Trudeau invites Canadians to honor Armenian survivors by fighting hate

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Genocide showed the world the unconscionable cost of division, exclusion, and hatred, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday, April 24.

In a statement issued on the 106th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Trudeau said Canada vigorously opposes and condemns hate, intolerance, and xenophobia.

“Today on Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, we join Armenian communities in Canada and around the world to remember those who lost their lives and who suffered from the senseless acts wrought upon the Armenian people. We also honor their descendants and all those who continue to live with the pain, trauma, and loss from this tragedy," the statement reads.

“Today, we reaffirm our commitment to the fundamental rights and dignity of all human beings, and commit to continue working with our partners to make sure atrocities like these never happen again. We continue to be inspired by the strength and spirit of the Armenian people in the face of unimaginable hardship, and look forward with hope to a more peaceful, just tomorrow.

“On this somber anniversary, I invite all Canadians to pause to remember the victims and those who survived the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. We will continue to honor them by fighting hate, protecting the most vulnerable, and working to make our world a better one.”

On April 24, 1915, a large group of Armenian intellectuals was rounded up and assassinated in Constantinople by the Ottoman government. Today, on April 24, Armenians worldwide are commemorating the 106th anniversary of the Genocide which continued until 1923. Some three dozen countries, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings of 1.5 million Armenians as Genocide. Turkey denies to this day.