Italian city of Ravenna recognized the Armenian Genocide on October 22, Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

As Ravenna’s City Council stated in its resolution, “Taking into account the appeal by the Union of Armenians in Italy and the fact that the Armenian Genocide was recognized by the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the European Parliament, the Italian Chamber of Deputies and Pope Francis (in his speech during a Mass commemorating the Armenian Genocide centennial at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 12), the City Council of Ravenna recognizes the Armenian Genocide and expresses its solidarity with the Armenian people on the Genocide centennial.”

City Council of Ivrea in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy and the regional council of Marche recognized the Armenian Genocide on October 12 and October 6, respectively. Besides, the parliament of Italy’s Tuscany adopted a resolution acknowledging the Genocide on March 25 this year.

Over 30 Italian cities have recognized the Armenian Genocide, perpetrated at the hands of the Ottoman government in 1915.

Italy recognized the Genocide in 2000: the denial is criminalized.