Ancient Armenia
Policy and Program Developments
Peru’s coca cultivation in 2003 fell to 31,150 hectares, the lowest level since the mid-1980’s when we first were able to measure illicit crops with a high degree of accuracy. This 5,450-hectare reduction in Peruvian coca more than offset the increase in Bolivia, leaving open the prospect that the total Andean coca crop may be one of the smallest in years. Since 1995, our programs have caused coca cultivation in Peru and Bolivia to drop by 73 percent and 42 percent respectively. Both countries, however, face growing domestic political challenges from cocalero groups that link coca cultivation with national identity and sovereignty. These farmers’ unions, often abetted by trafficking interests, promote coca cultivation and consumption as an ancient, indigenous rite that must be protected against international efforts to destroy it. With large indigenous segments of the population in both countries becoming more politically active, all countries involved can expec ... [Read More]
International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports
US DEPARTMENT OF STATEBUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS MATTERSINTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRAGEGY REPORTAPRIL 1994[DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 10145] TABLE OF CONTENTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARYPOLICY AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTS IN 1993 1Political Will and Corruption 3Chemical Controls 4Money Laundering 5Demand Reduction 6United Nations 7Cocaine 8Opium and heroin 9Next Steps 12Methodology 14Status of Potential Worldwide Production 16Cultivation and Production Charts 19UN Convention signatories 22Country Summaries 27FY 1993-1995 FISCAL SUMMARYAND FUNCTIONAL BUDGET 60LEGISLATIVE BASIS FOR THE INCSR 62INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ... [Read More]
Report on Global Anti-Semitism
January 5, 2005 Executive Summary I. Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism has plagued the world for centuries. Taken to its most far-reaching and violent extreme, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism resulted in the deaths of millions of Jews and the suffering of countless others. Subtler, less vile forms of anti-Semitism have disrupted lives, decimated religious communities, created social and political cleavages, and complicated relations between countries as well as the work of international organizations. For an increasingly interdependent world, anti-Semitism is an intolerable burden. The increasing frequency and severity of anti-Semitic incidents since the start of the 21st century, particularly in Europe, has compelled the international com ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
Burney, Charles, and David Marshall Lang. The Peoples of the Hills: Ancient Ararat and Caucasus. Praeger, 1972. ... Tbilisi is home to Georgia’s finest history museums and art galleries. The Fine Arts Museum contains remarkable examples of ancient textiles and jewelry. The Georgian National Bank’s Museum of Money has examples of money instruments of the region going back four millennia. And the Ethnographic Museum is an unusual open-air exhibit depicting life at various times in all the regions of Georgia. In Tbilisi and throughout the country there are striking examples of Georgian ecclesiastical and secular architecture. ... [Read More]
Georgia (02/05)
The Georgian Government stakes much of its future on the revival of the ancient Silk Road as the Eurasian energy transportation corridor, using Georgia's geography as a bridge for transit of goods between Europe and Asia. Georgians are renowned for their hospitality and artistry in dance, theater, music, and design. ... [Read More]
IEW > Events
One of Russia's most ancient cities will celebrate IEW by highlighting the role modern telecommunications technology plays in education. A conference titled "What it Means to Be a Researcher in a Modern Society " will be held during which there will be an active discussion of IEW. In addition, Internet classes founded within the Internet Access and Training Program, a program of the Department of State and administered by Project Harmony in Russia will offer informational support. Special attention will be paid to school children with disabilities to let them know of the possibilities available to them. Alumni of the Future Leaders Exchange Program, an educational exchange program of the Department of State and administered by American Councils in Russia will conduct during the week lectures on the possibilities and challenges of studying in the U.S. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: People-to-People Diplomacy Needed More Than Ever, Harrison Says
Washington -- The 2002 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., devoted entirely to the cultural traditions of the ancient Silk Road trade route between Europe and Asia, is a very visible example of how cultural exchanges can "bring people together to start on the road to mutual understanding," said Patricia S. Harrison, the U.S. State Department's assistant secretary for educational and cultural affairs. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
Two ancient forms of oral literature, recounted and sometimes sung by ashugs (literally, lovers), survive today. These are the lyrical folk poems first written down as the “Dede Korkut Stories” in the 15th century and another more ancient form of oral literature, the dastans, which are pre‑Christian, pre‑Islamic epic poems recounting the history and traditions of the times. ... Literature and music coalesce in the traditional poems of the ashugs who often accompany themselves on the tar (whence “guitar”) or ud, a form of lute. Such ancient instruments are still produced to preserve and promote the musical heritage of the country. The oldest preserved instrument in Azerbaijan, the gal‑dash, is a type of tambourine from the Stone Age. Cave drawings at Gobustan, just south of Baku, date from 5000 B.C.E. and provide early evidence of the significance of music and dance in the lives of tribesmen in Azerbaijan. ... [Read More]
Azerbaijan (10/04)
Azerbaijan combines the heritage of two venerable civilizations--the Seljuk Turks of the 11th century and the ancient Persians. Its name is thought to be derived from the Persian phrase "Land of Fire," referring both to its petroleum deposits, known since ancient times, and to its status as a former center of the Zoroastrian faith. The Azerbaijani Republic borders the Iranian provinces of East and West Azerbaijan, although they have not been united into a single state in modern times. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
As might be expected from so literate a society, Yerevan is a city of culture. The Matenadaran Library contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, chiefly Armenian, but also Persian, Arab, Roman, and Greek. ... The Cathedral at Etchmiadzin, built in 480, is the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Located about thirty minutes from Yerevan by car, Etchmiadzin Cathedral is short drive away and is especially memorable when visited for Sunday services. The church, its grounds, and museum, contain a fine collection of ancient religious artifacts. ... [Read More]
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