«Մենք դատապարտված ենք համատեղ աշխատելու» - Հարցազրույց Ալեքսիս Գովչյանի հետ

Abstract

Diana Stepanyan's article is devoted to an interview with Alexis Govciyan — president of the Council for Coordination of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF), a figure of the Armenian diaspora, and holder of a number of high French honors, including the Legion of Honor. The conversation was timed to coincide with the conclusion of the Year of Armenia in France and covers the history of the consolidation of the country's Armenian organizations, as well as reflections on the fate of the diaspora.

The Year of Armenia and the Transformation of Perception

Govciyan notes that the main outcome of the cultural year was a change in the image of Armenians in French society: the theme of the Genocide, which had long dominated public consciousness, gave way to an interest in Armenian culture, civilization, and centuries-old Franco-Armenian ties.

Diaspora Identity: A Comparison of Generations

The interviewee, himself a native of Constantinople, compares the situation of 30–40 years ago with the present day:

the assimilation of the past has given way to a growth in Armenian self-awareness;
the second wave of emigration (from Lebanon, Turkey) has changed the community's way of life;
young people are increasingly participating in commemorative demonstrations and human rights actions, making up as much as half of the participants.

In Govciyan's view, "being Armenian" is not only a matter of blood belonging, but also a commitment to history, culture, and memory — their preservation and transmission to future generations.

The History of the Founding of the CCAF

A significant part of the interview reconstructs the institutional history of the coordination of Armenian organizations in France:

until the 1990s, various political parties (Dashnaktsutyun, Ramkavar, Hunchak) and charitable structures (UGAB) acted separately and even competed with one another;
the 1987 European Parliament resolution and preparations for the 80th anniversary of the Genocide in 1994–1995 became catalysts for unification;
the formation of the "April 24 Committee" marked the beginning of systematic joint work toward France's recognition of the Genocide;
the passage of the law by the National Assembly in 1998 and the subsequent campaign of pressure on the Senate (including the "Stand of Nations" and a series of demonstrations in 2000) demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated action by the diaspora.

Conclusion

The key conclusion that Govciyan arrives at is that the preservation of Armenian identity in the diaspora and the strengthening of an independent Armenia are possible only through the joining of efforts across different organizations and generations — the era of internal disagreements, in his assessment, has come to an end, giving way to a conscious recognition of the need to work together.