AGMI Director Hayk Demoyan (Source: Armenpress)
YEREVAN (Armenpress)— Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan discussed various topics including the importance of Armenian Genocide recognition and the events of the Armenian Genocide Centennial during his final meeting of the year with journalists. Demoyan first explained how Germany’s actions of putting the Armenian Genocide issue to discussion are unacceptable. “It may be very difficult for the German side to accept the relationship and complicity with Turkey, but Germany is the country which repented and deeply admitted his guilt during World War II for mass crimes committed against humanity,” Demoyan said.
According to him, German circles try to refer to the issue with two faces. “One of them should be chosen: They either align themselves with Turkish denials and accept their full complicity or realize their fault and condemn Turkey’s implementation and denial of the Armenian Genocide,” Demoyan emphasized.
Demoyan then mentioned how we are witnessing a genocide today which is being conducted in the same region as 100 years ago, when referring to what is happening in the Middle East in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.
As to recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by several countries in Latin America, Demoyan did not wish to give an assessment mentioning that recognition has some internal and external political context.
Armenians were able to present the events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial in a well coordinated and presentable manner. “The atmosphere was very positive both in the frames of citizens and Diaspora Armenians, and also among foreigners. We could deliver our message in a presentable manner. This is the mostly sounded opinion on the carried out works, their content and impact as the result of my numerous trips, meetings and communications,” Demoyan said adding that the unprecedented increase in awareness on the topic was recorded. “People who were not aware, at least received basic knowledge about the Armenian Genocide,” he added.
Demoyan considered significant for the launched works to be continuative as the topic refers not to the return to the hardest period of history but it is directed to providing Armenia’s security and the prevention of such crimes in the future. “What accumulated in 2015, it is important to keep it, as speaking about the Armenian Genocide we had a few problems to solve. First we raise the issue of assuring security of Armenian Republic and Nagorno Karabakh. Besides, we do not allow the promotion of Turkey’s denial policy,” Demoyan said.
In addition, AGMI Deputy Director Suren Manukyan during the final press conference of the year said, “2015 proved that the AGMI is the most important venue for researching the tragedy, given the huge archive the institution possesses.”
“It is no accident that so many foreign scholars come here for scientific research,” Manukyan said. “To this end, we have initiated the Raphael Lemkin scholarship, giving foreigners an opportunity to conduct research at the AGMI and other Armenia-based archives and libraries.”
Commenting on the Museum’s achievements throughout 2015, Manukyan dwelled upon AGMI’s cooperation with USC Shoah Foundation, Paris Memorial de la Shoah, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Lidice Memorial in Wisconsin, Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center, State Memorial Museum of Leningrad Defense and Blockade, and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow.
“A number of summits have been organized throughout the year, the most important of them being the 12th conference of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS),” Manukyan noted.
According to the Deputy Director, AGMI scholars have participated in a number of international conferences in Copenhagen, Chicago, New York, Berlin, Edinburgh, Siena, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Riga, Los Angeles and other cities.
Also, 2015 was a significant year in terms of publications, he said, with AGMI having printed over 70 books, monographs and collections in 2011-2015.
The AGMI was included in the Forbes’ list of must-see memorial museums.
Source: Asbarez
Link: AGMI Director Addresses Armenian Genocide Denial
