Henrik Meinander. "I saw Ararat from afar, I know about Ararat from the Bible" (photos)

According to Henrik Meinander, author of "A History of Finland", there are currently very few countries where historians can document unfolding events without fear of imprisonment or endangering their families. He emphasizes that for this to occur, historians must be able to depict reality truthfully, enjoy freedom of speech, and uphold objectivity as a paramount principle.

The historian believes that Armenia-Turkey relations are not determined only by those two countries, they depend on geopolitical processes. A lot also depends on the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "It's not only Armenia that has problems with Turkey, but all its neighbors also have problems with it, Greece, the EU, perhaps this is a feature of Turkey."

According to the UN, Finland is the happiest country on Earth. "If you wish to ascertain the veracity of this statement, visit Helsinki; I doubt you'll witness people walking around with perpetual smiles. They are, after all, just ordinary individuals. Class distinctions exist in every society. The imperative lies in bridging these gaps, fostering equality, and abolishing hierarchical relationships to ensure the well-being and happiness of all."

Referring to Finland's NATO membership, he noted that this intention has been there for a long time, but the process has accelerated due to the war in Ukraine. "In any case, there is no Russophobia in Finnish society, the government, after adopting that decision, repeatedly emphasized that the decision was necessary from the point of view of ensuring Finland's security. Concerning protection. Experience and history have shown that you can never trust any allied country, World War II has shown that Finland has to rely on its defense and military."

The author talked about the cooperation with Newmag and his impressions of Armenia. "Our cooperation started through the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Before that, my book was translated into 16 languages. I can't say anything about the translation, but the design of the book, and the cover are very competently made, I am delighted with the work with the publishing house”.

“The book is a story about Finland, not a complete history. It turns out that I wrote the book from my point of view. I think the Armenian society will be interested in the book because, among other things, I talk about how Finland overcame Russian influence and built relations with Russia. I have been in Armenia for several days. I've walked around Yerevan, I've seen Mount Ararat from afar, I know about Mount Ararat from the Bible, I know that Noah descended on top of Mount Ararat."