On May 21, 2017, the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the “Hayartun” Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia hosted the presentation of the publication “Acting Together”. “Acting Together” project is funded by DVV International and contributes, through the use of adult education methods, toward Turkish-Armenian reconciliation, reducing prejudices and stereotypes of representatives from both societies; remembering the Turkish -Armenian past by telling individual stories from both societies. A hundred years after the Armenian Genocide, it wants to build bridges between the people of Turkey and Armenia through adult education, journalism, eyewitness stories and art.

As part of the project, young people went on a journey. They followed the routes the Armenians used to flee and thus traced the trail of the Armenian Genocide and its survivors. In Armenia the journey led to Gyumri, Talin, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan and to several smaller villages and showed the route used to escape to Eastern Armenia.

The young people were introduced to lifestyle of the local residents and their looks to the future. The participants carried out numerous interviews with witnesses and developed an accompanying magazine, which artistically documented the project. The project had to start in Turkey, but the current situation in the country did not permit to do it, due to the Syrian war, armed confrontations between the Kurdistan’s Workers Party and the Turkish armed forces, terror attacks committed by ISIS. The book pages allotted for scheduled meetings and interviews with Turkish people have been left vacant.

Director of regional office of DVV International Mattias Klingenberg was in attendance for the presentation of the publication “Acting Together”. Mr. Mattias drew parallels between the Armenian Genocide and the genocide committed against Jews, stressing with importance Germany’s recognition of the Holocaust and the question of reparations.

The book also tells about the meeting held between His Grace Bishop Michael Ajapahyan, the Primate of Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Armenian and Turkish students. This book contains photos and materials on the orphanage in Alexandropol, which was opened in 1920, where 50 000 Armenians found refuge.

In his closing remarks, the speaker mentioned that the project has changed the way the Turkish youth think as a result of cooperation. People with opinions were divided into three groups: (A) those that firmly believe that what happened to the Armenians was a genocide; (B)those that firmly believe that what happened to the Armenians was not genocide; (B) those that at first firmly believed it was not genocide, but now are absolutely convinced there was a Genocide.

The speaker also presented other elements of the project with the aim of contributing to the Turkish-Armenian youth reconciliation process. The oral history research that was carried out within the framework of these activities formed the basis of the publication “Speaking to one Another”.

Director of regional office of DVV International Mattias Klingenberg held a question and answer session. The copies of the Armenian-English publication “Acting Together” were distributed among the meeting participants.