The year 1915, the year of the Armenian Genocide that went down in world history 102 years ago, became a ��?tattoo’ of shame that has been with people on Earth for centuries, and for us Armenians, it became a wound that is still open and a memory that will always stay alive…Generations came and passed, live and live in different parts of the world, create, present Armenia and Armenians and talk about their roots. My interview for Hayern Aysor was with a wonderful Armenian from his mother’s side, well-known Argentine-Armenian journalist Klaus Lange Hazarian.

Karine Avagyan: Welcome to Armenia! I admire your website www.soyarmenio.com.ar, three of the six sections of which are devoted to Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian Genocide. Who instilled in you so much love for Armenia and the Armenians?

Klaus Lange Hazarian: The Armenian blood from my mother’s side and the problem that there is not much information about Armenia in the Diaspora. The first problem is language. Information is mainly provided in Russian, French, Spain and English. A couple of friends of the third and fourth generations of Armenians and I gathered, and since I am a journalist, they asked me to join them and create a website that would be devoted to Armenia and a website where people could read news and articles devoted to Armenia and Artsakh. The website has been running for the past five years.

Karine Avagyan: Are the Argentines interested in the Armenians, Armenia and Artsakh?

Klaus Lange Hazarian: Yes, they are very interested. The website is popular in not only Argentina, but also Europe and mainly in Spanish-speaking countries, as well as in Latin America and especially in Chile.

Karine Avagyan: I am aware that you have joined the “What are YOU doing for Artsakh?” pan-Armenian movement launched by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. Is that true?

Klaus Lange Hazarian: I have a sign reading the title of the movement. Yes, I have joined the movement and have a special section devoted to Artsakh on my website. The website also features a section devoted to the Armenian Genocide. After 102 years, the Armenian Genocide has become a factor for our unity, and now we have the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which seems to be a bridge that will connect the new generations together.

Karine Avagyan: Have you been to Artsakh?

Klaus Lange Hazarian: I will be paying a two-day visit to Artsakh. I wish to meet with the President of Artsakh.

Karine Avagyan: You and your mother are in Armenia in the month of April. You participated in the “Descendants of Armenian Genocide Survivors Tell Stories” event organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, and your mother’s story was very touching. I think you are also here with another mission, right?

Klaus Lange Hazarian: Yes, I will be giving a live report from the peak of Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex. I am not here as a tourist. I am here to visit the memorial complex dedicated to the memory of my compatriots and must prepare a report for my website and provide my visitors with information.

Karine Avagyan: Mr. Hazarian, you are half Armenian, but it seems like you don’t know Armenian…

Klaus Lange Hazarian: This is due to the Armenian Genocide. The Genocide also caused problems with language because people were afraid to speak Armenian. It was dangerous, and that is why my mother didn’t speak the language, better yet, she didn’t speak Armenian very much.

At the end of our interview, Klaus said two nice and important phrases in Armenian: “Yes siroom ehm qez, eem Haiastan, Yes siroom em qez, eem mairik…” (I love you, my Armenia, I love you, my mother…).

Interview by Karine Avagyan