ARF YOUNG MEMBERS DRAW ATTENTION TO ISSUE OF PROTECTION OF ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 19 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The open-air
three-days photo exhibition untitled “Cultural Genocide” is
dedicated to the former and present state of the Armenian monuments,
monasteries and churches in Azerbaijan, Nakhijevan, Georgia, Iran
and Western Armenia. The exhibition opened in the yard of the central
subsidiary building of the Yerevan State University on April 18, on
the initiative of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun “Nikol Aghbalian” students’
union. As Abraham Gasparian, a member of the ARF “Nikol Aghbalian”
students’ union emphasized, Iran is a special example of a dialogue of
civilizations in the issue of protection of Armenian cultural monuments
as that country uses a special state policy in the direction of their
protection. “The creative genius of our Persian Armenian community
having history of more than 400 years is protected in that coutry what
may not be said about Georgia,” he mentioned. According to Gasparian,
“it was supposed that Christian monuments must be protected at least
in Georgia, but the real picture is another one, in contrast to all
statements about the brotherly ties of Georgia and Armenia.” Armenian
churches and monasteries in Georgia are periodically set on fire,
blown up, destroyed and distorted. The state policy led towards
Armenian monuments by Azerbaijan and Turkey, of course, may not be
called a dialogue of civilizations as still since 60s of the last
century they have been distorted and destoyed for one purpose, to
prove that Armenians are not owners in those territories. The “Nikol
Aghbalian” students’ union calls on the RA political institutions,
statesmen, mass media, public organizations, foreign diplomatic
representations accredited in Armenia to keep in pivot of practical
attention the issue of protection and defence of Armenian monuments
being the passport of the national identity wherever they are.