KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Today, two-day intercollegiate symposium headed “On the 100th Anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide” was opened with the performance of Komitas’ “Lord Have Mercy” presented by the students of the Echmiadzin Seminary and the Vazgenyan Seminary in Sevan.

The opening address of the symposium was presented by its initiator the Acting Head of the ASPU Department of History of Armenia Mr. Ashot Piliposyan who mentioned the following, “Every nation has both achievements and hard days on their way in the course of years; a bright example thereof is the genocide of 1915 the reminiscence of which should always stay with all of us calling upon remembering and raising all the related problems”.

Among those present at the symposium was the RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Mr. Serzh Srapionyan, who passed the message of the Acting Minister of Diaspora Ms. Hranoush Hakobyan. The Minister particularly highlights the fact that the conference is arranged on the threshold of 100th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide when all Armenians again come together and start a targeted struggle for the Armenian claim of restoration of violated rights and re-establishment of justice.

“The youth are the pillars of all nations; the continuers of their kind and the creators of future. Today, our 100 years’ struggle entitles us to state that our youth feel honoured to carry the legacy of their ancestors, stay true to their commandments, and remain patriotic and struggling.” 

 In her message Ms. Hranoush Hakobyan also urged to start the movement of writing down the reminiscences, testimonies and arguments, as well as stories of the descendants of the Genocide survivors. 

“All the stories should be collected and kept in archives to later publish them as a reproof to Turkey and in reply to their rejecting policy.”

Further on the Rector of the Pedagogical University Rouben Mirzakhanyan, in his turn, greeted the participants of the symposium, stressing out the questions related to the studies of the Genocide issues at schools.

“A consistent course on Genocide issues at elementary school should be jointly developed. This is a problem where age –specific psychologists together with historians have significant and serious tasks as it has an exceptionally major importance” .In fact, the Rector thinks that already at an early age every Armenian should know and legalize what is the greatest tragedy of our nation; moreover, it should be the project and aim of each Armenian. 

“This is an issue of a huge and national significance and resonance”

Further on, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Ms. Srbouhi Gevoryan outlines in her speech that the Genocide has been studied and investigated repeatedly among Armenian scientists too; they are regularly upraising the historical facts which are still being rejected by the representatives of diplomatic and scientific society of Turkey. “I assume that young scientists reporting at such symposiums are obliged to give a new light and comments on the facts, make new abstractions, as well as to reveal the psychological issues on the origin and mechanisms of the Genocide. It is only thanks to the chances that Armenian historians have to prove the historical truth to the World through symposiums like this.”

Afterwards, the Dean of the Faculty of History and Law Edick Gevorgyan also emphasized the significance of organizing the symposium and mentioned that despite the numerous historical-scientific sources, memoirs and publications there were still a lot of unsolved problems; namely, the legal- political assessment of the Genocide has not been fully made for the time being.  

“The major goal for the current generation, having wider opportunities, should be to study the sources in foreign languages and make corresponding conclusions, contributing to the process of international recognition of the Genocide”, Edick Gevorgyan stated.

Next in turn, the PhD student of the Pedagogical University Tigran Khachatryan delivered his report where he spoke about the Armenian massacres from 1915-1916 with the evaluation of the German public opinion. 

“Opposite to France, in Germany various public-political groups also actively defend the interests of their own country and the following external policy; the motto “… we are not concerned….” frequently mentioned on official German platforms and all the corresponding limitations often have a fictive nature”, said Tigran Khachatryan quoting the instructions made to the German journalists, “in our days’ difficult situation we shouldn’t be subjected to experiences; our duty is to temporarily stay quite” and “The best option for the time being is to keep quiet regarding the Armenian issue. The activities of Turkish authorities are not particularly commendable.”

Following, the lecturer of the Social Sciences and Foreign Languages Department of RA MD Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan Mr. Rafael Sahakyan discussed the appropriation of the Armenian capital in Turkey after the Genocide stressing out that it was considered that the prevailing role of the Armenian capital in the Ottoman Empire was one of the most important reasons for the Armenian Genocide. The physical removing or deportation of the Christian population, Armenians in particular, the perspectives of owning their movable and immovable property were very attractive even for a large part the common people.  

Further on, the symposium continued its activities in branches. Among those participating in the intercollegiate youth symposium also were students from the YSU, State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan and Military Aviation Institute, the RA Public Administration Academy, the “Defense Service” of the Ministry of Culture, as well as the Echmiadzin Seminary and the Vazgenyan Seminary in Sevan.