Artsakh Union’s President Artak Beglaryan, at the invitation of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, participated in the official event dedicated to the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Paris on April 24, during which he was awarded the highest ‘Grand Vermeil’ medal of the city of Paris.
Ara Toranyan and Murad Papazyan, co-chairs of the French-Armenian Organizations Coordinating Council, Hasmik Tolmajyan, Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Artak Beglaryan made speeches.
All the speakers also touched on the genocide of the Artsakh people, emphasizing the failure of the international community in preventing their forced displacement, and also emphasized the need for the collective return of the Artsakh people, the provision of international protection, the release of hostages and a number of other actions.
Mayor Hidalgo expressed unconditional support to the people of Artsakh, emphasizing the need to eliminate the consequences of the genocide and bring criminals to justice. She emphasized her readiness to support as much as possible the efforts to protect the rights of the people of Artsakh and ensure justice.
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Anne Hidalgo presented Artak Beglaryan with the highest award of the city of Paris, the ‘Grand Vermeil’ medal, for advocating for the rights of the people of Artsakh and supporting the release of Armenian hostages in Azerbaijani prisons.
Artak Beglaryan then made a speech, where he presented concrete suggestions and proposals to the mayor and the French leadership. Hidalgo positively responded to those urges hours later in his speech at the official commemorative event held near the statue of Komitas, calling on the French leadership to boycott the COP29 conference, as well as urging French businesses to sever their ties with Azerbaijan.
The text of Beglaryan’s speech is presented below:
“Dear Madam Mayor,
Your Excellency Madam Ambassador,
Dear Mr. Gevorgyan,
Dear Messrs. Papazyan and Toranyan,
Dear spiritual fathers,
Dear attendees,
It is an honor for me to participate in this event, and I am grateful for receiving the highest award from the City of Paris. First and foremost, I consider this medal not as an individual honor, but as a recognition of the entire people of Artsakh and our representatives held hostage in Baku. Secondly, such an award further obliges me to continue the struggle for the protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh. Thirdly, I wish I didn’t need this medal and wouldn’t be on this stage under these circumstances.
When I explained to my four-year-old daughter during the siege of Artsakh the reasons for the blockade, stating that malicious people want to starve us to death and take away our homeland, she counter-questioned whether the good people of the world are blind to not see our empty shops and our suffering, and why they do not come to help us. It was a very difficult question, but I tried to explain what blindness of the soul means…
Today, we have gathered with heavy hearts to commemorate a dark chapter in history, the Armenian Genocide, which stains the conscience of humanity. France, the beacon of freedom and human rights, played a significant role in the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. France not only accepted the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and condemned it, but also paved the way for other countries to pursue historical justice and truth.
But is that justice, if neither the murdered are resurrected, nor the survivors return to their homeland, nor the criminals punished, nor, even more importantly, are new crimes prevented? Therefore, the recognition and condemnation of international crimes provide only solace, and in order to ensure at least partial justice and prevent future atrocities, it is necessary to adequately punish the individuals and states responsible for these crimes.
I could never have imagined that one day, as a survivor of modern-day genocide, I would speak about a new dark chapter in history. I could never have imagined that the modern world would allow modern young Turks to fulfill the unfinished dreams of the young Ottoman Turks through modern means. Why? Because I believed that the blindness of the soul was no longer predominant in the world.
Although during the siege of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, France made certain active statements and took actions to exert international pressure on the genocidal and dictatorial regime of Aliyev, nevertheless, France, like all members of the international community, to varying extents, failed in the case of Artsakh to prevent genocide and protect peoples, neglecting that sacred responsibility.
In fact, that burden has fallen on the shoulders of French municipalities, with Paris taking a leading role. I would like to mention the following steps taken by the Paris Municipality and the Mayor herself: in 2020, the adoption of a resolution supporting the independence of the Republic of Artsakh following the Azerbaijani aggression, the delivery of humanitarian aid during the blockade and the symbolic awarding of the title of honorary citizen of Paris to the entire people of Artsakh as a moral support after the forced displacement of the people of Artsakh. Thank you, Mrs. Hidalgo, for your value-based behavior and for remaining faithful to our friendship to the best of your ability.
Dear attendees,
The recent atrocities in Artsakh, carried out by Azerbaijan with the full support of Turkey, serve as a grim reminder that the specter of genocide still haunts the world. After the complete and forced displacement of the people of Artsakh and the occupation of our homeland, Azerbaijan and Turkey now threaten the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the entire Armenian people with new aggression and crimes. It should be noted that active genocide continues in Occupied Artsakh, as the destruction and usurpation of churches, monuments, cemeteries and homes are not only crimes against Armenian and world heritage, but also a genocidal policy aiming to the elimination of existence and history of the indigenous Armenian people of Artsakh from the ancient land of their ancestors.
It is no coincidence that Azerbaijani vandals, in the very first stage of the occupation of Artsakh, also destroyed the bust of Charles Aznavour, which stood in front of the cultural center founded by the great philanthropist in Stepanakert. Was that crime directed only against Armenians, or against the French people and humanity as a whole? After all, Aznavour sang about values very foreign and dangerous to those criminals: love, truth, justice, freedom and other such universal phenomena…
Another manifestation of the genocide carried out by the genocidal and dictatorial regime of Aliyev is the kidnapping of a group of leaders of the Artsakh people who are now held hostage in Baku. I consider myself fortunate to have avoided Azerbaijani persecution and imminent kidnapping during the forced deportation; otherwise, I would be in prison now, simply for my nationality and leadership. However, I am committed to continuing the struggle for the rights and justice of my people, including advocating for the release of the hostages.
In this context, it should be emphasized that Ruben Vardanyan, the greatest philanthropist among the hostages, has been on a hunger strike since April 5, and the Aliyev regime has banned his contact with his family for more than two weeks. Therefore, his life is in additional and immediate danger, and urgent and drastic measures are needed to save his life and free everyone.
Armenian hostages are prisoners of conscience, freedom and faith, like Misak Manushyan, who fought for freedom. Before his execution, Manushyan wrote in his last letter to his wife: “Happiness to those who will live after us and enjoy the sweetness of tomorrow’s peace and freedom.”
Yes, as a result of united struggle, peace and freedom will come one day, but we should not allow the last lines of Misak Manushyan to be attributed to the Armenian hostages. They too should enjoy the sweetness of tomorrow’s peace and freedom, as well as our forcibly displaced people, returning to their homeland in a collective, safe and dignified manner, thereby restoring faith in universal values and eradicating the blindness of the soul.
In this context, I would like to propose some practical suggestions and appeals to those present and to the political and public leaders of France:
1. I suggest to Mrs. Mayor that on September 19, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Azerbaijani aggression, under her auspices, a large scientific and international conference on the Artsakh people and other genocides be jointly organized.
2. Highly appreciating Ms. Hidalgo’s decision to boycott the UN Climate Change Conference COP 29 to be held in Azerbaijan, I suggest that all those present urge the entire leadership of France to exhibit similar behavior, and Madam Mayor can extend this call to the leaders of France’s cities and sister cities of Paris.
3. I suggest initiating a public campaign to urge large French businesses in Azerbaijan to sever their ties with Azerbaijan in order not to support Aliyev’s genocidal policy. Ultimately, they must make a value choice between human rights and blood money, which they will not be able to enjoy anyway.
Dear friends,
In conclusion, I express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have raised their voices and worked tirelessly to achieve justice for the Armenian people and other victims of genocides.
Let us prevent the emergence of new Hitlers and not allow them to refer to the impunity and forgetfulness of new genocides against Armenians.
Let us help today’s Manushyans to enjoy the sweetness of tomorrow’s freedom and peace.
Let us demonstrate to our children and grandchildren that blindness of the soul is not characteristic of us, and we do not condone such behavior for them either.
Together, we can make the world more just, and consign genocides to be nothing more than painful historical memories and lessons.
Thank you.”
ARTSAKH UNION
