Residents of the eastern Turkish province of Van will host Armenians arriving in the city for a worship service being performed at the Akdamar Church on Sept. 19.
A local newspaper initiated the campaign “We are opening our houses to host Armenians” because the number of Armenian guests in the province is anticipated to be higher than the total capacity of hotels and guesthouses.
Turkish authorities announced earlier that the historic Armenian Church on Akdamar Island in Van would be opened to religious worship for a single day (Sept. 19), as a symbolic gesture to the Armenian community around the world, as part of Turkey's efforts to normalize relations with Armenia.
So far, 4,000 families have joined the campaign to host Armenians. Residents of Van lived together with citizens of Armenian origin till 1915.
Thanks to a proposal from the Van Governor's Office, and approval from Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay, Akdamar Church will be opened for a worship service for the first time since 1915 and thousands of Armenians are expected to arrive in Van for the occassion.
Turkey's decision to open Akdamar Church has been met with enthusiasm by Armenian communities across the world.
The 1,100-year-old Akdamar Church was re-opened in 2007 at a ceremony featuring officials from Armenia and Turkey after being restored by the Turkish government.
Hurriyet Daily News
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