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ARCHBISHOP ATESHIAN VISITS HIS HOMETOWN IN TURKEY
www.worldbulletin.net, Turkey
Sept 12 2013
His Eminence expressed hope at Silvan becoming a place of "love and
brotherhood" where faiths live together
His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, General Vicar of the Armenian
Patriarch, paid his first official visit on Wednesday to his hometown,
Silvan, in the southeast province of Diyarbakir.
"I came back happy to Silvan, which I left in a state of sadness at
the age of five," Ateshian said.
Greeted with flowers upon his arrival at the town, Ateshian visited
Silvan District Governor Berkand Sonmezay and Mayor Fadil Erdede.
"Armenians and Turks once lived in harmony in these lands," Ateshian
said. "Now, there are steps towards bringing back that atmosphere.
"We've come here to strengthen love and brotherhood."
Protecting historic assets
Ateshian visited historical places in Silvan, including Hassuni Caves
6 km east of the district, which date back to the Middle Ages.
"There were eight Armenian churches around Silvan, but most have
vanished. We must protect historical venues and raise awareness on
their preservation. The historical buildings and statues in Silvan
must be promoted throughout the world," Ateshian said.
As a good example, Hassuni Caves have come under state protection as
part of a tourism project, Ateshian said, adding that the scope of
such projects must be broadened to encompass all places of historical
value in Silvan.
Aslan Bakir, Ateshian's nephew and operator of a leisure center at
Hassuni Caves, hosted a dinner event in honor of his uncle.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=117670
www.worldbulletin.net, Turkey
Sept 12 2013
His Eminence expressed hope at Silvan becoming a place of "love and
brotherhood" where faiths live together
His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, General Vicar of the Armenian
Patriarch, paid his first official visit on Wednesday to his hometown,
Silvan, in the southeast province of Diyarbakir.
"I came back happy to Silvan, which I left in a state of sadness at
the age of five," Ateshian said.
Greeted with flowers upon his arrival at the town, Ateshian visited
Silvan District Governor Berkand Sonmezay and Mayor Fadil Erdede.
"Armenians and Turks once lived in harmony in these lands," Ateshian
said. "Now, there are steps towards bringing back that atmosphere.
"We've come here to strengthen love and brotherhood."
Protecting historic assets
Ateshian visited historical places in Silvan, including Hassuni Caves
6 km east of the district, which date back to the Middle Ages.
"There were eight Armenian churches around Silvan, but most have
vanished. We must protect historical venues and raise awareness on
their preservation. The historical buildings and statues in Silvan
must be promoted throughout the world," Ateshian said.
As a good example, Hassuni Caves have come under state protection as
part of a tourism project, Ateshian said, adding that the scope of
such projects must be broadened to encompass all places of historical
value in Silvan.
Aslan Bakir, Ateshian's nephew and operator of a leisure center at
Hassuni Caves, hosted a dinner event in honor of his uncle.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=117670