Renowned musician and composer Serj Tankian, Canadian Armenian stage and film director Atom Egoyan, his wife, actress Arsinée Khanjian, as well as stage and film director Eric Nazarian made a statement at the meeting with journalists in Artsakh Monday.
The statement was presented by Arsinée Khanjian, who referred to the Four-day War and issues of citizens and children living in border settlements. She noted that, thousands of gifted people are obliged to take weapons instead of a pen and brush and go to the front to defend their home and homeland, while the pupils are obliged to listen to the sounds of bombs instead of songs.
“On these days a year ago, the Artsakh contact line again flared up when the Azerbaijani armed forces —in a sudden offensive—fired not only the frontline positions but also peaceful residents, schools and unarmed residents. The Artsakh self-defense forces calmed this aggression for the twentieth time, the only result being new human and material losses on both sides. Since 1988 or the day when Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh people decided to create their own fate and exercise their right to free self-determination, having overcome the bitter spirit of the Soviet Union and international laws, Azerbaijan has been opposing this by displacements, attacks and large-scale military actions. However, despite all this the Artsakh people have been able to defend its ancestral lands, organize an independence referendum and establish a state. On this historical land parcel, where there are more news on ceasefire violations, victims and wounded than any other information, thousands of children are deprived of their fair right to create, since the country remains blocked, the ceasefire being fragile. Thousands of gifted people are obliged to take weapons instead of a pen and brush and go to the front to defend their homes and homeland. Because of the Azerbaijani attacks and these forced attacks, these youths are deprived of the right to create and discover their talents. Numerous pupils living in border settlements listen to the sounds of exploding bombs and firing instead of songs and music. But despite this, there are lots of artists, who continue to write, create, play music and paint. They are in blockade because of the war, unfortunately having very little opportunity to communicate with their colleagues worldwide. The blockade and isolations reduce the mutual visits, communication and exchange of experience. The opportunities of opening themselves to the world and knowing each other are limited for these creative talents,” she noted.
Eric Nazarian, for his part, noted that at the meeting with Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan, issues related to the development of Artsakh and the links between the Diaspora and Artsakh were discussed. Apart from this, cultural programs, which will take place in the country, were presented.
A number of artists from the Diaspora, including Serj Tankian, director Atom Egoyan, actress Arsinée Khanjian, film director Eric Nazarian arrived in Armenia to carry out an observation mission during the parliamentary elections as part of the “Justice in Armenia” initiative.
