Tonight, the discussion around the bonfire on the shore of Lake Sevan with the participants of the march from Tavush to Yerevan was honored by the presence of the Primate of the Tavush Diocese, Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan. Some excerpts from His Holiness’s speech are below.
– In terms of thinking, two ideas are very key, the correct implementation and applicability of which will change us as a nation and a state. They are a necessity and come from the writings of our great fathers and fathers of the 5th century. By the way, they are not read, they just know the names of one or two.
First Movses Khorenatsi, then Yeghishe, Yeznik Koghbatsi, Koryun, they themselves speak on the red line about being an elected nation. Some people are very worried about this, but it’s true, our fathers saw it. The conversion to Christianity, the invention of the letters, which liberalized and educated everyone, speaks of it, as well as the battles of life and death. Even after the tragedy of the genocide, the idea of a chosen nation has been at the core of our existence. But the problem is that we only talk about it. When we accept and act accordingly, for example, we will not pollute the country, we will not throw garbage, we will give the best qualities to education, we will give the highest value to medicine, spiritual life will be recognized in its depth, security will be the highest value, and we will act accordingly. We are like that with the message conveyed to us, but not with our actions, we do not want to be responsible for it, we prefer a light life, but we have made a decision that this is our state, so we must be ready to fight constantly.
– The greatest people of the world have described us, saying that this “forgotten nation” or “abandoned nation” has been called and defined as such, without knowing what a great reward we will have if we turn the concept of being a forgotten nation into a way of salvation. Only after this they will not tell us that we are a forgotten nation, they want to be in constant relations with us.
We are constantly told that we are poor, weak, miserable, we are not capable, we are not able․․․ this is a failed idea, against which we seem to have to constantly fight, but with a change of mind, starting at our doorstep and family. We have no other way to act. People are constantly inspired that they are nothing, they are besieged, they do not represent spiritual value, go wherever you want to live in the world. This idea must be erased from us. Being a forgotten nation should strengthen and strengthen us, become a tool to act.
– The other idea is “never again,” which was born after the Holocaust. When the Israelis say “never again,” they mean the security system from all angles. They say that it should never happen again, therefore all efforts should be made for it. For every millimeter of country and dignity, they are called to fight, not to allow. We are investing huge resources to recognize the genocide, yes, it is important, but for us it should not be a priority, but being a genocide as an umbrella should come from the idea of a forgotten nation, not a feeling that, yes, is painful, but should become work. “Never again” should become a system for us and spread to all spheres․ We have to sleep and wake up at night with that idea. It is difficult, but aren’t we fighting to support our family? Of course, we are, we often lose, but loss is a way to win the battle of life. Even friends do not want to look at a lost person, unfortunately, that’s right. It is the same in national life. By making “Never Again” a system, the victim’s psychology is transformed into the winner’s psychology.
– Once I was asked what Tsitsernakaberd is for me. It makes sense again in the presence of Yerablur. Yerablur seems to be the guardian of Tsitsernakaberd, to turn the victim’s psychology into a winner’s psychology. My request is that everyone remembers being a forgotten nation. It is not a bad thing, on the contrary, it strengthens and proves to the world that you can, as a nation, can walk the path in the world and for the world, and very often against the world.
Luiza Sukiasyan
