TURK, ARMENIAN BREAK HANDSHAKE RECORD AT 43 HOURS

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 10 2013

10 December 2013 /TODAY’S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL

A Turk and an Armenian shook hands for 43 hours in an event held on
Monday and Tuesday in Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi, breaking
the world record for the longest handshake.

Deniz BarıÅ~_, an actor from Turkey’s southern province of Mersin,
and Ohannes Acinyan, another actor from Yerevan, Armenia, became the
new world record holders in the event taking place on the Bridge of
Peace in Rike Park, Tbilisi.

BarıÅ~_, speaking before the record attempt, offered a message about
the 33-meter-high “Statue of Humanity” in Kars, which was torn down
in 2011 after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described it as a
“freak.” BarıÅ~_ said his goal was to break the world record but
also to remind people about the demolition of the statue, which
depicted two people shaking hands and was designed as a symbol of
Turkish-Armenian friendship.

“Maybe there is hope for the two countries [Turkey and Armenia]
to understand each other and establish friendship. We will do this
together with my friend. We are going to stay here for 43 hours, no
matter how cold or dark it gets. We will succeed if Allah allows us,”
BarıÅ~_ continued.

Michael Elagin, an organizer of the event, explained that both BarıÅ~_
and Acinyan had been prepared physically and psychologically for the
record attempt by a coach. Elagin added: “A Turk and an Armenian,
running into each other, for instance, on an airplane, should remember
our project and shake hands. This will make them smile and maybe help
the two nations understand each other better.”