Turkey Bans Armenian Folk Ensemble from Festival After Flag Display, Exposing Ongoing Hostility Toward Armenians

An Armenian folk music group called Veradardz, which means “Return,” has been banned from performing at a cultural festival in Turkey. The group was planning to participate in the 23rd Munzur Culture and Nature Festival in Tunceli (Dersim), a region known for its diverse and multicultural traditions. But at the last moment, the provincial authorities of Tunceli stopped them from joining.

According to officials, Veradardz was banned because they had waved the Armenian national flag at the same festival in 2019. Authorities said this act was against the “objectives” of the event. The ban on Veradardz was not an isolated case. Two other musical groups, Grup Yorum and Grup İsyan Ateşi, were also blocked from participating, accused of promoting Kurdish political messages.

However, this decision by Turkey reveals a deeper, more troubling reality. More than a century after the Armenian Genocide, Turkey continues to silence Armenian voices, culture, and identity. Simply showing the Armenian flag—a symbol of survival, history, and pride—is treated as a political threat. In a country that still denies the Armenian Genocide, even a peaceful folk ensemble is seen as a danger if it represents Armenian heritage.

This is not just about music. It is part of a pattern. In recent years, Turkish authorities have repeatedly banned cultural festivals, concerts, and performances that they see as politically sensitive. Often, these include artists from Armenian, Kurdish, Alevi, and leftist backgrounds. These bans are justified by vague claims like “security concerns” or “public order,” but the real goal is to suppress voices that challenge the official narrative.

The Munzur Festival was once a place where different cultures, especially oppressed minorities, could come together to celebrate their traditions. But banning Armenian musicians for waving their flag shows that Turkey has no interest in true cultural diversity. The state wants to erase the memory of Armenians—just like it tried to erase the people themselves in 1915.

More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed during the Armenian Genocide. Those who survived were forced to flee their homes. Today, their descendants continue to fight for recognition and justice. But Turkey has refused to acknowledge the truth. It uses laws, bans, and intimidation to hide its crimes and block any effort to honor the past.

By banning Veradardz, Turkey is once again showing the world that it has not changed. The government still fears Armenian culture, Armenian memory, and Armenian truth. But no ban can silence a people who have already survived the worst.

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