Союз армянских организаций Швеции

Шаблон:Unitedt The Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) (Uppsala. Sweden) Союз армянских обществ ШвецииThe Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) Address: Box. 25 106 Uppsala, 750 25, Sweden Phone: (46 18) 31 47 94 Fax: (46 18) 31 47 94 E-mail: info@armeniska.se URL: http://www.armeniska.se Armeniska riksförbundet i Sverige

Mr. Garabed Hakopian President

Reports, researches

Press Release - 16 May 2005 Gotenberg

Armenian Architecture Exhibition dedicated to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

On the initiative of Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) and The Armenian church and cultural organisation of Gotenberg the second city of Sweden, launched on May 10-13 an exhibition dedicated to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Beside the several Armenians, who participated the opening ceremony, Counsellors for Swedish and Catholic, as well as representatives of Orthodox, Serbian and Armenian Churches and members of Swedish local authorities where among the guests told Katrin Hakopian the representative of Armenians in Gotenberg.

The main focus of the exhibition which is titled Armenian Architecture Heritage in the South Caucasus is on Armenian architectural monuments scattered across Turkey, a great majority of which was also subjected to "genocide" alongside with annihilation of Armenians in 1915 and later. The major objective of the exhibition is to draw European' attention to what a country desires to join their ranks.

The exhibition has first displayed in European Parliament, Oslo in Norway, in Swedish cities, and is scheduled to display in Riga capital of Latvia at the end of May.

The opening ceremony which introduced by Kevork Artin and Katrin Hakopian followed by speech of Mr. Bertil Bengtsson. The author of newly published book, The Year of The Sword. He concluded his speech with the absolute necessity of pressure applied by the international public opinion on the Turkish government in order to achieve recognition.

The cultural events of the program consist of spiritual Armenian music performed by Lena Vartanian piano and Hrant Mardirosian violin who played work of Comitas and Aram Khachatouryan.

The exhibition was co-organised by Assembly of Armenians of Europe (AAE), prepared by Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) and assisted by Swedish educational organisation of “BILDA” and Orthodox co-operation committees.

Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden Chairman Garo Hakopian garo.hakopian@comhem.se tel. + 46 18 31 47 94 _____________________________________________________________

Press Release - May 16 2005 Stockholm

Demonstration

Early Saturday morning of April 23 at “Medborgarplatsen” - The Citizen Square in central Stockholm young people and functionaries from the April 24:th Committee for Commemoration of the Armenian genocide 1915 were busy preparing for the manifestation for honoring the victims of the genocide.

A miniature of the Tsitsernakaberd monument was placed on the square, surrounded by 90 candles symbolizing the number of years that had passed since the genocide. The Armenian and Swedish flags flapped together in the wind. The air was chilly and windy. A young man had problems lighting the candles, the wind put out the candles at the same speed they were lighted. The man continued without taking notice of this.

The spiritual Armenian music with its sorrow tunes could be heard from distance. People, from near and far, from all over Sweden were gathering, all with resolute wish to be here, April 24th 2005, to commemorate the family members and relatives – the victims of the first genocide in modern time. Everybody having one aim – to show the world that this crime against the Armenian people and humanity was not forgotten and that it would never be forgotten.

People passing by were wondering about the manifestation and showed a genuine interest and understanding. Many of them stayed and took part in the manifestation. The crowed grew continuously, hundreds of Armenians and Swedes commemorating the victims.

The posters and the banderoles had a clear message; the message that the Armenians demanded a worldwide recognition of the Armenian genocide and that EU should press Turkey to recognize the genocide, apologize for their crime and the suffering they had caused the Armenian nation and people, setting the recognition as a precondition for entering the EU.

The manifestation went on for four hours with speeches by distinguished Swedish writers and politicians, music and prayer for the victims. The young man continued to light the candles and the wind put them out.

The author of newly published book, The Year of The Sword, Mr. Bertil Bengtsson had a speech where he reminded of another speech held 1917 at the very same Citizen Square by Hjalmar Branting, Swedish Prime Minister some time later, at a manifestation for the Armenian people and condemnation of what the Turks were doing with the Armenians. In front of tens of thousands the word “folkmord” was used for the first time in the Swedish language. “Folkmord” is, if translated precisely, murder of a people – the same meaning as the word genocide that where to be used some thirty years later.

Mats Einarsson from the leftwing party “Vänsterpartiet and member of the Swedish parliament where talking about the collective consciousness end the traumatic consequences a genocide has on the survivals, in general and the Armenians and others Christians that where victims of the genocide of 1915 specifically. He emphasized the need of recognition of the genocide from Turkey as a prerequisite for a reconciliation and normal relation and common future between the both sides. He assured his support to get there.

Mr. Charlie Weimers, nominated chairman for “KDU”- the youth organization for the Swedish Christ Democrats party, emphasized the just demands the Armenians had. He gave his full support for the Armenians and their demands and assured his and his party’s support in the Armenians struggle to have Turkey recognizing the genocide.

The chairman of the Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS), Garo Hakopian, had a speech on the political developments in this area and the importance and consequence of the Armenian demand of recognition of the genocide. He also informed that Poland, as number 9 of the EU member states, had also recognized the Armenian genocide recently.

Father Norayr Gandjumian prayed for the victims of the genocide. The manifestation was over but the crowd stayed for a while, admiring the ninety lighted candles and thinking of their symbol and message.

The 24 April committee for commemoration of 90 years memory of the genocide Mimi Mirzakhanian mimi.mirzakhanian@telia.com Tel. 46 704 412 412 Stockholm

Stockholm, 24 April 2005 - By buses, train and cars from several parts of the country hundreds of Armenians and other interested persons attended today the commemoration ceremony of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Kista Church and ABF Center, in Stockholm.

The commemoration ceremony was organised by the April 24: th Committee for Commemoration of the Armenian genocide 1915, a work committee consist of several Armenian organisations in Sweden, Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) as well as Armenian Apostolic and catholic churches, The Armenian Association Ararat, Armenian Relief Society, Young Armenians Organisation in Stockholm and Armenian Association CSS.

The Commemoration ceremony started early in the Sunday morning at the Kista church in Stockholm, with annual divine services and prayer devoted the Armenian innocent victims 1915.

After the ceremony at the Church a commemoration meeting took place in the auditorium of ABF House in Central of Stockholm.

Beside the several hundreds of Armenians, who participated the commemoration, there were Counsellors for Swedish and Catholic Churches, members of Swedish Parliament, representatives for the Swedish public and common services, representatives of “Living History ” as well as the Kurdish and Assyrian Federations members among the guests.

The cultural events of the program consist of spiritual Armenian music performed by the Moscow Armenian Chamber Chorus of the Stat Philharmonic Society who had two concerts during the day, as well as included Armenian declamation, chorus of Young Armenians in Stockholm; piano and duduk music dedicated The Armenian Genocide performed by local artists.

The Commemoration speech program opened by Mr.Garo Hakopian, the chairman of UAAS (Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden) who mentioned the need of an united and collective, purposeful and longsighted campaign against the Turkish aggressive, denial policy on the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and reconciliation. He furthermore read the letter sent by Kurdish community in Sweden expressing words of sympathy and solidarity with the Armenian People in their struggle for Justice.

The second speaker, the British Ph.D. in History, David Gaunt, a Professor with Södertorns University of Stockholm, who exposed in details the circumstances under which the genocide became possible to execute. He concluded his speech with the absolute necessity of pressure applied by the international public opinion on the Turkish government in order to achieve recognition.

Dr. Ashot Alexanian, the guest speaker of the day, Counsellor at the Armenian Embassy in Vienna, who made his speech both in English and Armenian, addressing the audience, he said in his message:

"On behalf of all principles and values of human rights, human dignity and fundamental freedoms, for the defence of which Armenians have paid heir own life, even more - losing their historical homeland, - like a biting irony of history, nowadays Turkey wants to become a member of western community, proclaiming and safeguarding the same values.

Armenia and Armenians worldwide cannot drop, forget or deny the Genocide of 1915, perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire, against the residing in its historical homeland. All Armenians - in Armenia and Diaspora - more or less are engaged in the matter of genocide recognition by the world community".

Furthermore he demanded "Turkish recognition of Armenian Genocide has to be involved in the basic document of the EU-New Neighbourhood comprehensive program, as an indispensable precondition of implementation of regional security, aiming at boosting cooperation among the involved countries. The best example for this is the creation of European Union and the historical experience of establishment of after-war Europe."

The Commemoration program concluded with prayer of the Armenian reverend, father Sarkis Melkonian at 16:00 p.m.

The 24 April committee for commemoration of 90 years memory of the genocide Mimi Mirzakhanian mimi.mirzakhanian@telia.com Tel. 46 704 412 412 Stockholm __________________________________________________________

Press release

The Swedish-Armenian community is united unanimous as ever.

The Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) has close cooperation with the Assembly of Armenians of Europe (AAE).

On March 12, the annual general meeting of the Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) was convened in the city of Uppsala. Representatives of the member associations and organizations who had come from different cities participated in the meeting.

After the presentation of activities and financial reports, the following subjects were examined in detail: the expansion of the future activity of the centre within member organizations, organizing and uniting of all capable forces and the further democratization of the centre’s structures.

The meeting approved the renewed version of the more than ten-years-old statutes of UAAS. The revision was necessary to meet the requirements of the new contitions and situations.

The meeting examined a whole list of commemorating events dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Genocide and took corresponding decisions.

The participating representatives stressed the importance of the Armenian language and culture and its development. Also the education of the young generation as conscious Armenians was a topic of discussion. The representatives of the youth organizations expressed their viewpoints and expounded the problems encountered by the Armenian youth.

As an active member of the Assembly of Armenians Europe (AAE), the UAAS in its annual meeting, reaffirmed its full support of the AAE and its cooperation with it in efforts directed towards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, ever strengthening of the statehood of the Republic of Armenia and towards the just resolution of the Question of Karabakh.

The representative of the Norwegian-Armenian Association thanked the Swedish-Armenians for their assistance and emphasized the need for cooperation between all European-Armenian communities and for the strengthening of mutual ties between those communities.

For the months of April and May, a number of events dedicated to Genocide such as exhibitions, lectures, conferences etc have been organized in many cities with large Armenian communities. The 24th April committee consist of Armenian organizations and Armenian church representatives in Stockholm invites On 23th and 24th of April, in Stockholm, the whole Swedish-Armenian community to commemorate the Genocide with a joint event and demonstration. In September, a number of events will be organized in the European level, directed against Turkey’s membership of the European Union.

The general meeting of the Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) approved the program of activities presented by the directorate for the years 2005-2007 and endorsed their general course and direction accordingly.

UAAS board Uppsala, March 22, 2005The Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden (UAAS) Address: Box. 25 106 Uppsala, 750 25, Sweden Phone: (46 18) 31 47 94 Fax: (46 18) 31 47 94 E-mail: info@armeniska.se URL: http://www.armeniska.se Armeniska riksförbundet i Sverige