Monument to victims of Armenian Genocide to be established in Kiev

February 25, 2010 - 16:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
On February 25 Holoseievski District Council of Kiev regarded a proposal by the Armenian community to erect a monument dedicated to 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The council decided to allocate a place for the monument in the Odessa square of the capital.

As Arthur Martirosyan, deputy of district council, vice-president of National Congress of Armenians in Ukraine, Head of the Armenian Diaspora of Holoseievski District told Analitika.at.ua, this is a very important event for the whole of Armenian Diaspora of Ukraine and the Armenian people on the whole. The MP believes that the monument to Armenian Genocide victims will eventually become a site Armenians of Kiev and guests from all over Ukraine visit. Martirosyan thanked all the deputies who expressed willingness to support the undertaking.

In turn, deputy of district council Anatoly Suldin praising the fruitful work of the Armenian community of Holoseievski region, expressed hope for further strengthening of Ukrainian-Armenian friendship. He also expressed hope that the Armenian people will not remain indifferent to the recognition of Holodomor.

On April 24 a capsule with Armenian soil, a commemorative stone and a cross will be placed at the location.

A sculpture composition will be created within a year, President of National Congress of Armenians in Ukraine Ashot Avanesyan said.

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.