AZG Armenian Daily #108, 14/06/2005
Interview
SWEDES GETTING MORE INTERESTED IN ARMENIA
Turkey’s Behavior Well Stands For That
The latest events in Turkey — governmental discussions and adoption of laws
— stirred up by the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this year
could not leave the international community indifferent. Sweden, among other
states, gets interested in Armenia and the Armenians. Swede scientists
Anders and Ulla-Maj Hultgords, who are visiting Yerevan these days, testify
to this.
The first thing that caught my sight at their room at Yerevan State
University’s guests’ house was a book in Swedish titled “Yearning for
Ararat” (Langtan till Ararat). The book dealing with Armenians and Armenian
identity was published by the department of History of Religion of Uppsala
University in 1985. The book included articles by Anushavan Zekhchanian,
Armenian scientist who moved to Sweden from Iran, Anders Hultgord and
others. The articles were assembled into a book by professors of Stockholm
University Goran Gunner and Erik Lindberg.
Hultgord’s article dealt with the history of early Armenian culture and with
the origins of Christianity. He is generally interested in zoroastrism and
in the period it was consumed by Christianity. He has articles about St.
Gregory the Illuminator, King Tiridat and invention of the Armenian
alphabet. “Armenia in Reform and Crises: Byzantine Influence”, “The Vision
of Righteous Yenovk and Expansion of Islam” articles were published various
international magazines and scientific publications.
It has been already 4 years that Hultgord is in retirement. He taught
history of religion at the Uppsala University. First time he visited Armenia
in 1970 preparing to defend his thesis. While working at the Greek texts of
the 12th apostles, he felt the need of Armenian translations of some
sermons.
– What differences will you point out in your two visits?
– It was “Inturist” that organized my visit back then and one could feel
being traced. Now everything is different, people are free, kind and
hospitable. This time my wife is accompanying me again to carry out
researches in Matenadaran. There is difference even in presenting the
material. I am so glad to be able to find CDs about materials I am
interested in. That will certainly ease my studies.
– Do you maintain relations with the Armenian community of Sweden?
– I’m a member of the International Association of Armenian Studies that has
been working for already 20 years. The Armenian community of Sweden is not
big, around 4.000. I learnt Grabar for my studies.
– The Assyrian, Greek and Armenian Orthodox communities of Europe have sent
a “No to Turkey’s Accession” petition to the European Union recently and the
Turkish government crushed down the scientific conference at Bosphorus
University of Istanbul. What’s your attitude to all these?
– It will certainly have effect on Turkey’s accession to the EU. European
Union has to watch all these events carefully and draw appropriate
conclusions. It testifies to Turkey’s weakness. If you cannot speak freely
in a country that means there is no democracy there.
– Mrs. Hultgord, What will you tell about yourself? What’s your profession
and have you been in Armenia before?
– I am a botanist. I am interested in evolutional development of plants. I
was delighted to visit Yerevan’s botanic garden. It was very impressive.
There are unique species growing there. Pitifully, the garden lacks
necessary conditions. This is my first time in Armenia. I could not join my
husband in 1970 as I had to look after our 5 children.
– Several months ago they decided in Turkey to change Latin names of a few
animals as they contained Armenian or Kurdish words. What will you say about
that?
– I was surprised to read about that. That’s another sign of intolerance
raging in Turkey. By the way, our scientists interbred representatives of
orchids and got a new species typical for mountainous regions, especially
northeastern Turkey and Caucasian regions. Scientists named it, in protest
to Turkey’s decision, Dactylophiza Armeniaca.
An article in Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift tells about this (vol. 99, Hatfe 2,
2005).
This frank and ingenuous couple has visited not only Matenadaran and Botanic
Garden but also Sevan and Etchmiadzin. To my question what they would like
to add, the couple said half in jest, “It takes great risk to cross the
streets. In Sweden all vehicles stop when pedestrians cross”.
By Hakob Tsulikian