Armenian diplomatic outposts to participate in Genocide 100th anniversary events

May 30, 2011 - 19:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Diplomatic representations of Armenia jointly with the Diaspora's Armenian organisations will be actively involved in organisation of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Genocide, Armenian Genocide Museum director stated.

As Hayk Demoyan said upon completion of the first sitting of the state committee for coordination of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the second sitting of the committee is due in autumn. The sitting will focus on the agenda of the events scheduled for 2012. The committee activities aim to intensify Armenia-Diaspora cooperation.

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.