Istanbul exhibition commemorates Armenian Genocide centennial

December 3, 2015 - 17:11 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - An exhibition of Armenian Genocide-related telegrams has opened in Istanbul, Ermenihaber.am reports.

The event features cables from Turkey’s government archives that present the story of one of the greatest crimes against humanity, proving the Genocide with facts, revealing the masterminds, and detailing conditions under which the crime was perpetrated.

Also, documents, detailing Turkish Interior Minister Talaat Pasha’s orders, given to the Ottoman governors during the Armenian Genocide, as well as their responses are showcased at the exposition.

Besides, the exhibition gives firsthand information on the fate of the Armenians’ properties once they were exterminated and deported.

The exhibition marks the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, aiming to unveil the historical truth and promote preservation of historical memory.

Launched Thursday, December 1, at Istanbul’s DEPO center, the exhibition will run through the last day of the year.

Ժնևում Հայոց ցեղասպանության 100-րդ տարելիցին նվիրված համերգ է տեղի ունեցել. Armeniangenocide100.org

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.