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The Armenian
Q: Could you tell us about
yourself?
I am a politician, elected to the
Municipal Council of the City of
Geneva. My political party is the
Christian Democratic Party.
Q: Could you tell us about
Les Réverbères Project?
It was a notion voted by the city
council -- not a single political
party voted against it. Once the
motion was adopted by the Exe-
cutive Council, it was passed over
to the city services and a competi- that. But before the city of Geneva
tion was organized. The Armenian
community accepted to pay all the
costs, and the city's only responsi- a humanist city. We have a duty
bility was to provide a location for
the monument. The first proposal
was to locate it on the Bastions St
Antoine in the old town. But there
was opposition and pressure, and
now the Council suggested to put
it in the Ariana Park. But once
again there was disapproval. For
126 Armenia
Memorial Project
Interview with
Alain
de Kalbermatten
One of the rising young stars on the Geneva
political landscape, Alain de Kalbermatten is a
family man, attached to the values of integrity,
honest and justice. We had the opportunity to
meet him and hear why the project Les Réver-
bères is important for him. He is running for
elections, so perhaps his name will become fa-
miliar to us in the years to come.
me it illustrates something of the necessarily mean the suppression
history of this people who have of the self.
lived through an exodus, and
where constant pressures and in- Q: When we talk to people
fluences from outside have block- who are involved in this pro-
ed their destiny. I think that this ject, they stress that it is not
is enough and they deserve some a memorial to commemorate
justice. the Armenian Genocide, but
a work highlighting the sha-
We have to put a stop to these red history of Geneva and
pressures and the Administrative the Armenians. What is your
Council needs to adopt a strong opinion?
and determined final position. I
am aware that the city of Gene- Indeed, the idea of the monument
va has a responsibility to Inter- is not to mark the genocide, but
national Geneva, the UN and all to bring all people closer toge-
ther, those who have been victims
became an international city, it of massacres or crimes on eth-
was primarily a city of tolerance, nic grounds. The goal is dialogue
without launching a historic de-
to remember this fact, whether bate. Once you enter into a histo-
it is for Armenians, or for all the ric debate it becomes very com-
peoples of the earth. In Geneva plicated. Some historians have
all people can express themselves one perspective, others another.
and should not be exposed to Nagache said history is written
pressure from other countries. by the winners. So just what is in
As I said, we are an open city, a the story? Today, we know about
city of peace, but peace does not good and evil, we know about