Silent Witnesses of History…

The “Ընտանիք” Children and Youth Creative Center of Gyumri, within the framework of the “Silent Witnesses of History” program, held seminar-discussions from April 10 to 29, according to the schedule, in the communities of Tsoghamarg, Torosgyugh, and Goghovit in Shirak Province, as well as at the Ashotsk Sports and Cultural Center and the “Ընտանիք” Center. The seminars addressed the topics of “Genocide,” “Preservation of Monuments,” and “International Days of Monuments and Sites Dedicated to the Centenary of the First World War.”

The purpose of the seminars was to instill in teenagers the idea of valuing and preserving national and cultural values as cultural heritage, present the painful pages of history, unite young people around the idea of “I Remember and Demand,” and promote cooperation with national minorities and communities throughout the province.

Representatives of various communities of Shirak Province, schoolchildren, teachers, students of the “Ընտանիք” Center, members of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union, and clergy participated in the seminars.

The seminar conducted by lecturer A. Mkrtchyan was informative and comprehensive. It presented information about the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage by the Turks during and after the Genocide. Through video presentations, participants were shown partially ruined and destroyed monuments located in Western Armenia, as well as monuments included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Almost all speakers expressed condemnation, criticism, and sorrow regarding the acts of desecration committed by the Turks. They condemned what had taken place, emphasizing that Armenians are a nation that preserves and protects its cultural heritage, and that destroyed monuments are not only silent witnesses of history but also eloquent witnesses, testifying to our rich cultural past.

The issue of cultural vandalism that continues to this day was also discussed, and the teenagers were urged to show particular care and respect toward national cultural values.

Hermine Sargsyan