Flower gathering event held at Genocide Memorial complex

PanARMENIAN.Net - Already for the fourth time the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) in cooperation with VivaCell-MTS and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute organizes the Flower Gathering Event at the Genocide Memorial complex.

This year the event tօօk place on April 26th with the support of many volunteers including representatives of organizations and companies, as well as schoolchildren and university students. VivaCell-MTS staff also participated in the tree planting activities.

With their active support all volunteers contributed to a new life for the flowers left next to the Eternal Flame of the Genocide Memorial on April 24 by thousands of people to honor the Genocide victims. A few days later these flowers wither and have to be disposed. Before 2010 each year approximately 2 tons of flowers were therefore burnt as garbage.

The Flower Gathering has become very popular and is since 2010 a peak point of FPWC’s annual Earth Day Campaign implemented in cooperation with VivaCell-MTS. During the flower gathering event the stalks of the flowers are cut off to become compost for the memorial park whereas the flower petals are carefully collected and later dried. These petals are later utilized by FPWC to decorate handmade recycled paper. The paper cannot be purchased but is only used for special purposes as for certificates, thank-you letters and invitations to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

"Although we have initiated this, we strive to make the flower gathering an event that with us or without us becomes a beautiful tradition and has a continuous character" said the founder of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) Ruben Khachatryan.

"People pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Genocide, by walking up to the Memorial, and laying down flowers. In several days those flowers vanish. What to do with those flowers? A question that seems simple and inappropriate at first glance, however, is very complex, and raises important questions – isn’t it unethical that the final destination for those flowers will be the landfill and burning? Besides, burning has a quite negative effect on public health and environment. Thus, as part of our joint effort, these flowers will serve to our Issue – the Recognition," VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.