CAROLINE COX MAKES PILGRIMAGE TO ARTSAKH: “THIS IS A COUNTRY WHERE BEAUTY IS CREATED OUT OF RUINS”

Panorama
Aug 18, 2011
Armenia

Baroness Caroline Cox made a pilgrimage to Artsakh with 35 volunteers
and philanthropists from different corners of the world, according
to the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART) official website.

“We wanted to see what Artsakh people’s daily life was like, to listen
to their life stories. Our team included 35 people from the United
Kingdom, United States, South Africa, Burma, Australia, France,
Germany, and Netherlands. Our expedition was accompanied by local
residents and visitors of Nagorno-Karabakh Rehabilitation Center.”

The expedition walked through towns and villages where they were
welcomed with traditional dance and music.

“A group of young people took photos of local residents and asked
them to share their memories of war, and to present their vision of
the future.”

The videos of the trip will be first shown in Great Britain, then
in the whole world for everybody to see how Artsakh lives and what
Artsakh hopes for. This initiative will help raise international
awareness of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“What we found was a country which had acute memories of war. There
were many families which had lost at least one member in the war,
but despite this, we saw a country full of warmth, spiritual people,
smile, and fascinating folk music. On our last day, an Artsakh
resident said to us: “May God make you always feel yourself at home
in Artsakh.” This was the most cordial greeting and we accepted it
as friends and family members.”

“This is a country where beauty is created out of ruins,” Caroline
Cox said.