On May 28, the Musa Ler Resistance Memorial Complex was bustling with people from early morning. Of course, in previous years as well, descendants of the Musa Ler Armenians who settled in Armenia have marked the Day of the First Republic with due respect. However, the centennial celebration was a true festivity—both in form and in substance.
This time, their joy was shared by Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, along with staff from the French Embassy in Armenia, numerous Musa Ler Armenians from both Armenia and abroad, benefactors, and journalists.
Amidst applause, the unveiling ceremony of a newly built Armenian-French Friendship Fountain-Memorial took place. The ribbon was cut by the two ministers. Naturally, there was talk of the long-standing Armenian-French ties and friendship, but the main emphasis of the celebration lay elsewhere. Yes, the people of Musa Ler heroically resisted the enemy relying on their own strength, but French naval forces also played a vital role in their salvation. In 1915, they reached Musa Ler, rescued the population, and transported 4,000 Musa Ler Armenians by ship to Port Said, Egypt. This event in the village of Musa Ler was dedicated to paying tribute to those French sailors.
As Zohrab Mnatsakanyan noted, such a high-level celebration at Musa Ler had only occurred once before, in the distant year of 1936, when France's Naval Minister visited. It should also be mentioned that this was the French Foreign Minister’s first visit to Armenia as part of a regional tour, and he was taking part in the festivities dedicated to the Republic Day.
Naturally, as a French company, Veolia Djur could not remain uninvolved in this significant event. Through the efforts of the “Etchmiadzin” branch of its “West” Regional Directorate, the company resolved a long-standing issue: the water supply for the “Museum of the History of the Musa Ler Resistance and Ethnography of Musa Ler.” The problem had persisted for four years. Approximately 180 meters of pipeline were built, a manhole and water meter were installed. In short, the company made a small yet important and welcome contribution to creating a festive atmosphere—an effort immediately appreciated by the local people, long suffering from water shortages. From now on, water will flow permanently here, serving as a lasting reminder to all who visit the memorial of the immortal heroism of the people of Musa Ler.
“As a part of France, Veolia Djur stands with the people of Armenia and will do everything possible to improve the water supply for its residents,” said the company’s General Director Christian Leffler in an interview with journalists.
