On July 8, the “After Our Era” Ensemble will perform in the German city of Bochum at the invitation of Germany’s Armenian Academic Society. The quintet (Madlena Galstyan, Gevorg Margaryan, Zareh Galstyan, Stepan Ter-Ghevondyan and Hayk Karapetyan) will perform traditional Armenian music with several Armenian folk instruments, including the tar, dhol, kopal dhol, duduk, shvi, zurna, pku, the Armenian parkapzuk (bagpipe) and the blul.

According to President of the Armenian Academic Society Azat Ordukhanyan, the concert is a benefit concert for the families of soldiers killed and wounded during the four-day war in Artsakh. “The issue of Artsakh is the priority issue for both the Republic of Armenia and us. We must lead as strong a struggle for the Artsakh issue as the struggle for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Artsakh is at great risk,” Azat Ordukhanyan stated in an interview with Aravot Daily.

According to my interlocutor, we Armenians have been very passive and are still passive in regard to the Artsakh issue. Azerbaijan has always been at an advantage in terms of human and financial resources and has surpassed Armenia with its propaganda. This is dangerous, and hesitation will be severe for us Armenians.

“The Germans say they support the Armenians with respect to recognition of the Armenian Genocide, but tell us that we need to concede in regard to the Artsakh issue. This is unacceptable and it is because they lack information. That is why we need to present Artsakh in its entirety, including its history, architecture, culture, folklore and everything else. Azerbaijan has constantly published books with the content that it has adapted. We Armenians have been left behind,” Azat Ordukhanyan stated.

The Armenian Academic Society organized the upcoming concert to not only help the families of deceased soldiers, but also raise the issue of Artsakh. The venue is the Kristus Church in the Linden district of Bochum, and it wasn’t selected by chance because it was in front of this church that the 3-meter peace memorial sculpted by Gyumri-Armenian sculptor Albert Vardanyan was erected in Bochum in 2007.

To raise more funds for Artsakh, on July 8, the Armenian Academic Society will also sell books devoted to Artsakh like the book about the cross-stones of Javakhk published by Swiss-Armenians in 2006.

The Armenian Academic Society started holding fundraisers to help transfer 100 Euros to each of the families of over 100 deceased soldiers in April. According to the list sent from Armenia, the Armenian Academic Society has already transferred funds to the families of 14 deceased soldiers from the Shirak Province and will continue to transfer funds to the families in Yerevan and other provinces.

Right after the concert in Bochum, on July 9^th and 10^th, Armenian singers and musicians will perform at the 10^th International Celtic Festival to be held under the direction of Thomas Zoller in Hofheim on 8-10 July. Hayk Karapetyan, Zareh Galstyan and Gevorg Margaryan will represent Armenia with their folk instruments.

Gaiane Arakelyan

aravot.am