There once lived an ancient, peaceful people…

“Do not expect a homeland from foreigners or from fate if you are not patriotic enough to defend it with your own blood.”
— Garegin Nzhdeh

On April 25, the “Yntaniq” Children and Youth Creative Center under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia held an event entitled “There Once Lived an Ancient, Peaceful People…,” dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The event aimed to convey the full tragedy of the Genocide through the figure of Komitas, strengthen national dignity and patriotic spirit, and instill in teenagers the idea of standing up for their rights and demanding justice.

The event began with a scene depicting the peaceful life of the Armenian people. On stage were an Armenian peasant, a believer whispering a prayer with the Bible in his hands, and an Armenian woman bringing water to the harvesters—all living and creating through their daily work. However, everything was disrupted when the Ottoman Empire carried out a pre-planned secret agreement aimed at the deportation and extermination of Armenians.

The participants paid tribute to the great Komitas by burning incense and lighting candles.

Through the figures of Western Armenian intellectuals Ruben Sevak, Daniel Varuzhan, and Komitas, as well as through scenes depicting deportation, the students portrayed the deprivation and suffering endured by the Armenian people. They presented the will of the Armenian people to rise again after the terrible catastrophe, their determination to create in the face of destruction, and their relentless struggle to survive. The Armenian people and their spirit not only survived but also sought justice by bringing the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide to account. The teenage participants successively portrayed Armenian avengers and their heroic actions.

“My Armenian people, you have lived, you exist—by living this way…” With these words, the event was brought to a close by a young participant portraying the forget-me-not flower.

H. Sargsyan