ArmInfo. Armenia and a number of countries around the world remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
The commemorative events began in Yerevan on the evening of April 23 with a torchlight procession to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Members of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun youth movement, who traditionally organize the march, burned the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan on Freedom Square in Yerevan. After that, there was a torchlight procession to the memorial.
Late in the evening of April 23, a concert of the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Academic Choir of Armenia was held at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex under the direction of the artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra, Eduard Topchyan. Verdi. Today, citizens have the opportunity to go to the " Tsitsernakaberd "and pay tribute to the memory of the holy martyrs.
Recall that at the beginning of the 20th century, they were subjected to genocide, implemented by the Young Turks in several stages. The leading community marks a memorable date on April 24, because on this day in 1915, when representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia were arrested and then killed in Istanbul.
The genocide was committed during the period when the Young Turks led by Talaat Pasha, Enver Pasha and Jemal were in power. In the period from 1915 to 1923, about 1.5 million people were killed. Just over half a million Armenians have found refuge in countries around the world. As a result of the Genocide, Western Armenia lost its indigenous population, and the Armenians lost their historical homeland. Until now, Turkey continues its policy of denying this historical fact and is spreading threats against those States that recognize and condemn this crime against humanity.
More than two dozen countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide, including Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, and the Vatican. Uruguay was the first to do so in 1965. The Armenian Genocide is also recognized by the UN General Assembly, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations.