The Day in The Armenian Genocide Museum (note 10)

We all should know about the crimes aganist humanity in order to prevent them in the future; The Day in The Armenian Genocide Museum

Eventually I had chance to visit the Armenian Genocide Museum. I heard that on 24th april the museum is very crowded, since it is the remembrance day. So I dediced to go there on a regular day and lonely. I like visiting museums lonely, because I like examining the things slowly.

The area where the museum is located on a hill overlooking the city. Good news, the museum has a free entry, I like not paying for museums. Exhibition at the museum starts with a huge map of Armenian Plateau which is engraved in stone. There was information about the Armenian settlements and life before 1915, The fact that Armenians had schools in the country side made me suprise, I think it was really good organization for that time. In the second hall, eyewitness reports and documents about the massacre are presented, Iguess I spent more than one hour in that part of the museum. The eyewitness reports and photographs influenced me emotionally, I felt sorry for the people who had to leave their homes and lost their childrens or relatives. There is a section in the museum which presents the countries and organizations condemning the Armenian Genocide. As I know Armenians are waiting for Turkey to recognize Genocide. I thought about what could be the reasons why Turkey does not recognize Genocide, do they think that their anscestors can not be so cruel to massacre like this. Maybe I should ask this someone when I visit Turkey.

The Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex includes the 44 meter stele symbolizing the national rebirth of Armenians and 12 slabs are positioned in a circle, representing the  12 lost provinces. In the center of the circle, at a depth of 1.5 meters, there is an eternal flame dedicated to the victims of the  Armenian Genocide.  Along the park at the memorial there is a 100 meter wall with names of towns and villages where massacres are known to have taken place. On 24th april, thousands of people meet there to commemorate the victims of Armenian Genocide.

For me the museum and the Memorial Complex were very impressive, I thought about the suffering Armenian people experienced before a hundrend years ago. They still struggle to provide reconition of their pain. It must be the worst thing for victims that they have to tell their victimization again and again. Visitng The Armenian Genocide Museum was a good experience for me, we all should know about the crimes aganist humanity in order to prevent them in the future.

Nazan Avcı-AEGEE-Ankara