Sayat Tekir, spokesperson for Nor Zartonk, at a public forum organized by the Armenian Youth Federation
BY KYLE KHANDIKIAN
Sayat Tekir says what he wants. Like the struggle he represents, he is a humble but stubborn man. His stature betrays the powerful message he brought with him to the United States on a whirlwind visit to meet with various Armenian communities and organizations this past week. When I learned that I would have the opportunity to interview Sayat, I knew that it would be a special interview. What I did not know is that speaking with him would leave me electrified.
Tekir is the spokesperson for Nor Zartonk. If you have not heard about Nor Zartonk already, follow them on Facebook right now. Go to their website and read about what they stand for. Nor Zartonk is at the forefront of the struggle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish state and Turkish society. When it happens, it will be not because of our efforts in the Diaspora, however important they may be, but because of Nor Zartonk’s struggle for a freer, more equal and democratic Turkey.
With a radically different approach to the Armenian Question, Nor Zartonk’s message and its worldview sets it apart from the traditional parties and organizations of the Diaspora. It is perhaps the most progressive Armenian political movement in the word—not just a “youth movementâ€
