Editing Charles Aznavour (section)

==Politics and activism==
===Civil rights===
Aznavour was well known for being a lifelong and active supporter of civil rights, fighting for equality among all races, religions and nationalities as he stated in many of his interviews during his lifetime.  He was an early supporter of [[LGBT rights by country or territory|LGBT rights]]. His 1972 album, ''Idiote je t'aime...'', contained among others, one of his classics, "Comme ils disent" ("As They Say", the English version of which is titled "What Makes a Man"). The song was revolutionary at a time when talking about homosexuality was a taboo. In a later interview, Charles said "It's a kind of sickness I have, talking about things you're not supposed to talk about. I started with homosexuality and I wanted to break every taboo."<ref>{{cite news|author=Angelique Chrisafis|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/19/charles-aznavour-i-wanted-to-break-every-taboo|title=Charles Aznavour: 'I wanted to break every taboo'|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 June 2015}}</ref>

=== Armenian activism ===
[[File:Charles Aznavour Museum, ArmAg.JPG|thumbnail|[[Charles Aznavour Museum]] in Yerevan]]
Following the [[1988 Armenian earthquake]], Aznavour helped the country through his charity, Aznavour for Armenia. Together with his brother in-law and co-author [[Georges Garvarentz]] he wrote the song "[[Pour toi Arménie]]", which was performed by a group of famous French artists and topped the charts for eighteen weeks. There are squares named after him with his statues [[Charles Aznavour Square, Yerevan|in central Yerevan]] on [[Abovyan Street]], and [[Charles Aznavour Square, Gyumri|in northern part of Gyumri]], which saw the most lives lost in the earthquake. In 1995 Aznavour was appointed an Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to [[UNESCO]]. Aznavour was a member of the [[Armenia Fund]] International Board of Trustees. The organization has rendered more than $150&nbsp;million in humanitarian aid and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia since 1992. He was appointed as "Officier" (Officer) of the [[Légion d'honneur]] in 1997.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://en.rfi.fr/20181001-charles-aznavour-dies-aged-94/ | title=Charles Aznavour dies, aged 94 | publisher=Radio France Internationale | date=1 October 2018 | author=Cross, Tony}}</ref>

In 2002, Aznavour appeared in director [[Atom Egoyan|Atom Egoyan's]] film ''[[Ararat (film)|Ararat]]'', about the [[Armenian genocide|genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire]] in the early 20th century.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bernstein |first1=Adam |title=Charles Aznavour, daring and adored French singer and composer, dies at 94 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/local/obituaries/charles-aznavour-daring-and-adored-french-singer-and-composer-dies-at-94/2018/10/01/bf080f3e-c577-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html&freshcontent=1 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref>

In 2004, Aznavour received the title of [[National Hero of Armenia]], Armenia's highest award. In 2005, he received the Ziad Karim's award. On 26 December 2008, President of Armenia [[Serzh Sargsyan]] signed a presidential decree for granting citizenship of Armenia to Aznavour whom he called a "prominent singer and public figure" and "a hero of the Armenian people".<ref name="Itzkoff" /><ref>{{cite news|title=French crooner Charles Aznavour granted Armenian citizenship|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20081227-french-crooner-charles-aznavour-granted-armenian-citizenship-/|agency=[[France 24]]|date=27 December 2008}}</ref>

In 2011, the [[Charles Aznavour Museum]] opened in Yerevan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Charles Aznavour's house museum ceremonially opens |url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/665332.html |work=Armenpress |date=7 October 2011 |access-date=2 October 2018}}</ref>

In April 2016, Aznavour visited Armenia to participate in the [[Aurora Prize]] Award ceremony. On 24 April, along with [[Serzh Sargsyan]], the Catholicos of All Armenians, [[Garegin II]] and actor [[George Clooney]], he laid flowers at the [[Armenian Genocide Memorial]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armradio.am/en/2016/04/21/charles-aznavour-arrives-in-armenia-3/|title=Charles Aznavour arrives in Armenia|date=21 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/210947/|title=President, Aznavour, Clooney visit Genocide memorial|website=PanArmenian.net|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>

In October 2016, Aznavour joined other prominent Armenians on calling the government of Armenia to adopt "new development strategies based on inclusiveness and collective action" and to create "an opportunity for the Armenian world to pivot toward a future of prosperity, to transform the post-Soviet Armenian Republic into a vibrant, modern, secure, peaceful and progressive homeland for a global nation."<ref>{{cite news |title='Global Armenians' Ad in NY Times Calls For 'Inclusive Leadership' in Armenia |url=http://asbarez.com/156506/global-armenians-ad-in-ny-times-calls-for-inclusive-leadership-in-armenia/ |work=[[Asbarez]] |date=October 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200803111610/http://asbarez.com/156506/global-armenians-ad-in-ny-times-calls-for-inclusive-leadership-in-armenia/ |archive-date=3 August 2020}}; text also available at {{cite web |title=The Future for All Armenians Is Now |url=https://auroraprize.com/en/news/detail/10454/future-for-global-armenians-is-now |website=auroraprize.com |publisher=[[Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200803111725/https://auroraprize.com/en/news/detail/10454/future-for-global-armenians-is-now |archive-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>

Along with holding the mostly ceremonial title of French [[ambassador-at-large]] to Armenia, Aznavour agreed to hold the position of Ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland on 12 February 2009:

<blockquote>First I hesitated, as it is not an easy task. Then I thought that what is important for Armenia is important for us. I have accepted the proposal with love, happiness and feeling of deep dignity<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2009/02/13/posol/|title=Charles Aznavour Ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland|publisher=Panorama.am|date=13 February 2009|access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref></blockquote>He wrote a song about the [[Armenian genocide]], entitled "[[Ils sont tombés]]" (known in English as "They fell").<ref>{{cite news|author=Nora Koloyan-Keuhnelian|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/33/312664/Arts--Culture/Music/Adieu-Aznavour.aspx|title=Adieu Aznavour|newspaper=[[Al-Ahram]]|date=2 October 2018|access-date=2 October 2018}}</ref>

Charles Aznavour and his son Nicolas Aznavour created Aznavour Foundation which aims to continue the educational, cultural and social projects started by the artist, as well as to preserve and promote the cultural and humanitarian heritage of Charles Aznavour who fought against any discrimination through his art and his global actions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.aznavourfoundation.org/aznavour-foundation-about-foundation-w1.html |title=About foundation |publisher=Aznavourfoundation.org |access-date=2021-07-14 |quote=The Aznavour Foundation, created by Charles Aznavour and his son Nicolas Aznavour aims at continuing the development and implementation of educational, cultural and social projects started by the legendary artist. |archive-date=14 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714090133/https://en.aznavourfoundation.org/aznavour-foundation-about-foundation-w1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Political involvement ===
{{quote box
| width  = 22%
| align  = right
| quote  = Though he is considered the embodiment of Frenchness, Charles Aznavour is in fact a proud Armenian without a corpuscle of French blood in his body.
| source = &nbsp;—[[Herbert Kretzmer]], Aznavour's long-time English lyric writer, 2014<ref>{{cite book|last=Kretzmer|first=Herbert|author-link1=Herbert Kretzmer|title=Snapshots: Encounters with Twentieth-Century Legends|chapter=Charles Aznavour - Troubadour|date=2014|publisher=[[Biteback Publishing]]}}</ref>}}

Aznavour was increasingly involved in French, Armenian and international politics as his career progressed. During the [[2002 French presidential election]]s, when far-right nationalist [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] of the [[National Front (France)|National Front]] made it into the runoff election, facing incumbent [[Jacques Chirac]], Aznavour signed the "Vive la France" petition, and called on all French to "sing the [[La Marseillaise|Marseillaise]]" in protest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rfimusique.com/siteEN/biographie/biographie_6059.asp|title=Biography – Charles Aznavour|publisher=Rfimusique.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416155211/http://www.rfimusique.com/siteen/biographie/biographie_6059.asp|archive-date=16 April 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref> Chirac, a personal friend of Aznavour's,<ref>{{cite news |last=Liabot |first=Thomas |date=1 October 2018 |title=Charles Aznavour, l'homme des présidents |url=https://www.lejdd.fr/Culture/charles-aznavour-lhomme-des-presidents-3768698 |work=[[Le Journal du Dimanche]] |access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref> ended up winning in a landslide, carrying over 82% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |last=Henley |first=Jon |date=6 May 2002 |title=Le Pen defeated but defiant |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/06/france.thefarright2 |work=The Guardian |language=French |access-date=1 October 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020151337/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/06/france.thefarright2 |archive-date=20 October 2018}}</ref>

He frequently campaigned for international [[History of copyright law|copyright law reform]]. In November 2005, he met with [[José Manuel Barroso]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_views/view017.html|title=Charles Aznavour meets EC President José Manuel Barroso|date=1 September 2005|publisher=Ifpi.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615135028/http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_views/view017.html|archive-date=15 June 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref> the then [[president of the European Commission]], on the issue of the review of term of protection for performers and producers in the EU, advocating an extension of the EU's term of protection from the current 50 years to the United States' law allowing 95 years, saying "[o]n term of protection, artists and record companies are of the same mind. Extension of term of protection would be good for European culture, positive for the European economy and would put an end the current discrimination with the U.S." He also notably butted heads with French politician [[Christine Boutin]] over her defense of a "global license" flat-fee authorization for sharing of copyrighted files over the internet, claiming that the license would eliminate creativity. In May 2009, the French [[Senate of France|Senate]] approved one of the strictest [[Copyright law of France|internet anti-piracy bills]] ever with a landslide 189–14 vote. Aznavour was a vocal proponent of the measure and considered it a rousing victory:

<blockquote>If the youth can't make a living through creative work, they will do something else and the artistic world will be dealt a blow&nbsp;... There will be no more songs, no more books, nothing at all. So we had to fight.<ref>{{cite news|title=French bill to combat Internet piracy clears final hurdle|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/french-bill-to-combat-internet-piracy-clears-final-hurdle-20090513-b3bs.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=13 May 2009}}</ref>
</blockquote>