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At Villa Empain President Sargsyan made a statement

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  • At Villa Empain President Sargsyan made a statement

    http://news.president.am/events/statements/
    At Villa Empain President Sargsyan made a statement
    27.05.2010
    Dear representatives of Pogossian family,
    Dear Guests,
    Ladies and Gentelmen,

    I am happy to be here, at one of Brussels historical and cultural
    sites - Villa Empain. First, allow me to start with the words of
    appreciation for the Pogossian Foundation, which has undertaken the
    task of restoring this marvelous monument of the first half of the
    20th century.

    Baron Louis Empain, a patron of arts intended to create here a center
    of arts and culture. But the 20th century was harsh and the start of
    WWII cancelled those plans. Today, thanks to Pogossian family, Villa
    Empain becomes what its founder wanted it to be - the center for
    East-West dialogue and arts.

    We, the Armenians, due to ruthless whims of history, are spread all
    over the world. In the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th
    century the chieftains of the Ottoman Empire failed to understand and
    appreciate the Armenians. They failed to understand those unique
    people, who learn foreign languages fast, establish relations with
    other nations and serve as mediators between East and West in trade,
    business, culture, and literature. They failed to comprehend why those
    strange Armenians self-organize, create cultural centers, and publish
    multilingual periodicals. And they had found the easiest solution to
    the problem: if there are no Armenians, there is no need to ponder
    over these questions.

    The Genocide made the Armenians spread all over the world. Armenians
    live and thrive not only in Christian but also in many Muslim
    countries. It is hard to say whether those Armenians who had fled the
    horrors of the Genocide were received more warmly in Christian or in
    Muslim countries. Support and assistance provided to our nation in
    those dire times is immeasurable.

    Today, here at Villa Empain, the Pogossian Foundation remains faithful
    to the Armenian tradition of being a mediator between East and
    West. In our difficult times, when there are certain attempts to
    supply conflicts with religious lining and speak about the clash of
    civilizations, we, the Armenians should continue with our
    long-established traditions of being a bridge between different
    cultures. As a nation scattered around the globe we know only too well
    how important tolerance is, as well as respect toward the other's
    belief, language, and culture. For this very reason we are able to
    truly and sincerely appreciate the importance of dialogue between
    cultures.

    We also know that problems of intolerance and discrimination are not
    to be solved through the statements, declarations, or manifestations
    of good will alone. In the end of the 20th century, the humanity
    witnessed yet another horrid crime - genocide in Rwanda. First, that
    genocide was carried out through words. The Armenians had passed the
    same road of sufferings. However, when the Armenian Genocide was
    committed there were neither radio, nor TV, while the ideologists of
    the crime in Rwanda injected their poison through that very means of
    communication.
    Promulgation of hatred is not just neutral utilization of the freedom
    of speech: it misuses that freedom to plant hatred and trigger
    violence against one, targeted group of people. Whoever the members of
    that targeted group may be =80` a Jew or a Tutsi, an Arab or an
    Armenian - their chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime
    multiply.

    Recently, Armenians have become a target of such promulgation of
    hatred. When the leader of a neighboring state says that the Armenians
    must be deported for the sole reason that they are Armenians, I cannot
    but help to remember what happened in 1915. However, I cannot also
    neglect the events in Rwanda, where similar statements were put on TV
    and radio to pave the way for violence.

    When from another neighboring state we hear hate howls and constant
    threats of war, I once again recall the ruthless lessons of
    history. In Azerbaijan, just like in the Ottoman Empire, the Armenians
    were perceived as an alien entity - disturbing and useless, which must
    be get rid off through the massacres and atrocities. And after all
    this, Baku is trying once again to establish its rule over Nagorno
    Karabakh and its freedom-loving people, the very people they were
    craving to wipe out.

    Armenophobia becomes mentality, and its dissemination - a state
    policy. Armenophobia today is one of the most basic manifestation of
    misanthropy. Humanism has withstood the battle but fight against
    misanthropy still goes on. Misanthropy has lost the battle but,
    regrettably, not the war. How many places are there in the world where
    children look up into the sky not to welcome the sun and admire the
    sky but to see if death and destruction are not rushing down.

    The noble mission of Baron Empain was terminated by the World War
    II. The factual end of the war was heralded by the Nuremberg process,
    in which humanity defeated misanthropy. Today, Baron Empain's vision
    becomes reality thanks to the Pogossian family, because we, the
    Armenians do not terrify other's children with saber-rattling, because
    our goal is the dialogue of cultures and mutual enrichment.

    And I am happy that Villa Empain - the center for East-West dialogue
    and arts opens its doors, and I cordially congratulate all of us on




    From: A. Papazian
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