On Saturday, 3 May, the Armenian Communities Department hosted the Luso-Turco Friendship Association in Lisbon for an event as part of the Association’s ‘Diversity Month’ celebrations.

The event began with a lecture by Portuguese author and traveller Tiago Salazar on his impressions of Istanbul, and the role of literature in fostering cultural understanding. Ali Akça, President of the Friendship Association, provided opening comments, alongside Razmik Panossian, who said:

“As many of you know, the history of Turkey and Armenians is intertwined. It is a difficult history, but a connected one. Part of our programming focuses on making this relationship less difficult. The Armenian Communities Department encourages dialogue between the two peoples. The question of diversity particularly interests us. We work with partners in Turkey to highlight the diverse nature of the Ottoman Empire. Our founder, Calouste Gulbenkian, is an example of this. Born near Istanbul, an Ottoman citizen, he was an example of many identities. An Armenian from Turkey, a British subject, a resident of France, a commercial representative of Persia… His letters in our archives, which are now being researched for a biographical project, are in many languages, including Turkish in Armenian script. Academics, civil society organisations and writers are at the forefront of profound social and cultural changes in Turkey. Writers like Orhan Pamuk and Elif Şafak introduced to the world – and to me – the richness and complexity of Turkish society. It is therefore fitting that we have with us today a Portuguese writer to speak on the subject of diversity.”

Following the lecture, the film Kelebeğın Rüyası (The Butterfly’s Dream) was shown at the Foundation. The film was Turkey’s submission to the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ Oscar in 2014.

Image: author Tiago Salazar