The Embassy of Armenia joined the “Red Wednesday” initiative in the Czech Republic - an awareness campaign for all the people around the world who are persecuted for their faith and religious beliefs

24 November, 2021

On Wednesday, November 24 the Embassy of Armenia joined the “Red Wednesday” initiative in the Czech Republic - an awareness campaign for all the people around the world who are persecuted for their faith and religious beliefs.

This initiative was started several years ago by the London-based organization Aid to the Church in Need. The symbol of the initiative is an illuminated red light, symbolizing the blood shed by those suffering for their faith. Everywhere, where Red Wednesday is remembered, churches, synagogues and public buildings are lit up red to show solidarity with all persecuted believers or non-believers. Every year it takes place simultaneously in many countries, including the United Kingdom, where the initiative originated. Red Wednesday 2021 in the Czech Republic was organized by the Czech Bishops´ Conference, the Ecumenical Council of Churches, the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic and the Institute for Christian Democratic Politics. The initiative was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and was held under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Ambassador Ashot Hovakimian participated in the “Persecution for Faith … How Can I Help?” international conference at Charles University in Prague, held under the auspices of Rector Tomáš Zima within the framework of the Red Wednesday 2021 Initiative. Opening remarks were delivered by Rector Tomáš Zima, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jakub Kulhánek, the Secretary General of the Czech Bishops’ Conference Stanislav Přibyl, the Secretary General of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic Petr Jan Vinš and the Secretary-General of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic Tomáš Kraus.

Among other key speakers, the conference also hosted the OSCE Special Envoy for Antisemitism Rabbi Andrew Baker, as well as Member of the British Parliament and Initiator and Spiritual Father of “Red Wednesday”- Lord David Alton. Lord Alton, in his address made an extensive historical overview of the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Ottoman Empire, resulting in the drastic drop of the number of Christians in the region, the crimes against humanity and genocides, the Human Rights Declaration and its significance, as well as the steps to be considered for the prevention of such crimes in the future. He pointed out that the ignorance of the Armenian Genocide created the environment of impunity for further crimes against humanity, citing Hitler’s reference to the Armenian Genocide when planning the Holocaust and recommending to read Franz Werfel’s “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh” novel, depicting the true story of the Armenian Genocide (see video below, minutes: 00:50-1:03, 1:43-1:51 and 1:59-2:04).

Ambassador Ashot Hovakimian also addressed the participants with remarks, thanking the organizers for the initiative and the opportunity to be present at the event for the first time and expressing hope that during the coming year both the Embassy and the Armenian Apostolic Church in Prague would join the initiative. The Ambassador thanked Lord Alton for the extensive narrative on the Armenian Genocide, expressing words of acknowledgement towards the British Parliament for the recognition of this crime in the first reading. Referring to the topics discussed, the Ambassador made a reference to the current situation the Armenians are facing, resulting from the Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, supported by Turkey, where, as a continuation of the armenophobic policies of these countries, Armenian historical-cultural heritage, including churches, are being destroyed and in other cases attempts are made at altering their origins. Ambassador Ashot Hovakimian brought the attention of the audience to the insufficient international coverage of these events and called upon the international community to act (see video below, minutes: 1:55:46-1:57:43).

Lord David Alton thanked the Ambassador for his remarks, mentioning that he had visited Nagorno Karabakh and knew the situation well, referring as well to the information on the recent developments on the ground coming from the extensive report prepared by the “HART” organization, founded by a strong supporter of the Armenian people Baroness Caroline Cox, who visited the region during the war. Lord Alton added that what happened to the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh is awful and it is shocking to see that what started with the Armenian Genocide by the Ottomans found its continuation in what happened with the Yazidis in the Middle East and the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh (see video below, minutes: 1:59-2:04).

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