ArmInfo."We must not deviate from the way of criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide," French President Francois Hollande said at the event on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, organized by the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) in Paris. On April 24, French President Francois Hollande, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, heads of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France.
High-ranking officials and representatives of the Armenian community visited the monument to Komitas in Canada Square in Paris, where they participated in the ceremony of commemoration of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
"I am here to silently commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide." Today we must make a call for civil mobilization and vigilance. The struggle for memory is our main action, it is a struggle against historical distortions. "Great minds have been against genocide for 100 years." France agrees with the Armenian People that I proved by my visit to Armenia, only historical truth can unite, I must say that we must not deviate from the way of criminalizing the denial of the Genocide. Denial is not an opinion, it is a denial of the truth," said President Francois Hollande. He noted that France should constantly tell Turkey that there was a Genocide, which should be recognized. "Since this year, every year since April 24, schools will hold a week of research and genocide studies," Hollande said. "As president, I have always watched that France never avoided its obligations. You know that we are bound by an indivisible friendship and this is a brotherly relationship," the head of the French Republic said.
Those present led by Holland laid flowers at the monument to Komitas. On April 24, Armenians around the world and the progressive part of the world community recall the victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century. For today, more than two dozen countries of the world have recognized the Armenian Genocide. The first to recognize the Armenian Genocide was Uruguay, further Argentina, Russia, Belgium, the Vatican, Venezuela, Greece, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Lebanon, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden, Bolivia, Germany and several other countries. It is noteworthy that Switzerland, Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus also passed laws on the criminalization of the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The bill on the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide is also submitted to the French parliament and it is under consideration. The Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the UN Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the UN Commission on War Crimes, and the World Council of Churches, also recognized the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide was also recognized by New South Wales (Australia), Sicily, Sao Paulo, Ceara and Parana (Brazil), Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Great Britain), Basque Country, Catalonia, Balearic Islands (Spain), two dozen Spanish cities, Quebec (Canada), Kiev, Uzhgorod, Izyum, Goloseevsky district (Ukraine), Crimea, Karkhajent, Alakuas and Elda, as well as most US states. -