Participants in the camp “In Dialogue We Stay and Elevate” met with His Eminence Archbishop Oshakan Kulaklian, the head of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Iraq, at the Armenian Orthodox Church (St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral) in Baghdad.
The youth of the camp, implemented by the Masarat Foundation in partnership with the House of Coexistence and KAICIID, expressed solidarity on the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
His Eminence the Archbishop discusses with the participants
His Eminence engaged in dialogue with the participants and listened to their contributions on peace and enhancing dialogue mechanisms in Armenian philosophy, as well as how to approach this concept among new generations after the genocide and confront hate speech, relating it to preventing future genocides to protect the peoples of the East and the world as a whole.
Peace in the face of genocide
The Archbishop emphasized the importance of fostering spiritual peace in the hearts of the victims’ families, which stems from the strength of faith in God that grants us the power to continue.
He added that individual balance in communities that have experienced genocide is an urgent necessity, as we cannot isolate ourselves from others who live with us in the same environment. Spiritual peace cannot be fully achieved in the absence of societal change that contributes to building a supportive environment for psychological peace.
Mechanisms and methods of documentation to protect memory
For his part, Mr. Berg Tovinkjian, Secretary of the Central Administrative Committee of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Iraq, provided a historical account of the reality of the genocide suffered by Armenians in 1915 and analyzed the practical mechanisms adopted by Armenians to document that genocide, affirming that this aims not to instill hatred or resentment in the hearts of future generations but rather to cultivate strength and determination to endure and immortalize the souls of innocent victims.
A Tour Among Monuments and Memorials
During a tour of the church, the campers learned about the history of the work done in this distinctive architectural edifice, which is considered one of the most prominent landmarks of Baghdad and a testament to the beauty of ecclesiastical architecture. It features an octagonal dome topped with a pyramidal cap.
Construction of the edifice began in 1954 and it was inaugurated in 1957. It also includes a vast old cemetery for Armenians dating back to 1904.
The campers also visited the genocide monument in the church courtyard and wandered among the symbols and memorials that commemorate the memory, listening to a detailed explanation about the icons currently undergoing significant maintenance and modernization, supported by the Iraqi government through the Christian, Yazidi, and Mandaean Endowments Office.
A Rock from Mount Sinjar
At the end of the meeting, the participants from the youth of Sinjar presented His Excellency Bishop Oshakan Kulaklian with a rock from Mount Sinjar as a memento of this meeting and as an expression of their pride in this mountain, which symbolizes Yazidi resilience and attachment to their land, country, and identity.
Preparation for the Next Tour in Other Cities of Iraq
It is noteworthy that the “Dialogue Camp: We Remain and Rise” was launched in Baghdad with the participation of the youth of Sinjar, who were joined by the youth of Baghdad in its first phase. The campers will continue their tour in other cities of Iraq soon in a program aimed at promoting dialogue as a mechanism for building peace among followers of different religions and rejecting hate speech.
