COMMISSION UNSATISFIED WITH THE GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION SCENARIO

Azg/arm
15 Jan 05

The State Commission on Arranging the 90th Commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide specified the future activities at its last
sitting. Professor Lavrenti Barseghian, head of the secretariat of the
Commission, told daily Azg that “the secretariat was ordered to
re-elaborate the programs of the arrangements and to plan arrangements
for Nagorno Karabakh as well”. It was envisaged to present the final
list of those participating at the international workshopon genocide
and human rights launching in Yerevan. The reviewed program of
arrangements envisaged for April 23 in all the regions of Armenia is
to be presented to the government.

The Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs was ordered to change the
scenario of “Love and Friendship Against the Sword”, the commemoration
concert on April 23. The Ministry also has to make a list of the films
on Armenian Genocide filed at the film library of the Armenian Public
TV and specify the final list of literature to be published in the
current year on state order. The Commission offered its help to the
Holy See of Etchmiadzin in arranging the commemoration liturgy of
April the 24th (there was a suggestion to serve a liturgy at the
Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Yerevan to assemble more
participants).

Prof. Barseghian and other members of the Commission disapproved of
Culture and Youth Affair Ministry’s initiative to send troupes to
foreign countries with a program. “It’s not clever to spend money from
the state budget for this purpose especially in case when their
repertoire has nothing to do with the Genocide. I suggested the
Culture Ministry to stage our old performances that are forgotten
today”, Barseghian said reminding such performance about the Genocide
as Edgar Hovhannisian’s “Antuni” ballet that was not staged for 20
years. The Commission is discussing all the offers, and
Prof. Barseghian will inform of further results.

By Marietta Makarian