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“We are Artsakh. We exist. Our existence is an undeniable fact, just like your own," reads a manifest of a newly launched worldwide social movement for the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh. Below is the manifest in its entirety:

"We have an ancient tradition. During baptism, a person receives a name and a small cross on a woven red and white thread. It is a symbol of spiritual birth, a reminder of the obligation to resist evil. Thus, by naming someone we recognize one’s existence.

Today, evil has come to our frontiers. It cuts our roots and destroys our churches, trampling on and denying the very fact of our existence. Evil has no home of its own - it roams in the lowlands of indifference, always ready to strike. Until we are recognized, evil will try to destroy us, certain that no one will notice.

Evil has no place in the highlands of Artsakh. From experience we know that if we retreat, it will fill the space we leave behind, and then, changing its disguise, will knock on everyone's door. We have accepted the battle and will hold our ground.

Artsakh is Us. We exist. Call us by our name.

From the manifest of the civil initiative «I RECOGNIZE ARTSAKH»

The international civil initiative "I Recognize Artsakh" has been launched in Armenia in these historic days of the struggle for freedom and independence of Artsakh. It aims to facilitate the political and diplomatic process of recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.

While the defence forces of Artsakh conduct combat missions, everyone who stands for the right of its people to a peaceful life should unite to achieve international recognition of the republic. Only in this case, long-term legal preconditions for a peaceful life in Artsakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan will be created.

Non-recognition of the status of the Republic of Artsakh provokes aggression against its inhabitants, who remain outside the legal field. For 26 years the people of Artsakh have been denied the right to a peaceful existence. One can argue endlessly about legal conflicts, but this is an ethical question, first of all. In any society, isolation and denial of one's name are forms of torture and humiliation. It is time to stop pretending that Artsakh people do not exist. General silence is tantamount to a collective death sentence.

The symbol of the initiative is the Artsakh narot, an interweaving of white, red and purple threads, where white embodies the purity of the invincible Spirit, red - the will to Victory, purple - our Memory, and their interlacing is a symbol of Unity.

Calling someone by name is an act of recognition. We want to convey to people all over the world an important message: any person, organization, community, city or state has the right to recognize Artsakh without waiting for the decisions of governments and international institutions. To call Artsakh by name means to recognize Artsakh, to recognize the right of the Artsakh people to live peacefully in their homeland, not fearing tomorrow.

The people of Artsakh faced an evil that violates the original human right to a peaceful life. Falsification of history and denial of the Genocide is evil, shelling of civilians is evil, destruction of temples is evil. A person who decided on recognizing Artsakh opposes Evil.

Everyone has their reasons to tie a narot and declare: "I recognize Artsakh". Thus, I express my position, my choice, a gesture of goodwill: "I recognize Artsakh because I don't want a repetition of the Genocide", - "I recognize Artsakh because I am against terrorism", - "I recognize Artsakh because memory and strength of those who left stay with us", -" I recognize Artsakh because as a Person I have a free choice! ", -" I recognize Artsakh as I recognize myself!"

The participants of the initiative are convinced that the support of Artsakh by the international community and the recognition of the republic by people, organizations and communities in different countries will strengthen the spirit of the Artsakh people in the struggle for their rights.

Anyone can join the movement. Weave an Artsakh narot for yourself and your loved ones.