Over the last three years I have worked to protect cultural heritage in zones of conflict and war in the Netherlands and Cyprus.
On 20 July 2019, when Cyprus marked the 45th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of the island, I was in Nicosia. Sirens sounded at 5:20 am to mark the moment when the Turkish military invaded the island. The sirens triggered memories of 1974 for those who witnessed this dark page of Cypriot history.
It goes without saying the emotional influence of those wailing sirens was shocking. It was after this experience that I decided to extend the field of my research and social activities: human rights, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding in the zones of crossfire.
I returned to Armenia and registered Action for Peace NGO (Non-Government Organisation) to pursue my new mission. Being a grandchild of the Armenian genocide survivor and of Armenian-Greek origin, I genetically value peace, democracy, independence, justice and solidarity.
Women of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh): War, Identity and Peace has been the first project. My love to Artsakh has a long story. The first time I visited this beautiful country was in 2007 when I was collecting materials for the documentary photography project Hellenes of Armenia and Karabakh. There is a Greek village in Karabakh called Mekhmana (Μεχμανά). It is located in the amazing mountains of Martakert region. I met many Greeks here in 2007. Unfortunately, many of them left us for the eternal life but my memories of them remain. Their smiles, hospitality, open hearts created a cordial environment during our conversations. The village elder, Nikolai Ivanidis, passed away this year. His grandchild, Sophie Ivanidis, is the head of the Greek Community of Artsakh. In a recent interview with Greek Riviera News (9 October) Ms Ivanidis said that the local Greeks, together with the Armenians, were defending their right to self-determination, to live in independent and free Artsakh.
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The Angel of Peace at Ghazanchetsots Cathedral.In 2013, I opened a photographic exhibition My Heart is in the Highlands in Shushi, the cultural capital of Artsakh. A few days ago, Ghazanchetsots Cathedral (Holy Saviour), the Christian symbol of Shushi, was shelled by the Azeri military. The angels – fragments of the gorgeous Christian church built in the 19th Century – greet believers coming to the church. One such photograph captured the miracle in the air – a symbol of my photographic portfolio related to Artsakh.
I stayed in Artsakh for one month. The war started on the 27 September, a week after my return to Armenia. Within the framework of the project, I interviewed about 45 women, including state officials, teachers and businesswomen.
A special role was determined for the young ladies who were born after the Karabakh War (1992-1994). They were born in the independent homeland and this is a blessed reality. However, there is a genetic memory, intergenerational trauma. They were told about the first war by their parents, grandparents, eldest friends. There is no family in Artsakh that did face loss and hardship in the Karabakh War (1992-1994).
One of the heroes of the project shared her heart-breaking memories. After the war there was a time when there was no 24-hour electricity supply. In the dark evenings, the family gathered around the table to listen to their father’s memories of the war years. His words represented a silent dialogue with their hearts. Love in Artsakh has been forged in such long evenings. During the four-day-war in April, 2016, the young people volunteered to collect humanitarian aid for the homeland defenders.
The meetings with the women who directly participated in the battles of the Karabakh War (1992-1994) have been sealed in my memory and soul. They are really fearless. They want that their children and grandchildren to live in independent Artsakh under a blue sky. I felt as an eagle next to these brave women- sitting beside them one understands their infinite love for homeland, roots and for the future generations. The homeland defenders at the front feel secure knowing that their families are being protected by the wives and sisters of Artsakh.
Without roots there are no wings. Yes, wings. In Armenian history, the eagle is a symbol of victory and justice. Without roots, these eagles would not fly, without roots even angels would not fly. The roots are very deep, they go to the depth of history. I visited many archaeological and cultural sites where the Armenian roots are clearly visible through the historical epochs of the past.
The collected oral testimonies and vast photo collection will enable me to open a series of photographic exhibits worldwide. This will create a solid base for future projects. Artsakh is perhaps the only country in the world where there is only one response to the question “What is Home for you?”- “Artsakh” is the answer.
In Artsakh one understands very clearly that this country unites all the Armenians across the globe. Artsakh, Armenia, Diaspora. The solidarity of these three units proves that the people of Peace and Justice have an invincible power of soul. On my way to the archaeological site of Tigranakert I saw the beautiful pomegranate trees. I was blessed to shot a branch with three pomegranates which symbolises the unity and solidarity of Artsakh, Armenia and Diaspora.
During my presentation Angel of Peace at Artsakh State University I highlighted the historical journey of Armenians from the Genocide generation to the Independence generations through the lens of my camera. The previous documentary photography project that was dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial was related to the three genocides: Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian. As a representative of two ancient nations – Armenian and Greek – my heart is divided between Greece and Armenia in such difficult times for my both homelands (I have a dual citizenship). Following the global news in five languages inspires me to do the best for peacebuilding and peacekeeping on this small globe. – Yerevan, 14 October 2020.
♦ Dr Marina Mchitarian-Lazaridou, the founding Director of Action for Peace NGO, was born in Armenia to a Greek mother and Armenian father. After the completion of her PhD in Applied Mathematics, she completed post-doctoral studies in archaeology at Ghent University (Belgium) and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). She started amateur photography in 2007, and has had six personal exhibitions.
