This initiative belongs to the Australian Catholic University Professor Judith Crispin.
The field of cross-stones will be restored with modern technical means. The area has not yet been announced (Yerevan or Etchmiadzin). So, the visitors will appear in the field of cross-stones of Djulfa. Specialists from different countries in digital technology, culture, art and such scholars who have studied the cross-stones have joined the program.
The cross-stones’ photos by Argam Ayvazyan contain vast material which can help to restore the position and features of these objects. He has made these photos beginning with the early 70-ies of the last century, often at great risk for his own life.
“Our goal is to make the complete database of the Djulfa cemetery, after which the digitization specialists will create its virtual image. This is a complicated project, which will take 5 years. That is why the investment of several million dollars is needed, which we expect from Armenian and various international organizations,” - says the Head of the Chair of Cultural Studies of YSU Faculty of History Hamlet Petrosyan.
The Armenian experts consider it noteworthy that this idea originated from Australia - a country where the Armenian Genocide issue is not even discussed.
“We have an organization in Australia, through which we organize many events and debates. Once we hosted the scientist Vigen Babkenyan, who told about the Armenian Genocide. There is nothing in our textbooks about the Armenian Genocide. Then I learned that the Djulfa cross-stones have been destroyed,” - said Judith Crispin.
The first step of the project was the publication of this book (the book is in English language), the presentation of which took place today at YSU Faculty of History. The book is about Armenia and Armenian culture. It includes the essays of 4 Armenian scientists - Hamlet Petrosyan, Vigen Babkenyan, Armen Kakavyan and Tigran Guyumjyan. The reader receives information about the Armenian Genocide, its consequences, the denial policy and the contemporary Armenian culture.
