Despite the fact that our country’s tourism responsible entities, with our rich historical and cultural heritage, are unable to present to the world and attract tourists as appropriate, the neighboring Turkey does not lose a minute and even at the expense of the Armenian values, advertises its country’s tourism attractions.
In the aircrafts of the “Al Italy” airlines, particularly in Tbilisi-Rome-Madrid and back direction, several pages of the Ulisse magazine for the passengers’ reading are devoted to the places of interests and recreation zones in Turkey. The pages of the magazine show coastal scenes, photos of architectural designs and views of nature. Strangely enough, however, that one of the pages of the magazine, which is entitled “Original Turkey” depicts Khor Virap on the background of the Mount Ararat. The fact that Mount Ararat has found its place in the photo, it is understandable. The Mount is in the territory of Turkey, despite the fact that Mount Ararat, by its essence, symbolizes Noah, Armenia and the Armenian people, however, the existence of the Khor Virap monastery in the photo is no way explainable. To the point, the magazine has used not the photo of a foreign photographer, but a photo made by an Armenian photographer named Harout Tanielian. We learn this from the magazine, where the author’s name is written in the bottom, in not so much readable letters.
As to how the photo of Khor Virap has appeared on the cover of the magazine advertising Turkey or by whose initiative, Turkey’s, or whether the magazine has prepared and posted a commercial advertisement for this country, it is still not clear. If the advertisement is prepared and posted on the magazine, it is unclear. Even if the advertisement is prepared and posted by the initiative of the magazine, then it is not clear how it was welcomed by Turkey. It is not also excluded that the view of Khor Virap has been used for this very commercial purpose. Khor Virap on the background of Mount Ararat, one might say, is known internationally, the monastery itself is not an ordinary church or an architectural monument but one of the popular pilgrimages of Armenians, which is associated with the Gregory Illuminator’s name and the country that was the first to adopt Christianity. Hence, we can conclude that the idea of adding the view of the Mount by Khor Virap is not accidental and it a trick to manipulate the tourists. By only placing the Mount Ararat on the cover page of the magazine, moreover, from the opposite side, definitely would not attract the tourists as the Mount Ararat in not attractive from the Turkish side. The article in the magazine telling about the places of interests in Turkey says about the Mount Ararat, and although the manipulator had put an emphasis on the mountain, which is a large size in the photo, however, Kor Virap monastery is also used on the background of Mount Ararat.
If we admit that the advertisement was prepared and posted in the magazine by the Turkish government bodies or a private company, then, according to the experts, the airline has allowed a gross mistake posting an advertisement of attracting tourists through manipulation on the pages of the magazine. Ulisse is the magazine of the airline and mirrors the policy of the airline, hence, the airline is responsible for it, especially when it comes to the rating of a whole country.
Read also
As to which of our statesman will feel himself offended on learning this story and will undertake the initiative to “fight” for our country’s reputation and demand a denial from Ulisse, it is difficult to say, however, the photographer Harout Tanielian, whom we found as a result of lengthy searches, was upset on hearing the news. H. Tanielian is a doctor-dermatologist, he is a Beirut-based Armenia and lives in Armenia for many years and is engaged in photographing. After examining the photo, the author confirmed that it is from his archive. Mr. Tanielian told us that it was posted on the www.flickr.com website, and for taking and using the photo, they had to get his copyright, but no one has addressed him on this issue. As mentioned by Harut Tanielian, it often happens that people had asked for a photo from his archive, but Mr. Tanielian prior to giving the photo inquired about the purpose of its use and has agreed if it is used not for commercial purposes and have contributed to the image of our country. “I am absolutely unaware that my photo was used, I have not given a permission, besides, there was no one to ask for my permission,” said Tanielian to “Aravot”, who is going to explore how his photos has appeared in an article, which advertises the tourism attractions in Turkey.
Lusine BUDAGHYAN
