New entries in Ralph Yirikian collection at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute

On June 22, 2011 at 11.30 A.M the book presentation Georges Brezol’s “Turks Have Passed Here” (in French), Ferriman Ducket’s “The Young Turks and the Truth about the Holocaust at Adana in Asia Minor” (in English), A. Adossides’s “Armenians and Young Turks: The Massacres in Cilicia” (in French) published by the support of VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, will take place at the Armenian Genocide Museum.

As a result of the already traditional cooperation between the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and VivaCell-MTS, the museum collection got new valuable museum items

With direct support of VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, within the last six months the museum collection was enhanced with unique items, particularly a collection of postcards with images of Western Armenia and Armenian themes, literature that is considered a source of high research value, historical documents on humanitarian support provided to survivors of the Armenian Genocide, original photo footage of Armenian refugees, items, letters, stamps referring to the life of Western Armenians before the Genocide, photos of renowned Armenian families, as well as old newspapers of great exhibition importance. A considerable part of the exhibition items was obtained by the support of American-Armenian Hannessian family.

Obtaining the mentioned museum items is very important in terms of making the exposition richer and organizing new exhibitions. In particular, Ralph Yirikian’s collection at Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute has already been included in the “Armenian Genocide and the Scandinavian Response” temporary exhibition.

“Living by the past is, definitely, wrong. Nevertheless, in order to provide a peaceful and secure future to our children we must obtain justice today. Every Armenian must have a contribution to this Cause, thus paying respect to the memory of our perished ancestors.  For me this is a matter of personal responsibility before my family”,- mentioned VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

To remind, with the support of VivaCell-MTS General Manager’s the museum published three volumes of Cilician Series during 2010-2011, valuable foreign first-hand sources on the massacres of Adana. The publications include Georges Brezol’s “Turks Have Passed Here” (in French), Ferriman Duckett’s “The Young Turks and the Truth about the Holocaust at Adana” (in English), as well as A. Adossides’s “Armenians and Young Turks: The Massacres in Cilicia” (in French).

These monographs are of high importance as first-hand sources have turned into bibliographic rarities for quite a long time now, and, therefore, need to be republished and circulated anew.

To mention, the old publications obtained under Ralph Yirikian’s patronage will be presented at the “Book as a Witness of Genocide” exhibition planned by the museum in the frames of events declaring Yerevan as the world book capital, to start on April 23, 2012.