Karabakh: Belgian cellist's moving performance from bombed cathedral (Video)

PanARMENIAN.Net - Belgian cellist of Armenian descent Sevak Avanesyan gave a short concert at the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on Monday, October 12, several days after the iconic church was badly damaged in Azerbaijan's bombing of the city.

"I have come here to tell the world that you can't open fire on churches, it's just not normal. I performed the music of our great composer Komitas, who barely escaped the Genocide but was forced to leave his homeland. Komitas wrote the piece "Krunk", which translates as "Crane". When Armenians living abroad see a crane in the sky, they asks the bird: "How is my homeland doing?" Unfortunately, I myself do not live in Armenia, and this is a very significant piece of music for me."

Avanesyan said he is also planning to perform Persian music at the Shushi mosque. “There are not many Muslims living here, but Armenians respect other religions, keeping other people's places of worship safe. We are protecting mosques, not bombing them,” he said.

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey and mercenaries deployed by Ankara, launched a large-scale offensive against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27, shelling Armenian positions and civilian settlements with large caliber weapons and rocket systems. Armenia and Karabakh have introduced martial law and total mobilization. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. International and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages, as well as the iconic Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi. Before a humanitarian ceasefire could begin on October 10, Azerbaijan launched a new offensive and struck settlements both in Karabakh and Armenia.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support Karabakh amid Azerbaijan's aggression.