THE OPENING OF THE HOMENETMEN INTER-STEERING COMMITTEE’S 11TH CONFERENCE HELD AT YERABLUR MARTYRS' PANTHEON
The opening ceremony of the 11th Homenetmen Inter-Steering Committee Conference, organized by the Homenetmen Central (Executive) Committee, took place on Friday, November 15, at 10:00 AM, at the Yerablur Martyrs' Pantheon. The event was attended by ARF bureau members Giro Manoyan and Arsen Hambardzumyan, ARF Artsakh representative Ara Boulouzian, current and former members of Homenetmen’s Central (Executive) Committee, as well as 42 participants representing 19 different regions.
Upon arriving at the Yerablur Martyrs' Pantheon, attendees proceeded to St. Vartanants Church in Yerablur, where they were warmly welcomed by the abbot of Dadivank, Father Hovhannes Hovhannisyan.
Father Hovhannes, in a brief speech, stated that Yerablur is a hill where our heroes rest. These heroes have fulfilled their duty to the homeland, and we are always obligated to remember them. We should not be afraid to call a hero a hero, or an Artsakh resident an Artsakh resident. We should not be afraid to say that Artsakh is Armenia. If we do not say all of this, we will ignore the value of the blood shed by our heroes.
Father Hovhannes continued with an inspiring call to action, urging unity and resilience, saying, "Let us unite, strengthen, and refuse to reconcile with this situation. Instead, let us fight to achieve our goals. We must stand tall as proud Armenians - not kneeling Armenians, but Armenians with heads held high - so we can prove to the world that we are truly a powerful nation. Let us not delegate Armenia to others. Armenia is wholly Armenia. Armenia remains Armenia through us, and we are obligated to pass on our honor and courage to future generations."
Following the priest's speech, a memorial prayer was recited. The attendees, led by flag bearers, then proceeded to the memorial wall honoring the martyrs at Yerablur. On behalf of Homenetmen, a memorial wreath was placed by Yeghpayr Hagop Khatcherian, Chairman of the Homenetmen Central (Executive) Committee, and Yeghpayr Arthur Mkrtchyan, Chairman of Homenetmen-HASK.
The Chairman of the Homenetmen Central (Executive) Committee then delivered the opening speech of the conference, stating: "When we are at Yerablur, the holiest place of the Armenian world, we must remain silent. Here, we, the pilgrims, have nothing to say. We can only reflect and introspect, asking ourselves whether our goal remains the same and whether we, the living, are still walking together with them—the soaring souls who are our shelter and protectors."
Continuing his thought-provoking address, Yeghpayr Khatcherian posed a series of profound questions: "Do we believe in the blood call of the one and a half million martyrs and canonized victims of the Armenian Genocide? Are we steadfast in demanding the recognition of the Genocide and seeking rightful compensation? And still, are we committed for the realization of a free, independent, united, and complete Armenia - believing in it, striving for it, and remaining unwavering in our oath?" Concluding his speech, Yeghpayr Khacherian declared: "If we are certain of our vow, and our goal remains unchanged, we are bound to answer the call of future generations. Let us begin the conference with the performance of our anthem."
Following his address, the attendees united in singing Homenetmen's anthem, "Harach Nahadag." They then proceeded silently and resolutely to walk around the graves of the martyrs at Yerablur, who had found their eternal rest. Im a solemn tribute, they placed flowers in memory of the Homenetmen members who had fallen in the Artsakh wars.
OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS
The sessions of the 11th Inter-Steering Committee Conference commenced on Friday, November 15, at noon and continued until 7:00 PM. The agenda included discussions on organizational matters, scouting initiatives, sports activities, and the operations of Homenetmen's "Artsakh Foundation."
MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HOMELAND MEDIA
On the evening of Friday, November 15, at 7:00 PM, the Public Relations Department of Homenetmen’s Central (Executive) Committee organized a meeting with representatives of local media outlets in Yerevan. This event capitalized on the presence of conference attendees in the capital. The meeting featured videos introducing Homenetmen and its public relations structure. Representing Homenetmen’s the Public Relations Department, Yeghpayr Njteh Meguerditchian delivered a speech, while Yeghpayr Vicken Avakian addresses the audience on behalf of the Central (Executive) Committee.
Following the speeches, an engaging discussion took place between the local media representatives and Homenetmen leaders who had traveled from contries worldwide to attend the conference in Armenia.