Karen Balayan: we can lose Cilicia forever

PanARMENIAN.Net - On the initiative of Tsirani NGO and Patriots' Club, Karen Balayan, captain of Cilicia, met with young Armenians to discuss the fate of the vessel.



"We can lose Cilicia forever if no action is taken during next several years. We call on those who care about the fate of our cultural and historical heritage to exert efforts to save the vessel," captain Balayan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.



Cilicia has been standing in the open air for three years already, awaiting a decision on establishment of marine museum.



A medieval merchant vessel designed by Hayas naval research group, Cilicia sailed across Europe, visiting 25 countries. It took 11 years to build the vessel which later became the symbol of Armenian people's unity. After two years of sailing, a large number of people in many countries learned the history of Armenian seafaring, rewarding the contemporary feats of Armenian sailors.