Amsterdam joins global campaign to mark Armenian Genocide anniv.

April 24, 2016 - 14:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On the eve of the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on Saturday, April 23, Dutch Armenians staged a massive rally, starting from Amsterdam’s Museumplein Square and progressing towards Beursplein square.

This was the second march by Dutch Armenians this month, following the one denouncing Azerbaijan’s aggression against Nagorno Karabakh.

Some 1000 activists arrived in the Dutch capital to participate in the event, protesting Turkey’s denialist policy and handing over informative brochures on the Genocide history to passers-by.

Many of the bystanders were already aware of the over 100-year-old massacres, while others asked questions seeking to learn more about the Armenians’ fate in Ottoman Turkey.

The commemoration ceremony in Beursplein square started with a moment of silence, followed by addresses of prominent Dutch-Armenians and clergy members, as well as performances by a number of singers.

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.