The First Armenian Festival

12.06.11

This weekend I attended the first ever Armenian Street Festival in London’s busy but orderly district of Kensington where Armenians have the bastion of their belief, Christianity! The place I am referring to is of course St Sarkis Church in Iverna Gardens.

Since the new office held by the Very Revd Dr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, Armenian’s have had a revival in their direction and hope is once more restored for the recognition of the tragic events in the history of Armenians. Persecuted for our belief and under the rule of non-Christian, nationalistic and secular governments for many hundreds of years. Armenians have survived! This does not mean to say our friendships, on a personal level is effected by our history. It is far from a perfect world, but tragic events can influence the paring of surprising bedfellows.

We have but only our very own educators, political leaders and heads of the church to rely upon to bring-about the recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, peaceably and amicably.

Human lives are but a spec of dust in the scheme of the Universe and measuring it to a century may seem insignificant but given that humanity is the essence of living and not just a number on a page, Armenians need to feel their fellow humans to have humanism. All nations and cultures have at one time or another, or in the future, feel the pain of war, genocide or other such like events with disastrous effects weather they be man-made or through nature.

I veer away from the Festival celebration because my own feelings were aroused about the Armenian past and present with a thought to the future. Each of us is the result of those who have managed to survive the Armenian Genocide, and like many other Genocides, we also remember those whose very lives were snatched from them in horrific circumstances.

Back to the festival. My heart was so moved seeing so many friends, relations and the realisation that we are all connected in the conveyer belt of life, a catalyst for ‘Havadk, Hooyce yev Ser. [Belief, hope and Love]

Unreserved and copious thanks to the organisers, helpers, stall holders, musicians, dancers, singers and all those officials and many others, who made it all possible for the festival to happen, including those residents who were captive audience in the excitement of the celebrations. Most of all for all those who turned up, come rain or shine, their spirits were unfettered.

Seta