Ara Papyan fears that the forget-me-not dammed actions will have an opposite reaction
The forget-me-not dammed actions ahead to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide look like a holiday fuss. Especially those who have school-age children will prove that the schools are “getting ready” for the marking the centennial of the Armenian Genocide like, let’s say, they are prepared for celebrating Christmas or Easter holidays. Together with the schoolchildren, they “decorate” an Armenian Genocide corner with forget-me-nots and so on. Not to speak about the fact that the wives of the ruling elite are photographed with the forget-me-nots spread out on the table and make their photos public on different social networks. The forget-me-not imagination has gone so far that they appear even on the ATM screens. Director of “Modus Vivendi” Center Ara Papyan estimates these phenomena negative and reminds that the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, ultimately, is a day of mourning. “Any mourning ceremony requires certain modesty and silence. Moreover, it is condemnable as business elements have already popped up in all of this. Some institutions compelled the staff to buy forget-me-nots for 300-500 AMD. This is not acceptable for me.” Ara Papyan regretfully notes that all of this seems to contain an atmosphere of excitement for the “Oscar” ceremony. “I see a sort of competition about how many people will go to Gallipoli ceremony and how many people will come to Armenia.”
Ara Papyan notes that the standard for the centennial should be for us to clearly define what we want item-by-item and based on what, while the rest is noise for nothing. Ara Papyan notes, “It’s nice when a famous actor participates and recites something by the memories of genocide, but anyway, it cannot have the political significance of what we want.” Moreover, Ara Papyan thinks that this coercion of getting prepared to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide in this way may cause the pupils’ aversion. Note that all of this was supplemented by the initiative of “honor guard”, under which the pupils will stand guard at the Genocide Memorial from April 1 to April 23, from 10 am to 18 pm.
On this occasion, Ara Papyan noted, “We’ve all been a schoolchild and we know that at this age there is an aversion towards everything is imposed. In the 70’s, I was posting a wall newspaper on the theme of the Armenian Genocide, the teachers were tearing it up, but we had prepared a few copies, because at this age, you eagerly want to counteract. Even the best works that you are forced to pass already rise an aversion. Whereas, in the future, when the person reveals the same works for himself, it causes other pleasure.”
Read also
Ara Papyan recalled that during the school years, they were running away from the classes to go to the Genocide Memorial, today, it is the opposite extreme. “Today, a layout with forget-me-nots is prepared at schools. The symbol is used for decoration, clothes are made, ties and women’s accessories. While at that time, there was a certain prohibition but not a state coercion.” Ara Papyan fears that all of this may cause an opposite reaction to the teenagers. “The teenager is an opposing as hi is in the stage of self-establishment. He is in contradiction and proves his identity. Our society, unfortunately, talks a lot about the Armenian Genocide, but they are not ready for it, there are numerous subtle questions about how to present the Armenian Genocide to the adolescent at this age. Well, these are the questions that we should think about. Now, I am meeting with the schoolchildren, tell them about the Armenian Genocide and talk about numerous subtle issues.”
TATEV HARUTYUNYAN
