Symposium Aims to Distort History

ANKARA – The Akendiz University in Turkey has announced that they will be hosting an anti-Armenian seminar on April 8 -11 titled “A Hundred Years of Deadlock of an Old Friendship/ The International Symposium of Turkish-Armenian Relationship: Social Memory, Prejudices and Truth.”

In a letter addressed to scholars interested in submitting papers, the Akendiz University states that during the transition period between the 19th and 20th centuries, Analotia went through many struggles in order to maintain the polarized empire due to the diverse ethnic and religious populations within Anatolia at the beginning of the 20th century, lasting 100 years. The description continues by asserting that the aim of the symposium is to enlighten the future of both countries by discussing common interests. Yet the organizers have failed to include a single Armenian historian to take part in the symposium advisory board, not to mention neglect to invite representatives from Armenia to take part.

Among the topics that are to be discussed are: The Antecedents and Successors of the Anatolian Geography, Armenian Association (Patriarch, Community, Gang Activities and Relationships), The Concepts: Relocation, Genocide, Diaspora, Migration, Exile, etc,. Armenian Terror Acts During the Republic Period, Armenian Activities and Results During the First World War and From Past to Present, International Activities of the Diaspora Armenians, .

A list of universities sponsoring the symposium include California State University Northridge, which has one of the largest number of Armenian-American students in the United States, Texas A&M University, Ohio State University, The University of Arizona, Rutgers University in New Jersey and various universities in Germany, Austria, Azerbaijan, India, Japan, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

“Having open dialogue and engaging in discourse which presents historical records, scientific data and intelligence based on facts is a wonderful opportunity for educating the public on historical events. This biased symposium claims to be that, however, it is an underhanded attempt to distort historical records and data, in order to falsely show the Ottoman Empire and Turkey as a victim, rather than an oppressor, as is widely known throughout the world.” said Armenian Council of America Chairman Sevak Khatchadorian.

“It will be held during the month of April 2015, when the rest of the world, including progressive minded Turks, will be commemorating the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.” continued Khatchadorian, “I’m deeply disappointed in the respectable universities that have aligned themselves with a symposium that is blatantly aimed to distort history. It is a complete disservice to the academic community, the general public, history, and future relations between the two nations.”

A website for the symposium can be found by visiting turkermeniiliskileri.akdeniz.edu.tr/tr

The Armenian Council of America is a grassroots organization dedicated to working with all political leaders, offering Armenian related news, analysis and resources for policymakers, media, students and activists, advocating issues important to Armenian Americans. The Armenian Council of America aims to strengthen U.S. – Armenia and U.S. – Nagorno Karabakh ties, the development of programs promoting sustainable economic growth and good governance in Armenia, while promoting the values and responsibilities of global citizenship.