“Endanik” youth creative center of Gyumri in the frame of the program entitled “The silent witnesses of history” held seminar-discussions on “Genocide”, “The preservation of monuments", “International days of monuments and places of interests dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the first world war” according to the timetable from April 10 to April 29 in Tsoghamarg, village Toros, Goghovit, in the sports and cultural centre of Ashotsq and in “Endanik” center.
The aim of the seminars was the dissemination of the national and cultural values among the teenagers as an idea of evaluating and preserving the cultural heritage, the introduction of the painful pages of history, the consolidation of the teenagers around the idea “I remember and demand”, the development of the cooperation with national minorities and communities of the region.
The representatives from different communities of Shirak region, schoolchildren, pedagogues, pupils of “Endanik” center, members of the Yerkrapah volunteers union and clergymen took part in the seminar.
The seminar held by professor A. Mkrtchyan was very meaty and saturated, during which the information about the demolition, destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage during the Genocide and then by Turks was presented, the ruined and destroyed monuments of the Western Armenia as well as monuments included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage were shown by video screening.
All of the speakers expressed their convicting and critical attitude, as well as expressed their pain towards the profane acts of Turks, condemned all these actions, noting, that the Armenian is a culture preserving nation, and the destroyed monuments are not only the silent but also speaking witnesses of the history and these monuments are the proves of the rich cultural past.
The problem of the cultural vandalism implemented till now was also discussed and the important thing demanded from the younger generation was to provide special treatment and care towards the national values.
Hermine Sargsyan
