Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is seeking a Senior Programme Officer (Western Armenian Language)

This is a full time permanent position at the Foundation’s headquarters, in Lisbon.Reporting to the Director of the Armenian Communities Department, the Senior Programme Officer will be responsible for managing the Department’s diasporan school grants, teacher preparation programme and other projects aimed at strengthening and promoting the Western Armenian language (please see the relevant sections of our 5-Year Programming Plan to have a fuller understanding of our approach).

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The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is

seeking a Senior Programme Officer (Western Armenian Language)

This is a full time permanent position at the Foundation’s headquarters, in

Lisbon.

Reporting to the Director of the Armenian Communities Department, the Senior

Programme Officer will be responsible for managing the Department’s

diasporan school grants, teacher preparation programme and other projects

aimed at strengthening and promoting the Western Armenian language (please

see the relevant sections of our 5-Year Programming Plan to have a fuller

understanding of our approach).

The ideal candidate will be an innovative thinker with 10 years experience

in the educational domain, preferably in a grant making organisation,

international development or a similar area of professional activity. S/he

must have knowledge of language preservation issues and educational reform;

familiarity with the use of new technologies in these domains is highly

desirable. The candidate must be completely fluent in Western Armenian, as

well as English or French (knowledge of both is decidedly advantageous),

have excellent knowledge of Armenian culture and literary heritage,

particularly in the diaspora. A post-graduate university degree in a

relevant subject is required. Exceptional interpersonal skills, tact and

nuance in dealing with sensitive issues are necessary.

Please send a CV (in English or French), a cover letter (in English or

French and Armenian), names and contact information of three references to

srh@gulbenkian.pt, with the subject line of «Armenian Department position».

Only applications submitted by email will be considered. The salary is

commensurate with experience and expected to be in the range of 32,000 to

38,000 Euros. Applications from EU citizens or residence permit holders for

a minimum of five years will be considered in the first instance. Deadline

for applications is 15 April 2014. Further inquiries can be addressed to the

Armenian Communities Department on carmenias@gulbenkian.pt.

www.gulbenkian.pt/ArmenianCommunities   

"Freedom and Justice For Sevan Nisanyan": Emergency Call to Action!!!!

Here is the latest on the Sevan Nişanyan (Nishanian) case: Sevan Nişanyan will be brought before the Izmir Judge of Enforcement at 9:10 a.m. on March 27, 2014.

It should be noted that both the prison administration’s accusation that led to this hearing and the court’s agreement to hear the case constitute violations of the law.

The disciplinary commission at the Torbali Minimum-Security Prison, where Sevan first started serving his sentence, brought the trumped-up charge of insulting a prison official.

Sevan was then sent to Buca Closed Prison right away. The multiple legal violations encapsulated in this quick succession of events are as follows:

1. The assistant warden of Torbali Prison investigated this “incident” and put together a case accusing Sevan of this “crime” after interrogating him; he then turned around and chaired the disciplinary commission that decided the outcome (solitary confinement). This violates not only Turkish law but also universal legal norms: The assistant warden acted as both prosecutor and judge in this case.

2. It is against the law for Sevan to have been transferred immediately to the maximum security prison before the appeals process was exhausted.

Sevan appealed the decision to send him to solitary, but the prosecutor rejected this request and instead endorsed the disciplinary action. The Judge of Enforcement has agreed to hear Sevan’s appeal on March 27.

Sevan Nişanyan has in the meantime been moved from Buca Prison to Izmir’s Aliağa (Aliagha) Şakran (Shakran) “T Type” Prison and he is currently in solitary confinement there.

The hearing scheduled for March 27 to decide whether the solitary punishment should be ended is very important because it will mean Sevan will continue to serve his original sentence under severe conditions, having lost the chance to return to the minimum security prison where he first started to serve. It will also increase the total length of time he spends in prison.

The judge must be made aware of the injustice and malice that led to this situation. At a minimum, it should be stressed that the current disciplinary punishment violates Turkish law, not to mention universal legal norms, and consigns Sevan’s future to a dungeon. It is vital to get this point across.

We must refuse to remain silent; we must raise our voices against this clear and brazen transgression.

Gönderen: Nurhan Becidyan [anbecid@sprynet.com]