Aram Bezikian Museum of Armenian Genocide Orphans: A Bridge from Tragedy and Death to Life and Hope
Source: doonbeytdesign.com
Source: tripadvisor.com
Report by Elia Nasrallah
Translation by Mary Yahchouchy
On the remembrance day of the Armenian genocide, one of the greatest human catastrophes in human history, it is necessary to shed light on a historical site that embodies this tragic massacre. The ancient Lebanese city of Byblos embraces at its heart the culture of people who have long suffered. In Armenia street’s we find an Armenian historical museum, “Birds’ Nest”, that preserves the common human values carried by its birds to show friendship, forgiveness, peaceful living, concern for others, respect for human rights and human dignity.
"Birds’ Nest" orphanage’s corridors hide the stories of thousands of orphan children who were uprooted as a result of the Armenian genocide in 1915. On the centennial commemoration of this catastrophic genocide, the orphanage turned into the "Aram Bezikian Museum of the Armenian Genocide Orphans" to document the Armenian human tragedy, especially the suffering of those orphans who faced massacres and displacement...
The idea of the museum was proposed by His Holiness Armenian Orthodox Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I to commemorate this painful memory and consolidate the history of Armenian people. This dream became a vivid reality after Aleko Bezikian wanted to honor his grandfather and these orphans by donating to build a museum that bears his name and commemorates the tortured journey from Turkey to Lebanon.
The supervision and implementation of the project was carried out by the architect Vikin Tarkhinian and the scenography was prepared by his brother the engineer and interior designer Raffy, after conducting many research on the Armenian massacres and the painful stories of their ancestors to extend this historical Armenian museum on an area of 2000 square meters: 400 square meters being the museum space and the rest are gardens and the tomb of Mary Jacobson who cared for the orphans.
Source: doonbeytdesign.com
It should be noted that the museum was not without many details that have their own symbolism and stories. Beginning at its entrance where barefoot footsteps were designed indicating the trail of children who lived in the "Birds’ Nest" orphanage and filled the place with prayers and laughter... Statues were designed to reflect a picture taken in 1923 of hungry orphans lying on the ground with plates in front of them waiting for their mother Mary to feed them. At the top, a metal model was placed to show the hand of Mary, protector of the children.
Here, visitors cross into the heart of the Genocide to experience the tragedies, suffering and torment that wounded Armenian people have experienced in three sections bringing these violent events to life.
The first section is about the genocide and its severity. It presents at the beginning pictures and documentaries from the daily Armenian life, safe and peaceful in their villages, with documents and photos focusing on livelihoods, properties, educational institutions, and the extent of Armenian integration into Turkish societies at various levels, whether religious, cultural or economic. However, these memories ended when Turks prepared for the massacres they waged against Armenians and planned its implementation, translated through a broken wall and black pages symbolizing the severity of the events, and pictures indicating the gravity of the massacre. On the right, a map shows sites and towns where these massacres took place, as well as the number of victims and martyrs and the organized migration route towards Deir Ezzor. In the center, visitors can see a broken bell with a rope hanging, indicating an attempt to silence the Armenian Church. The section also includes the "Elite Wall" where pictures of 600 prominent Armenians from various political, literary and religious fields were executed on April 24, 1915.
Source: doonbeytdesign.com
Crossing to the second section, visitors cross from death to life, from suffering and pain towards reaching safety with the survivors of death, and to the "Birds’ Nest" orphanage in Lebanon, established by Mary Jacobson where she embraced and care for orphans. This section blossoms with new life with children carrying a historical Armenian legacy. The museum columns display pictures of these orphans, the new generation who will pass its craftsmanship to future generations. This section reveals a map of the spread of Armenian orphans in different regions of the Middle East and a large screen that presents pictures of orphans and their names, along with a wall highlighting the orphanage construction story in Byblos and the daily life of its children. You can also see a carpet sewn by Ghazir's orphans in 1925 to present it to New East Relief which established the orphanage of Jbeil along with Bibles, books, and handicraft tools used by orphans... The Lebanese people had a share in this museum too, where visitors find pictures of them during the suffering they endured. They were exposed to famine because of the Turks. Lebanese people died of starvation and Armenians, of slaughter.
From here, visitors move to the third section of the Armenian Renaissance and the stage of overcoming the massacre. Tents were transformed into wooden houses and then into churches. Small houses turned into small towns such as Bourj Hammoud in Lebanon, for example, as symbol of the civil development Armenians witnessed. This section exhibits the tools of the various professions Armenians developed contributing to the Lebanese society, developing the fields of photography, sewing, shoe-making, bronze, and music... Then, visitors pass through the aisle of Patriarchs who witnessed the Armenian genocide to reach justice, followed by a huge picture of a massive gathering in the municipal stadium of Jounieh on the fiftieth anniversary of the genocide and a photo of the huge protest that took place on the centenary...
Finally, the visit ends evidently with Mary Jacobson's room where her table, chair, medals and tools are displayed, as well as a picture of her with the children. The museum presents many documentaries about the Armenian genocide and testimonies by presidents and clerics from different countries acknowledging the truth of the genocide.
Communication and Public Relations Department
Sources:
Museums of the World website: https://bit.ly/3tAlMgq
Annahar website: https://bit.ly/2P3Gpm3
Lebanese Army website: https://bit.ly/32C8eVD