On the 18th of June 2017 , the Political Forum of the January 19 Initiative conference was organized and, initiated by the NCWA and co-hosted by the ADL Party. The initiative was the first bone for the foundation of the Asia Minor People’s League. The aim was to bring all persecuted nations of Asia Minor together and fight for a common goal in a common homeland. The core value of the Asia Minor People’s League was that its members share a common values of justice, democracy, dialogue and peaceful coexistence. The movement encourages both inter and intra communal dialogues to enhance harmony and the notion of “peaceful coexistence in a pluralistic society”. This is done by creating favorable environments through workshops, public discussions, and seminars around various topics or taboos that separate different communities from each other.
During the conference that took place at the Tekeyan Center, in the presence of parliamentarians, public officials, journalists, and political activists, the guest speakers stressed the importance of such initiatives to open the road towards dialogue and a united front.
For a moment, the hall looked like a cosmopolitan Constantinople of the early 20th century. You could hear people speaking Armenian, Aramaic, Kurdish, Turkish, and Greek. But it was far more than that. Those activists, politicians, scholars, and officials came at their will, despite the fact that some may disagree with one another for ideological or political reasons. However, the “respect for the other” was a sacred motto of the day. I met people from different backgrounds, people whom I read about only in history textbooks or chatted with on social media. On the 18th of June, my childhood dream and the cosmopolitan cities that my grandparents once used to talk about was no longer just in my imagination. The dream was already an initiative. But was it just an initiative?
During the past century, through our historical evolution and regional turmoil we have learned many lessons. One of which is that when it comes to resolving national issues, we need to put emotions (hatred, prejudice, vengeance, etc.) aside. Geopolitics is the god of “International Relations”. It is ruled by rationalism and realism. Shout as much as you want for “Greater Armenia, Greater Kurdistan, Assyria or a Hellenic Empire,” but who will hear you? Our history and the history of the region- from the treaty of Berlin, to the Sykes Picot and the current Middle Eastern crisis- teaches us how the imperial powers pit different communities against each other. They often use religious or nationalist slogans in order to carry their “divide and rule” policy and steal our natural resources.
This initiative provides us with an action plan on which all participants agreed, that is uniting our effort to build a peaceful understanding based on justice. Justice above everything; above our selfish, unrealistic, imaginary and time consuming slogans. During the past centuries, we shared a common homeland with many civilizations in peace or war.
But what is the purpose of war? New genocides? Forced deportations? Territorial expansions? This why the “Jan19 Initiative” was born from the womb of the persecuted nations of Asia Minor to bring new understandings for the people of the region. Namely, to bring together the Armenians, Syriacs, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kurds, Turks, Yezidis, Zazas, Alevis, Pontic-Greeks, Georgians, to collectively write a new chapter in their history. To bring them together and say no for injustice and new Genocides. The action became the path, and the path will lead us towards a brighter future. A future where we share equal rights together in our shared homeland.
January 19th Initiative Political Forum’s opening ceremony by the Lebanese National Anthem
January 19th Initiative Political Forum’s opening ceremony by the Lebanese National Anthem
Mr. Hamo Haroution Moskofian, journalist, activist, member of the NCWA, member of the ADL Ramgavar party and the coordination commission of the January 19th Initiative with forum’s official opening speech.
Mr. Souren Seraydarian’s statement • president of the NCWA • January 19th Initiative Political Forum
Mr. Ali Bayramoğlu, Turkish liberal activist, friend of late Hrant Dink, initiator of the Hrand Dink foundation and the “I Apologize” (Özür Diliyorum) campaign in Turkey.
Prof. Tessa Hofmann • Scholar of Armenian Studies and Sociology • coodinator of the January 19th Initiative experts’ commission.
Mr. Recep Marasli a writer and publisher, human and minority rights activist, member of the Coordination Commission of the January 19th Initiative • Presenting the 141 days report
Mr. Shirak Torosyan member and official representative of the Armenian parliament.
Mr. Habib Afram , a historian and the president of the Syriac League in Lebanon
Mr. Georgios Lazaridis member and official representative of the Hellenic Parliament.
Mr. David Chinchinadze member and official representative of the Georgian parliament.
Mr. Dyar Qamishlo • Kurdish Politician • Representing the North Syria Self Rule
Mr. Ibrahim Mrad, President of the “Syriac Union Party”.
Yeghia Tashjian , member of “Jan19 Initiative” has graduated from Haigazian University in political science. He is a Lebanese-Armenian political activist, researcher and blogger. He has founded the New Eastern Politics forum/blog in 2010. Currently, he is the regional officer of Women in War gender-based think tank, and research assistant at Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University. He is also contributor to many local and regional newspapers and blogs.
