CAMBRIDGE, Mass.— Garo Paylan, the former member of parliament in Turkey and outspoken proponent of rights for Armenians and Kurds there, delivered a powerful speech on January 22 at the annual commemorative event held at Harvard University to mark the assassination of Hrant Dink, pleading for the world Armenian community to ensure the safety of Armenia.
The impassioned speech ended with a prolonged standing ovation.
Speaking without notes for almost 45 minutes, Paylan walked a tightrope between honoring the past and facing the future. At times he chastised diasporan Armenians for focusing more on remembering the past than ensuring a safe future for Armenia, and urged everyone to rally behind the, regardless of how they feel about its current leadership, because it faces mortal peril. He stressed that he was not implying that the quest for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide was unnecessary, just that what was possible was the very dissolution of Armenia.
Memories of Hrant Dink
Ohannes Kilicdagi, the president of the Board of the Friends of Hrant Dink, made brief introductory remarks at the event, which marked the 18th anniversary of the late Agos newspaper editor’s anniversary.
Paylan was then introduced by Lorenzo Bondioli, Harvard assistant professor of history, as one of the “foremost advocates for democracy” in Turkey.