Armenians and Alevis Create Friendship Group in Dersim, Turkey

Armenians and Alevis Create Friendship Group in Dersim, Turkey – 

ARMENPRESS – The Armenians and the Alevis have created the “Union of Friendship of Armenians and Alevis of Dersim” (DERADOST) in Dersim, Turkey, according to DemokratHaber. It is mentioned that the goal of the creation of the Union is to help the two ancient nations get to know each other since relations were halted after the Armenian Genocide. Among the participants of the opening ceremony of the organization were Deputy Mayor of Dersim city Hüseyin Tunç and representatives of civil society.

The Dersim territory, which is now officially called Tuceli, is situated in the eastern part of modern Turkey. It coincides with the Tsopq or Fourth Hayq administrative district of Historical Armenia. According to Armenian tradition, the name Dersim came from the region’s spiritual leader Der Simon, who convinced the local population to convert to Alevi religion in the 17th century, thus escaping the deportations. After the Armenian Genocide, many Armenians continued living in the mountainous region.