Today, January 19, is the 7th anniversary of the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, former editor-in-chief of the Agos weekly.

Dink’s childhood friend Sargis Hatspanyan told Tert.am about Dink’s life and the cause his tragic death gave rise to.

“The slogan ‘We are all Hrant Dink’ did not remain a mere slogan, but it made many people go back to their roots. That event also brought about changes in relations between Armenian and Turkish societies, but not between the governments,” he said. According to him, Turkey’s authorities are doing their utmost to prevent the detection of that crime.

“Positive changes have taken place during the last seven years. Armenian and Turkish children have made trips to Turkey and Armenia respectively. Turkish intellectuals have been actively commemorating April 24 in cities,” Hatspanyan said.

The Hrant Dink Foundation was established immediately after Dink’s death, with his widow Rahil Dink as president and his son Arat Dink as Board of Directors member.

Arat Dink organized a unique conference on Islamized Armenians. He stressed that millions of disguised Armenians, rather than just 50-60 thousand, are living in Western Armenia.

Hatspanyan regrets the fact that Hrant Dink is not well-known in Armenia.

“He did much, but, unfortunately, he is not commemorated in Armenia. Seven years have passed, and only we, his friends, commemorate him. We are holding a commemoration meeting today, and a small community of Istanbul Armenians and a few interested people take part in it.”

Many of Istanbul-based organizations have organized events in commemoration on Hrant Dink.

“Thousands of people will take to the streets, with slogans ‘For justice, for Hrant Dink’.” The slogans are an appeal to the Turkish authorities to find the masterminds behind the crime.