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SERJ TANKIAN AND GREEK COMPOSER DEVOTE A SONG TO GENOCIDES OF ARMENIANS, GREEKS AND ASSYRIANS
12:40, 16 April, 2015
YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS: The American Armenian rock musician,
composer and the soloist of the band System of a Down, Serj Tankian,
composed a new music in the memory of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. Armenpress reports that the rock musician informed about it
in his Twitter blog. "Here's a video for "100 Years" I co-composed
with John Psathas to honor the victims of the 1st genocide of the
20th century", - wrote Serj Tankian, reminding along the Armenians'
genocide, the genocides of the Greeks and Assyrians as well.
The video is devoted to all those, who fight for the truth, recognition
and justice of the first genocide of the 20th century and the ones,
which followed it.
John Psathas called the cooperation with Serj Tankian emotive and
stated that the music is a tribute to the 100thanniversary of the
genocide of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians.
John Psathas is a New Zealand freelance composer and teacher who, at a
relatively early stage in his career, has established an international
profile and receives regular commissions from organizations both in
New Zealand and overseas. His works are championed around the world
by a growing number of leading international artists, one of the most
consistent of whom has been the Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie.
Initially making a name for himself as a composer of high-energy
percussion music, more recently the composer has concentrated on a
series of larger-scale concertante works. A major career highlight to
date has been the commission to compose the ceremonial music for the
opening and closing of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In 2005 John
Psathas was created an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for
his services to music.
Earlier it was reported that the System of a Down will commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with their Wake Up
The Souls Tour, commencing on April 10th and concluding with their
first-ever performance in Armenia with a free show in Yerevan's
Republic Square. Armenpress reports, citing the official website of the
band that in the video, published in the website, the musicians say:
"Join us to reach justice in this issue".
The dates of the concerts have been as follows: April 10 - Wembley
Arena, London, UK, April 13 - Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany, April
14 - La Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France, April 16 - Forest National,
Brussels, Belgium, April 17 - Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands,
April 20 - Olympisky, Moscow, Russia and April 23 - Republic Square,
Yerevan, Armenia.
Statement from SYSTEM OF A DOWN regarding commemoration of 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide The first genocide of the 20th
century was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks against the empire's
Armenian, Greek and Assyrian populations.
The failure to prevent the atrocities or punish the perpetrators led
to the modern cycle of genocide.
In the aftermath of this WWI Era mass murder, there were no
Nuremberg-type trials, no international courts to exact justice from
the perpetrators or to offer reparations or rights of return to its
victims. In the place of justice, Turkey bartered its oil rights and
leveraged its geopolitical capital to block Woodrow Wilson's planned
territorial restoration and reparations for Armenia.
The Turkish state, having escaped responsibility for its attempted
annihilation of an entire nation, continues to harvest the rich fruits
of its crime. Its leaders today, emboldened by the world's inaction,
try to enforce a gag-rule prohibiting the U.S. and other governments
from speaking honestly about this atrocity.
Horrific stories of the first modern genocide filled the front pages
of the NY Times starting in 1915. The U.S. humanitarian response to
this crime, from the American Red Cross to Near East Relief, marked
America's emergence as an international humanitarian power. Yet,
sadly, it was the world's failure to punish the perpetrators of this
genocide that set the dangerous precedent of a genocide committed with
impunity that has so emboldened tyrants - from Hitler to al-Bashir -
to use mass murder as a tool of policy and power.
The German army, allied with Ottoman Turkey, seeing Turkey evade
accountability, drew a terrible lesson from this atrocity about
the willingness of the world to turn a blind eye to the planned
extermination of a whole race under the guise of war. One young
German soldier named Adolf Hitler of the Great War later remarked
"WHO NOW REMEMBERS THE ARMENIANS?" as he orchestrated what is now
known as the Holocaust.
Our answer is WE DO!
We will not allow the crime of despots coupled with the greed of world
powers and their interests in resource acquisition to pen our history.
Despite the UN Genocide Convention and numerous ad-hoc international
bodies, including the U.S. Atrocities Prevention Board, this worst
of man-made diseases continues to spread because the world's response
to genocide is viewed as a political choice, not a moral necessity.
By demanding a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide
we are saying Never Again to all genocides. Never again will we stand
by while people are murdered for belonging to a select race, ethnic,
or religious group as they were in Turkey, Nazi Europe, Cambodia,
East Timor, Rwanda, or Darfur.
There are already brave souls within Turkey, who - at risk of
prosecution, persecution, and even violence - are openly calling for
recognition and reparations for the Armenian Genocide. Many other
Turkish citizens share these humanitarian values, but have not yet
spoken out - intimidated by a government that has, for too long,
obstructed the peace that only truth and justice can bring. It's time
to break this silence.
As we mark this solemn centennial, please join us and the good people
of conscience in Turkey to take a stand for truth and justice, and
ask their President and Parliament to accept the Republic of Turkey's
moral and material responsibility for the Armenian Genocide.
With your help, such a historic step taken by the people of Turkey
in the spirit of human solidarity, heartfelt compassion and justice
will not only heal the wounds of one genocide, but will more broadly
represent a truly transformative step toward a new age - an era
without genocide.
Thank you.
System of a Down
12:40, 16 April, 2015
YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS: The American Armenian rock musician,
composer and the soloist of the band System of a Down, Serj Tankian,
composed a new music in the memory of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. Armenpress reports that the rock musician informed about it
in his Twitter blog. "Here's a video for "100 Years" I co-composed
with John Psathas to honor the victims of the 1st genocide of the
20th century", - wrote Serj Tankian, reminding along the Armenians'
genocide, the genocides of the Greeks and Assyrians as well.
The video is devoted to all those, who fight for the truth, recognition
and justice of the first genocide of the 20th century and the ones,
which followed it.
John Psathas called the cooperation with Serj Tankian emotive and
stated that the music is a tribute to the 100thanniversary of the
genocide of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians.
John Psathas is a New Zealand freelance composer and teacher who, at a
relatively early stage in his career, has established an international
profile and receives regular commissions from organizations both in
New Zealand and overseas. His works are championed around the world
by a growing number of leading international artists, one of the most
consistent of whom has been the Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie.
Initially making a name for himself as a composer of high-energy
percussion music, more recently the composer has concentrated on a
series of larger-scale concertante works. A major career highlight to
date has been the commission to compose the ceremonial music for the
opening and closing of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In 2005 John
Psathas was created an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for
his services to music.
Earlier it was reported that the System of a Down will commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with their Wake Up
The Souls Tour, commencing on April 10th and concluding with their
first-ever performance in Armenia with a free show in Yerevan's
Republic Square. Armenpress reports, citing the official website of the
band that in the video, published in the website, the musicians say:
"Join us to reach justice in this issue".
The dates of the concerts have been as follows: April 10 - Wembley
Arena, London, UK, April 13 - Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany, April
14 - La Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France, April 16 - Forest National,
Brussels, Belgium, April 17 - Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands,
April 20 - Olympisky, Moscow, Russia and April 23 - Republic Square,
Yerevan, Armenia.
Statement from SYSTEM OF A DOWN regarding commemoration of 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide The first genocide of the 20th
century was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks against the empire's
Armenian, Greek and Assyrian populations.
The failure to prevent the atrocities or punish the perpetrators led
to the modern cycle of genocide.
In the aftermath of this WWI Era mass murder, there were no
Nuremberg-type trials, no international courts to exact justice from
the perpetrators or to offer reparations or rights of return to its
victims. In the place of justice, Turkey bartered its oil rights and
leveraged its geopolitical capital to block Woodrow Wilson's planned
territorial restoration and reparations for Armenia.
The Turkish state, having escaped responsibility for its attempted
annihilation of an entire nation, continues to harvest the rich fruits
of its crime. Its leaders today, emboldened by the world's inaction,
try to enforce a gag-rule prohibiting the U.S. and other governments
from speaking honestly about this atrocity.
Horrific stories of the first modern genocide filled the front pages
of the NY Times starting in 1915. The U.S. humanitarian response to
this crime, from the American Red Cross to Near East Relief, marked
America's emergence as an international humanitarian power. Yet,
sadly, it was the world's failure to punish the perpetrators of this
genocide that set the dangerous precedent of a genocide committed with
impunity that has so emboldened tyrants - from Hitler to al-Bashir -
to use mass murder as a tool of policy and power.
The German army, allied with Ottoman Turkey, seeing Turkey evade
accountability, drew a terrible lesson from this atrocity about
the willingness of the world to turn a blind eye to the planned
extermination of a whole race under the guise of war. One young
German soldier named Adolf Hitler of the Great War later remarked
"WHO NOW REMEMBERS THE ARMENIANS?" as he orchestrated what is now
known as the Holocaust.
Our answer is WE DO!
We will not allow the crime of despots coupled with the greed of world
powers and their interests in resource acquisition to pen our history.
Despite the UN Genocide Convention and numerous ad-hoc international
bodies, including the U.S. Atrocities Prevention Board, this worst
of man-made diseases continues to spread because the world's response
to genocide is viewed as a political choice, not a moral necessity.
By demanding a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide
we are saying Never Again to all genocides. Never again will we stand
by while people are murdered for belonging to a select race, ethnic,
or religious group as they were in Turkey, Nazi Europe, Cambodia,
East Timor, Rwanda, or Darfur.
There are already brave souls within Turkey, who - at risk of
prosecution, persecution, and even violence - are openly calling for
recognition and reparations for the Armenian Genocide. Many other
Turkish citizens share these humanitarian values, but have not yet
spoken out - intimidated by a government that has, for too long,
obstructed the peace that only truth and justice can bring. It's time
to break this silence.
As we mark this solemn centennial, please join us and the good people
of conscience in Turkey to take a stand for truth and justice, and
ask their President and Parliament to accept the Republic of Turkey's
moral and material responsibility for the Armenian Genocide.
With your help, such a historic step taken by the people of Turkey
in the spirit of human solidarity, heartfelt compassion and justice
will not only heal the wounds of one genocide, but will more broadly
represent a truly transformative step toward a new age - an era
without genocide.
Thank you.
System of a Down