Lyon will be hosting a cultural and heritage exhibition dedicated to Artsakh, find out about it here.

• Armenian Stefan Airapetjan to represent Estonia at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.

• Armenia received 100,000 doses of COVID-19 Pfizer jabs.

Multimedia Corner

Image caption: The Smithsonian Mag Gives Us Tips to Enjoy Armenian Cuisine (Photo by Areg Vardanyan, My Armenia Program via Smithsonian Magazine)

There’s so much to enjoy, but here’s a good bunch of what’s essential:

Read: Eat Like an Armenian with These Tips from a Local Guide by the Smithsonian Magazine. Read it here if your stomach’s growling.

Listen: The “Zeytuni Zar” (transl. Olive Tree) album by Arto Tunçboyacıyan & the Armenian Navy Band. The title track is my favorite, and I often listen to it when I have work to do. Listen to the full album on YouTube here, on Spotify here, and on Apple Music here.

Watch: The 19th of February – Hovhannes Tumanyan’s birthday – is known as Book Giving Day in Armenia. Watch a short doc on Tumanyan’s weird lit-habits here.