Franco Vaccari: The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey can only smooth the pain the Armenian people suffer

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: “Armenpress” news agency spoke with the chairman of the “Rondine Cittadella della Pace” association Franco Vaccari about the psychological issues created as a result of conflicts as well as about psychological consequences of genocide.

- Mr. Vaccari, what psychological impact may conflicts have on the psychology of participant peoples?

- Conflicts always leave deep wounds on the inherited psychology and memory of the peoples. But these wounds are not incurable, just a favorable atmosphere is necessary for curing them. Look, when a wound stays on the body of a person, it may kill the person that is why it is necessary to cure it. When a person feels pain he cannot think rationally, just the same is during a conflict. Certain time is necessary for re-interpretation and finding ways out.

- The wounds you have mentioned, may they pass to the next generations, or do they pass only to the generation participating in the conflict?

- An individual that has participated in the conflict bears these wounds throughout his life. But the coming generations has not had that bitter experience yet, thus it is necessary to create an environment for young people to contact and cooperate which will lay the basis for peaceful settlement of the conflict.

- The theoretical groundings you have given, how are they manifested in concrete cases?

- You know the difficult trial that befell on the Italians during the reconciliation process with Austria. But when I was a schoolchild in our text-books Austria was not presented in a way to raise hostility among children, we knew that there were wars between countries but we did not have hostility against Austrians.

- Italy had war experience but the Armenian people faced genocide. In your opinion what psychological trace has it left on the Armenian people?

- Each nation has its tragedy. I know three generations of Jews who are bearing the pain of the Holocaust. In my opinion the pain of genocide if not incurable but is the most difficultly curable trace. That is why we visited Tsitsernakaberd memorial and paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims.

- What ways do you see if not for curing but for smoothing the consequences caused by the genocide?

- The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey can only smooth the pain the Armenian people suffer. The issue of Jews is considered solved as the reality of Holocaust is recognized. The recognition of the fact of pain may be the first step toward its curing.