Columbia University to host symposium on Ani ruinsDecember 25, 2014 - 14:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Symposium on “Monuments and Memory: Material Culture and the Aftermaths of Histories of Mass Violence,” with a focus on the ruins of the Armenian city of Ani, to be Held at Columbia University, Feb 20, 2015, Massis Post reported. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a groundbreaking symposium will be held at Columbia and sponsored by the Armenian Center of Columbia University, Columbia’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights and the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society on Feb 20, 2015. Peter Balakian, Donald M. Constance H. Rebar Professor of the Humanities at Colgate University, and Rachel Goshgarian, Assistant Professor of History at Lafayette College, are organizers and hosts of the event. The symposium will be groundbreaking in its comparative analysis of Jewish monuments in eastern Europe, Muslim monuments in the Balkans, and Armenian Christian monuments in Turkey. Issues of preservation, social justice, and restitution will be discussed. “The goal of this conference is to place the lamentable situation of Armenian monuments in Turkey into larger contexts,” said Dr. Rachel Goshgarian, Assistant Professor of History at Lafayette College. “After visiting so many Armenian constructions in Turkey — in various states of repair or disrepair — over the course of the past ten years, one question consistently came to my mind: what happens to monuments when they kind of lose their monumentality? This question is worthwhile in many contexts, but in the framework of modern Turkey, offers us the opportunity to consider the differences between the ways in which people living with Armenian monuments might differ from overarching governmental actions or concerns.” “The aftermath of human rights violence is always long and complex and the fate of material culture and especially major and sacred monuments such as churches, synagogues and mosques raise complex issues about restitution, identity, and social justice,” said Balakian. “Our symposium will bring together some major scholars from around the world to discuss these issues and others.” Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. |