International Workshop "Never Again: Compare to Better Distinguish" held at YSU

YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan expressed deep concern that the list of genocides continues to grow in recent years, citing atrocities from Darfur and South Sudan to various countries in the Middle East. He placed particular emphasis on the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, which forced over 120,000 Armenians to leave their historical homeland — a region where Armenian culture had flourished for millennia.

"The program and selected themes of this event show that today, more than ever, it is vital to understand the causes of genocide and discuss its consequences, as we are speaking of tens of millions of shattered lives and countless victims," the rector stated.

As part of the three-day program, students from YSU Faculties of History, Oriental Studies, Sociology, and Law explored key issues in the history of genocide, memory politics, and prevention of mass atrocities. Through lectures and discussions, participants engaged with topics such as the Armenian Genocide, the forced displacement from Artsakh, the Shoah, antisemitism, conspiracy theories, and Nazi crimes. These discussions were led by both visiting scholars from France and local experts.

In honor of the participants, the French Embassy in Armenia hosted a reception during which Ambassador Olivier Decottignies awarded a commemorative medal to renowned genocide scholar Yves Ternon, with whom students had also met during a roundtable discussion at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

Yves Ternon, in addition to his significant contributions to genocide studies, is recognized as one of the founding figures in the international scholarly examination of the Armenian Genocide.

As part of the workshop, participants also visited the exhibition at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

Upon completion of the program, students were awarded certificates of participation.