Armenia, A Land of Pastures: Vahe Hovhannisyan

Vahe Hovhannisyan, a member of the Alternative Projects Group, has published an article in which he states: “This is the current condition of the 'Hrazdan' stadium. While passing through the gorge, I accidentally stumbled upon this desperate sight: abandoned, empty, and without prospects. Instead of grass, shrubs and full trees are growing.

It seems that it has an owner, but it is ownerless. The glorious, gigantic history of the stadium and its current pitiful state are very similar to today’s Armenia. Why was Hrazdan to be given away by arbitrary decision? Why did we, as a state and a society, remain indifferent for 10-15 years while the stadium was being destroyed? The 'Hrazdan' stadium is a museum of unbelievable emotions for several generations, a symbol of our glorious victories and painful defeats, our Armenian identity. Did we appreciate it? Did we resist when we saw it crumbling before our eyes? If we could not preserve the 'Hrazdan' stadium, how could we preserve Shushi? These are directly connected issues.

The view from the gorge towards the stadium is magnificent. Few cities in the world have such a sight in their center. Those who do cherish it as a matter of pride. What have we done with our gorge? Barbecues, kebab houses, garbage, 25 years of the clamor of Turkish music. We respect neither our memory, nor our descendants, nor our parents’ history, nor our city, nor ourselves. If we respected it, we would not allow the transformation of 'Hrazdan' into a pasture. If we respected it, Armenia would not be in this state and at some point, it would have been possible to halt the collapse. We are indifferent like predators towards our city, our country, Shushi, our boys, and our dignity.

These days I am working on a book titled 'Why Did My Country Collapse.' After witnessing the condition of 'Hrazdan,' I get the impression that we all know the answer to the question; we just do not say it. By the way, if my memory does not fail me, the last important match at 'Hrazdan' was Armenia vs. Turkey, with Presidents S. Sargsyan and Gül in attendance. There was a time when the Turkish leader watched football in Yerevan. And there is a time when the Turkish leader sends Bayraktars to us. The state of the 'Hrazdan' stadium forces us to look at questions from different angles; 30 years of distortion, 30 years of weariness from perspectives have become pointless.

It is pointless to set the problem of telling the authorities every day that they are bad or very bad. It is pointless to blame the authorities you cannot change after all this. It is pointless to fight for a few enclaves when your society is essentially a large enclave that has no direct connection to either the 21st century or its past. Does it not enter your mind that after losing Shushi, Hadrout, and Dadivank, how can it be possible that the joy and the fireworks one day do not come to a halt? This is a more dangerous issue than signing any quality document or agreement. The questions and perspectives need to change. We did not understand what kind of state we should build when Shushi and Hadrout were ours, now we must understand what kind of state we will build when Shushi and Hadrout are no longer ours.

What is the future of this country, what is the resource for building a better country? What do we need to change within ourselves, what do we need to reject within ourselves, so that we are capable of having a serious state? If we do not find answers to these questions, then all of Armenia is waiting for the fate of the 'Hrazdan' stadium.”