The delegation of Turkish and Kurdish public figures and intellectuals visited Alma Mater during their visit to Armenia. On October 29 the teaching staff and students of YSU had the opportunity to get acquainted with Turkish famous intellectual Ismail Beşikçi’s activities. The event was held in YSU Session Hall. Ahead the national fourth congress of Western Armenians, “National Congress of Western Armenians” (NCWA) international NGO established a medal after Catholicos of All Armenians George IV of Armenia, which will be given to the authors, who deny the theories of Turkey's Genocide denial policy. Turkish famous scholar Ismail Beşikçi was awarded this medal, who proved that the Armenian Genocide was committed in order to annihilate the local population of Near East. YSU rector Aram Simonyan delivered his opening speech during the event. He briefly introduced the social activities of the guests. Then, head of the council of “Ismail Beşikçi” foundation, Kurdish lawer Ruslan Arslan represented Ismail Beşikçi’s research works, as well as his contribution to the protection of the rights of national minorities.
“During his life Ismail Beşikçi wrote 38 books, 32 of which were banned. That is why the scholar appeared in courts for many times. He was sentenced to 248 years of imprisonment, he spent 17 years in prison”,-said Ruslan Arslan. He added that Ismail Beşikçi received many awards from USA, Europe, but he refused all the awards stating that the scholar did not need any award. The only award he accepted was “Hrant Dink” international peace award. During the event Turkish scholar Ismail Beşikçi spoke about the massacred nations in Near and Central Asia, as well as about Turkish savage policy, its motives and consequences. “The Armenian Genocide was an important part of Turkish nationalists’ annihilation project of Near Eastern population. The Turkish politicians realized that for the formation of a powerful state there was a need to get rid of other nations living in their territory, i.e. the Armenians and the Greeks who didn’t want to be assimilated with Christians and Muslims, the Kurds, who were Muslims, but not Turks and other nations. Today the same massacre is committed against the Kurds”,-said Ismail Beşikçi. Ismail Beşikçi has two books on the Armenian Genocide. Kurdish politician, lawyer and human rights activist Osman Baydemir spoke about Ismail Beşikçi’s activities. He represented the historical events and current regional and territorial issues. He mentioned that only mutual consent, respect and concession would ensure the future. He offered to give positive impetus to the young people, of course without forgetting the dark pages of the history. At the end of the discussion Aram Simonyan gave golden medals, as well as “Armenians in Ottoman Turkey” in Turkish and various albums about Armenia to Ismail Beşikçi and Osman Baydemir. Osman Baydemir gave a souvenir from Diarbekir to YSU rector, Ruslan Arslan gave some of his books to YSU library and announced, that YSU library would be supplemented with all the books by Ismail Beşikçi.
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