Armenian Genocide commemorated in Cairo

April 26, 2010 - 11:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Genocide commemorative events were held in Cairo, Egypt, on April 24.

A liturgy was served at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian church, flowers were laid at the Armenian Genocide commemorative khachkar. Later in the evening, RA Ambassador to Egypt Armen Melkonyan presented remarks on the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement and a documentary on the Armenian Genocide was screened.

Besides, Al Akhbar Armenia Arabic-language edition dedicated to the Armenian Genocide as well as RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent statement in Deir ez-Zor were published, RA MFA press service reported.

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.