Foreign 'fawners' to get 30 drams' award?

"We Are against Reopening of Foreign-Language Schools" initiative is launching a special anti-award with the purpose of isolating the statesmen and organizations that have caused harm to the Armenian language, national school and Armenia's independent statehood.

"We admit with sorrow that such statesmen have always played their role in Armenia's rich and eventful history. But their livening in 2010 forces us to take this step. In the meantime, we are hopeful that this year's award will be the last and the award-giving ceremonies will not have a long life due to material reasons," the activists of the initiative say in a release,

The award will be titled Delyanov-Ashotyan Prize for Foreign Fawners. It envisages a medal, diploma and a prize of 30 Armenian drams for first, second and third class foreign "fanwers" respectively.

The authors of the initiative also introduce a brief overview to clarify why the prize has been named after Ivan Delianov and Armen Ashotyan, Armenia's Ministry of Education and Science.

"Ivan Delianov (Dilakyan; 1818-1897) is a Russian statesman of Armenian decent, a duke (from 1888), Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Empire. Under his rule, a new university charter (1884) was introduced, depriving universities of their one-time autonomy and eliminating higher courses for women. His decree issued on June 18, 1887 put a ban on non-noble children's admission to lyceum, while the children of laundresses and minor shopkeepers could not even attend secondary schools. A great number of Armenian schools closed down during Delianov's reign," reads the statement.

With regard to Armen Ashotyan, there's the following information: "Armen Ashotyan: a statesman, one of the contemporaries of Galust Sahakyan; a poet, composer, master of political humor and a TV showman. He is educated as a clinical diplomat; has the title of PhD Candidate of Medical Sciences. Ashotyan has conducted an extremely joyful and tricky policy especially in the fileds of human resources, entrance exams and foreign language schools. He established an oath ceremony for teachers. His programs aimed at the massive closing of Armenian schools, conducting Russian song lessons and making phonendoscope part of teachers' uniform failed due to assuming other duties. His future is unknown. Certain sources say Mr Ashotyan is bilingual," runs the statement.