The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region, through its “Armenian Genocide Justice” Centennial Committee, recently announced plans to organize a series of trips to Western Armenia led by scholars and activists Khatchig Mouradian and George Aghjayan. Both Mouradian and Aghjayan have made numerous journeys to Western Armenia over the past three years and look to share their experiences with a young generation of Diasporan Armenians.
Participants in one of the trips led by Aghjayan and Mouradian (May 2014) meet with the daughter of a genocide survivor and her family. (Photo by George Aghjayan)
The objective of these organized trips is not tourism, but instead involves visits to remote areas rarely visited today by Armenians. The journeys provide ample opportunities to meet and interact with local communities, including Islamized Armenians. The hope is that through awareness, the local communities can gain greater appreciation for the Armenian presence in Western Armenia and the cultural significance of both the structures and people that remain there.
Children playing in front of Sourp Etchmiadzin Church south of Van, near the border with Iran. (Photo by George Aghjayan)
“While all journeys to Western Armenia serve a valuable purpose, I think it particularly important for those who are young to experience first-hand the realities in Western Armenia today,” Aghjayan said. “I have seen the impact of such journeys for one of my daughters and other young adults that have traveled with us. But also, I have seen the importance for those living there to see young people among us…to know that the lingering injustice is an important issue for them.”
For more information, e-mail westernarmenia@arfeastusa.org.
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