Activist group calls for leaving Minas murals in Gyumri

A commission in charge of protection of historical items has called on Armenia’s government to review its decision of handing over two murals by Minas Avetisyan to Armenian Airlines, CJSC.

In a statement released on Thursday, the commission, based in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri, called on the government to annul its decision, adopted on 28 April 2011, on moving those works to the Zvartnots Airport, and leave them in their original place.

“We are calling on Eduardo Ernekian, the owner of the Armenian Airlines, CJSC, to quit the idea of having Minas Avetisyan’s murals at the halls of the airport,” read the statement.

It also called on those connoisseurs of art, interested individuals, NGOs and art unions to raise funds for restoring those murals, installing them in a proper place and protect them.

The commission also called on Arman Minas Avetisyan, the President of “Minas Avetisyan” cultural charity foundation to join their initiative and “back this idea of cultural decentralization”.

Further, the statement said that it expected the quickest response in having those murals restored.