Armenian Genocide centennial commemorated in Baghdad

November 28, 2015 - 17:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - In commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, Baghdad hosted Thursday, November 26, a performance in Arabic, titled “The Armenian Genocide before the court.”

Based on the play “Stand up the court is coming” by Perch Zeytuntsyan, the event was organized by Homenetmen (Armenian General Athletic Union and Scouts) and the Armenian Mixed Youth Association, Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press office reports.

Armenia’s ambassador to Iraq Karen Grigoryan, representatives of political and public circles, clergy members attended the event, covered by local media outlets.

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.