On January 19, 2007, Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper “Agos”, was assassinated in Istanbul. The 10th anniversary of the murder of the Great Armenian was marked with different events in Turkey, Armenia and the Diaspora. The Armenian community of Tbilisi led by the Armenian Diocese in Georgia also joined the initiative.

On January 21, 2017, in the St. Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan presided over the Repose of Souls service for the peaceful resting of the soul of Hrant Dink. In attendance were diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia, leaders of community-based organizations, representatives of intelligentsia and many faithful.

It was followed by the opening of Turkish photographer Umut Vedat’s photo exhibition called “Who am I?” at the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, which was dedicated to the memory of Hrant Dink.

By showing images of abandoned buildings, ruined Armenian monasteries and churches, deserted cities and villages in Turkey, Vedat is trying to speak the truth that the Turkish government is forcing people to forget, eliminate and deny by eliminating the Armenian trace. Every exhibited image is a depiction of tragedy that took place in historical provinces of Western Armenia.

Turkish photographer Umut Vedat, Turkish-Armenian Murad Aluchlu, writer Irakli Kakabadze, filmmaker Malkhaz Kukhianidze, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia, intellectuals of different nationalities, foreign guest attended the opening of the exhibition.

The Head of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan, gave opening remarks, and conveyed his appreciation to Umut Vedat for ignoring the attitude of Turkish authorities, raising the Armenian Genocide issues, and honoring the memory of Hrant Dink by the exhibition.

Umut Vedat referring to the memory of Hrant Dink, spoke about freedom of speech in Turkey, the Armenian Genocide issues, pursuing the goal through the photos to make the voice of justice heard and to reveal to future generations the atrocities committed by the Turkish nationalists against Armenians.

Brutally assassinated Turkish citizen Hrant Dink, a campaigner for freedom of speech, who promoted democracy in Turkey, was well known for his efforts for reconciliation between Turks and Armenians, his advocacy of human and minority rights in Turkey. Speeches were made by writer Irakli Kakabadze, the editor of “Vrastan” (Georgia) newspaper Van Bayburtyan; Giorgi Tumasyan, Founder of The Peace Foundation; the Counselors at the RA Embassy in Georgia, Karen Melikyan; the editor-in-chief of Aliq Media Armenian Information Portal in Georgia, Arsen Kharatyan.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan offered his appreciation and blessing remarks. The Bishop spoke about the life and career of Hrant Dink, liberal political stance and democratic ideas of the devoted son of his nation, his struggle against nationalism and distortion of the truth.

The photo exhibition dedicated to the memory of Hrant Dink is also a protest against the organizers of the Armenian Genocide, as well as the call to preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Armenians in Turkey. The exhibition will run for a fortnight.