Armenian youth protests misrepresentation of Armenia in British encyclopedia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Against Encyclopedic Falsifications initiative group struggles against falsifications in information about Armenia in a British encyclopedia.

“We organize various campaigns via Internet, specifically through the following websites: Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Vkontakte, etc. A peaceful procession will be organized on December 15 to protest against falsifications in the Big Illustrated Encyclopedia of Geography published in Britain and republished by Russian Makhaon publishing house,” reporter of Ankakh weekly and coordinator of the initiative group Ani Gasparyan told a press conference in Yerevan on December 8.

According to her, the group will try to attract attention of the British and Russian embassies, expecting their assistance.

Chairman of Miasin youth movement, member of the initiative group Hakob Hakobyan noted that “dissemination of similar wrong information in Internet or periodicals would also cause resentment, but the falsifications included in the encyclopedia cause greater anger, as information from such books is used in scientific works, references are made to them.”

Members of the initiative group added that they are going to apply to the Diaspora for assistance.

In 2003, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group published an encyclopedia, entitled: “Big Illustrated Encyclopedia of Geography,” which contained false information about Armenia. The book specifically reads that allegedly “Azerbaijani language, along with Armenian, is an official language in Armenia.” Besides, the book reads that the “Armenian Apostolic Orthodox church operates in Armenia, as well as Shia Islam is confessed in the country. Since 1991, after declaration of its independence, Armenia has been conflicting with Azerbaijan with respect to Nagorno Karabakh –Azerbaijani territory with Armenian population.”

All these facts are evident falsifications and are not true to fact.

In 2009, Russian Makhaon publishing house translated and published the encyclopedia, including the false information.

The falsifications were revealed by the Armenian journalist on September 24, 2010. As a result of it, Against Encyclopedic Falsifications initiative group was created, uniting over a dozen youth organizations and youth structures of various parties. Through numerous campaigns, the group members try to oppose to falsifications and press for correction of mistakes. Their activity is aimed at preventing similar phenomena in future.