The work’s starting point is a banner used during the “velvet revolution” in Armenia in April,
May 2018. As a result of mass protests in the streets of Yerevan and other major cities of
Armenia the Prime Minister and the ruling “Republican” party resigned and a new Prime
Minister was elected. During this protest among other banners there was one that said “Long
life the revolution of love and solidarity”. 1 This quickly became a one of the most used slogans
of revolution. The slogan was trying to catch the sense of solidarity and love that was in the
air in the streets at that time and of course referred to the solidarity of protesters who were
fighting against the authoritarian regime. However very soon the word “solidarity” was
misused as “tolerance”, the leader of the “velvet revolution” himself several times used “love
and tolerance”. Later tolerance was used by the parliament members of republican party to try
and convince the new prime minister to be tolerable towards them.
Vahram’s banner says “long live the revolution of equality and solidarity” bringing back the
anarcho-communist slogan “freedom, equality and solidarity 2 ” and pointing to the inspiration
origins and questioning the changes that underwent the slogan.
