Armenian church restoration has lessons for New ZealandOctober 21, 2015 - 18:59 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An Auckland lawyer, Miriam Dean has been negotiating with church leaders of Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand and heritage campaigners to fix the impasse over the future of the badly damaged Cathedral, 3News reports. A man who wants to talk is restoration campaigner Geoffrey Rathbun. He's so passionate he funded his own trip to see a wrecked church in Gyumri, Armenia. It was badly damaged in an earthquake more than 27 years ago, wrecked worse than the Christchurch Cathedral, and restoration on it is almost complete. "The people of that city had a very strong connection with that cathedral like we do," Mr Rathbun says. "The Church wanted to restore it and they had a lack of money, but they had the determination to get the money and follow through to build it." Rathbun is now back from Armenia armed with letters from the town's bishop and mayor supporting a restoration. He plans to present them to Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and church officials. The Prime Minister, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and others have been lobbied by Christchurch citizens concerned the mess in the square is holding back the city. The Government has asked Dean to have it sorted by Christmas, and Rathbun won't be happy with anything less than a restoration. Photo. Reuters Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges. Armenia: 28 protesters arrested after clash with police The Investigative Committee of Armenia has announced the arrest of 28 participants of an opposition demonstration. |