Tweet
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARLES AZNAVOUR
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 23 2014
Muge AkgunISTANBUL / Radikal
Hundreds of unforgettable songs such as "La Boheme," "She," "Hier
Encore/ Yesterday when I was young," "La mamma," "Emmenez moi" and
others. One of the most important music figures of our age, master
artist Charles Aznavour, turned 90 on May 22. But unfortunately,
we have known and evaluated him for the last 40 years not for his
music but what he said about the Armenian issue or what he did not.
Sometimes as the slave of policies and sometimes nationalism, we have
perceived him as an enemy of Turks. We declared him persona non grata.
Actually, in his own words, Aznavour has become the scapegoat of
people prone to violence on both the Armenian and Turkish sides.
While being perceived as a Turkish enemy on one hand, Aznavour, on
the other hand, has received insulting letters from Armenians saying,
"I want to spit in your face" because he said, "Let's change the
word 'genocide' if it is a word that prevents relations between
two societies."
We have heard what we have wanted to hear for many years, but Aznavour
asks that the 1915 "genocide" be remembered but with no hatred. He
sometimes goes too far and says "I don't even care about the word
'genocide;' what should be really remembered is the historical event."
This wish of his came partly true before April 24, with a statement
from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, offering condolences for the 1915 killings.
When I toured the concentration camp close to Munich during the years
when the polarization was at its highest, I was very surprised that
they were displaying what they had done with all the evidence. I
respected it. When I visited the Genocide Museum in Yerevan three
years ago, I thought, "I wish these documents and photos were on
display in Turkey; then it would be easier to accept what happened."
Once upon a time, pronouncing the word genocide was equal to treason.
Now these days have passed with the prime minister's statement.
If only we could erase all the arguments of the past. If only Charles
Aznavour was invited to Turkey for a cultural event. If only he
repeated his words, saying, "I want Turks to respect the pains of
Armenians and those who were killed, and I want Armenians not to
exploit the issue of the genocide in a way to prevent relations
between the two nations."
Perhaps in this way, those, who are prejudiced, may think one more
time. The fact that he is Armenia's permanent representative to the
United Nations and he is symbolically the Armenian ambassador to
Switzerland does not show that he is an enemy of Turkey. But just
like all of us, he believes it is possible by accepting all of what
happened.
Bearing a grudge is not appropriate for either individuals or states.
The ancient city of Ani was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in
2012 following a proposal by the Turkish government. And restorations
continue. I hope these steps will end with a memorial on the skirts of
the Mount Agrı and the opening of the border gates between Turkey and
Armenia on the 100th anniversary of this crime against humanity. And
that relations will reach a quite different level.
I hope we will have a chance in the very near future to listen to
his songs at a concert in Istanbul. I hope the Istanbul Foundation
for Culture and Arts (İKSV) stages such an event on the initiative
of the Culture Ministry, and we embrace the son of a mother, who
is saying, "My mother was an Armenian-origin Turk and I have never
disappointed her."
He is an artist above all identities; happy birthday, Charles Aznavour.
May/23/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/happy-birthday-charles-aznavour-.aspx?PageID=238&NID=66818&NewsCatID=383
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 23 2014
Muge AkgunISTANBUL / Radikal
Hundreds of unforgettable songs such as "La Boheme," "She," "Hier
Encore/ Yesterday when I was young," "La mamma," "Emmenez moi" and
others. One of the most important music figures of our age, master
artist Charles Aznavour, turned 90 on May 22. But unfortunately,
we have known and evaluated him for the last 40 years not for his
music but what he said about the Armenian issue or what he did not.
Sometimes as the slave of policies and sometimes nationalism, we have
perceived him as an enemy of Turks. We declared him persona non grata.
Actually, in his own words, Aznavour has become the scapegoat of
people prone to violence on both the Armenian and Turkish sides.
While being perceived as a Turkish enemy on one hand, Aznavour, on
the other hand, has received insulting letters from Armenians saying,
"I want to spit in your face" because he said, "Let's change the
word 'genocide' if it is a word that prevents relations between
two societies."
We have heard what we have wanted to hear for many years, but Aznavour
asks that the 1915 "genocide" be remembered but with no hatred. He
sometimes goes too far and says "I don't even care about the word
'genocide;' what should be really remembered is the historical event."
This wish of his came partly true before April 24, with a statement
from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, offering condolences for the 1915 killings.
When I toured the concentration camp close to Munich during the years
when the polarization was at its highest, I was very surprised that
they were displaying what they had done with all the evidence. I
respected it. When I visited the Genocide Museum in Yerevan three
years ago, I thought, "I wish these documents and photos were on
display in Turkey; then it would be easier to accept what happened."
Once upon a time, pronouncing the word genocide was equal to treason.
Now these days have passed with the prime minister's statement.
If only we could erase all the arguments of the past. If only Charles
Aznavour was invited to Turkey for a cultural event. If only he
repeated his words, saying, "I want Turks to respect the pains of
Armenians and those who were killed, and I want Armenians not to
exploit the issue of the genocide in a way to prevent relations
between the two nations."
Perhaps in this way, those, who are prejudiced, may think one more
time. The fact that he is Armenia's permanent representative to the
United Nations and he is symbolically the Armenian ambassador to
Switzerland does not show that he is an enemy of Turkey. But just
like all of us, he believes it is possible by accepting all of what
happened.
Bearing a grudge is not appropriate for either individuals or states.
The ancient city of Ani was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in
2012 following a proposal by the Turkish government. And restorations
continue. I hope these steps will end with a memorial on the skirts of
the Mount Agrı and the opening of the border gates between Turkey and
Armenia on the 100th anniversary of this crime against humanity. And
that relations will reach a quite different level.
I hope we will have a chance in the very near future to listen to
his songs at a concert in Istanbul. I hope the Istanbul Foundation
for Culture and Arts (İKSV) stages such an event on the initiative
of the Culture Ministry, and we embrace the son of a mother, who
is saying, "My mother was an Armenian-origin Turk and I have never
disappointed her."
He is an artist above all identities; happy birthday, Charles Aznavour.
May/23/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/happy-birthday-charles-aznavour-.aspx?PageID=238&NID=66818&NewsCatID=383
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress