Women's march and burial of the Red Apple in Yerevan, Armenia (video)

Here is a video of women's march and burial of the Red Apple in Yerevan, Armenia. (thanks to journalist Romella Stepanyan, MenkenKidsTV)

International Women’s Day in Armenia: small women’s march, riot police van, 'private burial' of “Red Apple”, business as usual

It was business as usual in Armenia marking International Women’s Day. Still, overwhelmingly, it was “flowers and chocolates” for women. Only few, very few in fact, tried to make it somehow relevant.

Women’s Resource Centre , along with some other NGOs and supporters marched via downtown Yerevan, calling for equal rights, and held a ‘private burial’ of “Red Apple” (more about this tradition and meaning of the ‘funeral’ – here)

Onnik Krikorian posts photographs and an account of how these civil society groups marked International Women's Day in Armenia on the Frontline Club blog.

There were attempts at disrupting the event by some. Some of those ‘defenders of traditions’ were discussing the other day on their blogs the option (among others) of bribing religious women at Yerevan churches (!!) so that they will come and disrupt the action. No surprises here.

Twice the marchers were stopped by police, which was a clear violation of the Armenian Constitution and laws allowing any march of less than 100 people to pass without a prior authorisation. To see a riot police van accompanying a small women’s march, that’s something. How frightened are they with any display of rights movement...

Overall, machismo was on full display in Armenia on International Women’s Day.

Sadly, I have to agree with Onnik Krikorian that “...the day illustrated how tradition and patriarchal attitudes are slow to die out in countries such as Armenia. Basically, if anyone is expecting a female liberation movement, let alone a sexual revolution, to occur anytime soon, well, don’t hold your breath.”

On the other hand, thanks to that small group of activists, the hope for changes in our country stays at least alive. Well done to Women’s Resource Centre and supporters for making International Women’s Day in Armenia somehow relevant to its real meaning.

*all photos - by Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2009 (+ The Caucasian Knot - Oneworld Multimedia Facebook Group)

Women's Month in Armenia - 2009

It is soon Women's Day in Armenia and this year women are asking for more than flowers and chocolate, they are asking for equal rights, equal opportunities and a life without violence.

The Women's Resource Center in cooperation with other NGOs is launching the activites for the Month dedicated to women's issues in Armenia.

Events:

MARCH 7
Photo exhibition -- Armenian women; Yesterday, today, tomorrow / time :10am @ Sayat Nova 4
FILM -- "Finding Zabel Yesayan" / time: 2 and 5pm @ Sayat Nova 4 (by invitations)

MARCH 8
"Burying the Red Apple" Ceremony @ 3pm from Zarubyan 34

MARCH 12
FILM and DISCUSSION on lesbian women @ 5pm - Zarubyan 34

MARCH 20
CLean up of Armenian women writers' tombstones at the Pantheon @ 11am

APRIL 2 - APRIL 12
ART EXHIBITION -- "ALL and NOW" / ART 4 - ARVARSTAN
curator: Eva Khachatryan

APRIL 6
Round Table discussion on "Abortion in Armenia"

Armenian women burying the "Red Apple" on 8 March

Celebrating International Women's Day in Armenia

Start Time: 07 March 2009 at 3pm
End Time: 07 April 2009 at 5pm
Starting point: Women's Resource Center, 34 Zarubyan Street, Yerevan, Armenia

The Women's Resource Center of Armenia with the cooperation of Utopiana, WOW and other NGOs, intends to mark the 8th of March, by performing a funeral rite and burying the “Red Apple” (to verify women’s virginity for marriage) one of the cultural traditions still popular in most of Armenia which the Center considers demeaning for women and a violation of their human rights and dignity.

Here is what Lara Aharonian of the Women's Resource Center has to say to clarify misconceptions associated with this initiative:

"To clarify certain things and to not mislead anyone:

By burying the red apple, we are not telling anyone to not be a virgin, because we believe that everyone has the right to choose their personal life and sexuality, as a basic human right.

On the contrary we want to express that every woman has the right to choose for herself and not be forced in the name of tradition.

The red apple is an attempt to our private life as women. And what we decide to do with our bodies concerns us and nobody else.

So if we want to stay virgin, it is our right and completely respected and if we don't that it is also our choice.

We want to bury the traditions that makes us feel less than a human and that makes us choose against our will.

So in order to not offend anyone, I wanted to add this comment."

OTL blog provides with the details of the staged 'funeral procession':

"The funeral rite will be stylized as Armenian. We will lead Mr. Apple, someone dressed in a 3D apple outfit, with chains, carrying flowers and a tombstone while a woman-priest (a teacher from the women’s center will dress up as one) will chant a modified reading of “funeral biblical scripts” replaced by verses about the end of the Apple. We will end the walk in a “lover’s park” in front of Congress Hotel where we will rip the Red Apple apart and bury the pieces in the ground. As a final celebration we will pour cement onto the spot and inscribe “Here lays the Red Apple” (“…..-2009). A party in the park will follow."

And here is the link to the intreview with RFE/RL Maxliberty programme about the 'funeral' (in Armenian).