RICHARD HOVHANNISIAN MEETS WITH TEACHERS AND THOSE NEGATING GENOCIDE IN HOUSTON
HOUSTON, AUGUST 17, NOYAN TAPAN -ARMENIANS TODAY. Professor Richard
G.Hovhannisian, the Chief of the University Department on Armenian
Educational Institution of the Modern Armenian History, continues
his wide-spread activity on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. In June, he opened the Forum of the Genocide
Scholars’ International Association which is held once in two years and
which this time took place in the state of Florida, USA. As Noyan Tapan
was informed by the International and National Researches Armenian
Center, during the event, the Professor made a direct comparison on
the issue of the Armenian Genocide and stopped on the modern challenges
with which those studying genocide problems and human rights programs
collide face to face. Professor Hovhannisian left for France to
participate in another international forum. The forum was organized
by the Center of the Jews, Armenians and Christians of East. The
theme of the event was: “Typifications of XX Century’s Spacious
Slaughters.” R.Hovhannisian discussed latest findings concerning
planning and organizing the Genocide as well as interpretations about
gradually undergoing changes in it. Richard Hovahannisian also included
in the variety of summer events a number of lectures in Yerevan and in
the city of Houston, Texas, USA. On July 22, in Yerevan, he delivered
a lecture on the occasion of opening of the “Annual National Forum”
and the first lecture, especially for the Diasporan Armenian youth
who arrived in Armenia to participate in this event. Being a member
of the organization commission of the international forum dedicated
to the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian letters, Mr. Hovhannisian
assisted the final stage of preparation works of the meeting to take
place in Yerevan, in September. By the invitation of the Holocaust
Museum, on July 25-26, Richard Hovhannisian visited Houston where he
made a speech at the summer institute organizaed for teachers, then
he delivered a night public lecture. For the first time, an official
performance dedicated to the Armenian Genocide took place at the
Summer Institute after Max Kaplan acting specially for educators. The
performance stressed the importance of ivolvement of the Armenian
experience as a prototype of mass masacres taken place during the
modern era. On July 26, a group of teachers visited from five American
states, as well as from Chile, Uruguay and Romania were informed about
preconditions and alarms of the Genocide, the role of its idelogy,
used technologies, similarities and differences of the Armenian
Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust. According to Christina Vaskez,
teachers passiontly respond this theme, and Professor Hovhannisian’s
report was praised. According to Vaskez, “The lecture dedicated
to the Armenian Genocide and its relation with the Holocaust was
formed rather skillfully in order our participants to be able to use
this information in their classrooms. Twelve points of the examples
of genocide, as well as the difference of the situation in Turkey
(concerning the Armenian Genocide) from one in Germany, which withstood
just its past, were especially impressing. Late on July 26, Professor
Richard Hovhannisian again delivered a public lecture at the hall of
the Holocaust Museum. In his speech, he presented historical, moral and
humane events which are still urgent and decent in our days. He started
the lecture taking into account the circumstance of the presence of
a significant number of members of the Turkish-American Association
of Houston. They presented themselves with literature and materials
negating the Genocide in order to challenge the fact of the Armenian
Genocide. R.Hovhannisian stated that members of the Turkish-American
Association and all other suspicious people should get acquainted
with the facts , the common denominator of the world research better,
and join the the list (being added) of those Turk researches who
now disprove the illogical interpretation given to the events by
their state. He mentioned that one of the sad consequences of the
denial is th at it has hampered a proper recognition of the assistance
shown by Turks and other Moslems in order to save Armenians during
displacings and massacres and paying a tribute of respect to them. The
professor’s skillful control of the situation was favoured with storm
of applauses by the audience. Though, all those who came with a goal
to depreciate the lecture, were not satisfied with it. And most of the
groudless points of the refusal of the Genocide were repeated during
the discussions. But they were responded with calm and argued answers,
and, as a precondition for a final agreement, all parties were called
on to confront their own history sincerely. Richard Hovhannisian
hoped that his respond about the heritage of the Armenian Genocide
will give new filling to the continuous search to reach the truth.