By Zeina El Halabi ---

In contrast to the indoor picture exhibition prepared in West Hall two years ago, this yearÕs project, built by the recently established Lebanese-Armenian Heritage Club, was an impressive, sophisticated and informative exhibition on the Green Oval in commemoration of the 86th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which began in 1915. The exhibitionÕs creativity in display and massive size attracted many students walking past the Oval. As students entered the exhibition, they were exposed to and informed of an overwhelming aspect of the Armenian culture and history, specifically, the genocide and its aftermath. The exhibition was divided into three parts: pre-genocide, genocide, and post-genocide. ÒWe tried to make it very symbolic,Ó said one of the club members. The first part of the exhibition displayed artifacts, clothing, a model of a prehistoric temple, the Armenian alphabet and pictures of some prominent Armenian intellectuals and their writings, in an attempt to represent Armenian life and culture before the massacre. The actual genocide was symbolized in the second division, where students entered through a black passageway resembling the harsh atrocities and sufferings of the Armenian people during the genocide. The last division represented the post-genocide period; here historical facts about present-day Armenia and its people were explained to students. By 1920, Armenia had become part of the former USSR and remained so until 1991. Today, Armenia is a sovereign and independent entity. However, it continues its struggle to achieve worldwide recognition of the massacre, especially from the Turks. Uruguay was the first country to recognize the genocide officially, and France the last. Pictures of churches destroyed by the Turks revealed the effects of cruelty on the Armenian people in the post-genocide section. Some events were also illustrated such as the Armenian Diaspora, scattering Armenians all over the world in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Italy, America, Egypt, England and Uruguay. The most intriguing aspect of the post-genocide section of the exhibition was the model of the Sardarabad monument located now on the border of Armenia. The monument was built after the Armenians defeated the Turks on May 28, 1918. The bells on the Sardarabad are a sign of the awakening of the whole nationÕs advancement to free their land once and for all. A bull was also constructed next to the monument symbolizing the strength of the Armenian people. Several meters from the Green Oval stood a model of another important monument located on the hilltop of Dzidzenagapat (The Castle of Swallows) dedicated to the victims of the genocide. A high cone-shaped peak next to the 12 kneeling columns symbolized Western Armenia, the lost world of Greater Armenia. The blaze of fire around the columns represented the immortality of the Armenian martyrs. T-shirts with the motto, ÒA genocide unpunished is a crime encouragedÓ were distributed for free. As for financing the exhibition, an advance payment ranging between $500 and $1000 was needed to launch the project. ÒWhat helped make this happen is that we have 77 members in the club . . . and each member contributed [from his/her personal money],Ó said the treasurer of the club. In addition to the exhibition, two movies were projected to further increase awareness of the Armenian cause. The first movie, ÒMayrigÓ or ÒMotherÓ described the struggle of an Armenian family deported from Armenia to settle in France. A documentary movie entitled Ò588, Rue ParadisÓ was shown on May 25 and 26 On the last day of the genocide program, Dr. Richard Hovannessian, a professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History at UCLA, gave a lecture in commemoration of the Armenian genocide.