Group of Activists Disrupts Even Dedicated to Turkish-Armenian Relations

On July 29, at the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art, a group of activists disrupted “A Dialogue Between Art and Memory” event dedicated to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations organized by Hrant Dink Foundation.

Activists’ banners read: “No normalization while Artsakh is occupied,” “Civil society can’t mask the monstrosity of the state,” “Your silence during the 2020 war spoke volumes,” “1. Recognition 2. Retribution 3. Land back 4. Normalization,” “Between unapologetic murderer and victim no dialogue is possible,” etc.

Drawing the speakers’ attention to the 2020 Artsakh war, which Azerbaijan unleashed with the direct support and participation of Turkey, the activists noted that without the recognition of the Genocide and the realization of Artsakh’s right to self-determination, normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations is impossible. Soon, event coordinator Ruben Arevshatyan invited the speakers out and canceled the event.

“Art should not become a tool for depoliticizing and ultimately continuing subjugation and Genocide,” remarked participant Hovhannes Manucharyan.

The event was dedicated to Hrant Dink, an Armenian journalist and intellectual born in Turkey. Dink was arrested twice for talking about the Genocide, and once for saying that he was Armenian, and not Turkish. In 2007, a Turk shot Dink and, according to witnesses, shouted: “I killed the infidel.”

Participants said they sought to honor Dink’s legacy of putting truth and justice above all, even at the risk of discomfort for Turkish society.

The “Dialogue between Art and Memory” event, both speakers of which were from Turkey, was funded by the European Union (EU) grant program “Supporting the Normalization of Armenia-Turkey Relations.”