SUMGAIT 27–29.02.1988 A forgotten massacres Sumgait is 26 kilometres from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, and was home to some 18,000 Armenians in 1988. On 26 and 27 February 1988, demonstrations were organised in Sumgait under the slogan The Armenian Church & Community in Ireland “Death to Armenians!” What took place on the streets of Azerbaijan during the following warmly WELCOMES you today three days has been referred to ever since with the horrific name of “Sumgait”. The massacre of Armenians in Sumgait, February 27–29, were merely a continuation of the Azerbaijani authorities’ unswerving policy of racism towards Armenians and ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population, with unpunished killings and deportations. Photographs were removed due their gruesome nature. http://karabakhfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/The-Sumgait-Syndrome.- Anatomy-of-Racism-in-Azerbaijan-ENG.pdf Rwandan Genocide - 1994 In our Modern Time…is it forgotten? Sunday 7th of April was the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. The images of hundreds of thousands of people being hacked to death in fields are still vivid. The world stood by and watched as neighbour turned on neighbour, relative turned on relative, student turned on teacher and priest turned on congregation. The perpetrators were not monsters or aliens, but ordinary people like us who committed heinous crimes. Christ Church Cathedral Christchurch Place, Dublin 8 th It seems, the world has forgotten what happened in Rwanda during 1994….!!! Wednesday 24 April 2019 @ 7:00pm Speakers Prof. John Horne – Historian/TCD Dr. Dana Walrath – Atlantic Fellow GBHI/TCD Dr. Arman Kirakossian – Ambassador of the RA Laying flowers at the Khachkar Memorial after this Service The Armenian Church and Community Who are the Armenians…? and all the Armenians who reside in the island of Ireland welcome you to our Service of Remembrance to pay tribute to the victims of 1915 Armenian Genocide. ARMENIA is located in the southern We trust that this time of reflection… commemorating the 1.5 million Armenians who Caucasus and is the smallest of the former Soviet Republics. perished… and all subsequent atrocities like the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide. The first time the word Armenia was We also give thanks to our gracious Lord for the survival of used as a geographical entity was in The Armenian nation will be appreciated by all here today. the 6th Century BC. Armenia was the first country to adopt WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM SHALL NOT LOSE HEART Christianity as its official religion in A.D.301. Throughout the centuries the country itself has been invaded by a succession of empires and as a result the Armenians became fierce protectors of their culture, traditions and their Christian faith. After the Russo-Persian war in 1826 the areas of Armenia under Persian control were incorporated into Russia. Those Armenians living in the west were absorbed into the Ottoman Empire and although they had some autonomy, they had few political and legal rights. Despite this the Armenian community thrived as they tended to be better educated and wealthier than their Turkish neighbours. This gave rise to resentment and suspicion and in response to a nascent Armenian campaign to win civil rights the 1915 Armenian genocide occurred. The year 2015 was the centennial of a great tragedy, regardless of how you name it, the Great Catastrophe, the Deportation, the Massacres… In December 2015 we unveiled the Khachkar Memorial (Stone-Cross) in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide “MEZ YEGHERN” and in dedication to the massive The Lord’s Prayer destruction that took place 104 years ago. It is not possible to bring back the massive population that vanished within a couple of months; yet we in Armenian Transliterated in English are aware that it is now our duty to keep their memories alive to maintain their legacy, their language, Հայր մեր որ յերկինս ես, Hayr mer vor hergeens yes, Our Father who art in heaven their culture and above all their faith. սուրբ եղիցի անուն Քո։ Soorp yegheetsee anoon ko hallowed be Thy name. Եկեսցէ արքայութիւն Քո։ Yeghetze arkayootyoon ko Thy kingdom come. Եղիցին կամք Քո Yegheetsee gamk ko Thy will be done, որպէս յերկինս և յերկրի։ Vorbes hergeens ev hergree, on earth as it is in heaven. Զհաց մեր հանապազորդ Z Hats mer hanabazor Give us this day տուր մեզ այսօր։ door mez aysor Our daily bread; և թող մեզ զպարտիս մեր, Ev togh mez zbardeez mer, Forgive us our trespasses, որպէս և մեք թողումք Vorbes ev menk toghoonk as we forgive those մերոց պարտապանաց։ merotz bardabanats who trespass against us; և մի տանիր զմեզ Ev mee daneer uz mez and lead us not into ի փորձութիւն։ Ee portsootyoon temptation, այլ փրկեա զմեզ ի չարէն։ Ayl prgea zmeze e chare but deliver us from evil. զի Քո է արքայություն Zee ko eh arkayootyoon For thine is the kingdom, և զորություն ev zorootyoon the power, և փառք յավիտյանս. ev park haveedyants and the glory forever and ever Amen Amen Ամէն A Photographic Exhibition on Performers The Making of the Khachkar Memorial For Ireland Varazdat Khachatryan (Pianist) The cross is a source of great national pride for the Armenians as a Born in Armenia, Varazdat Khachatryan began his Khachagir – Խաչակիռ - or "cross-bearing" nation. Over the centuries, musical studies at the age of 5 in Armenia and studied Armenians have borne Christ's cross with faith, hope and love. What was at the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory from which once an instrument of torture and death - became for Christians a symbol he graduated with distinction as a pianist and choral of salvation and victory over death. conductor. He holds Masters of Music degrees in both areas and an The Armenian Churches are built as a cross shaped sanctuary with a Advanced Postgraduate degree in piano performance dome at the centre open to the heaven, providing the light of Christ. (Aspirantura) from Yerevan State Conservatoire; and PgDip, MMus degrees in piano performance and MMus Armenians have lived in the shadow of the cross and were (and still are) in piano accompaniment from Birmingham Aram Hakhumyan Conservatoire. geographically situated on the "leading edge" of the Christian world. Having suffered for their faith in Christ, they have also shared in the passion of His crucifixion. No wonder, then, His piano repertoire and recent appearances in renowned musical halls in the United Kingdom, the that the cross would become pre-eminent among their national emblems, appearing on the Netherlands, Armenia, Russia, Lebanon, Syria and the domes and walls of their churches, on altars, in their homes—even erupting out of the Czech Republic have received the highest praise from Armenian landscape, as a stone-cross Khachkar. audiences and music critics. Vrazdat currently pursues his PhD degree in Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama, working on a The Khachkar Memorial that you will view in this Exhibition will thesis which re-assesses Rachmaninoff's musical legacy. hopefully give you the impression of the similarities between the Irish We are fortunate to have such a talented musician in our midst today. HIGH CROSSES and the Armenian KHACHKAR. Please pay attention to the motifs, symbols and ornaments used. Sebouh Baghdoyan (Soloist) The 8th century Irish Litanies, also known as the Book of Leinster attributed to St. Oengus Ceile De (the Culdee), the manuscript can be Sebouh Baghdoyan is an experienced international expert with over 40 years of professional practice with international and Non- viewed at Trinity College Dublin, make mention not only of the presence Governmental organisations and has been providing advisory and of an Armenian in Cill-Achaid Dromfadha (Killeigh, Co. Offaly) but also consultancy services in a variety of fields of expertise to a number provides one of the leading bishop’s name as “Cerrui” who happened to of governmental and non-governmental institutions, organizations be an Armenian theologian and perhaps a scholar of Greek and Hebrew. Artak Habarzumyan and companies, mainly in Armenia, Austria, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, USA and Uzbekistan. Mr. Baghdoyan has also been an H.G. Leask (an Irish architect) commenting on the Rahan (County Offaly) archway: active member of numerous International and Armenian “Something very like this, accompanied by shallow engaged shafts, appears in the chapel of professional, social, and sports associations and institutions, as the palace of Ani in Armenia, and datable, it is said, to the early seventh century at the well as served as the deacon of the Armenian Apostolic Church of latest. Since Armenian clerics dwelt for a time not very far away from Rahan (Cill Achaid Saint Hripsime of Vienna, Austria. He is the bearer of several Drummfodha – Killeigh) in the seventh or eighth century, the importation of these motifs is “Awards of Appreciation and Thanks” from the President of the attributed directly to them and to that period.” Republic of Armenia, the Minister of Diaspora and the President of the World Executive Committee of the Pan-Armenian Games “The Irish Litanies". Trans. by Plummer C., London 1925 We are fortunate to have Sebouh and his wife Soghig amongst us today…from Leask, H. G., 1955 “Irish Churches and Monastic Buildings: The First Vienna…! Phases and the Romanesque”, Dundalgan Press, Ireland, 1955 Speakers Prayer 4 Professor John Horne – Historian/TCD John Horne is an historian. He is emeritus Fellow and former LET us pray for our suffering world. For enmity and strife between nations. For inequality and Professor of Modern European History at Trinity College poverty that is affecting people of various backgrounds Dublin, a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and a board We remember the victims of violence, discrimination and persecution (like the Yezidies and member of the Research Centre at the Historial de la Grande Christians) in all forms in our world today.